LG Electronics is known for its quality displays and it is bringing one of the top-notch monitors equipped with a 4K display to India. The LG Ultrafine Display Ergo 4K Monitor (32UN880) adopts a 31.5-inch display with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. The display also supports HDR10, 95% DCI P3 color accuracy, 5ms response time, and 350nits brightness.
The Ergo series was first unveiled at CES 2020 and comes in 32 inches and 27 inches models. The monitor features a space-saving stand with a C-Clamp attachment that clasps to your desk. The stand can extend outward or be positioned close to the wall, moved up to eye-level, or lowered to the desk. It can even swivel to face the opposite direction for convenient sharing of information with an office colleague. It can also be positioned at the perfect height, distance, and angle for a far more comfortable and more sustainable user experience.
Further, you get a USB-C One Cable solution onboard the monitor that also conveniently provides fast data transfer and power for laptop charging through a single cable. The monitor has built-in 10W (two 5W) speakers and supports AMD FreeSync. It also comes with two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort and a Headphone Out.
The LG 32UN880 UltraFine Display Ergo 4K HDR10 Monitor is priced at Rs. 59,999 (~$822) and is available from Amazon.in online as well as offline stores.
Commenting on the launch, Hak Hyun Kim, Director- Home Entertainment, LG Electronics stated that the lockdown, occasioned by the economically disruptive coronavirus pandemic, has significantly increased the amount of time people spend at their desks. This, he noted, has led to an increase in work-related health issues and affected the productivity of employees. He then added that the new UltraFine Ergo is specially designed to help users experience maximum productivity and efficiency during this period due to the product’s ability to allow users to customize their workstation.
Last week, we reported that ByteDance has shut downSmartisan Mobile and that no new smartphones will be released by the Chinese manufacturer. The news must have gotten owners of Smartisan phones worried, especially those who picked up the Nut R2 flagship that was announced just three months ago. The manufacturer has released a statement that allays their fears and concerns.
The official Smartisan Mobile Weibo account confirmed in a post a few days ago that its research and development team is indeed being merged with the educational hardware team at ByteDance to focus on educational products. That was the decision ByteDance took following the shutdown of the mobile phone brand.
In the same post, it was revealed that after-sales service and system maintenance for its current lineup of Smartisan phones will not be affected. So if you own a Smartisan phone and run into an issue, you should still be able to get support when you contact the company.
The official Smartisan OS Weibo account also quoted the post and added that Smartisan OS will continue to be maintained and that they will continue to explore innovative opportunities for the operating system.
Smartisan OS may not be popular but the operating system offers several features that stock Android doesn’t have. From the ability to run more than two apps side by side, to productivity features that allow you to easily extract key information from documents to a more advanced copy and paste feature.
Smartisan OS also has a desktop mode which is practically like a different OS built into the main OS that is called TNT OS. When a supported device is connected to an external display, a monitor, or a projector, it switches to this desktop mode. TNT Desktop OS not only provides a desktop-like experience but is also packed with productivity tools that are not available when you are in ”mobile mode”.
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Smartisan TNT Go
Smartisan TNT Go wired mode
Smartisan TNT Go wireless mode
Last year, Smartisan announced the TNT Go, a Surface Go-like 2-in-1 device that provides on-the-go access to TNT OS. The device is powered by the Smartisan Nut R2 as it doesn’t have a built-in operating system. It works by connecting the Nut R2 phone to it via a cable or wirelessly. When connected, it automatically brings up TNT OS so the owner can work in a desktop-like environment wherever they might be. The TNT Go has a 2K touchscreen display, a detachable keyboard, and a stylus with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity.
While there is no news of that happening yet, we hope this is not the end of Smartisan Mobile and look forward to seeing it rise again.
Reports from South Korea had indicated that Korean automaker Hyundai may be the preferred manufacturer that will lead the charge in the much awaited Apple car project. Rumours are rife that Hyundai Motor is close to penning a partnership agreement with the company.
Hyundai, in a statement on Wednesday, said it is looking at cooperation with foreign firms with capacity and expertise in self-driving and electric cars. The statement by Hyundai is instructive, as the company had, on several occasions, refused to comment on any speculation surrounding work on an Apple Car.
However, tipsters have continued to predict that the Apple car project is still alive, and progressing with its development. This month, a raft of reports had mentioned Apple and its progress in developing the Apple car. Some reports have also projected that the car will be ready as early as 2024.
A prototype may be unveiled in 2022, according to another report, while it was even mentioned that the production plant will be Kia’s factory in Georgia. It should be noted that the Kia brand is owned by Hyundai Motor Corporation.
Seemingly, the wave of rumours and leaks concerning the Apple car could indicate that we may be approaching a big announcement from Apple in terms of the development of the much expected electric smart vehicle.
Research on evolving battery technology for electric vehicles and autonomous mobility systems could be the potential catalyst that could yield a revolutionary car, and Apple wants to be at the fire of such a breakthrough by researching those aspects actively.
Choosing an established automaker to handle final production is certainly an inevitable and logical choice since Apple does not have the expertise to build any car, much more smart cars.
So, we keep our fingers crossed while we await what becomes of this new partnership between Apple and Kia.
JBL C115 TWS Earbuds has just made its way into the Indian market. The earbuds offer a rewarding sound experience with lthe Pure Bass sound technology. It also has an ergonomic balance, voice assistant support, and longer battery life.
TWS earbuds are now very popular devices among youths in India, and this release by JBL will have to compete with Apple, Samsung, and others who already have TWS earbuds and had made inroads into the Indian market.
The C115 earbuds each have a 5.88mm dynamic driver with the sound system providing JBL Pure Bass sound technology for undistorted bass and precise sound. The earbuds connect via Bluetooth 5.0, offering quick and stable connectivity, and it supports the Autonomous Listening, capability, which allows each earbud to function independently in a healthy manner.
The design of the earbuds is such that it offers ergonomic appeal as it is well suited for listening to several hours of audio without stress.
The battery can power the device for 6 hours on a single, full charge, and a further 15 hours when the charging case is used. They are fitted with microphones for taking calls, and it supports Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa.
The JBL C115 TWS earbuds come in 4 variants — Black, White, Mint, and Red; they can be gotten from Amazon.in for Rs. 4999 (~68).
Commenting on the launch, Vikram Kher, Vice-President, Lifestyle Audio, HARMAN India said that the release of the earbuds is a milestone for the company in the 75 years of its existence. He expressed joy that with the release of the C115 for the youths segment of the population. it will be a highly affordable gadget which also appeals to other segments of consumers.
A recent Bloomberg report has revealed that US tech giant, Apple could launch a tech-loaded VR-AR headset within a year. The report says that the virtual reality and augmented reality headset may actually be the precursor of more applications using AR glasses.
Apple has been a leader in research and development relating to AR and VR technology for several years, even CEO, Tim Cook had stated that augmented reality was promising.
The headset, which is expected to be quite expensive, could usher in a new way of producing smartphones using augmented reality glasses. 2022 is the expected year of release of the headset by Apple and it will square up against other VR headsets like Facebook’s Oculus and PlayStation VR, from Sony.
The VR-AR headset is a culmination of active research and development in the area by Apple for several years, as the company deployed components of VR and AR devices and software. Last year the LiDAR technology was deployed in the sensor of the iPhone 12 Pro, making the device to be more versatile and in performing augmented reality activities.
The technology used for the VR headset could be scaled up and adjusted so that Apple could indeed come up with thinner and premium looking smart glasses touted to replace the iPhone within the decade.
The new VR-AR headset is primarily a virtual reality gadget, with a remarkable 3D digital environment on display, which enables the user to carry out any task from watching a video to playing his favorite game, as well as a number of other tasks. However, the VR=AR headset may have much limited AR capability, as this is an area of continuing research, as they inch towards firming up the technology for more revolutionary applications.
The headset, like the existing stuff of this nature, will have a battery that powers its operations and does not require a console, unlike Sony’s PlayStation equivalent headset, PSVR. However, it is projected that the price of the VR-AR headset from Apple will be much higher than that of its current competitors.
From the Bloomberg report, there could be single sales of the device daily at its various retail locations, as a strategy to ramp up the cost and demand of the flagship product from Apple. It is also seen in some quarters as a gamble by Apple into the uncharted territory of augmented reality, an area that is still in development. The design of the headset may after all, just be a prototype of a more enduring device or gadget using smart AR glass technology.
The risk of such release of seemingly revolutionary products is the possibility of it turning to a flop. A clear case is the Google glass product, launched in 2013 but collapsed two years later.
Xiaomi‘s partner, Segway-Ninebot has launched its latest self-balancing electric scooter for the global market. The product dubbed Ninebot S MAX is similar to the Ninebot Self-balancing Scooter MAX Sports version which was launched in China last year.
Just like the Chinese version, this international version is designed for use as a single unit or attached to the GoKart Pro/Lamborghini edition that was also launched on Indiegogo last year. The new self-balancing scooter offers three ways of usage – as a standalone, with the handlebar and attached to the GoKart.
The Max sports version is the most powerful scooter from Ninebot so far. It offers a maximum speed of up to 20km/h and a range of 38km when used as a standalone scooter. While when attached to the Gokart, it achieves a boosted high-speed of 37km/h while the range is reduced to 25km which is still impressive.
The Ninebot S Max is significantly bigger than the previous-gen self-balancing scooter. It also brings support for a handlebar just like the original Segway scooters sold in the US. The handlebar not only provides support but makes steering the e-scooter easier. It is shaped like a racing car steering wheel and there is equally a display on top which shows the traveling speed. The height of the handlebar is adjustable from 1.3m to 1.8m to suit the height of different users.
The Ninebot S Max has a net weight of 22.8kg. It is equipped with Ninebot’s Leansteer control technology. The sensitivity of the steering stick is as high as 0.01 seconds and it can be controlled as smoothly as an arm makes a finger. The scooter also automatically maintains the balance of the body when it detects that a person is standing, allowing you to get on the car as simple as stepping up, and you can easily control it with a little adaptation. This feature was first introduced on the Ninebot Nano Self-balancing scooter launched in May 2020.
It also has the same thoughtful 15-fold safety technology as the Ninebot Nano ranging from standing on the scooter to moving forward, steering, stopping the scooter as well as charging.
You can back the Ninebot S MAX self-balancing e-Scooter on Indiegogo with a starting price of $849.
When Google announced the Chromecast with Google TV last year, it revealed that the new interface will come to other Android TV devices. It appears TCL may be one of the first manufacturers to bring Google TV to its existing smart TVs.
The Chinese manufacturer had revealed to FlatpanelsHD that it plans to update its 2019 and 2020 lineup of Android TVs to Android 11 for TVs. Google announced Android 11 for TVs last September but TCL says that the update is scheduled for Q3 2021 when Android 12 must have been released.
In its statement to the blog, TCL said that it has not yet been decided if the update will bring the new Google TV system, the official Twitter account for TCL Europe said in a tweet that ”Your experience will be upgraded from Android TV to the new Google TV system…”.
We will advise that you don’t get too excited until there is an official announcement that specifically says that the 2019 and 2020 models will get Google TV. However, TCL has confirmed that its 2021 TVs will get Google TV while TVs from 2018 and earlier will not be updated.
Android 11 for TVs brings a number of new features such as Auto Low Latency Mode and low latency media decoding. It also brings privacy features such as one-time permissions. Other known features that come with the update are extended gamepad support, silent boot mode for system updates, and inactivity prompts.
Xiaomi announced the Mi Watch Lite for the Global markets back in December. This is a tweaked version of the Redmi Watch in China. This Mi Watch Lite Global edition could soon launch in India as it clears BIS certification.
Spotted by Mukul Sharma, a Smartwatch with model number REDMIWT02 appears on the BIS database under Redmi Branding. Now, you might get confused with the ‘Redmi’ branding here. To make you clear, two smartwatches got certified a while ago on Bluetooth SIG.
One of them had the same model number with ‘REDMI’ on it but ‘Mi Watch Lite‘ moniker. Later, it turned out to be the Mi Watch Lite for Global markets. Hence, there is a possibility that Xiaomi might bring this version and not the Chinese variant to India.
We also have a few reasons to believe this. The Mi Watch Lite primarily differs from Redmi Watch in sports modes, GPS, AI Assistant, NFC, and battery life. That is, the Mi Watch Lite has 11 sport modes(4 more than Redmi Watch), built-in GPS+GLONASS(absent on Redmi Watch).
However, it lacks features like NFC, a built-in AI assistant, microphone that are present on the Redmi Watch. Redmi launched its first Smartwatch as the Redmi Watch back in November in China. Despite sporting the same battery(230mAh), it has lesser battery life than Mi Watch Lite(7 days vs 9 days).
All this suggests that Xiaomi might bring the more sensible version to India but we do not know if it will come under Xiaomi/Redmi branding yet. Either way, the Smartwatch will likely feature a 1.4-inch 320x320p display with 323 PPI, 2.5D curved glass.
It has over 120 watch faces, Heartrate and Sleep monitoring, 5ATM Water resistance, Bluetooth 5.0 BLE(Low-Energy), Six-Axis Motion and Ambient Light sensors, Barometer and is available in Ivory, Black, Navy Blue colors.
Let’s wait to see how Xiaomi prices this in India but it is already available at $60/CNY299 in Global/China respectively.
Microsoft has finally launched the Surface Laptop Go in India. The laptop technically starts at ₹71,999($986) for consumers while Enterprises can get it as low as ₹63,499($870).
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Surface Laptop Go
Surface Laptop Go
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go India – Price, Availability
According to Microsoft Official Press Release, Surface Laptop Go will be available in four memory variants- 4GB RAM and 64GB, 8GB RAM and 128/256GB, 16GB RAM and 256GB storage options. All of them will have the same Intel Core i5 10th gen processor.
However, only the 8GB version will be available for sale to normal customers(consumers SKUs). You can take a look at the pricing of those variants below:
8GB RAM + 128GB storage- ₹71,999($987)
8GB RAM + 256GB storage- ₹91,999($1,261)
Microsoft says that the 4GB RAM and 16GB RAM variants of Surface Laptop Go falls under Commercial SKUs*. This means, only Enterprise Firms and other business companies can get it in India and the prices of them are below:
4GB RAM + 64GB storage- ₹63,499($870)
16GB RAM + 256GB storage- ₹1,10,999($1,521)
Additionally, the 8GB RAM, 128GB, and 256GB storage variants are also available for Enterprises but their price is higher than above at ₹76,999 and ₹92,999 respectively.
As for the availability of Consumer SKUs, Microsoft says that you can buy them from January 22 on Major e-commerce sites like Amazon, Reliance Digital, Authorized Resellers, and Retail partners across India. Offers like no-cost EMI up to 9 months starting at ₹8,000/month will also be available.
Although the Surface Laptop Go shines in Platinum, Ice Blue, and Sandstone colors in markets like the US, you can get it only in Platinum color in India. The device, which weighs about 1.1kg, features Intel Core i5-1035G1 Ice Lake processor paired with LPDDR4x RAM and eMMC(only 64GB version)/SSD storage.
The display is a 12.4-inch PixelSense touchscreen which has a resolution of 1536 x 1024-pixels resolution and a 3:2 aspect ratio. For connectivity, we get 1 x USB-C port, 1 x USB-A port, a Surface Connect port, and a 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth 5.0, and Wi-Fi 6.
Other features include a full-size keyboard with 1.3mm travel, fingerprint scanner(not on 4GB variant), 720p HD webcam, Omnisonic speakers with Dolby Audio, Dual far-field Studio Mics, Top Aluminium Cover, and polycarbonate resin with Glass fiber base.
Earlier this month, the specifications of two Motorola smartphones codenamed Capri and Capri Plus were leaked. These handsets are expected to go official in Q1 2021 itself. A few days back, the plus model’s branding was revealed to be Moto G30 via NBTC certification. Now, this very same phone has been certified by India’s BIS as well.
Motorola Capri mockup by TechNikNews
The Motorola Capri Plus smartphone with model number XT2129-2 has received BIS certification. Hence, we can expect the company to launch this handset in India but we cannot tell for sure if it will release as Moto G30 or something else.
According to previous reports, this upcoming Motorola phone will sport a 90Hz HD+ display. It will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 chipset paired with 4GB/6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB internal storage.
Further, the device will feature a 13MP Samsung S5K4H7 sensor on the front and a quad-camera setup on the back consisting of a 64MP OmniVision OV64B sensor with a wide-angle lens, a 13MP Samsung S5K3L6 sensor with an ultra-wide lens, a 2MP OmniVision OV02B sensor for depth sensing, and a 2MP GalaxyCore GC02M1 sensor with a macro lens.
Other features include a 5,000mAh battery with support for 20W fast charging, dual-SIM, NFC, and Android 11 operating system. Lastly, although it is not confirmed, we can expect this device to come with a MicroSD card slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack like any other budget Motorola smartphone.
POCO Indonesia has finally launched the budget M3 smartphone in the country. This device has already debuted in Europe back in November. Starting at Rp.1,799,000 in Indonesia, it features Snapdragon 662 chipset, 48MP Triple-camera, and more.
POCO M3 Indonesia – Price, Availability
POCO M3 will be available in two storage variants in Indonesia- 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, and 6GB RAM and 128GB storage options. You can take a look at the official pricing below:
POCO M3(4GB + 64GB)- Rp.1,899,000($136)
POCO M3(6GB + 128GB)- Rp.2,299,000($164)
However, POCO has an introductory Online offer for both the variants. Accordingly, 4GB RAM will be available for Rp.1,799,000($129) and 6GB variant for Rp.2,199,000($157). The first sale of the POCO M3 will be on January 26 at 10:00 WIB(UTC+07:00).
As for availability, POCO says that users can purchase the device online via mi.com(Indonesia), LazadaLazadaLazada, Akulaku, and Mi Authorized stores across the country. The device will also be available on erafone and other Mi Authorized retail shops soon.
POCO has retained the same build and color of the POCO M3. That is, it sports a faux leather finish on the back and comes in POCO Yellow, Cool Blue, and Power Black color options. The larger all-black housing that hosts the rectangular triple-camera layout has a POCO logo beside it.
It features the 6.53-inch FHD+ LCD display with Dot-drop notch, 2340x1080p resolution, 395 PPI, 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The display also covers 70% NTSC color gamut, has 1500:1 contrast ratio, TUV Rheinland certification for Low-Blue light emission, and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
Under the hood, Snapdragon 662 SoC powers the device paired with LPDDR4x 4/6GB RAM, 64GB(UFS 2.1), and 128GB(UFS 2.2) storage. You also get a microSD card slot to expand the storage up to 512GB. For Cameras, we have the same 48MP f/1.79 main lens, two 2MP macro and depth sensors.
Other features include an 8MP f/2.0 front camera, a 6,000mAh battery with 18W charging(22.5W charger in-box), Type-C, 3.5mm audio jack, dual-Speakers, dual-SIM 4G, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0, FM Radio, GPS, and MIUI 12 based on Android 10.
The Vivo X60 Pro+ has finally launched as Vivo’s first flagship smartphone of the year. The phone not only has the Snapdragon 888 processor under its hood but also has two main rear cameras – one from Sony and the other from Samsung.
Vivo X60 Pro+ design
The phone has a curved display with a centered punch hole for the selfie camera. Just as we have seen with some other manufacturers such as OnePlus and Xiaomi, Vivo has also paid attention to the display of the X60 Pro+. The manufacturer claims that the screen has an average ΔE score of 0.506 and that each display was individually calibrated.
The back of the phone is covered in high-quality plain leather with the option to choose between Classic Orange and Phantom Blue. Sitting on the back is a rectangular island made of metal and glass that houses four cameras. The camera housing protrudes and is quite large, thanks to the phone having two main cameras, one of which has a gimbal system.
vivo X60 Pro+
The overall design screams premium and we don’t have anything to be displeased about.
Vivo X60 Pro+ specs
The Vivo X60 Pro+’s display measures 6.56 inches and it has a resolution of 2376 x 1080. Its refresh rate is 120Hz refresh rate while its touch sampling rate is 240Hz. It also has HDR10 and HDR10+. There is no mention of the type of protection the screen has.
The Snapdragon 888 processor is paired with 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM. The 12GB version has a feature called Memory Fusion Technology that allows you to use 3GB from the storage as additional RAM. The phone comes in 128GB or 256GB UFS 3.1 storage options.
The Vivo X60 Pro+ has dual SIM support (Nano only), an in-display fingerprint scanner, face unlock, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2 with support for SBC, AAC, aptX HD, and LDAC. It runs OriginOS 1.0 based on Android 11. It packs a 4200mAh battery with support for 55W flash charge.
The camera department is where Vivo goes all out. It has collaborated with ZEISS optics for the cameras. The X60 Pro+ also has Zeiss T* coating which helps with guiding light transmission through the lens of a camera. The addition of this coating makes a significant difference in the quality of images taken by the phone.
The first main camera is a 48MP f/2.2 micro pan-tilt Sony IMX598 camera with a focal length of 14mm, a 114° ultrawide angle, and 4-axis OIS. The second main camera is the 50MP Samsung GN1 with an f/1.57 aperture and a 1/1.3” large sensor size. There is also a 32MP f/2.08 portrait camera with a 50mm focal length and an 8MP f/3.4 periscope camera that has OIS 5x optical zoom and 60x super zoom. The selfie camera is a 32MP f/2.45 sensor.
Vivo says all four rear cameras support AF autofocus and video stabilization. You can also record in 8K and record slow-motion videos at up to 1080p.
Vivo X60 Pro+ price and availability
The Vivo X60 Pro is priced at ¥4998 for the 8GB+128GB version and ¥5998 for the 12GB+256GB version. It is available for pre-order now on the Vivo online shop and on Jd.com. It will go on sale on Saturday 23rd of January.
Vivo did not announce a Snapdragon 870 version of the phone at the evet and neither did it announce a tablet.
Motorola Edge S is scheduled to launch in China on January 26. The company already confirmed that the device will feature Snapdragon 870 chipset. Ahead of the launch next week, Lenovo China’s GM has shared the AnTuTu score of the Edge S.
Chen Jin shared the AnTuTu benchmark score of the upcoming Motorola Edge S on Weibo. In the screenshot, you can see the overall score to be around 679,860. Although the average score is a bit far from Snapdragon 888(ref: Black Shark 4), things get interesting in the Graphics category.
If you look at the GPU split up score, it is around 290,268 points whereas a typical gaming smartphone like iQOO 7 scores around 314,968. It is a no-brainer that AnTuTu scores differ with scenarios and as Jin says, Motorola Edge S could be capable of achieving more as well. That said, the Edge S scores 189,694, 103,322, 96,576 in CPU, Memory, and UX categories respectively.
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Lenovo GM announcing Edge S AnTuTu
AnTuTu benchmark- Motorola Edge S running Snapdragon 870
Snapdragon 870 chipset was announced a couple of days ago. Carrying the part number SM8250-AC, the processor with Kryo 585 CPU@ 3.2GHz frequency is supposed to overpower Snapdragon 865 & 865+. Accordingly, the AnTuTu score of Motorola Edge S beats devices like Mi 10 Ultra, iQOO 5 Pro from December AnTuTu report.
Anyway, we will have to wait till the launch to know more about the real-world performance and software optimization(UX) on the Edge S. The next flagship Smartphone is reportedly the Chinese variant of the Motorola ‘Nio’ Global version. It is expected to feature a 6.7-inch FHD+ dual punch-hole display with a refresh rate up to 105Hz.
Other expected specs include a 64MP quad-camera, 16MP+8MP dual front cameras, 5,000mAh battery, 8/12GB RAM, 128/256GB storage, and run Android 11 out of the box.
HMD Global has been releasing mediocre Nokia-branded Android smartphones for quite a while now. It could be one of the reasons why their market share has dropped by a high margin. But the company is persistent in releasing new products, which can be considered positive. That said, a few days back, a report revealed that the firm will be releasing more 5G handsets in 2021. One of those devices has been now spotted on Geekbench.
A Nokia smartphone codenamed ‘HMD Global Quicksilver’ has been benchmarked on Geekbench. According to the listing, this phone will run Android 11 and will be powered by the newly announced Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G SoC paired with 6GB RAM.
Unfortunately, nothing else is known about this handset as we are hearing about it for the first time. Apart from the above-mentioned specs, all we can say right now is that this device can score around 468 points and 1457 points in Geekbench’s single-core and multi-core tests respectively.
That said, the marketing name of this phone is a mystery. But we think it could be the recently leaked Nokia 6.3/6.4/6.5. Anyway, whatever it may be, we expect to learn more about this smartphone before its official announcement in the coming days.
So far, we only have two Snapdragon 480 devices in the form of vivo Y31s and OPPO A93 5G. Hence, this Nokia handset has a chance of becoming the third product with this new budget 5G chipset from Qualcomm.
After a lot of leaks, Infinix has finally announced the Hot 10 Play today. The device, which starts as low as $90, has a fingerprint scanner, 6,000mAh battery, Dual-Camera, and more.
Infinix Hot 10 Play – Price, Availability
Infinix has announced the Hot 10 Play handset in Pakistan and the Philippines. The device has a 2GB RAM, 32GB storage variant. This will retail for PKR16,999($106) in Pakistan and PHP4,290($90) in the Philippines.
Pakistan users can get the device via Xpark while customers in the Philippines can buy it through the Lazada, LazMall e-commerce platform from January 23. On the first day, the device will reportedly sell for a discounted price of PHP3,790($79).
As for Pakistan, the pre-orders run through to January 24, and users who pre-order get a chance to win Infinix Earbuds XE08 worth PKR2,699($16.82).
Infinix Hot 10 Play Specifications and Features
From the specs, you will know that the Infinix Hot 10 Play is an entry-level smartphone. It features a 6.82-inch HD+ display with a water-drop notch. The device has four color variants in Total- Aegean Blue, Morandi Green, Obsidian Black, and 7° Purple options with glaze-like textured patterns.
Under the hood, MediaTek Helio G25 chipset powers the device. Apart from 2GB variant, a GSMArena report says it also has a 4GB RAM, 64GB option. However, currently only 2GB Variant is listed in Pakistan and the Philippines. For storage expansion, you can use the microSD card slot up to 512GB.
For cameras, it has a Dual-Camera setup on the back with a 13MP main, and an AI lens(depth). Upfront, you get a single 8MP sensor for selfies. Other features include a 6,000mAh battery with 10W charging via micro-USB, 3.5mm audio jack, and XOS 7.0 based on Android 10 Go Edition.
Samsung introduced the Galaxy S21 series a few days back at the first-ever Unpacked event of 2021. All these three smartphones, namely Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra are up for pre-order in a number of countries. Also, unlike last year, all of them are 5G-ready. But now, out of nowhere, a 4G variant of the vanilla Galaxy S21 has popped up on Bluetooth SIG.
For those unaware, last year, Samsung released two variants of the Galaxy S20 series. One with 5G for the countries where the network is live and another with 4G. But for the Galaxy S21 series, the company did not say anything about 4G models.
Despite that, a 4G variant of the regular Galaxy S21 with model numbers SM-G990F and SM-G990F_DS has been certified by Bluetooth SIG. This suggests that the South Korean tech giant may release this version of Galaxy S21 in regions where there are no 5G networks.
Further, due to the lack of a 5G modem and antennas, the Galaxy S21 4G could be cheaper than the standard Galaxy S21 with 5G connectivity. It is worth noting that though the Galaxy S21 series is cheaper than its predecessor in countries with 5G, it is the opposite for those regions that got 4G-only Galaxy S20 series last year.
Hence, we think the Galaxy S21 4G could be a backup plan from Samsung to reduce the starting price of the Galaxy S21 series in those regions where it is costlier than the predecessor. Last but not least, there seem to be no 4G variants of Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra as of now.
realme is gearing up to launch the X7 series- realme X7 and realme X7 Pro in India. Ahead of an imminent launch event, the company’s India and Europe CEO Madhav Sheth has posted its box packaging designs. And it is confirmed to come with a charger inside.
Madhav Sheth, in a Tweet, posted the images of the prototype designs of the realme X7 series box packaging. Inside the picture, we can spot a lot of designs of X7, X7 Pro with Black, Silver, Yellow accents. One of the design(Third from Bottom Right) also represent C Color gradient of the X7 in China.
However, these are quite different from the box packaging of Chinese variant that came with a simple. While we wait for the launch to know which design made it to the final cut, Koustabh Das, Senior Communications Specialist, Realme, confirmed the in-box content.
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realme X7 Pro India Box Designs
realme X7 Pro, China retail CC: Vy Vo Xuan YouTube
He said in a tweet that the devices will come with a charger inside the box. This means you don’t need to purchase the 65W Dart Charging adapter that’s probably coming with the X7 series.
realme has confirmed the arrival but is yet to break the launch date of the realme X7 series in India. Speculations are rife that it would be unveiled early next week/First week of February.
Assuming that the company doesn’t make any changes from the China variant, we can expect the X7 and X7 Pro will feature 6.4 and 6.55-inch AMOLED 120Hz display respectively. Under the hood, X7 will feature Dimensity 800U chipset whereas Dimensity 1000+ will power the X7 Pro.
For cameras, both the X7, X7 Pro will likely feature a 64MP quad-camera setup, 32MP selfie shooter. Other expected Specs include 4,300mAh battery on X7, 4,500mAh on the X7 Pro with 65W Dart charging support, Android 11(realme UI 2.0).
For this edition of Chip Battle, we are pitting the Snapdragon 870 5G against MediaTek’s Dimensity 1200 processor. Both chipsets are expected to be the SoC for phones that fall under the flagship killer category, so it makes sense to see how they compare against each other. The table below shows a spec-by-spec comparison:
Processor
Snapdragon 870 5G
Dimensity 1200
Node size
7nm
6nm
CPU
1 x ARM Cortex-A77 at 3.2GHz
3 x ARM Cortex-A77 at 2.42GHz
4 x ARM Cortex-A55 at 1.8GHz
1 x ARM Cortex-A78 at 3.0 GHz
3 x ARM Cortex-A78 at 2.6GHz
4 x ARM Cortex-A55 at 2.0GHz
GPU
Adreno 650
ARM Mali-G77 MC9 (9 cores, Boosted)
ISP
Spectra 480
Supports up to 200MP
Supports 4K video capture
Supports 8K video capture
MediaTek Imagiq Camera
(five-core) HDR-ISP
Supports up to 200MP
Supports 4K HDR video capture
AI Engine
Hexagon 698
(15 TOPS)
MediaTek APU 3.0 (six cores)
Max On-Device Display and Refresh Rate
QHD+ at 144Hz
4K at 60Hz
QHD+ at 90Hz
FHD+ (2520 x 1080) at 168Hz
Modem
Snapdragon X55
Supports mmWave and sub-6GHz spectrums
Multi-SIM features: Global 5G multi-SIM
5G Uplink Speed: Up to 3 Gbps
5G Downlink Speed: Up to 7.5 Gbps
5G Uplink Speed: Up to 2.5 Gbps
5G Downlink Speed: Up to 4.7 Gbps
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth 5.2
GPS, GLONASS, NavIC, Galileo, Beidou, QZSS
Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth 5.2 with LC3 encoding
Dual Frequency GPS, GLONASS, NavIC, Galileo, Beidou, QZSS
Gaming
Snapdragon Elite Gaming
Qualcomm Game Color Plus v2.0
Qualcomm Game Smoother
True HDR game rendering
10-bit color depth
2020 color gamut
Updateable GPU drivers
HyperEngine 3.0
Networking Engine 3.0
Rapid Response Engine 3.0
PQ Engine 3.0 (Ray Tracing in Mobile Games and AR)
Resource Management Engine 3.0
Node Size
The Snapdragon 870 5G is a 7nm chipset just like its siblings – the Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 865 Plus. MediaTek, on the other hand, has switched to the smaller 6nm process.
A smaller node is known to bring an increase in performance and power efficiency, and as you can see the Dimensity 1200 is the chipset with the smaller node size, so it wins this round.
CPU
The two chipsets have eight cores each and they use the same 1+3+4 arrangement but where they differ is in the cores themselves.
The Snapdragon 870 is practically an overclocked Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset, so you get the same cores but at a higher clock speed. It has a prime Cortex-A77 core that has the highest clock speed of a mobile CPU core at 3.2GHz. Its performance cores are also the same Cortex-A77 clocked at 2.42GHz while the efficiency cores are Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.8GHz.
The Dimensity 1200 has the more powerful Cortex-A78 cores as its prime core and performance cores. ARM says that the Cortex-A78 boasts a 20% increase in performance over the Cortex-A77. There are four Cortex-A78 cores inside the Dimensity 1200 which gives it a significant advantage over the Snapdragon 870 which has the older Cortex-A77 cores.
On top of that is the fact thatsave for the prime core, all of the cores of the Dimensity 1200 chipset including the A55 efficiency cores are clocked higher than those of the Snapdragon 870 5G.
At the moment, there are no benchmark results to back up the claim but the Dimensity 1200 should have the upper hand as it has the more powerful CPU cores and also has a smaller node size.
GPU
The Adreno 650 is the GPU inside the Snapdragon 870 5G, the same one inside the Snapdragon 865 duo. Qualcomm didn’t say that it has increased the clock speed for the Snapdragon 870 5G, so we will assume the GPU performance is unchanged from that of the Snapdragon 865 Plus.
The Dimensity 1200 has a Mali-G77 MC9 (9 cores) GPU. This is not ARM’s most powerful GPU, the Mali-G78, which is found inside the Kirin 9000, Exynos 2100, and Exynos 1080 chipsets. MediaTek says that the GPU has gotten a performance increase of 13% compared to that of the Dimensty 1000+.
The Adreno 650 is a powerful GPU and benchmark results have shown that the Snapdragon 865 has a better GPU score than the Dimensity 1000+ which has a Mali-G77 MC9 GPU too. However, since MediaTek claims that the GPU in the Dimensity 1200 boasts a 13% increase in performance over that of the Dimensity 1000+, then the GPU performance gap between the Snapdragon 870 5G and Dimensity 1200 should be smaller or even erased. We will have to wait for benchmark results and real device reviews to know which processor is better.
To know how the standard Mali-G77 MC9 performs, you should check out our review of the iQOO Z1 which has a Dimensity 1000+ processor.
One area where the Adreno 650 has the upper hand is in having support for updateable GPU drivers. MediaTek is yet to offer that feature for its own chipsets.
The Snapdragon 875 also supports QHD+ displays at a refresh rate of 144Hz and 4K displays at a 60Hz refresh rate. The Dimensity 1200 supports QHD+ displays at a maximum refresh rate of 90Hz which goes all the way up to 168Hz for 1080p screens.
The Spectra 480 ISP inside the Snapdragon 870 5G is known to be pretty impressive based on reviews and comparisons of phones powered by the Snapdragon 865/865 Plus. It has support for 200MP cameras, 8K video recording, and HEIF video capture.
MediaTek’s Imaqiq Camera HDR-ISP also has few tricks up its sleeve. The five-core ISP brings support for 200MP photos, staggered 4K HDR video recording that boasts a 40% greater dynamic range and real-time 3-exposure fusion. MediaTek also says that it has support for bokeh video, multi-person AI-segmentation, and AI-Panorama Night Shot. Night Shots are also now 20% faster. Unfortunately, there is still no support for 8K video recording
AI
The Hexagon 698 boasts 15 TOPS but MediaTek doesn’t say the value of its own APU 3.0 AI engine. However, AI Benchmark ranks the APU 3.0 AI engine inside the Dimensity 1000+ over the Hexagon 698 inside the Snapdragon 865 Plus processor. Since these are the same AI Engines inside the Dimensity 1200 and Snapdragon 870 respectively, we will give this round to MediaTek.
Connectivity
The Snapdragon X55 has support for mmWave and sub 6GHz spectrums as well as SA and NSA networks. The modem also brings 5G multi-SIM support but according to Qualcomm’s explanation, it doesn’t seem to mean you can use 5G on both SIM slots at the same time.
Qualcomm’s modem also boasts faster downlink and uplink speeds. There is also Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and support for various positioning systems including GPS, NavIC, Beidou, and GLONASS.
The Helio M70 modem inside the Dimensity 1200 supports only sub-6GHz with 5G-CA (carrier aggregation) across TDD/FDD. It also supports true dual 5G SIM (5G SA + 5G SA), has a special Elevator Mode and 5G HSR mode that ensures a reliable 5G experience across networks. As shown in the table, the downlink and uplink speeds are slower than that of the Snapdragon 870.
The Dimensity 1200 also has support for Dual-band for GNSS, GPS, Beidou, Galileo, and QZSS. It also has support for NavIC. There is Wi-Fi 6 but no Wi-Fi 6E and its Bluetooth 5.2 has support for LC3 encoding.
Gaming
Gaming is another important area where these two chipsets show their strengths.
Qualcomm’s chipset has Snapdragon Elite Gaming which brings features such as Game Color Plus v2.0 and Game Smoother. It also has True HDR game rendering, 10-bit color depth, and desktop forward rendering.
MediaTek’s HyperEngine 3.0 Gaming Technology enhances connectivity, responsiveness, image quality, and power efficiency with features like 5G call and data concurrency, multi-touch boost, ultra-low latency true wireless stereo audio, high FPS power saving, and super hotspot power saving. However, the game-changing feature it has is support for Ray Tracing in mobile games and AR.
Conclusion
The Snapdragon 870 5G builds upon the success of the Snapdragon 865 Plus with an even more powerful CPU. Its GPU, though unchanged, will handle any game you throw at it. The Snapdragon X55 modem also offers blazing uplink and downlink speeds and its ISP is one of the best in its class.
The Dimensity 1200 is also a beast with its four Cortex-A78 cores, one of which has the highest clock speed in a processor. MediaTek says it has upped the GPU performance, and it has also added some very useful features to the ISP such as a faster night shot mode. Its modem brings true dual 5G SIM support and its game engine brings ray tracing to mobile games.
We expect any phone powered by either of these two chipsets to offer incredible performance at a much affordable price tag than more premium smartphones. If you want a flagship killer phone that doesn’t put a hole in your pocket, you should look for phones powered by these chipsets.
OnePlus has been selling budget flagship smartphones for years now. Last year, the company finally released its proper flagship smartphone in the form of the OnePlus 8 Pro. That’s not all, it also entered the mid-range and budget smartphone segments along with TWS. The brand has even confirmed to launch its first smartwatch in early 2021. Ahead of its release, two OnePlus-branded watches have been certified by India’s BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards).
Rumors of OnePlus releasing a smartwatch have been in the news for a long time. Mostly because the brand itself has teased it on multiple occasions. This wearable was first spotted on Singapore’s IMDA certification bureau in late August with model number W301GB.
In December, Pete Lau, the CEO and co-founder of OnePlus revealed that the watch will go official in early 2021. A few days later, ahead of the OnePlus Band launch earlier this month, more information about the OnePlus smartwatch leaked, thanks to the OnePlus Health app.
As per OnePlus’s companion app, the company may release two smartwatches – one with a square dial and another with a circular. Unsurprisingly, both of them seem to be a rebranded or tweaked versions of OPPO Watch and OPPO Watch RX.
Straps of OnePlus Watch Cyberpunk 2077 Limited Edition
The square variant called ‘OnePlus Watch’ is expected to come with model number W301GB. The same wearable was certified by IMDA last year and it has now received BIS certification along with another watch with model number W501GB. This second watch could be the ‘OnePlus Watch RX’ that was found in the OnePlus Health app with a circular dial.
So as of now, we can say that the OnePlus Watch could launch in both Singapore and India. But the OnePlus Watch RX may only debut in the latter country, just like the OnePlus Band. Anyway, we do expect the company to release its smartwatches in more regions.
With major TV manufacturers shifting towards MiniLED display technology for their upcoming generation of high end TV offerings, the competition between brands like LG, Samsung, and TCL is expected to intensify, especially in key markets.
According to TheElecreport, the world’s top three TV manufacturers recently showed off their MiniLED TV offerings at the CES 2021 event. For those unaware, MiniLED is a form of LCD TVs, which uses tiny LEDs for backlighting. These LEDs can be sized anywhere between 100 to 200 micrometers and are much smaller than the conventional LEDs that are sized around 300 micrometers. Making these LEDs smaller, enables a better contrast ratio and more segments of local dimming for even deeper black on LCD panels.
In other words, it’s an evolution of LCD technology to match OLED panels performance. Recently, Samsung launched its Neo QLED TV, with sales beginning in March 2021 for both 4K and 8K resolutions. Similarly, LG had also unveiled its QNED TV back in December 2020, with an 86 inch 8K variant that has over 30,000 MiniLEDs that feature over 2,500 local dimming zones. The company plans on launching an 86 inch, 90 inch, 95 inch, and even a 99 inch model.
Lastly, TCL unveiled the OD Zero at CES 2021. It is the company’s 3rd Gen MiniLED TV, which will be available in the second half of this year. Market research firms expect that Samsung and LG will lead the development of these new TVs, while TCL would be the first to launch them. Furthermore, MiniLED TVs are also expected to surpass OLED TVs by the year 2024 as well, with Samsung being expected to account for more than half of all MiniLED TV shipments this year.
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