OnePlus Nord OxygenOS Open Beta 5 update brings fixes for camera and more

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Apr 28, 2021

The last OxygenOS Open Beta update for the OnePlus Nord was released in early March. It was rolled out a few days after the company started seeding OxygenOS 11 (Android 11) update. Since then, OnePlus has re-released the Android 11 update after halting it for a while, which was later followed by a hotfix update. Now, almost two months later, the brand is rolling out the OxygenOS Open Beta 5 update for the OnePlus Nord.

Just like the previous public beta build, the OnePlus Nord OxygenOS Open Beta 5 update only brings fixes, in addition to some improvements. The fixes are meant for system, file manager, and camera. Whereas, the improvements are for network.

Talking about the fixes first, the latest public beta build for the OnePlus Nord brings fixes for general bugs, abnormal display issue while copying files to OTG, abnormal preview display in Nightscape Tripod mode, unresponsiveness of the camera app when setting profile photo in Contact app, frame drops in video recording, and abnormal preview display of 0.6x ultra-wide in 1080P 60FPS.

Lastly, this update brings improvements for the detection of wireless networks and the speed of WiFi connection.

OnePlus Nord OxygenOS Open Beta 5 Official Changelog

System
- Fixed general bugs

Network
- Improved the ability of detecting wireless network
- Improved the speed of Wi-Fi connection

File Manager
- Fixed abnormal display issue with the screen while copying files to OTG

Camera
- Fixed the issue that the preview may display abnormally in Nightscape Tripod mode
- Fixed the issue that the Camera becomes unresponsive when setting profile photo in Contact
- Fixed the frame drops issue with the videos taken by the Camera
- Fixed the issue that the preview abnormally display 0.6x ultra-wide in 1080P 60FPS

The OxygenOS Open Beta 5 update for the OnePlus Nord is being pushed in batches. It should be available for all users running the previous beta build in the coming days. Alternately, users on the stable channel can install it by downloading the appropriate file from the OnePlus Community.

Apple lowers AirPods production plans as sales decline: Report

By

Sean

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Apr 28, 2021

Apple is slashing its planning production of its AirPods series of wireless earphones by about 25 to 30 percent this year. The move arrives as growing competition has led to the decline of sales of its popular earbuds.

According to a NikkeiAsia report, the news arrives from sources close to the matter, which believe that the company is expected to make anywhere between 75 million and 85 million units in 2021. This is noticeably lower than the 110 million units that was previously projected for the year. The lowering of productions units is an indicator that the company is wary of the falling demand for its AirPods lineup, which has been the brand’s fastest growing product line since its launch with double digit percentages of growth since 2016.

As per one of the sources, “The most significant order reduction is for the second quarter toward the start of the third quarter. The levels of inventory [in warehouses] and in-store stocks of AirPods are currently high … and demand is not as strong as expected.” Although, the Cupertino based giant is hoping that the new iteration of AirPods that is set to launch later this year will help boost the sales of its products.

Back in 2020, Apple shipped around 72.8 million units of AirPods in total, dominating the wireless Bluetooth true wireless earphones market with a 31 percent market share. Furthermore, its wearables and other accessories also accounted for 11 percent of Apple’s total revenue last year, or about 12.97 billion US Dollars. But despite its lead in the market, its sales expectations still fell short as the company had reportedly asked suppliers to make over 80 to 90 million units of AirPods.

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vivo Y12s 2021 key specs revealed by Google Play Console

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 28, 2021

Chinese smartphone maker vivo will be soon launching a new model in the vivo Y12 series. This device will be called vivo Y12s 2021. The existence of this handset has been revealed by its Google Play Console listing and Indonesia Telecom certification.

According to Indonesia Telecom certification, the upcoming vivo Y12s 2021 will bear the model number V2039. On the other hand, the phone’s Google Play Console listing reveals some of its primary specs.

This forthcoming budget smartphone will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 SoC. In case you do not know, last year’s vivo Y12s features a MediaTek Helio P35 chipset.

Further, the device will have 3GB RAM just like its predecessor. It will also have the same HD+ display with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and 300 DPI. Also, it will run Android 11 out of the box.

Unfortunately, nothing else is known about this handset. But going by other models in the vivo Y12 series, we expect the vivo Y12s 2021 to feature a similar design and identical set of specifications.

As of now, all we can say is the vivo Y12s 2021 will differ from the original vivo Y12s in terms of the chipset. However, there could be some differences in camera setup and other parameters.

ZTE Blade 11 Prime launched for $192 in the U.S.

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 28, 2021

The U.S. has received a new ZTE smartphone called the Blade 11 Prime. It has arrived with a pricing of $192 and it can be also purchased with 24 monthly installments of $8. It is available for purchase through Verizon’s MVNOs such as Yahoo Mobile and Visible.

ZTE Blade 11 Prime specifications and features

The Blade 11 Prime has a 6.5-inch HD resolution supporting display with a teardrop notch. It is powered by the modest Helio P22 chipset and 4 GB of RAM.

The Blade 11 Prime ships with 64 GB of internal storage and it has a microSD card slot for additional storage. The device is preloaded with Android 11 OS and ZTE’s MiFavor UI.

For capturing selfies, it has a front camera of 8-megapixel. The rear camera system of the phone features a 16-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel wide-angle lens, and a 2-megapixel lens. It is unclear whether the latter is a macro or depth sensor.

The Blade 11 Prime houses a 4,000mAh battery, which supports wireless charging. The reverse charging feature allows users to charge another phone by establishing a connection using a USB-C to USB-C cable. For security, it has a side-facing fingerprint sensor.

The ZTE Blade 11 Prime is available in Sky Blue color only in the U.S. It is unclear whether this device will be made available in other markets.

(via)

RELATED:

Apple faces $12 million fine in Russia for app market abuse

By

Sean

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Apr 28, 2021

Russia is apparently fining Apple for 12 million US Dollars for allegedly abusing the dominance of its mobile app store in the market. This marks another case of the brand facing charges over its app store.

According to a MoneyControl report, The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) stated earlier this week that the Cupertino based giant’s distribution of apps through its iOS operating system gave its own products a higher competitive advantage. Apple replied to this allegations and said that it “respectfully disagreed” with the ruling from FAS and said that it would appeal it. In recent months, western tech giants have come under increasing scrutiny in the region, with Twitter also facing pressure after failing to delete certain content online.

Similarly, Facebook, Google, and even TikTok have also been facing increasing pressure by the local government and authorities. In a statement, the FAS announced a 906.3 million Roubles (roughly 12.1 million US Dollars) fine on Apple for violating the Russian anti monopoly legislation. Back in 2020, the agency had found that the company has abused its dominant position and then issued a directive that had it remove provisions, which allowed it the right to reject third party apps from its App Store.

The move from the agency arrives after a complaint from known cybersecurity based firm Kaspersky Lab, which stated that a new version of its Safe Kids app was declined by Apple’s operating system. In response to this, the iPhone maker said that it has “worked with Kaspersky to get their app in compliance with rules that were put in place to protect children. They now have 13 apps on the App Store and we have processed hundreds of updates for them.”

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Samsung EP-TA865 65W charger clears India’s BIS certification

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 28, 2021

Samsung’s fastest charging smartphones (Galaxy Note10+, Galaxy S20 Ultra) are capped at 45W. But there is an unreleased 65W Samsung charger. This power adapter has now cleared another certification ahead of its launch.

Samsung is the world’s largest smartphone maker, however, the company does not have any high-speed charging phone in its portfolio. On the other hand, its competitors sell numerous phones with over 50W charging speeds. Some phones even charge at the rate of 120W.

This could change soon as the Samsung EP-TA865 65W charger has been now certified by India’s BIS, in addition to South Korea’s NRRA and TÜV SÜD. The new certification suggests that this charger could release in India.

Anyway, the important question is which Samsung smartphone will be compatible with this charger. As of now, there’s no info on any 65W Galaxy smartphone. Hence, we believe this power adapter could be a standalone accessory or it could be for the upcoming Galaxy laptops.

If this charger is meant for the new Samsung notebooks, then we expect it to debut at the Galaxy Unpacked event, which is scheduled to take place a few hours from now.

That said, according to the leaked images (pictured above), the Samsung EP-TA865 65W charger will feature a USB Type-C port, support USB PD (Power Delivery) with PPS (Programmable Power Supply), and will have a maximum output rate of 20V/3.25A.

Samsung Galaxy M42 5G launched with Snapdragon 750G, 48MP quad cameras, and 5,000mAh battery

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 28, 2021

Samsung has taken off covers from the Galaxy M42 5G smartphone in India. It is the first M-series smartphone from the company to arrive with support for 5G connectivity. In terms of specifications and design, it is a slightly modified version of the Galaxy A42 5G phone that debuted in European markets in September 2020.

Samsung Galaxy M42 5G specifications and features

The Galaxy M42 5G houses a 6.6-inch AMOLED display that produces an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels, a 20:9 aspect ratio. The Infinity-U notch screen is integrated with a fingerprint sensor. The polycarbonate rear, which has a glass-like appeal sports an impressive layered pattern.

The Galaxy M42 supports 5G thanks to the presence of the Snapdragon 750G chipset. The phone ships with up to 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. It comes with a dedicated microSD expansion slot. It is preinstalled with One UI 3.1 based Android 11 OS, which tags along with features like Samsung Pay and Knox security.

For shooting selfies, the Galaxy M42 5G features a 20-megapixel front-facing camera. Its rear camera module has a 48-megapixel main camera with an f/1.8 aperture rating, an 8-megapixel superwide camera with a 119-degree FOV, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.

The Galaxy M42 5G has a big battery of 5,000mAh capacity, which supports 15W charging. The phone is packed with other features like a dual SIM slot with 5G support, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, USB-C, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Samsung Galaxy M42 5G price in India

The Galaxy M42 5G is priced at Rs 21,999 (~$295) for the 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage model, while the 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage edition costs Rs 23,999 (~$322). ]However, the 6 GB and 8 GB models will go on sale with an introductory price of Rs 19,999 (~$269) and Rs 21,999 (~$295), respectively. The M42 5G will be up for purchase through Samsung India’s online store and Flipkart starting from May 1. It will be available in two colors such as Prism Dot Black, and Prism Dot Grey.

RELATED:

Samsung Galaxy F52 5G with Snapdragon 750G spotted at Google Play Console

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 28, 2021

In the previous week, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy F52 5G bagged approval from China’s TENAA telecom authority. It appears that the phone could be also heading to other markets as it has now appeared in the database of Google Play Console.

The Google Play Console listing has an image of the phone, which resembles its picture that had appeared in the TENAA listing. The handset can be seen with a slightly thick chin and a selfie camera punch-hole at the upper-right corner. The rear image of the phone that surfaced at TENAA revealed that it has a rectangle-shaped camera island with four cameras and an LED flash inside it.

The Play Console states that the Galaxy F52 5G offers specs like Full HD+ resolution, 450ppi pixel density, Snapdragon 750G (mentioned as SM7225), 8 GB of RAM, and Android 11 OS.

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The TENAA listing of the Galaxy F52 will that it has a front camera of 16-megapixel and it has a main camera of 64-megapixel on the back. The device sports a 6.52-inch AMOLED screen with an in-screen fingerprint reader.

The handset is likely to ship with an internal storage of 128 GB and its 4,350mAh rated battery may support 25W rapid charging. The device is expected to arrive with other features like dual SIM support, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C, and a 3.5mm headphone slot. The smartphone measures 164.63 x 76.3 x 8.7mm and weighs 199 grams. It is expected to arrive in colors like dark blue, gray, white.

RELATED:

OPPO announces partnership with Wu Liuqi to launch co-branded products

By

Jeet

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Apr 28, 2021

OPPO has already scheduled a launch event on May 6th in China where the company will be launching a sleeve of products, including the OPPO K9 series smartphones, entry-level Smart TV models, Enco Air TWS earphones, and a fitness tracker.

Now, the company has also announced that it is partnering with “Wu Liuqi” aka Scissor Seven, and both will now bring co-branded OPPO K9 to the market. A teaser video regarding the same has been released but it doesn’t reveal much.

For those who are unaware, Wu Liuqi is a TV animation that is produced by Xiaofengying, directed by He Xiaofeng, and released by Aha Entertainment. There have been three seasons of the series so far and is also released on Netflix.

A recent listing of the OPPO K9 5G revealed that the phone flaunts a 6.43-inch S-AMOLED display that supports an FHD+ resolution, a 90Hz refresh rate, and a 180Hz touch sampling rate. The punch-hole display is integrated with the 6th generation in-screen fingerprint reader and packs a front-facing camera of 32-megapixel.

Underneath, the device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 768 chipset and has managed to secure a score of 450,000+ on AnTuTu benchmarks. The device is packed with a 4,300mAh battery, which is accompanied by 66W fast charging technology. According to OPPO, the K9 5G can gain 100 percent battery juice in just 35 minutes.

The device offers users with VC liquid-cooled heat sink, copper plate, and multi-layer thermal conductive graphite sheet for heat dissipation. For the camera, there’s a 64-megapixel primary camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 2-megapixel depth helper. It is a thin device with a thickness of only 7.9mm and it weighs 172 grams.

RELATED:

Honor reportedly working on a new smartphone powered by Snapdragon 888 Pro SoC

By

Jeet

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Apr 28, 2021

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 is the top-end chipset for smartphones available right now and is powering most of the flagship smartphones launched this year. Recently, it was reported that some Chinese companies are working on devices powered by the unannounced Snapdragon 888 Pro chipset.

Now, a new report from Digital Chat Station reveals that the newly independent smartphone maker Honor is among those companies that are working on a smartphone that will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Pro SoC.

Do note that the Honor brand has not yet released any premium smartphone powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. However, several reports over time have claimed that Honor phones in the mid-range to the premium category will soon be powered by the Qualcomm chipsets.

The usage of Qualcomm and MediaTek chipsets is mainly due to the fact that Huawei has several restrictions imposed on the company, making it almost impossible for the company to manufacture new chipsets.

Recently, during the launch of the Honor V40 series smartphones, the company’s CEO Zhao Ming had revealed that the company is setting up a new supply chain and is partnering with other companies, including AMD, Qualcomm, Samsung, MediaTek, Intel, and more.

Zhao Ming had also claimed that the company is planning to launch a flagship lineup for smartphones that will surpass Huawei’s P-series and Mate-series. Apart from the regular flagship smartphones, the company is also slated to launch a foldable smartphone.

RELATED:

Samsung’s Lee family to pay more than $10.8 billion inheritance tax

By

Jeet

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Apr 28, 2021

The family of Lee Kun-hee, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, revealed that they will pay more than 12 trillion won (approximately $10.8 billion) in inheritance taxes for the estate and donate the vast private art collection to state curators.

According to the report from Reuters, the tax won’t be paid in a single instance. The family said that they are planning to pay the tax bill over a period of five years in a total of six installments, starting this month.

The family has also announced that it will donate 1 trillion won to improve public healthcare in the country, including 500 billion won to build South Korea’s first specialist hospital for infectious diseases.

For those who are unaware, Lee died on 25th October, leaving an estate valued at around 26 trillion won. He is credited with transforming Samsung into one of the world’s largest companies and a leader in smartphones as well as the memory chip market.

Everyone’s eyes were on the handling of the inheritance tax bill by the Lee family which is the largest-ever in Korea and globally. There’s a possibility of dilution of the family’s controlling stake in Samsung depending on how it is handled.

People were calling for Lee’s $1.76 billion art collection to stay in South Korea as reports suggested that the family planned to make a large donation to make reparations for Lee’s conviction on tax evasion and embezzlement charges over a decade ago.

Interestingly, the family has revealed how the stake in Samsung is divided. Now, investors will need to wait for regulatory filings to discover changes in shareholdings by Lee’s son and Samsung Electronics vice chairman Jay Y. Lee or other family members.

Last week, it was reported that the family had been discussing using shares in affiliated companies as collateral for personal loans to pay part of the tax bill to avoid the sale of their Samsung holdings.

RELATED:

Despite PS5 shortage, Sony’s Playstation app gets 100 million installs on Play Store

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Apr 28, 2021

Sony‘s latest PlayStation 5 is still an elusive console presently as it is difficult to come by. The recent global ship shortage didn’t help matters. Despite the scarcity, recent data has shown that the Playstation app that is hosted on Google Play Store has been downloaded 100 million times.

The 100 million marks is indeed a milestone for the brand as the app only supports the PS4 and PS5. Thus, since the PS5 hasn’t seen so many users yet, most of the downloads would likely have come majorly from PS4 users. Sony started consistently offering huge discounts on PS4 games after the launch of the PS5. That may have attracted more users.

In case you don’t know, the Playstation app for Android affords users easy access to the Sony PlayStation store where games can be purchased. Since you don’t need to enter the store through your console but right from your smartphone, it gives users the leverage to swiftly attend to any available deal. The app is a vital one for fans of the Sony Playstation but some fans were left fuming with the latest redesign and subsequently, Sony was forced to reintroduce the old wishlist feature.

The Playstation app is available for free on the Play Store. There is equally an iOS version for iPhone users. Even though the iOS version has a higher rating than the Android version, there’s no information on the total installs for that version. Since the PlayStation console is a top-selling one in the U.S, we won’t be surprised if the downloads are also massive.

RELATED;

Samsung Galaxy A22 5G bags Wi-Fi Alliance certification

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 28, 2021

The arrival of the Samsung Galaxy A22 smartphone is drawing near. Past reports have claimed that it will be debuting in 4G and 5G variants depending on the market. The 5G version of the phone has bagged certification from the Wi-Fi Alliance authority. The Wi-Fi certification is a hint that its arrival could be drawing.

The Galaxy A22 5G with model numbers SM-A226B/DSN and SM-A226 has surfaced at Wi-Fi Alliance. The two listings reveal that it supports dual-band Wi-Fi, 5G, and they run on Android 11 OS. Recently, the Galaxy A22 5G was spotted at the Geekbench benchmarking platform with the Dimensity 700 chipset and 6 GB of RAM.

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The Galaxy A22 5G is speculated to arrive with a 6.5-inch IPS LCD screen with a waterdrop notch. It is unclear whether the phone supports HD+ or Full HD+ resolution.

It is expected to arrive with a selfie camera of 13-megapixel. The rear camera setup of the phone could be featuring a 48-megapixel primary camera. It will be running on Android 11 OS and will come with a side-facing fingerprint scanner for security. The other specs of the smartphone are under wraps.

Galaxy A22 5G render, Credit: Steve Hemmerstoffer / Voice

The Galaxy A22 5G could be coming to the market with a price tag of 229 euros (~$276). It is rumored to arrive as the most affordable 5G-ready Samsung phone. It could be available in hues such as grey, white, green, and purple. It is likely to break cover in June. Some markets like India are expected to receive the 4G version of the Galaxy A22.

(via)

RELATED:

Realme to hold mega launch event on May 4, Realme X7 Max 5G, new Smart TVs expected

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 28, 2021

In the latest edition of Ask Madhav, Realme India CEO Madhav Sheth confirmed that Realme will be holding its biggest launch event of the year on May 4. He revealed that the company will be announcing India’s first Dimensity 1200 powered smartphone, and some other products. It is speculated that Realme’s Dimensity 1200 phone will be arriving in the Indian market with the Realme X7 Max 5G moniker.

Sheth’s confirmation on the May 4 launch event can be seen after the 9:00 minute mark in the Ask Madhav episode. The mega event will be held in celebration of the anniversary of the brand. Apart from the Dimensity 1200 smartphone, the company plans to launch several new products on May 4. One of them seems to be a new Realme TV as Sheth claimed, “We are also bringing a new cinema experience with handsfree voice control with Dolby Vision & Audio experience.”

Sheth recently revealed that the company will be soon launching a new 43-inch 4K TV and he also hinted the arrival of a new 49-inch / 50-inch TV with a home theatre experience. It remains to be seen what other products will be announced on May 4 in India.

Coming back to the Dimensity 1200 powered phone, it appears that China’s Realme GT Neo will be rebranded as the Realme X7 Max 5G. A recent leak claimed that it may arrive in variants like 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. It is expected to come in color options like Mercury Silver, Asteroid Black, and Milky Way.

realme GT Neo Final Fantasy Featured — Realme GT Neo

The Realme X7 Max 5G is expected to arrive with a 6.43-inch S-AMOLED Full HD+ 120Hz screen, D1200 chip, LPDDR4x RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, and a 4,500mAh battery with 50W fast charging support.

The X7 Max may feature a 16-megapixel front camera and a 64-megapixel + 8-megapixel (ultrawide) + 2-megapixel (macro) triple camera system. It is expected to offer other features like an in-display fingerprint scanner, a 3.5mm audio jack, and Realme UI 2.0 based Android 11 OS.

RELATED:

ASUS ZenFone 8’s new teaser reveals a punch-hole screen

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 28, 2021

The ZenFone 7 and ZenFone 6 series offered users a full-screen experience as these phones allowed users to capture top-notch selfies through the rear-facing flip-up camera system, and lacked a front-facing camera. Will the upcoming ZenFone 8 series debuting on May 12 offer the same display design? A new teaser released by the Taiwanese manufacturer suggests that the ZenFone 8 or all the phones in the ZenFone 8 lineup will sport a punch-hole design.

Is it just us or are there a lot of ‘o’s in ‘smooth’? How many, exactly? 😉
Know more:https://t.co/ig6Hay5mlo #Zenfone8 #BigonPerformanceCompactinSize

— ASUS (@ASUS) April 27, 2021

A screengrab from the new teaser reveals that the ZenFone 8’s screen will have a punch-hole at the upper-left corner. So far, reports have revealed that the ZenFone 8 series will have three devices with codenames such as Sake, Picasso, and Vodka. Among these, reports surrounding the Picasso model suggest that it may arrive in the market with ZenFone 8 moniker.

It is speculated that the Picasso model will be equipped with a 6.67-inch FHD+ OLED panel, Snapdragon 888 SoC, 8 GB of RAM, Android 11 OS, and Pixelworks i6 visual processor. It may sport a front camera of 24-megapixel and its rear camera setup may include a 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens, and an 8-megapixel telephoto lens.

The Sake model may break cover as the ZenFone 8 Mini. It is expected to arrive a 5.92-inch FHD+ 120Hz OLED screen, Snapdragon 888, 16 GB of RAM, Android 11 OS, a 64-megapixel Sony IMX66 camera, and a new Sony IMX663 lens. It is also expected to come with a Cirrus CS3L45 amplifier and 30W fast charging support.

The Vodka model is also expected to feature the Snapdragon 888 mobile platform. Till now, there is no concrete evidence on its other specs. Also, it is not clear whether it will be called ZenFone 8 Pro or ZenFone 8 Flip, or something else.

RELATED:

Anker Nebula Capsule II gets a Star Wars R2-D2 limited edition

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Apr 27, 2021

Anker is known for its Nebula line of projectors. Among the models it offers is the Capsule II, a portable projector with a built-in battery. Anker has now announced a Star Wars R2-D2 Limited Edition of the projector.

The Nebula Capsule II Star Wars R2-D2 Limited Edition ditches the black paint job of the normal version for one akin to that of the popular R2-D2 droid from the Star Wars series. The manufacturer says that the design is inspired by the iconic scene from Star Wars: A New Hope where Princess Leia sends a holographic message to Obi-Wan Kenobi through the droid.

The paint job is not the only thing that is different. This special edition projector also makes sounds similar to the droid in the movies when booted up. Save for these additions, the limited edition has the same specs as the standard version.

The Anker Nebula Capsule II Star Wars™ R2-D2™ Limited Edition runs Android 9 TV with Google Assistant and Chromecast support. It has a brightness of 200 ANSI lumens, a 720p resolution, and can project images and videos up to 100 inches in size.

The Nebula Capsule II can also double as a Bluetooth speaker. It has an auxiliary port, a full-sized USB port, an HDMI port, and a USB-C port for charging the device. It comes with a voice remote, a USB-C cable, and a power adapter in the box. When used as a projector, the device has a battery life of 2.5 hours.

The Anker Nebula Capsule II Star Wars™ R2-D2™ Limited Edition is available on the official website for $699.99, which is $120 more than the price of the standard version. At the moment, Anker is even selling the standard version for $529.99, so unless you really really love Star Wars, you are better off getting the standard version.

RELATED:

Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition has a Razer mechanical keyboard-style app

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Apr 27, 2021

The Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition (a.k.a. Redmi K40 Gaming Edition) launched today in China. The phone does come with lots of cool features, and one that a lot of people must have missed is a custom keyboard app made in collaboration with Razer.

Razer is a household name when it comes to gaming devices and peripherals. The manufacturer even made a few gaming phones of its own before giving up and exiting the market.

The keyboard app as shown in the image has a theme that mimcs Razer’s famous mechanical keyboards and their signature Chroma RGB lighting. From the image, it appears users will be able to switch between themes too as there is a white/light theme visible too.

With the Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition, Redmi has partnered with not only Razer but also JBL.

The new gaming phone has a 6.67-inch OLED 120Hz display, a Dimensity 1200 processor, up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It also has 64MP triple rear cameras, a 16MP selfie camera, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and JBL-certified stereo speakers.

There is a 5065mAh battery under the glass back with support for 67W fast charging. It also has Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6, dual SIM support, NFC, liquid cooling, and runs MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11 out of the box.

It has been reported that the phone will get a global release under the POCO brand.

RELATED:

POCO M2 Reloaded vs Moto G10 Power vs Realme C25: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Apr 27, 2021

A few days ago, Xiaomi launched the POCO M2 Reloaded: the most affordable smartphone packing a Full HD+ display. But is the display enough to consider it the best deal in the entry-level segment? We think there is no better way to understand it than comparing its specifications to the devices from the concurrency. If we consider the Indian market, among the very best devices sold in the same price segment, there are Motorola Moto G10 Power and Realme C25. This is a comparison between POCO M2 Reloaded, Motorola Moto G10 Power, and Realme C25 that will hopefully let you understand which device has the highest value for money.

Xiaomi POCO M2 Reloaded vs Motorola Moto G10 Power vs Realme C25

	Xiaomi POCO M2 Reloaded	Motorola Moto G10 Power	Realme C25
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	163.3 x 77 x 9.1 mm, 198 grams	165.2 x 75.7 x 9.9 mm, 220 grams	164.5 x 75.9 x 9.6 mm, 209 grams
DISPLAY	6.53 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), IPS LCD	6.5 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), IPS LCD	6.5 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Mediatek Helio G80, octa-core 2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, octa-core 1.8 GHz	Mediatek Helio G70, octa-core 2 GHz
MEMORY	4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD dedicated slot	4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD slot	4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 10, MIUI	Android 11	Android 11, Realme UI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Quad 13 + 8 + 5 + 2 MP, f/2.2 + f/2.2 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 8 MP f/2.0 front camera	Quad 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP, f/1.7 + f/2.2 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 8 MP f/2.2 front camera	Triple 48/13 + 2 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 8 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY	5000 mAh, fast charging 18W	6000 mAh, fast charging 20W	6000 mAh, fast charging 18W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot, reverse charging

Design

POCO M2 Reloaded, Motorola Moto G10 Power, and Realme C25 are not brilliant devices if we consider the design. They are made of polycarbonate and they have a waterdrop notch instead of a modern punch hole like higher-end phones. POCO M2 Reloaded and Motorola Moto G10 Power are slightly more interesting because they are water repellent. Further, the POCO M2 Reloaded is thinner and lighter than its rivals because it has a smaller battery.

Display

The POCO M2 Reloaded wins the display comparison simply because it comes with a higher resolution. As mentioned in the intro of this comparison, the POCO M2 Reloaded offers a Full HD+ resolution in a price range where you can only find HD+ displays. That is amazing because it provides a higher level of detail. Motorola Moto G10 Power and Realme C25 have below-average IPS panels with 720p resolutions.

Hardware/Software

It is a hard fight between the Snapdragon 460 found on the Motorola Moto G10 Power and the MediaTek Helio G80 found on the POCO M2 Reloaded. The former has a better 11 nm production process, but the latter has higher performance, that is why POCO M2 Reloaded wins the hardware comparison. On the other hand, Motorola Moto G10 Power runs Android 11 out of the box (just like the Realme C25), while POCO M2 Reloaded is still based on Android 10. This means that the Motorola handset might get updated to a newer Android version at the end of its software support period. Realme C25 runs Android 11, but it has an Helio G70 chipset which is inferior to the Helio G80 found on the Moto G10 Power.

Camera

The Motorola Moto G10 Power has a definitely better camera on the rear side. We are talking about a 48 MP sensor with a bright f/1.7 focal aperture, paired with an 8 MP ultrawide sensor and a pair of 2 MP sensors for macros and depth calculation. POCO M2 Reloaded and Realme C25 offer lower-end 13 MP main cameras and the Realme C25 lacks the ultrawide sensor too.

Battery

Motorola Moto G10 Power and Realme C25 have a bigger 6000 mAh battery which allows an outstanding battery life. Both come with fast charging and the Realme C25 even supports reverse charging through a cable.

Xiaomi POCO M2 Reloaded vs Motorola Moto G10 Power vs Realme C25: Price

POCO M2 Reloaded starts from about €100/$120 in India, Motorola Moto G10 Power has a €120/$145 starting price, and Realme C25 costs €140/$170 in its base variant. At the end of the day, the Motorola Moto G10 Power is a more complete phone thanks to its huge battery, great cameras, and powerful chipset. But the POCO M2 Reloaded offers a better display. Realme C25 looks like a toned-down version of the Moto G10 Power due to its weaker chipset and slower charging, but its user interface is more interesting.

Read More: Redmi Note 10 vs Note 10 Pro vs Note 10 Pro Max: Specs Comparison

Xiaomi POCO M2 Reloaded vs Motorola Moto G10 Power vs Realme C25: PRO and CONS

Xiaomi POCO M2 Reloaded

PROS

Full HD+ display
Powerful chipset
Water repellent
IR blaster

CONS

Smaller battery
Ships with Android 10

Motorola Moto G10 Power

PROS

Great cameras
Big battery
Faster charging
Water repellent
11 nm chipset
Android 11

CONS

HD+ display

Realme C25

PROS

Very affordable
Huge battery
Reverse charging
Android 11

CONS

HD+ display

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Deal: Get EWA A106 Pro Bluetooth Speakers for $9.60

By

Daily Deals

-

Apr 27, 2021

EWA A106 Pro Bluetooth speakers which generally retail for $15 are now available for $9.60 only at AliExpress.

WHERE TO BUY

EWA A106 Pro Bluetooth speakers at $9.60 (after discount)@AliExpress

EWA A106 Pro is a supermini portable Bluetooth Speaker. Designed to be highly portable the speaker weighs just 6.2 ounces and is just 1.57” in size. Compatible with almost all Bluetooth devices, you can easily connect the speaker with your smartphone, tablet, computer, etc, and auto-match with your last-used device. Also being portable and IP67 waterproof you can easily carry the speakers on your outdoor adventures.

The speaker comes with a built-in rechargeable battery which gives you up to 8 hours of playtime at 50% volume on one single charge. Moreover, the device can be fully charged within 2 hours using a micro USB cable.

Generally retailing for $15, EWA A106 Pro Bluetooth Speakers is now available for $9.60 only at AliExpress. The super deal is valid only till 2 May 2021. So get your discounted speakers 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.

Amazon announces new Fire tablets with a modern design and more RAM

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Apr 27, 2021

Amazon has announced a refresh for its Fire tablets. The new 11th Generation Fire tablets feature a new design and include models with more RAM.

Fire HD 10 and Fire HD 10 Plus

There are two new Fire HD 10 tablets. Both have slimmer bezels on all sides and a display that is 10% brighter than the last generation but still a 1080p panel. While Amazon doesn’t specify which chipset powers the tablet, it says both have a “powerful octa-core processor”.

The standard version gets an extra gigabyte of RAM when compared to its predecessor, so you get 3GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of expandable storage. It also has a 2MP front-facing camera and a 5MP rear camera. Amazon says it will last up to 12 hours on a single charger (depends on usage) and charging, which is via a USB-C port, takes 4 hours.

The tablet is priced at $139.99 (with ads) and will be available in Black, Denim, Lavender, and Olive.

For the Fire HD 10 Plus you get even more RAM at 4GB, 32GB or 64GB of expandable storage, a soft-touch finish, and support for wireless charging. The battery life is also 12 hours and you get the same cameras. It is priced at $179.99 (with ads) and comes in a single color – Slate. There is an Amazon Wireless Charging Dock designed for the device and when you place the tablet on it, it goes into Show Mode. The price jumps to $219.99 when you add the dock.

Fire HD 10 Productivity Bundle

The Fire HD 10 Productivity Bundle adds a Bluetooth keyboard with a detachable case, a 12-month subscription to Microsoft 365 Personal for up to 5 compatible devices, and 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage.

The keyboard is said to have up to 400 hours of use per charge and can stay charged in standby for up to 365 days. However, it charges via a USB-C. The rest of the specs and features are the same as that of the standard Fire HD 10. It is priced at $219.99 and comes in Black, Denim, Lavender, and Olive.

Fire HD 10 Kids Pro

The Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet which is designed for kids aged 6 to 12 years, has a 10.1-inch FHD screen, 3GB of RAM, an octa-core processor, and 32GB of expandable storage. It has a 2MP front-facing camera, a 5MP rear camera, a 12-hour battery that charges via USB-C, a 9W charger, and dual-band Wi-Fi.

The $199.99 tablet is available in Black, Sky Blue, Doodle, and Intergalactic, each with a kid-friendly slim case with a handle that doubles as an adjustable stand. Of course, this is an Amazon kids’ tablet, so you get parental controls, a 2-year worry free guarantee, and a 1-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ that provides access to more than 20,000 apps, games, books, and content from National Geographic, Rabbids Coding, LEGO, and more. The Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is priced at $199.99.

Amazon also released the standard Fire HD 10 Kids for kids aged 3 to 7. It comes in Aquamarine, Lavender, and Sky Blue. It also has 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a 2MP front-facing camera, and a 5MP rear camera.

It comes with a bumper case (slim for the pro model) and also has a 1-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. However, there is no Digital Store where kids can request apps that are then approved by the parents. Its browser also provides access to hand-picked sites compared to the pro model which has an open but filtered browser. The Fire HD 10 Kids is also priced at $199.99.

All of the new models begin shipping on May 26.

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