OPPO CPH2219 could be the company’s first 33W fast charging smartphone

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Feb 17, 2021

OPPO is one of the many popular Chinese smartphone makers. The company is mostly known for its upper mid-range and premium handsets that are targeted at offline channels with heavy advertising. It is expected to announce its next-gen flagship models in the form of the OPPO Find X3 series in March. In addition to that, the firm may also launch another device, which has cleared two necessary certifications.

Earlier this month, Indian tech influencer Mukul Sharma revealed that a new OPPO smartphone with model number CPH2219 had been certified by Indonesia’s TKDN regulatory. Now, almost two weeks later, the same phone has been also certified by China Quality Certification Center (CQC) with 33W fast charging.

Based on these two certifications, we can expect OPPO CPH2219 to launch in Indonesia and China. The handset could be available in other regions as well but we cannot tell that for sure as of now. Above all, the device’s official branding is still a mystery. However, we may learn it soon once this phone gets certified by either FCC or NBTC.

That said, the most interesting thing about this smartphone is that it will support 33W fast charging. For those unaware, there’s not a single smartphone from the Oujia group (OPPO, OnePlus, realme) with this charging speed.

However, it is worth noting that a 33W OnePlus charger had already been certified by TÜV Rheinland in December 2020. Hence, though the upcoming OPPO CPH2219 could be the first 33W fast charging smartphone from the company, it may not be the first from the group as OnePlus also has a chance of announcing a phone with the same tech.

Alleged Apple M1X chipset specifications leaked online through benchmarking

By

Jeet

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Feb 17, 2021

Apple recently launched its M1 chipset, the company’s first processor under the Apple Silicon lineup which is based on ARM architecture. It also launched three Mac devices powered by the M1 chipset, kicking off the transition from Intel to its own chipsets.

This year, the company is expected to launch another Apple Silicon chipset and a few other Mac devices. While Apple has not yet officially revealed anything, a new leak seems to have spilled the beans of the upcoming chipset.

The successor of the Apple M1 has reportedly been spotted online on a benchmarking platform. However, it seems that the specifications of the chipsets are more of protection rather than results, so take this information with a pinch of salt.

As per the report, the chipset, which is named “M1X”, will come with a 12-core CPU, an upgrade over the M1’s eight-core CPU. The internal GPU is also expected to have 16 cores instead of an 8-core GPU in M1. It is expected to have been clocked at 3.2GHz and will be based on a 5nm process, just likes its predecessor.

The benchmark results that appeared on CPU Monkey have revealed “pre-sample” specifications of the “M1X” chipset. We haven’t been able to confirm its authenticity so as noted earlier, we advise you to take this with a pinch of salt.

The new Apple Silicon chipset is expected to power the upcoming 14-inch MacBook Pro, a 16-inch MacBook Pro, and 27-inch iMac devices. Apple is also reportedly working on other chips with 16-core and 32-core graphics processing.

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Amazon acquires Selz, a platform allowing users to launch online stores

By

Jeet

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Feb 17, 2021

Amazon, the world’s leading online retailer, has announced the acquisition of Selz, which makes tools to help businesses launch their own online stores. With this, the retail giant has now entered the territory of Shopify.

A blog post published by Selz to announce this new deal reveals that Amazon had bought the e-commerce platform last month, on 15th January. However, the deal wasn’t publicly announced by Amazon at the time.

Confirming the acquisition, Martin Rushe, Founder and CEO of Selz, said: “We have signed an agreement to be acquired by Amazon and are looking forward to working with them as we continue to build easy-to-use tools for entrepreneurs.”

While Amazon has also confirmed the deal, the company has not revealed terms or financial information related to this acquisition. Selz founder said that “nothing is changing” for the customers as a result of the Amazon acquisition.

It remains to be seen how Amazon is planning to utilize Selz. The company’s tools could give the U.S. e-commerce giant a competitive edge against the likes of Shopify and BigCommerce, among others.

Selz was founded in 2013 and is based in Sydney, Australia. The company provides small- and medium-sized businesses a platform to launch their own online stores and add online payment options to existing websites, among other tools.

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Apple patent hints at variable high refresh rate for the iPhone 13 display

By

Jeet

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Feb 17, 2021

As most of the smartphone makers are now trying to offer a higher refresh rate display, it seems like Apple is also planning to join the bandwagon. The Cupertino-based tech giant has applied for a patent of an iPhone display with a variable refresh rate.

The patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (via Patently Apple) describes an iPhone display that, with high refresh mode enabled, may be capable of updating content at two times, three times, or even four times the native refresh rate.

Apple iPhone 12 All Colors Featured — Apple iPhone 12

The refresh rate of the display can be changed from 60Hz to 120Hz, 180Hz, and 240Hz automatically. It’s noteworthy that all current iPhone models come with a 60Hz refresh rate but the iPad Pro with ProMotion technology has a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

Earlier, there were rumors that the Apple iPhone 12 will come with a 120Hz refresh rate but that proved to be untrue. However, it seems like there is a higher possibility that the iPhone 13 models will have a ProMotion display.

One of the reasons Apple may have stayed away from offering a higher refresh rate on its iPhones despite its competitors offering such high-end features is that offering a 120Hz or 240Hz refresh rate could affect the battery performance.

But now it is being reported that to solve the battery performance issue with a higher refresh rate, the company could be adopting low-power LTPO display technology for the upcoming iPhone 13 models.

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Garmin Enduro smartwatch with up to 65 days battery life, solar charging launched

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 17, 2021

Smartwatches are fast becoming a daily driver for a lot of persons. As the popularity grows, so does the number of new features you’ll find on them. US watch maker Garmin has added a new smartwatch to its line up stuffed with some unique features you won’t find on many of the smartwatches around. The watch dubbed Garmin Enduro is deigned not only to endure the most extreme of weather conditions but also the most rigorous usage with an extended battery life stretching up to 65 days!

The Garmin Enduro smartwatch is described as a new “ultraperformance GPS watch”. It packs a 1.4-inch OLED display that is said to be optimized for use under sunlight with a resolution of 280 x 280 pixels. The watch is said to come with solar charging feature

The battery capacity wasn’t revealed but despite the long usage time touted, the watch still is an lightweight device, weighing just 72g for the steel variant and 58g for the titanium model. There are several modes and the 65 days usage is possible in “smartwatch mode” whne it is used with solar. On the battery saver mode, the watch is said to last up to 1 year with solar charging.

The watch comes with GPS and all the top features you’ll find on a regular smartwatch. Features like continuous heart rate monitoring, advanced sleep tracking, blood oxygen saturation level, and several other sensors and tools tailored towards enhancing health and wellbeing of the user. The watch can be paired with a smartphone and is compatible with Android and iOS.

The Garmin Enduro smartwatch surprising comes with a staggering price tag of $799.99 for the steel model. If you’d like to go for the titanium variant that one will set you apart $899.99. The wearble device is already on sale on Garmin‘s website.

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Lumiford launches three Bluetooth headphones boasting up to 12 hours of playback

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 16, 2021

For several consecutive quarters, the hearable market has continued to grow, fuelled by the true wireless earbuds. Manufacturers are looking to capitalise on that growth as new models apcked with impressive features get released regularly. Indian consumer electronics brand, Lumiford isn’t left out as it strives to grab a piece of the pie with its latest products. The brand unveiled not one, but three new headphones in India.

The products include the Lumiford HD50, HD60 and HD70 headphones and are all part of its Long Drive HD series. All three models come packing an impressive features including a foldable headband design, 40mm HD True-Bass Drivers, passive noise cancellation, and several other impressive features. Sadly, there is no Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) on any of them.

The three Lumiford HD headphones utilise an over-the-ear design with the sound driven by 40mm HD True Bass drivers with a frequency response range of 20Hz to 20KHz tailored to deliver a rich and robust sound output. The headphones also come with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity and supports Dual phone connectivity. The headbands are not just foldable, they can be adjusted to suit the head size and the ultra-soft cushions allow for long listening sessions.

We can’t figure if the headphones have other differences apart from some slight design modifications because all three headphones are crammed with a 400mAh apiece and support for fast charging. However, the battery will last for 10 hours on the HD50 whie it can support up to 12 hours of playback on the HD60 and HD70. The headphones also come AUX port, MicroSD card, and FM Radio.

As for the prices, the HD50 is priced at Rs. 2599 (~$35) while the HD60 comes in at Rs. 2999 (~$41) and finally, the HD70 carries a retail price of Rs. 3699 (~$50).

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Google isn’t leaving Australia after all; signs news deal with Aussie media outfit

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 16, 2021

Google recently threatened to leave Australia after the country proposed a new law that mandates tech giants like Google to pay media outlets in the country for using their contents. Google called the law “unworkable” and stated that they would be withdrawing a few of their key services from Australia if the new regulations were enforced.

In a new twist, Google has signed a new deal with Australia’s Seven West Media Ltd. Ths was announced by Seven West in an earnings announcement on Monday. The deal makes Seven West the first major Aussie news outlet to seal a licensing deal with Google in the wake of the new law that would soon go into effect.

Seven West Media owns a free-to-air television network and the main metro newspaper in the city of Perth. The company disclosed that it would supply content for Google’s News Showcase platform but failed to disclose the terms reached by both parties.

Google had previously attempted to reach a deal with News Corp and Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd but an agreement could not be reached with both parties. The Australian media outfit were hoping to capitalize on the new law that would have allowed the government to set the online giant’s content fees in the absence of a private deal.

The deal could be seen as a blow to Microsoft who is gearing up to project its Bing search as a replacement for Google search engine if the leading search giant decides to pull out of Australia. That apparently won’t be happening.

Google’s Australia CEO Mel Silva stated that the U.S. company was “proud to support original, trusted, and quality journalism” by featuring Seven on its platform. This could be seen as the CEO recanting his earlier statement last month where he told a parliamentary hearing that Google would pull its search engine from Australia if the so-called News Media Bargaining Code became law.

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(source)

Sennheiser wants to sell its consumer audio business; folks want Google to buy it

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 16, 2021

Sennheiser is a popular audio brand that makes products for both consumers (headphones of all types) and businesses (Hi-Fi systems, studio microphones, conferencing systems, and amplifiers). Now, the German company says it wants to sell its consumer business.

In an official statement released today, Andreas Sennheiser and Daniel Sennheiser, the co-CEOs of the audio brand and grandsons of the founder, revealed that they are looking for a partner who will invest in their consumer business while they focus their resources on their other three businesses. Sennheiser’s business is divided into four – Pro Audio, Business Communications, Neumann, and Consumer Electronics.

Its consumer business makes headphones and soundbars and Sennheiser says it wants a partner that will be able to build upon the strengths of its products which are known for delivering the best sound and a unique sound experience.

For its other three businesses, Sennheiser says that by concentrating its resources on them, it will be able to grow at a more than average rate and expand its position in the global market. Sennheiser’s goal is to have all “its business units emerge strengthened from the planned repositioning”.

Sennheiser says that talks with potential partners will begin soon. However, there are already some suggestions from the public as to who the partner should be. One name that has popped up a lot is Google.

It is believed that this is the search giant’s chance to have its own proper audio business just as Apple acquired Beats Electronics in 2014. If Google becomes Sennheiser’s consumer business partner, it will help the search giant grow its audio business which is currently made up of its Google Home smart speakers and Pixel Buds earphones. Google will be able to expand the reach of its services into more products that cut across different categories and price points. It will also be nice to see Sennheiser’s technology in future Pixel devices.

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Roku Voice Remote Pro, a rechargeable remote with rich features in the works

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 16, 2021

Some feeds monitored on Reddit have indicated that Roku may soon unveil a rechargeable remote control for its set-top boxes called the Roku Voice Remote Pro. The Roku Voice Remote Pro does not need the AAA batteries as it has a built-in battery that is rechargeable using a USB cable.

With the new Roku rechargeable remote control, the days of looking for your misplaced remote without success are gone, as there is a lost remote finder feature on the device which enables the user to provide voice commands to help notify and ping the remote. This means that the new Roku remote control has a microphone that would be capable of picking voice commands from its range.

The soon to be released rechargeable remote control also has two programmable buttons, in addition to the four pre-programed buttons that could be used for streaming services.

In addition, the Roku Voice Remote Pro which sells for $30 has an audio jack for a more compelling listening experience, as well as customizable shortcuts that could mean a user can create shortcuts on the device to suit his aesthetics and desires.
The several impressive features of the Voice Remote Pro puts it in a seemingly sound footing to catch the fancy of Roku users and even draw new customers.

Reddit users who had the opportunity of testing the new device have given it the thumbs up, as it has been getting rave reviews and comments.

According to a Roku spokesperson, the company is always working on introducing new products and features to its customers, that is why it has a policy of public testing of new products among a small set of its growing customers. The feedback has always been useful in further development and advancement of products.

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Revel’s new electric bike rental services in New York cost just $99 per month

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 16, 2021

The surge in e-bike hailing services is catching the attention of Revel. The e-bike rental firm will be scaling up its operations in the New York City neighborhood by introducing monthly subscriptions to residents for e-bike services, thus joining a few other companies who had applied the subscription model to e-bike services.

The subscription costs $99 a month and includes maintenance of the bike although the service requests can be submitted via the Revel app for smartphones. New customers are given a Wing-manufactured e-bike with some safety and security features. The company feels that this new subscription-based service will help New York City residents to navigate easily through the streets of the city in a comfortable and fast way, together with a minimal carbon footprint.

The coronavirus pandemic which necessitated lockdowns and physical distancing had seen millions of persons embracing cycling as a means of intra-city transportation, and this surge in demand is one of the driving factors that made Revel chief executive, Frank Reig make the investment in this subscription-based e-bike solution.

The monthly subscription template that Revel is using for the e-bike service encourages subscribers by giving them brand new e-bikes for just a monthly rental fee of $100, as a brand new e-bike could cost up to $3,000, which may be out of reach for many commuters who would love to own one. The subscription model is being deployed by a growing number of companies. However, there are risks involved with subscription services of this nature, as low demand for the product may mean that the company will be unable to break even, prompting it to cut its losses and discontinue the service.

However, Revel hopes the New York City subscription service for e-bikes at a moderate monthly rental fee will be expanded to cover other cities in the US.

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(source)

Samsung Galaxy A51 gets Android 11-based One UI 3.0 update in India

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Feb 16, 2021

The Galaxy A51 was Samsung’s one of the best-selling smartphones worldwide last year. The company debuted this handset with One UI 2.0 update based on Android 10. It was later updated to One UI 2.1 and One UI 2.5 as well. Earlier this month, the South Korean tech giant even began to roll out Android 11-based One UI 3.0. This update is finally live in India now.

The One UI 3.0 update for Galaxy A51 in India comes with firmware version A515FXXU4DUB1. Apart from bringing new features of Android 11 as well as One UI, the latest system update also bumps up the security patch level to February 2021.

Just like any other OTA update, the new build for Galaxy A51 users in India is being seeded out in batches. Therefore, every unit may take time to receive the update.

Anway, if you own this device, then head over to Settings > Software update > Download and install to check whether your handset has got the update yet.

That said, Samsung has promised three generations of Android updates for the Galaxy A51. Hence, this phone should be receiving One UI 4.0 (Android 12) and One UI 5.0 (Android 13) like the company’s premium Galaxy S, Galaxy Note, and Galaxy Z series of smartphones.

OPPO PEFM00 key specs and images spotted at TENAA

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 16, 2021

An OPPO smartphone with model number PEFM00 was spotted at the 3C certification platform and Geekbench’s database in January. Earlier this month, the mysterious phone received approval from China’s TENAA authority. However, the listing went unnoticed. Here is everything that is known about the handset so far.

The TENAA listing states that the OPPO PEFM00 smartphone measures 164 x 75.4 x 7.9mm and it has a 6.52-inch screen. The handset has a 4,100mAh battery. The 3C listing of the phone had revealed that it carries support for 10W charging. The TENAA and 3C listing also show that it is a 4G LTE smartphone.

At Geekbench, the OPPO PEFM00 was spotted with 4 GB of RAM and an MT6765V/CB chipset, which appears to the Helio P35 SoC. It was found to be running on Android 10 OS. It had scored 174 and 989 in the single-core and multi-core tests of Geekbench, respectively.

The images of the phone that have appeared at TENAA have revealed that it has a waterdrop notch screen, and its rear shell has a square-shaped camera housing and a fingerprint scanner. Its right edge has a volume rocker and a power key.

The specifications and images of the OPPO PEFM00 smartphone suggest that it could be a rebadged version of the OPPO A15s phone that debuted in India back in December 2020. The A15s has a 6.52-inch HD+ display, Helio P35 chipset, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB / 128 GB storage choices, an 8-megapixel front camera, a 13-megapixel (main) + 2-megapixel (macro) + 2-megapixel (depth) triple camera system, and a 4,230mAh battery with 10W charging support. With important certifications for China launch in tow, it appears that OPPO PEFM00 may go official this month. Probably, it may arrive in China with a different moniker.

(via)

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Moto E7i Power bags NBTC certification, yet another Moto E7 series phone coming soon?

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 16, 2021

On Feb. 19, Motorola will be taking off covers from the Moto E7 Power smartphone in India. It will be the second E7 series phone for India after the Moto E7 Plus that went official last year. The series also includes the Moto E7, which is available in Europe and some other markets. A new Motorola phone with model number XT2097-14 has received certification from Thailand’s NBTC authority (via). The listing reveals that the device will be heading to Thailand with a “Moto E7i Power” moniker.

The Moto E7i Power name had appeared earlier this month when it received approval from the Bluetooth SIG regulatory body. The model numbers such as XT2097-12 and XT2097-13 that were in its Bluetooth SIG certification recently are nothing but country variants of the Moto E7i Power.

Interestingly, the Bluetooth SIG listing also revealed that another country variant with model number XT2097-15 will be receiving it with a different “Lenovo K13” moniker. Hence, it appears that the Lenovo K13 and Moto E7i Power are the same phones with different names for different countries.

A recent leak revealed that the Lenovo K13 has a 6.5-inch display that offers an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels. It is expected to feature a 5-megapixel camera and a dual-camera setup comprising of a 13-megapixel primary camera and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.

The Lenovo K13 is powered by an unknown octa-core processor that clocks at 1.6GHz. It has 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB of native storage, and a microSD. There is no word on the battery capacity of the K13. It is expected to come with other features like USB-C and a dual-SIM slot. There is a possibility that this handset may end up as the Lenovo Lemon K13 phone in China.

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Samsung Galaxy Chromebook2 is up for pre-orders, Sale starts March 1

By

Balaji S

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Feb 16, 2021

Samsung announced the Galaxy Chromebook2 with a QLED display last month at CES 2021. Now, the company has finally opened the pre-orders for it.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook2 Price, Availability, Offers

Samsung provides two colors for the Galaxy Chromebook2– Fiesta Red and Mercury Gray. You can take a look at the pricing below:

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook2:
- Intel Celeron 5205U model – $549.99
- Intel Core i3-10110U model- $699.99

Users can pre-order the Galaxy Chromebook2 on the Samsung US website and Best Buy. It will be available for purchase from March 1. Early birds will get $50 off on pre-orders while users get an additional $30 off till March 15 for the next purchase.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook2 Specifications and Features

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook2 13.3-inch Full HD QLED touchscreen display. This display has a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. While this is a downgrade the last year’s 4K display, the 2-in-1 form factor and the design is somewhat similar to the predecessor.

As mentioned above, the Galaxy Chromebook2 is powered by two versions of CPUs each one for a variant. The entry-level version is powered by the 10th-Gen Intel Celeron 5205U and the Core i3-10110U chipset is on the higher-priced version.

The former features 4GB RAM, 64GB storage while the latter has 8GB RAM and 128GB. Let’s not talk about the predecessor much here as the CPU is also a big downgrade on the new model(Quad-core vs Dual-Core). For GPU, there is Intel UHD integrated graphics onboard.

As for connectivity, you get 2xUSB Type-C ports, 1×3.5mm audio/mic jack, microSD card reader, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth. Other features include a 45.5WHr battery, Backlit Keyboard, ChromeOS with all the Google Goodies pre-loaded, USI Pen support*.

*Note– The USI Pen is sold separately and not included in the price mentioned above.

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Microsoft announces $99 Xbox Wireless Headset for Xbox consoles and Windows PCs

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Feb 16, 2021

Microsoft has announced a new pair of headphones that is targeted at gamers. The Xbox Wireless Headset is its first wireless Xbox headset in almost a decade since the one it announced for the Xbox 360 back in 2011.

The new headphones come in black with leather-cushioned earcups and adjustable cushioned headbands. The earcups also have the Xbox-green accent around them and have borrowed the Surface Headphones‘ rotating earcups design for adjusting the volume.

The Xbox Wireless Headset also has an adjustable microphone with an auto-mute function that is activated when you stop talking. There is also a dedicated mute button and an LED that lets you know when the microphone is active. The headphones have “dual beamforming microphone elements that focus on speech audio vs surround sound”.

Microsoft didn’t say what the battery capacity is but the battery life is put at 15 hours on a single charge. While you won’t get super-fast charging like that of the Huawei Freebuds Studio (10-minute charge for 5 hours playback), Microsoft says that a 30-minute charge will provide 4 hours of working time. A full charge will take 3 hours and charging is via USB-C.

Users will be able to adjust equalizer settings, bass boost, auto mute, microphone LED brightness, and more with the Xbox Accessories app. Microsoft says that the headphones are for use with the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One series, and Windows 10 devices (via Bluetooth 4.2/Xbox wireless adapter or compatible USB-C cable), it has been reported that users can also pair it to their phone and console at the same time so that they can receive calls on the former while gaming.

The Xbox Wireless Headset will be available for purchase on March 16 for $99 worldwide. However, buyers can go ahead and pre-order it on the Microsoft online store.

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Realme Narzo 30 Pro 5G likely teased in Flipkart landing page

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 16, 2021

Realme has recently begun teasing the upcoming Narzo 30 series in India. A recent leak claimed that the new Narzo branded phones may launch on Feb. 24. It appears that the launch date may not be far away as the landing page of the Narzo 30 series has gone live on Flipkart.

The landing page of the Narzo 30 series states that more details will appear on Feb. 18. It remains to be seen whether the company confirms the rumored Feb. 24 launch date later this week. The promo page also has a teaser video that gives a glimpse at one of the Narzo 30 series phones. Recent reports have revealed that the Narzo 30 series has three devices as Narzo 30A, Narzo 30, and Narzo 30 Pro 5G.

A leaked poster that appeared yesterday revealed the key details of the Narzo 30A and Narzo 30 Pro 5G. The poster did not shed any information on the specs of the Narzo 30A. It only revealed that the handset will be sporting a wavy textured back panel with a squarish camera module and a fingerprint reader.

The leak also revealed that the Narzo 30 Pro 5G is equipped with a 120Hz refresh rate supporting display and Dimensity 800U 5G chipset. It is speculated that the Narzo 30 Pro 5G could be a rebadged version of the Realme Q2 which went official in China last year. The same phone is available in the U.K as the Realme 7 5G.

The image of the Narzo 30 Pro 5G shows that it has a punch-hole display, a rectangle-shaped camera module on its back, and a side-facing fingerprint scanner. It seems that the handset with rectangle camera housing shown in the teaser video could be the Narzo 30 Pro 5G.

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Xiaomi Redmi Band is discounted to just $14.99 on Gearbest today

By

Staff

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Feb 16, 2021

For all fitness enthusiast out there Gearbest is giving out this amazing deal on Xiaomi Redmi Band Smart Wristband wherein this 1.08-inch fitness bracelet which usually retails at $25 can be bought for just $14.99

Xiaomi Redmi smart wristband is one of the best fitness band options in its price range. The band comes with a 1.08 large screen color display which makes it easy to read the information on the smart band. A quick glance gives you the time, date, and your daily step count. It has a 24-hour heart rate monitoring system along with multiple exercise modes. The battery lasts for 2 weeks with hassle-free, quick plug direct USB charging. Other general features include calorie and distance counter, stopwatch, alarm, timer, phone unlock, etc.

The super deal by Gearbest brings Xiaomi Redmi Band Smart Wristbands with multiple face options at just $14.99, which means an almost 60% discount. Note that the deal is applicable only on the black color variant and free shipping is available for Europe from China. So without wasting anymore time grab this super deal while stock lasts.

Xiaomi Mi Watch gets Amazon Alexa support, camera shutter control, and more

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

Feb 16, 2021

Xiaomi announced the Mi Watch for global markets at the Mi 10T series launch event. This smartwatch is basically a rebranded Xiaomi Watch Color Sports Edition. A few months after its release, this wearable is receiving a new firmware update with some useful features and improvements.

According to a user on Mi Community (via PiunikaWeb), Xiaomi is rolling out a new system update for the Mi Watch global version. The latest update not only bumps up the firmware version to 1.2.52 and brings new features as well as optimizations.

First and foremost, the new update adds Amazon Alexa voice assistant support. But unfortunately, it is only available in select regions and the changelog does not mention them. Hence, you will have to check it for yourself if you own this smartwatch.

Further, the new firmware brings camera shutter control and two new standby watch faces. However, it is worth noting that the changelog mentions the camera shutter feature to be experimental and therefore, it may be buggy on some smartphones.

Lastly, the latest update also adds an option to turn on and off auto-pause in workout modes, in addition to bringing bug fixes and optimizations for faster waker up.

Xiaomi Mi Watch Firmware v1.2.52 Update Official Changelog

New features and improvements:
- Amazon Alexa (not available in all regions).
- Experimental feature to control your phone’s camera shutter from your watch.
- Two new standby watch faces.

Optimizations:
- Wake up your watch faster
- Option to turn on and off auto-pause in workout on your watch.
- Fixed known bugs

In order to install the latest firmware update on your Xiaomi Mi Watch global version, simply update to the latest version of the Xiaomi Wear app available on the Google Play Store, open the application, and tap on ‘Update’ when prompted.

Android 12 might bring Face-based Auto-Rotate feature

By

Balaji S

-

Feb 16, 2021

Google is expected to launch the Android 12 sometime in the Second half of this year. Ahead of this, the brand will release Beta versions as usual. Several reports have already uncovered what features the company is planning to bring this time. Now, a 9to5Google report says that it might get a revamped Autorotate feature.

Google is working on a new feature termed as ‘Smart Autorotate‘ courtesy of XDA. While the specifics aren’t known yet, 9to5Google says that it could be a face-based one. That is, using the front-facing camera, the screen will be rotated automatically according to your face orientation.

For recognizing the position of the face, Google might use an algorithm where the front camera sensor captures the view of the user’s face. You don’t have to fear privacy issues as Google would mostly capture/process the data locally.

In the past, Autorotate feature has had its share of annoying users. For instance, if you are toggling between portrait and landscape mode while lying down sideways, it will shift to landscape mode as you tilt it. However, your face would be facing the phone straightaway.

This makes the Automatic feature useless at times. Anyway, as the report says, the Smart Autorotate/Face-based Auto-rotate on Android 12 could make use of the face shape algorithms found on other apps like Google Duo.

Also, if Google were to bring it to the final version, it should roll out to the Google Pixels first before launching on other devices.

Android 12 is shaping out to be a great upgrade with a lot more changes than we expected. The Alphabet-owned company is planning the new AOSP with Material NEXT design, new UI with revamped Notification shade, a dedicated Gaming Mode, one-handed Mode, Always-on Display changes, and more.

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Get the ILife V7s Plus Robot Vacuum Cleaner at just $182 (With Coupon)

By

Staff

-

Feb 16, 2021

Health and hygiene are of utmost importance during this pandemic season. It is important to keep ourselves and our surroundings clean and disinfected at all times. But with our hectic schedules, it is difficult to regularly clean and disinfect our homes. Hence investing in an automatic cleaner like ILife V7s Plus Robot Vacuum Cleaner with dual-mode makes complete sense. And Aliexpress is giving out this 2-in 1 automatic robot cleaner retailing at $217 for ~~$189.99~~ only $182 with coupon.

ILife V7s Plus Robot Vacuum Cleaner comes with the dual function of sweep and wet mopping. The wet mopping function is especially important as it helps to disinfect the whole house. It uses a combination of V shape and floating roller brushes making it suitable for almost all types of floorings like wooden, cement, tile, carpet, etc. Multiple cleaning modes like Edge, Spot, and auto help you to target clean different areas and issues. It comes with an OBS all terrain detection system which helps it to identify the terrain and obstacles thereby enabling it with the anti-fall and anti-collision functions. The cleaner has 120 min work time and a self auto charge function.

For the given price range, ILife V7s Plus Robot Vacuum Cleaner is a real bargain deal and as a limited offer, Aliexpress is selling this product for $189.99 only. Also, an additional $2.46 New User Coupon and $8 off $150Coupon are available on the product. This bargain deal applies to the Rose Gold variant. So go grab your ILife V7s Plus Robot Vacuum Cleaner today.