Huawei Technologies has recently hired former head of BBC news programmes Gavin Allen as its new new “Executive Editor in Chief.” This appointment is indicative of the company’s push to hire more foreign talent, despite facing frictions with in the UK.
According to Yahoo News, Allen had previously led the BBC news output for seven years. But now, the official had revealed his new position by updating his LinkedIn profile earlier this week. His profile’s banner image now showcases the Chinese tech giant’s logo with the new title of “Executive Editor in Chief, Huawei Technologies.” Allen stated that “I’m delighted to be joining the global tech company today as their Executive Editor in Chief.”
He further added that “It feels meant-to-be after a two decades long China journey. I’ve studied Chinese history, am – falteringly – learning Mandarin and my wonderful eldest daughter was born in Guangxi. Now hugely proud to be part of a world class ICT organization which truly values collaboration and innovation: a creative force for good.” While the company confirmed the new hire, it refrained from commenting further on the matter.
Notably, the move arrives after Huawei’s Founder Ren Zhengfei had recently stated that the brand would raise its focus on hiring foreign talent, especially from the US. The shift also signifies its expansion in overseas research and development programmes, as per his speech earlier this week.
Samsung is expected to launch its next-generation Galaxy S22 series flagship smartphones in January 2022 and details about the phones have started surfacing online. This time also, the company is expected to launch three models — Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, and S22 Ultra.
Recently, it was rumored that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra could be renamed Galaxy Note 22 Ultra as the phone will have a built-in S Pen slot and is replacing the tech giant’s Galaxy Note series. But the latest report suggests that’s not the case.
As per the latest information shared by @UniverseIce, the top-end model in the Galaxy S-series will be called Galaxy S22 Ultra and not the Galaxy Note 22 Ultra. The phone will come with several Note-series features but the company is sticking to its branding.
Recent renders reveal that the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra will come with a body similar to the Galaxy Note 20 with sharp corners on all four sides. The phone is expected to feature a 6.8-inch Super AMOLED LTPO display with support for QHD+ screen resolution and 120Hz variable refresh rate.
Under the hood, the smartphone will come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 898 chipset or the Exynos 2200 SoC with AMD RDNA2 GPU, depending on the market. It is expected to pack up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage.
As for the camera department, it’ll continue to have 108MP primary camera, which will be coupled with a 12MP ultrawide camera, and two 10MP telephoto cameras. The device will be powered by a 5,00mAh battery and is expected to support 45W fast charging, along with support for wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.
Google Pixel series Android smartphones come with an exclusive feature in the form of a Personal Safety app. Over the years, the company has added several useful functionalities to the app, including safety check-in and automatic emergency number dialing when it detects you’ve been in a car accident.
Now, the company has added yet another feature to the Personal Safety application that can automatically record videos when you activate the built-in Emergency SOS.
When the power button is pressed five times, the device will call the emergency services, alert your emergency contacts that something is happening to you, and now, it will also automatically record a video of what’s going on.
The application will be able to record up to 45 minutes of continuous footage, with the average video size being around 10 MB per minute. However, you can stop the recording whenever you want to.
The recorded video will be automatically backed up to the cloud if there’s an active internet connection. It is backed up to your Google account as well as the Personal Safety app itself and can also be shared with your emergency contacts.
To start using this new feature on your Pixel series smartphone, go to the Google Play Store and get the latest version of the Personal Safety app. If you haven’t set up Emergency SOS on your device, you will need to do that by following the on-screen instructions. Do note that the app is currently limited to the Pixel lineup only and non-Google phones have no access to it.
Samsung is gearing up to launch its next-generation Galaxy S-series flagship smartphones in a few months and with the phone’s official launch nearing, more details about the upcoming devices keep surfacing online.
In the latest development, it is reported that Samsung will be procuring Galaxy S22 series batteries from two companies — Samsung ADI and China’s Amperex Technology Limited and both of them will be used in the initial production batch.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Battery (EB-BS901ABY)
It’s noteworthy that Samsung cut ties with Amperex Technology Limited (ATL) in 2017 when its batteries were causing extreme heat for the Galaxy Note7 smartphone, which resulted in the phone firing up.
Samsung started dealing with ATL for the batteries of the Galaxy S21 series that got launched earlier this year. Prior to that, the South Korean firm limited the usage of ATL batteries to only mid-range smartphones in the Galaxy A- and Galaxy M-series.
Apart from smartphones, the batteries manufactured by China’s Amperex Technology Limited are also used in the Galaxy Watch as well as Galaxy Buds.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Render
As per the report, the Chinese company will be providing a 3,800mAh battery for the standard Galaxy S22 smartphone along with 4,500mAh and 5,000mAh batteries for the Galaxy S22 Plus and Galaxy S22 Ultra smartphones, respectively.
Recently, the Samsung Galaxy S22 battery with the number EB-BS901ABY (14.35Wh) was spotted during a certification process in Korea. It revealed that the South Korean giant is decreasing the battery capacity on the upcoming S-series models but with the advancement of technology and better optimization, the battery life is expected to remain the same as of current models, if not increased.
If the reports are to be believed, then Samsung is initially planning to manufacture around 20 million units for the entire Galaxy S22 lineup. However, the numbers could increase once the mass production begins or the devices get launched as the company usually produces 25-30 million units in the initial batches.
Finally, Motorola India has launched the Motorola Edge 20 Pro flagship phone. It will be the country’s third Edge series smartphone after the Edge 20 and Edge 20 Fusion that was announced in August. The Edge 20 Pro offers some exciting features like a 144Hz AMOLED screen, Snapdragon 870 chipset, 108-megapixel triple cameras.
Motorola Edge 20 Pro specifications and features
The Motorola Edge 20 Pro features a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel that offers a Full HD+ of 1080 x 2400 pixels, a 20:9 aspect ratio, a 144Hz refresh rate, a 576Hz touch sampling rate, 10-bit colors, DCI-P3 color gamut, and HDR10+. The handset boots to MyUX, which is a near-stock version of Android 11 OS.
The Snapdragon 870 chipset is at the helm of the Edge 20 Pro. The handset ships with 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. A 4,500mAh battery is present under the hood of the device, which carries support for 30W TurboCharge fast charging.
Motorola Edge 20 Pro
The handset is fitted with a 32-megapixel camera for selfies and video calls. The rear camera system of the phone has a 108-megapixel primary camera, a 16-megapixel ultrawide lens that doubles up as a macro camera, and an OIS-assisted 8-megapixel periscope zoom lens that offers 5x optical zoom and 50x digital zoom.
There is a Ready For feature onboard that allows users to connect the Edge 20 Pro to a larger TV wirelessly. It is packed with other specs like dual SIM support, 5G, Wi-Fi 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, a Google Assistant hardware key, a side-facing fingerprint scanner, USB-C, DisplayPort 1.4 support, Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the front and rear, and an IP52 rated chassis.
Motorola Edge 20 Pro price in India
The Motorola Edge 20 Pro is priced at Rs 36,999 (~$498) in India. It comes in two colors such as Midnight Sky and Iridescent Cloud. The handset can be pre-ordered through Flipkart starting from Oct. 3. Buyers will be able to benefit from offers like a 10 percent discount through Axis Bank and ICICI Bank credit/debit cards.
Apple recently launched the iPhone 13 series smartphones and the Pro series models come with a new camera feature — macro mode, allowing users to take photos as well as videos up-close using the built-in Camera app.
Unlike most users, Doctor Tommy Korn, who is an ophthalmologist, has found out an interesting use-case for the new macro photography mode on the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
The Doctor himself shared details through a LinkedIn post, revealing that he has been using his new iPhone 13 Pro Max to check the patient’s eye with the new camera. With the new macro mode, a detailed image of the eye can be captured, allowing him to observe and record important details about the patient’s eye.
The pictures shown above are related to a case where the patient had a cornea transplant and needs to constantly check if the abrasion is being healed.
For the uninitiated, the Apple iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max come with an upgraded ultra-wide lens with a larger f/1.8 aperture and 120-degree field of view, capable of taking macro images with just two centimeters of distance.
The Macro mode also extends to video including Slo-mo and Time-lapse. The new iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max also come with a new 77mm Telephoto camera, allowing users to zoom while recording videos.
As of now, the switching from standard mode to macro mode happens automatically when the phone comes very close to the subject. However, Apple has said that this will change in the future and users will be able to manually toggle between modes.
iQOO Z5x could be the next iQOO phone to arrive in China. A listing of the phone has appeared on JD.com. Unfortunately, it has no information on the specifications and features of the device. It can be said based on the reports surrounding it that it will go official in October.
The iQOO Z5x moniker was spotted with a V2131A model number at an IMEI database. The same model has been spotted at other places such as the 3C certification platform of China and Google Play Console.
The 3C listing of the device revealed it may carry support for 33W fast charging. The handset’s front image that was spotted at the Play Console revealed that its display will feature a top-center positioned punch-hole.
The Play Console listing further revealed that it will carry support for Full HD+ resolution and boot to Android 11 OS. The Dimensity 900 chipset will be present under the hood of the device along with 8 GB of RAM.
V2131A at Play Console
The V213A smartphone was spotted with a V2130A Vivo phone with identical specs at the Play Console. The V2130A is speculated to debut as the Vivo S10e in China. It is yet to be confirmed whether the other specs of the V213A are identical to the S10e.
In related news, the recently certified iQOO phone with the V2136GA/A model number is rumored to launch as a Neo branded phone in China this month. It is expected to come with specs like a 6.56-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with an in-screen fingerprint scanner, a 3GHz octa-core processor, up to 12 GB of RAM, up to 512 GB of storage, Android 11 OS, a 16-megapixel front camera, a 48-megapixel + 13-megapixel + 13-megapixel triple camera unit, and a 4,500mAh dual-cell battery with 120W fast charging support.
Honor is now the third-largest smartphone brand in China. Honor CEO George Zhao had recently said that it will be aiming to gain popularity in the high-end market. Hence, it is expected to launch its own flagships like Huawei’s Mate and P lineup. A tipster from China has claimed that the company is working on its first foldable phone, which is codenamed Magic X. It is expected to break in Q4 this year.
According to the tipster, the Honor Magic X foldable phone will be similar to the Mate X2 in terms of design. Without mentioning any details, he added that the Honor is expected to offer some different features on the Magic X.
Display analyst Ross Young had previously claimed that Honor’s first foldable phone will come equipped with foldable panels supplied by BOE and Visionox. Other reports have claimed that it will be featuring an inner foldable display of 8 inches and a cover display of 6.5 inches.
The same tipster also claimed Huawei is working on a Mate V clamshell phone featuring a foldable screen. It may go official in Q4 this year and it may arrive with sub-10,000 Yuan (~$1,550) pricing. The device is likely to be aimed towards the female audience. At the same time, the brand is also expected to announce the GT3 series and Watch D lineup of smartwatches.
Coming back to Honor, the company is speculated to announce a new smartphone called the Honor X20 Max soon. It is expected to arrive with a humungous 7.2-inch display that offers a Full HD+ resolution, Dimensity 1100 chipset, and a 6,000mAh battery that supports 66W rapid charging. For photography, it may feature a 64-megapixel + 2-megapixel (macro) + 2-megapixel (depth) triple camera unit.
Lenovo on Thursday refreshed the IdeaPad and Flex series by launching the all-new Lenovo IdeaPad 3i and IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebooks. The laptops run on ChromeOS and come with a compact 11.6-inch screen.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i costs ₹22,990(~$310) for the 11-inch variant and is priced at ₹25,990(~$350) for the 14-inch variant. On the other hand, the Lenovo Flex 3i is priced at ₹30,000(~$417).
The Flex 3i comes in the sole Arctic Grey colour variant, whereas the IdeaPad 3i has two colour variants – the Onyx Black and Platinum Grey. The Chromebooks will go on sale from October 3 on Flipkart and Lenovo’s official website.
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Lenovo IdeaPad 3i
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i
The IdeaPad 3i comes in two screen sizes – an 11.6-inch display and a 14-inch screen. It is an LCD panel with a Full-HD+ resolution. The IdeaPad Flex 3i, on the other hand, has an 11.6-inch convertible body. The Flex 3i is claimed to be a 2-in-1 laptop that can be used as a tablet or a laptop by rotating the screen. It has a 360-degree hinge offering flexibility.
Under the hood, the IdeaPad 3i has the Celeron 4020 chipset and 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage. The IdeaPad Flex 3i has a Celeron N4500 processor with 4GB RAM and 128GB internal storage.
Both laptops have Intel UHD graphics and run on Google’s Chrome OS. The duo has a 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-A ports, and a USB Type-C port.
Apple stopped packing EarPods inside iPhone boxes long ago but France continued to get them for a long time. Apple is selling the iPhone 13 with EarPods inside the box in France. What makes Apple do this is the legal requirement related to radio-frequency energy which makes headphones a necessary item and needs to be included in the box with smartphones.
Many countries have set a legal restriction on radio-frequency (RF) power output as it may have the potential to pose mental harm. Well, even though Apple has designed iPhones in such a way that proximity sensor detects when the phone is held close to the head and therefore, reduces the RF output, this isn’t sufficient enough and the company will have to adhere to the country rules.
France encourages its citizens to avoid holding their phones close to their heads. Instead, the government recommends using headphones that can help evade high frequencies. It is because of this reason, smartphone brands in France have to pack earplugs along with smartphones as a necessary item. A complete summary of the law and regulation can be found here.
It has been noticed and shared by some users that Apple is including EarPods in the box with the new iPhone 13 series like it was done for iPhone 12 series. The company has smartly placed them in a “box inside of a box” fashion. Unbox the exterior box, you”ll see the iPhone 13 box, hidden below which will be the EarPods box.
This allows Apple to utilize the same iPhone 13 box it uses globally and still make it possible to include EarPods inside them, specifically for France.
Huawei is all set to launch a rapid distribution service in order to deliver goods faster than ever before. The company announced that Huawei Mall will simplify the traditional logistics process, where the Nova9 will have a delivery of the device as quick as 30 minutes. Similarly for the P50 series, from placing the order to delivery, it will only take up to 33 minutes.
With the introduction of this to Huawei Mall, customers will no longer have to offline stores to get their products. Instead, Huawei will be in the main logistics-intensive areas of centralized inventory distribution where the outlets will deliver packages directly to the customers.
It is said to have taken 22 minutes for the first order to be placed on the nova9, while the first batch of fast delivery orders from Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Shanghai and Hangzhou was also on the way. More regions with faster delivery options will be updated soon too.
If other brands are able to replicate such a quick delivery solution then it will revolutionize the entire e-commerce domain. However, in order to achieve that, there needs to be a clear logistics chain in place as well as outlets spread across all pin codes so as to escalate delivery.
A South Korean publication recently reported that Samsung has canceled the Galaxy S21 Fan Edition launch event in South Korea. Samsung had added the Galaxy S21 FE support pages on its regional websites for Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, and other markets. It was recently found that the company has deleted those support pages, which further suggested that the company may have canceled it. Amidst rumors of its cancellation, a variant of the Galaxy S21 FE has received approval from the Federal Communications Commission.
The FCC listing of the Galaxy S21 FE, which was first spotted by Simran Pal, has an SM-G990E model number. It appears to be the Exynos edition of the smartphone. Its Snapdragon variant had seemingly received FCC certification back in June.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE arrives on FCC with EB-BG990ABY4500 mAh battery. It is potted with EPTA800 travel adapter.
The FCC documents show that the S21 FE was manufactured at Samsung’s facility in Thain, Nguyen, Vietnam and it was tested between Aug. 24 and Aug. 31. The FCC certificate was issued on Sept. 2. The listing further reveals that the device’s package may include a pair of earbuds, a data cable, and a 25W charger with EP-TA800 model number.
Reports have claimed that Samsung may have decided to cancel the Galaxy S21 FE due to the ongoing global chip shortage issue. The FCC certification does not guarantee a launch but gives a ray of hope that it may break cover this month.
Galaxy S21 FE specifications
Past reports have claimed that the Galaxy S21 FE could be coming with a 6.4-inch S-AMOLED 120Hz FHD+ display, Snapdragon 888 / Exynos 2100 chipset, up to 12 GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of storage, and a 4,500mAh battery. It may feature a 32-megapixel selfie camera and a 12-megapixel (main, with OIS) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide) + 8-megapixel (telephoto) triple camera unit.
In August, Realme announced the Realme GT 5G and Realme GT Master Edition smartphones in India. However, Realme fans in India have been eagerly waiting for the arrival of the Realme GT Master Explorer Edition. In a fresh episode of Ask Madhav series on YouTube, Realme CEO Madhav Sheth confirmed that the company has no plans to release the GT Master Explorer Edition in India.
Instead, the company will be launching the Realme GT Neo2 this month in India. The company will be soon confirming its launch date. Sheth also confirmed that the Neo2 will be available in an attractive green variant, which is nothing but the Black Mint version that was released in China in September.
Realme is also likely to announce a green variant of the Buds Air2 alongside the GT Neo2. The GT Neo2 is expected to come with specs like a 6.62-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, Snapdragon 870, up to 12 GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of storage, a 5,000mAh battery with 65W fast charging, a 16-megapixel front camera, 64-megapixel triple rear cameras, and an in-screen fingerprint scanner.
Realme GT Neo2 in Black Mint
Talking about other plans of the company, Sheth said the company has no plans to release a 5G variant of the Realme Pad. As far as an upgraded version of the tablet is confirmed, the company will make a decision on it based on the feedback from the community.
The Realme 9 series will not be launching this year. The company will be sharing something about the Realme 9 models in the near future. As it is known, the company has axed its X series of smartphones. However, Sheth confirmed that the X lineup will continue to receive 2 years of software and security updates. The company also plans to launch new AIoT products and new variants of the Realme Book Slim in the future.
Early this year, Mobvoi announced the TicWatch GTH, a square-faced smartwatch that can also measure skin temperature alongside a handful of other health parameters. New findings have revealed that more GTH watches are on the way, and along with the upcoming TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra, they will have advanced heart rate measurement.
The info was discovered in an APK teardown of version 4.3.0 of the Mobvoi app according to XDA Developers. Strings inside the app mention three yet-to-be-announced smartwatches – the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra which we first heard of last week when it appeared in a hands-on video, the TicWatch GTH+, and the TicWatch GTH Pro.
The APK revealed some new heart rate measurement features that are quite advanced. The smartwatches will be able to determine the following: biological age of the heart (Arterial Age), the capability of the heart to provide oxygenated blood to cells based on the body’s performance demands (Exercise Capacity), the load on the heart due to the hardening of arteries (HSX), and a new medical-grade heart rate measurement method said to be as accurate as standard ECG-based methods (TruHR).
All of the data gotten from these measurements are condensed into what is called Arty Score which is rated over 100. The scores are categorized into four – Excellent (75 – 100), Good (50 – 74), Fair (25 – 49), and Poor (0 -24). These new features are said to be a result of a new partnership with an Australian medical company called AtCor Medical Inc, a subsidiary of CardieX.
While there is no confirmation that all of these features will be available on all of these new smartwatches, it has been revealed that the TicWatch GTH Pro will as there is a tutorial within the app that shows how to take an Arty Score on the smartwatch.
Image source: XDA Developers
The images show that the watch will have a special sensor called the Heart Health Sensor on the right side of the frame. The user will be required to place the index finger on the sensor to take a reading. It was also discovered that the readings can be used to detect atrial fibrillation (AFib) and irregular heart rate rhythm in select countries.
We do not know when these smartwatches will be announced but the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra should launch soon since there is already an unboxing video online which means it has shipped to distributors.
Wyze is known for making pretty cheap products such as its $20 security cameras and its smartwatch that launched for $20 too last December. Now, it has announced yet another dirt cheap health product, the $15 Wyze Scale S smart scale.
The Wyze Scale S is a cheaper version of its already-affordable $20 Wyze Scale. The $5 cheaper price tag means there are tradeoffs such as the use of four exposed circular electrodes instead of full-glass surface electrodes. This means you have to step on the four electrodes to get a reading and not anywhere as is the case with the Wyze Scale.
Alongside measuring your weight, it can also measure bone mass, body water percentage, body mass, muscle mass, visceral fat, protein level, body fat %, basal metabolic rate, metabolic age, and BMI. Wyze says heart rate measurement is coming soon.
The Wyze Scale S has a 3.5-inch LED display that can display readings up to one decimal point. Save for your weight and body fat percentage, all other readings are displayed in the app. The smart scale can be used by up to 8 members of the family and it will automatically recognize each person. It also has a guest mode and a baby or pet mode for weighing infants and your pets.
Your health stats can also be synced with Apple Health, Google Fit, and Fitbit. Users can also share their data and trends with an unlimited number of people to keep them motivated or export their data into a spreadsheet for their doctor. The measurement range is 5 – 180 kilograms (11 – 400 lbs).
The Wyze Scale S connects via Bluetooth (BLE 5.0) and is compatible with Android devices running Android 7.0+ and Apple devices running iOS 12.0+. The scale is powered by three 1.5V AAA batteries that should provide up to 18 months of usage.
The Wyze Scale S is priced at $14.99 excluding shipping. It is available for pre-order on the Wyze website in white and black colorways and will begin shipping in November.
Xiaomi just launched its new flagship series for the masses in the global market. Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro are able to provide amazing performances thanks to top-notch hardware departments, yet they are sold at very affordable prices. Both are flagships, so it is legit to wonder whether or not it makes sense to choose the Pro variant or it is better to save money for the vanilla Xiaomi 11T while still getting a similar user experience. Through this internal comparison, we will explain to you the differences between Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro in order to understand whether or not you need those slightly more advanced features of the Pro variant.
Xiaomi 11T vs Xiaomi 11T Pro
Xiaomi 11T
Xiaomi 11T Pro
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
164.1 x 76.9 x 8.8 mm,
203 g
164.1 x 76.9 x 8.8 mm,
204 g
DISPLAY
6.67 inches, 1080 x 2400 pixels (Full HD+), AMOLED
6.67 inches, 1080 x 2400 pixels (Full HD+), AMOLED
Triple 108 + 8 + 5 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.2 + f/2.4
16 MP f/2.5 front camera
Triple 108 + 8 + 5 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.2 + f/2.4
16 MP f/2.5 front camera
BATTERY
5000 mAh, fast charging 67W
5000 mAh, Fast Charging 120W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
5G, dual SIM, IP53 splash resistant
5G, dual SIM, IP53 splash resistant
Design
The Xiaomi 11T and the 11T Pro have exactly the same design: there is no difference, even when it comes to the color options. The phones come with a glass back, an aluminum frame, and a glass front protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, currently the most advanced protection by Corning. The handsets have a flat display and a single punch hole placed centrally, and they weigh about 203 grams while their thickness is 8.8 mm. They are definitely not compact phones as they are meant for advanced users and they pack big batteries.
Display
The displays of Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro are AMOLED panels which show up to one billion colors, they support a 120 Hz refresh rate, they have the HDR10+ certification and a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400p, as well as a diagonal of 6.67 inches. They are very good panels, despite not being the best out there. Their color accuracy is amazing, as well as their image quality in every scenario. The Xiaomi 11T Pro offers something more as it comes with Dolby Vision support. Despite you can currently find a few better panels on the market, the Xiaomi 11T Pro has received an A+ vote by DisplayMate.
Specs & Software
If you ask me the most important difference between Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro, I will answer it is the processor, even though they are both flagships. The former is fueled by a Dimensity 1200 mobile platform by Mediatek, while the latter is powered by the Snapdragon 888 SoC. The Snapdragon 888 is stronger than the Dimensity 1200, even though a lot of people complained about its high energy consumption this year. But the big battery of the handset and the very fast charging technology should solve give you some partial relief. Besides sporting a stronger processor, the Xiaomi 11T Pro also comes with a better memory configuration: its most expensive variant has 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of native storage, while the vanilla version stops at 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB. The new lineup runs Android 11 out of the box, with MIUI 12.5 to customize it.
Camera
The camera setups do not change between these handsets, not even for a single sensor. They are equipped with a 108 MP main rear camera, an 8 MP ultrawide sensor, and a 5 MP telephoto macro camera. The main camera is able to record videos with 8K resolution and 30 fps or 4K at 60 fps. The front camera is the same as well: a modest 16 MP snapper. We are not talking about top camera phones, but they are more than sufficient for a midrange phone.
Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro pack a battery with a capacity of 5000 mAh which is very important on flagships as it gives you a full day of battery life with moderate usage. The Xiaomi 11T Pro differs for its faster charging technology: it has a power of 120W, while the vanilla version has “just” 67W.
Price
In the European market, the Xiaomi 11T has a starting price of €500/$580, while the 11T Pro is priced at €650/$750 in its base variant. The phones are tipped to come in India under the Redmi K40S moniker in November. The only very important differences between Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro are the processor and the fast charging technology: so, does it make sense to spend €150 more to get the Pro variant? In my opinion, the answer is no.
The Redmi Note 7 received the MIUI 12.5 update in China in July. Two months later, the international variants of this smartphone have now started getting access to the version of MIUI that was first announced alongside the Mi 11 at the end of 2020.
Redmi Note 7
The international variants of Redmi Note 7 are known as Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 7S respectively. The latter was exclusive to India. In fact, the Redmi Note 7S was the original Redmi Note 7 that was sold in the rest of the world. Whereas, the Redmi Note 7 sold in India was a tweaked version of the original model with a 12MP primary camera instead of a 48MP sensor.
Since these phones only differ in terms of camera, they run a common MIUI build. Hence, they are receiving the MIUI 12.5 update together.
The latest update is currently live for all the international variants of these handsets with the following build numbers.
Global – V12.5.1.0.QFGMIXM
EEA – V12.5.1.0.QFGEUXM
Russia – V12.5.1.0.QFGRUXM
India – V12.5.1.0.QFGINXM
The Indian models are the latest to get the update. As a result, the new software build may not be available for every users in the country right now.
On the other hand, the remaining three regional variants got access to MIUI 12.5 weeks ago. Therefore, the OTA update should be available for all the units of these variants.
If you are a Redmi Note 7 or a Redmi Note 7S user who received the MIUI 12.5 update, then do let us know your experience in the comment section below.
Realme earlier this year unveiled its TechLife ecosystem with the DIZO products emerging as the first brand under the ecosystem. The company has now expanding its TechLife product offering with the launch of three products in India. The products include the TechLife Air Purifier, TechLife Robot Vacuum Cleaner and the TechLife Vacuum Cleaner.
Of the three gadgets, only the TechLife Handheld Vacuum Cleaner is making its debut for the first time. The air purifier and robot vacuum are already on sale in other markets.
Realme TechLife Air Purifier
The Realme TechLife Air Purifier utilises an innovative air duct design. It has a high CADR of 330m³/h which is enough to cover a room of 419 square feet. It also features five different operating modes; Sleep, Soft, Normal, Strong and Auto modes with a low noise level of 46dB in sleep mode which ensures your sleep don’t get disturbed by the device.
The TechLife Air Purifier is said to be capable of removing 99.95% of 0.3-micron particles and PM2.5 pollution, including dust, pollen, hair, animal dander, and other allergens with three-stage H12 HEPA filters. There is a real-time air quality indicator with four different colours each indicating the air quality level. The device also has a Blinking reminder when it is time to change the air filter. Talking of air filters, the filter can last up to 2800 hours.
Realme TechLife Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
The handled vacuum is equipped with a 140W motor having 10,500rpm for a maximum suction power of 9.5KPa. It also features autorotating floor brush with a built-in motor that rotates the brush at 2200rpm for efficient dirt collection. The advanced HEPA filter onboard captures microscopic dust and allergens. The filter is made of environmentally friendly materials and can be reused after washing.
The gadget also comes with several brushes for different scenarios and it is made using lightweight ABS material. The design also ensures it is not too noisy. The dust cup is removable making it easy to empty it when it is filled.
The device equipped with a decent 2200mAh battery that promises up to 40 minutes of run time in soft mode and 20 minutes in strong mode. It also has 5 LED lights show the battery level in real-time. After use, the device can be hung on the wall after use.
Realme TechLife Robot Vacuum Cleaner
The Realme TechLife Robot Vacuum comes in back, packing 38 high-precision sensors that help with measurement and collision avoidance. The LiDAR system allows it to smartly map and navigate around your home. According to the product page, you can store up to five maps on the device, partition and name areas on the map, and also customize the type of cleaning you want for these areas. So if you want a deeper cleaning for areas such as the kitchen, you can configure it to do so.
The vacuum cleaner has a suction power of up to 3000Pa with four levels of suction strength, the lowest being 500Pa which is also the quietest at 55dB. There are two side brushes, one dense rolling brush, and three layers of filters to trap PM2.5 particles.
The Robot vacuum not only sweeps but also has a mop function with an intelligent water management system. However, users will have to buy the water tank separately as it isn’t included in the box. The dust box is 600mL while the water tank is 300mL.
Pricing and Availability
The Realme TechLife Air Purifier carries a recommended retail price of Rs. 7,999 (~$107), but it will be available at a discount price of Rs. 6999 (~$94) during the first sale billed to take place on October via realme.com.
On its part, the all-new Realme TechLife Handheld Vacuum Cleaner is priced at Rs. 7,999 (~$107). It will be sold for a limited time for Rs. 7,499 (~$100) and will also go on sale for the first time on October 2 via Flipkart.
Finally, the Realme TechLife Robot Vacuum Cleaner will retail for Rs. 24,999 (~$335) but it will be available at an offer price of Rs. 19,999 (~$268), when it goes on sale for the first time in early access sale on 2nd October and on Flipkart.
Dutch manufacturer Fairphone is fast carving a niche for itself with its sustainability-oriented products. It continues to develop products from recyclable materials, and the Fairphone TWS is being introduced to the market with some impressive functionalities.
Fairphone TWS earphones are made from recycled materials. The earbuds and the accompanying charging case are made from 30% recycled plastics. Both earbuds have a 45 mAh battery with a 500 mAh charging case. It is not clear what distance the earbuds offer as well as the charging case, as the company was silent on that. The device will be charged via USB-C, although it is still unclear whether fast charging functionality. The package will not include a charger for the device.
The Fairphone TWS is available in a single black color and is priced at 99.95 Euros ($116) and it is available for pre-order directly via Fairphone’s website and shipping will commence by November 1.
The Fairphone TWS offers hybrid Active Noise Cancelation (ANC) via Bluetooth 5.3. The earphones also come with IPX4 splash resistance. The 10mm drivers offer some balance and quality sound for the device. Each bud has two microphones, with touch controls and in-ear detection also present. The fact that these earphones are partly made from recycled materials will improve its rating among sustainability enthusiasts, and could expectedly attract more patronage for the device.
Back in January 2021, it was reported that Samsung was in talks with a raft of carmakers to extend digital key functionality into the Galaxy S21 series. It seems the partnership has been successful as the Samsung Galaxy smartphones sporting the Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology are now capable of functioning as digital car keys. With this feature, Galaxy smartphone users that have the UWB will be able to lock, unlock and start some cars using their smartphones.
The UWB technology seems a game-changer in the tech industry, given its expanding applications to diverse fields from smart tags to smartphones and even smart home appliances. It is a short-range wireless communication protocol and uses radio waves for connectivity similar to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, although at a much higher frequency. The UWB brings greater precision and connectivity options to smartphones and other devices that make use of it, thus far better than Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
The UWB will make it possible to users to lock and unlock their cars, start the engine, and do a few more tasks. As stated in the January report, the digital key functionality makes it possible for the owner to share access to his car with a third party, even with the possibility of setting a time limit on how long the shared digital key will work. The first vehicle to have this feature is the Genesis V60 electric vehicle in Korea by the turn of the year.
The UWB is already present in the Galaxy S21+, S21 Ultra, Z Fold 2, Z Fold 3 and Note 20 Ultra. It will likely be a key feature in Samsung’s subsequent flagship models, going forward. It is also likely that the cars that can have the digital key functionality will be expanded to cover some of the popular brands.
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