Redmi AirDots 3 Review: The Perfect Companion For the K40

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Mar 11, 2021

As basic TWS earbuds, Redmi’s AirDots 2 captured a large part of the market with its cheap price and qualified experience. Now, Redmi has announced its successor, the AirDots 3.

The new model comes with a higher price without any noticeable change in its appearance. This brings us to the big question, does it offer a better experience than the Airdots 2 to justify the increase in its price?

Let’s find that out in this quick AirDots 3 review.

Redmi AirDots 3 Review: Design

Although the shape looks the same, a lot of the details have actually changed. The AirDots 3 feels more refined than the AirDots 2 when you hold the case in your hand. While the predecessor was so light that it felt like a toy, the AirDots 3, with its 51g case, has doubled the battery capacity, improving both the practicality and the feel of the case. The entire case is made of frosted skin-like material. It feels very comfortable to touch, which is a huge improvement over the AirDots 2’s plastic case.

Redmi has also finally given us new color options. The AirDots 3 is available in white, blue, and pink colors. And it looks more vibrant than its predecessor. The pairing button is now integrated and the charging port is also Type-C. This also confirms that Redmi has indeed made a few key tweaks in its appearance.

The change in the design of the earbud is not easily noticeable unless you look closely. The physical press-to-touch controls have been replaced with touch controls. Two touches on the right earbud will pause or play music. Two touches on the left earbud wakes up the voice assistant.

The earbuds have an additional infrared sensor. Music is automatically paused when the earbuds are removed. Putting on the earbuds automatically plays music. This is a feature you would normally only see on higher-priced earbuds. But Redmi has put this feature into this price range, which is very practical.

Redmi AirDots 3 Review: Sound Quality

But the Airdots 3 upgrades are not just limited to its design. The biggest upgrade is the sound quality and latency. For the first time, Airdots 3 has dual drivers. It also uses the Qualcomm QCC3040 chip which supports aptX Adaptive.

The Dynamic driver and Armature driver can guarantee good high and low-frequency sound quality. aptX Adaptive automatically selects between high fidelity and low latency modes, depending on whether you’re listening to music or playing games. It’s a Bluetooth protocol that even many high-end headphones don’t have.

In our test, we found that the sound quality is indeed better than the SBC-only earbuds. But the latency for playing games depends on your phone. If you’re using the Redmi K40 series, the latency is so low that you can barely notice there is a delay. If you use any other phone, even the Mi 11, there is a decent amount of latency.

All in all, you can buy Airdots 3 for its sound quality. If you’re a K40 series user, this is the TWS earbuds you should buy.

Airdots 3 can still be adjusted to function via the XiaoAI App. The pop-up animation for opening the lid is also supported. Apart from noise cancellation, the features in the App are almost identical to those of the Xiaomi Air2 Pro.

Interested parties can check out our Xiaomi Air2 Pro review.

Redmi AirDots 3 Review: Battery

The earbuds can be used for 7 hours. The charging case adds an additional 30 hours. Airdots 3 is definitely in the top tier when it comes to battery life.

So to conclude, the AirDots 3 is the entry-level earbuds that performs no less than mid-range earbuds. It’s only 199 RMB in China, which is about $31. If you want an aptX protocol at a budget price, there is almost no alternative to the new Redmi earbuds. And if you have a Redmi K40 series phone, it’s the perfect companion.

WHERE TO BUY

Redmi AirDots 3 at $37 @Aliexpress or @Giztop

Let us know if you plan to get the new AirDots 3.

Related:

Huawei to soon launch its first desktop MateStation S PC to global market

By

Sean

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Mar 11, 2021

Huawei had launched its first desktop PC in its home market in China, back in November of last year. Now, the company is moving ahead to a global launch for its MateStation S computer.

The Chinese tech giant made the announcement on its official Twitter account. On the popular microblogging website, the company shared that it would be bringing its first desktop computer to markets outside of China, as per a HuaweiCentral report. We had previously reported on the MateStation B515 that was launched last year and was aimed at enterprises and government offices. But looking at the image poster, we can observe that the PC appears to be slimmer than the B515.

HUAWEI Mate Station S? Hmmm 🤔… sounds interesting. Stay tuned with us for more updates because its definitely something you don't want to miss out! 🤗 pic.twitter.com/VQyfHAcGes

— Huawei Mobile MY (@HuaweiMobileMY) March 11, 2021

In other words, its MateStation S series is its PC aimed at the consumer market. Talking about its specs, the company has outfitted the system with dual antenna Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 for connectivity, including a USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack, 1 x USB-C (USB 2.0), and 1 x USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 2) ports and other crucial interfaces as well. The cabinet also arrives with an Intelligent temperature control that can adjust the fan speeds based on the temperature of the system, which is complemented by its asymmetrical heat dissipation fins design for improved thermal performance.

The company will also ship the MateStation S with a 23.8 inch monitor, which features full-view IPS display with a 90% screen-to-body ratio, full HD resolution (1920 x 1080P), 16:9 aspect ratio, LED-backlit, and 1000:1 screen contrast. It also arrives with TUV Rheinland international certification for maximum eye protection. Additionally, a Huawei keyboard and mouse have also been paired with the PC.

Under the hood, the MateStation S is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 4600G APU, along with 8GB of 3200Hz DDR4 RAM and 256GB of M.2 SSD. The system arrives with Windows 10 OS pre installed, which also features software like Huawei Share and multi screen collaboration. At the moment, the price has yet to be revealed, but we can expect a reveal to arrive soon.

RELATED:

Samsung accounts for TCL Technology’s 15% large-size LCD panel shipments

By

Jeet

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Mar 11, 2021

Thanks to the advancement in the technology related to television sets, the demand for Smart TV is rising every year and one of the major benefactors of that is the South Korean giant Samsung, which reportedly leads the market.

Liao Qian, Senior Vice President of TCL Technology claims that Samsung has more than 20 percent of the Smart TV market share for the past five years. This, in turn, helps TCL as the company provides more than 15 percent of the large-size display panels, making Samsung the second-largest customer of the company.

For those who are unaware, last year, in August, TCL Technology had acquired a 60 percent stake in Suzhou Samsung Electronics LCD Technology Co. and a 100 percent stake in Suzhou Samsung Display Co. for a price of around $1.08 billion. As a part of that transaction, Samsung Display paid about $739 million to become the Chinese company’s second-largest shareholder with a 12.3 percent stake.

With the purchase of Samsung‘s units, the company aims to become the largest LCD TV panel vendor and also plans to expand its product portfolio. Last year, TCL was the second-largest LCD panel maker for TVs globally, lagging behind China’s BOE Technology Group.

By selling off its units LCD Display manufacturing units to TCL, South Korean giant Samsung accelerated the exit from the LCD sector as the company has moved its focus towards LED and other new display types.

RELATED:

TCL seeks a joint venture to establish its own semiconductor company

By

Sean

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Mar 11, 2021

Earlier this week, TCL Technology announced that it plans on entering into a joint venture to establish its own semiconductor technology based company, called TCL Semiconductor Technology Co Ltd.

According to a 163News report, the company seeks to expand into the semiconductor industry and has even proposed a registered capital of 1 billion Yuan (roughly 154 million US Dollars), out of which, TCL Technology would invest 500 million Yuan (roughly 77 million US Dollars) or 50 percent of the registered capital. Although, the semiconductor field is known to be quite difficult to enter into, considering the huge costs during establishment and further development as well.

So, it remains to be seen how the company manages to compete with the various rivals in the industry. As per the official announcement, TCL Semiconductor will serve as the company’s semiconductor unit, which will focus on industrial development opportunities in the field of integrated circuit chip design and other semiconductor powered devices. The tech giant also specifically mentioned that the unit will focus on the fabless models in the field of integrated circuit chip design.

Furthermore, it aims to have its chip have application in various upstream and downstream related industries like driver chips, AI voice related chips, and more. The company even hopes to expand its production capacity to a level where it can make core components for various devices. Notably, the move from TCL does not arrive out of a whim based on recent demand, since the company has been showing interest in the field since 2018. So stay tuned for more updates regarding the matter.

RELATED:

Apple may follow an iPhone-strategy for its Car as talks halt with automakers

By

Sean

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Mar 11, 2021

Apple might be running its old faithful iPhone strategy for its upcoming car. This strategy basically involves the company designing the product in house, sourcing its own components, and finally, working with contract manufacturers to assemble it for sale.

According to a Bloomberg report, the Cupertino based giant might be moving to adopt this ‘iPhone Strategy’ for its first automobile as well. In other words, the company might choose to work with a lesser known contract manufacturer to build its Apple Car. The news arrives after talks with established automobile brands have stalled at the moment. For the company, there are three primary options for building its car, which are either partnering with an existing car maker, build its own facilities, or teaming up with contract manufacturers like Foxconn.

For those unaware, Apple had recently been in talks with known car maker, Hyundai, and its subsidiary, for a potential deal regarding its first car. But it seems like the deal is off the table as of right now. If it had gone through, the company would likely develop an autonomous system for the vehicle, along with the exterior and interior designs and on board technology, while the automobile brand would be responsible for the final production of the car.

In simpler terms, this would effectively have Apple ask a company to make a car but remove its brand. This would be similar to the company asking its rival Samsung to make its smartphones but without its branding. Furthermore, the iPhone maker even wishes to reimagine the concept around a car and how every aspect of it is made, including the seat, its body, and other parts as well.

RELATED:

realme RMX3081 will go official as realme 8 Pro, India launch date tipped as well

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 11, 2021

Chinese smartphone marker realme is expected to launch the realme 8 series by the end of this month. The brand has been teasing these phones for the past few days. Additionally, the handsets are also in the news, thanks to multiple certifications and leaks. Now, the Indian launch date of these phones has been tipped, in addition to the appearance of the Pro model on another certification bureau.

Back in January, a realme smartphone with model number RMX3081 was certified by EEC. The same phone was spotted on FCC last week. Now, it has also appeared on Indonesia Telecom. The latest certification confirms that this handset will be called realme 8 Pro.

That’s not all, a Twitter user called Debayan Roy (@Gaggetsdata) has also tipped the launch date for the realme 8 Series in India. According to his tweet, the company will be officially unveiling the lineup on March 24 in the country. He also says that both realme 8 and realme 8 Pro will sport an AMOLED display.

As per previous resorts, the vanilla realme 8 will be available in two storage configurations (4GB + 128GB, 6GB + 128GB) and two colors (Cyber Silver, Cyber Black). On the other hand, the realme 8 Pro will also come in two memory variants (6GB + 128GB, 8GB + 128GB) but in three colors (Infinite Black, Infinite Blue, Illuminating Yellow).

The Pro variant is expected to feature a 108MP camera like the Redmi Note 10 Pro (Max), 4,500mAh battery, 65W fast charging, in-display fingerprint sensor, and realme UI 2.0 (Android 11). Whereas, the standard model is said to come with a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display, MediaTek Helio G95 SoC, 64MP quad-camera setup, 5,000mAh battery, and 30W fast charging.

Tablet market in EMEA region to rise by 17% in Q1 2021: Report

By

Sean

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Mar 11, 2021

The tablet market in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) is estimated to rise in the first quarter of this year. It is projected that the market for the large screen device market will rise by 17.1 percent year on year.

As per an IDC report, the bump in the market arrives amid the continued boost in the educational sectors across the globe. At the moment, various government programs are ongoing across the EMEA region to provide students with these personal computing devices or, at the very least, subsidize such products. According to Nikolina Jurisic, senior research manager at IDC, “Notable education deliveries will shape the market in early 2021, with high volumes expected to be shipped in developed and emerging economies alike.”

The researcher further added that the “tablet demand is expected to profit from supply shortages in components such as integrated circuits and panels that are primarily affecting entry-level notebooks, as the category stands out as an alternative for price-sensitive consumers.” While the first quarter is expected to register a strong first quarter, the overall tablet shipment in the EMEA region is projected to fall by 10.5 percent year on year in 2021.

Daniel Gonalves, another researcher from IDC stated that “Even though the total addressable market has increased, we believe it is heavily skewed towards traditional notebooks, and after all the education deals are deployed there will be an unfavorable year on year comparison for tablets. However, a scenario of near normal in the second half of the year is expected to benefit ultra versatile devices such as detachables in enterprise. As professionals adopt a hybrid approach between office and remote working, mobility becomes an increasingly indispensable feature which can largely benefit iOS and Windows based detachables.”

RELATED:

New Samsung Galaxy A22 leak reveals a 4G variant with model number SM-A225F

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 11, 2021

Samsung is expected to release the Galaxy A22 5G as its most affordable 5G smartphone to date in the second half of 2021. According to a new leak, this phone will be also available in a 4G variant.

Samsung Galaxy A21s Black Featured — Samsung Galaxy A21s

Almost all the budget 5G smartphones launched by Samsung also come in a 4G variant. The most notable examples are the last year’s Galaxy A51 and Galaxy A71, as well as the recently launched Galaxy A32.

The company is expected to do the same with the upcoming Galaxy A22. The 5G variant of this phone leaked last week with model number SM-A226B. Now, GalaxyClub, the publication that revealed the details of the 5G variant has come with a proof for the existence of the LTE version.

According to new findings, the 4G variant of Galaxy A22 will bear the model number SM-A225F. Also, it will be available in a number of markets, including some countries in Europe. But unfortunately, nothing else is known about this handset apart from these two specifics.

The LTE/5G models of Galaxy A51 and Galaxy A71 are identical except for their SoC. However, the same cannot be said for the Galaxy A32 since the two models are different from each other in many aspects. Hence, there’s a chance that Galaxy A22 4G could have a different set of specifications when compared to the Galaxy A22 5G.

As of now, we know that the ODM-made Galaxy A22 5G will be available in two storage configurations and four colors (Gray, White, Light Green, Violet) in Europe and Asia.

Samsung Galaxy M42 to launch as the company’s first M-series 5G smartphone

By

Jeet

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Mar 11, 2021

Samsung launched the M-series smartphones in the Indian market and in the past few months, the lineup has been expanded to other regions as well. The company has seen success with this new series and continues to add more devices.

The South Korean giant is expected to launch a new Samsung Galaxy M42 smartphone which was recently reported to soon go official in the European market. Now, new information has surfaced online about the device.

As per the latest report, the Wi-Fi Alliance listing shows that the Galaxy M42, which has model number SM-M426B, will be the first device in the Galaxy M-series to come with support for 5G connectivity. It is also revealed that the phone will be running the Android 11 operating system out-of-the-box.

It has already been known that the smartphone will come with a 64-megapixel primary camera sensor on the back and on the front side, there will be a 32-megapixel for taking selfies and video calling.

The Samsung Galaxy M42 is expected to have an AMOLED display with support for a 90Hz refresh rate. It will be powered by a 6,000mAh battery with fast charging support. Currently, the exact launch date of the Galaxy M42 is not known.

Meanwhile, the South Korean giant is gearing up to launch the Galaxy A72 and Galaxy A52 smartphones. There’s also Samsung Galaxy A22 5G on the way. In related news, Samsung has today launched the Galaxy M12 powered by Exynos 850 SoC launched in India.

RELATED:

US and China establish semiconductor working group to deal with export control and supply chain security

By

Sean

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Mar 11, 2021

The China Semiconductor Industry Association or CSIA has set up a working group with US based tech firms to help in dealing with issues such as “export controls and supply chain security.”

According to an SCMP report, the association made the announcement earlier today (11th March 2021). For those unaware, CSIA is a state backed association that comprises 774 Chinese businesses in the chips industry. The move arrives amid a global shortage of semiconductors that have impacted various industries worldwide. Similarly, the news also arrives as speculations had surfaced regarding the ease of trade restrictions against Chinese semiconductor based firms by US President Joe Biden to help ease the global shortage of chips.

Furthermore, this would also be a help to said Chinese firms, which includes tech giants like Huawei and the Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC). The working group seeks to promote “deeper mutual understanding and trust” between the US and Chinese semiconductor industries and to resolve concerns through dialogue and cooperation, as per an official statement from the CSIA on their website.

Similar to the CSIA, the US counterpart is the Semiconductor Industry Association or IA, which has yet to announce to announce the joint working group or its establishment. Within the working group, 10 experts from both sides will conduct meetings every six months to keep either side updated about technology and trade restriction policies between Washington DC and Beijing and to work out policy proposals as well.

RELATED:

Nokia, Ericsson, Sony, and Oracle pull out of Mobile World Congress 2021

By

Jeet

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Mar 11, 2021

Last year, the Mobile World Congress was canceled due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic and it appears that the tech conference will face similar issues this time as well with brands pulling out of the event.

Ericsson, one of the leading telecom equipment makers, has confirmed pulling out of the MWC 2021 and that move seems to have encouraged others to follow the suit. Now, Nokia has also confirmed not attending this year’s Mobile World Congress, becoming the second major telecom vendor to do so.

In a statement related to this development, the company said that “after careful consideration, Nokia has decided not to have a physical presence at Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2021. The health of our employees, customers and partners is of paramount importance to us. Given the international nature of the event and with the global vaccine rollout still in its early phases, we have made the considered decision to instead participate in only the virtual event.”

Apart from Ericsson and Nokia, other companies like Sony Mobile and Oracle have confirmed they won’t be present at the Mobile World Congress physically. The reasoning remains the same — they don’t want to put their employees and visitors at risk.

Last year, after many companies pulled out of the Mobile World Congress, GSMA officially cancelled the event. This time, there has not been any such communication so far and it’s unlikely that the MWC will get cancelled.

Recently, GSMA organized the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai in late February, which was an in-person event with several virtual panels and addresses. As per the estimates, around 17,000 people attended the event, without any positive COVID-19 diagnoses.

RELATED:

Mysterious Vivo V2066A/BA phone receives TENAA and 3C certifications

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 11, 2021

A mysterious Vivo smartphone with model number V2066A / V2066BA has been approved by China’s TENAA and 3C regulatory bodies. Both certifications have revealed the dimensions, display size, rated battery size, and charging capabilities of the V2066A/BA smartphone. The TENAA listings also have images of the smartphone.

Earlier this month, a Vivo phone with V2066 was certified by the Eurasian Economic Commission (ECC). It seems that the newly spotted V2066A/BA is a Chinese variant of the same phone. The EEC listing did not reveal any information on its specifications.

Vivo V2066A TENAA — Vivo V2066A at TENAA

Vivo V2066BA TENAA — Vivo V2066BA at TENAA

The TENAA listings state that the Vivo V2066A/BA smartphone measures 164.41 x 76.32 x 8.41mm. The handset is fitted with a 6.51-inch screen, which appears to feature a teardrop notch.

There is a vertical triple camera system on the backside of the Vivo V2066A/BA smartphone. The rear shell seems to be made out of polycarbonate material. A volume controller and a power key integrated with a fingerprint sensor can be seen on the right spine of the smartphone.

The Vivo V2066A/BA smartphone has a rated battery of 4,910mAh capacity. Its typical value could be 5,000mAh. The 3C listing indicates that the company may provide a 10W charger along with the handset. The TENAA and 3C listings confirm that the Vivo V2066A/BA is a 4G LTE smartphone. The final product name of the device is yet to be revealed.

In related news, Vivo recently announced the Vivo Y31s Standard Edition smartphone in China. The handset came with specs like a 6.51-inch IPS LCD HD+ display, an 8-megapixel front camera, and a 13-megapixel dual-camera system. It is equipped with other specs such as Dimensity 700, 6 GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage, Android 11 OS, and a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging.

RELATED:

Samsung Galaxy M12 launched in India with 90Hz display, Exynos 850 SoC, and 6,000mAh battery

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 11, 2021

Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy M12 in India. The new budget smartphone from the company offers a large high refresh rate display, a quad-camera setup, and a huge battery. Let us take a look at the entire specs and features of this device along with its price and availability.

Galaxy M12 Specifications and Features

The newly released Galaxy M12 sports a 6.5-inch PLS TFT LCD panel with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels (HD+), a 90Hz refresh rate, a dewdrop notch, and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Samsung advertises this screen as ‘Infinity-V Display’.

Under the hood, the handset features an Exynos 850 SoC paired with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage with support for MicroSD card expansion (up to 1TB). On the connectivity front, the device comes with dual-SIM, 4G, single-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, and GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, GALILEO).

The phone also features all the essential sensors and ports that one can expect from a budget smartphone, such as an accelerometer, grip sensor, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, 3.5mm headphone jack, and USB Type-C port.

Talking about optics, the handset flaunts a quad-camera setup on the back consisting of a 48MP primary sensor (Samsung ISOCELL GM2), a 5MP ultra-wide unit, a 2MP macro snapper, and a 2MP depth sensor. Whereas, on the front, the phone houses an 8MP shooter for selfies and video calls.

As for software, the Samsung Galaxy M12 runs One UI 3.0 Core based on Android 11 and is backed by a 6,000mAh battery with support for 15W charging. Lastly, it measures 164.0 x 75.9 x 9.7mm in dimensions, weighs 221g, and comes in three colors (Black, White, Blue).

Galaxy M12 Pricing and Availability

The Samsung Galaxy M12 will be sold at the following price tags from March 18 through Amazon India, Samsung online store, and leading offline retail stores across India.

4GB + 64GB – ₹10,999 ($151)
6GB + 128GB – ₹13,499 ($193)

Interested customers can also avail a ₹1,000 instant cashback using an ICICI Bank Credit (EMI, non-EMI) or Debit card (only EMI).

LG confirms Android 11 OS update schedule for Europe

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 11, 2021

LG has released its Android 11 rollout scheduled for its users in Europe. Currently, it is testing the software upgrade for smartphones such as LG VELVET 5G, VELVET 4G, LG G8X, LG G8S, LG Wing, LG K52, and LG K42.

The LG VELVET 5G is slated to receive the Android 11 upgrade in April. The LG G8X is the other phone from the brand that is expected to receive the software update in Q2.

In Q3, the South Korean company will be offering the Android 11 OS update to LG VELVET 4G and LG G8S. The LG Wing, LG K52, and LG K42 are slated to get the update in the last quarter of the year.

LG has been quite slow in rolling out the Android 11 upgrade as it compared to other phone brands. The company began testing the Android 11 beta edition in December and it rolled out the update for LG VELVET 5G users in South Korea in January.

The LG V60 ThinQ 5G became the first phone outside the home market to receive the update. It was treated with the latest Android version in the previous month. LG is yet to confirm the Android 11 upgrade schedule for other markets.

In related news, LG is reportedly working on a smartphone with a rollable screen. The device is speculated to arrive in the market with the LG Rollable moniker. It was reported by a South Korean publication that the company has stalled the product. However, The Verge recently reported that the company denied putting the LG Rollable on hold. Apart from this, in January LG refuted rumors that claimed that it was planning to quit the smartphone business.

(source|via 1, 2)

RELATED:

ZTE Axon 30 Pro teased to feature Trinity triple-camera setup

By

Jeet

-

Mar 11, 2021

Chinese brand ZTE has already confirmed that the company is gearing up to launch its next-generation Axon series flagship smartphone — ZTE Axon 30 Pro. Ahead of the official announcement, the company has revealed some key details about the device.

Now, the company has shared a new teaser image on social media, revealing that the upcoming Axon 30 Pro will feature a Trinity triple-camera setup that will take care of the photography needs on the next-gen flagship device.

A rough translation of the text from Chinese indicates that the smartphone will come with more than two flagship cameras. It remains to be seen what exactly the company means with such a teaser but it sure sounds exciting.

Earlier, Lv Qianhao, Director at ZTE for Consumer Experience Department had said that the company is focusing on improving the camera performance and experience. He added that the phone is expected to offer extreme low-light environment support, 4K HDR video mode, full-link 10-bit image support, and more.

A recent 3C certification of the smartphone has confirmed that the device will come with support for 55W fast charging technology. The phone is also said to be equipped with the next-generation in-display fingerprint sensor, which the company has already showcased at the MWC Shanghai 2021 held last month.

So far, it has also been confirmed that the ZTE Axon 30 Pro will come powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, which is powering most of the flagship smartphones launched this year.

RELATED:

Apple Watch saves the life of a US man who fell into an icy river

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 11, 2021

If we are to compile a list of persons who give credit to the Apple Watch series for saving their lives at one point or the other, we’ll discover that it is a number already. The list keeps growing by the day as yet another story has emerged.

According to the story which was first reported by local news outlet WMUR, the man named William Rogers, a tech school teacher had gone ice skating on Sunday on Salmon Falls River in Somersworth. This is something he has been doing all his life but on that day, tragedy struck as the ice broke under his weight and he fell into the ice-cold river.

When he realized he was going into the river, Rogers disclosed that he scrambled around for some time in an attempt to come out of the ice but the ice kept breaking and couldn’t support his weight. At that point, all he could think of was his family getting a call about his demise.

Of course, a couple of minutes more inside the ice would have killed him. But at that point, he realized he had to stay calm and think of possible ways out of the situation. That was when it occurred to him to use his Apple Watch to call for help even as he was already struggling to breathe inside the cold water. He dialed 911 using the SOS feature on the watch.

“It worked. Saved my life, I think,” an ecstatic Rogers said. Rogers told the emergency responders that he probably had 10 minutes before he stopped responding. fortunately for him, the fire brigade arrived in five and he was pulled out of the water to safety.

Apple Watch series is presently the top-selling smartwatch around with over 100 million user base to date and the reasons for this aren’t far-fetched. The models come with several vital life-saving features such as a heart rate monitor, ECG, fall detection, and a feature that lets users dial emergency services when needed.

We have repeatedly heard stories of these features turning out to be life-savers. In January this year, the story emerged of a British cyclist who was rescued after calling for help with Apple Watch in a flooding river in the UK.

According to the report, the unknown cyclist was carried by the water current one mile downstream on the swift Wye River. He managed to grab a branch by the water and called for help using his Apple Watch.

RELATED;

OnePlus 9 series to feature Sony IMX789 sensor with 4k 120fps video shooting and 12-bit RAW support

By

Jeet

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Mar 11, 2021

OnePlus has already confirmed that the company will launch its next-generation flagship smartphones, the OnePlus 9 series globally on 23rd March. While the launch is still a few days away, the company has been revealing its features through teasers.

In the latest development, OnePlus has revealed that the OnePlus 9 series smartphones will come with a Sony IMX789 sensor which is custom designed for the OP9 series and their Hasselblad cameras.

The teaser poster shared by the company confirms 4K video recording at 120 frames per second. Earlier, the promo video of this new Sony sensor had confirmed support for real-time HDR video processing.

It also confirms 12-bit RAW support for photography and Hasselblad will share its technology to capture true-to-life colors. The sensor has a 16:11 aspect ratio, enabling shooting 4:3 photos and 16:9 videos.

OnePlus has already revealed that the next-generation flagship smartphones will come with T-lens technology-enabled panoramic camera with a 140-degree FOV and a freeform lens.

It is speculated that the OnePlus 9 Pro will be equipped with a 48-megapixel + 50-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad-camera system. On the other hand, the standard variant may feature a triple camera system led by a 48-megapixel, along with a 16-megapixel front camera.

As for the rest of the specifications, the OnePlus 9 Pro will come with a 6.7-inch curved edge AMOLED display, whereas the OnePlus 9 may feature a 6.55-inch flat AMOLED screen. Both phones are said to come with common specs like 120Hz refresh rate support, Snapdragon 888, and a 4,500mAh battery with 65W fast charging support. However, the Pro model is expected to come with 45W wireless charging.

RELATED:

Huawei P50 Pro CAD renders reveals unique rear camera design, display with ultra-thin bezels

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 11, 2021

At the end of December, popular tipster Steve Hemmerstoffer shared a CAD render of the Huawei P50 Pro. It only gave a glimpse of the front design of the smartphone. He is now back with fresh renders to showcase the front and rear design of the P50 Pro.

Starting from the rear, the Huawei P50 Pro features a glass back and a metallic frame. The top and bottom flat edges that can be seen on the device are similar to the ones found on other Huawei phones such as Mate 30 series, P30, and P Smart 2021.

There is an oval-shaped camera module on the backside of the Huawei P50 Pro. A close look at the camera housing shows that it has two circles inside it along with an LED flash. The camera lenses are not shown in the CAD renders. It is likely that the two circles could be housing around four cameras.

The handset measures 159 x 73 x 8.6mm and its thickness increases to 10.3mm at the camera bump. Moving to the front, it features a 6.6-inch display with curved edges that are not very prominent. As it can be seen, it is blessed with ultra-thin bezels.

The Huawei P40 Pro’s screen featured a pill-shaped selfie camera cutout at the upper-left corner. It housed the main camera and a ToF lens. The CAD renders show that the Huawei P50 Pro has a single selfie camera, which is placed at the top-center position.

The Huawei P50 Pro’s OLED panel is integrated with a fingerprint scanner. The top edge of the phone has a speaker and an IR blaster. Another speaker can be found on the bottom edge of the device. Rumors are rife that the Huawei P50 series will go official on April 17.

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Motorola teases the global launch of Snapdragon 870-powered Moto G100

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Mar 10, 2021

In January, Motorola announced the Edge S, a Snapdragon 870-powered phone with a starting price of a little over $300. There have been reports that the phone will get a global release as a model under the Moto G series. Motorola has now released a teaser for a phone with a Snapdragon 870 processor, and we believe it is the anticipated Moto G100.

The short video teaser was posted on Twitter by the official Motorola Global account. The video was also shared by Motorola Germany which means we can assume that the device will be announced in Germany.

There is much more to come, stay tuned! #hellomoto #YouWantItYouGotIt pic.twitter.com/GNe9aaP7p5

— Motorola (@Moto) March 10, 2021

Apart from confirming that the device will have a Snapdragon 870 processor, we also get a glimpse of the device which reveals some other details. The video shows that the upcoming phone will have a USB-C port, an audio jack, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a flat display, and a glossy finish.

If the Moto G100 is a perfect replica of the Motorola Edge S, it should have a 6.47-inch FHD+ screen with a double punch hole that is home to a 16MP main selfie camera and an 8MP ultrawide angle camera. It should also have a 64MP quad-camera setup that includes a 16MP ultrawide angle camera, a 2MP depth sensor, and a ToF 3D camera.

In China, the Motorola Edge S comes in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants with 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The phone also has support for storage expansion, a 5000mAh battery, and support for 20W fast wired charging.

Seeing as Motorola has already begun teasing the phone, we expect a launch date will be announced soon.

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Official renders of the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro leaked ahead of launch

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Mar 10, 2021

Earlier this week, OnePlus announced that it will unveil its latest flagship series, the OnePlus 9 series, on March 23. Ahead of the launch, official renders of the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro have now been leaked. These images reveal some interesting new details.

The photos were posted on the web by Winfuture.de and they show all the colorways the two phones will be available in when they launch. Just like previous models, certain colors will not be available for select models.

OnePlus 9 Pro

The OnePlus 9 Pro will be available in Black, Green, and Silver. The device has a curved display with a punch hole at the top left corner of the screen. The power button and alert slider are on the right side of the frame while the volume buttons are on the left side.

As we have seen in earlier leaks, there is a Hasselblad branding on the camera housing. OnePlus has confirmed that one of the four cameras on the OnePlus 9 pro is a Sony IMX789 a custom sensor that is the largest and most advanced in a OnePlus device. The phone will also have an ultrawide angle camera with a 140° field of view and freeform lens that eliminates distortion in wide-angle photos, 12-bit RAW support, 8K video recording at 30fps, and T-lens technology for the fast autofocus for the selfie camera.

OnePlus 9

The OnePlus 9 will be available in Blue, Purple, and Black, all of which have a glossy finish. The display which is flat on this model also has a punch hole at the top left corner of the screen.

On the back are three cameras, one sensor less than that of the OnePlus 9 Pro. However, there is a Hasselblad branding too which means we should get some of the camera features of the pro model on this standard variant too.

Apart from the cameras and display, another noticeable difference between the two phones is that the OnePlus 9 doesn’t have antenna bands. It is presumed that this may be because the frame is not made of metal like that of the OnePlus 9 Pro.

Alongside these two phones is a third model which is expected to launch as the OnePlus 9R/9E/9 Lite, unfortunately, we are yet to see what it looks like. There is a chance it may leak before the launch date

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