Meizu 18 Pro key details confirmed ahead of launch

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Mar 1, 2021

Meizu will be announcing the Meizu 18 and Meizu 18 Pro smartphones on March 3. Over the past few days, the company has confirmed some vital information on the specs of the Meizu 18 series. Also, a new leak has appeared on Weibo to not only reveal the rear camera design but also to confirm its configurations.

It is already known that the Meizu 18 will be featuring a 6.2-inch curved edge OLED display with a punch-hole placed at the top-center. It is likely to support a Full HD+ resolution. On the other side, the Meizu 18 Pro could be housing a larger screen with a QHD+ resolution and a 120Hzz refresh rate support.

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The Meizu 18 Pro has a 44-megapixel front-facing camera. The vanilla model may feature a slightly downgraded front camera. The Meizu 18 duo will come with Snapdragon 888 mobile platform, LPDDR5 RAM, and UFS 3.1 storage. The vanilla model has appeared with SD888, 12 GB of RAM, and Android 11 OS on Geekbench 5 (via).

The Meizu 18 could be coming with a 4,000mAh battery, whereas the Meizu 18 Pro could be housing a bigger battery of 4,500mAh capacity. Both phones may feature 36W and 45W fast charging capabilities. The Meizu 18 models will be equipped with the new “One Mind XXX” for optimized performance. Both phones are also expected to arrive with Qualcomm’s 3D Sonic Sensor ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint reader.

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Leaked posters that appeared today have revealed that the Meizu 18 Pro will be featuring a big-sized camera module. The leak reveals that it could be with a 50-megapixel primary camera with OIS support, a 129-degree 48-megapixel superwide lens, an 8-megapixel periscope telephoto snapper, a laser autofocus unit, and a 3D ToF sensor. There is no information available on the rear cameras of the Meizu 18.

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Redmi K20 gets the Android 11 update in China

By

Balaji S

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Mar 1, 2021

Xiaomi launched the Redmi K20 in India and China while the company brought the same device as Xiaomi Mi 9T in other regions like Europe. The device, irrespective of regions, came with MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie out of the box. Now, it has finally started getting the Android 11 update.

The Redmi K20 is getting a MIUI update with firmware version V12.1.1.0.RFJCNXM in China. This build upgrades the device’s OS to the latest Android 11. If you recall, the device got the first big update, i.e, Android 10, reasonably quickly after the official announcement.

Anyway, the update is 2.6GB in size and also comes with the February 2021 security patch. Do note that this is the Chinese build so this particular update is compatible only with phones selling in China (codename: davinci). In case you don’t know, the Indian version of this device is codenamed ‘davinciin’.

Hence, users will have to be patient till Xiaomi extends the update to other regions like India and Europe which I don’t think is that far now. Also, if you had noticed, the MIUI version is still MIUI 12 so another major UI update for the MIUI 12.5 version should take a while to reach the device.

That said, the MIUI 12.5 update could be the last major update for the Redmi K20 since it has already got two major MIUI (MIUI 11, MIUI 12) and two major Android upgrades(Android 10 & 11) now.

Either way, the update is in the ‘stable beta’ stage meaning only a few users will get it initially. After ensuring that the update doesn’t have any major bugs, Xiaomi will likely push the update to everyone in a few days.

It’s also worth noting that the ‘Pro’ sibling, Redmi K20 Pro, or its European version Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro hasn’t gotten the Android 11 update yet.

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Deal: Baseus Stylish Vehicle Trash Can,500ml now available for $14.69 (Original Price $17)

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Daily Deals

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Mar 1, 2021

If you are looking for a small and portable garbage bin for your vehicle then look no further than the Basesus vehicle trash can. This super stylish trash can which usually retails at $17 is now available for $14.69 only at AliExpress.

Baseus has designed an artistic and glamourous trash can that adds to the beauty of your vehicle. The 500ml capacity can is made with aviation-grade alloy and a double-layer barrel body. A delicate high gloss edge and Antiseptic ABD thickened inner gallbladder makes it both fashionable and durable. The one-touch simple opening system ensures that you don’t come in contact with your trash and as long as the lid is closed you are safe from odors and germs.

The lightweight and portable trash bin easily fits into your cup holder, armchair box, door cubby hole, etc and the beautiful design makes it perfect not only for vehicles but also for your home or office desk and workspace.

Found in two color variants viz: Black and Grey, Baseus vehicle-mounted trash can is available at a discounted price of $14.69, when purchased from the China Warehouse. Also, additional 30 customized garbage bags are included for free in this offer. Moreover, the free shipping and New User discount coupon make this offer a bargain deal.

So grab your stylish trash can asap.

Huawei AppGallery nearly doubles number of app distribution within a year

By

Sean

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Mar 1, 2021

The Huawei AppGallery has seen great growth over the course of a year. The app ecosystem has achieved a new milestone, with its app distribution numbers nearly doubling within just 12 months.

For those unaware, the AppGallery is the Chinese tech giant’s proprietary app store, which is the world’s third largest at the moment. Currently, the platform has over 2.3 million registered developers. This is up by 77 percent from last year, along with a diverse global audience of more than 530 million active monthly users. Furthermore, the platform’s app distribution reached 384.4 billion in 2020, which was more than last year by 174 billion. Notably, gaming was at the forefront of this explosive growth.

As of right now, AppGallery has over 500 percent more games available on the the app store compared to the platform last year. The AppGallery has also helped over 10,000 Chinese apps enter the global market, further diversifying its global userbase’s app experience. Top performers in this regard include apps like Banggood, Pascal’s Wager, and Rise of Kingdoms: Lost Crusade. Interestingly, this also highlights the company’s efforst into bringing the “Global + Local” strategy to its platform.

According to Zhang Zhe Director of Global Partnerships & Eco-Development Business Development at Huawei Consumer Business Group, “At the end of 2019, there were 25 countries around world which had over a million AppGallery users. That number has now grown to 42 and we continue to see strong growth across markets in Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. It’s not just about quantity, and the fact that the number of apps integrated with HMS Core has more than doubled in one year shows that more developers are looking to Huawei’s on-device capabilities to drive innovation and provide better and more unique user experiences.”

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OnePlus 8/8 Pro OxygenOS Open Beta 7 update brings February 2021 security patches

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 1, 2021

Almost a month after the last OxygenOS Open Beta as well as stable builds, OnePlus is rolling out the OxygenOS Open Beta 7 update for the OnePlus 8 series. The new release brings minute fixes/optimizations and also bumps up the security patch level.

The OxygenOS Open Beta 7 is the only public build available for OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro with February 2021 security patches while we are already in March. In fact, Samsung has started seeding this month’s security update to some of its smartphones last week itself.

This clearly shows how the company is now lagging behind in terms of software support. It is also yet to release the stable OxygenOS 11 (Android 11) update for the eligible devices. The OnePlus Nord, which is the company’s popular handset, got the said update only today.

Anyway, coming back to the latest public beta update for the OnePlus 8 series, the new build brings an adjusted emergency rescue layout in the password lock screen, fixes the‘ Horizon Light’ feature not turning on issue, and optimizes the stability of the OnePlus Camera app.

OnePlus 8/8 Pro OxygenOS Open Beta 7 Official Changelog

System
- Adjusted the layout of the emergency rescue in the password lock screen
- Fixed the issue that the Horizon light has a small probability of failing to turn on
- Updated Android Security Patch to 2021.02

Camera
- Optimized the stability

The OnePlus series OxygenOS Open Beta 7 update is rolling out via OTA for users who are already on the previous beta release. On the other hand, interested stable channel users can download and install this update from the OnePlus Community.

Gionee Max Pro with 6,000mAh battery, dual-cameras launched in India for ₹6,999($95)

By

Balaji S

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Mar 1, 2021

Gionee has launched the budget smartphone, Gionee Max Pro in India. The device will be sold online via Flipkart and it is priced at ₹6,999($95.24) in the country.

Gionee Max Pro: Price, Availability

Gionee Max Pro will be available in a single memory variant. That is, you get 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard internal storage. Gionee has launched the device in three colors- Black, Blue, and Red. This single memory variant is priced at ₹6,999($95.24).

Compared to the predecessor, Gionee Max, the ‘Pro’ variant has launched ₹1,000 more but it has a lot of upgraded features like display, battery etc. Anyway, the Gionee Max Pro will be available on Flipkart online and the first sale is on March 8, at 12 PM IST.

Gionee Max Pro: Specifications and Features

The Gionee Max Pro features a 6.52-inch HD+ display. This display has a dewdrop notch, a 1560×720 pixel resolution, and covered by a 2.5D curved Glass. It measure 165x75x10mm and considering the price, the body should be polycarbonate.

Under the hood, it is powered by the UNISOC (formerly: Spreadtrum) SC9863A chipset paired with 3GB RAM, 32GB storage. In addition to this, you can also expand the storage via a dedicated microSD card slot up to 256GB.

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For cameras, Gionee has gone with a dual-camera setup on the back and a single selfie shooter up front. The dual-cameras have a 13MP + 2MP combo while the selfie camera is an 8MP lens. Gionee says the device will have camera features like slow-motion, time-lapse, HDR & Bokeh modes, AI recognition & Face beauty.

Other features include a 6,000mAh battery, face unlock, Google Assistant key, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, 3.5mm audio jack, GPS, micro-USB charging port for connectivity. Last but not the least, Gionee Max Pro runs Android 10 OS out of the box.

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Baseus 7-in-1 docking station now available for $28.15 (Original Price $38.99)

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Daily Deals

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Mar 1, 2021

AliExpress is giving a flash deal on the Baseus Type C Hub docking station. The docking station usually retails at $38.99. But for the next two days, you can get this amazing 7-in-1 phone holder for just $28.15.

The docking station is a multi-functional device that converts your regular smartphone into a professional computer or TV that can be used in your office as well as home. Fitted with three USB ports, the device helps you to connect multiple accessories like a mouse, keyboard, USB flash drive, etc to your smartphone, thereby converting it into a mini laptop. You can also connect your gamepad to the hub and enhance your gaming experience. With a projector connection and additional SD/ Micro SD slots, the hub even solves your storage issues. All you have to do is plug in your smartphone and start reading from your SD/Micro SD card.

Featuring a Type C power jack, the device gives you an endless supply of 15W high energy, and the aesthetic and smart design lets you put down your smartphone for expansion and simply go hands-free. With a Computer and TV mode, you can either split your screen for operations or simply synchronize the display of your phone and TV.

Designed exclusively for TYPE C phones the hub is customized to use with USB-C phones like Huawei (Mate 20/Pro, Mate 10/Pro, P20/Pro) and Samsung (S10/10 plus, S9/S9 plus, Note9).

This lightweight and highly portable multi-functional docking station is available for $28.15 only (Original price $38.99). The Flash Deal comes with free shipping and is available only for the next two days.

So grab your Baseus hub docking station asap.

Reliance partners with Google & Facebook for a digital payment network: Report

By

Sean

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Mar 1, 2021

Reliance Industries has apparently partnered with major tech giants Facebook and Google, along with a fintech based firm Infibeam to setup a national digital payment network, as per sources close to the matter.

Reliance Jio — Jio, Reliance’s telecom unit

According to an EconomicTimes report (Via Reuters), three unnamed sourced have revealed that the Indian conglomerate and Infibeam were in advanced stages of submitting their proposal for a digital payment service to the nation’s central bank, Reserve Bank of India (RBI). For those unaware, RBI invited various companies to make a new umbrella entities (NUE) to create payment networks that would rival the system operated by the National Payments Council of India (NPCI).

Unfortunately, a spokesperson for Infibeam has declined to comment on the report at the moment, adding that the company was bound by confidentiality of process. Meanwhile, Reliance, Google, and even Facebook have yet to respond on the matter. Furthermore, Facebook and Google are already partnered with the Indian giant and also own stakes in Jio Platforms, Reliance’s unit that runs the company’s music, movie and telecom services.

Notably, RBI extended the deadline for all partners to submit NUE applications until 31st March 2021 from 26th February 2021 earlier this week. Additionally, the central bank of the country is expected to take another six months to study all the proposals that are being submitted, and is not expected to give more than two new “for-profit” NUE licenses. Similar to the aforementioned brands, RBI has also declined to comment on the matter as well.

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OPPO Reno5 Z clears multiple certifications ahead of launch

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 1, 2021

Apart from debuting the OPPO Find X3 series this month, OPPO is also expected to expand the OPPO Reno5 series globally. According to new certifications, the Chinese smartphone maker may soon release a device called OPPO Reno5 Z, which will be the successor to last year’s OPPO Reno4 Z.

OPPO Reno4 Z Ink Black Dew White Featured — OPPO Reno4 Z (aka OPPO A92s)

For those unaware, the 2020 OPPO Reno4 Z was a rebranded OPPO A92s. Hence, we can expect the company to release the upcoming OPPO Reno5 Z as an OPPO A series phone as well. But as of now, we do not have any information on that.

What we know so far is the forthcoming OPPO Reno5 Z with model number CPH2211 has cleared multiple certifications. Some of them have even revealed certain specs of this handset.

First of all, according to Norway’s NEMKO, the OPPO Reno5 Z will be backed by a 4,220mAh battery. Further, as per Singapore’s IMDA, it will come with connectivity options like WCDMA, LTE, VoLTE, 5G, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, and NFC.

Additionally, the Bluetooth SIG certification confirms the device to feature Bluetooth 5.2. Lastly, the phone is also certified by GCF, however, it does not say anything about the handset.

Unfortunately, nothing else is known about the OPPO Reno5 Z apart from the above-mentioned basic features. Anyway, we expect to learn more about this smartphone before its official launch sometime later in the near future.

China steps in to ease disruption in domestic car production amid chip shortage

By

Sean

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Mar 1, 2021

China has apparently stepped in to help ease the chip shortage issue. The government is aiming to ease the disruption in domestic car makers’ supply chain by publishing a handbook listing suppliers of car chips and demands from automobile manufacturers.

According to an SCMP report, China is responsible making one in every three cars in the world within car industry. In other words, the nation is also bearing the brunt of the of the global shortage, since it relies on imports for more than 80 percent of its semiconductor parts. As per official government data, vehicle production fell by 15.9 percent in the first month of this year to just 2.4 million units from a month prior.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has also stepped in the help bridge the gap between demand supply of chips, to help reduce the disruptuion in the supply chain as well, as per CCTV (China Central Television). Recently, a special meeting was also held by the ministry to help carmakers identify sources of supply. The handbook compiled by this ministry also contains over 568 products with sources from 59 semiconductor based companies.

These are used for major vehicle chips including computing, control and communications parts, with over other 1,000 pieces of product demand information that is sought by automobile manufacturers. At the moment, the global chip makers are struggling to keep up with demand, with their capacities being stretched. This arrives as major auto and electronics makers faced a sharp turn in sales as signs of the pandemic subsiding, with more economies also slowly reopening.

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Shocking! Gamer kills rival over Call of Duty: Mobile competition

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 1, 2021

Gaming addiction is a challenge that faced in different parts of the world which have precipitated proactive measures both from the regulatory authorities as well as games publishers to help curb this menace. Well, one gamer in Brazil took his addiction to the extreme by killing a rival competitor. The victim, Ingrid Oliveira Bueno da Silva, 19, was a top gamer who had met with the accused, 18-year-old Guilherme Alves Costa at his home to take part in a joint competition on Call of Duty: Mobile, both players belonging to rival teams. The pair had first established contact with each other online last month, according to local news reports.

Alves Costa who bears the online name “Flashlight” allegedly stabbed Miss Oliveira Bueno da Silva with a knife repeatedly after she arrived at his home located in Pirituba, north of São Paulo. The accused is reported to have confessed to the crime in a video which he recorded with his smartphone and shared on some WhatsApp group chats including one for his clan. He also shared images of the deceased before leaving the crime scene.

However, the 18-year-old later submitted himself to law enforcement agents after the clan leadership alerted the appropriate authorities. The alleged murderer even insists that his mental health was “completely fit” and he “wanted to do this,” according to a statement by São Paulo’s State Department of Public Security.

The mental health of the accused will likely be accessed to determine if he isn’t insane. No sane person will stab his fellow over video games. Or wait, there is precedence. In May 2010, a French gamer, Julien Barreaux, 20, hunted his rival for seven months and killed him for killing his character in the game Counter-Strike the previous November.

Also, in 2018, two professional video gamers were killed by a distraught rival player who was angry he lost at an eSports tournament in Florida. The shooter who had a history of mental illness later turned the gun on himself.

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OnePlus Nord starts receiving Android 11-based OxygenOS 11 stable update

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 1, 2021

The OnePlus Nord is the brand’s first-ever mid-range smartphone. The handset debuted with OxygenOs 10.5 based on Android 10. Despite being a new phone, the company started releasing OxygenOS 11 (Android 11) beta builds for this device only in early January 2021. Now, almost two months later, the smartphone has finally begun to receive the stable update.

Lately, OnePlus has been slow in updating its devices. Google released Android 11 in September. But so far, OnePlus has rolled out OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11 for only three handsets, namely the OnePlus 8 series and the OnePlus Nord.

The OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro started receiving OxygenOS 11 stable in October itself. But the OnePlus Nord is receiving the same update only now. Anyway, the latest system update for the phone brings all the Android 11 and OxygenOS 11 features despite being a mid-ranger.

Some of the notable features of the OnePlus Nord OxygenOS 11 update include a new revamped UI similar to Samsung One UI, Insight AOD clock style, Canvas AOD wallpaper, scheduled Dark Mode, new OnePlus Shelf UI, and new OnePlus Gallery app with stories.

OnePlus Nord OxygenOS 11.0.0.0 Android 11 Stable Update Official Changelog

System
- Update to Android 11 version
- The brand new UI design brings you a more comfortable experience with various optimizations of details
- Optimized the stability of some third-party apps and improved experience

Ambient Display
- Newly added Insight clock style, a joint creation with Parsons School of Design. It will change according to the phone usage data (Go to: Settings – Customization – Clock on ambient display)
- Newly added the Canvas always-on display, which can extract the subject’s outline from any photo and display it on your lock screen (Go to: Settings – Customization – Wallpaper – Canvas – Choose photo preview and it can be generated automatically)

Dark Mode
- Added the shortcut key for Dark Mode, pull down the quick setting to enable.
- Now supporting automatically turn on feature & customize time range. (Go to: Settings – Display – Dark Mode – Turn on automatically – Automatically enable from sunset to sunrise / Custom time range)

Shelf
- Brand new shelf UI
- Newly added a weather widget with smarter animation effect

Gallery
- Newly added the Story feature, which can automatically create the weekly stories by using your local photos and videos
- Optimized the loading speed to improve the image preview experience

OnePlus is rolling Android 11-based OxygenOS 11 stable update for the OnePlus Nord in batches. Therefore, the build may take time to arrive on your unit. That said, the brand suggests users to have at least 3GB of free space and a 30% battery level before installing the update.

Huawei upgrades over 100 million users to EMUI 11, HarmonyOS the next stop

By

Sean

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Mar 1, 2021

Earlier today (1st March 2021), the official Weibo account, a Chinese micrblogging website, of Huawei EMUI officially shared that the company has successfully brought over more than 100 million users to its latest EMUI 11 OS, with “the next stop” being HarmonyOS (AKA HongMengOS in China).

On the social media post, the Chinese tech giant shared the news and also showcased its quick update cycle for its latest custom skin, which is based on the vanilla Android OS. For those unaware, EMUI 11 was first announced at the Huawei Develop Conference (HDC) 2020, in September, where it was showcased for its smart multi window and multi screen support, along with a more optimized UI and other improved functionalities as well.

Recently, it had rumored that the company has already begun bringing HarmonyOS to its devices, which would also mark the halting of any major development for the EMUI 11 paltform. In other words, EMUI 11 will effectively be the last version of the custom skin. It was previously rumored that the process will not be immediate as the smartphone manufacturer aimed to transition the EMUI 11 enabled devices to HarmonyOS through EMUI 11.1, which will replace the kernel with the proprietary operating system.

But as per ITHome, the company will be directly upgrading devices to HarmonyOS. For those unaware, the new OS is the company’s self developed platform, which was first announced back in 2019 after it faced a trade ban by the US government. At the moment, the brand aims on bringing this OS to more than just smartphones, in IoT devices and larger screened products as well, to add cross platform integration as well.

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Biden administration set to apply a Trump regulation that targets Chinese tech firms

By

Sean

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Mar 1, 2021

The Biden administration is planning on implementing a regulation that first surfaced back during the term of the former President Donald Trump. The rule targets Chinese tech firms that are designated as a threat to the US.

According to a Reuters report, the news arrives despite the objections from US based businesses. During the final days of the Trump administration, the US Commerce Department had issued an interim final rule that aimed at addressing information and communications technology supply chain concerns. The department had said that this rule would become effective after a 60 day period of public comment.

As per a spokesperson of the department, the agency would be accepting a public comment on the rule until 22nd March 2021, which is also when it would go into effect. In the statement, it was said that “Trustworthy information and communications technology and services are essential to our national and economic security and remains a top priority for the Biden Harris administration.”

However, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and groups that represent major industries stated in a letter that this interim rule gave the agency “nearly unlimited authority to intervene in virtually any commercial transaction between U.S. companies and their foreign counterparts that involves technology, with little to no due process, accountability, transparency, or coordination with other government programs.”

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Evidence of Xiaomi’s 50MP camera phone found, Could it be Mi 11 Ultra?

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 1, 2021

Evidence of an upcoming Xiaomi phone with a 50-megapixel camera has appeared through the MIUI camera app courtesy of tipster Abhishek Yadav. This phone could be the upcoming flagship phone called the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra.

Xiaomi is working on 50MP camera smartphone.
Evidence of Xiaomi's 50MP camera smartphone found in MIUI camera app, could be Mi 11 Ultra. (https://t.co/QO42r7Aya7) https://t.co/LdzlyqhJVS pic.twitter.com/hiI4FztPTV

— Abhishek Yadav (@yabhishekhd) March 1, 2021

The snapshot shared by the tipster does not clearly tell which Xiaomi phone could be equipped with a 50-megapixel camera. It was revealed through a massive leak last month that Xiaomi is gearing to launch a new flagship phone called the Mi 11 Ultra. As the name goes, this device is expected to arrive as an advanced version of the Xiaomi Mi 11 5G smartphone that debuted last year in December.

Leaked shots of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra flagship phone had revealed that it has a large-sized rectangle-shaped camera module on its back. It is said to be equipped with a 50-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel wide-angle snapper, and a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto lens. The massive camera module also features a secondary display.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra is expected to flaunt a 6.8-inch OLED screen that offers a WQHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The curved edge punch-hole screen is expected to house a 20-megapixel front camera and an in-screen fingerprint reader. The screen is shielded by Gorilla Glass Victus.

The Mi 11 Ultra is expected to feature the Snapdragon 888 mobile platform along with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. It may come with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 67W rapid charging and 67W wireless charging. The handset is also likely to support 10W wireless charging. The Mi 11 Ultra could be equipped with Harman Kardon stereo speakers and it could be running on MIUI 12.5 global edition. It is likely to go official in this quarter.

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Best Price: Anker Wireless Charger, Power Wave Stand available at the Lowest Price yet $15.19 (Original Price $18.99)

By

Daily Deals

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Mar 1, 2021

Amazon US is giving this amazing deal on Anker Wireless Charger, Power Wave Stand. The wireless charger which originally retails at $18.99 is now available for $15.19 only.

Anker wireless charger, power wave stand is designed to be not just a wireless charger but also a functional power stand for your smartphone. This universally compatible model can be used with any and every Qi-enabled phone and device. With fast charging technology, the device uses a 10W fast charge mode for the latest Samsung devices and a 5W standard charge mode for the rest of your smartphones. Moreover, you won’t have to worry about removing the case or smartphone cover as the Anker Power Wave stand supports charging through cases up to 5mm thick. However, metal cases and other external attachments on your smartphone may interfere with the charging process.

The highlight of the Anker Power stand is its switch-up mode which allows you to charge and use the phone simultaneously either in landscape or portrait mode as per your need. So while watching a movie feel free to switch to landscape mode and when on a video call simply switch it back to portrait mode without interfering with the charging process.

Anker wireless charger, Power Wave stand usually retails at $18.99. However, as a limited-time offer, Amazon US, is giving this multipurpose charger for $15.19 only. This is the lowest rate yet that we have seen on this charger and with free shipping and returns this deal is a pretty good bargain.

Xiaomi relaunches MiTalk as a Clubhouse clone for Android and iOS in China

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 1, 2021

Clubhouse is an audio-based social media introduced in April 2020. But the app went mainstream in January 2021 when Elon Musk gave an interview on the platform. As its popularity rose, social media giants like Facebook and Twitter started prepping their alternatives. In fact, Twitter is already testing its solution called ‘Twitter Spaces’. Additionally, there are already several Clubhouse clones from different companies around the world. Now, Xiaomi has also officially joined this bandwagon.

For those unaware, Xiaomi had released an instant messaging app called MiTalk back in November 2010. This was even before the birth of WeChat in China. But unfortunately, the smartphone maker’s messaging platform never really took off. Therefore, the company finally shuttered its operations on February 19, 2021.

But to everyone’s surprise, on February 26, Xiaomi revived this application as a Clubhouse clone in China. As per netizens, the company reportedly published this new app on the Apple App Store and the Mi App Store with the name ‘Jushou’ (Hands Up) on the same day as the original MiTalk app was discontinued.

However, with the official announcement of MiTalk’s revival, the application’s listing on the app stores was changed accordingly. As per the official website, the new MiTalk is a ‘voice chat app for professionals’. The description clearly screams that it is a Clubhouse clone.

MiTalk Description (Translated)

MiTalk, start again.

The new “MiTalk” is a voice chat app for professionals. Here, you can hear the sharing and insights of professionals in various industries, and you can also raise your hands to participate in the sharing; at the same time, you can create topics of interest to you, communicate and collide ideas with friends and colleagues.

At present, we are in the small-scale invitation closed beta phase. The public beta time will be synchronized on the official website in the future. Thank you for your attention.

At present, only Xiaomi employees in China can use this app with their company registered contact number as well as invite code. But the application should be available for the general public (only China) very soon. Interested users will still require an invite code nonetheless.

That said, though MiTalk is a clone of Clubhouse, it is available on both Android and iOS app stores right from its launch. And with the original Clubhouse being banned in China, there might be a chance for Xiaomi to tap into this new market.

But it is worth noting that there are already multiple local Clubhouse competitors in China like Dizhua, Tiya, and Yalla. So we’ll have to wait and see how the app fares in the Chinese market.

LG granted patent for an extendable OLED TV design

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 1, 2021

LG may be planning to shut down completely its smartphone business but the brand continues to build on its smart TV market. We’ve seen LG explore different display types for its smart TV including rollable and transparent TV designs. The Korean tech giant has been granted a new patent for an extendable display.

The patent application was filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on September 1, 2020, and was approved on February 26, 2021. The design of the TV seems to be an intermediate product between LG’s rollable TV and transparent TV. The TV consists of two parts: a TV host and a base.

LetsGoDigital in its usual fashion has come out with a set of renders showing the retractable TV. Judging from the patent sketches and LetsGoDigital’s renders, the TV adopts a retractable design whereby the size of the base is similar to that of the TV. When not in use or for other purposes, the length of the TV can be adjusted freely.

In addition, there is a long strip opening in the middle of the base. When the TV is completely stored in the base, the opening can display the date and time. When the user listens to music, control elements such as play, pause, up and down music will also be displayed there.

The TV brings to mind the LG Signature R smart TV which was first unveiled at CES 2019 but only went on sale in Korea in October last year for around $87,000. The smart TV utilizes a 65-inch flexible OLED panel and has several features but the most impressive is the ability of the screen to be partially or fully retracted into the base.

At CES 2021, LG announced a 55-inch transparent OLED TV. In the storage state, there is a long strip window to display the date, time, etc., in the semi-raised state. It can also display the user’s sleep duration, heart rate data, and other health data. When fully raised, it is a complete big screen TV.

The two existing models and this patented version all adopt a retractable design but we can’t figure out where the difference lies. We expect this version to be a more affordable model, though.

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RedMagic 6 will feature up to 500Hz touch sampling rate

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 1, 2021

RedMagic, the gaming-focused sub-brand of nubia Technology is all set to debut its next smartphone called RedMagic 6 on March 4. Ahead of its official announcement, the company has been teasing the phone’s features officially. Last week, the brand’s executive confirmed some of the primary specs. Let’s have a look at them.

First and foremost, the upcoming RedMagic 6 will be the world’s first smartphone with a 160Hz refresh rate display. That’s not all, this panel will also have support for up to 500Hz touch sampling rate for a single finger and up to 360Hz touch sampling rate for multiple fingers.

Further, being a gaming smartphone, the device will also come with shoulder buttons. These keys are said to feature a 400Hz touch sampling rate. Also, to keep the handset’s thermal down, the handset will be equipped with an air and liquid cooling system.

For performance, like any other high-end Android smartphone in 2021, it will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC. Whereas, for power, it will draw energy from a 4,500mAh battery with support for 120W fast charging. The company also claims that its 120W standard is faster than competitors.

Last but not least, the RedMagic 6’s software will come with optimizations and tweaks for popular game titles, thanks to the brand’s partnership with Tencent Games.

Global Chip Shortage: Qualcomm’s supply for smartphones from Realme & Xiaomi affected

By

Sean

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Mar 1, 2021

The world is currently experiencing one of the worst shortages of semiconductors. Various industries ranging from the smartphone to even the automobile market has been affected by it, And now, senior officials of popular Chinese smartphone makers, Realme and Xiaomi, have commented on the matter and have even called it a major issue.

For those unaware, there is a shortage of chip supply across the globe, which has led to an issue of supply to various different segments. The shortages have led to a global rise in prices, and also a rise in chip stock values as well. But despite the supply being short, the demand for semiconductors are still on a rise. As per a Yicai report, smartphone chips are “completely out of stock.” The Realme executive stated that Qualcomm’s chips are out of stock due to supply issues with materials, power supply and radio frequency devices as well.

Back in February 2021, Lu Weibing, President of Xiaomi, also added that the current supply issue is not a simple one, but an extreme shortage. As per a source close to the smartphone supply chain, Qualcomm’s material deliveries for its chips have been delayed by more than 30 weeks. The delivery of its CSD Bluetooth audio chips have reached up to 33 weeks. Notably, this has caused other brands like Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and OnePlus, to raise their stocks of its smartphones related components, which has further aggravated the situation, straining chip suppliers that have their sites running at full capacity.

According to an industry analyst from Taiwan, “Currently, mobile phone processors, PMIC power management chips, and MCU microprocessor chips are all out of stock.” Similarly, Han Jinman, executive vice president of Samsung’s memory chip business, also stated that As the supply shortage of chip foundries has become a global problem, the supply of other semiconductor components may affect the demand for mobile devices.”

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