Xiaomi Mi TV 6 Extreme Edition and Mi TV ES launched in China

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Jun 28, 2021

Earlier today (28th June 2021), Xiaomi held a launch conference in which it launched its latest smart TVs in China. This includes the Mi TV 6 Extreme Edition and the new Mi TV ES 2022, with the former being the company’s take on rivaling high end TVs with a price under 10,000 Yuan (roughly 1,550 US Dollars).

Mi TV 6 Extreme Edition

Pan Jun, the general manager of Xiaomi TV, stated in the conference that the company is confident in its hardware offering with the new TVs. He added that the Chinese tech giant has hardware level algorithm along with all round optimization to offer high picture quality. The brand first unveiled the Mi TV 6 Extreme Edition, which features a thin and light design. It sports a 3D LUT film industrial grade color correction technology and houses an enhanced version of the MediaTek MT9950 chipset.

The display has a 120Hz high refresh rate and even offers 120Hz MEMC as well. One of its highlighting features is its speakers, with the new smart TV being the company’s first to offer 100 watt audio system. Furthermore, the Mi TV 6 Extreme Edition also supports IMAX Enhanced and is also optimized to be used as a large gaming display as well. On the front, it also houses a 48 megapixel dual AI camera that enables the users to make video calls, while the display of the TV is surrounded by ultra thin bezels.

The Mi TV Extreme Edition sports over 100 backlight partitions on the 55 inch model, 224 partitions for the 65 inch, and 255 partitions for the 75 inch variant’s LCD panel, which enables it to offer improved brightness, contrast, and picture quality. Its display sports a 4K resolution with a 97 percent DCI-P3 color gamut and 178 degree wide viewing angle. Similarly, it also supports dual band WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 as well. Notably, the TV also arrives with Dolby Vision HDR certification. For memory, the TV houses 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.

Mi TV ES 2022

Arriving at the Mi TV ES 2022, Xiaomi also launched another new TV, which features a multi zone backlight system (32, 45, and 60 partitions for the 55 inch, 65 inch, and 75 inch variants respectively) as well. This TV sports the MediaTek MT9638 chip under the hood and offers a maximum brightness of 700 nits. The Mi TV ES 2022 houses a two channel 12.5W four unit speaker system that supports stereo playback as well.

It has a 97 percent screen to body ratio and also arrives with built in XiaoAI voice assistant. Similar to the Mi TV 6 Extreme Edition, the ES 2022 also offers 4K resolution along with a 94 percent color DCI-P3 gamut. Under the hood, it houses 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Its also supports WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0.

Pricing and Availability

The Mi TV 6 Extreme Edition starts from 5,999 Yuan (roughly 930 US Dollars) for its 55 inch display variant, on the other hand the 65 inch variant costs 7,999 Yuan (roughly 1,240 US Dollars), while the 75 inch version sports 9,999 Yuan. Meanwhile, the Mi TV ES 2022 will also be available in three different sizes, with the 55 inch being priced at 3,399 Yuan (roughly 526 US Dollars), while the 65 inch variant is priced at 4,399 Yuan (roughly 680 US Dollars), and 75 inch is priced at 5,999 Yuan (roughly 930 US Dollars). Both smart TVs will officially be released on 9th July 2021.

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OnePlus Nord 2 5G spotted with Dimensity 1200 at benchmarking site

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 28, 2021

Rumors have it that OnePlus will be launching the OnePlus Nord 2 5G in July. It will be the arrival as the successor to the OnePlus Nord, which went official in the same month last year. A couple of reports have claimed that the Nord 2 will be featuring the Dimensity 1200v chipset, which is the most powerful MediaTek mobile chip at present. The handset has now appeared with the same D1200 SoC at AI Benchmarks.

The AI Benchmarks listing reveals that the OnePlus Nord 2 5G is equipped with the Dimensity 1200 chip, 8 GB of RAM, and Android 11 OS. To recollect, its predecessor featured the Snapdragon 765G chipset.

So yes, OnePlus Nord 2 will indeed run on the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 processor. Have spotted the 8GB RAM variant of the device on the AI Benchmarking platform.
Feel free to retweet.#OnePlus #OnePlusNord2 pic.twitter.com/UhWhISPEii

— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) June 28, 2021

OnePlus Nord 2 5G specifications (Rumored)

Past reports have revealed that the OnePlus Nord 2 5G has a 6.43-inch AMOLED screen that offers an FHD+ resolution, a 20:9 aspect ratio, a 90Hz refresh rate, and an in-screen fingerprint scanner.

The Dimensity 1200 chipset SoC drives the Nord 2 5G along with a 4,500mAh battery. For selfies, it may feature a 32-megapixel front camera, and its rear camera array may comprise of a Sony IMX766 50-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 2-megapixel camera.

A recent report claimed that the OnePlus Nord 2 5G will be similar to the upcoming Realme GT 5G Master Edition phone for China. The Realme phone is likely to feature a 120Hz display, Snapdragon 870 chip, and 50-megapixel + 16-megapixel (ultrawide) + 2-megapixel triple camera system. The rest of the specs could be identical for both phones.

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TECNO Spark Go 2021 budget smartphone to launch on July 1 in India

By

Jeet

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Jun 28, 2021

TECNO Mobile has confirmed that the brand’s new budget smartphone in the Spark series, dubbed Spark Go 2021, will be officially launched in the Indian market on July 1st. The teaser confirms that the phone will be available for purchase exclusively through Amazon.

As the name indicates, the phone will be launched as a successor to the TECNO Spark Go 2020 launched in September last year. It has also been confirmed that the smartphone will feature a 6.52-inch display with HD+ screen resolution.

Underneath, the device is expected to come with a better processor compared to the MediaTek Helio A20 quad-core chipset found in its predecessor. The phone is likely to offer 2/3GB RAM and 32/64GB of internal storage, but this is just speculation at this point.

In the camera department, there will be a dual-camera setup on the phone which will include a 13-megapixel primary sensor and an unknown secondary sensor with support for Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered image processing.

On the front side, the device will feature an 8-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling with support for LED flash and AI features. It also comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner for added security.

In the software department, the phone will likely run Android 11 Go Edition out-of-the-box with the HiOS 7.6 custom user interface on top and will be powered by a 5,000mAh battery, the same as its predecessor.

The TECNO Spark Go 2021 will come in three color options in India — Black, Blue, and Orange. As noted, it will be sold on Amazon.in after it gets officially launched in the Indian market on 1st July.

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Huawei to build new HiSilicon chip factory in Wuhan to offset US sanctions: Report

By

Sean

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Jun 28, 2021

A new report has revealed that Huawei is increasing its efforts to become more self sufficient. While the US sanctions had cut off its chip supply from TSMC in the past, the company is now apparently seeking to set up its first chip production factory in China to offset the sanctions.

According to a DigiTimes report (Via AsiaTimes), the Chinese tech giant is planning on building its first wafer fabrication manufacturing company in Wuhan, Hubei Province. This new ‘HiSilicon Factory’ is expected to begin the production in stages from next year. Furthermore, the report claimed that the factory will be used to produce optical communication chips and modules to gain self sufficiency and to manufacture microcircuit designs as well.

For those unaware, HiSilicon is Huawei’s chip designing subsidiary and is a fabless chip maker. In other words, while it has the capability to design advanced chips it used to contract TSMC for chip production. As per sources close to the matter, Huawei is set to invest 1.9 billion Yuan (roughly 278 billion US Dollars) in the Wuhan HiSilicon chip factory project, which will have it develop its own chipsets for smartphones and other IoT (internet of things) devices as well.

With the various US sanctions that have crippled its operations, Huawei and even China has been placing an emphasis on accelerating the development of domestic fabrication plants to localize the supply chain for its local tech firms. This would even have it reduce its reliance on foreign chipmakers as well. Although, keep in mind that this is just an unconfirmed report at the moment, so take it with a pinch of salt for now and stay tuned for more updates regarding this matter.

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Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro X launch date set for June 30

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 28, 2021

Xiaomi has confirmed to unveil a new laptop in China by the end of June. This product is called Mi Notebook Pro X. As of now, the company has revealed the processor as well as GPU of the computer along with its design.

According to the official Mi Notebook Weibo account, Xiaomi will launch the Mi Notebook Pro X on June 30 in China. The company has posted three teasers so far.

The first teaser is a short video that showcases the laptop’s design. Unlike the previous Mi Notebooks, the upcoming model will have curved noticeable sides. Further, its full-size keyboard will feature a speaker grille on either side and will lack a Numpad. Lastly, it will have a subtle ‘Xiaomi’ branding on its lid.

On the other hand, the second and third teasers confirm the laptop to come with 11th Generation Intel H35 series processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU respectively. Interestingly, Xiaomi claims these chipsets to offer 45W performance when they are actually capable of delivering 35W only.

That said, we expect to learn more about the forthcoming Mi Notebook Pro X from new teasers ahead of its official announcement this Wednesday. Until then, do let us know how much do you think Xiaomi will charge customers for this laptop.

OPPO Reno6 5G global launch nears, unveiling date for Indonesia confirmed

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 28, 2021

Last month, OPPO announced the Reno 6 series of smartphones such as Reno6 5G, Reno6 Pro 5G, and Reno6 Pro+ 5G in China. There have been reports that it will be launching soon in July in India. It is likely that Indonesia could be the first global market to receive the Reno6 5G handset as its microsite has gone live on OPPO Indonesia’s website. The listing reveals that the Reno6 5G will be launching on July 15 in the country.

The landing page of the Reno6 5G on OPPO Indonesia’s website has only confirmed its design. It shows that the Reno6 will be sporting a flat AMOLED display and its rear has a quad-camera system. The bottom edge of the device features a speaker grille, a USB-C port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

The left side of the global Reno6 5G features volume buttons and its right edge is flanked by a power key. It carries support for NFC connectivity. Its rear shell is slightly curved towards the edges, and it features a camera module at the top-left corner. The handset will be available in two colors such as black and blue.

The global Reno6 5G appears to be different from the China Reno6 5G in terms of design. The Chinese variant has a curved edge display, a flat rear panel, differently designed rear camera setup, and it lacks a 3.5mm audio jack. There is a possibility that there could be some difference in the specs of the global and Chinese Reno6 5G.

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OPPO F17 gets ColorOS 11 stable update in India, beta program live for the original OPPO Reno

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 28, 2021

ColorOS 11 based on Android 11 was unveiled in September 2020. Since then, OPPO has been rolling out beta as well as stable builds for eligible smartphones worldwide. The latest device to get the stable update is OPPO F17. Additionally, the company has also opened beta registrations for the original OPPO Reno.

OPPO is known for releasing its ColorOS update timeline at the start of every month. Following this month’s timeline, the firm has started seeding out the stable update for OPPO F17. For those unaware, the beta program for this phone went live in late May.

According to the official announcement, the update is currently live in India with firmware version C.10. Users should be running either A.39 or A.41 builds to get the update.

In order to install the Android 11 stable update on OPPO F17, users need to head over to Settings > Software updates > Gear Icon > Official Version Application, mark the I agree checkbox, and select Apply now. Then, tap on check for new version option, download, and install the ColorOS 11 stable update.

At the same time, OPPO has begun to recruit ColorOS 11 beta testers for the first-ever OPPO Reno smartphone in India. The registrations will remain open from June 26 until July 3.

In order to enroll in the program, users should be on firmware version C.37 or C.38. If they are, then they can navigate to Settings > Software Update > Gear Icon > Apply for Beta Version > Update Beta Version and follow the on-screen instructions to region. Once done, selected users will receive the beta build via OTA.

Huawei Nova 8i official render emerge ahead of launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 28, 2021

A recent report revealed that Huawei is gearing up to launch a new handset called the Huawei Nova 8i in Southeast Asia. Playfuldroid has shared a render of the handset to give a first look at its rear design.

Huawei Nova 8i design

The official render of the Nova 8i reveals that it is equipped with a round-shaped camera housing on the back. The Mate 30 Pro-like camera module is packed with four cameras and an LED flash can be seen towards the top-left corner.

The back glass appears to be curved towards the left and right edges. Its right edge is flanked with a volume rocker and a power key, which is likely double up a fingerprint scanner. Apart from the Moonlight Silver variant shown here, the handset will also come in Starry Black and Interstellar Blue hues.

Huawei Nova 8i specifications

A recent report by the same publication revealed that the Huawei Nova 8i has a 6.67-inch LCD panel with a punch-hole at the upper-left corner. It will offer a Full HD+ resolution and a 94.7 percent screen space. There is no word on the front camera of the phone, but its rear camera system is expected to house a 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel superwide lens, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth helper.

The Snapdragon 662 SoC is likely to fuel the device with a 4,300mAh battery. The handset may carry support for 66W fast charging. It will be shipping with Android 10 OS and EMU 11. There is no information available on the pricing of the Nova 8i.

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Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite smartphone goes on sale in India today for the first time

By

Jeet

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Jun 28, 2021

Last week, Xiaomi launched the Mi 11 Lite smartphone in India, the company’s slimmest phone so far this year, which also comes with a lightweight design. The phone was up for pre-orders in India since 25th June and will go on sale from today. The device can be purchased through Mi.com, Mi Home Stores, Flipkart, and retail stores across the country.

In India, the phone comes in three color options — Tuscany Coral, Jazz Blue, and Vinyl Black. The 6GB RAM with 128GB storage model costs ₹21,999 while the 8GB RAM with 128GB storage variant is priced at ₹23,999.

As for the specifications, the smartphone features a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with a screen resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels, offering 402ppi pixel density, 10-bit color depth, 90Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, and Gorilla Glass 5 protection.

Underneath, the phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G chipset which is coupled with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.2 storage. On the connectivity front, it supports dual-SIM, 4G, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, and GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO).

In the camera department, the phone features a triple-camera setup that includes a 64-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, and a 5-megapixel tele-macro lens. On the front side, the device has a 16-megapixel snapper for taking selfies.

Other features of the Mi 11 Lite include a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, dual speakers, 360-degree ambient light sensor, accelerometer, proximity sensor, gyroscope, compass, linear vibration motor, and IR blaster.

The device runs the MIUI 12 custom user interface based on Android 11 and is powered by a 4,250mAh battery that comes with support for 33W fast charging technology.

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Realme Book, the brand’s first laptop confirmed to support Windows 11

By

Jeet

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Jun 28, 2021

Realme is gearing up to expand its offerings to new categories, including laptops and tablets. The China-based brand has already confirmed these new devices and is all set to soon launch Realme Book, the company’s first laptop.

A new tweet from the company confirms that the first-ever laptop from the brand will come with Windows 11. However, it’s not yet confirmed if the Realme Book will have Windows 11 out-of-the-box or not but the device will definitely be compatible with the latest version of the Windows operating system.

.@Windows ready when you are!#Windows11 pic.twitter.com/hkPdBwMyCA

— realme TechLife (@realmeTechLife) June 24, 2021

Even if the laptop doesn’t come pre-installed with Windows 11 operating system, it could be one of the first devices to get access to the next-generation of the operating system from Microsoft which comes with several new features.

The Realme Book is expected to go official in India around Diwali, which means that it’s likely that the laptop will come installed with Windows 10 and later, the product will be updated to the Windows 11 operating system.

Currently, nothing much is known about the first laptop from the Realme brand but based on the teasers shared by the company, it seems that the design inspiration is taken from Apple’s MacBook Air. We expect to know more about the device in the coming weeks.

Once launched, the Realme Book will compete against the laptops launched by Xiaomi and its sub-brand Redmi in the Indian market. It is likely to come with an affordable price stage, under ₹50,000. To know for sure, we will have to wait for the official launch.

One of the major features of the Windows 11 operating system is that it can now natively run Android apps which can be downloaded through Amazon’s Appstore. Microsoft hasn’t confirmed the official release date for Windows 11 to the general public, but we do know it’ll be available this holiday season.

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Samsung Galaxy A22 price in India emerge as it goes on sale through offline stores

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 28, 2021

At the beginning of this month, Samsung announced the Galaxy A22 4G and Galaxy A22 5G phones in Europe. Past reports have claimed that the South Korean company will be announcing the Galaxy A22 4G in India soon. New posters that have appeared now reveals that the smartphone is already up for purchase in offline markets in the country.

Samsung Galaxy A22 price in India

The leaked posters show that the Galaxy A22 4G handset that has 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage is priced at Rs 18,499. Customers who are interested in this phone can purchase it through offline retail stores. Buyers will be able to take advantage of Samsung Care offers such as free home delivery, Samsung Finance+, and Samsung Care+. The posters show that the A22 4G is available in black, green, and purple colors.

Samsung Galaxy A22 specifications

The Galaxy A22 has a 6.4-inch S-AMOLED display that offers an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and a 90Hz refresh rate. The Helio G80 chipset is present under the hood of the device, and it runs on OneUI 3.1 based on Android 11.

For selfies, it has a front camera of 13-megapixel, and its rear camera setup has a 48-megapixel primary lens, an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor, and a pair of 2-megapixel cameras. For security, it has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. It houses a 5,000mAh battery that carries support for 15W fast charging.

At present, it is unclear whether the company will be launching the Galaxy A22 5G in India.

(source 1, 2)

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Vivo X60t Pro+ launched with 120Hz display, Snapdragon 888, 50MP quad cameras

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 28, 2021

The Vivo X60t Pro+ flagship phone has launched in China. It is the newest addition to the X60 family, which includes phones like the Vivo X60, X60 Pro, X60 Pro+ X60t, and X60 Curved Screen Version. Here is all the information on the specifications, features, and pricing of the newly unveiled X60t Pro+.

Vivo X60t Pro+ specifications and features

The Vivo X60t Pro+ has a 6.56-inch AMOLED display with curved edges. It offers a 19.8:9 aspect ratio, a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2376 pixels, a 398ppi pixel density, and up to 120Hz refresh rate. The display of the X60t Pro+ is integrated with a fingerprint scanner.

The Snapdragon 888 mobile platform is present under the hood of the X60t Pro+. The SoC is coupled with up to 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The device houses a 4,200mAh battery that supports 55W rapid charging.

The X60t Pro+ has a 32-megapixel front camera. Its rear camera setup has a 50-megapixel Samsung GN1 main camera with f/1.57 aperture, a 48-megapixel Sony IMX598 ultrawide lens with micro-gimbal OIS, a 12-megapixel telephoto lens, and an 8-megapixel telephoto periscope lens. For selfies, it has a 32-megapixel front camera.

The X60t Pro+ boots to Android 11 O and OriginOS UI 1.0. It offers other features like dual SIM, 5G, Wi-Fi 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.2, dual-frequency GPS, NFC, and USB-C. So, what sets the X60t Pro+ from the existing X60 Pro+? The only noticeable difference between the two devices is that the X60 Pro+ features a 32-megapixel telephoto lens instead of a 12-megapixel telephoto snapper found on the X60t Pro+.

Vivo X60t Pro+ pricing and availability

The X60 Pro+ has arrived in two options in China such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. They are priced at 4,999 Yuan (~$773) and 5,999 Yuan (~$928), respectively. It comes in Classic Orange and Dark Blue colors.

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Apple Watch Series 3 prototype reveals a Smart Connector that works with the band

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 27, 2021

A prototype image has been shared online of the Apple Watch Series 3 that sports a unique possible Smart Connector on the device. A hidden connection port is a regular feature of Apple Watches, and this enables easy internal diagnostics by Apple and other internal tests. The prototype was shared by Guilio Zompetti and indicated the presence of two other ports which were not hidden, with a close semblance to the Apple iPad’s Smart Connector, but much smaller. The Apple Watch has evolved over the years from a simple gadget to a potent smart wearable device in some cases, capable of providing an array of health and fitness advisory and data. The Apple Watch became even more poignant during the coronavirus pandemic. They were transformed into devices capable of predicting the onset of the coronavirus several days before symptoms appeared.

Apple might have experimented on some “smart bands” in earlier revisions of Apple Watch S3.

On this prototype unit, two unusual pads are exposed to the band, as a sort of “Smart Connector” we’ve already seen on iPads.#AppleCollection #AppleWatch pic.twitter.com/uVFZHuvuAe

— Giulio Zompetti (@1nsane_dev) June 24, 2021

Authoritative Apple tipster, Zompetti, in his Twitter feed relating to the prototype, says that the prototype is an Apple Watch 3 prototype which the company was testing back then. From the prototype image, it seems Apple was working on including a pair of Smart Connectors which may function for blood pressure monitoring. The connectors are located where the band of the watch would sit, meaning it would work with the smart band to perform the function. However, the optics of how the blood pressure sensor will interface with the Smart Band is unknown, as the tipster did not provide any additional information in this direction.

Apple is getting set to launch the Watch Series 7 but we can’t say if this feature will make it into the model.

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(source)

Poll of The Week: Will your PC get updated to Windows 11?

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 27, 2021

A new version of Windows dubbed Windows 11 was announced at an event last week. It brings an updated user interface as well as enhanced performance features.

New computers running Windows 11 will most likely not arrive until the end of the year, probably in time for the holidays. However, a lot of people will not need to pick up a new PC to get to experience the new version of Windows. Microsoft has announced that Windows 11 will be available as a free upgrade for current Windows users, at least if your PC meets the requirements.

To know if your PC can run Windows 11, Microsoft has released a tool to help you find out called the PC Health Check app. For this week’s poll, we want to know if your PC will get the update, so please take the poll and also let us know what features you are looking forward to when the update arrives.

[yop_poll id=”90″]

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Honor X20 SE live photos have surfaced and it is a pretty device

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 27, 2021

Honor is still basking in the success of the Honor 50 series. It was reported a few days ago that Honor sold ¥500 million worth in the first minute the devices went on sale. Now, the manufacturer is preparing to announce a new device called the Honor X20 SE, and now live photos have surfaced.

Honor X20 SE front — Image source: Digital Chat Station (via Weibo)

It has been reported that the Honor X20 SE is a mid-range phone with a 6.6-inch LCD display and a 90Hz refresh rate. The phone will be powered by a Dimensity 700 processor, have 64MP triple rear cameras, and support 22.5W fast charging.

The live photos were shared on Weibo by Digital Chat Station, the same source that revealed the specs last week. The photos show the Honor X20 SE will be available in two colors – gradient peach and gradient red – and we can agree that both colors are gorgeous.

The Honor X20 SE has a centered punch hole and pretty slim bezels on three of the sides while the chin has a slightly thicker chin. On the back, the phone’s triple cameras are placed in an elongated pill-shaped housing. Honor has given a similar color finish as the rest of the back and it helps with the overall appearance of the phone.

There is still no info about when the phone will be announced but the photos appear to have been taken at a store, so a launch should be close.

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Lenovo Smart Clock 2 arrives with a new design and an optional wireless charging dock

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 27, 2021

The Lenovo Smart Clock was announced back in 2019 during CES. Last August, it was followed up with a cheaper model, the Lenovo Smart Clock Essential. Now, a successor called the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 has appeared on the manufacturer’s US website and it brings a new design and additional features.

We knew a successor was coming earlier this month when we spotted it on the Bluetooth SIG website. Now that it is here, we are pretty excited. Not only does the new alarm clock, which still doubles as a smart speaker, boast a new design, but it is also available in more colors.

The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 is taller now, as a bit more base has been added to it. The display is still angled and the body is wrapped in a soft-touch fabric that is available in gray, black, and blue. There are two buttons on top for controlling the volume, and at the bottom is a power jack and a microphone mute switch. Unfortunately, there is no longer a USB-A port on the back for charging your devices.

Lenovo has decided to make more money by moving that USB port to an optional wireless charging dock for the Smart Clock 2. What this means is that, if you still want to use the clock to charge your device, you will have to shell out extra cash for the dock. The dock also has a wireless charging pad with a maximum power output of 10W. Lenovo has also brought over the nightlight of the Lenovo Smart Clock Essential to the charging dock. The dock connects to the smart clock via pogo pins.

The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 still has a 4” LCD IPS Touchscreen but the resolution wasn’t stated. There is 1GB of RAM, a MediaTek MT8167S processor, and 8GB of built-in storage. Like we said above, the new smart clock is bigger and Lenovo has put that extra space to use with the addition of an extra 3W speaker for stereo sounds.

The Smart Clock 2 connects via 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. It also has Bluetooth 4.2, a light sensor, and an accelerometer. The dimensions are given as 93.30mm x 113.48mm x 71.33mm while the weight is 298 grams.

Lenovo is yet to announce a price tag for the Smart Clock 2 as well as the charging dock. However, when it goes on sale, buyers will be able to purchase it in Abyss Blue, Heather Grey, or Shadow Black.

1 of 4

Just like the original, you have Google Assistant onboard and you can control your smart home devices, ask it questions, listen to podcasts, set reminders, and more. You should also be able to use it to make voice calls over Duo.

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Ducati’s latest electric 2-wheeler looks like a Xiaomi e-scooter

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 27, 2021

Ducati has officially launched a new e-scooter dubbed Ducati PRO-I EVO. This is the brand’s latest attempt at launching an electric two-wheeler but it isn’t what one would expect from the renowned Italian motorcycle manufacturer.

The e-scooter looks like a rebadged Xiaomi M365 electric scooter except for the brand’s logo at the handlebar. The scooter is touted to pack a 350W hub motor powered by a 280Wh battery. The motor can deliver a top speed of 15.5 mph (25 km/h). The company didn’t say the range which the electric scooter can go on a single charge.

The Ducati PRO-I EVO isn’t the brand’s first light electric vehicle. It had earlier partnered with other manufacturers to release its own-branded models. Since the Xiaomi scooter is manufactured by Ninebot, we believe this model may also have been manufactured by Segway-Ninebot but we can’t say for sure.

Ducati had earlier partnered Thok E-Bikes to launch a cool electric mountain bike under the Ducati brand with other models following. Also, it launched a Ducati-branded e-scooter with seats in partnership with Super SOCO.

Interestingly, the brand is yet to launch an electric motorcycle to date. Ducati’s CEO had earlier hinted that the company was looking to move to the manufacture of electric bikes in the near future. However, the brand later stated that it wasn’t planning to manufacture an electric model any time soon. Instead, the company indicated it would explore other options for greener motorcycles such as the use of synthetic fuels.

As for the pricing, the Ducati PRO-I EVO electric scooter carries a hefty $477 price tag.

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(source)

Google is testing a new feature that warns users when a search result is unreliable

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 27, 2021

Search engine giant Google is taking steps to further safeguard the search engine users from utilizing search results that may be unreliable or inherently false. In the age of fake news, the company recently began a fact-checking mechanism for ascertaining the authenticity of search results. Fact-checking will further enhance the quality of information accessed via the search engine.

However, the fact-checking mechanism is not effective when swamped with breaking news, making it difficult to fact-check content and establish which is authentic. Under such a scenario when Google cannot guarantee the authenticity of a search item, it has been reported that Google will subsequently warn the user. An explanation will then follow the warning, stating that the topic you are searching for is new. An indication is provided that the fact-checking algorithm takes time to establish the reliability of sources.

Like social media platforms Facebook and Twitter, Google is putting mechanisms in the form of deep learning algorithms to curb the spread of fake news under its platform. In addition, many social media platforms are increasingly trying to prevent their platform from being used as an avenue for propagating fake and sometimes incendiary news.

For the instances where it cannot quickly fact-check the search result, users are prompted that the search results they are seeing are fast evolving. Google has already confirmed it started the testing just a week ago. The message is currently popping up in very few searches, mainly about developing stories and trending topics.

Google is the largest search engine company in the world and hopes the unveiling of this new feature will further firm up the company’s prospects. The company has continued to enhance the quality of its search with its search literacy advocacy. It also recently added the About button aimed at improving the quality of the search.

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Redmi Note 10T gets a quiet launch in Russia but you should skip it

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jun 27, 2021

How many names can a phone go by? For the Redmi Note 10T, the answer is three. The new smartphone is the same device sold as the Redmi Note 10 5G in Europe and as the POCO M3 Pro in other markets including Russia!

Redmi Note 10T Specs

The Redmi Note 10T has a 6.5-inch FHD+ Dot Display with a 2400 x 1080 resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate with AdaptiveSync technology. The centered punch hole is home to an 8MP camera that can take portrait selfies, record in FHD, and also has a timelapse mode.

There is a Dimensity 700 processor under the hood. It is a 5G chipset but there is no support for 5G. The spec sheet says that the phone comes in three configurations – 4GB RAM + 64GB, 4GB RAM + 128GB, and 6GB RAM + 128GB. The RAM is LPDDR4X and the storage is UFS 2.2.

For the rear cameras, you get a 48MP f/1.79 main camera, a 2MP f/2.4 macro camera, and a 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor. The camera can record in FHD at 30fps and also in HD slow motion at 120fps. There is also a macro video mode.

The Redmi Note 10T comes with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and also has support for AI Face Unlock. It has got NFC, an IR blaster, and an earphone jack too. It runs MIUI 12 based on Android 11 out of the box, packs a 5000mAh battery, and has support for 18W fast charging.

Redmi Note 10T Price and Availability

The Redmi Note 10T is currently available only in one configuration as of the time of writing, and that is the 4GB RAM + 128GB version. It can be purchased in Green Glow, Blue Midnight, Silver Chrome, or Graphite Gray for ₽21,990 (~$305). However, the price has been discounted to ₽19,990 (~$277).

Regardless of the discount, we don’t recommend that you buy it. Why? This is because Xiaomi Russia is selling the 6GB RAM + 128GB version of the POCO M3 Pro (no 5G), which is the Redmi Note 10T with a slightly different design and POCO branding, for ₽16,990 (~$235)!!! Both phones are available on the Xiaomi Russia website.

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Next Week in Tech: MWC 2021, DIZO/Realme launch event, Xiaomi Mi TV 6

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jun 27, 2021

MWC (Mobile World Congress) Barcelona begins next week and it is expected that there will be several announcements. While some manufacturers have already made some early announcements, there is still a lot to look forward to. Here is what to expect next week in tech:

Samsung MWC Virtual Event – June 28

Samsung has scheduled June 28 as the date for its virtual event. There most likely won’t be a product announcement but Samsung will talk about the Galaxy ecosystem and new developments.

Lenovo MWC Event – June 28

Lenovo also has an event on June 28 and it plans to discuss foldable devices according to the description on the MWC website. Maybe we will hear or even see what Lenovo has planned for this new category of devices. Just like Samsung’s own, this too will be a virtual event

Xiaomi Mi TV 6 – June 28

Xiaomi has no plans to attend MWC but it has scheduled a product launch on the first day of the tech event. The launch is for the Mi TV 6, its latest flagship TV. The smart TV packs some pretty impressive features such as dual 48MP cameras and a 100W in-built speaker.

DIZO and Realme Event – July 1

DIZO and Realme plan to unveil a handful of products on July 1. The former is the first brand under Realme’s TechLife Ecosystem and it plans to announce its very first product on that day but there is a high chance there will be more products. Realme, on the other hand, also has a handful of lifestyle products it has planned for release, some of which have already been listed on its website.

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