After launching the ASUS Zenfone 8 in the US and Europe, today, the company has made it official in Brazil. The ASUS Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip pack the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset and bring compact design and full-screen design to the table.
The Zenfone 8 is priced starting at BRL 3,995(~$711) for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. It comes in Black and Silver colour variants. As of now, the pricing of the Zenfone 8 Flip is under wraps but we expect it to be revealed soon. It can be purchased from the official ASUS Brazil website.
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ASUS 8z
ASUS 8z
The ASUS Zenfone 8 comes with a 5.92-inch punch-hole AMOLED display with a Full-HD+ resolution. The Zenfone 8 Flip has a large 6.67-inch full-screen AMOLED panel with a Full-HD+ resolution. The phones boast Gorilla Glass 6 protection.
The Flip features a 64MP + 12MP + 8MP triple camera system, whereas, the compact Zenfone 8 has a 64MP + 12MP rear camera system. Under the hood, the duo is powered by the Snapdragon 888 5G flagship processor paired with a base 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 internal storage.
The Zenfone 8 has a 4,000mAh battery with 30W fast charging support. The Flip houses a larger 5,000mAh battery with the same 30W charging speed. The phones run on ZenUI based on the Android 11 operating system. The duo also has an in-display fingerprint scanner for security.
OnePlus for a long was rumoured to bring the Pac-Man edition of the Nord 2 smartphone. In October, Max Jamborshared a picture teasing the upcoming OnePlus Nord 2 Pac-Man Edition phone. Today, after almost a month, the company itself has officially teased the device.
OnePlus on its social handles shared a picture of the Pac-Man game teasing the Nord 2 Pac-Man Edition. However, the picture doesn’t reveal the design or specs of the smartphone. Well, considering that it will be a limited edition model, it’s evident to have a different paint job. But, rumours in the past revealed that it may also have different hardware.
Interestingly, Paras Guglani has revealed that the upcoming OnePlus Nord 2 will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC instead of the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset. This leak stands next to the past rumours, however, it is not yet confirmed. If this leak is to be believed then, the OnePlus Nord 2 Pac-Man Edition might be a different phone from the internals.
Unfortunately, there’s nothing else to add to the specs of the device but we expect the company to launch the limited edition phone soon. If we are to be guessing then the device may debut before the end of this month, considering that it is officially getting teased.
The OnePlus Nord 2 was launched in July with MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC. It has a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution and a 90Hz screen refresh rate. It boasts a 50MP quad-camera system at the rear and a single selfie camera lens. It has up to 12GB of RAM and a UFS 3.1 built-in storage type. The device packs a 4,500mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging technology.
Back in September, Realme unveiled the GT Neo2 smartphone in China followed by an India launch last month. Today, the Realme GT Neo2 has arrived in other major markets like Malaysia and Thailand.
The Realme GT Neo2 is priced at THB 13,990(~$416) in Thailand and MYR 2,099(~$505) in Malaysia. It is worth noting that the higher price in Malaysia is for the top 12GB RAM and 256GB storage variant, whereas, Thailand also has a base 8GB RAM and 128GB variant to choose from.
For comparison, the phone is priced starting at ₹31,999(~$425) in India for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant, whereas, in the Chinese market, it costs 2,499 Yuan(~$390).
Realme GT Neo2 Specifications
The Realme GT Neo2 raises the bar for mid-range segment phones in the regions. The phone brings a 6.62-inch Samsung E4 AMOLED display with a Full-HD+ resolution. It has support for a 120Hz refresh rate and a 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut. The display has 1300 nits of brightness and holds a 16MP selfie camera.
It equips a triple camera system at the rear with a 64MP main lens with f/1.8 aperture, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and lastly a 2MP macro sensor. The device has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 at the helm which is paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It has a 5,000mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging technology.
As for security, the smartphone has an in-display scanner as well as facial unlock support. The smartphone comes in two colour variants – Neo Blue and Neo Green.
Amazon has added a new gadget to its lineup of Alexa-powered smart home devices. The product is dubbed Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor and its function is to help monitor the presence of harmful gases like carbon monoxide within the home. The Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor checks your household for dust, humidity, temperature, and harmful gases. The new product has a $69 price tag and it is already available for pre-order, while the first units will be shipped by December. The Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor will notify you when the room has an unsafe level of the presence of volatile and organic compounds so as to improve ventilation.
The Smart Air Quality Monitor can be operated via Amazon’s Voice Assistant Alexa or via the app or an Echo device. You can also ask Alexa about the air quality at any time. The details will be provided via devices that have a display like your mobile phone or an Echo Show. The report can be very illuminating and detailed.
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The Smart Air Quality Monitor will be a smart addition to the home to enhance air quality within the household. It is a very affordable device that is expected to have global acceptability. However, there are no details at this time, of the global availability and pricing of the new smart home product. These details will become apparent as the product continues to catch the attention of consumers globally.
Xiaomi is the only Android OEM to release weekly beta builds of its mobile operating system MIUI based on Android. The company is known for introducing new features first in this channel. Just a few days back, we learned about the addition of a feature called ‘Front Camera Assistant’. Now, the firm has introduced yet another feature called ‘Smart toolbox’.
With the introduction of curved displays, Samsung started offering a feature called ‘Edge panel’ on its flagship smartphones. This helps users to pin certain applications and functions for quick access.
The feature is now not only available on all Samsung phones but also on handsets from other companies like OPPO. The Chinese smartphone maker calls this ‘Smart Sidebar 2.0’ in ColorOS 12.
A similar feature has finally debuted in MIUI as ‘Smart toolbox’. Xiaomi’s implementation is similar to fellow Chinese OEMs.
Users get three options to choose from. They can either access this toolbox always, during gameplay or during video playback.
If always is selected, users can quickly access pinned apps. While with the other two options, the toolbox will show tools related to gaming and videos, in addition to pinned applications.
The feature is currently in its initial stage but eventually, it may get ‘smarter’ like OPPO’s implementation. For instance, ColorOS 12’s Smart Sidebar 2.0 is capable of showing tools based on different usage scenarios.
Xiaomi is known for copying features faster than other companies. But for the first time, it is the last one to introduce a feature that’s available on almost all Android phones.
Budding Chinese automaker Hozon Auto has released the Neta V Pro electric vehicle in partnership with renowned software security firm Qihoo 360. In a press conference heralding the release of the new product, Qihoo 360 CEO, Zhou Hongyi says the car is the world’s first smart car to offer security via Qihoo’s proprietary automatic security guarding technology. The Neta V Pro enjoys significant improvements in its intelligence, security, power, and services features, although the most significant improvements are in the intelligence system of the model.
The Hozon Neta V Pro has an L2 intelligent assisted driving system that can be upgraded to higher versions. The car also has lots of high-impact chips, high-performance sensing devices operating in real-time. The new vehicle is capable of getting a real-time map of its surroundings and road conditions in all directions, hence assuring greater safety in its operations.
Two versions of the Hozon Neta V Pro were announced. The Long Range Entertainment is priced at 76,900 yuan ($12,027) while the higher Long-Range Luxury model has an 80,900 yuan ($12,653) price tag. The two models enjoy some subsidies that yielded the official price, thus the pricing may be much higher than the stated amount.
The Qihoo 360 security technology will help across three core functions of the vehicle namely cleaning system cache, privacy protection, and greater security of apps on the vehicle’s user’s smartphone. The recent huge investment outlay by Qihoo 360 Technology in Hozon Auto resulted in Qihoo becoming the major shareholder of the company. Hozon Auto has continued to enjoy rising sales numbers across several models, and the new models will further show its presence in the Chinese market. The new vehicles will enjoy the full complement of Qihoo’s security and connected ecosystem for a safer and exciting driving experience.
Generally retailing for $89.99 you can now buy Fire HD 8 Tablet at a discounted price of $44.99 only at Amazon US. This is a limited-time offer. So place your order asap.
For more information on such exciting deals and offers check out ourdeals hub.
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In September, realme launched its first tablet called realme Pad in India. It is a budget tablet with a better set of features than the competition in the country. This device is expected to release in Europe. Ahead of that, a reliable tipster reveals that the variant for the old continent will come with a much better processor.
realme Pad with Snapdragon 870 for Europe | Source: @_snoopytech_
But interestingly, despite featuring high-end silicon, the tablet will only arrive with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. Anyway, it will have support for storage expansion via MicroSD cards.
Just like the original realme Pad, this one will also sport an 8MP rear camera, an 8MP front camera, and a 7,100mAh battery with support for 18W charging. Finally, it will not only have the same design but also the identical 440g weight.
A few days back, the product’s pricing for Europe leaked via a retailer’s listings. As per that, the realme Pad will be priced at €239, €239, and €239 for 3GB + 32GB, 4GB + 64GB, and 6GB + 128GB memory configurations respectively.
If the above-mentioned price tags and specs happen to be true, then the realme Pad will be the most affordable Snapdragon 870-powered tablet in Europe. That being said, the brand is yet to officially announce the launch date for the region.
Jabra Elite 45h On-Ear Wireless Headphone which generally retails for $99.99 is now available at a discounted price of $59.99only at Amazon US. This is a limited-time offer.
Engineered to be the best in its segment Jabra elite 45h comes with one of the biggest speakers in its category. The 40mm speakers bring out the best sound quality for your music and combined with a customizable equalizer and music, you get an elite audio experience. However, the highlight of this headphone is its battery life. Once charged it gives you up to 50 hours of playback. That means once charged you can simply forget about charging for days. Perfect for people who have a busy schedule but like to enjoy music or have to make continuous calls.
Key Features:
Stylish on-ear wireless headphone
Verified by Force technology
40mm speakers for superior sound
Battery life: up to 50 hours
Quick charging: up to 10 hours of playback in just 15mins
Customizable Equalizer
Customize music according to individual hearing profile
Colors: Titanium Black, Copper Black, Gold Beige and Navy
Jabra Elite 45h On-Ear Wireless Headphone which generally retails for $99.99 is now available at a discounted price of $59.99 only at Amazon US. Please note that this is a limited-time offer. So place your order asap.
For more information on such exciting deals and offers check out ourdeals hub.
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Taiwanese tech giant ASUS has unveiled its latest flagship gaming smartphone in Europe. The ROG Phone 5s was first launched alongside the ROG Phone 5s Pro in Taiwan in August. The models are upgrades over the ROG Phone 5 that made its entrance earlier this year. The major shakeup in the hardware configurations over the ROG Phone 5 is in the processor. The new models are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ chipset as against the Snapdragon 888 SoC on the Phone 5. You also get up to 18GB of RAM onboard (ROG Phone 5 Pro only).
The ROG Phone 5s is already up for grabs in Europe and it will start at £999 for the 16GB + 512GB version. The ROG Phone 5s Pro which comes in a sole 18GB + 512GB memory option carries a price tag of £1099 and is only available for pre-order at the moment.
To recall, the Phone 5s and 5s Pro both sport a 6.78-inch Full HD+ Samsung’s E4 AMOLED HDR display with a 144Hz refresh rate same as on the ROG Phone 5. The smartphones’ displays support up to 300Hz touch-sampling rate, 24.3ms touch latency. The design element of the ROG Phone 5s includes an RGB illuminated ROG logo. It equally adopts a ROG Vision Color PMOLED display that is protected by the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.
On the camera aspect, the gaming phones pack a triple lens setup at the rear consisting of a 64MP rear camera with a Sony IMX686 sensor, f/1.8 aperture, as well as a 13MP 125˚ ultra-wide camera with f/2.4 aperture, and a 5MP macro sensor with f/2.0 aperture. At the front, there is a 24MP front-facing camera with 0.9µm pixel size and f/2.0 aperture.
The ROG Phone 5s and 5s Pro run on the latest Android 11 OS with ROG UI. The phone features dual SIM support (nano + nano) and packs dual 7-magnet Linear 12x16mm front-facing speakers with GameFX & Dirac HD sound powered by dual Cirrus Logic CS35L45 Mono AMP. It also comes with Quad microphones with OZO Noise Reduction Technology. There is also a 3.5mm audio jack for those who would love to plug in a wired gaming headphone.
Furthermore, the phone utilizes an in-display fingerprint sensor, ultrasonic sensors for AirTrigger 5, and grip press detection. It also comes with support for Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, and NFC. Under the hood, the ROG Phone 5s and 5s Pro pack a 6000mAH battery with 65W HyperCharge fast charging via USB Type-C port.
The Apple AirPods 3 were announced last month and recently began shipping out to those that ordered them. These come with an upgraded design, plenty of which has been inspired by the AirPods Pro, minus the rubber tips of course. But while the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro may share plenty from the outside, a teardown video has revealed that the insides are a different story.
52audio is a YouTube channel specializing in headphones and they took apart the third-gen AirPods to reveal its innards. The disassembly isn’t exactly an easy job since most of the parts of the Pods are glued together. The same holds true the other way around as well, making successful reassembly quite a feat, and repairs a nearly impossible task.
Each earpiece of the AirPods 3 has a new skin detection sensor that accurately discerns if the AirPods are in the ear and pauses playback when removed. It is a first for the AirPods family. An FPC cable connects all of the components, with a tiny battery between the speaker and the microphone. The AirPods 3’s internal battery has a capacity of 0.133Wh.
As for the AirPods 3 charging case, it now has a new set of magnets that are used to attach it to the MagSafe charger, something no other AirPods have. The case packs a 345mAh battery along with a Lightning port and a logic board. It also sports a graphite thermal pad to ease heating when charging.
Interestingly, the AirPods 3 charging case only has one large battery. The AirPods Pro case on the other hand is powered by two.
The AirPods 3 teardown video has been given below:
The Redmi Note 10 series China version launched in China just 6 months ago. But the next-generation model, the Note 11 series, has already arrived. There must be some reason for Redmi to release two generations of the Note series in one year.
In fact, here, we compare the new Redmi Note 11 Pro+ model with the Note 10 Pro China version in detail, and you will easily know why there’s another model so soon.
Now that’s done, let’s move on to the full review of the Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus.
The two Note series referred to in this video are the respective Chinese versions. The global versions of Note 11 series that could be released later will likely be different from the ones in this video. If the global version does change its specifications, please refer to the official website.
Also, note that the only difference between the Redmi Note 11 Pro and Pro Plus model is in the charging power and battery capacity. So you can refer to this video to know more about the Note 11 Pro as well.
Redmi Note 11 Pro+ Review – Design
The design style of Note 11 Pro Plus is somewhat similar to Note 10 Pro, but it’s not exactly the same. Obviously, the general idea was to keep the lens design the same.
So it’s still a top left matrix module, with a silver ring around the periphery of the topmost lens. But obviously the Note 11 Pro Plus has a larger lens module and more lenses, which also means it will have better camera specs. The frame has become a flat design like the iPhone 13, but of course not as premium as the iPhones, as the frame is still made of plastic.
The back panel material is made of AG frosted glass like the Note 9 Pro and the flat frame makes it look and feel more premium than the Chinese Redmi Note 10 Pro. The Note 11 Pro Plus has also been upgraded in terms of functionality.
Not only is it equipped with NFC, IR blaster, and stereo dual speakers, but it also has an X-axis linear motor and a 3.5mm headphone jack. And the SIM card tray offers optional MicroSD card support. In terms of design and functionality, the Note 11 Pro Plus is indeed an upgrade compared to the 10 Pro. And it gives you almost every feature you can think of on an affordable phone.
The Note 11 Pro Plus comes with an AMOLED screen. The 120Hz Samsung AMOLED screen is one of the best panels in its price range. We played an HDR video and realized there’s a huge improvement in the viewing experience of AMOLED as compared to an LCD panel. The visual experience from the higher contrast is really great. AMOLED also allows Redmi to make the hole-punch smaller and without shadows around it.
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However, instead of the latest generation of the Corning Gorilla Victus Glass on the 10 Pro, the new model has a regular Corning Gorilla Glass. The problem of rainbow lines appearing in oblique view also exists. I wouldn’t say the Note 11 Pro Plus screen is a top-notch screen. But it does have a very good screen for a Budget Phone.
Redmi Note 11 Pro+ Review – Performance & Gaming
While in the design department, the new model shines, the Note 11 Pro Plus is not an all-around upgrade compared to the Note 10 Pro. It also has downgrades in some departments, such as the processor. Although the Note 11 Pro Plus is built on MTK’s Dimensity 920 for the first time, you can see from the name that it’s definitely not as good as the Note 10 Pro’s Dimensity 1100.
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In Antutu Benchmark the phone gets 484708, in 3DMARK around 2099, in Geekbench 5 single-core around 734, and in multi-core test around 2174. Scores are much lower than the Note 10 Pro, especially the GPU part. However, thanks to its weaker performance, the stability performance in the 3DMARK Stress Test is better.
PUBG can only be turned on at an Extreme frame rate with Smooth Graphics, and as you can see from the frame rate graph, PUBG can still run smoothly despite its low performance. Genshin Impact was a bit more of a struggle. There was a 10 fps gap between the average frame rate of the Note 10 Pro and also the Note 11 pro plus had more lag. Although the gap between Brightridge’s average frame rates was 6 fps, both phones’ frame rates fluctuated a lot and the experience was not very good. The two phones did a better job of temperature control, the highest temperature was not more than 45 ℃. Overall, Note 11 Pro Plus can smoothly play some small and medium-sized games, but users who like to play heavier games can choose Note 10 Pro for a better gaming experience.
Redmi Note 11 Pro+ Review – Camera Performance
As a rule, the Note 11 Pro plus, which went back to the HM2 sensor, should be much better than the Note 10 Pro, but in reality, it’s not. Most of the time, the pixel nine-in-one HM2 sensor did not show its advantages at all.
Note that in our video review of the Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus, we have compared the samples of the two phones. And here, in this review article, you can find original samples from the Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus under each camera section.
Main Camera
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There is no significant difference between the Note 10 Pro and the Note 11 Pro in terms of dynamic range or clarity. And the color tends to be cold. AI image sharpening is also not as strong as the Note 10 Pro. Both phones sometimes have abnormal exposures in the night mode. There is an underexposure problem compared to normal mode photos. The most shocking thing to me was that this photo taken with 108MP Mode does not look like a photo taken with the native 108MP sensor. Not only is it much blurrier than the Mi 11’s 108MP photos, but it’s not even as sharp as the 64MP Note 10 Pro. No doubt, the Note 11 Pro plus has a better main camera sensor than the Note 10 pro, but clearly, its potential is yet to be realized. Let’s just hope Redmi can optimize the camera as soon as possible.
Ultra Wide Angle Camera
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Also, most of the time, there isn’t a big difference in the ultra-wide angle lens of these two models. The only difference is in the optimization of the dark areas. The Note 11 pro plus likes to brighten up the dark areas, which of course leads to an increase in noise. This is the case in both night mode and normal mode. Other than that, they are both at the average level of a budget phone.
Macro Lens
The macro lens basically performs the same way. It’s a very average macro lens, nothing special.
The phone’s video shooting capability is still the same as always, the main camera supports up to 4k 30fps and the ultra-wide angle lens supports up to 1080p 30fps. But limited by the performance of the Dimensity 920, the main camera’s 1080p 60fps and 4k 30fps do not support EIS. However, the older Redmi Note 10 Pro did not have this problem.
The stereo speakers with JBL have also been upgraded. It becomes the same symmetrical left and right speakers as Mi 10S. It supports Dolby Atmos. Although the effect is certainly not as good as the Mi 10S, when compared to other phones inthe same price range, it should be considered the best.
The Note 10 Pro’s 67w charging power is already very fast among phones in the same price range, and even many more expensive phones don’t have such a fast-charging power. But this time, the Note 11 Pro Plus has a charging power of 120w, making it one of the fastest charging phones in the world. And I want to remind you that it starts at only about $300. And there is a 120w charger included in the box.
It takes five minutes to charge to 44%, ten minutes to charge to 76%. A full charge takes only around 16 minutes. If you think the temperature is too high when charging, you can choose to turn off the fast charging mode, which can reduce the temperature. The cost of boosting charging power is sacrificing battery capacity. Although it’s not as large as the Note 10 Pro which had a 5000mAh battery, still 4500mAh is not small. Half hour of 1080p video consumed 5%, another half hour of TikTok consumed 5%. Three games consume 5%, 8%, and 7% of power for 20 minutes, respectively. If you are not satisfied with the battery life of Note 11 Pro Plus, you can choose Note 11 Pro which only has 67w charging power but has a 5160mAh battery.
Redmi Note series explanation given by Lu Weibing
As to why the Note series got two models in a year, in fact, Redmi’s general manager Mr. Lu has explained this on social media: He said “One product cannot satisfy all users, and the only way to satisfy all users is through simultaneous sales of multiple products”. Redmi has actually made a clear distinction between the Note 10 Pro and the Note 11 Pro Plus. The older Note 10 Pro is for those who like stronger performance but don’t mind slightly weaker performance in other areas, while Note 11 Pro Plus is more for those who don’t care about performance but require an overall strong profile.
For example, with stronger camera performance, and faster charging, I think the Note 11 Pro is more like an iteration of the Note 9 Pro. So if you liked the Note 9 Pro, then you’ll like the Note 11 Pro Plus even better.
Finally, I’d like to remind you again that we have a Giveaway campaign going on for the Note 11 Pro. Subscribe to our channel, and if you are lucky, you could win a Redmi Note 11 Pro. Don’t miss this opportunity!
Xiaomi has launched a new premium projector in China called ‘Xiaomi Laser Cinema 2’. It is the world’s first projector to support Dolby Vision at 4K. The product will be going on sale for the first time at a special discounted price during the Double Eleven shopping festival.
Xiaomi Laser Cinema 2 Specifications and Features
The newly unveiled Xiaomi Laser Cinema 2 can project a screen of 100-inch from a distance of 20cm away from the wall. However, it is worth noting that it can be adjusted to project a screen size of 40 to 200 inches. But the company recommends using 80 to 150 inches.
The projector is capable of outputting 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) content with a 3000:1 contrast ratio. It not only covers 113% of Rec.709 color gamut but also supports HDR standards like HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
The projector is rated to output light of 2400 ANSI Lumens. It also uses ALPD RB+ technology (inclusion of red laser) to offer better colors. Additionally, it also supports MEMC (60Hz).
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Talking about performance, it is powered by a 64-bit MediaTek MT9669 SoC whose quad-core ARM Cortex-A73 CPU is clocked at 1.9GHz. The chipset is paired with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. It also comes with technologies like ‘AI Image Enhancement’ for noise reduction.
The device runs MIUI for TV with all the features and content found on Xiaomi and Redmi smart TVs. In fact, it even has far-field microphones for Xiao AI virtual assistant, in addition to 30W speakers (2 x 15W units) with support for Dolby Atmos and DTS Sound.
As far as ports are concerned, the projector arrives with 3 x HDMI 2.0b, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x S/PDIF, 1 x headphone out, and an Ethernet.
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Last but not least, the device has a ≤30dB fan to lower thermals and it also features a sensor for human detection to avoid any harm to the eyes.
Xiaomi Laser Cinema 2 Price and Availability
The Xiaomi Laser Cinema 2 is priced at ¥14,999 ($2,345) in China. It is scheduled to hit the shelves during the upcoming Double Eleven (Single’s Day) at a discounted price tag of ¥12,999 ($2,033).
At present, it’s not known whether this projector will make its way to international markets.
Lu Weibing, Senior VP Xiaomi Group China and GM of Redmi, said in an interview yesterday that Xiaomi plans to surpass all other smartphone brands including Apple to become world number 1.
He added saying that the company will be targeting China’s offline mobile phone market first as 70% of smartphone sales are still conducted offline in the country. Xiaomi plans to reach 30,000 retail stores in China in the next 3 years as well, and only recently inaugurated its 10,000th store. Retail is something Xiaomi still lags behind in and is beaten at by BBK Electronics subsidiaries OPPO and vivo in China. The same holds true globally as well, hence the push for offline stores.
Image: Lu Weibing’s Weibo
The Xiaomi VP further said that only when the goal is hard to reach can there be “value and significance of the challenge.” He emphasized that the competition, through offline stores, manages to sell a product that Xiaomi already offers at much higher prices. This is because offline stores hold the power of persuation, which is something that lacks in online mediums.
The goal sure is quite hard to reach. Xiaomi seems to have currently locked horns with Apple in terms of smartphone shipments. In Q3 2021, Apple ranked second with 48 million shipments while Xiaomi followed closely behind with 44.4 million shipments (via Counterpoint Research). The company did briefly overtake Apple in Q3 2020 but is back to the number two spot once again.
The real challenge seems to be Samsung though, maintaining a sizeable lead over the rest with a shipment of 69 million units. The company may have seen a decline in terms of sales across the globe, but also sells in markets like the US – a country where Xiaomi still has zero presence.
Xiaomi’s 2024 plans for domination are complemented by goals to mass-manufacture its own electric cars in the same year. A dedicated EV company was set up only last month to help achieve the goal.
Soon after the launch of the Meizu 18 series in March, Meizu announced that it will offer a pure OS experience on its latest flagship smartphones. Since then, the Android-based Flyme software on these phones has been void of advertisements, push notifications, and bloatware. But recently, ads appeared in the stock weather application.
Meizu 18 Pro
According to a report by ITHome, users of Meizu 18 and Meizu 18 Pro were exposed to advertisements on their devices. These ads were found inside the stock weather app of Flyme. Users were not only exposed to banner ads in the application but also a full-screen app opening ad.
Thankfully, the advertisements were removed a few hours later. One of the company executives clarified that the issue was due to a configuration mismatch.
Meizu has been promoting its latest premium smartphones as ‘Three Zero Mobile’. The three zeros stand for no ads, no push notifications, and no bloatware. The firm even trolled other OEMs as part of its ‘April Fool’s Day’ prank for promotions. But unfortunately, due to a simple mistake, the company went against its word.
When Meizu announced its ‘Three Zero Mobile’ software policy, the firm said that it will also cover the Meizu 17 series. However, that never happened and the company has even discontinued the policy for future smartphones.
Hence, Meizu 18 and Meizu 18 Pro are currently the only handsets from Meizu without ads, push notifications, and bloatware.
Software experience on tablets and foldables has never been Android’s strong point but the upcoming Android 12L update may very soon change that. The update refines the system UI to take advantage of larger screens, bringing along changes like a dual-panel notification center that lets users view notifications and interact with quick settings simultaneously.
The update schedule went up earlier today and showed that the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are indeed eligible for Android 12L, thus clearing all doubts regarding the same. It will be the very last for the series, with security updates ceasing soon after in May 2021.
Android 12L is scheduled to receive its first beta build starting in December, with the final release expected sometime in the first quarter of 2022.
This comes not long after a recent report saying that the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL have hit EOL, and will not be receiving any Android upgrades or security patch updates anymore.
However, as it turns out, the devices are still eligible for one last update (via 9to5Google). Google has promised another that’s set to go live sometime in Q1 2022. A similar pattern was observed with the Pixel 2 and 2 XL last year when the company skipped the November patch with the promise of another update in December.
Google Pixel 3 series
This last Pixel 3 update will presumably bring multiple bug fixes for Android 12. The update had brought along Material You support but gave a miss to some other capabilities, like those that require the new Google Assistant.
The only thing we find rather odd here is that the Pixel 3 series has not made it to the Android 12L compatibility list, despite getting a similar release date for its last update.
During the Huawei Developer Conference (HDC) 2021, the CEO of the company’s Consumer Business Group, Yu Chengdong, stated that HarmonyOS has reached over 150 million products worldwide. This includes smartphones, smart home products, and now, even Smart TV boxes from HiMedia.
For those unaware, HiMedia is a brand that has its operations offer audio-video solutions. This includes research and development of products that offer high tech image processing, audio and video codec, and more. The company is now planning on launching a new smart TV box that will be able to turn old TV’s at your home’s into a smart screen/TV. Notably, this smart TV box will run on the Chinese tech giant’s proprietary operating system, the HarmonyOS. In other words, another brand is featuring the OS on its platform.
Through Huawei HarmonyOS, the HiMedia TV box will be able to offer various smart features like remote control, online video streaming, and other functions. Furthermore, the new device will also arrive with integration of HarmonyOS Connect ecosystem as well. So once the user accesses the HarmonyOS Connect, the HiMedia smart TV box will be able to bring up the service from a smartphone that runs HarmonyOS. Notably, the service offers users access to the latest movie recommendations and even supports 3D glasses as well. This device will soon be listed on the Huawei Mall in China for purchase.
“Sideloading is a cyber criminal’s best friend and requiring that on iPhone would be a gold rush for the malware industry,” Apple senior vice president Craig Federighi said in a dramatic speech delivered at Web Summit 2021 against the European Commission’s proposed Digital Markets Act. The act, if passed, would require Apple to let users install apps from outside the App Store.
He added saying that the lack of sideloading is the thing that separates Apple from the “5 million Android attacks per month,” and if Apple were to allow users to install their own apps, the floodgates for malware will be opened (via The Verge).
Federighi is totally against the proposed notion of letting the user themselves decide the risk of sideloading apps. He opines that cybercriminals are clever and can even victimize informed users through misleading websites and fake app stores.
But if you feel you are one of those tech-savvy people that will be unscathed by whatever criminals toss at you, then Federighi asks to think about children or parents who might still be fooled. This is kind of ironic considering Apple still has to often deal with multimillion-dollar scams despite having strong restrictions put in place currently against sideloading apps.
Apart from malware risks, the Apple senior vice president has also raised red flags about social media apps that may try to get around the strict privacy protection standards of the App Store.
It is worth mentioning here that despite all of the claims, Apple’s macOS actually has allowed sideloading of apps for decades, yet is mostly safe from the scale of malware attacks described by Federighi. The Gatekeeper system, which allows Apple to check signed developer IDs to confirm the software is genuine, has a huge role to play in this.
Of course, a similar system could be implemented on iOS as well, allowing sideloading on iPhone without the risk of malware. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez had noted this saying that Apple may be “stretching the truth” on malware concerns and that Apple could implement a Gatekeeper-like system on iOS if it wanted to.
Last but not least, Federighi’s speech had completely ignored the fact that not allowing sideloading on iOS forces all app transactions to flow through the App Store. This is a huge benefit for Apple as it generates billions of dollars since Apple takes a 30% cut.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is probably the most leaked smartphone of 2021. In fact, we have been hearing about this device since November 2020. Almost a year later, the rear panel of this handset now appears in a hands-on video.
Recently, the Galaxy S21 FE’s rear panel emerged on the web in real-life images. These pictures were from a component supplier who started selling the panels before the phone’s release.
Designer Concept Creator (Jermaine, @CConceptCreator) managed to acquire one of these panels. He showcased them in his latest YouTube video attached above.
From the video, we can see that the back of the successor of Galaxy S20 FE will have a design similar to the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21+. However, it will not have a separate metal unit for the camera module, just like what we saw in the renders earlier.
Based on this back panel, the designer also created a 3D model of the phone in five colors. You can feast your eyes on them in the same video above.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE | Source: @OnLeaks via Voice
Talking about specs, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is expected to come with a 6.4-inch FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 888/Exynos 2100 chipset, up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM, up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage, 12MP (wide) + 12MP (ultra-wide) + 8MP (telephoto) triple rear cameras, 32MP selfie camera, One UI 3.x based on Android 11, 4,500mAh battery, 25W fast charging, 15W wireless charging, and 7.5W reverse wireless charging.
Samsung is reported to unveil the Galaxy S21 FE at CES 2022 in early January. The device is tipped to hit the shelves on January 11.
Europe’s smartphone market has mostly recovered from the effects of the pandemic but is held back from the chip shortage now. Q3 2021 phone sales were thus overall 1% lower compared to the same period last year.
Image: Counterpoint Research
Not every brand was equally affected though. It’s the Chinese smartphone brands, particularly the subsidiaries of BBK Electronics, that have outshone the rest (via Counterpoint Research). vivo, realme, and OPPO have each recorded triple-digit growth in Q3 2021 vs Q3 2020 with figures of 238%, 160%, and 112% respectively in Europe. These three have also gained in terms of market share with OPPO jumping from 4.7% to 10.1%, realme from 0.9% to 2.4%, and vivo from 0.5% to 1.8%. OPPO has gained hugely with the merger with OnePlus.
OnePlus 9RT arrived with ColorOS following OPPO merger
However, the market share of these three is rather tiny in the continent, which explains the triple-digit figures. The big players have continued to be Samsung, Xiaomi, and Apple. Although, Samsung’s market share has declined from 35.8% to 30.4%. Xiaomi and Apple on the other hand recorded 51% and 24% growth respectively.
Counterpoint Research Associate Director Jan Stryjak said, “realme is one of the fastest growing brands in Europe and has firmly established itself as a top-five vendor with strong sales in Russia, Spain, and Italy. vivo is also growing fast, albeit from a smaller base, while Motorola and Nokia are staging a comeback. HONOR also has set sights on the European market in the hopes of a reversal of fortunes with its first major launch in the region in over a year in October.”
But when it comes to QoQ figures for growth in terms of sales, Xiaomi and Samsung have suffered declines of 6% each. Samsung could have been hit even worse had it not been for the success of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 particularly in Western Europe. Apple has seen a respectable 5% growth, on the other hand, boosted by the launch of the iPhone 13 towards the end of the quarter.
Image: Counterpoint Research
Xiaomi and Apple had a mixed quarter at the end of the quarter. Xiaomi suffered a major setback in September 2021 as a result of significant component constraints. Apple’s iPhone 13 launch was a huge success. Despite going on sale at the end of September, the iPhone 13 seemed to be more popular than the iPhone 12 from the previous year. Apple could have a record-breaking Q4 in Europe if it can keep up with demand – a difficulty in some markets.
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