realme X7 and X7 Pro will get Android 11 beta update only in Q2 2021 in India

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Mar 6, 2021

Earlier last month, realme launched the realme X7 series in India consisting of two smartphones, namely realme X7 and realme X7 Pro. Despite getting released in February 2021, these phones debuted with realme UI based on Android 10. Now, a month after their announcement, the brand has finally revealed when these handsets will be updated to Android 11 (realme UI 2.0).

Both the realme X7 and realme X7 Pro sold in India are 5G smartphones powered by MediaTek SoCs. The former is a rebranded realme V15 5G, whereas the latter is the original device that was released in China last year.

These phones start at ₹19,999 and go up to ₹29,999. In other words, they are expensive than the Indian smartphone market’s average ASP. But that’s fine as these devices not only offer 5G but also other goodies.

However, India does not have 5G networks. Even if the latest mobile networks go live by the end of 2021, it may take years to reach most parts of the country. Hence, buyers of the realme X7 series will need to hold on to their handset for a long time.

But the problem is that realme X7 and realme X7 Pro may not get software support for that long. According to the updated realme UI 2.0 update timeline, these devices will start receiving Android 11 beta builds only in Q2 2021.

So that could be anytime from April to June. This means the stable update will be rolling out even later. Considering these factors, we can expect realme to provide one more major update in the form of Android 12 (or realme UI 3.0).

Hence, basically, users only get to experience a single new Android release. Hopefully, realme or any other brands for that matter stop launching new smartphones with older software.

realme narzo 20 is only the second realme phone to get Android 11 stable update in India

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 6, 2021

Chinese smartphone maker realme unveiled realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11 in September 2020. Just like the previous iteration, the new version of the band’s mobile software is basically a tweaked variant of the latest ColorOS 11. The company’s realme narzo 20 is one of the many eligible devices for this update. It has now finally begun to get the stable release.

Although realme has been seeding realme UI 2.0 beta builds to select eligible handsets since last September, only a single phone called realme X50 Pro 5G is on the stable build. But not anymore.

Because the brand has finally started rolling out realme UI 2.0 stable build for the realme narzo 20. Hence, this device has now become only the second realme smartphone to get the Android 11 stable update in India. For those unaware, this phone has been receiving beta builds since late November 2020.

It’s sad that though realme offers some good hardware for affordable price tags, the company’s software support is subpar. One of the firm’s old handset known as realme C2 got its Android 10 (realme UI) update only recently.

But credit where credit’s due, realme is good at proving security patches, unlike Xiaomi. The latter, however, is much better at supporting its devices for over a long time with multiple MIUI and Android updates even for budget models.

That said, the realme UI 2.0 (Android 11) stable update for realme narzo 20 comes with build number RMX2193_11.C.06. The update is currently rolling out in batches for users on the latest beta release as well as select stable channel users who are on build version RMX2193_11.A.25.

The update may take time to reach your unit. But you can head over to Settings > Software Update to check whether your phone has received it yet.

OPPO Reno5 K pricing confirmed, goes on sale from today

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 6, 2021

OPPO announced the OPPO Reno5 K smartphone in China on Feb. 25 in China. At that time, the company did not confirm its pricing and availability. The Reno5 K has finally gone on sale in China starting from today. It has arrived with a starting price of 2,699 Yuan (~$415).

OPPO Reno5 K pricing

The OPPO Reno5 K variants such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage are priced at 2,699 Yuan (~$415) and 2,999 Yuan (~$461) in China. The handset is now listed for purchase through multiple Chinese retailer platforms such as OPPO China’s online store, Tmall, JD.com, and so on. It comes in two color options such as Green Breeze and, Starry Dream, and Night Black.

OPPO Reno5 K specifications

The OPPO Reno5 K has a 6.43-inch AMOLED screen with a punch-hole design. It supports FHD+ resolution, a 20:9 aspect ratio, a 90Hz refresh rate, and an in-screen fingerprint scanner.

The OPPO Reno5 K is driven by the Snapdragon 750G chipset with LPPDR4x RAM and UFS 2.1 storage. It has a 4,300mAh battery with 65W fast charging support. It boots to Android 11 OS and ColorOS 11.

The Reno5 K has a 32-megapixel front-facing camera. Its quad-camera setup has a 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, a 2-megapixel macro lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.

The OPPO Reno5 K is a new chipset version of the Snapdragon 765G powered Reno5 5G smartphone that debuted back in December 2020 in China.

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OPPO A94 for ~$299 brings 6.43-inch display, Helio P95, 48MP quad cameras, and 30W fast charging

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 6, 2021

OPPO has silently launched a new A-series smartphone called the OPPO A94 in UAE. The smartphone is now listed on OPPO UAE’s website with full specifications.

OPPO A94 specifications and features

The OPPO A94 has a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with a hole-punch design. It offers a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, a regular refresh rate of 60Hz, up to 180Hz touch sampling rate, 409ppi pixel density, and 92 percent DCI-P3 color gamut, and 430nits brightness. The phone offers a screen-to-body ratio of 90.80 percent. It sports a slim profile of 7.8 grams and weighs 172 grams.

The OPPO A94 has a front camera of 32-megapixel that supports features like time-lapse, selfie beautification, night mode, and portrait mode. It can shoot 1080p videos at 30fps with EIS support. The large-size camera island placed on the backside of the device has a 48-megapixel primary camera, an 8-megapixel wide-angle lens with 119-degree FOV, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth assist lens. The rear cameras offer features like portrait mode, time-lapse, portrait mode, panorama, night mode, EIS, 4K video shooting at 30fps, and 1080p slow-motion videos at 120fps.

The MediaTek Helio P95 chipset along with 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM fuels the OPP A94. The phone ships with 128 GB of UFS 2.0 storage and it has a microSD card slot. The device is backed by a 4,310mAh battery that supports 30W VOOC Charge fast charging. The OPPO A94 runs on ColorOS 11.1 based Android 11 OS. It offers other features such as dual SIM, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C, an in-screen fingerprint sensor, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

The OPPO A94 is expected to get rebranded as OPPO Reno5 F in some markets like Kenya. In India, the same device is expected to launch as an F19 series phone on March 8.

OPPO A94 price and availability

Multiple e-commerce sites in UAE including Amazon UAE has listed the OPPO A94 for AED 1,099 (~$299). It comes in two colors like Fluid Black and Fantasy Purple.

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Xiaomi Mi 10S moniker appears in multiple listings at JD, likely to launch this month

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 6, 2021

Last month, three Xiaomi devices with model numbers M2012J2SC, M2012K11AC, and M2012K11C at TENAA and 3C certification platforms. The M2012K11AC and M2012K11C have already gone official as the Redmi K40 and Redmi K40 Pro, respectively. It is speculated that the M2012J2SC may launch this month a new version of the Xiaomi Mi 10 handset from last year. Some reports claimed that the device may go official with the Xiaomi Mi 10S moniker. Multiple listings of the Mi 10S have appeared on JD.com, which indicates that the device may arrive with the rumored moniker.

None of the listings of the Xiaomi Mi 10S are official, meaning they are from third-party retailers. JD.com is known for listing upcoming smartphones with a placeholder image having a red-colored cloth over a phone. None of the listings have the specifications of the Mi 10S.

The TENAA images of the alleged Mi 10S revealed that it will borrow its front design from the Xiaomi Mi 10 5G and its rear appearance from the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra. As far as specs are concerned, it is said to arrive with the Snapdragon 870. Recently, the handset was spotted with an SD870 chip and 8 GB of RAM at the Geekbench benchmarking platform.

The 3C appearance of the purported Xiaomi MI 10S revealed that it may carry support for 33W fast charging. The TENAA listing revealed that it has a 6.67-inch display, a 4,680mAh rated battery, and Android 11 OS. The display features curved edges and a hole-punch at the top-left corner. Rumors are rife that its other specs could be identical to the Mi 10 5G.

Xiaomi MI 10 5G specifications

Debuted back in February 2020, the Xiaomi Mi 10 5G has a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display that offers a Full HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. It has a front camera of 20-megapixel and its rear camera setup has a 108-megapixel primary camera, a 13-megapixel ultrawide lens, a 2-megapixel macro lens, and a 2-megapixel depth. It is backed by a 4,780mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging. It features Snapdragon 865, LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.0 storage, and an in-screen fingerprint scanner.

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Amazfit T-Rex Pro pricing and hands-on video leaked ahead of launch

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 6, 2021

Huami‘s premium sports watch, the Amazfit T-Rex may get a successor soon. The successor which will bear the moniker Amazfit T-Rex Pro has been the subject of a couple of leaks in recent times driving speculations that the launch is imminent. A comprehensive unboxing video of the T-Rex Pro has now appeared on YouTube.

Also, a screenshot of the official Amazfit EU listing for the T-Rex Pro that is yet to go live has leaked on Twitter. The wearable device will be sold for €169,90. The T-Rex is presently listed on Amazfit website for €139,90.

The video shows the T-Rex Pro still retains the same packaging as well as design as its predecessor. The Pro version however, is said to feature a newer BioTracker 2 PPG sensor and a higher waterproof rating. Recall that the T-Rex has a waterproof rating of 5ATM but the T-Rex Pro rating is 10ATM which means the watch is truly waterproof and good for most watersports like swimming, sailing and snorkeling in shallow water.

Other specifications include a 1.3-inch AMOLED display with a resolutionof 360 x 360p and 277PPI. The display is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 as well as an oleophobic coating. It also comes with a 3-axis acceleration sensor, 3-axis gyroscope,
Geomagnetic sensor, Altimeter, GPS, and now, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo navigation systems. It equally supports Bluetooth 5.0 BLE.

We also expects the T-Rex Pro to run on a new operating system based on RTOS. Under the hood, there is a 390mAh battery. On the T-Rex, Huami claims it offer up to 20 days of battery life on a single charge. With the software improvements, we expect the battery life to be longer.

An earlier leak suggests the upcoming smartwatch will be available in three colors – black, gray, and green. We think the camouflage version looked cool and Huami won’t likely skip that.

You can check the hands-on video below before it gets pulled down.

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Alleged specs of the Snapdragon 775 chipset leaked showing a 5nm build

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 6, 2021

Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon 765 and 765G as upper mid-range chipsets used on models such as the OPPO Reno 5 Pro 5G, Redmi K30, OnePlus Nord, Pixel 5, ZTE Blade 20 Pro, and Vivo V20 Pro among others. There are indications that the US fabless chipmaker is working on a Snapdragon 775 chipset.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 — Qualcomm chip with logo

Some details of the Snapdragon 775 and 775G were reportedly spotted in a group chat on the Telegram forum Xiaomiui (via). A list purported to contain the specifications of the Snapdragon 775 and 775G was shared in the group showing the chipsets will be manufactured using the current 5nm process.

The Snapdragon 775 series is not new in the rumor mill. Last year, it was rumored that the chipset will be manufactured using the 6nm process. The chip was even tipped to feature onboard the Redmi K40 in Q4 2020. The Redmi K40 was released recently and didn’t feature the Snapdragon 775.

The 5nm build process, if true, will offer faster and more power-efficient performance compared to the 7nm build which the Snapdragon 765 series utilized. The 5nm process is only utilized by the Snapdragon 800-series and that will bring the SD775 closer in terms of performance and power efficiency.

We can’t vouch for the authenticity of these details but XDA’s sources say the sheet looks like a genuine slide from an internal Qualcomm document but appears to be an outdated version. Thus, it is possible Qualcomm may have effected a change in the name considering how the Snapdragon 888 moniker took us all by surprise.

There are rumours that the Snapdragon 775 may be used on the upcoming Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite. The smartphone is expected to launch any moment from now. So, we may not have to wait for too long before the chipset is announced.

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Vertu Ayxta Fold 5G foldable phone launched in China as a rebadged Royole Flexpai 2

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 6, 2021

Fans of foldable smartphones have something to be excited about, with the release of the Vertu Ayxta Fold 5G. Vertu is well known for its luxury customizations and it has taken that craft to foldable phones.

The Ayxta Fold 5G is merely a customized version of the Royole Flexpai 2. It retains the original design and specs lineup of the Flexpai 2 includng the Snapdragon 865 chip, but sees some changes including a new operating system, leather-covered back cover, and a number of fashionable additions to make the phone a fashion statement. It could well be an important part of the accessories of the fashionista.

But it comes at a high price. The Vertu Ayxta Fold 5G is listed on Jingdong (JD.com) in China for over 45,000 Yuan (about $7,000), which is well on the high end of the spectrum.

This foldable luxury smartphone has the same general specifications at par with a number of quite less expensive models which include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB internal storage, a 7.8 inches display screen, and others. The Vertu Ayxta Fold 5G has a 64 MP main camera and a 32 MP selfie cam.

The justification for the cost of the luxury smartphone may just be because it could serve as a fashion accessory for its users. However, the critical components of the smartphone including an operating system based on Android 10 could be a reason why a few may stay away from having it.

It remains to be seen how the Chinese high-end fashionable segment would react to the entry of the Ayxta Fold 5G into the market.

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India scores massive growth in wearable shipments in 2020, IDC report shows

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 5, 2021

In a clear indication of significant growth, driven by the increasing acceptance of earwear devices and upgrades to watches from wrist bands globally, the Indian smart wearables market has eclipsed its 2019 performance by posting a stronger result for 2020.

These are indeed good times for the wearables market in India, as a recent report from IDC indicated that the segment witnessed an overall estimated growth of about 144% in 2020 from the previous year, 2019. This was due to shipments of over 36 million units abroad.

The IDC report also hinted that earwear device shipments more than tripled from 2019 due mainly to their popular use for virtual meetings and other e-learning processes, and this accounted for a huge chunk (83.6%) of the total. This is equivalent to over 30 million unit shipments in 2020.

The report puts domestic firm BoAt as the top producer of wearables with higher shipments (33.3%), followed by Samsung with 14.5%.

Wristbands experienced a steep decline of 34.3% from 2019, due mainly to the rising popularity of alternative watches. Xiaomi and Realme are the leaders in this segment.

On the other hand, Watches saw a 139.3% growth above the 2019 numbers, with 2.6 million shipments. Noise and Realme are the leaders in the watch segment of the market.

The last quarter recorded the biggest quarterly figures for wearables in India. Overall, an estimated 15.2 million units were shipped in Q4 of 2020, thereby outclassing its 2019 performance by 198.2%. This was the first quarter when shipments of watches exceeded a million units (1.3 million units were shipped).In his outlook review of the Indian wearables market, Jaipal Singh, an executive at IDC India said that the year 2020 saw a fundamental shift in the audio segment from wired to wireless devices, with further development expected along the same line in 2021, as an enhanced audio experience has become the centerpiece for OEMs.

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Realme 8 Pro appears on FCC with a 4500mAh battery and 65W charging support

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 5, 2021

It is also confirmed that Realme has got the Realme 8 and 8 Pro smartphones in the works. The company already shared a couple of teasers which gave us an idea of what to expect on the Realme 7 series successor. The Realme 8 Pro has now appeared on FCC’s website to shed more light on the device.

According to the FCC listing, the Realme 8 Pro 4G, listed as Realme RMX3081, will arrive with a 4500mAh battery as well as 65W fast charging suppport. Earlier on, Realme CEO Madhav Sheth had hinted that the vanilla Realme 8 will pack a bigger 5000mAh battery with 30W Dart Charge. Although the 8 Pro has a smaller battery, it features faster charging which will ensure you don’t stay out of juice for too long.

The 65W charging support shown on the FCC document is consistent with the specs for the company’s SuperDart chargers. Again, the battery configuration is similar to that of last year’s Realme 7 Pro. If we should rely on that, then the device will charge from zero to full charge in just 34 minutes while just 10 minutes charging will deliver up to 43% battery capacity.

Realme recently coonfirmed the camera specification of the Reame 8 Pro 4G and the main highlight is the 108MP Samsung HM2 1/1.52″ primary sensor from last year which will be onboard. The sensor will have support for 9-in-1 pixel binning and ISOCELL Plus. The camera is positioned to output superb images that have well-balanced overall exposure with vivid colors and sharp details in both bright and dark conditions thanks to a new Smart-ISO feature.

The smartphone is also expected to run Realme UI 2.0 out of the box which is based on Android 11 OS. It is also rumoured that the 8 Pro 4G will be powered by a Snapdragon 730G.

We still don’ know when Realme will officially unveil the 8-seires. However, we expect an announcement to that effect soon.

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After Galaxy Buds Live, Samsung Galaxy Buds+ TWS gets the ‘Auto Switching’ via Firmware update

By

Balaji S

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Mar 5, 2021

Samsung Galaxy Buds+ wireless earbuds is getting a new firmware update. And as Tizenhelp reports, the update adds multiple features of the Galaxy Buds Pro TWS to the yesteryear Buds+.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ is getting the update with firmware version R175XXU0AUB3. Weighing about 1.4MB in size, the update brings the following features to the Galaxy Buds+:

Changelog:

Auto Switching
Buds control menu is added to the Bluetooth setting
improved system stability and readability.

As you can see above, the star feature of the changelog is the ‘Auto Switching’. As the name suggests, this feature will enable intelligent switching across devices with respect to the scenarios.

However, do note that it works well only with Galaxy ecosystem products. The Galaxy Buds Pro had this feature at launch and it is appreciable that Samsung is bringing it to the older Galaxy Buds+ wireless earbuds. Also, the feature is said to currently support only the devices running One UI 3.1 version.

This is not the first earbuds that are getting a feature from the latest ones. Recently, Samsung has updated the Galaxy Buds Live and its firmware version is R180XXU0AUB5 and weighs about 2MB.

Coming back, apart from the Auto Switching, the Galaxy Buds+ is also getting a Buds menu control on the Bluetooth settings. As a result of this, users can now control its options right from the settings menu and not wanting to peek at the Galaxy wearable app every time.

It’s also worth noting that the Galaxy Buds+ doesn’t get the hearing aid functionality that the Buds Live got along with the Auto Switching. To delve into these features, you will have to update the Galaxy Buds+ to the latest firmware mentioned above.

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OPPO Find X3 Live image leaked, could start at 5,499 yuan($847) in China

By

Balaji S

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Mar 5, 2021

There is still a week’s time for the launch of the OPPO Find X3 series but the devices’ specs and features have already been leaked. Now, China starting price and live image of the Find X3 have been leaked.

OPPO Find X3 Pro renders Credit: WinFuture.de/Roland Quandt

As spotted by Abhishek Yadav, two Weibo users have posted the updates(Live image, starting Price) for the OPPO Find X3 series. As you can see below, the Find X3 teaser appears on an e-commerce app, and on the microsite, the Starting price in China is quoted as 5,499 yuan($847).

This when converted, works out to be about €709 euros which is falling in line with the early price leak for Europe. Now, we aren’t sure if this is for the bottom-most Find X3 Neo or the Find X3 / X3 Pro.

This is because the top-of-the-line OPPO Find X3 Pro is expected to start around €1000 in Europe and go all the way up around €1200(€1149 for the 256GB variant). Although, China’s pricing could be competitive, and hence, wait for the official word to know the final prices.

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Moving on, another Weibo user has posted an alleged Live image of the OPPO Find X3 in Blue color. He mentions the device as the Find X3 but the images are similar to the Find X3 Pro whose official renders were revealed by Roland Quandt a few days back.

There are reports that OPPO is said to unveil a Snapdragon 870 powered OPPO Find X3 in China and this could carry the same looks as the Find X3 Pro. In that case, the device is likely to share some specs from the ‘Pro’ variant.

If you aren’t aware of the specs and features of the OPPO Find X3 series, you can read our coverage on the same.

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Razer launches the Anzu smart glasses integrated with truly wireless audio

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 5, 2021

Razer continues to blaze the trail in terms of innovation. The company has just announced its latest smart glasses dubbed Razer Anzu smart glasses. The glasses come integrated with audio speakers just like those of Bose and Amazon.

The Razer Anzu smart glasses are more than just ordinary glasses just like the name suggests even though it performs as an anti-blue light or sunglasses with 99 percent UV protection. The clear glasses offer up to 35 per cent blockage against blue light while the sunglasses protect against Ultraviolet rays as stated.

The Razer Anzu uses a truly wireless design which sees it come with two audio speakers that are independent of each other and don’t need to be connected to each other. The design allows for improved comfort and flexibility. Interestingly, you will have to charge both temples at the same time. Razer included pogo pins on each of the temples.

Razer is also partnering with Lensabl to give a 15 percent discount to Anzu buyers who would want to use the frame for their prescription lenses. Each of the speakers is fitted with a 16mm driver. The temples each come with touch-responsive tap gestures controls on either temple that will let you change tracks, answer calls, or activate a voice assistant. The Anzu glasses carry an IPX4 water resistance rating which means they can handle splashes but not heavy rainfall. Razer says it has cut Bluetooth latency down to 60ms.

The Anzu glasses come with a Bluetooth latency of 60ms and automatically power down when folded shut. This is a power-saving feature and when it is opened again, it pairs with the last device. The battery supports up to five hours of continuous playback and the sound is loud as well. It also comes with a leatherette case that is equipped with a magnetic latch and flap for storing the charging cable or extra lenses.

The Anzu smart glasses carry a price tag of $199.99 and available in rectangular and round frames. It is up for grabs from Razer.com and physical RazerStore locations.

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Super Deal: Buy Alfawise Sonic Electric Toothbrush for $16.99 (Additional $1 Coupon)

By

Daily Deals

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Mar 5, 2021

Gearbest is giving out Alfawise SG – 949 Sonic electric toothbrush for $16.99 with an additional $1 discount via coupon code: GBSG9490508 (Original Price $19.88).

WHERE TO BUY

Alfawise SG Sonic Toothbrush at $16.99 @ Gearbest

Alfawise Electric Sonic toothbrush brings you a unique and innovative brushing experience. This advanced sonic toothbrush comes with a vibration frequency of 4000 sonic strokes per minute and a 2-minute smart timer. The mini head made with high-quality DuPont nylon bristles helps to clean the hard-to-reach areas and 5 optional brushing modes like white, clean, polish, massage, etc help to meet your different dental care needs.

The electric toothbrush comes with a simple USB interface charging and can last up to 25 days with one single charge. The light and compact design make it easy to carry in your pouch or travel case.

Alfawise SG – 949 Sonic electric toothbrush which usually retails at $19.88 is now available for $16.99 at Gearbest. Also, an additional $1 discount can be availed by using the coupon code: GBSG9490508. The abovementioned offers are for shipments from the CN warehouse and additional delivery charges may be applicable for the same.

For more information on such exciting deals and offers check out our deals hub.

Indian Telecom giant Reliance Jio prepping an affordable laptop ‘JioBook’ for the masses: Report

By

Balaji S

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Mar 5, 2021

Reliance Jio is working on a number of products in addition to strengthening its network in India. Apart from working on a budget smartphone in partnership with Google, it is reportedly prepping an Android laptop for the masses.

In an exclusive report, XDADevelopers say that Reliance Jio is working on a laptop with cellular connectivity. Apparently, it could launch as the JioBook and run Google’s Android OS. Jio’s partnership with Google goes a long way from 2020 and beyond. The Alphabet-owned company has already invested in the Jio Platforms Ltd for a 7.73% equity stake.

Additionally, it is working with the Jio to develop a $50 Android smartphone for the Indian market. Coming back, according to evidences found on an early firmware, the OS on the JioBook may be called JioOS.

Unlike early talks, the laptop’s CPU seems to be based on ARM-platform and the current prototype is said to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset. The development for this seems to have begun in Sep. 2020 and Jio is partnering with China’s Bluebank Communication technology.

And talking about the EVT design shown above, although the test version has a keyboard with a ‘Windows’ function key, it could get replaced in the final version. This is because the Snapdragon 665 isn’t on the list of “Windows 10 on ARM” supported Qualcomm chipsets.

Reliance Jio’s ‘JioBook’ Laptop – Specs(Expected)

Talking about cellular connectivity, the Snapdragon X12 modem on the Snapdragon 665 could help Jio spread the ‘always-connected’ 4G LTE tagline and sell the laptops & expand its network more.

As for specs, the product, which is currently in the EVT stage(Engineering Validation Test), reportedly has a display with a resolution of 1366×768 pixels(HD-display), 2GB/4GB LPDDR4x RAM, and 32GB eMMC and 64GB eMMC 5.1 storage.

The company seems to be opting for the cheaper components like Samsung‘s combined mobile DRAM and NAND chips. This could be a step to price the laptop very low and make it affordable for everyone.

Either way, other possible specs include HDMI port, Qualcomm audio chip(could be for 3.5mm audio/mic & speaker), 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 3-axis accelerometer.

JioBook Software

As mentioned above, the firmware reveals that the JioBook test version ran a version of Android 10 OS. Also, to cut down the cost of licensing, the JioBook might skip pre-installing the Google Apps but will likely be loaded with JioStore, JioMeet, JioPages, and more.

The report says that evidences of Microsoft apps like Microsoft Teams, Edge, and Office were also spotted on the test version. This suggests that Jio might be targeting the productivity and business segment too.

Talking about the launch, the EVT is said to transition into the PVT(Production Validation Test) by April and the JioBook laptop will likely be unveiled in India in May. In that case, we are sure to get more details in the coming months.

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Samsung Galaxy A71 is being directly updated to One UI 3.1 (Android 11) from One UI 2.5

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 5, 2021

The Galaxy A71 was one of the best-selling Samsung smartphones in 2021. It debuted with One UI 2.0 based on Android 10. Being a popular device, it got almost all the new features from the company throughout last year with numerous software updates. Now, the handset has even started receiving the Android 11-based One UI 3.1 update.

Samsung has been delivering stable One UI 3.0 (Android 11) update for eligible devices worldwide since December 2020. In fact, the company has been pushing the update well ahead of schedule for multiple devices.

However, the Galaxy A71 did not get this update when its sibling Galaxy A51 began to receive it. Now, as the South Korean tech giant has started seeing One UI 3.1 minor update (debuted on the Galaxy S21 series) to its portfolio, the Galaxy A71 is being updated to this version directly from One UI 2.5, just like the Galaxy Tab S6.

The One UI 3.1 update for the Galaxy A71 is currently live in Poland, as per SamMobile. The software build for this region comes with firmware A715FXXU3BUB5 and February 2021 security patches. The OTA update weighs around 2.7GB.

That said, we expect the firm to extend the availability of this update to more regions in the coming days. If you own this device, then head over to Settings > Software update > Download and install to check whether your device has received the update.

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ASUS ROG Phone 5 sets a new record in Master Lu benchmarks

By

Balaji S

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Mar 5, 2021

ASUS ROG Phone 5 is set to launch in China and other Global markets on March 10. It has already appeared in several leaks including benchmarking sites like Geekbench. Today the device has appeared on the Master Lu benchmarking platform.

Master Lu, in a Weibo post, has shared the benchmarking results of an ASUS device with model number “ASUS_I005DB”. We already know that the device is the ASUS ROG Phone 5 thanks to the previous leaks. Anyway, the results show that the device scores an overall 947,284 points.

And as the post says, this has got to be the best overall Master Lu score for a smartphone yet. Thanks to a true 18GB RAM, the device scores an exceptional 133,998 points in the memory segment. The other overall scores in categories like CPU, GPU, storage are 321,064, 351,767, and 140,455 respectively.

With this benchmark, we also get a glimpse of the specs coming on the ROG Phone 5. The device in testing has a 2.84GHz Snapdragon 888 running the show, a display resolution of 2448×1080 pixels, and 18GB of RAM that we already saw in a Geekbench.

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Speaking of which, the ROG Phone 5 is said to flaunt a 6.78-inch OLED screen. And looking at the benchmark result, we can expect it to be a FHD+ screen. The predecessor had a 144Hz refresh rate but let’s wait and see if ASUS brings upgrades to this like what Nubia did yesterday(Mar 4.).

An exclusive DXOMARK audio review has already revealed that the ROG Phone 5 will have a 3.5mm audio jack, Dual-Front facing speakers with Dirac tuning technology. Other specs of the will likely include Dot-Matrix LED on the rear panel, a 6,000mAh battery with 65W rapid charging.

There is a chance that ASUS might bring a more affordable version(without Dot-Matrix) to certain markets but we will have to wait for the confirmation.

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OnePlus India is offering discounts on Buds, Buds Z, and Power Bank for a limited time

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 5, 2021

Last month, OnePlus India was selling a special bundle called OnePlus Band Power Music Bundle for a limited time. It was part of the company’s OnePlus Friday offers. A couple of weeks later, the brand is now offering discounts on select products, starting today (March 5) to the coming Monday (March 8).

OnePlus India is calling the new sale ‘The Final Horizon Sale’. The company has discounted some of its products to promote its upcoming event scheduled for March 8. The brand is expected to officially announce its partnership with the iconic Swedish camera maker Hasselblad for the OnePlus 9 series.

Anyway, coming to the deals, the firm has discounted the OnePlus Power Bank, OnePlus Buds, and OnePlus Buds Z respectively. They are on sale for the following price tags on the company’s official website.

Product	Selling Price	Discount	Sale Price
OnePlus Power Bank	₹1,099	₹211	₹888
OnePlus Buds	₹4,990	₹499	₹4,491
OnePlus Buds Z	₹2,999	₹150	₹2,849

As you can notice from the table above, OnePlus seems to be teasing the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC with the sale price of OnePlus Power Bank. We could not decipher the other hints. Or maybe, ₹888 could be a coincidence.

That said, as mentioned in the beginning, these products will be sold at discounted prices only until March 8. So make sure to make use of this deal if you were planning to buy any of them.

Porsche unveils its first pair of electric bikes but the prices will rip your pockets

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 5, 2021

German carmaker Porsche unveiled its latest electric vehicle – the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo yesterday. The company also took the wraps off two full-suspension electric bikes. The bikes which will start selling this spring are the brand’s first electric bicycles.

The e-bikes are dubbed Porsche Sport and Porsche Cross electric bikes, designed for different usage scenarios. While the Porsche Sport is a regular road bike for everyday use, while the Cross is an off-road bike.

in terms of the design, the Porsche Sport e-bike comes with a full-suspension carbon fiber frame and weighs less than 48 pounds. It is also has integrated front and rear lights while it is driven by a Shimano mid-drive motor. The Sport comes with a hefty price tag of about $10,700.

On its part, the off-roading adventure-designed Porsche Cross also packs a Shimano mid-drive and a carbon fiber frame. It also comes with full suspension which allows a comfortable drive even on a bumpy road. For braking, the Cross comes with a Magura-MT Trail hydraulic disc brakes that are extra-large and “heat resistant.” The bike is slightly heavier at 48.7 pounds and carries a price tag of $8,549.

The two bikes utilize the Shimano EP8 motor which is smaller than previous versions but provides up to 25 km/h of pedal-assisted support. Both bikes will be up for grabs from spring 2021.

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China to raise annual R&D investment by 7% every year as per new 5 year plan

By

Sean

-

Mar 5, 2021

China is planning on increasing its investment into its annual research and development by 7 percent every year, over the course of a five year period. The government made the announcement last week, in its report from the Fourth Session of the 13th Nationa People’s Congress.

According to a Reuters report, the Chinese government will be increasing its spending on basic research by 10.6 percent this year alone. The surge in investment also showcases the nation’s commitment to further advance its tech sector, which arrives due to the various clashes between China and the US, and other nations as well, over technology policies. The local government also highlighted that it will focus on seven ey segments in its five year plan.

These areas include, ‘next-generation artificial intelligence, quantum information, brain science, semiconductors, genetic research and biotechnology, clinical medicine and health, and deep space, deep sea, and polar exploration.’ Furthermore, it further added that it would also seek to establish more national laboratories to research quantum information and artificial intelligence as well. Additionally, the government will be encouraging companies to open up data in areas ranging from search, e-commerce, along with social media as well, to support third party data services.

It would also focus on improving its channels for domestic companies going public. On the other hand, the government would be supporting foreign funded companies to set up their own research and development centers in China as well. A few other areas it seeks to expand on are the electric vehicle sector and 5G networking. The nation is aiming to achieve 56 percent 5G penetration within the next five years.

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