Infinix Hot 10S, Hot 10S NFC announced in Indonesia

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Apr 21, 2021

Infinx has unveiled the Infinix Hot 10S and Hot 10S NFC in Indonesia. The devices have almost the same specs but the latter comes with an NFC chip and few differences like a lesser battery, storage inside. Let’s take a look at their specs, features, and price.

Infinx Hot 10S, Hot 10S NFC Specifications and Features

The Infinix Hot 10S, Hot 10S NFC Feature a 6.82-inch HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The display, which also has a 180Hz touch sampling rate, comes with a resolution of 720 pixels and has a waterdrop notch for the selfie camera.

The Hot 10S series has features like Dar-link optimization engine software for improving touch sensitivity, and graphic renderings and self-learning AI algorithm for improving lag times.

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Under the hood, the devices have a MediaTek Helio G85 chipset whose GPU said to be 32% faster than Snapdragon 665. Speaking of performance, Infinix has partnered with Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), a MOBA game, to market this as a gaming focussed device.

For cameras, the Infinx Hot 10S series has a Triple-camera on the back with 48MP main lens, a 2MP depth sensor, and an AI camera. Upfront, there is an 8MP selfie camera. Camera features include Super Nightscape for low-light shots, 240fps slow-mo and 1080p video recording.

Other features include a 6,000mAh battery on the Hot 10S, a 5,000mAh battery on the Hot 10S NFC, DTS Audio and Dar-link Ultimate Game Booster to aid gaming, rear fingerprint sensor, 4G with VoLTE support, NFC(on the Hot 10S NFC), and XOS 7.6 based on Android 11 OS.

Infinix Hot 10S, Hot 10S NFC Price, Availability

The Infinix Hot 10S will be available in many storage variants like 4/6GB RAM, 64/128GB storage. However, the 6GB RAM, 128GB storage model will be available in Indonesia from May 12 for a price of $130.

The Hot 10S NFC version is priced at $120 and comes in 4GB RAM, 128GB storage. There are four colors of the Hot 10S series: 95° Black, Morandi Green, Heart of Ocean, and 7° Purple.

The Infinix Hot 10S NFC version will be available in markets like Indonesia, Russia, and Latin America.

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Amazon launches Fire TV Cube 4K streaming box in India to take on Apple TV 4K

By

Balaji S

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Apr 21, 2021

Back in 2019, Amazon announced a Fire TV Cube in the USA. After a long delay, it has finally brought the flagship streaming box to India.

Amazon Fire TV Cube India Price, Availability

The Amazon Fire TV Cube is priced at ₹12,999 in India. This is the 2nd-gen Fire TV Cube (2019) that’s already retailing in the US for $119.99.

Users can purchase the Fire TV Cube (2nd Gen) in Amazon India from Today, i.e, April 21. The streaming box will also be available on other platforms like select Croma and Reliance Digital outlets in the country.

Introductory offers include a free AmazonBasics HDMI cable. This streaming box goes head to head with Apple TV 4K 2021 and offers better Alexa integration with hands-free access, connectivity features in addition to 4K streaming.

Amazon Fire TV Cube Specifications and Features

The Amazon Fire TV Cube measures 86.1 mm x 86.1 mm x 76.9 mm and weighs about 465 grams. The streaming box has a single Black Color option. The streaming box has I/O like HDMI, Power, Infrared, and micro-USB ports.

Under the hood, the Fire TV Cube is powered by an Amlogic S922X Hexa-core processor clocked up to 2.2GHz. This is paired with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage. This is said to offer the best-ever Fire TV experience with video content maxing out at 4K Ultra HD resolution at 60 fps.

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The Fire TV Cuber also supports HDR formats like Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG, and HDR10. That’s not all as the streaming box also has an in-built 1.6-inch speaker(40mm) that supports Dolby Atmos, 7.1 surround sound, and HDMI audio pass-through up to 5.1 surround sound.

Other features include Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi ac, 8x omnidirectional microphones, Remote with Hotkeys for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Amazon Music, and ability to control IR devices like TV, soundbars, etc.

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Vivo X60t Pro is coming too but we don’t know how soon

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Apr 21, 2021

The Vivo X60 series already has six members but it appears Vivo is not done with it yet as it plans to announce yet another model. A new leak has revealed that this new model will launch as the Vivo X60t Pro but there is no info on when it will arrive.

According to Digital Chat Station, Vivo has plans to announce a Pro version of the Vivo X60t. The X60t was announced early this month and it has a Dimensity 1100 chipset powering it. This model was released for the offline market.

If we were to take a wild guess as to the chipset that will power the Vivo X60t Pro, we will say it is the Dimensity 1200. The Vivo X60 series already has models powered by the Snapdragon 888, Snapdragon 870, Exynos 1080, and Dimensity 1100, so it makes sense to launch a model with the Dimensity 1200 SoC.

For the rest of the specs, we don’t know if Vivo will replicate what it did with the Vivo X60t which differs from the regular X60 based on chipset only. If that is the case, then the Vivo X60t Pro should only differ from the Exynos 1080-powered Vivo X60 Pro (Chinese version) based on chipsets.

The Vivo X60 Pro has a 6.56-inch curved AMOLED display with a centered punch hole, a 1080p resolution, and a 120Hz refresh rate. For its camera setup, the phone comes with a 48MP primary rear camera, an 8MP periscope telephoto camera with OIS and 5x optical zoom, a 13MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom, and a 13MP ultrawide angle camera. There is a 32MP sensor in front for selfies.

Vivo ships the phone in only one configuration – 12GB RAM + 256GB of non-expandable storage. It has a 4200mAh battery capacity with support for 33W fast wired charging and runs Android 11.

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Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 gets the much-awaited Wear OS H-MR2 update

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 21, 2021

Back in September 2020, Googe announced the Wear OS H-MR2 update. The new version of the company’s wearable operating system brings performance and battery life improvements. Ever since the search giant unveiled this update, OEMs have been pushing it via OTA to their devices. The latest smartwatch to get this update is none other than the popular Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3.

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 GPS Featured — Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 GPS

The TicWatch Pro 3 by Mobvoi is arguably the best Wear OS smartwatch available in the market. The wearable was unveiled just a few days after the Wear OS H-MR2 update was announced. However, this wearable is one of the last to get the update.

According to the official announcement post, the TicWatch Pro 3 Wear OS H-MR2 is currently only available for the GPS variant with firmware version PMRB.210407.001. The update is available for 30% of users as of writing this story. It should be rolled out to 50% and 100% of users by April 23 and April 24 respectively.

TicWatch Pro 3 Wear OS H-MR2 Update Official Changelog

New features:
- Option to disable the long-press power button to activate Google Assistant.
- New screen brightness layout.
- New Weather tile.
- New theater mode.
- Support regular enter and exit the essential mode.
Improvements:
- Optimized the media volume and the ringtone volume bar’s display to match the actual volume.
- Optimized the sorting of apps in Mobvoi Launcher.
- Optimized the sliding smoothness of Mobvoi Launcher.
- Optimized the accuracy of off-body detection.
- Improved the performance on Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 platforms.
- Moved the “OK Google” switch from the watch’s settings menu to the Google assistant settings.
- Optimized the shutdown charging animation.
- Updated security patch to 2021-03-05.
Bugs fixed :
- Fixed the issue that Auto-DND sometimes cannot take effect.
- Fixed an issue where the screen may not lock when charging.
- Fixed an issue where the Phone app might disappear in Mobvoi Launcher when pairing with an Android phone.
- Fixed other discovered bugs.

Lastly, it is worth noting that Mobvoi recommends placing the TicWatch Pro 3 on the charging dock while updating it.

OPPO Reno5 A to be yet another model in Reno5 series, renders leaked

By

Balaji S

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Apr 21, 2021

OPPO has launched several phones under the Reno5 series so far. We have devices like the recently launched Reno5 K, Reno5 Z, and others like the Reno5 5G, Reno5 Pro 5G, Reno5 Pro+ 5G, Reno5 4G, and Reno5 Lite 4G. Now, renowned leaker Evan Blass has shared renders of yet another device called the Reno5 A.

The renders shared by Evan on Voice shows OPPO Reno5 A in two colors. The front of the device has a display with a single punch-hole for a selfie camera at the top left. This isn’t surprising considering the majority of the Reno5 series has boasted the selfie camera at a similar position.

Moving on, the rear of the device shows a quad-camera layout. The layout itself is slimmer like the Reno5 K but has a design inspired by the likes of Reno5 Z. The difference we see here is that it doesn’t have a separate AI logo, and has camera details written between the fourth sensor and LED flash.

The rear also has a physical fingerprint sensor which is surprising, to say the least. Rounding up the buttons that are visible, we have a Power button on the right and volume buttons to the left.

As for the specs, the camera layout shows that it will have a 64MP primary sensor. Further, the device is said to feature a 6.5-inch display which could be an LCD panel but let’s wait for official info on the same.

Apart from this, we don’t have much information on the Reno5 A, which is said to be codenamed “Ciri” internally. Considering the high-quality renders are out now, the launch could happen anytime soon.

RELATED:

realme 8 5G arrives in Thailand with Dimensity 700 chipset, realme 8 4G tags along

By

Balaji S

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Apr 21, 2021

realme 8 series has finally arrived in Thailand. The company launched the 4G versions of the realme 8 Pro in India, Europe, and realme 8 in India last month. Today, it has brought the 4G & 5G versions of the realme 8 to Thailand. In fact, the 5G version is also debuting in India tomorrow, i.e., April 22. Anyway, let’s look at their specifications, features, and prices in Thailand.

realme 8 4G, realme 8 5G Thailand, Price, Availability

The realme 8 in 4/8GB RAM, 128GB storage variants. The 5G version of the realme 8 joins the party as well but with 4/6GB RAM, 64/128GB storage options. Let’s look at their official Thailand price below:

The realme 8 4G starts at 8,999 baht($287) and the realme 8 5G starts at 9,999 baht($319). The realme 8 4G and the 5G versions will be available starting from May 4 in Thailand.

The pre-orders of the devices begin Today, i.e, April 21, and users can purchase the device across Shopee, Lazada, JD.com, This Shop, and other partners in the country.

Realme 8 5G Specifications and Features

Design and look wise, the realme 8 5G is similar to the realme V13 5G that launched in China last month. The device comes in two colors- Supersonic Blue and Supersonic Black options.

As for specs, the realme 8 5G has a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display with an FHD+ resolution. This display has a 90Hz refresh rate, 180Hz touch sampling rate, 90.5% screen-body ratio, and up to 600 nits brightness.

Under the hood, the realme 8 5G features a Dimensity 700 chipset paired with 4/6GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 64/128GB UFS 2.1 storage. The device also gets a DRE(Dynamic RAM Expansion Technology to virtually make 4GB RAM perform better. You can also upgrade the storage via a microSD card up to 1TB.

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For cameras, we have a triple-camera setup on the back with a 48MP main lens, two 2MP Black & White, and macro lenses. The macro lens has a 4cm focal length. Upfront, we have a 16MP selfie camera.

Other features include a 5,000mAh battery with 18W charging, dual-SIM 5G, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Wi-Fi ac, 3.5mm audio jack, NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C port, and run Realme UI 2.0 based Android 11 OS. Finally, the realme 8 5G measures 8.5mm thickness and weighs 185 grams.

Realme 8 4G Specifications and Features

The realme 8 4G are the same just like they are sold in other markets like India. It has what realme calls the Infinite Bold design, has a DARE TO LEAP logo inside a shimmering paint finish.

The device comes in Cyber Silver, Cyber Black colors. It is 7.99mm thick and weighs 177 grams

The realme 8 4G features a 6.4-inch sAMOLED FHD+ display, with a 180Hz touch sampling rate, 1000 nits peak brightness. The display also has features like Sunlight mode, DC-like Dimming. Under the hood, it has a MediaTek Helio G95 chipset paired with up to 4/8GB RAM, 128GB UFS 2.1 storage.

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As for the optics, there is a quad-camera setup with a 64MP primary sensor, 8MP ultrawide with 119-degree FOV, and a pair of 2MP sensors(4cm macro and monochrome).

Upfront, we have the same 16MP f/2.45 Sony IMX471 selfie shooter. Camera features include starry mode, Neon, and AI portrait, Dynamic Bokeh, Tilt-Shift mode, Super Nightscape, Dual-View Video.

Other features include a 5,000mAh battery with 30W Dart Charging, copper liquid cooling technology, in-display fingerprint sensor, Hi-Res Audio, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm jack, Type-C port, realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11.

Along with the realme 8 series, realme also launched the realme Buds Air 2 and Buds Air 2 Neo in Thailand for 2,499 baht and 1,299 baht respectively. You can read our previous coverage to know the specifications and features.

The company also brought realme Cobble Bluetooth speaker for 999 baht, realme Mobile Game finger sleeves for 99 baht, Mobile cooling back clip for 499 baht.

RELATED:

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active3 gets Android 11-based One UI 3.0 update

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 21, 2021

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active3 is the company’s newest rugged tablet. This device was officially announced at the end of September 2020. It debuted with One UI 2.5 based on Android 10. Now, months after its release, this tablet has started receiving the Android 11 update with One UI 3.0 on top of it.

According to a report by SamMobile, the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active3 One UI 3.0 update (Android 11) is currently live in Europe. The latest system update for the rugged tablet comes with firmware number T575XXU3BUD5.

The new update brings all the new Android 11 and One UI 3.0 features that the hardware can support. Additionally, the build also brings month-old March 2021 security patches.

Although the update is said to be only available in Switzerland, it should be available in more markets in the coming days. Users of this tablet can head over to Settings > Software update > Download and install to check whether their unit has received the OTA system update.

As mentioned in the begging, the Galaxy Tab Active3 is Samsung’s latest rugged tablet. However, it has modest features like an 8-inch PLS IPS LCD panel, Exynos 9810 SoC, 4GB RAM, 5,050mAh battery, and 15W fast charging.

Apple supplier faces $50 million Ransomware attack for stolen schematics for unreleased MacBook

By

Sean

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Apr 21, 2021

Apple has just held its “Spring Loaded” event in which it unveiled its latest iPad Pro models along with a redesigned iMac, and the long rumored AirTags as well. Although, during the course of this event, one of the company’s primary MacBook supplier was suffering from a major ransomware attack worth 50 million US Dollars.

According to a Bloomberg report (Via MacRumors), the ransomware group, REvil, has publicly announced earlier this week that it had accessed the internal computers of the Cupertino based giant’s Quanta Computer Inc, which is based in Taiwan. In the attack, REvil managed to obtain 15 images/schematics of unreleased MacBook models. This includes “specific component serial numbers, sizes and capacities detailing the many working parts inside” of the MacBook, as per documents and blog posts found by Bloomberg.

Notably, Quanta Computers also works with other electronics brands like HP, Facebook, and more, but the ransomware attack was specifically targeted towards Apple. In the blog post, the group also demanded that the iPhone maker pay up an undisclosed ransom for the images/schematics they had obtained through the supplier by the date of May 1. Unfortunately, an Apple spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.

Although, Quanta Computer has since acknowledged the attack and has stated that the incident had no “material impact” on its operations as a whole. Furthermore, the supplier is also strengthening its cybersecurity infrastructure. But, REvil, in talks with Quanta during the negotiations, said that it had stolen and encrypted “all local network data,” which it would only give up once the large ransom sum is finally paid.

RELATED:

realme Smart TV 4K 43″ officially teased by the company

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 21, 2021

Last week, the CEO of realme India confirmed the arrival of new realme Smart TVs in May. A few days later, the company exec now teases one of the TV models launching next month in the country.

Yesterday, Madhav Sheth, the CEO of realme India and realme Europe posted a picture on Twitter. This image shows what appears to be a presentation slide for the upcoming realme Smart TV launch event.

The particular slide in the picture posted by the brand exec confirms the launch of the company’s first 43-inch 4K TV. This television will be called realme Smart TV 4K 43”. As per the previous teaser, this TV could come in more sizes, including a 50-inch variant.

Anyway, unlike most smart TVs in the budget segment, this upcoming realme TV will have a borderless design. Going by the teaser image, this television could have no bezels on three sides.

Unfortunately, we do not have any other info on these upcoming realme smart televisions. As of now, what we can conclude is that the new 43-inch realme 4K TV will mostly not replace the existing 43-inch FHD TV.

That’s because the 43-inch model sold right now costs only ₹23,999 ($318). It is impossible for any company to release a 4K TV at this price, no thanks to the surge in TV panel prices.

Samsung Display begins OLED panel production in Noida plant in India

By

Sean

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Apr 21, 2021

In a move to expand its smartphone presence in the Indian market, Samsung has began the production of OLED panels as of this month at its Noida plant in India through its Display unit.

According to a TechRadar report, the South Korean tech giant is starting the production of OLED panels for its smartphones in the Noida factory. As per a spokesperson from the company’s display unit, “Some of the production lines starts to manufacture” in the plant in India. Furthermore, the brand is also planning on soon start the production of making IT display panels as well at this factory.

Notably, this would mark the first time the company has made any display manufacturing is being done in India. This is also in line with the nation’s plans on becoming a global hub for smartphone and related technologies manufacturing. The Samsung Display’s Noida plant will supply components to its the brand’s smartphone unit, for the Galaxy range of handsets that will be sold within the region. For those unaware, the Indian smartphone market is one of the largest in the world and is also a key region for the company.

Thus, sourcing and assembling its devices within the country would also help lower its costs by avoiding import duties by shipping components from overseas. With this move, the company is set to invest $705.75 million in the project and also hopes to create about 1,300 jobs in the region. Recently, the smartphone maker even saw a breakthrough with its OLED panels, which now has lowered power consumption by automatically adjusting the display’s refresh rate. This can save power by about 22 percent compared to existing smartphone displays.

RELATED:

Realme X7 Max variants and color options revealed before launch in India

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 21, 2021

Realme will be announcing the Realme 8 5G handset in India tomorrow. Fresh information shared by Tech Radar revealed that the company is planning to launch a new phone called the Realme X7 Max smartphone. It will be arriving as the third X7-series phone in India after the Realme X7 and Realme X7 Pro phones, which were announced in February in the country. The report has revealed the variants and color options of the Realme X7 Max.

The new leak reveals that the Realme X7 Max will arrive in two models such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage in the country. It could be available in color variants such as Mercury Silver, Asteroid Black, and Milky Way.

The Realme X7 Max is expected to arrive in India as a rebranded version of the Realme X7 Pro Extreme Edition (aka Realme X7 Pro Ultra), which was recently unveiled in China. Hence, the X7 Max could be coming with a 6.55-inch AMOLED screen with a punch-hole design and curved edges. The screen may carry support for an FHD+ resolution, a 90Hz refresh rate, and an in-screen fingerprint reader.

The Dimensity 1000+ chipset may power the Realme X7 Max. It is expected to come with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.1 storage. It will be preinstalled with Realme UI-based Android 11 OS. It could be coming with a 4,500mAh battery and 65W fast charging support.

The Realme X7 Max has a front-facing camera of a 32-megapixel. Its rear camera setup may include a 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel superwide lens, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. There is no word on the pricing of the device. In China, the 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage variants of the Realme X7 Pro Extreme Edition are priced at 2,399 Yuan (~$369) and 2,699 Yuan (~$415).

RELATED:

OPPO K9 5G renders emerge ahead of May 6 launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 21, 2021

Today, OPPO confirmed that it will be unleashing the OPPO K9 5G smartphone on May 6 in China. This device will be arriving as a successor to the OPPO K7 5G phone from last year. Ahead of the launch, the OPPO K9 5G has appeared on Chinese retailer sites like JD.com and Tmall for pre-orders.

The retailer listings have revealed that the OPPO K9 5G will be available in variants like 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. The renders show that the device will be available in black and gradient blue colors.

Rumors have it that the TENAA certified OPPO phone with model number PEXM00 could be debuting as the OPPO K9 5G. Its TENAA listing has revealed that it will be sporting a 6.43-inch AMOLED FHD+ screen and an in-screen fingerprint scanner. It is unclear whether it will carry support for a higher refresh rate.

The OPPO K9 5G could be fitted with a front-facing camera of 32-megapixel. The camera array found on the backside of the device has a 64-megapixel primary camera, an 8-mgeapixel secondary shooter, a 2-megapixel lens, and an LED flash.

The K9 5G is fueled by a 2.8GHz chipset, which could be Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 768G mobile platform. It has a 2,100mAh dual-cell battery, which carries support for 65W rapid charging. The device measures 159.1 x 73.4 x 7.9mm and weighs 172 grams. The Chinese manufacturer has confirmed that it will be also announcing the OPPO Enco Air TWS and a new OPPO Band alongside the K9 5G on May 6.

RELATED:

OnePlus TV webcam could launch in mid-May

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 21, 2021

Earlier this month, news broke out that OnePlus will be launching a webcam for its smart TVs in India. A couple of weeks later, information regarding the firmware required to support this accessory has emerged.

The existence of the OnePlus plug & play webcam for smart TVs was made public by tipster Yogesh in partnership with MySmartPrice. The same team now bri ngs details regarding the firmware update that is essential for this new upcoming accessory.

According to the leakster, the software build required to support the OnePlus plug & play webcam is ready. In fact, he has even shared three screenshots of this update. Out of these three, one of them shows the new ‘Camera’ app in the app drawer, another shows the main interface of this camera application, and the last image reveals the update changelog.

As per Yogesh, the screenshots he has shared are of the OnePlus TV Q series. However, going by the previous report, the OnePlus webcam will be compatible with all the OnePlus TV models sold in India except for the most affordable model – OnePlus TV 32Y1. Hence, a similar update should be rolling out to those TVs as well.

Source: Yogesh (via MySmartPrice)

Anyway, as per the changelog, the new update that will be soon seeded out to users will not only bring the Camera app but also compatibility for OnePlus Watch controls and new OxygenPlay features like Sports Zone and content rating to name a couple.

Last but not least, Yogesh claims that this upcoming OnePlus plug & play webcam with a shutter, a microphone, and a USB Type-C port could launch in mid-May at the earliest.

Tesla car involved in a serious car accident in China

By

Sean

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Apr 21, 2021

A new video recently surfaced, which revealed a Tesla car being involved in a serious car accident. The video depicts the vehicle crashing and then catching on fire and even led to the death of a person.

According to an ITHome report, the electric car from the American automobile maker was seen trying to overtake a moving car from behind, after which, the car hit a concrete bridge on the side of the road. This crash likely damaged the car’s engine that caused it to catch fire. The fire then became surrounded by a raging fire that eventually led to just the car’s frame being left behind.

The accident was announced by Guangzhou Zengcheng Police in China earlier today (21st April 2021). This incident took place in the Zengcheng District at about 10 pm on 17th April 2021 in the Southeast Asian nation. Preliminary investigations found that the accident involved two cars, including the Tesla, but the other vehicles and passengers were mostly safe from any injuries. The exact cause of the accident is still being investigated.]

Notably, the company has already responded to the authorities regarding the accident and will even be cooperating with the local police force immediately to help in the investigation to deal with the incident. So stay tuned for more, as we will be providing updates when any interesting developments surface regarding this matter.

RELATED:

Instagram to roll out new feature to prevent hate speech and online abuse

By

Sean

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Apr 21, 2021

Instagram is rolling out a new feature to help prevent users from viewing possibly abusive messages by filtering offensive words, phrases, and even emojis on the social media platform.

According to a Reuters report, the Facebook owned photo sharing application is launching a new feature to prevent hate speech and online abuse. Earlier today (21st April 2021), the social media giant said that it will make it harder for people blocked by users to circumvent and contact them through new accounts along with the filter option for abusive direct messages. Furthermore, the company has also been pushing its efforts to tackle hate speech and online form of abuse on its platform.

The company is raising its efforts against online abuse since a majority of its user base is teens and young adults. This filter can be activated by going to the privacy settings in app. One can also add customized words, phrases, and emojis to the filter that they wish to avoid or block from receiving in their message requests. Users can also use their discretion to report, delete, or even open messages, which will be sorted into a hidden requests folder.

At the moment, the feature is only applicable to direct message requests and not on the inbox itself and it will roll out in some countries in the coming weeks, as per an official company statement. Within the coming weeks, all users will also have the extended option to entirely block out people from contacting them on Instagram, if they are blocked on the social media platform.

RELATED:

OPPO Enco Air and new OPPO Band will launch alongside OPPO K9 5G on May 6

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 21, 2021

Earlier today, OPPO officially announced to launch OPPO K9 5G in China on May 6. A few hours later, the smartphone’s listing popped up on JD revealing most of its specifications as well as price. Now, a blogger reveals that the company will be releasing two more products at this launch event.

A blogger on Weibo says that OPPO will be also unveiling the OPPO Enco Air truly wireless earphones and a new OPPO Band at the OPPO K9 5G launch event on May 6 in China. The said person also shared outline sketches of these two upcoming products.

We also looked up these accessories on JD. Fortunately, we found their listings. However, unlike the listing of OPPO K9 5G, the listings for OPPO Enco Air and the new OPPO Band do not have any info except for the launch date, which is May 6.

According to ITHome, the OPPO Enco Air will feature Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity and will be available in two colors (Black, White). However, we do not have any proof of this claim.

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On the other hand, we do not have any info on the new OPPO Band. The sketch shared by the blogger resembles that of OPPO Band Fashion. But just like last year, there could be a standard version as well.

Anyway, we expect to learn more about these products before their official launch next month.

Discord reportedly ends acquisition talks with Microsoft

By

Sean

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Apr 21, 2021

Discord has just halted talks to sell itself to potential buyers, one of which included Microsoft. As per sources close to the matter, the VoIP based audio chat startup has resumed interest in a potential initial public offering.

We had previously reported on Microsoft being in talks with the startup for a potential acquisition worth over 10 billion US Dollars. Now, these talks have apparently ended without a deal, as per a WallStreetJournal report. Although, the sources also added that the deal could be rekindled again in the future. For those unaware, the American tech giant has been seeking acquisitions that would help it reach more customers recently. Just a year ago, the company was even considering purchasing the short video sharing app, TikTok, in the US, amid growing frictions between US and China.

The people familiar with the matter also added that Discord held interest from at least three companies regarding a deal. Although, the platform is performing well, so it seems that they prefer to stay independent as of right now. The startup operates from San Francisco and offers a free online VoIP audio chat and text based platform to users. This app was initially centered around gamers, but has since grown to accommodate various other users as well.

During the pandemic, the startup saw a massive growth on the platform as many users even used it to connect with their friends and family amid the lockdown. As per official notes, Discord stated that it has doubled its monthly user base last year, reaching 140 million daily users. In terms of revenue, the startup generated around 130 million US Dollars in revenue last year, which is a significant jump from 45 million US Dollars from back in 2019.

RELATED:

POCO M2 Reloaded launched in India to take a dig at sub-₹15,000 phones with HD+ display

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 21, 2021

As scheduled, POCO has officially launched the POCO M2 Reloaded in India. The newly released smartphone is nothing but the good old POCO M2 with lower RAM and cheaper pricing. Going by the announcement posts on Twitter, the brand is re-releasing the handset to take a dig at other companies that still keep on launching phones with an HD+ display in the sub-₹15,000 ($199) price segment.

POCO M2 Reloaded Specifications and Features

The newly launched POCO M2 Reloaded differs from the original merely on the basis of two factors. The new model only comes in a single 4GB + 64GB storage configuration and two colors (Pitch Black, Slate Blue) instead of two storage variants (6GB + 6GB, 6GB + 128GB) and three colors (Brick Red). Apart from these two differences, the POCO M2 Reloaded is basically a POCO M2 inside out.

Hence, the POCO M2 Reloaded flaunts a 6.53-inch FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels) IPS LCD panel with 394 PPI, 1500:1 contrast ratio, 70% NTSC color gamut, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, and a dewdrop notch. The device is powered by a MediaTek Helio G80 SoC coupled with LPDDR4X RAM and eMMC storage.

Further, the handset houses a quad-camera setup on the back consisting of a 13MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide unit, a 5MP macro snapper, and a 2MP depth sensor. Whereas, on the front, it sports an 8MP shooter for selfies and video calls.

On the connectivity front, the phone supports dual-SIM, 4G, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, and GNSS (GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou). It also has all the essential sensors and ports like a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, compass, infrared sensor, MicroSD card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB Type-C port.

Last but not least, the POCO M2 Reloaded runs MIUI 12 based on Android 10 backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging. It measures 163.3 x 77.8 x 9.1mm in dimensions and weighs 198g.

POCO M2 Reloaded Price and Availability

The POCO M2 Reloaded is priced at ₹9,499 ($126) in India. It will be sold exclusively on Flipkart like other POCO products. The first sale of the smartphone is scheduled for 3 PM today.

Global chip shortage to last well into 2022 as industry struggles with multiple obstacles

By

Sean

-

Apr 21, 2021

The world is currently suffering from a major shortage of semiconductors at the moment. This has impacted various industries across the globe with the industry struggling due to various complex obstacles, which would likely cause the shortage to further last into 2022.

According to an SCMP report, the chip shortage is worsened by the multiple factors that are at play right now. The report further added that this would likely lead the shortage to last through this year and well into 2022 as well. For those unaware, the shortage first affected the automotive industry since the chips controlled various functions like brakes, doors, and windscreen wipers, and more. And now, the issue is also affecting consumer electronic products like smartphones, PC market, and even home appliances like washing machines and microwaves as well.

Furthermore, two of the major hurdles the situation faces at the moment includes the coronavirus pandemic as well as the ongoing US-China trade disputes that has affected supply chains. While the price rise of chips is a result of the shortage that is related mostly to the semiconductor sector for now, analysts believe that some low margin consumer products might soon also see a hike in price in the near future due to persisting capacity crunch.

Notably, many analysts also believe that the the first step on the path to a chip shortage was actually due to the escalation of the United States’ growing friction with China. This started with the previous President Donald Trump, with the current President Joe Biden also attempting to bring semiconductor production within the US. So, it would seem like that it will take a while before the situation becomes normal again.

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Samsung Galaxy F52 5G full specifications and images leaked, launch seems imminent

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Apr 21, 2021

A Samsung phone with model number SM-E5260 was recently spotted at China’s 3C certification platform and Bluetooth SIG authority. The latter revealed that the device will be debuting in the market as the Galaxy F52 5G. Now, the same phone has bagged approval from the TENAA authority of the country, through which its images and specifications have been revealed.

The Samsung Galaxy F2 5G’s TENAA listing has revealed that it measures 164.63 x 76.3 x 8.7 and weighs 199 grams. The 5G-ready phone has a 6.572-inch display that offers a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2408 pixels.

The TENAA listing mentions that it has a TFT screen, but the absence of a physical fingerprint sensor indicates that it could be featuring an AMOLED panel with an in-screen fingerprint scanner. A far as the front design is concerned, the screen can be seen sporting a punch-hole at the upper-right corner.

The handset is fueled by a 2.40GHz octa-core processor and 8 GB of RAM. The device comes with 128 GB of storage and a microSD card slot for additional storage. It houses a 4,350mAh battery, which is expected to carry support for 25W rapid charging.

The Galaxy F52 5G has a front-facing camera of 16-megapixel. The camera module at the back has four cameras and an LED flash. The camera setup is led by a 64-megapixel camera. The other features of the smartphone include Android 11 OS, a USB-C port, Bluetooth 5.1, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Now that the smartphone has received important certifications in China, it is likely to go official as early as this month. At present, there is no word on the other markets that will b receiving the Galaxy F52 5G.

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