AutoX shares a video of its autonomous RoboTaxi in action in Shenzhen, China

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Feb 2, 2021

The Sony Xperia 5 II has gotten a new color variant in Europe. The phone which launched in Black, Blue, and Grey, now comes in Pink. Sony is also including a free pair of its WF-1000XM3 noise-canceling earbuds.

The new colorway is available in Germany, Italy, and Spain. Depending on the country or store you purchase from, you can grab the phone for €899 or €799. For example, Estorepartner Germany sells the phone for €799 while Amazon Germany has it listed for €899. Both stores include the Sony WF-1000XM3 Bluetooth headphones.

The offer with the free headphones runs from February 2 to February 14, and if you decide to return the phone, you also have to return the headphones.

The Xperia 5 II has a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 2520 x 1080 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. There is a Snapdragon 865 processor under the hood and you get 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

The back of the phone has three cameras – a 12MP main sensor with OIS, a 12MP telephoto camera with OIS and 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide angle camera. The front-facing camera is an 8MP sensor.

Even though the Xperia 5 II has an OLED display, it opts for a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. There is a 4000mAh battery under the hood with support for 21W fast charging via a USB-C port. Other features it has includes an audio jack, stereo speakers, Bluetooth 5.1, and NFC. It runs Android 10 out of the box but Sony has begun rolling out the Android 11 update for the phone.

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iOS 14.5 developer beta allows users unlock their iPhones with Face ID while wearing mask

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Feb 2, 2021

Apple has just released the developer beta of iOS 14.5 that has incorporated a new feature that makes it possible to unlock an iPhone using Face ID even while putting on a facemask. The feature in the Apple watch is called Unlock iPhone, and if it scales through the beta testing, then masked iPhone users who have an unlocked Apple Watch on their wrist will have Face ID automatically unlocked when Apple’s facial recognition system determines that they are wearing a mask. This is possible because the watch would have already verified a user’s Passcode to unlock the watch.

Last year March, as COVID-19 bore its fangs on the global populace and the use of facemasks were made compulsory, iPhone users found that Face ID was blocked from unlocking their devices forcing them to open the Passcode input screen. To prevent users from taking their masks off, even for a second, and putting themselves at risk of catching COVID-19, Apple added a new feature in iOS 13.5 last May. If Apple’s facial recognition algorithm detects an authentic user wearing a mask, the Passcode screen comes up immediately instead of waiting for the mask to generate an incorrect Face ID result.

Also included in the iOS 14.5 developer version is the new App Tracking Transparency feature that asks users whether they want to opt-in so that they can be tracked by third-party apps and continue to receive tracked ads on their phone.

To install the iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 developer betas, you first need to register as an iOS developer. Here are the steps to do that.

Go to: https://developer.apple.com/enroll/.
Select ‘ Start Your Enrollment ‘.
Sign in using an existing Apple ID create a new Apple ID.

After that, sign up to become an iOS beta tester. To do that head to https://beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/ and tap on the button that says “Sign up.” Use your Apple ID to continue and follow the directions on the screen. When Apple drops its public betas, those who joined the beta program can download and install the update by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Keep in mind that beta versions of operating systems are not stable. If you are using your iPhone as a daily driver, give it some deep thought before deciding whether to become an iOS beta tester.

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Apple unveils Black Unity Apple Watch Series 6 & Sport Band to celebrate Black history Month

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Feb 2, 2021

Apple is highlighting the Black History Month celebration this year and has launched a limited-edition Black Unity Apple Watch Series 6 and a Black Unity Sport Band, both of which are now available to order in the United States and a few other countries.

A close up of the black unity Apple watch is custom made for the occasion of the Black History month celebrations. It has the words Black Unity written on its space gray aluminum case. It has a Black Unity sport band, drawing inspiration from the colours of the Pan-African flag, and the band’s metal pin has a custom laser-written message that reads “Truth – Power – Solidarity.”

The Black Unity Apple Watch Series 6 will sell at $399, while the Black Unity Sport Band is also available to order separately for $49. Due to limited numbers, Apple has said the watch will only be available in February 2021, while the band is expected to remain available throughout the year. Orders could take a few days currently estimated to ship in one business day on Apple’s online store.

The limited-edition Apple Watch is complemented by the new “Unity” watch face in watchOS 7.3, also based on the Pan-African flag.

Apple had previously supported causes that promote and support the pursuit of racial equity for minority and disadvantaged groups in the US and even beyond.

An unboxing video of the Black Unity Watch Series 6 on YouTube has been shared by Rafael Zeier. Check out the video below.

Apple says it will continue to support organizations dedicated to advancing racial equity and justice in the United States and globally, including the Black Lives Matter Support Fund via the Tides Foundation, the European Network Against Racism, the International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights, the Leadership Conference Education Fund, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., and Souls Grown Deep.

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Canceled HTC-made Pixel 2 XL appears in hands-on video

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Feb 2, 2021

In 2017, Google announced the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL which were made by HTC and LG respectively. However, Google’s plan was to have HTC make the Pixel 2 XL but it canceled it and went with LG instead. There were reports that the HTC U11+ was the canceled Pixel 2 XL but a hands-on video of the HTC-made Pixel 2 XL which was codenamed ‘muskie’ has now appeared on the internet and it looks nothing like the HTC U11+.

The video was posted on the web by the YouTube channel, Calyx Hikari, and it gives us a good look at the phone. As you can see, the phone has pretty huge bezels that are not only thicker than those of the HTC U11+ but also thicker than those of the Pixel 2 XL. HTC’s phone would have gone well with the Pixel 2 as that too had thick bezels and a 16:9 display.

On the back, ”muskie” is shown to have a similar design to that of the Pixel 2 XL – a two-tone finish and a single camera that is on the left side of the phone. It also has a fingerprint scanner just below the upper part of the glass.

The video shows the device is operated with a wireless mouse as it doesn’t respond to touch input. We get to see the ”About Section” of the phone and it confirms the phone is ”muskie”. It is also shown to be running Android Oreo with May 2017’s security patch.

Google probably decided to go with an 18:9 display instead of the 16:9 display of HTC’s phone which is why this phone never got released. It was a wise decision as quite a number of manufacturers had ditched the traditional 16:9 aspect ratio for the trendy 18:9 aspect ratio.

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Benchmark report shows the Exynos 2100 is far more power-efficient than the Exynos 990

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Feb 2, 2021

The latest benchmark report on Samsung’s flagship processor the Exynos 2100 may have confirmed that the hype and buzz around the processor weren’t misplaced after all. The Exynos 2100, as per the benchmark numbers, has made significant improvements in power efficiency and overall performance in comparison with its predecessor, the Exynos 990.

The benchmark surfaced on YouTube via the account Golden Reviewer and contains performance and power efficiency ratings for premium smartphone processors between 2020 and 2021.

The Exynos 990’s M5 (big) and Cortex-A76 (mid) CPU cores got 30.95 points and 21.54 points, respectively, while the Exynos 2100’s Cortex-X1 (big) and Cortex-A78 (mid) CPU cores garnered 39.61 points and 35.71 points, respectively.

In terms of power efficiency, the Exynos 2100 also surpassed the 990 for both big and medium CPU cores. reflecting massive improvements over the 990. The implication is that after taking some flak in the aftermath of the Exynos 990, the tech giant silently worked on a solution that has proved very solid.

The Exynos 2100 may therefore be the reason why Galaxy S21 models performed better, with longer battery life than the Galaxy S20 devices.

However, the Exynos 2100 could not outperform the latest Snapdragon processor, the Snapdragon 888. It has a slightly better CPU performance and power efficiency compared to the Exynos 2100 but The latest mobile processor offering from Samsung is still better than the Snapdragon 865+ and the Kirin 9000.

The GPU of the Snapdragon 888 is marginally better than the Exynos 2100, although the Exynos 2100 seems to have a better power management rating as it is cooler when compared to the Snapdragon 888. A YouTube video has shown Exynos and Snapdragon versions of the Galaxy S21 running various CPU, GPU, and overall benchmarks. The heat and temperature measurements for the Exynos was better.

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Xiaomi Mijia 10-inch Writing Tablet Up for Sale at Banggood (Limited Time Offer)

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Greeva Agnihotri

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Feb 2, 2021

The Xiaomi Mijia Writing Tablet is designed to make teaching fun for kids and help adults be more creative with art. By default, it has dust-free ink that is healthy and eco-friendly. At present, this device is up for sale on Banggood and can be purchased at a discounted price for just $16.29 (original price $22). Let’s take a look at some of its features. Xiaomi Mijia 10-inch Writing Tablet-2-

Xiaomi Mijia Writing Tablet features a 10-inch LCD screen that adopts a liquid crystal film formula that displays crisp letters in blue-green handwriting. Its pressure-sensing technology changes the writing according to the force applied. The LCD screen consumes less energy even when the screen is cleared multiple times a day. It comes with a lightweight magnetic stylus for convenient storage. With 7mm thickness and ultra-thin body, this Xiaomi tablet is easy to carry. Xiaomi Mijia 10-inch Writing Tablet-1-

Xiaomi Mijia Tablet is built to meet the creative needs of both children and adults alike. All interested users can purchase this tablet for just $16.29 (original price $22) at Banggood. This deal is up for just today, so hurry and make the most of it.

Nokia 8.3 5G starts getting the Android 11 update

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Feb 2, 2021

Nokia 8.3 5G launched with Android 10 out of the box. Today, a post on the community page announced that the latest Android 11 update for the device has started rolling out.

A post on the Nokia Community page by Dipankar paul shows(via) the details of the Android 11 rollout for the Nokia 8.3 5G. He says that the company has begun the rollout but will carry it out in Phases(waves) to ensure a smooth rollout.

The countries to receive the update in the 1st wave of rollout are: Bahrain, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Iceland, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Macau, Morocco, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Tunisia, the UAE, the US, and Vietnam.

Going by the name ‘1st wave’ you should have realized by now that a subsequent follow-up of rollout including the UK will continue after this. In fact, the post says that 10% of people will get now, 50% by Feb 5th. By Feb 7th, every one of these markets will have received the Android 11 update.

For features, you can expect all the goodies of Android 11 like chat bubbles(conversations), media controls, improved permission management, and organized notifications. Further, a screenshot shared by Nokiamob shows that the software version V2.180 weighing 1.80GB brings the latest January 2021 security patch.

That said, Nokia 8.3 runs UI which is based on the Android One program the overall interface will most likely remain the same i.e stock Android with very fewer customizations. Either way, the update is a bit late looking at its schedule, and let’s hope Nokia doesn’t mess it up further for other devices.

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IDC report shows Huawei leads the Chinese smartphone market by a wide margin

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Feb 2, 2021

The Chinese smartphone market is a very competitive one with several key players vying for consumers’ money. IDC has released its report for the year 2020 and it shows that Huawei is still the leader in its home country and by no small margin.

At the top of the list sits Huawei with a total shipment of 124.9 million units, giving it a market share of 38.3%. However, that figure is a significant drop from 2019’s 140.6 million units. While the pandemic definitely affected sales, we also think that Huawei’s limited supply of parts may have affected the drop in total shipments.

Vivo comes in at second place with 57.5 million shipments and a market share of 17.7%. In 2019, it shipped a total of 66.5 million units and had a market share of 18.1%. OPPO follows closely behind with a market share of 17.4% and total shipments of 56.7 million units.

Xiaomi comes in at the fourth spot with 39 million shipments and a market share of 12%. In 2019, it shipped 40 million units and its market share was 10.9%.

Apple shipped a total of 36.1 million units, almost 4 million more than it shipped in 2019. its market share also increased from 8.9% in 2019 to 11.1% in 2020. As you can see, save for Apple, all the other brands on the top five list recorded a drop in the total number of smartphones shipped in 2020.

Other brands accounted for the remaining 11.5 million units of the 325.7 million total smartphones shipped in 2020.

We expect the smartphone market to pick up this year now that there is a vaccine for the coronavirus. Also, Huawei may have a difficult year unless the U.S. ban is lifted and it can get components for its smartphones.

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Madhav Sheth shows off a Transparent version of the realme X7 Pro

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Feb 2, 2021

realme is gearing up to launch the realme X7 series of smartphones in less than two days. The series will have realme X7, realme X7 Pro where the former is likely a rebadged realme V15 from China. While the company has almost confirmed everything about the Pro variant, the realme India & Europe CEO Madhav Sheth has just showcased a transparent version.

In a tweet, Madhav Showed off a Transparent version of the realme X7 Pro in style. As you can see below, the images show a rear panel that is fully wiped off its color scheme. Most part of the rear appears black beneath showing how the inside of the rear would look like. Going by the leaked specs, some of the black portions should be the NFC coil.

Labeled as a ‘DEMO PHONE’, its transparency even goes to the extent of the sides looking shiny in the lighting. We can also spot the rectangular rear-camera layout with rounded corners. Interestingly, the Flash layout seems to be tucked in the layout with a Ribbon cable from the board and not sorted onto it.

Guys, how about this transparent version of #realmeX7Pro. Do you want us to launch it? pic.twitter.com/ArQ0drompD

— Madhav FutureX (@MadhavSheth1) February 2, 2021

This is not the only time we are seeing transparent versions of the device. Companies like Razer(with Razer Phone 2) and Xiaomi went ahead and itself launched a Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition back in 2018. And followed it with the Mi 9. OnePlus also tried its luck with a JerryRigEverything-inspired Creator Case for OnePlus Nord that shows how an internals would look like.

Transparent back panels have gained their own set of audience over the years. Advancements like Electrochromism have paved the way for future devices debuting with transparent panels. These glasses, which having color-changing characteristics, are very close to becoming real.

Coming back, the realme X7 Pro, is probably coming to India in Aeroline Black, Skyline White, and an Iridescent(C-Color gradient in China) colors. Hence, we aren’t really sure if the company will launch a ‘Transparent Version’ as the ‘Special Edition’.

Would you buy a Transparent edition of the realme X7 Pro if it launches in India? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Fitbit Charge 4 Special Edition & Fitbit Versa 2 get over $40 OFF Today on AMAZON!

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Greeva Agnihotri

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Feb 2, 2021

Fitbit is a famous brand known for manufacturing top-notch fitness tracking devices/ wearables. As of now, Amazon is offering up to $40 off on Fitbit products. Hence, this is the perfect time for all fitness enthusiasts to give their devices an upgrade or buy new ones. This deal is up only for a limited period, so make the most of it while you can.

We have narrowed down the best deals for you; keep reading to know more.

Fitbit Charge 4 Special Edition Watch

Fitbit Charge 4 Special Edition is originally sold for $169.95 but is currently available at Amazon with a 24% off and available for just $129.5.

This smartwatch comes with a built-in GPS to track the pace and distance of outdoor exercises while the active zone minutes notifies the user when they have met the target. Through its 24/7 heart rate tracking, this Fitbit smartwatch accurately measures calorie burn. Other prominent features include 5ATM water-resistance, 7-day battery life, music and app control, and real-time workout tracking with 20+ goal-based exercises. Fitbit Charge 4 Special Edition

Fitbit Versa 2 Smartwatch

Usually, Fitbit Versa 2 Smartwatch is being sold for $179.95, but with the current Amazon deal, you can get it for just $149.95 (17% Off).

Fitbit Versa 2 has Alexa to help the user set reminders, timers and get updates about news and weather. It is designed to track heart rate and sleep patterns to help one reach their ultimate fitness peak. Smartphone updates, music control, water-resistance, app control, and real-time workout tracking with 20+ goal-based exercises are some of its other key features. Fitbit Versa 2

With the current Amazon deals, these smartwatches are an ideal pick for personal use or gifting. Since this is a limited time offer, hurry and make the most of it.

OPPO patents a Smartphone design with double-sided pop-up camera having reflective mirror

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Feb 2, 2021

OPPO was one of the early adopters of the pop-up camera mechanism along with the sister Vivo. The company also patents weird designs every now and then. Recently, we saw a circular pop-up camera module patented by OPPO. Today, we have another but this time it’s a double-sided design with a reflective mirror.

The patent, filed by OPPO at WIPO(World Intellectual Property Office) and spotted by LetsGoDigital has been applied in March 2020 and published later that year in October. Accordingly, the design shows a flat display upfront and clean as a slate rear panel. You might wonder where are the cameras right? Well, OPPO has decided it to hide like Xiaomi.

Last week, we saw a Xiaomi patent having a smartphone design with a reflective mirror. Similarly, OPPO is using a light path deflection mirror on its pop-up camera. However, OPPO’s patent shows not one but two mirrors(shape of mirror/prism Δ). Additionally, OPPO is making only the reflective mirrors move up and down so as to keep the cameras intact.

With pop-up design sitting flush and cameras facing up, the mirrors are kept perpendicular to them generally but can be altered to vary the type of photos you want. This enables it to use them both as Selfie and Rear cameras. And the fact that it can draw light from left/right sides is just the icing on the cake for 360˚ panorama shots.

To customize this, OPPO is said to use a button on the side as per the patent. Triggering it once will turn them into Selfie shooters whereas pressing it twice will point it backward. Other features like Single Camera activation at a time could also be possible as per the report.

Besides, when technology is moving towards under-display cameras, companies like Samsung have also been trying various designs of pop-up mechanisms. Nevertheless, Just like other patents, we aren’t sure if the OPPO’s patent would debut as a commercial device.

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Nokia 5.4 heading to the U.S.A. on February 15

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Feb 2, 2021

HMD Global will be launching its Nokia 5.4 mid-range 4G smartphone in the US in a few weeks. The phone which launched in December in Europe is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

According to the listing on Amazon US, the Nokia 5.4 will be released on February 15, exactly 2 months after it was announced in Europe. The listing also reveals that there will be only one variant which has 4GB of RAM and 128G of expandable storage and a price tag of $249.99. In Europe, the phone is available in 4+64GB, 6+64GB, and 6+128GB with the base model selling for €189 (~$227).

The Nokia 5.4 has a 6.39-inch HD+ LCD screen with a hole at the top left corner of the screen for the front-facing camera. It is powered by the Snapdragon 662 processor which brings support for LTE.

The front-facing camera is a 16MP sensor while the back is home to a quad-camera setup that includes a 48MP primary camera, a 5MP ultrawide angle camera, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. Below the cookie-shaped camera housing is a fingerprint scanner.

The Nokia 5.4 has a 4000mAh battery with support for 10W charging is a USB-C port. HMD Global claims that users should get up to 2 days of battery life. Even though this phone launched months after Android 11 was released, it runs Android 10 out of the box. However, the phone will get Android 11 as well as two years of software upgrades and 3 years of security updates.

You can pre-order the Nokia 5.4 now in Polar Night and Dusk color variants but note that there is no mention of an added benefit for pre-ordering. The phone is also listed on the Nokia Mobile US website with the same $249.99 price tag but you will have to wait until it launches before you can purchase it.

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Samsung Galaxy A52 images appear on China’s TENAA

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Feb 2, 2021

The rate at which the Samsung Galaxy A52 is leaking suggests that the device might go official anytime now. The latest to join are the images along with some specs appearing on TENAA.

If you recall, Samsung Galaxy A52 got listed on China’s TENAA two weeks ago. However, we didn’t have any info on the device. That ends today as the listing(via) now shows dimensions, display, and battery specs of the device. Under the model number SM-A5260, TENAA shows that the device will measure 159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4mm.

Talking about the images, we see a Black variant listed with quad rear camera layout, power button, and volume buttons on the right, and centered punch-hole upfront. This goes in line with the earlier leak that said Samsung Galaxy A52‘s design won’t be that different from the predecessor.

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Further, the listing shows that the display will be of 6.46-inch in size which going by the past should be an sAMOLED display. The images show that it is the Infinity-O display as shown before. Moving on, the device will likely have a 4,500mAh battery which is a bit higher than the 4,000mAh on the Galaxy A51.

Other information on TENAA includes Android 11 OS, support SA/NSA 5G, and Dual-SIM connectivity.

Galaxy A52- Specifications (Expected)

Samsung Galaxy A52 is expected to arrive in Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Violet, and Awesome Blue colors and in 4G and 5G version. The former will likely have Snapdragon 720G chipset while the latter could sport Snapdragon 750G. The 5G variant is heading to multiple markets including India.

Other expected specs include a 64-megapixel quad-camera system, 15W charging, run Android 11 OS, 6/8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage, and a starting price of ~$450.

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OnePlus’ Valentine’s Day offers in the US include discounts, free backpack, and more

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Feb 2, 2021

Valentine’s Day is almost two weeks away but OnePlus is already running a sale on this occasion in the US. The offers are only valid on the company’s official website up until February 17. Let us take a closer look at these deals.

OnePlus only has three smartphones on offer as part of its Valentine’s Day sale. These three phones are the OnePlus 8, the OnePlus 8 Pro, and the OnePlus Nord N10 5G. Also, the company only has a single variant of these handsets in stock.

It makes sense as the OnePlus 8 series has reached the end of its shelf life. Whereas, the OnePlus Nord N10 5G comes in a single variant only. With that being said, let us go through the offers.

OnePlus Valentine’s Day Sale Offers, Discounts, and Freebies

OnePlus 8

The OnePlus 8 is on sale with $100 off on the 8GB + 128GB variant in Glacial Green. In other words, interested customers can get this phone for $599 instead of its regular $699 selling price.

Additionally, customers can avail $500 off if they buy two units. Hence, they will have to only spend $898.

OnePlus 8 Pro

On the other hand, the OnePlus 8 Pro 12GB + 256GB variant in Ultramarine Blue is not only discounted by $200 but the customers also get a free Charcoal Black-colored OnePlus Urban Traveler Backpack.

That means the handset will only cost $799 for interested customers and they will be also getting a backpack worth $79 for free.

Oneplus Nord N10 5G

Unlike the other two smartphones, the OnePlus Nord N10 5G has not received any discount. But buyers can opt for a free bumper case or screen protector. For those unaware, this device costs $299.99

Daily Lucky Draw

Last but not least, OnePlus is also running a daily lucky draw through which participants can win smartphones, accessories, and free shipping vouchers.

That said, if you are interested in any of the above-mentioned offers, then do make sure to use them before the products go out of stock.

Fossil Gen 5E with a 1.19-inch AMOLED display, WearOS launched in India

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Feb 2, 2021

Fossil‘s latest Android Wear OS smartwatch dubbed Fossil Gen 5E was first launched in the US in October last year. The company has now unveiled the product for the Indian market.

The watch is a trimmed down version of the Gen 5 smartwatch that was launched last year. This model comes with cheaper pricing than its predecessor. However, it shares several features with the Gen 5 including features such as fitness tracking, sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, etc.

The Fossil Gen 5E smartwatch is offered in two sizes – 42mm and 44mm. Both versions feature a 1.19-inch OLED display. The watch is powered by the older Snapdragon Wear 3100 which has been replaced with the Wear 4100 by Qualcomm this year.

The processor is paired with 1GB of RAM and there is 4GB of internal storage onboard. Providing the power is a 300mAh battery. The watch also comes with NFC and has 3ATM water resistance property.

Furthermore, the Watch 5E also crams a speaker and microphone inside which makes it suitable for users to make and answer calls straight from the watch. The watch can also be used to trigger the voice assistant onboard the connected smartphone. One feature that is lacking on this model is standalone GPS. In order to access your location, the watch needs to be connected to a smartphone. There is also no ambient light sensor, altimeter, or compass onboard this model.

As for the pricing and availability, the Fossil Gen 5E is available on Flipkart and is priced at Rs. 18,495 (~$253). The smartwatch comes in Black Silicone, Brown Leather, Black Stainless Steel, Two-tone Stainless Steel, Rose Gold-Tone Stainless Steel/Mesh, and Blush Silicone versions.

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This might be the design of upcoming Google Pixel Foldable Smartphone

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