Redmi K40 Pro+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21: Specs Comparison

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Mar 3, 2021

In spite of a very turbulent 2020, coupled with a very vicious sanction regime that had negatively impacted its fortunes, global tech powerhouse Huawei is still high at the leaderboard as far as global 5G technology patents are concerned.

Some industry insiders have said that the US was seriously threatened by the meteoric pace of Huawei in 5G technology and had to act decisively to thwart the growth of the company along these lines. The restrictions notwithstanding, Huawei has continued to develop 5G technology by navigating through the maze of problems that ensued in the aftermath of the US ban.

In a clear indication of its leadership of the 5G race, the list of global patents for 5G technology compiled by IPlytics showed that Huawei is the leading company and accounts for more than 15% of active patents globally as at February 2021. US chipmaker Qualcomm has the next highest number of active patents. Manufacturers from South Korea, as well as Chinese company ZTE also are at the top of the list provided by IPlytics.

However, the process of granting patents is a very rigorous one and the list may be updated when new patents are registered. Patents can take years from application to when the patent is actually granted, so the rankings as compiled by IPlytics are the culmination of serious work in R&D by the companies.

Huawei also tops the global ranking with the most 5G applications overall. The performance of the Chinese tech powerhouse amidst a very large field of powerful competitors from the US, Europe, and South Korea, coupled with its own scars from the US shutdown, maybe the cloud with a silver lining for the company, as it continues to diversify its core operations to meet the challenges of remaining viable.

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Twitter Spaces designed to rival Clubhouse now available for Android

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Mar 3, 2021

Social networking giant Twitter has now introduced its Spaces audio chat room feature to its Android app, making it possible for Android users to join live Spaces from the top of their timeline while using the Android app. Twitter also says that Android users will soon be able to host their own spaces as well.

The expansion of Spaces into the Android universe is coming on the heels of further expansion of Twitter, as the company started testing voice DMs in the Indian subcontinent, Brazil, and Japan. These moves are expected to further position the social networking platform for greater functionality and customer retention.

The Spaces functionality is still under testing, therefore it is the beta version that is available on Android, but Twitter users on Android would not need to install the Twitter beta app in order to join a room. Rather, users will see the Live Spaces feature at the top of their timeline.

For now, Android users will be unable to host their own Spaces, but Twitter has promised to incorporate this feature very soon.

The clear opponent of Spaces is the Clubhouse and Twitter may have just pipped it in the race with the current Android rollout. Presently Clubhouse is only compatible with iOS, and will not allow users to join without being invited. Clubhouse co-founder Paul Davidson though has insisted that the Android version of the app is the “top feature” that his team is currently working on.

Twitter introduced Spaces as a “new social experience” in December 2020. It was initially limited to a “very small feedback group” of underrepresented voices and available only on iOS.

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The 8-model strong Redmi K30 series sold a total of 11 million units

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Mar 3, 2021

The Redmi K40 series was announced last week with three models in total – the Redmi K40, the Redmi K40 Pro, and the Redmi K40 Pro+. That is a lot fewer than the 8 models of its predecessor, the Redmi K30, but we won’t rule out the possibility of more models launching in the future.

Talking about the Redmi K30, it was revealed at the launch event last week that a total of 11 million units were sold. For a series with 8 models, there is an ongoing debate if that figure can be considered a success or not. Nevertheless, that figure is more than double the five million units recorded for the pioneer, the Redmi K20 series, which has three models in total.

All models of the Redmi K30 series

It appears Xiaomi/Redmi‘s new strategy to boost sales is to launch several models for a particular series. It already split the main Mi flagship series into two with the launch of the global markets-exclusive T-series which are actually rebadged versions of China-exclusive models. Last year’s Redmi 9 and Redmi Note 9 series also have more models than their predecessors and we expect their successors will follow the same pattern.

By launching several models, Xiaomi/Redmi provides buyers with several options to choose from and this helps with increased sales as there is a high chance that at least one of the models will tick all the boxes of a buyer.

What do you think about this strategy? Let us know in the comment box.

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Samsung Galaxy Xcover 5 leak includes full spec sheet and renders

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Mar 3, 2021

Samsung’s Galaxy Xcover line of rugged smartphones is pretty popular in select markets. Samsung is expected to launch a new model soon called the Galaxy Xcover 5. While a launch date is yet to be announced, a leak has revealed what the phone looks like along with its specifications.

First published by Winfuture.de, the German blog reports that the Galaxy Xcover 5 will have a 5.3-inch display, making it one of the Android phones with the smallest displays released this year. Don’t expect a really small form factor as the images show that the phone has pretty thick bezels. The resolution of the screen is 1480 x 720 which translates into a 16:9 aspect ratio and there is a sheet of Gorilla Glass 6 over it. For the back panel, the phone has textured plastic with corners that are reinforced to absorb shocks from falls.

Samsung will ship the Xcover 5 with an Exynos 850 processor. The octa-core processor has a clock speed of 2.0GHz and is paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage. According to the source, there is a possibility that there will be other memory variants.

There is a single camera on the back of the phone – a 16MP f/1.8 camera with a red ring around it and two LEDs for flash positioned directly underneath. The front-facing camera is a 5MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture

The Exynos 850 is not a 5G processor, so what you get is support for 4G LTE networks. There are spaces for two nano-SIM cards and both can be set to 4G. The phone also has Bluetooth 5.0, support for 5GHz Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, USB-C, and an audio jack. This is a rugged phone, so it has an IP68 waterproof rating and is MIL-STD 810G certified. There is no fingerprint scanner but you get face recognition.

Samsung ships the Xcover 5 with a removable 3000mAh battery that supports 15W fast charging. Thankfully, the device will run Android 11 out of the box and will be available in Graphite Black in Europe when it launches later this month. The Galaxy Xcover 3 weighs 172 grams and measures 147.1 x 71.6 x 9.2 millimeters. It is expected to cost between €289 and €299.

If you are wondering why the Galaxy Xcover 5 has worse specs than the Galaxy Xcover Pro that was launched in January 2020, that is because this a successor to the 2017 Galaxy Xcover 4. There is no news of a successor for the Xcover Pro but it is still the best Xcover phone you can get right now.

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Man buys PS5 & had it installed as a 5G router by a Sony staff to deceive his wife

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Mar 3, 2021

When Sony unveiled the Playstation 5 last year, the design of the console was one of the most discussed aspects of the product. The PlayStation 5 adopted a refreshed design which could see it laid flat or propped up tower-style with a stand. One thing which everyone seems to agree on is that the console looks like a router, among other things. One smart alec is reported to have exploited this feature to his advantage in a funny manner. Read on to find out how.

Stories making the rounds in the Vietnamese Facebook group – Vietnam Gaming Setup is that a family man who wanted a PS5 but didn’t want the wife to find out had the console installed as a 5G WIFI router. The man is said to have instructed the guy from Sony who was going to install the console to dress up in the uniform of a local network service provider Viettel. They didn’t stop there, a sticker of the network’s after-sales service contact was posted on the side of the PS5 to further douse any suspicion the wife might have.

Perhaps, the wife is opposed to his gaming habits so he told her the device is a 5G WiFi router. Smart? I don’t think so. We doubt if it will take long before the wife finds out about it. Moreso, the idea of splashing pictures of the adventure on social media isn’t a good idea after all as the post has since gone viral.

This isn’t the first time someone is trying this sort of stunt. The last one we heard of backfired as the man was forced to sell the console for cheap. The Taiwanese man is reported to have lied to the wife that the newly purchased PS5 console was an air purifier. Indeed, the console can pass for an air purifier. However, the wife soon found out and had him sell it to a lucky buyer who not only got it at a cheaper price but also at a time when the PS5 is still hard to come by.

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Vivo’s new wireless neckband-style headphones has 18 hours of battery life

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Mar 3, 2021

Alongside the Vivo S9 and Vivo S9e, Vivo also announced a new pair of wireless headphones today. The new headset has a neckband style, is lightweight, and boasts an impressive battery life.

Vivo says the new headphones feature 11.2mm large dynamic coils that were tuned by its Golden Ear Acoustics team. It has stereo surround sound and its 80ms low latency makes it suitable for gaming.

With respect to design, the Vivo wireless headphones come in three colors – Night, Blue, and Feather Gray. There is an in-line remote and the whole device is pretty light with a weight of 24 grams. Vivo says it has an IPX4 waterproof rating, so it should survive splashes and sweat.

Vivo says it has a 129mAh battery capacity and that a full charge will last up to 18 hours with the volume at 50%. It also supports fast charging via USB-C, providing 5 hours of listening time after just 10 minutes of charging. The headphones connect via Bluetooth 5.0, support fast pairing with compatible devices, and works with Vivo’s Jovi assistant.

The new Vivo Bluetooth headphones will be sold for ¥299 (~$46) and can be pre-ordered starting today on Vivo’s online store. It will go on sale on March 12.

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WhatsApp is testing self-destructing photos feature

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Mar 3, 2021

Recently, WhatsApp has been testing a lot of features on the Beta version before bringing it to everyone. One such is to let users mute the videos before sharing. Today, WABetainfo has unearthed yet another feature and it could make you send disappearing photos.

WhatsApp is said to be working on a few features that will let users send disappearing/ self-destructing photos. WABetainfo has showcased the new feature via a Tweet in which we can see a new icon appearing inside the edit section of the media before sharing it.

As per the update, a ‘blue color’ toggle beside the ‘Add Caption’ textbox. Clicking on it will show a pop-up message that says, “This media will disappear, once you leave this chat”. This concept comes a couple of months after it rolled out the disappearing messages feature.

However, this could turn out as yet another useless feature as WABetaInfo says that so far WhatsApp hasn’t added a way to prevent users from getting access to the media. That is, it says that the receiver can take a screenshot of this disappearing photo and the sender won’t even be notified of it.

WhatsApp is working on self-destructing photos in a future update for iOS and Android.
• Self-destructing photos cannot be exported from WhatsApp.
• WhatsApp didn't implement a screenshot detection for self-destructing photos yet.

Same concept from Instagram Direct. ⏱ pic.twitter.com/LLsezVL2Hj

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) March 3, 2021

It’s also worth noting that the company hasn’t added similar security features to the disappearing messages yet. Either way, the disappearing media feature isn’t new to Facebook, which currently owns WhatsApp. This is because we have already seen a similar photo/video disappearing feature on Instagram.

Anyway, we don’t know when WhatsApp will start rolling the feature. However, we do know that the company is working for both the Android and iOS versions. And not just that, the company has been improving its Web/Desktop app too. It recently enabled biometric authentication and Audio & video calling features on PC.

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Vivo S9 brings the Dimensity 1100 processor to market; Vivo S9e tags along

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Mar 3, 2021

The Vivo S9 and Vivo S9e were unveiled today in China. The former is the first phone to have MediaTek’s 6nm Dimensity 1100 chipset under the hood while the latter comes with the Dimensity 820. Performance is not the only focus for Vivo’s new phones as both phones have nice cameras too.

Vivo S9 and Vivo S9e Design

Vivo is still one of the few manufacturers that has stuck to notches for most of its mid-range/upper mid-range phones. As you can see, the Vivo S9 has a wide notch that holds two cameras while the Vivo S9e sticks to a waterdrop notch for its selfie camera.

On the back, the two phones pack rear cameras arranged in a similar fashion and placed in a raised housing. The Vivo S9 series reminds us of the iPhone 12 series with its straight edge frames. Vivo claims the S9 is its thinnest 5G phone ever with a thickness of just 7.35mm. It is also pretty light at 173 grams. The two phones are available in three colors each.

Vivo S9 specifications

The Vivo S9 has a 6.44-inch OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 180Hz touch sampling rate. The display has a TÜV Rheinland Eye Comfort Certification, an SGS Seamless certification, and HDR10+.

The 6nm Dimensity 1100 clocked at 2.6GHz is paired with 8GB/12GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. There is no support for storage expansion.

There are three cameras on the back of the Vivo S9. The primary camera is a 64MP sensor with OIS and it comes along with an 8MP ultrawide angle camera and a 2MP macro camera. There are two selfie cameras – a 44MP primary sensor with autofocus and an 8MP ultrawide angle camera with a portrait lens for wide-angle selfies. There are also two soft lights in front for illumination when you take selfies in low-light environments.

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As expected of Vivo, there are some interesting camera features bundled with the Vivo S9. There is an AI brightening and AI noise reduction feature that helps brightens and enhances facial features in low-light environments. There is also a 3D five-fold super texture beauty mode that adds 3D face highlighting and contouring and a handful of other enhancements to selfie photos. The Vivo S9 also has a VLOG mode and double exposure mode.

Vivo says the new phone has an ultra-thin VC cooling plate that is 12.5% thinner than a traditional cooling plate. It also covers a 30% larger cooling area (136% overall) compared to the previous generation.

The Vivo S9 has a 4000mAh battery capacity with support for 33W fast charging. The phone has NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, dual SIM support, an in-display fingerprint scanner, and face unlock. It runs OriginOS 1.0 based on Android 11 out of the box.

Vivo S9e specifications

The Vivo S9e is a more affordable model with some tradeoffs in certain areas. The Samsung OLED panel has a 90Hz refresh rate, 180Hz touch sampling rate, HDR10, and also has TÜV Rheinland’ Eye Comfort Certification and SGS Seamless certification.

Vivo has swapped the Dimensity 1100 for the Dimensity 820 and it is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. You also get a 64MP main rear camera but there is no OIS. The other two cameras are a 120° ultrawide angle camera and a 4CM macro camera. A single 32MP sensor is in front for selfies.

There is a 4100mAh battery inside the phone with support for 33W fast charging. It also runs OriginOS 1.0 based on Android 11 out of the box.

Price and Availability

The Vivo S9 is priced at ¥2999 for the 8+128GB version and ¥3299 for the 12+256GB version. Pre-orders are live now ahead of the first sale on March 12.

The Vivo S9e is ¥2399 for the 8+128GB version and ¥2699 for the 8+256GB version. Pre-orders will begin much later on March 22 and then it will go on sale on March 27.

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OPPO shares ColorOS 11 global update rollout plan for March 2021

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Mar 3, 2021

Last month, OPPO had updated its plan for the ColorOS 11 global rollout and extended it to a lot of devices. Today, the company is back with its schedule for the month of March.

In a tweet, OPPO Global has shared the Global ColorOS 11 update rollout plan for the month of March. In case your device is eligible for the update, you can look below to find if it’s getting the Beta/Stable update this month.

As always, the schedule has been divided according to regions and you can take a look at it below:

ColorOS 11 Beta

Ongoing
- OPPO Reno2 F(India)
- OPPO Reno 10x Zoom(India, Indonesia)
- OPPO F15(India)
- OPPO A91(Indonesia)
March 10
- OPPO Reno2(India)
March 17
- OPPO Reno2 Z(India)

ColorOS 11 Stable

Ongoing(EU, EEA)
- OPPO Find X2(Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Romania)
- OPPO Find X2 Pro(Switzerland, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, UK, Netherlands)
- OPPO Find X2 Neo(France, Netherlands, Spain)
- OPPO Find X2 Lite(Netherlands)
- OPPO Reno4(Poland)
- OPPO Reno4 Pro(Ukraine)
- OPPO Reno4 5G(France, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal)
- OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G(France, Switzerland, Moldova)
- OPPO Reno4 Z 5G(France)
- OPPO Reno4 Lite(Turkey, Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Moldova)
- OPPO Reno3(Turkey, Ukraine, Poland)
- OPPO Reno3 Pro(Ukraine)
- OPPO A72(Netherlands)
- OPPO A52(Italy, Spain)
March 31
- OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G(Romania)

*EU- European Union, EEA- European Economic Area

Ongoing(Other regions)
- OPPO Find X2
- OPPO Find X2 Pro
- OPPO Find X2 Pro Automobili Lamborghini Edition
- OPPO Find X2 Neo
- OPPO Find X2 Lite
- OPPO A93
- OPPO F17 Pro
- OPPO Reno4 F
- OPPO Reno4 5G
- OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G
- OPPO Reno4 Pro 4G
- OPPO Reno4 4G
- OPPO Reno4 Z 5G
- OPPO Reno4 Lite
- OPPO Reno3 Pro 4G
- OPPO Reno3 4G
- OPPO Reno3 Pro 5G
- OPPO A72
- OPPO A92
- OPPO A52
- OPPO F11
- OPPO F11 Pro
- OPPO F11 Marvels Avengers Limited Edition
- OPPO A9
March 9
- OPPO Reno 10x Zoom(India, Indonesia)
March 16
- OPPO Reno2 F(India)
March 17
- OPPO F15(India)

That said, before you update your device, don’t forget to read our coverage on the ColorOS 11 features.

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Deal: Buy Xiaomi Mijia Steam Iron for $35.59 (Original Price $40)

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Mar 3, 2021

Banggood is giving out Xiaomi Mijia Handheld Steam Iron at a discounted price of $35.59 (original price $40).

Xiaomi Mijia Steam Iron is a highly portable, lightweight hand-held ironing machine that can be used to press clothes and other fabrics. The electric steam iron works on 1200W high power and can warm up easily in 30 seconds. The supercharged continuous steam pellets, give you dry and wrinkle-free clothes and a 99.9% sterilization rate on every use.

Xiaomi Mijia Steam Iron can be used on all-season clothing and can be easily packed into a small travel case. The iron which usually retails around $40 is available for $35.59 only for the next 7 days. Please note that this discounted price is applicable only on orders from the CZ warehouse and additional shipping costs may be charged.

DJI FPV drone with Goggles V2, motion controller, 4K gimbal camera official

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Mar 3, 2021

DJI‘s upcoming FPV drone has been the subject of several leaks which reveal a great deal about the device before launch. We won’t have to wait for more leaks as the FPV has been launched. It is a hybrid drone that merges the first-person feature of FPV drones as well as the speed and agility of racing drones with a simplistic usage as well as integrated camera feature that consumer drones are known for.

DJI FPV is propelled by high-performance motors that make it capable of hitting 100 km/h in just 2 seconds. The drone also comes with a peak speed of 140km/h. The drone also comes with three flight modes; Normal mode, Manual mode, and Sport mode.

The Normal mode is designed for novice pilots, activating features such as obstacle detection and allowing the drone to hover in place. On the other hand, the Manual mode disables all assistance and gives the user full control over the flight. Finally, the Sports mode combines some of the features of the Normal mode while retaining the manual control availed in the Manual mode.

Furthermore, the DJI FPV comes with an Emergency Brake and Hover feature which can be deployed at any time with the press of a button regardless of the mode in use. The drone also retains the “Return to Home” feature that is used to land the drone at the point it took of from. There is also an ADB-S receiver onboard which alerts pilots of any aircrafts or helicopters in the vicinity.

One major feature onboard the DJI FPV which stands it out is the DJI FPV Goggles V2. The pilot is said to be capable of viewing footage from up to 10km using the goggles. The drone also comes with several technologies such as auto-switching dual frequencies, 50Mbps bitrate, and anti-interference. Two viewing modes will be available to pilots; a standard low-latency HD mode and a Smooth mode. The standard low-latency HD mode displays in a resolution of 1440x810p at 60fps with 142° FoV or 50fps with 150° FoV. The latency in this mode is less than 40ms.

On the other hand, the Smooth mode utilizes either 120fps with 142° FoV or 100fps with 150° FoV with less than 28ms latency but shares the same resolution as the standard mode. In addition to the main Goggle, users can add up to eight other goggles giving others the pilot’s view.

As for the camera, the DJI FPV comes with a 4K/60p 120Mbps camera that is mounted on a gimbal. The camera is capable of recording 4X slow motion in 1080/120p while videos can be saved in H.264 or HEVC. Apart from the stability offered by the gimbal, there is also DJI’s RockSteady digital image stabilization equipped on the camera.

As for the price, the DI FPV carries a price tag of $1299 inclusive of the remote controller 2 as well as the FPV Goggles V2, cables, and one battery. DJI will sell a standalone motion controller separately. It allows the pilot to control the drone with movements of the hand. The motion controller will sell for $199. There is also the DJI FPV Fly More Kit which bundles two extra batteries and a charging hub for just $299.

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Deal: Gearbest is Giving $5 Discount on Huawei Honor Band 5 (Coupon)

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Mar 3, 2021

Gearbest is giving out this fantastic deal on Huawei Honor Band 5. The smart bracelet can be availed at a $5 discount by using the coupon code: L5C390EE2D112000

Huawei Honor Band 5 which comes in two color variants viz: Sakura Pink and Glacier Grey is a dual-mode smart band that can be used on your wrist as well as foot. A single charge gives you two weeks of standby and 40 hours of continuous battery life. This waterproof fitness band comes with Bluetooth 4.2 and generic functions like step counter, calorie counter, incoming call notification, alarm, sleep time reminder, etc.

At Gearbest, the Huawei Honor Band 5 Sakura Pink variant which is listed at $17.99 can be bought for $12.99 and the Glacier Gray variant at $18.99 can be bought for $13.99 after applying the $5 coupon code: L5C390EE2D112000.

Please note that the above prices are applicable only on orders from China Warehouse. With free shipping to Europe, this deal from Gearbest is too good to miss. So go grab your Honor Band 5 asap.

realme 8 Specs revealed by India & Europe CEO Madhav Sheth

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Mar 3, 2021

realme recently confirmed that it would use Samsung’s 108MP HM2 camera sensor on the upcoming realme 8 Pro. While the company is yet to reveal a launch date for the realme 8 series, it has gone forward to reveal the entire specs of the non-Pro realme 8.

As you can see in the image below, the CEO of realme India & Europe, Madhav Sheth has shared an image on Twitter. In that, we can see the rear design of the realme 8 Pro once again. However, at the back of this are two boxes that should be the final retail packaging of the realme 8.

Anyway, the box reveals that the realme 8 will feature a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED FullScreen display. This is a clear jump from the predecessor, realme 7’s had a 90Hz IPS LCD panel. Also, there is a possibility that the company might limit the refresh rate to 60Hz on the realme 8.

The company’s box packaging also talks about the device being super slim & light but we will have to wait and see if the thickness is less than realme 7’s 9.4mm. Moving on, the box reveals that realme 8 will have the same MediaTek Helio G95 chipset as its predecessor.

To Infinity & beyond with Trendsetting Tech…Are you ready? pic.twitter.com/GKiR9YNoQg

— Madhav108MP (@MadhavSheth1) March 3, 2021

That said, the realme 8 will feature an AI quad-camera with 64MP as the main lens. We are yet to know the auxiliary camera sensors but they could be the same as the predecessor. Other specs include a 5,000mAh battery with 30W Dart Charging.

We can also spot the Android logo beneath the box packaging however, we aren’t sure of the OS version yet. Let’s just hope that the realme 8 series finally debuts with Android 11 out of the box.

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OPPO confirms the Find X3 will feature a 10bit Color Engine; X3 Pro stars in promo videos

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Mar 3, 2021

OPPO is expected to officially unveil the flagship Find X3 series in China on March 11. Ahead of the launch, several teasers of the device have been shared online. One of the latest details shared by OPPO is that the Find X3 will launch as the first device that will be equipped with a full-path 10bit color management system.

OPPO first announced the Full-path Color Management System at the OPPO INNO DAY 2020 in November last year. OPPO touts the device to be the “very first” Android color management system to offer such performance. It promises to deliver an “outstanding viewing experience” with “authentic and accurate color reproduction.”

The Color Management System is capable of supporting full DCI-P3 wide gamut and 10-bit colour depth from capture to storage and display. Compared to a depth of 8-bits, the 10-bit colour tones down the artificial visual features brought about by gaps in colour. It also further improves colour gradient to enhance the quality of visual content during creation and post-editing. Meanwhile, with a size of around 50% of a JPEG, the new and powerful HEIF format fully supports a wide variety of multimedia, such as static images, Exif, depth information, and dynamic videos, giving users more creative freedom and is compatible with ultra-high colour depth.

In another development, tipster Evan Blass has shared two promotional videos of the Find X3 Pro which promote various aspects of the device. The videos which look like Sci-fi films promote features such as the dynamic 120Hz display, IP68 water resistance, 65W and 30W wired and wireless charging, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. The second video centers on the design especially the rear camera protrusion.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 gets a direct update to One UI 3.1 from One UI 2.5

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 3, 2021

Samsung launched the Galaxy Tab S6 as its flagship tablet of the year 2019. The product debuted with One UI 1.x based on Android 9.0 Pie. It was later updated up to Android 10-based One UI 2.5. Now, one and a half years later after its release, the premium tablet is receiving its second major update in the form of One UI 3.1 based on Android 11.

Samsung started rolling out the One UI 3.0 (Android 11) stable update for the eligible devices from December 2020. A little over a month later, the company began to seed the One UI 3.1 update to the devices that had received the previous update.

For those unaware, One UI 3.1 is an incremental update to One UI 3.0 with some additional features that debuted on the Galaxy S21 series.

As for the Galaxy Tab S6, it has started getting a direct update to the latest One UI 3.1 from One UI 2.5, as per AllAboutSamsung. In fact, this tablet was supposed to receive the vanilla One UI 3.0 two months later. Anyway, we aren’t surprised since Samsung has been delivering Android 11 update to eligible smartphones and tablets ahead of schedule since the rollout began.

That said, the Galaxy Tab S6 One UI 3.1 update is currently only available for the LTE variant. The OTA update is being pushed for users in Germany with firmware version T865XXU4CUB7.

Apart from bringing Android 11 and new features, the latest system update for this 2019 Samsung flagship tablet bumps up the security patch level to March 2021. Last but not least, the update weighs 2267.69MB in size.

We expect the South Korean tech giant to soon extend the availability of this update to more regions as well as the WiFi-only variant of this tablet in the coming days.

iQOO Neo5 live images appear online

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Mar 3, 2021

iQOO has already confirmed that it’s bringing the iQOO Neo5 to China on March 16. Ahead of the launch, the company has been teasing the device’s features. Amidst this, live images of the device are said to have appeared online.

As reported by GSMArena, the said live images of the iQOO Neo5 have been posted on Weibo. In the image, you can see that a device with a blue rear panel, rectangle-shaped triple-camera layout with the iQOO logo. In fact, the logo placement resembles the iQOO 7.

However, the cameras inside the layout are arranged straight and not in a Triangle fashion. Anyway, the leaker says that the iQOO Neo5 triple-camera setup will have OIS capability. He has also shared the front image of the device(single punch-hole display) with a screengrab from the PeaceKeeper Elite(China’s PUBG Mobile).

If the info given by the leaker is true, users of the iQOO Neo5 should be able to play games like ‘Honor of Kings’ at 90fps and Peacekeeper Elite at 120fps. He says that the device does it via the Game Frame insertion & stabilization techniques.

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And talking about the cameras, the previous leak said that the iQOO Neo5 would feature a Triple-camera on the back with a 48MP Sony IMX 598 main lens, a 13MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP sensor.

As for the rest of the specs, the device is said to feature Samsung’s E3 AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and at least FHD+(2400x1080p) resolution. A Geekbench listing reveals that the Snapdragon 870 chipset will power the device which could also have up to 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, and run Android 11 OS.

Other expected specs include a 4,400mAh battery with 66W FlashCharge support, a 16MP selfie shooter, 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 6, NFC, and a rumored 2,999 yuan($465) pricing. Let’s wait for the official word to confirm the retail price.

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Discount: Get $5 OFF on Nokia 6.1 Global Version (Coupon)

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Mar 3, 2021

If you are in the market for a Nokia smartphone then check out this special discount of $5 from Gearbest on the Nokia 6.1 Global version. The smartphone which is listed on Gearbest for $109.99 can be availed for $104.99 by applying the coupon code: V61D784BA2512001

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vivo Y12 from H1 2019 gets Android 11 update in India

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

Mar 3, 2021

Chinese smartphone maker vivo launched the vivo Y12 budget smartphone in India in June 2019. The handset debuted with Funtouch OS 9 based on Android 9.0 Pie. The device was later updated to Android 10-based Funtouch OS 10. Now, it has even started receiving the Funtouch OS 11 (Android 11) update in the country.

The vivo Y12 is a sub-₹15,000 budget smartphone targeted at offline channels. Hence, its specs are mediocre but it features a striking design. Interestingly, the phone is still on sale nearly two years after its release.

It is powered by MediaTek Helio P22 SoC and was announced with Funtouch OS 9 (Android 9.0 Pie). For those unaware, vivo is not known for providing platform updates. Most of its phones only get a single Android update.

Hence, no one would have thought that this handset will be getting the Android 11 (Funtouch OS 11) update after the Funtouch OS 10 (Android 10) update last year.

According to a report by PiunikaWeb, the vivo Y12 Android 11 update is currently under greyscale testing. That means it is only available for a select few users. If these early adopters don’t face any major issues, the update will be made available for more users in the coming days.

That said, the software build that is live right now comes with build number vivo rev 6.71.46. Interestingly, it weighs a whopping 3.68GB in size. Hence, users are advised to have enough free space before hitting the ‘Download and Install’ button.

What are your thoughts on vivo providing two Android updates for a low-spec’d budget smartphone? Do let us known in the comment section below.

Giztop is selling the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra 5G for just $749

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