Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro, Mi Notebook Ultra launched in India with up to 3.2K 90Hz display, 11th Gen Intel CPUs, and more

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Aug 26, 2021

Xiaomi has finally launched the Mi Notebook Pro and the Mi Notebook Ultra in India at the Smarter Living 2022 event. These laptops sound similar to the RedmiBook Pro 14 and RedmiBook Pro 15 released in China earlier this year. Let’s take a look at what these new computers have to offer and how much they cost.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro / Ultra Specifications and Features

The latest Xiaomi laptops for India feature an aluminum alloy body and come in a grey color finish. The Pro model weighs 1.46kg and measures 17.3mm in thickness. The numbers for the Ultra model are 1.79kg and 17.9mm respectively.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro Featured A — Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro

Both the notebooks arrive in three variants. The base version is powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11300H processor paired with 8GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM and 512GB NVMe SSD. The mid version has the same configuration but comes with 16GB RAM. Whereas, the top variant gets a more powerful 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11370H processor with the same amount of RAM and storage as the mid variant.

The primary differences between the two laptops are display and battery. The Pro model sports a 14-inch 2.5K LCD panel with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixel, 215 PPI, 16:10 aspect ratio, 100% sRGB color gamut, 300 nits brightness, DC dimming, and TÜV Rheinland low blue light emission certification. On the other hand, the display on the Ultra model is larger at 15.6-inch and has a higher resolution of 3.2K (3200 x 2000 pixels) with 242 PPI and 90Hz refresh while retaining all other features of the screen on the lower model.

Talking about ports, the laptops arrive with 1 x USB Type-C, 1 x Thunderbolt 4, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1 x HDMI, and 1 x 3.5mm combo audio jack. On the connectivity front, the two computers support WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.

Further, they feature a 3-level backlit keyboard with a scissor mechanism, 1.3mm key travel, and a dedicated macro key. For audio, they use 2 x 2W stereo speakers with support for DTS Audio. Other features include a 720p HD webcam and a fingerprint sensor with support for Windows Hello.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Ultra Featured B — Xiaomi Mi Notebook Ultra

As for software, they run Microsoft Windows 10 and ship with Microsoft Office 2019 and Mi SmartShare pre-installed. They are upgradable to Windows 11 when the update will be ready.

Last but not least, though the two computers support 65W fast charging, the Pro model is backed by a 56Whr battery as opposed to a 70Whr battery inside the Ultra model.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro / Ultra Price and Availability

The new Xiaomi laptops will retail for the following price tags in India.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro

i5-11300H, 8GB + 512GB – ₹56,999 ($769)
i5-11300H, 16GB + 512GB – ₹59,999 ($809)
i7-11370H, 16GB + 512GB – ₹72,999 ($984)

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Ultra

i5-11300H, 8GB + 512GB – ₹59,999 ($809)
i5-11300H, 16GB + 512GB – ₹63,999 ($863)
i7-11370H, 16GB + 512GB – ₹76,999 ($1,038)

Both the computers will be available for purchase starting August 31. They can be bought from either Mi.com, Mi Home stores, Amazon India, or partner retail stores. Customers can avail a discount of up to ₹4,500 on HDFC Bank cards.

Xiaomi sees record high 64% growth in revenue in Q2 2021

By

Sean

-

Aug 26, 2021

Xiaomi has just shared a new financial report that shows the results for the second quarter of this year. During this period, the company saw a record high growth in revenue, which grew by a sizeable 64 percent year on year.

The Chinese tech giant shared the news on its blog on the official website while the company’s Founder and CEO Lei Jun also shared some key figures on his Twitter handle. In the quarter than ended on June 2021, Xiaomi saw a 64 percent growth over the same period back in 2020. Furthermore, even its net income rose by a significant 80 percent year on year as well. The brand also stated that its smartphone business’ revenue reached 9.1 billion US Dollars.

The company saw this notable jump thanks to its 52.9 million smartphone sales unit in the second quarter, which even had it overtake the Cupertino based giant Apple to become the second largest smartphone maker. During Q2 2021, Xiaomi generated 87.8 billion Yuan in total revenue (roughly 13.5 billion US Dollars) along with 6.3 billion Yuan in net profit (roughly 971 million US Dollars). Furthermore, it even managed to ship over 12 million premium grade flagship smartphones out of its total 52.9 million units sold in Q2.

The brand’s lead the IoT product and services markets in 22 countries and ranked 1st in Europe and Southeast Asia for the first time. Its overseas IoT and Lifestyle products also saw a revenue growth of 93.8 percent year on year, while its overseas internet services revenue also grew by 96.8 percent as well. Notably, the company even invested heavily in this quarter, which rose by 56.5 percent from the previous year.

In June 2021, the company also recorded 454 million active monthly users for its MIUI platform, which was up by 32.1 percent over last year. Additionally, in the first half of this year, the retail prices at or above 3,000 Yuan (roughly 462 US Dollars) were the most common in mainland China, while around the 350 US Dollars mark was the most common price bracket for its overseas market.

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Deal: Buy UGREEN 65W 4 Port GaN Charger for $29 (Retail Price $45)

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Daily Deals

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Aug 26, 2021

UGREEN 65W 4 Port GaN Charger which generally retails for $45 is now available at a heavily discounted price of $29.09 only at AliExpress EOS Sale. This deal ends in two days.

WHERE TO BUY

UGREEN 65W 4 Port GaN Charger at $29.09 (after discount)@AliExpress

UGREEN 65W 4 Port GaN Charger

Key Features:

3C1A GaN 65W PD Charger
30% smaller in size
65% higher power
Strong insertion and stable connection
4 Ports: 3 x USB-C , 1 x USB-A
Power multiple devices simultaneously
65W Power Delivery: Fully charge MacBook Pro 13” in 1.5 hours only
Charges iPhone 11 Pro and others to 50% in just 30 mins
GaN Technology: Smaller Size, Higher Efficiency and Power, Less Heat
Supports full Quick charge protocols
Compatible with PD/QC/FCP/SCP/PPS/AFC
Universal compatibility: Huawei, Xiaomi, iPhone, Samsung, Google, LG, Apple MacBook, Huawei MateBook, Honor MagicBook, Samsung NoteBook, Lenovo ThinkPad, etc.
Compatible with iPad and Nintendo Switch
Intelligent Protection functions for Temperature, Short Circuit, Over Voltage, Electro Static, Over Power, Over Current, etc.

Generally retailing for $45, you can now buy UGREEN 65W 4 Port GaN Charger at a discounted price of $29.09 only at AliExpress. Please note that this price is applicable to the EU Variant without 100W PD cable. You can also buy the same with the PD cable but at a higher cost. So make sure to check the variant and bundle before you place your order. This deal ends in two days. So place your order asap.

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.

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 launched with 1.56-inch AMOLED display, 14-day battery life, health sensors

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Aug 26, 2021

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 has finally arrived in India. It was announced first in China back in April. Since then, Mi fans in India have been eagerly waiting for the arrival of the smart band in India. The company announced the Mi Band 6 in India today through the Mi Smarter Living 2022 event. Here is all the information on the specifications, features, and pricing of the Mi Band 6.

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 specifications and features

The Mi Smart Band 6 features a 1.56-inch AMOLED display that delivers a resolution of 152 x 486 pixels, 450 nits brightness, and 326 ppi pixel density. It has a 125mAh battery that supports magnetic charging. The company claims that it can deliver up o 14 days of battery life and it takes around 2 hours to charge it completely.

Coming to the health features, the Mi Band 6 offers features like 30 fitness modes, PPG heart rate sensor, sleep tracking menstrual cycle tracking, SpO2 tracking, PAI vitality index assessment, idle alerts, step counter, goal setting, breathing exercises, and auto-detection for 6 common fitness activities. It offers other features such as 80 watch faces, app alerts, notifications for calls/messages, music control, find my phone, and a camera remote shutter.

The Mi Smart Band 6 is equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and it is compatible with Android 5.0 or above and iOS 10.0 or higher devices. Lastly, the Mi Smart Band 6 comes with a plastic case, tempered glass with anti-fingerprint coating, an aluminium alloy buckle, 50ATM water resistance, and 5 different colour straps.

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 price in India

The Mi Smart Band 6 has arrived in India with a pricing of Rs 3,499 (~$47). Its firs sale will be carried out on Aug. 30 through Mi.com, Amazon India, and Mi Home. It will be also available through retail stores. Owners of existing Mi Bands (Mi Band 1 to Band 5) can take advantage of Rs 500 while purchasing the Mi Band 6.

RELATED:

realme GT Master Explorer Edition may not launch in India

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Aug 26, 2021

Chinese handset maker realme launched the realme GT Master Edition series in its home country in late July. The lineup includes two models, namely realme GT Master Edition and realme GT Master Explorer Edition. The former device made its way to India a few days back. However, the latter may not release in the region.

The realme GT Master Explorer Edition was recently spotted on Google Play Console and Google Supported Devices list. Hence, the device could launch in global markets.

But it looks like the smartphone may not release in India. This piece of information comes directly from a deleted tweet (via MySmartPrice) of Francis Wong, CMO of Realme India. Anyway, the phone might release in other international markets.

Talking about features, the realme GT Master Explorer Edition is better than the vanilla Master Edition in many aspects. It has a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 chipset and a larger 6.55-inch curved AMOLED display. This Samsung panel supports 120Hz refresh rate, 480Hz touch sampling rate, 6,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 92.1% screen-to-body ratio, 1,100 nits peak brightness, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection.

The handset also has an updated triple-camera setup consisting of a 50MP Sony IMX766 primary sensor with OIS, a 16MP ultra-wide unit, and 2MP macro snapper. For selfies and video calls, the phone uses a 32MP shooter. Last but not least, it is backed by a slightly larger 4,500mAh battery.

It would have been nice if this smartphone made its way to India. Anyway, customers can consider buying the OnePlus 9 RT, which is said to come with a similar set of features.

Vivo leads in 5G smartphone shipments in the Asia Pacific market: Report

By

Sean

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Aug 26, 2021

Vivo has become the leading 5G smartphone brand in the Asia Pacific market for the first time ever in the second quarter of this year. Interestingly, three of the top five 5G smartphone brands in the region were also from China.

According to a Strategy Analytics report, the Chinese smartphone maker lead the Asia Pacific market, with an annual shipment growth of a whopping 215 percent year on year. Furthermore, the Asia Pacific 5G handset shipments have also more than doubled since the same period from last year, marking a 110 percent growth annually. Meanwhile, Xiaomi arrives second in 5G smartphone shipments in the region.

Yiwen Wu, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics stated that “Vivo has grown past Xiaomi, OPPO and Apple over the course of the past year to take the top spot in 5G smartphones. Vivo has capitalized on the decline of Huawei, which in the year-ago quarter sold more than half of all 5G smartphones in the Asia Pacific region, but has virtually disappeared from the market. The combination of leading technology and affordable prices have made Vivo’s smartphones, such as its iQOO U3 5G and iQOO 7 5G, the most popular 5G devices in the region.”

Notably, other Chinese brands also saw great growth in the region during this time. Similar to Vivo and Xiaomi, Oppo arrived third in 5G smartphone shipments in Asia Pacific market. In other words, the top three brands were Chinese while their recent handset offerings were quite successful in the market. This also marks an explosive rise in demand for 5G phones and an intensifying competition in the region.

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Xiaomi Mi TV 5X in 43-inch, 50-inch, and 55-inch models launched in India

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Aug 26, 2021

Xiaomi has announced the Mi TV 5X series in India today through Mi Smarter Living 2022 mega launch event. Through the same platform, the company announced other products like Mi Band 6 fitness tracker, Mi Notebook Pro, Mi Notebook Ultra, a new 360-degree home security camera, Mi Router 4A Gigabit Edition, and Mi Shoes. The new Mi TV 5X series has arrived in the country in three sizes such as 43-inch 50-inch, and 55-inch. It rivals the likes of the Samsung Crystal 4K Pro UHD series and the OnePlus U1S TV series.

Xiaomi Mi TV 5X specifications and features

The 43-inch, 50-inch, and 55-inch Mi TV 5X models have identical specs, and they mainly differ in screen sizes and audio output. The new smart TVs from Xiaomi offer 3840 x 2160 pixels resolution, 10-bit colors, 94 percent DCI P3 color gamut, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR, HLG, and Vivid Picture Engine 2. The 43-inch model has a pair of speakers that offer 30W output, whereas the 50-inch and 55-inch variants have 40W stereo speakers. The speakers are powered by Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD.

The Mi TV 5X boasts premium appeal as it features slim bezels with a metallic finish. On the connectivity front, it offers three HDMI 2.1 ports, 2 USB ports, an Ethernet port, an optical port, an AV input, H.265, a 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth 5.0, and dual-band Wi-Fi.

It is powered by a 64-bit quad-core A55 processor and Mali-G52 MP2 graphics. It ships with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage. It offers a refreshed version of PatchWall UI, which comes with features like smart recommendations, kids mode and parental lock, universal search, 55+ free live channels, all-new IMDb integration, and more. The intuitive remote control not only offers users buttons for accessing some of the popular OTT platforms, but also it offers easy access to features like Quick Mute, Quick Settings, and Quick Wake.

Xiaomi Mi TV 5X price in India

The 43-inch, 50-inch, and 55-inch Mi TV 5X are priced at Rs 31,999 (~$431), Rs 41,999 (~$566), and Rs 47,999 (~$647), respectively. Its sale will begin at 12 pm (local time) on Sept. 7, and it will be available through Mi.com, Flipkart, Mi Home, and retail stores. Buyers can get up to Rs 3,000 Instant Discount through HDFC Bank Credit Cards & EasyEMI. In addition, users can take advantage of up to 9 months no-cost-EMI offers from leading Banks and NBFCs.

RELATED:

Xiaomi is acquiring an autonomous driving based startup called Deepmotion

By

Sean

-

Aug 26, 2021

Xiaomi Corp is planning on buying an autonomous driving technology based startup called Deepmotion. The acquisition deal will amount to 77.4 million US Dollars and arrives as the company gears up to enter the electric vehicle market.

The Chinese tech giant made the announcement for this acquisition after it recorded a better than expected second quarter results. This was especially true in India, where its market recovery enabled it to overtake the Cupertino based giant Apple to become the world’s second largest smartphone maker in terms of shipments. While the company has become a major player in the smartphone market, it aims to further diversify in emerging markets, with EV being one of them.

Lei Jun, Founder and CEO of the company, is currently leading the brand’s electric vehicle project, with Xiaomi previously announcing a sizeable 10 billion US Dollars investment plan over the next decade in the new category. Furthermore, the company is also set to invest heavily into the EV market through its own research and development and manufacturing to produce its first self branded electric car. Now, the acquisition of Deepmotion could help it get further ahead with its goals.

For those unaware, Deepmotion develops driver assistance software and is the latest move from Xiaomi to broaded its presence in the EV industry. Similar to the company, other Chinese tech brands like Huawei and Baidu are also developing their own autonomous driving technology as well. Company’s president Wang Xiang even stated that “Through this acquisition, we hope to shorten the time to market for our product. We want to speed up our autonomous driving R&D.”

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Vivo V1 image leak reveals the company’s first self-developed chip; could soon get launched

By

Jeet

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Aug 26, 2021

Vivo is currently gearing up to launch its first self-developing chip which is reportedly an Image Signal Processor (ISP). The chip, which has been codenamed “Yueying,” has now appeared in the leaked image.

The leaked image has been shared by reliable tipster Digital Chat Station and it reveals that the first chip from the Chinese smartphone manufacturer will be called Vivo V1 as the branding appears on the chip.

The image shows the physical map of the Vivo V1 chip, indicating that the mass production may have been completed or is still undergoing. In any case, it is expected to be officially announced soon. While the launch date is not yet known, reports indicate that Vivo’s first in-house chip could be announced along with the Vivo X70 series smartphones next month.

So far, we are aware of two chip-related trademarks from the company — Vivo SoC and Vivo Chip. The product categories covered by these two trademarks include central processing units, modems, computer chips, printed circuits, and computer storage.

It’s noteworthy that Vivo partnered with Samsung for the Research & Development of chipset and the Chinese brand was closely associated with the development, providing in-depth inputs during the process.

Vivo is quite focused on developing chips as the company is planning to have a team of around 500-600 members in this department. It is currently looking to hire several new team members to the chip division for Research & Development. The company has also planned to invest a huge amount in the Research & Development of 5G, Artificial Intelligence, and other emerging technologies.

OPPO, the sister company of Vivo, is also developing its own chip which is expected to be officially released with the Find X4 smartphone early next year. Both these companies are following the footsteps of Xioami which has already launched an ISP chip named Surge C1.

RELATED:

Vivo X70 Pro+ spotted in Google Play Console listing revealing key specifications

By

Jeet

-

Aug 26, 2021

Vivo is currently gearing up to launch its latest X70 series flagship smartphones in the market, which is likely to include three models — Vivo X70, X70 Pro, and X70 Pro+, just like its predecessor.

Now, the top-end model of the lineup — Vivo X70 Pro+ has been spotted on the Google Play Console listing (via MySmartPrice). The listing reveals some of the key details related to the upcoming smartphone.

According to the Google Play Console listing, the upcoming Vivo X70 Pro+ will feature a display with a Full HD+ screen resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. The device will have a curved screen with a punch-hole cutout at the top for housing a front-facing camera.

Under the hood, the device will come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 series chipset. It remains to be seen if it’s the standard SD888 or the newly launched Snapdragon 888 Plus 5G SoC. The listing also reveals Adreno 660 GPU and 8GB of RAM, however, the device is expected to come with up to 12GB of RAM.

The smartphone will come running the Android 11 operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own FunTouch OS 11 on top while the Chinese market will see the device having OriginOS on top.

vivo X70 Pro Render Leak 02 — Vivo X70 Pro Render

Previously, it was leaked that the Vivo X70 Pro+ will come powered by a 4,500mAh battery and have support for 66W fast charging technology. The smartphone will continue to feature Zeiss optics but details about the camera configuration for the quad-camera setup on the device still remain unknown.

Vivo is yet to announce the official launch date for these new flagship smartphones but it’s being speculated that the phones could be launched in India during the second leg on the Indian Premier League (IPL) starting on 19th September.

RELATED:

OPPO tablet running ColorOS for Pad leaks online showcasing its design

By

Jeet

-

Aug 26, 2021

Realme recently expanded its portfolio of devices by entering the laptop market with the launch of Realme Book and now the company is all set to launch Realme Pad to enter the tablet market. Now, it appears that its sister company OPPO is also gearing up to launch its first tablet in the market.

Tipster Digital Chat Station has revealed an image of the upcoming OPPO tablet along with some key specifications. It appears that the Chinese company is planning to position the upcoming product in the mid to high price range.

From the leak, it appears that the OPPO tablet will be featuring narrow bezels around the display, looking similar to the Huawei MatePad Pro 12.6. At this time, the exact screen size for the OPPO’s device remains unknown.

It seems that the front camera on the device will be located in the punch-hole cutout, thus there will be a higher screen-to-body ratio. As for the software, the tablet will be running the company’s own ColorOS for Pad, based on the Android operating system.

The support will come with a dock bar and desktop widgets that support quick operations. The new ColorOS 12 system focuses on the Internet of everything, so it also supports interconnected operations with cell phones, watches, headphones, and other devices.

As of now, there’s no information about when the device will be officially launched and what it’ll be priced at. Apart from Realme and OPPO, Vivo is also confirmed to soon launch its first tablet device in the market. It’s noteworthy that all three of them are a part of the same group of companies — BBK Electronics.

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iQOO 8 Pro flagship smartphone goes on sale in China; price starts at 4,999 yuan ($771)

By

Jeet

-

Aug 26, 2021

A couple of weeks ago, Vivo-backed premium smartphone maker iQOO had launched its latest flagship phones in the market — iQOO 8 and iQOO 8 Pro. While the iQOO 8 went on sale a a couple of days aog, iQOO 8 Pro goes on sale from today, in China.

It comes in three memory variants — 8GB RAM with 256GB storage which is priced at 4,999 yuan (~$771) while the 12GB RAM with 256GB storage costs 5,499 yuan (~$848). On the other hand, the top-end variant with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage is priced at 5,999 yuan (~$925). The phone comes in two color options — Racing and Legend.

The smartphone features a new Samsung E5 AMOLED display, making it the first device in the world to have this screen. It measures 6.78-inch and offers 120Hz LTPO curved panel with 3200 x 1440 pixels resolution. There’s a 10-bit color temperature, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and a contrast ratio of up to 8,000,000:1.

Under the hood, the device comes powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ chipset, coupled with 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB UFS 3.1 storage. There’s also an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor with a wider sensing area and is claimed by the company to be able to unlock the device in just 0.2 seconds.

As for the camera department, the phone features a 50MP Sony IMX766V f/1.75 1.0µm PTZ primary camera with a 7P lens, PDAF, and 23mm focal length, along with a 48MP f/2.2 114° ultrawide angle camera with 6P lens, and a 16MP telephoto camera. The front-facing camera is a 16MP sensor for taking selfies and video calling.

It comes powered by a dual-cell 4,500mAh battery and supports 120W fast wired charging, 50W wireless fast charging, and 10W reverse wireless charging. This makes it the first iQOO smartphone with support for wireless charging.

The company is now gearing up to launch the iQOO 8 series smartphones in the Indian market as the Indian variant of the Pro model was recently spotted, hitting at its launch in the country next month.

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Huawei Nova Y60 launched with 6.6-inch HD display, 13MP triple cameras, and 5,000mAh battery

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Aug 26, 2021

The Huawei Nova Y60 phone has debuted in South Africa. It is a mid-range smartphone that has arrived with key specs like a tall aspect ratio, a 13-megapixel triple camera unit, big internal storage, and a large battery. Here is all the information on the specifications, features, and pricing of the Nova Y60.

Huawei Nova Y60 specifications and features

The Nova Y60 measures 165.26 x 76.02 x 9.2mm and weighs 185 grams. It is fitted with a 6.6-inch IPS LCD TFT screen that produces an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels. An 8-megapixel camera with an f/2.0 aperture can be found in the teardrop notch of the display.

The squarish camera module available on its rear has a 13-megapixel primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture, a 5-megapixel ultrawide shooter, a 2-megapixel depth helper, and an LED flash unit.

The Nova Y60 is preinstalled with EMUI 11.0.1 based Android 11, and it is powered by the Helio P35 chip. The device offers 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, and a microSD card slot. It is backed by a 5,000mAh battery.

The Y60 features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. For audiophiles, it comes equipped with Histen 6.1 audio technology. The device offers other features like dual SIM support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, a USB-C port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Huawei Nova Y60 pricing and availability

The Huawei Nova Y60 is priced at ZAR 3,099 (~$207) in South Africa. It comes in Black and Crush Green colors. There is no word on whether this device will be made available in other markets.

RELATED:

New Huawei patent reveals variable aperture for upcoming smartphones

By

Pranav Sawant

-

Aug 26, 2021

Variable aperture, which once was a digital SLR and mirrorless camera thing has now arrived in smartphones. Every year, smartphone manufacturers look for several advancements in the camera system of smartphones. Similarly, we first saw the variable aperture introduced by Samsung in the Galaxy S9 smartphone. Sony also took it ahead with its Xperia 1 III and Xperia 5 III smartphones. Now, the Chinese phone maker Huawei seems to join the variable aperture industry as a new Huawei patent named “Aperture, Camera module and Electronic Device” was found online.

Huawei has filed the patent with World Intellectual Property Organization(first discovered by LetsGoDigital) and it showcases the working of the variable aperture lens. The aperture blades on the sensor open up to get as much natural light when needed and shrinks when there’s already plenty of light available.

Interestingly, the patented images have been brought into 3D renders by the designer Technizo Concept. These images show the camera lens and the 3D model of a smartphone. However, it doesn’t really reveal any details regarding the variable aperture in particular.

Anyway, moving back to the patent, Huawei’s variable aperture lens seems to have six blades. The aperture range will evidently vary but the exact range is yet to be known. Samsung had an aperture range of f/1.5 and f/2.4 and had eight blades. Also, it had the variable aperture only for a single lens.

1 of 3

This changed when recently a new Samsung phone was spotted with a variable aperture on all the lenses. It was seen with a variable aperture for the wide-angle lens, ultra-wide-angle sensor, and even for the telephoto zoom lens. As of now, Huawei hasn’t revealed which sensors it decides to implement the variable aperture technology.

According to the 3D concept renders, the device has a wide-angle lens, an ultra-wide-angle sensor, a mono lens, a telephoto lens, and a 3D ToF sensor. While this is just a concept, the actual device may come with similar camera sensors. Anyone or some of these lenses may have a variable aperture.

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Deal: Get X88 Pro 20 Smart TV Box for $64 (Retail Price $100)

By

Daily Deals

-

Aug 26, 2021

X88 Pro 20 Smart TV Box which generally retails for $100 is now available at a heavily discounted price of $64.13 only at AliExpress EOS Sale. Please note that this super deal ends in two days.

WHERE TO BUY

X88 Pro 20 Smart TV Box at $64.13 (after discount)@AliExpress

X88 Pro 20 Smart TV Box

Key Features:

8K 60Hz Ultra HD Resolution
Android 11.0 OS
Interface: SPDIF, HD, LAN, DC, USB 3.0,USB 2.0, TF
It works as both OTT box and Gaming console
Family Album Function: Pictures can be generated into slides
It can also generate boot animation from pictures
GPU: ARM Mali-G52 2EE
Rockchip RK3566 Quad-Core 64bit Cortex-A55
Higher Bit depth and wider color gamut
Support 1000M Ethernet, 2.4G & 5G Wifi + ac, BT4.2
Supports Google Voice Assistant, Youtube 4K, FamilyCloud
Supports Firmware Upgrade Online(OTA)
Three memory variants: 4GB + 32GB , 8GB + 64GB , 8GB + 128GB
Install and play famous apps easily
Comes with a V10 Voice remote

Generally retailing for $100, you can now buy the X88 Pro 20 Smart TV Box for $64.13 only at AliExpress. Please note that this price is applicable on the 4GB + 32GB variant with the V10 Voice remote.

However, you can find different variants and bundles with and without the voice remote and keyboard at different prices. So make sure to choose the bundle as per your requirement before placing the order. This deal ends in two days.

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.

Motorola Moto E20 specifications, renders leaked, Moto E30 also in works

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Aug 26, 2021

Last week, reliable tipster Evan Blass shared renders of an upcoming budget phone of a Motorola. At that time, he did not reveal the moniker of the device. The design of the phone suggested that it could be the rumored Moto E20 handset. Today, Blass confirmed shared a new render of the same phone and he revealed that it would be debuting in the market as the Moto E20.

Moto E20 design

The Moto E20’s new render shows it has a teardrop notch display and it has a hexagonal pattern on what appears to be a polycarbonate back. There is a vertical dual-camera unit fitted on the backside of the E20. The right edge of the device seems to feature a voice assistant button, a volume rocker, and a power key.

The E20’s left edge seems to feature a SIM slot. There is a 3.5mm audio jack on its top edge, while its bottom features a microphone, a USB-C port, and a speaker grille. It appears that the device lacks a fingerprint scanner.

Moto E20 specifications (Rumored)

According to the tipster, the Moto E20 is codenamed as Aruba and its model number is XT2155-1. It has a 6.5-inch display that offers an HD+ resolution and it is powered by an unspecified 1.6GHz octa-core processor. The tipster claimed that it does not feature a Qualcomm chip.

The handset will ship with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of native storage. It will run on Android 11 OS, and it will draw power from a 4,000mAh battery. For photography, it has a selfie camera of 5-megapixel, and it has a 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual-camera system. A previous report claimed that this device may get rebranded as Lenovo K14 in some markets.

Moto E30 in works

Blass also revealed the existence of the Moto E30 handset. However, apart from sharing its “Cyprus” codename, he did not mention anything about its specifications.

RELATED:

Samsung Galaxy A21 allegedly bursts into flame inside an airplane forcing evacuation

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Aug 26, 2021

Samsung‘s smartphones have had several issues relating to overheating of some models that eventually burst into flames. This defect has had fatal consequences in some cases to date. In another incident of such, passengers inside an Alaska Airlines flight that took off from New Orleans to Seattle were forced to evacuate the aircraft after a Samsung Galaxy A21 caught fire.

The phone was completely burnt and there were no injuries to the passengers and crew of the flight. In a statement by the spokesperson for the Seattle Airport, Perry Cooper, he confirmed the incident. Sources at Alaska Airlines confirmed the incident, as the crew used fire extinguishers and a battery containment bag to smother and stop the fire, while passengers exited through the evacuation slides. Two of the crew members sustained injuries, and they have been treated at a local health facility and discharged.

Samsung has also issued a statement about the incident, stressing that safety remains the company’s top priority. The company also promised that the Seattle incident will be fully investigated. It is hoped that Samsung will indeed carry out a detailed investigation on the cause of the incident. The gravity of the observed defect after investigation will determine whether Samsung will initiate a recall of the model.

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The Xbox Series X Halo Infinite Limited Edition shows Microsoft is still the king of custom edition consoles

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Aug 25, 2021

Microsoft has always shown that it is in a different league when it comes to making custom editions of its consoles. It has proved that multiple times with the several limited-edition Xbox One consoles it released. One of my personal favorites is the Xbox One X Shadow of the Tomb Raider Edition. Now, it has shown that it still has the chops with the launch of the Xbox Series X Halo Infinite Limited Edition.

The limited-edition console was announced today alongside the Halo Infinite Limited Edition Elite Series 2 controller to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the game. Both the console and the controller will be available on November 15 for $549.99 and $199.99 respectively.

The body of the Xbox Series X Halo Infinite Limited Edition is wrapped in a mix of black, gray, and gold. The stars on the console, which grace the upper part, are inspired by the surface of Zeta Halo, a location in the game, while the blue color of the vent is inspired by Cortana. The included Xbox Wireless Controller also has a similar color scheme.

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For the Halo Infinite Limited Edition Elite Series 2 controller, you get a mix of green and black, the former which is the same shade as Master Chief’s armor.

Both the Xbox Series X Halo Infinite Limited Edition and the Halo Infinite Limited Edition Elite Series 2 controller are available for pre-order on Microsoft’s site today ahead of their release on November 15.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Aug 25, 2021

The foldable phones by Samsung which transform into tablets reached the third generation and now the Korean giant literally dominates the foldable niche in the global market. The latest model is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and, alongside the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, it is the most powerful flagship by Samsung. But is it worth spending more for a foldable or you can actually get a better device if you go for the top-tier but more traditional Galaxy S21 Ultra? This comparison between their specifications will shed some light and clear your ideas in regards.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G vs Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

	Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G	Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4 mm, 271 g	165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm, 227 g
DISPLAY	7.6 inches, 1768 x 2208p (Quad HD+), Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X External display 6.2 inches 832 x 2268 pixels (HD+), Dynamic AMOLED 2X	6.8 inches, 1440 x 3200p (Quad HD+), Dynamic AMOLED 2X
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, octa-core 2.84 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, octa-core 2.84 GHz or Samsung Exynos 2100, octa-core 2.9 GHz
MEMORY	12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB	12 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 16 GB RAM, 512 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 11, One UI	Android 11, One UI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Triple 12 + 12 + 12 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.4 + f/2.2 4 MP f/1.8 + 10 MP f/2.2 front camera	Quad 108 + 10 + 10 + 12 MP, f/1.8 + f/4.9 + f/2.4 + f/2.2 40 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY	4400 mAh, fast charging 25W, wireless charging 11W	5000 mAh, fast charging 25W and wireless charging 15W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot, 5G, Reverse wireless charging, IPX8 certification, stylus support, foldable phone	Dual SIM slot, 5G, water resistant (IP68), reverse wireless charging, S Pen

Design

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G has something magic due to its foldable display. It can become a tablet, but it can also transform into a very compact phone if you fold it. It has a cleaner design due to a smaller and minimal camera module, and I love it for that. But it is a lot thicker while folded and it is heavier. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is waterproof with the IPX8 certification but it is not dustproof, unlike the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra which comes with the IP68 certification. Both the phones support the S Pen, but the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the only one with an in-display fingerprint reader (it is side-mounted on the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G).

Display

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is more advanced in terms of display because it has a foldable panel. The diagonal of the display, while the phone is unfolded, is whopping 7.6 inches, with a 2K resolution, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and the HDR10+ certification. Further, the foldable has an additional external display with a diagonal of 6.2 inches. However, you should not underestimate the awesome display of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, with its wide 6.8-inch diagonal and the LTPO technology. The killer feature of both the devices is the S Pen borrowed from the dead Galaxy Note series.

Specs & Software

Both these phones are powered by the Snapdragon 888 mobile platform, they offer up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage. But the European version of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a different processor: the Exynos 2100 which is actually inferior to the Snapdragon 888, especially in terms of power management. The phones are based on Android 11, customized by the One UI at version 3.1. They will get four years of major updates and even more years of security maintenance.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a superior camera department and it is the best camera phone of the duo. It comes with a 108 MP main sensor supporting the OIS, a 10 MP periscope sensor with 10x optical zoom, a 10 MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom, and a 12 MP ultrawide camera. With the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3, you get the same triple camera setup found in the previous generation, with three 12 MP sensors including a telephoto lens and an ultrawide camera. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra also offers a better front camera with a 40 MP resolution and 4K video recording at 60 fps.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Galaxy S21+ vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: Specs Comparison

Battery

Last but not least, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a bigger battery with a capacity of 5000 mAh, and it provides a longer battery life on a single charge. The charging technologies are almost the same: 25W fast charging and 11/15W wireless charging. They also support reverse wireless charging.

Price

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is priced at €1800/$1700, while you need less than €1000/$1000 for the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G offers an important added value: it is foldable and its display becomes huge. But the Galaxy S21 Ultra is a better camera phone and it also features a bigger battery. The rest of the differences are not as important as the above-mentioned ones.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G vs Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: PRO and CONS

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G

PRO

Foldable display
S Pen
It transforms into a tablet
Compact while folded

CONS

Price

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

PRO

Wider and better display
S Pen
Bigger battery
Amazing cameras

CONS

Dimensions

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Apple iPhone X survives an 11,000 feet fall from a plane unscathed

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Aug 25, 2021

Apple iPhone models’ seeming versatility, ruggedness, and invincibility have been well-documented in recent years. From surviving underwater for an extended period to being used as a fishing line, via the Magsafe, the stories have been ramping up. The Apple iPhone remains a very wonderful and versatile device, with several of its potential capabilities yet to be fully explored.

Now, a report has come in that an iPhone X model was mistakenly dropped from an airplane flying at an altitude of about 11,000 feet (3.35km) and it survived the force of its impact on earth impressively. This could well be the harshest of accidental drop tests that the device will be put through, although the result is quite illuminating, further securing the place of the iPhone in terms of ruggedness. The news about this incidence was announced by the owner of the device in an aviator forum.

The pilot whose name was given as David was flying a DA40 small plane when the incident occurred. The DA40 has a large plexiglass canopy and small side windows which can be opened while airborne. Indeed, it was in the course of a flight from Colorado Springs to Atlanta, having had a refueling stopover at Branson, Massachusetts. An attached photo to the news showed that David was enthralled by a view of the unique billowing clouds, and decided to have some snapshots of the scenery below him, while at an altitude of 11,000 feet.

The aviator was a bit cautious in taking the photos, but ultimately, a gust of wind blew and altered the dynamics leading to the slipping off of the smartphone, an iPhone X, from his grip. He had lost hope of getting his phone, but one way or the other, he was lucky to locate the device on his Find My iPhone app and traced it. David made a trip back to Arkansas, and after some difficulties, was able to locate his smartphone. A search of a 10-meter radius of where the GPS tracked the phone finally yielded the device after more than an hour of trudging in the soybean field. The device was later found to be in great condition, apart from the battery that had gone flat.

The location where the device landed may have helped to prevent its dismemberment – on a soy dirt heap. Also, the phone was encased in an Otterbox Defender series case which may have helped cushion the effect of the fall to some extent. All the same, the survival of the device from that full is extremely remarkable.

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