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Samsung does away with ads from Samsung Pay, Health, & Weather apps

As of yesterday, Samsung has stopped filling their stock One UI apps with ads after years of serving them. The apps include Samsung Pay, Weather, and Samsung Health.

Users had earlier shared their observations on the Samsung Community forums about the disappeared ads. And an investigation from TizenHelp (via: 9to5Google) led to a statement from a Samsung employee confirming that the ads were indeed gone for good.

“This is the Samsung Health Operation Manager. Please note that the banner at the top of the Samsung Health app will not be provided from October 1,” they said.

Samsung seems to have acknowledged the change only for South Korea, but reports confirm that the ads have gone from locations like the United States as well. The company had earlier this year announced that it will be removing ads.

Prior to this move, Samsung Pay had a large banner ad on its Pay tab which has now vanished. There is still a “Featured” section on the “Home” tab that may contain offers but it isn’t as intrusive as the ads shown before.

Samsung Health has also been updated, seemingly server-side, to remove a banner ad that appeared at the top of the app. While this section often highlighted workout tips, it also promoted products including Samsung’s smartwatches.

A banner ad positioned atop in Samsung Health has also been removed, presumably due to a server-side upgrade. While this section frequently featured workout tips, it also advertised Samsung’s smartwatches.

Finally, it appears that Samsung Weather has ceased serving ads in its top banner, with the app now simply displaying the temperature and forecast at the top. The Galaxy Themes app also seems to have removed its ad banner, as promised.

In case the aforementioned Samsung apps are still showing ads for you, a force stop or cache clear of the concerned should fix it.

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Rumor has it that the iPhone 14 will offer 2TB of storage

This year’s iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max models may have seen a doubling of their max storage capacity from 512GB to 1TB when compared to last year’s models, but that apparently hasn’t been enough for Apple. In an attempt to push the very boundaries of the amount of storage a phone can offer, the Cupertino-based company may be planning to ship the iPhone 14 will up to 2TB of storage, effectively doubling the max storage for two years in a row.

According to My Drivers, a trusted Chinese website, the 2022 iPhone series, which we assume will be called the iPhone 14, could have up to 2TB of storage. This report follows another from DigiTimes about Apple working with NAND flash chipmakers to make cost-effective QLC (quad-level cell) NAND flash solutions for the iPhone 14.

iPhone 14 render featured

The QLC flash has an improved memory density by 33 percent over the possible TLC storage used on the iPhone 13 series. This is due to the fact that TLC has four bits per cell, which should translate to more data within the same form factor. It also means lower costs per unit of capacity.

However, TLC has a few tricks of its own. It can go through a higher number of write and erase cycles, meaning better longevity. In addition, it is also faster than QLC. Thus, the decision to replace existing TLC solutions with QLC does not come without setbacks.

Further, 1TB is more than sufficient even for power users, so it’s unclear if Apple will actually be opting for 2TB. The whole thing does seem a bit extra even by Apple’s standards, honestly.

iPhone 14

Still, the iPhone 14 series is expected to bring along some much-needed design tweaks including the doing away of the obnoxious notch in favor of a punch-hole selfie shooter. The rear might also get updated and finally come with a camera module that sits flush within the body. The Pro models might feature titanium builds which should help reduce weight, and will likely boast 48MP primary cameras.

Lastly, Apple might do away with the mini model in 2022 and instead introduce another variant with a 6.7-inch display. The entire range will reportedly be powered by 4nm processors.

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AMD Ryzen 5000 series SoCs possibly delayed to next year

AMD may have delayed the plan of releasing the Ryzen 5000 series earlier slated for November 2021. There are rumors from a renowned leaker who claims that the release of AMD’s Zen3 Threadripper CPU for consumer desktops has been delayed out of 2021.

The leaked information mentions “Chagall” being delayed to next year which is nothing but a codename attached to AMD’s 5000 series Threadripper processors. Here’s the tweet that talks about it.

Some of Gigabyte‘s information was leaked when a ransomware gang hit the manufacturer. The leaks included information about future hardware, the highlight of which was the Threadripper 5990X SoC. And according to that, it is supposed to have 64 cores and 128 threads along with 256 MB of L3 cache, 64 PCIe 4.0 lanes, and 4-channel DDR-3200 memory. These cores are similar to the ones found on Threadripper 3990X and at the same time, don’t mention anything about 5000 series Threadrippers’ clock speeds.

We also got to learn about two Pro-model 5000 Threadrippers from AMD which were listed as a Ryzen Threadripper Pro 5995WX and a Ryzen Threadripper Pro 5945WX. The former was a 64-core, 128-thread processor, while the latter had 12 cores and 24 threads. These are workstation models and are likely to launch in 2022.

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[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jM1gtthnDU[/embedyt]

MediaTek unveils Filogic Connectivity Family with New Filogic 830 and Filogic 630 Chips

MediaTek‘s growth trajectory has been on a rise for the past couple of years as the brand has been able to capture a big chunk of the market with its powerful SoCs. Well, add one more to the list as MediaTek has introduced the Filogic connectivity family with Filogic 830 Wi-Fi 6/6E system-on-chip (SoC) and Filogic 630 Wi-Fi 6E network interface card (NIC) solutions. These highly integrated, power-efficient chips offer high computation ability, reliable connectivity, and a plethora of features altogether.

Source: MediaTek

These new chipsets provide best-in-class features with highly integrated designs for the next generation of premium broadband, enterprise, and retail Wi-Fi solutions.”, said Alan Hsu, Corporate Vice President & General Manager, Intelligent Connectivity at MediaTek. He goes on to add, “The MediaTek Filogic series ushers in a new era of smart Wi-Fi solutions with extreme speeds, low latency, and superb power efficiency for seamless, always-connected experiences,” said

MediaTek Filogic 830
Filogic 830 is based on 12nm architecture and bags a bunch of features into a compact, ultra-low power chipset that allows users to design differentiated solutions for routers, access points, and mesh systems. The SoC houses four Arm Cortex-A53 processors clocked at up to 2GHz per core for up to +18,000 DMIPs processing power, dual 4×4 Wi-Fi 6/6E for up to 6Gbps connectivity, two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, and a host of peripheral interfaces. Filogic 830’s built-in hardware acceleration engines for Wi-Fi offloading and networking enable faster and more reliable connectivity. There’s also a provision for low latency applications including gaming and AR/VR with the presence of MediaTek FastPath™.

MediaTek Filogic 630
Filogic 630 is a Wi-Fi 6/6E NIC solution with dual-band, dual-concurrent 2×2 2.4GHz and 3×3 5GHz or 6GHz for up to 3Gbps support. The chipset packs a unique 3T3R 5/6GHz system with internal front-end modules (FEMs). There’s an added superiority in diversity gains and transmit beamforming capabilities with the help of Filogic’s 630’s third antenna. Filogic 630 can be coupled with Filogic 830 for tri-band connectivity solutions for broadband gateways, enterprise access points, and in fact, for higher speeds and bandwidths, it can be combined with retail routers as well.

Being the biggest supplier of Wi-Fi portfolios, MediaTek enjoys its No. 1 position in the Wi-Fi domain. It has deliveries across broadband, retail routers, consumer electronics devices, and gaming. And it is the result of consistent developments and improvements over the past few years with industry-leading experts and technology.

Lower latency and additional capacity and speed are the USP of Wi-Fi 6E. Devices drawing connectivity from Wi-Fi 6 connections in 6GHz are designed to make use of wide 160 MHz channels and uncongested bandwidth in 6GHz to deliver multi-gigabit, low latency Wi-Fi.

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[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jM1gtthnDU[/embedyt]

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OnePlus Buds Z2 images & detailed specs revealed

OnePlus is all set to be launching the all-new OnePlus Buds Z2 as successor to last year’s Buds Z. They will be released in October, just like their predecessors. Ahead of the official launch, we now have images of the buds along with the complete specifications.

While the design of the new buds is near identical to the ones from last year, there is a slight tweak (via: Giznext). Based on the leaked images, we can establish that the OnePlus Buds Z2 will be having slightly more angled ear tips, which should result in a more comfortable fit. Other than that, the buds come with the same minimal yet elegant in-ear style design with silicone ear tips.

The most notable upgrades with the Buds Z2 are with its internals. They will be coming with three microphones for active noise cancellation (ANC). Moreover, they now have IP55 certification against sweat and water. The charging box gets a similar IPX4 protection rating.

The buds won’t sport any fancy high definition audio codecs like LDAC and aptX, and instead stick to the trusty AAC and SBC formats, which should be enough for most users. 11mm drivers will be outputting the sound.

OnePlus Buds Z2 Render Leak 02
Previous leaked renders

Each bud comes with a 40mAh battery while the case carries an extra 520mAh. The latter can be filled up in 90 minutes from 0% to 100% using which the playtime can be extended to a total of 27 hours. Turn ANC off and the figure further increases to an impressive 38 hours. Without the case, the buds should last for 5 hours with ANC and 7 hours without ANC. That’s a significant bump over last year’s Buds Z that capped at 5 hours.

The OnePlus Buds Z2 will be available in two color options: Day White and Night Black.

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Samsung Galaxy A02 bags Android 11 update

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A02 at the end of January. Despite launching in 2021, the device debuted with One UI Core 2.x based on Android 10. Now, months after its release, the handset has finally started receiving the Android 11 update with One UI Core 3.x.

Samsung Galaxy A02 Denim Blue Denim Gray Denim Red Featured
Samsung Galaxy A02

According to a report by SamMobile, Samsung has begun to roll out the Android 11 update for the Galaxy A02. The latest system update for the smartphone arrives with One UI Core 3.x skin.

The update is currently live in Russia with firmware version A022GDXU2BUI3. Apart from bringing Android 11 features, it also comes with new One UI features supported on low-end Galaxy phones.

Like any other OTA system update, this one is also being rolled out in batches. Hence, it is only available for a select few users in Russia. Anyway, the new software update should reach other regions in the coming days.

Going by Samsung’s update track record, the Galaxy A02 might receive yet another major system update. That should be none other than One UI Core 4.x based on Android 12. This version of the software will probably arrive later next year.

Last but not least, the smartphone will most likely continue to receive security patches after its second major software update.

 

 

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Apple India offering free AirPods on purchase of iPhone 12, 12 mini

The two popular eCommerce giants in India, namely Flipkart and Amazon India are offering heavy discounts on Apple products as part of their Big Billion Days and Great Indian Festival sales respectively. If you do not find them interesting, then there’s an interesting deal directly from Apple.

Apple iPhone 12 All Colors Featured 02
Apple iPhone 12

Last year, Apple finally debut its official online store in India. Since its launch, the company has been not only offering education discounts but also other offers from time to time.

Hence, ahead of Diwali festive season, the Cupertino-based tech giant has now announced a sweet deal on iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini. Customers buying either of these two smartphones will get a free pair of AirPods from October 7.

Interested customers also have an option to opt for AirPods with wireless charging case or AirPods Pro by paying an additional price that will be revealed once the deal goes live.

2nd-gen AirPods
Apple AirPods

With the launch of the iPhone 13 series, Apple dropped the price of the iPhone 12 series in India. The iPhone 12 currently retails at ₹65,990 (64GB), ₹70,990 (128GB), and ₹80,990 (256GB). Whereas, the iPhone 12 mini costs ₹59,990 (64GB), ₹64,990 (128GB), and ₹74,990 (256GB).

Lastly, the AirPods, the AirPods with wireless charging case, and the AirPods Pro are listed at ₹14,900, ₹64,990, and ₹24,900 respectively on Apple Store right now.

 

 

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Realme GT Neo2 vs iQOO 8: Specs Comparison

Realme GT Neo2 was recently announced in China and it already made a huge success with 100,000 units sold in just one day. Now, the handset is going to make its debut in the global market as it will soon hit the Indian peninsula. But it won’t be alone as there is another flagship killer which is going to hit the Indian market very soon: the iQOO 8. If you are waiting for these handsets, you may be confused if you do not know their specifications very well, and you might find difficulties while deciding which one to buy. This comparison between their specifications will help you make things clear.

Realme GT Neo2 vs Vivo iQOO 8

Realme GT Neo2 Vivo iQOO 8
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 162.9 x 75.8 x 9 mm, 199.8 grams 159 x 75.1 x 8.6 mm, 200 g
DISPLAY  6.62 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED  6.56 inches, 1080 x 2376p (Full HD+), AMOLED
PROCESSOR Qualcomm Snapdragon 870, octa-core 3.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, octa-core 2.84 GHz
MEMORY  8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB
SOFTWARE  Android 11, Realme UI  Android 11, Origin OS
CONNECTIVITY  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS
CAMERA Triple 64 + 8 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.3 + f/2.4
16 MP f/2.5 front camera
Triple 50 + 13 + 13 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.2 + f/2.2
16 MP f/2.5 front camera
BATTERY 5000 mAh, fast charging 65W  4350 mAh, fast charging 120W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES Dual SIM slot, 5G Dual SIM slot, 5G

Design

The Black Mint color variant of the Realme GT Neo2 makes it very attractive. Original phones are a trend and when a manufacturer chooses the right design, the phone often becomes viral. The Black Mint color variant of the Relame GT Neo2 is the proof of it, as 40% of people who placed the first orders chose this variant instead of other colors. The iQOO 8 has an original color variant as well, but in my opinion, the Realme GT Neo2 is more attractive. On the other hand, the iQOO 8 has a more compact design thanks to a smaller display and higher screen to body ratio, as well as a smaller battery.

 

Display

Realme GT Neo2 and iQOO 8 are very close if we talk about the image quality of their displays. On the paper, it looks like the Realme GT Neo2 is slightly better because it has the HDR10+ certification and a very high 1300 nit peak brightness. But you should not notice big differences between their displays: both are AMOLED panels with Full HD+ resolutions of 1080 x 2400 pixels, in-display fingerprint readers, and a 120 Hz refresh rate. Note that the display of the Realme GT Neo2 is slightly wider with its 6.62-inch diagonal.

 

Specs & Software

If you need the most powerful flagship, then you should go for the iQOO 8 without thinking twice: it is powered by the Snapdragon 888 mobile platform which is stronger than the Snapdragon 870 found on the Realme GT Neo2. The maxed out memory configurations are the same, with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 native storage, so the processor is what makes the difference. The phones run Android 11 out of the box, customized by Origin OS and Realme UI, respectively. Both are very advanced user interfaces with several features and deep customization.

 

Camera

The iQOO 8 is undoubtedly a better camera phone. First of all, the 50 MP main sensor is superior to the 64 MP main camera of the Realme GT Neo2. We can tell the same about the secondary cameras of the iQOO 8: a 13 MP telephoto sensor and a 13 MP ultrawide camera. With the Realme GT Neo2, you get an 8 MP ultrawide sensor and a 2 MP macro camera instead of the telephoto sensor: there is no way for it to compete with the iQOO 8. The front cameras are exactly the same: 16 MP sensors with f/2.5 focal aperture.

 

 

Battery

The biggest advantage of the Realme GT Neo2 over the iQOO 8 is the battery life: with a capacity of 5000 mAh, it has a longer battery life in every scenario. The iQOO 8 has just 4350 mAh and its battery life is surely inferior, but it has a faster charging tech with a power of 120W. However, the Realme GT Neo2 is still pretty fast to charge with its 65W power.

 

Price

In China, the Realme GT Neo2 has a starting price of €320/$371, while the starting price of the iQOO 8 roughly translates into €500/$580. Overall, the iQOO 8 has a higher value because it features a superior chipset and better cameras. But if you do not mind about camera performance, you should prefer the Realme GT Neo2 because it offers a longer battery life and its price is way inferior. The battery life will be very important if you are a gamer, even more than the difference between the Snapdragon 870 and the Snapdragon 888. However, the 120W fast charging is an added value of the iQOO 8: despite its battery is much smaller, having so 120W fast charging technology allows remaining out of battery only for a very short time. Which device would you choose as your next flagship killer?

 

 

Realme GT Neo2 vs Vivo iQOO 8: PRO and CONS

Realme GT Neo2

PRO

  • Bigger battery
  • Great price
  • Wider display
  • Original color option

CONS

  • Inferior cameras

 

vivo iQOO 8

PRO

  • Better processor
  • Faster charging
  • Superior cameras
  • More compact

CONS

  • Nothing particular

 

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POCO M4 Pro 5G could be yet another rebranded phone

POCO M series is one of the popular budget smartphone lineups. The POCO M3 Pro 5G is currently the latest model in the lineup. As per multiple certifications, this device will be soon getting a successor in the form of POCO M4 Pro 5G.

POCO M3 Pro 5G Review 01
POCO M3 Pro 5G

According to frequent MIUI tipster Kacper Skrzypek and Indian tipster Abhishek Yadav, a new POCObranded handset called POCO M4 Pro 5G has been certified by agencies like EEC, 3C, and TENAA. The device is also listed in the IMEI database.

Going by these listings, the phone bears model numbers 21091116AG (Global) and 21091116AC (China). There could be other model numbers for different regions as well.

POCO brand is only present outside mainland China. Since this handset has a Chinese variant, it could be a rebranded Redmi smartphone.

At present, all we know is that it is a 5G-enabled phone with support for 33W charging via the above-listed certifications. That being said, we expect to learn more about it in the coming days.

The current-gen POCO M3 Pro 5G is a rebranded Redmi Note 10 5G with a different rear design. Perhaps, the upcoming POCO M4 Pro 5G could also be a rebadged Redmi Note series device.

Hopefully, the new handset brings upgrades over its predecessor. That’s because the POCO M2 Pro was sort of a better deal than its successor.

 

 

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Foxconn acquires Lordstown Motors’ Ohio EV factory in a deal worth $230 million

Foxconn, the company known for manufacturing Apple iPhones, is buying an automotive factory from EV maker Lordstown Motors for around $230 million.

As per the deal, Foxconn will be building Lordstown Motors’ electric pickup truck at the plant. Further, the EV maker will remain a tenant there and has also agreed to “provide Foxconn with certain rights with respect to future vehicle programs.”

Foxconn Acquires Lordstown Motors' Ohio Factory

Additionally, Foxconn is also buying $50 million worth of Lordstown Motors shares. The startup has been struggling and had talked about the need to raise money quickly in order to survive, despite going public last year.

With this deal, Foxconn has now entered the automotive factory space and now has a significant presence in the United States. It seems that the Taiwan-based company will now try to establish itself as a global electric vehicle manufacturer.

The companies hope to complete a purchase agreement by 31st October and complete the deal by April 30. Foxconn has said that as part of the deal, Fisker Inc. will be allowed to make vehicles with the Taiwanese conglomerate in the Ohio factory.

Lordstown Motors had purchased a 6.2-million-square-foot facility from General Motors in 2019. Recently, it was planning to rent out space at the factory in an effort to make money amid a serious cash crunch.

The EV maker is facing lots of trouble. Its CEO was forced out after he was caught exaggerating pre-orders for its electric truck. The company has now lowered its initial production goals. The Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission have launched probes into Lordstown Motors, and the company is going through financial crises, with only have enough money to survive through mid-2022.

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Razer Kiyo X USB Webcam & Ripsaw X capture card unveiled

The COVID 19 pandemic ushered in a new era for virtual meetings, online learning, and meet-ups due to restrictions on social activities aimed at curtailing the spread of the virus. Gaming accessory manufacturer Razer has a number of new accessories aimed at easing video conferencing but the company has now unveiled a budget webcam and capture card that’ll make it easy for just anyone to host a live streaming event. Razer Kiyo X USB Webcam

The webcam bears the moniker Kiyo X USB Webcam while the capture card is dubbed Ripsaw X. The two products are cheaper offerings of already existing Razer devices. For instance, the Kiyo X is a cheaper version of the Kiyo webcam, which has a built-in light ring while the Ripsaw X is a trimmed down version of the 60 fps-capable Ripsaw HD capture card.

The webcam supports 1080p 30fps and 720p 60fps framerates. It also comes with an autofocus feature aimed at keeping the image sharp. The camera can be operated via the Razer Virtual Ring Light app where you can adjust the brightness of the monitor to function as a lighting source.Razer Ripsaw X Capture Card

On its part, the Ripsaw X capture card is capable of capturing shots at up to 30 frames per second in 4K. The device is also touted to deliver “near-zero latency” via its HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0 connectivity. The capture card can be connected to an HDMI output-packing camera to transform the camera into a powerful webcam or capture gameplay from a console.

As for the price, the Kiyo X webcam will retail for $79.99 while the Ripsaw X capture card carries a price tag of $139.99. The two gadgets are already on sale on Razer’s website.

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Deal: Get Baseus 2 in 1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Bracket for $37

Baseus 2 in 1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Bracket is now available at a discounted price of $36.99 only at AliExpress. This price is for the 2 in 1 charger. You can also buy the single standard wireless magnetic charger for $28.99 only. 

WHERE TO BUY
Baseus 2 in 1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Bracket at $36.99 (after discount)@AliExpress

Baseus 2 in 1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Bracket

Baseus 2 in 1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Bracket

Baseus 2 in 1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Bracket

Key Features:

  • Total 20W peak output
  • 2 charging stations: Magnetic wireless charger and Standard wireless charger
  • Magnetic charger – Compatible with Apple 12 series only
  • Standard charger – Universal compatibility for wireless charging of smartphones and earphones
  • Supports Qi wireless charging protocol enabled smartphones and earphones
  • Dual magnetic core with strong attraction
  • Can also be used as a smartphone stand or bracket
  • Upgraded copper coils for faster charging without overheating
  • 9 special security features: Overcurrent protection, over-voltage protection, foreign body detection, etc.
  • FOD indicator light
  • Silicone Anti-slip pad at the bottom
  • Colors: Black and White

Baseus 2 in 1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Bracket

Generally retailing for $60, you can now buy Baseus 2 in 1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Bracket at a discounted price of $36.99 only at AliExpress. This is a limited-time offer. So place your order asap. 

Please note that the above-mentioned price is region-specific and may change from country to country depending on the local duties and 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.

 

ASUS VivoBook K15 packing an OLED screen, 11th Gen Core/AMD SoC launched in India

The ASUS VivoBook K15 OLED laptop has been unveiled to the Indian market. The VivoBook K15 OLED has a starting price tag of Rs. 46990 ($638) and offers an OLED display. The introduction of the VivoBook K15 will afford consumers quality and affordability options.

ASUS is a popular manufacturer of laptops and PCs and the new VivoBook K15 OLED laptops come with some fairly decent features and functionality. It features either Intel’s 11th Gen Core or AMD Ryzen 5000 series processors, with a 15.6 –inch FHD OLED NanoEdge display, and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity.ASUS Vivobook 15

The ASUS VivoBook K15 OLED displays offer 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, eye care feature through the TUV Rheinland certification, and Dual HDD+SSD storage options. The ASUS VivoBook K15 OLED has an 85% screen-to-body ratio. The RAM options for the device are between 8GB and 16GB, while the internal storage options span from 256GB to 512GB. There are USB 3.2 and USB 2.0 ports, as well as an HDMI port, a headphone jack, as well a Micro SD/ Micro SD 4.0 card reader.

The ASUS VivoBook K15 OLED laptops have a Backlit Chiclet Keyboard with Num-key and a 1.4mm Key-travel. The sleek laptop weighs just 1.80kg and also has a 720p HD camera. The laptop will come with Windows 10/ Windows 10 Pro operating system and will be available from October 3 across several outlets including Flipkart, Amazon, ASUS Exclusive Stores. Some discount regimes are also available for the devices as well.

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Deal: Get Baseus WMO1 TWS Earbuds for $18 (Retail Price $25)

Baseus WMO1 TWS Earbuds which generally retails for $25 is now available at a discounted price of $17.99 only at AliExpress. This is a limited-time offer.

WHERE TO BUY

Baseus WMO1 TWS Earbuds

Baseus WMO1 TWS Earbuds

Baseus WMO1 TWS Earbuds

Key Features:

  • True Wireless Stereo Earbuds
  • Small and lightweight
  • Made with soft silicone ear tips
  • Wireless 5.0 technology: Enables simultaneous dual connection of left and right earbud
  • Seamless switching between single and dual-use
  • PU Composite membrane: Provides thick bass and fine treble
  • Smart environmental noise reduction
  • Smart touch control: to play/pause, switch music, reject/answer calls
  • Touch to activate AI voice assistant
  • Universal compatibility : Android/ iOS/ Windows etc
  • Battery life: 5 hours on a single charge, 25 hours with the case
  • Gorgeous colors: Black, White, Purple, Green, Yellow, Pink

Baseus WMO1 TWS Earbuds

Generally retailing for $25, you can now buy Baseus WMO1 TWS Earbuds at a discounted price of $17.99 only at AliExpress. This is a limited-time offer. So place your order asap. 

Baseus WMO1 TWS Earbuds

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

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

Deal: Get COLMI P8 Plus Smartwatch for $21 (Retail Price $35)

COLMI P8 Plus Smartwatch which generally retails for $35 is now available at a discounted price of $21.02 only at AliExpress. This is a limited-time offer.

WHERE TO BUY
COLMI P8 Plus Smartwatch at $21.02 @AliExpress

COLMI P8 Plus Smartwatch

COLMI P8 Plus Smartwatch

COLMI P8 Plus Smartwatch

Key Features:

  • 1.69” IPS HD Full-color display
  • All-day activity tracking
  • Multiple Movement Patterns
  • 8 dedicated exercise mode
  • Sports Data report
  • 24*7 Heart rate monitor
  • Blood Pressure Monitor
  • Sleep Tracker
  • IP67 Waterproof
  • Music control and notifications
  • 7 day Battery life – 20 days standby
  • Colors: Black, Blue, Gold, Pink

COLMI P8 Plus Smartwatch

Generally retailing for $35, you can now buy COLMI P8 Plus Smartwatch for $21.02 only at AliExpress. Please note that this offer is applicable to the Black, Blue, Pink, and Gold color variants ordered from the China warehouse. The is a limited-time offer, so place your order asap. 

 

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

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Tecno Camon 18 Series Roundup: Specs, Price, Colors, & More – What to Expect!

Tecno is on the brink of releasing its Camon 18 series on the heels of the freshly launched Tecno Phantom X. The series comprises the standard Camon 18 paired with the Camon 18 Premier. There are talks about a third Tecno 18 Pro variant as well, although there’s little evidence for it at the moment.

Display & Design

Little about the display specifications of the device is known other than the fact that it will sport an FHD+ resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. But judging from its photos, it is safe to assume that the display will be sized over 6.4-inches.

Tecno Camon 18 Gizmochina Leak 01

The design of the Tecno Camon 18 series is very similar to the Oppo Reno6 5G due to its near-identical camera module and less rounded edges.

Cameras on the Tecno Camon 18 Series

Tecno has mostly stayed mum about the camera specifications on the soon-to-release series. However, some leaked photos revealed that the phones, or at least one of the models, will be coming with 60x zoom. The zoom will be complemented with Tecno’s proprietary AI TAIVOS technology.

Further, the company’s official Instagram handle recently posted a video showing the Tecno Camon 18 series’ Gimbal camera in action. The Gimbal tech essentially results in super-smooth stabilization.

All in all, the new camera setup is said to capture significantly better photos than its predecessor.

Specifications

The Tecno Camon 18 Premier is going to be the very first phone to be powered with Mediatek’s latest Helio G96 chip. While the processor is fairly powerful and all, it does have one shortcoming – lack of 5G support. It isn’t clear if the processor is standard across the lineup.

As for security, the series will likely come with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner that will be embedded into the power button.

Software

The Tecno Camon 18 series will be booting into Android 11 out of the box layered atop with HiOS 7.6. However, judging from the fact that the company has had an Android 12 Developer Preview Program, Android 12 should be hitting the lineup sometime later.

Colors

Judging from leaked photos, the Tecno Camon 18 series should be coming in blue-gray and light-blue colors, although it may possible that more colors may be revealed later on.

Tecno Camon 18 Gizmochina Leak 02

There aren’t any details available about the storage variants that will be coming with the device.

Pricing & Availability

As for the release date, the Camon 18 series will make its entry sometime in October. No details have been made available yet about the pricing or its availability, so we will have to wait for more details for now.

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Super Deal: Get Huawei Band 6 Global Version for $50 at AliExpress

Huawei Band 6 Global Version is now available for as low as $50.39 only at AliExpress. Please note that this price is applicable to US and Canadian users. The price changes according to your regional taxes. Hence, Brazilian users can get the smart band for as low as $43 and European users may have to pay a slightly higher price due to VAT. 

WHERE TO BUY
Huawei Band 6 Global Version at $50.39 @AliExpress

 

Huawei Band 6 Global Version

The smart band comes with a 1.47-inch rectangular AMOLED display and multiple watch faces via the Watch Face Store app. With a 14-day battery life on a full charge and 10-day life on heavy usage, the band is powerful enough for your daily needs. 

Huawei Band 6 Global Version

Huawei Band 6 comes with a variety of health management functions like All-Day SpO2 Monitor, sleep and stress monitor, heart-rate monitor, etc, and features 96 sports mode and a special menstrual cycle tracking for women. The 5ATM waterproof smart band is available in Orange, Black, Pink, and Green colors. 

Huawei Band 6 Global Version

Huawei Band 6 Global Version is now available at AliExpress for an average cost of $50.39 only. The watch comes in different variants at slightly different prices. So be sure to select the global version, before you place the order. 

 

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.

Grand Theft Auto Trilogy confirmed, spotted on South Korean games rating board

Over the last couple of weeks, numerous reports have surfaced that suggested that Rockstar Games is working on a remaster for its original trilogy of Grand Theft Auto games. Now, the title for the remastered trilogy has been spotted in South Korea’s games rating board, which basically confirms that it is in the works.

The Grand Theft Auto The Trilogy: The Definitive Edition was spotted in the South Korean rating board. While the remasters has been rumored for a while now, the listing has officially confirmed it. The trilogy include GTA 3, GTA: Vice City, and GTA: San Andreas. Reportedly, the trilogy was meant to launch earlier but the launch was postponed due to internal delays, as per the Kotaku report.

Notably, the old games were to be remastered using the Unreal Engine and would feature a mix of old and new graphical styles along with an updated UI and other tweaks to bring the games more in line with the current iteration of Grand Theft Auto. As of right now, the trilogy’s Definitive Edition is expected to launch sometime next year, although, we have no way of confirming the actual launch date at the moment. So stay tuned for more, as we will be providing more updates when additional information is available regarding this matter.

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Doogee X96 affordable smartphone with 6.5-inch display and 5400 mAh battery launching soon

Doogee is preparing for the upcoming festive season with the launch of several new affordable smartphones. After the Doogee X93 and V10 smartphone launch, the company is set to unveil Doogee X96 entry-level smartphone. The new low-cost smartphone will come with a 6.52-inch display and 5400 mAH battery on October 11, 2021.

Must See: Doogee V10 Rugged Phone Review: Get 5G on a Rugged Device!

Soogee X96 will feature a Unisoc SC9863A SoC coupled with an octa-core processor. It bundles 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage along with the support for 256GB expandable storage via TF Card. The smartphone packs a 5400mAh battery with support for 10W fast charging.

A 6.52-inch waterdrop display is present with 1600 x 720 pixels resolution and a 20:9 aspect ratio. The beautiful design of the smartphone offers the highest screen-to-body ratio of 91%. The notch encases a 5MP selfie camera.

In connectivity, Doogee X96 comes with three navigation systems, offers a dual-SIM slot + TF Card. Unlike the major smartphones, the Doogee X96 still carries a 3.5mm audio headphone jack for a flawless music experience. It runs on the Android 11 Go Operating System.

AliExpress will start pre-orders for Doogee X96 from October 11 2021. Interested users can enter the giveaway to win 5 Doogee X96 smartphones and 5 CS1 smartwatches. KNow more about the device by heading to the official website.

Related: Doogee DG Ares smartwatch debuts on AliExpress for $31.99

vivo X70 Pro+ vs iPhone 13 Pro Camera Comparison: Can vivo beat the new iPhone?

Viewers who have seen our Vivo X70 Pro Plus Full review will know that the X70 Pro+ is great at taking pictures. Previously, we compared the X60 Pro+ with the Samsung S21 Ultra, but as of today, the S22 Ultra is not yet launched. So today, we’ll put the X70 Pro+ against another recently released hot phone: the iPhone 13 Pro

iPhone 13 Pro vs Vivo X70 Pro+: Camera Specs

To be honest, if we just compare the paper specs, iPhone 13 pro is not qualified to be the rival of vivo x70 pro+. Not only does the iPhone lack a traditional camera lens brand cooperation like Zeiss, but there’s also no periscope telephoto lens. And the pixel size of the main camera sensor is not as big as the GN1 after the 4-in-1 binning. But the iPhone is the best at using software optimization to make up for the lack of hardware. So we have divided this video comparison into three parts: photos, video, and experience in using the camera.

vivo x70 prop plus vs iphone 13 pro CAMERA SPECS

iPhone 13 Pro vs Vivo X70 Pro+: Photography

vivo x70 pro plus vs iphone 13 pro cameras featured

Main Camera

Let’s talk about the quality of their photos first. The x70 pro+ is undoubtedly more vibrant, has higher contrast, and looks more pleasing to the eye. But everyone likes different color preferences, so even if the iPhone favors true colors, we can’t say it’s worse than the x70 pro+. The dynamic range on the x70 pro+ is significantly better than the iPhone 13 Pro. iPhone’s Smart HDR can overexpose small areas of highlights. The darker parts of the pictures are brighter than the x70 Pro+. Even though the x70 pro+’s main camera is 50mp, in daily use with 4-in-1 pixel binning, it actually takes pictures equal to about 12mp. The difference in clarity is not visible during the daytime. But at night the iPhone benefits from an excellent algorithm, and even if the x70 Pro+ has night mode on, the iPhone will be a little clearer than the x70 Pro+. But again, the difference is not that huge. However, there’s a significant difference in how the photos process flares. Since the iPhone has started using sapphire glass lens, the problem of flare at night has become very serious. Compared to the x70 Pro+ which has Zeiss T* coating, the difference is very obvious. When shooting with the iPhone 13 Pro, it is better to avoid situations that can give rise to flare as much as possible.

Ultra Wide Lens

The ultra-wide lens generally performs about the same as the main camera. The x70 Pro+ is still better in terms of HDR strength. Although the purple-fringing issue of the ultra-wide lens is much less than the x70 Pro+ when compared to the x60 Pro+, it is still worse than the iPhone. At night because the sensor is smaller, the iPhone will have more noise in the picture. But I still like the way the iPhone handles this more than the x70 Pro+ which makes the image blurry like an oil painting in order to erase the noise.

Zoom Quality

2X

The X70 Pro+’s Standard lenses are 50mm equivalent, the iPhone 13 Pro’s are 77mm equivalent. So in the 2x sample, the X70 Pro+ uses a 2x portrait lens and the iPhone uses a 2x zoom crop of the main camera. Clearly, the X70 Pro+ is the overall winner in this focal length test. Of course, when you zoom in to 3x, the X70 Pro+ is using a portrait lens zoom crop and the iPhone is using a 77mm lens. But the difference between the two is not as great as it was with the 2x. While it’s true that the iPhone will be sharper in the 77mm focal length, the dynamic range is still better with the X70 Pro+. 

3X

The iPhone’s 3x lens has one advantage. In very dark conditions, the x70 pro+’s 2x portrait lens cannot be called up in a normal mode and can only be cropped by zooming in with the main camera. The iPhone can still call up the 3x lens and get a good picture when zoomed in to 3x.

5X

The iPhone does not have a periscope telephoto lens, so when the image is zoomed in to 5x, the x70 pro+, which has a 5x periscope telephoto, theoretically beats the iPhone. But the difference in the actual samples is not large. The iPhone with a 3x lens zoom crop does not lose to the x70 pro+, you can zoom in to see the subtle differences. Because the 3x lens can perform to such a degree, I think it is already very impressive.

Macro Shots

Because the iPhone 13 Pro’s Ultra Wide Lens supports autofocus, it can also take macro photos. Compared to the x70 pro+, which also shoots macro with an Ultra Wide Lens, the iPhone can shoot closer, and the photos taken will be more stunning.

We have put together the portrait mode and selfie section for you to see here. Both phones perform well in portrait mode for selfies. The iPhone’s background bokeh is stronger, and the x70 pro+ is not as strong as the iPhone’s default aperture bokeh, even when the aperture is opened to the maximum. And even if you turn off the beauty algorithm on the x70 pro+, the AI color algorithm will help you optimize the color of your skin, and it will look healthier. If you just look at the clarity, the difference between the two is again not so obvious.

iPhone 13 Pro vs Vivo X70 Pro+: Video Quality

When it comes to the video part, it shows just how powerful the iPhone’s algorithms are. This fixed camera shot of the main camera clearly shows that the iPhone not only does a good job of holding down the highlights and brightening the dark areas but also has much better clarity than the x70 Pro+. The same goes for the super wide-angle lens. The x70 pro+ not only lags behind the iPhone 13 Pro in terms of dynamic range and sharpness, but also has a much narrower field of view than the iPhone. Of course, this choice also allows the x70 pro+ to be more stable when recording in motion. This video shows the advantages of combining a gimbal and electronic stabilization. iPhone’s ultra-wide camera is not as stable as the x70 pro+ when it comes to motion shots. But if it’s the main camera without a gimbal, the two are closer in terms of stabilization performance.

Some viewers are more concerned about whether x70 pro+ can switch lenses in recording, the answer is yes, but only in 1080P 30 FPS mode. The iPhone 13 Pro can switch any of the three lenses in 4k 30FPS mode.

I believe everyone is tired of listening to how good the CINEMATIC mode of iPhone 13 Pro is for shooting people. So let’s compare the effect of the x70 pro+ with the real bokeh effect of shooting objects. CINEMATIC’s bokeh algorithm is fantastic, and the background bokeh is very natural. But the disadvantage is also very obvious, the edge keying is still not very accurate. The edges are vague, as if the object is glowing. Also, just the 1080P 30 FPS recording specifications are not quite enough for this mode. In short, this CINEMATIC mode still needs to be improved.

The X70 pro+ only has HDR video support for the main camera, so let’s compare the HDR video recording performance of the main camera. I believe I don’t need to explain much, this time the iPhone once again won with its superb algorithm. The performance of the iPhone in the video section tells us that a powerful chip with an excellent algorithm is really able to beat phones with stronger hardware.

Please check out our video review for seeing the video quality from their cameras.

vivo x70 pro plus vs iphone 13 pro featured 2

iPhone 13 Pro vs Vivo X70 Pro+: Camera User Experience

The experience of using the camera is also a very important part of the camera system. It can be said whether the experience of the camera is good or bad, determines the frequency of your photos. The iPhone takes the lead in fast photo experience, even if you press the shutter quickly and continuously, there is no lag. On the x70 pro+, even with the assistance of the v1 chip, there will be a delay when you press the shutter quickly. However, iPhone sometimes does not respond when you press the shutter lightly, and this problem occurs frequently. Maybe it’s an optimization made by the iPhone’s engineers to prevent you from accidentally touching it. Thanks for the thought engineer, but I don’t like this design that prevents accidental touches as it doesn’t feel natural. And when testing the lens switching, a new bug appeared again on the x70 pro+, which in addition to the bug found in our Full review, it can be said that the experience is really not particularly good.

In the real-time preview of the viewfinder, thanks to the v1 chip, the x70 pro+ is very close to the performance of the iPhone. Even scenes with very bright light ratios can achieve more than 90% of the iPhone’s level. And shockingly, the x70 pro+ still performs very well in extreme low light. 

iPhone 13 Pro vs Vivo X70 Pro+ Camera Comparison: Verdict

So this was the end of our iPhone 13 vs vivo X70 Pro+ comparison. We found from the test that the x70 pro+ is a little better at taking pictures, with good dynamic range and color performance, as well as periscope telephoto. On the other hand, iPhone 13 Pro does a better job of video recording and camera experience, but the quality difference isn’t as significant as one might expect. 

vivo x70 pro plus vs iphone 13 pro featured 2

Which phone you end up choosing as your photography device depends entirely on your personal use habits. After all, there is no perfect phone, only the one that suits you best. 

 

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