Indian retailer giant Flipkart will carry out the Big Saving Day sale from Jan. 20 to Jan. 24. Early access to the sale will be available to the people starting from Jan. 19 at midnight. During the sale, like other brands, POCO will be offering attractive discounts on its smartphones like the POCO M2 Pro, POCO M2, and POCO C3. However, the POCO X3 is already up for purchase at a discounted starting price of Rs 14,999 on Flipkart from today. Furthermore, there is an HDFC offer which is only available until today that allows users to avail the POCO X3 for as low as Rs 13,999 (~$191)
The POCO X3 variants such as 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage, 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, and 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage are priced at Rs 16,999 (~$232), Rs 18,499 (~$252), and Rs 19,999 (~$272), respectively. During the sale that kicks off from tomorrow, these variants will be available for Rs 14,999 (~$205), Rs 15,999 (~$218), and Rs 17,999 (~$245), respectively.
With the HDFC Bank credit/debit and EMI transactions, the three variants of the POCO X3 can be bought for Rs 13,999 (~$191), Rs 14,999 (~$205), and Rs 16,999 (~$232), respectively. The HDFC offer is only available today. Customers will be able to take advantage of the additional discounts by exchanging their old phones for the POCO X3 during the sale.
The POCO X3 is fitted with a 6.67-inch IPS LCD FHD+ display that offers an FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It has a front camera of 20-megapixel and its back panel as a quad-camera system comprising of a 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a pair of 2-megapixel lenses for adding depth effects and macro shots.
The Snapdragon 732G SoC fuels the POCO X32 with LPPDR4x RAM and UFS 2.1 storage. The 6,000mAh battery of the phone supports 33W fast charging.
The Huawei Mate 20 series was launched back in 2018. The lineup consisted of the company’s then premium grade flagship handsets. Now, the company is officially ending the support for the Mate 20 series and will be no longer offer security updates.
The Huawei Mate 20 series featured the HiSilicon Kirin 980 chipset, which was based on the 7nm process. In terms of performance, the device is still a capable handset. Although, on the Chinese tech giant’s official website, Huawei removed the names of three devices from its EMUI security update list. This included the Mate 20, Mate 20 Pro, and Mate 20 X, which will no longer receive either the monthly or quarterly security patches, as per an AnTuTureport.
At the moment, it seems that only the Mate 20 X 5G variant will receive the update, however, the rest of the Mate 20 lineup will are no longer on the security update list. The flagship series aren’t exactly dated by today’s standards but Huawei has decided to end the support of these devices. So this report arrives as a reminder to the owners of these smartphones.
For those unaware, the Huawei Mate 20 series is a flagship model from the company from back in 2018 and featured top notch specs for its time. This included the Kirin 980 SoC paired with 40W fast charging and a 40 megapixel primary rear camera, which was said to be one of the best performers of that year.
Earlier today (18th January 2021), the Vietnamese government has just given Foxconn the license to set up its plant worth 270 million US Dollars. The new site will produce laptops and tablets, as per a new report.
According to a Reutersreport, the new plant will be developed by Fukang Technology and is situated in the northern province of Bac Giang. It will be responsible for producing up to eight million units each year as per a statement by the local government. Foxconn Technology, the known Apple supplier, has already invested about 1.5 billion US Dollars in Vietnam and aims to recruit over 10,000 additional local workers within this year.
Furthermore, local reports have also indicated that Foxconn is planning to invest an additional 1.3 billion US Dollars in the Thanh Hoa province, which is south of Hanoi. Through the new site, the company is aiming to shift the assembly of some iPad and MacBooks, as per a person close to the matter. The move also arrives after Apple decided to diversify its supply chain to minimize the impacts faced by straining US-China relations.
Apart from raising its workforce in the region, the Taiwanese firm is also aiming on raising its investment in the region by another 700 million US Dollars as well. The investment would again be towards its local plants in Vietnam, as per the government. In other words, we can soon see Apple MacBook and iPads that were made in Vietnam be in circulation across the globe.
Last week, ASUS released the first teaser of its upcoming ROG branded gaming smartphone. The teaser suggests that the next-generation ROG Phone will be sporting an improved display design. A tipster from China recently revealed that the battery capacity and fast charging capabilities of the ROG Phone 4. Now, a Weibo user has shared a live shot of the smartphone to reveal its rear design.
The tipster who shared the live shot of the new ROG Phone has claimed that the device could be called ROG Phone 5. The reason behind it is the presence of number 05 at the center of the back panel. This suggests that the Taiwanese company may skip the number 4 to launch its next gaming phone as the ROG Phone 5.
The design language of the alleged ROG Phone 5 is not very different from its predecessor models. However, the ROG brand logo is now placed at the bottom-left corner of the back panel. There is a red-colored button on the lower-right corner of the phone’s frame. It could be a one-click key to enter the game mode. At the top is a horizontal camera module that houses a 64-megapixel main camera that is equipped with quad-Bayer technology.
There is no confirmation of the authenticity of the image. Hence, it is advisable to wait for newer reports to know about its exact design. The rumor mill is yet to leak concrete information on the specs of the phone.
All that is known so far is that the ROG Phone 5 could be packed with a 6,000mAh battery. The handset is likely to arrive with support for 65W fast charging. It goes without saying that it could be powered by the Snapdragon 888 SoC. It is likely that the phone may launch as early as next month.
In late December, OPPO launched the Reno5 Pro+ as the high-end model in the Reno5 series. This device comes with a 50MP Sony IMX766 sensor and Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC. The company also announced a special variant of this handset called OPPO Reno5 Pro+ Artist Limited Edition with an electrochromic rear glass panel. This special version is now up for pre-order in China.
OPPO is known for releasing special variants of its popular phones. Last year’s OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G had multiple such versions. One of them was ‘Artist Limited Edition’, in collaboration with James Jean, a Taiwanese-American artist. This variant of Reno4 Pro 5G had a distinct AG rear glass panel with an art etched on it.
However, the new OPPO Reno5 Pro+ 5G Artist Limited Edition boasts an electrochromic glass panel on its back. This device is designed in partnership with another artist called Joshua Vides, who is known for his sketch-like designs.
Hence, this limited edition of OPPO Reno5 Pro+ 5G looks like it is out of a sketchbook. Also, it is the world’s first commercial smartphone with an electrochromic glass panel. Thanks to this tech, the device’s rear color can be changed from ‘Silver’ to ‘Blue’ by simply tapping on it. Since the company claims over 30,000 color change cycles, it should work up until the end of the handset’s lifecycle.
That said, this version of OPPO Reno 5 Pro+ 5G comes in a single 12GB + 256GB storage configuration. It is priced at ¥4,499 ($693) and is up for pre-order on JD in China ahead of its sale on January 22. Like the most limited edition smartphones by OPPO, this one may also remain exclusive to the brand’s home country.
Apple‘s attempts to distinguish its iPad lineup with a dedicated operating system has been met with positive reception overall. Now, China’s first Linux based Distro (Distribution) called JingOS has just been unveiled and it aims to provide the same level of functionality that the iPadOS offers.
JingOS was built with the idea of improving the functionality and productivity of a tablet overall. So, the team behind the new operating system took inspiration from the Cupertino based giant’s iPadOS platform to offer a simple/clean, yet productive and efficient UI design that can ensure that your tablets are a mini computer that one can work on, on the go. JingOS is not only a tablet OS but a full function Linux distro.
With productivity in mind, the OS also supports full mouse and keyboard support. Furthermore, the current selections of apps designed for this platform also support both touch mode and desktop mode. Meaning, one can use it in the form of a laptop and as a notebook. So for those looking for an iPad like experience for their tablets, JingOS might be the next best thing.
Notably, JingOS is also being developed for smartphones as well, and will be available before the end of this year, while the tablet variant will be launch before the end of this month. At the moment, the operating system is supported on just the Huawei MateBook 14 and the Microsoft Surface 6. Unfortunately, it has yet to be tested on other devices but the company aims to bring support for other tablets including ARM based ones as well in the near future.
Samsung has rolled out a new firmware update for the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and with that, the company has introduced a number of new features to the wearable device. In addition to the software features, the company has also introduced a Violet-colored strap, to match the profile of the Galaxy S21 lineup.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 has received a firmware update that has been named R820XXu1DUA3/R820GFC1DUA3 and the size of this new update is about 85MB. Although it improves system stability, there’s also a major feature addition.
The company has added support for the SmartThings Find function, which is compatible with SmartTag released by Samsung. For those who are unaware, SmartTags is basically a Bluetooth tracker that can be attached to anything and now with the new update, it can be tracked using the smartwatch.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 comes in two sizes — 40mm and 44mm. It features an S-AMOLED display that supports 360 x 360 pixels resolution. The 40mm device has a 1.2-inch display whereas the 44mm model is fitted with a 1.4-inch screen.
Under the hood, it is powered by an Exynos 9110 chipset along with 768MB of RAM. However, the LTE supported premium stainless steel edition of the smartwatch has 1.5 GB of RAM. The smartwatch runs Tizen OS with One UI which also allows users to create a customized watch that matches the clothes of the user.
It is an IP68 rated and MIL-STD 810G rated water-resistant and dustproof device that can remain unaffected from harsh climatic conditions. The device offers 39 workout options with different categories. It features an improved optical heart rate tracker with 8 LEDs for faster readings and also comes with an electrocardiogram (ECG).
The Honor V40‘s launch is just around the corner. While the device was expected to arrive on 18th January 2021, its launch has since been delayed to January 22. Now, the company has teased one of its features that will help improve the mobile gaming experience on the new smartphone.
Earlier today, the Chinese tech giant shared a post on its official Weibo account, a Chinese microblogging website. In this social media post, the company teased the Honor V40’s new graphics acceleration engine, dubbed the GPU Turbo X. Honor even shared a short video teaser, which demonstrated the graphics acceleration feature that will arrive in the upcoming device. At the moment, the finer details of how this engine works are currently unknown, but we can expect it to be a form of software optimization, which improves paired with slight GPU overclocking to squeeze performance from its chip.
According to rumors, the Honor V40 is expected to feature a MediaTek Dimensity 1000 Plus 5G chipset. Other reported features include a 6.72-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen that offers a 120Hz refresh rate and a 300Hz touch sampling rate. For photography, the Honor V40 could be sporting a 50-megapixel + 8-megapixel (ultrawide) + 2-megapixel (macro) rear camera setup and a 32-megapixel + 16-megapixel duals selfie camera system.
The device is also rumored to be powered by a large 4,000mAh battery pack that supports up to 66W wired fast charging and 50W wireless charging. On the front, the Honor V40 is said to also sport an in display fingerprint scanner for biometric security. Unfortunately, we will have to wait for the 22nd January 2021 launch conference to confirm these specifications so stay tuned for more updates and the release date.
OPPO has just announced its latest upper mid-range smartphone in India, the OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G. It is the first Dimensity 1000+ smartphone in India and comes with premium features such as a 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging, a beautiful curved 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display, and a special Reno Glow matte design.
credit: OPPO
OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G Design
OPPO is focused on bringing a sleek and lightweight design on the new Reno5 Pro 5G. The phone comes in a super thin 7.6mm body and weighs only 173 grams, which makes it one of the lightest 5G smartphones in the market. The front features a 6.5-inch 3D curved Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and 180Hz touch sampling rate. The display is rated for HDR10+ certification and is Amazon Prime and Netflix HD certified.
One of the biggest highlights of the Reno5 Pro 5G is the Reno Glow texture at the back. This adds a sparkly texture to the back of the device but features a matte finish ensuring that it’s not a fingerprint magnet. The Astral Blue variant shifts its color from blue to purple at different angles. There’s a Starry Black color variant as well.
OPPO also adds that its new phone brings a 360-degree surround antenna design which will select the appropriate antenna group based on how you are holding the device. This will ensure that there’s always a stable network connection without any interference.
OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G Specs
Inside, the Reno5 Pro 5G comes with the same Dimensity 1000+ processor, similar to its Chinese variant. The Dimensity 1000+ features an integrated 5G modem and comes with 4 big Cortex A77 cores for flagship-level performance along with the Mali-G77 GPU. MediaTek claims its Dimensity chip is the world’s lowest power-consuming 5G chip in the market right now. As for RAM and ROM variants, the Reno5 Pro starts with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of ROM.
Camera
Coming to its camera specs, the new OPPO device features a quad-camera setup at the back. This includes a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide angle shooter, 2MP Macro and depth sensors, respectively. Unfortunately, there’s no telephoto sensor on the Reno5 Pro 5G.
However, OPPO is leveraging its new FDF Portrait Video system to improve the videography experience on its new model. We have already explained how the FDF Portrait System works in an earlier article. The system basically takes advantage of OPPO’s imaging algorithms to combine Live HDR and Ultra Night Video and offer a better video shooting experience on the Reno5 Pro. OPPO claims that the new model is able to capture brighter, more colorful, and less noisy videos, even at night.
As for software, the Reno5 Pro 5G runs on the new ColorOS 11.1 based on Android 11.
Battery
The OPPO Reno5 Pro comes with a fast 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 charging technology which promises 100% charging of its 4350mAh battery in just 30 minutes. OPPO claims that a mere 5 minutes of charging will top up the phone for an additional 4 hours of video playback.
OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G Pricing & Availability
The OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G starts at Rs. 35,990 (~$491) in India for its 8GB RAM and 128GB variant. The company is also offering cashback up to 10% to HDFC and ICICI card users along with exclusive offers for existing OPPO users.
Our Reno5 Pro 5G hands-on article will be up very soon, so stay tuned for that.
OPPO has officially launched Enco X, the company’s flagship truly wireless earphones alongside OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G smartphone in India. They are priced at ₹9,990 ($136) and will be available in two colors, namely Black and White. Their first sale is scheduled for January 22 in the country.
The OPPO Enco X TWS first debuted in China in the month of October 2020 at the OPPO TV launch event. Soon, the wireless earphones made it to other markets in the following weeks. In mid-December, this product was tipped to launch in India in January 2021. As expected, OPPO revealed its launch date last week and it is now official in the country.
These in-ear style earbuds with a stem feature an 11mm dynamic driver and a 6mm balanced membrane driver. They support LHDC, AAC, and SBC audio codecs. Above all, their sound is said to be tuned by Dynaudio, a Danish Hi-Fi brand.
Further, they connect via Bluetooth 5.2 and come with binaural low-latency support for gaming sessions. Being the brand’s high-end TWS, these earbuds also support ANC (Active Noise Cancellation). Users can either opt between two different modes of ANC (Noise Cancellation, Max Noise Cancellation) to lose themselves in music or Transparency Mode when they need to hear the outside world.
The OPPO Enco X earbuds are IP54-certified for water resistance and weigh 4.8g each. Whereas, their charging case measures 66.3 x 49 x 21.7mm in dimensions, weighs 42.5g without buds, and weighs 52.5g with buds.
Last but not least, each earbud is backed by a 44mAh battery, which is rated to run for up to 5.5 hours with ANC turned off and up to 4 hours when ANC is activated. With the 535mAh battery-equipped charging case that charges via USB Type-C and Qi wireless charging, these numbers increase to 25 hours and 20 hours respectively.
Just when it seemed that things are finally lining up for Huawei, the company has been dealt with another major blow by the Trump administration in the United States. As per the report from Reuters, the Trump administration has notified the Chinese giant that it is revoking certain licenses granted to its suppliers, including Intel.
It doesn’t stop just there. On top of that, it has also informed Huawei that the administration is planning to reject dozens of applications for licenses to supply components and services to Huawei.
This is yet another attempt by the United States to weaken the world’s largest telecommunication equipment maker which it sees as a national security threat because of its origin and base in China.
In an email to Reuters, Semiconductor Industry Association said that the Commerce Department had issued “intents to deny a significant number of license requests for exports to Huawei and a revocation of at least one previously issued license.”
However, sources aware of the development claims that as many as eight licenses from four companies have been revoked by the United States. It is also said that along with Intel, Japan-based flash memory chip maker Kioxia Corp’s license has also been yanked.
It seems that companies that received the “intent to deny” notices have 20 days to respond, and the Commerce Department has 45 days to advise them of any change in a decision, otherwise it becomes final. After that, Companies would have another 45 days window to appeal that decision.
After more than a year of restrictions, the United States had finally started issuing licenses to companies for commencing supplies to Huawei as long as the components were not related to the development of 5G technology. And now just months after that, the U.S. government is backing out from that as well, incurring hundreds of billions of losses for companies tied-up between this trade war.
After a wait of over a few weeks after F150 launch, the B2021 rugged smartphone is now finally on sale for $109.99. The device is retailing with a massive discount of 45% on its actual price of $199.99. The smartphone is ready to compete as it carries a differently designed and a fully furnished Android 10 software. Moreover, the companies have used innovative technologies to make the device better and slimmer and lighter than the present-day rugged smartphones.
The device is built to provide a better phone experience in the real world while using it under extreme conditions. It is built on the insights from the partners who are outdoor enthusiasts and former employees of a software company.
F150 B2021 features some exciting features at the compelling price of $109.99. The device offers refined design, polished software, special modes and expressive UI design.
Unique and Furnished Design
F150 B2021 is a beautifully crafted device which houses an octagonal camera bump featuring quad-camera module. Moreover, the rear looks magnificent and sturdy as it adorns well-aligned lines and octagonal shapes. The lines even enhance aesthetics and provide friction while holding the smartphone. The octagon shapes make is distinguished from other rugged phones and infuse more ruggedness in the device.
Maiden Yellow Colored Rugged Phone
Have you ever seen a rugged phone in yellow colours? We think it was impossible to bring light and bright colours on rugged smartphones due to metal usage. However, F150 has used cutting-edge plastic technology which gives freedom to explore more colours and achieve better ruggedness. The users can grab F150 B2021 in two colours of Black and Shara Yellow. However, the company will launch the device in a few more colours within the coming months.
Polished Software
The device comes with several software improvements which enable the users to be more productive. We have listed some noticeable features below:
Two Switchable Modes
The smartphone comes with a Normal Mode and an Outdoors Mode aka F150 Mode.
The Normal mode gives you access to all the applications and software tweaks that we expect from a normal smartphone.
However, the F150 mode is specially designed to enjoy the outdoors. It lists all the tools which are used mostly in extreme conditions. Moreover, the UI of the smartphone gets tailored for easy accessibility.
Dedicated F150 Key
In order to toggle between two modes, the company has provided a dedicated F150 key Moreover, if you’re in some emergency situation, the user can press the same button following the emergency sequence. It automatically makes flashlight flash to get someone’s attention.
Octagonal UI Design
F150 B2021 comes with an Octagonal UI which carries specially crafted Apps, widgets, and other software elements which enhances the overall experience. The UI is more visible in the F150 mode.
Voice Simulation
The smartphone hosts prebuilt dog bark, SOS alarm and an engine sound under voice simulation technology.
Certification: IP68 and IP69K rating and MIL-STD-810G
Customizable button
One Operating System, Two Modes
Colors: Black and Sahara Yellow
Supports NFC
Moreover, you can check the unboxing video of the smartphone below to get a better overview.
Overall, the smartphone further houses a set of features which are not seen in other rugged smartphones. The company is also on the right path to become a well-established brand int the smartphone industry soon.
The users can grab the smartphone for $109.99 under a limited time introductory sale on AliExpress and Banggood. Moreover, the users can head over to the official website to known more about the global open sale.
Huawei announced three new MateBook series laptops in its home market in China — Huawei MateBook 13, MateBook 14, and MateBook X Pro 2021. As the name indicates, the MateBook Pro X 2021 is the high-end variant in the lineup.
Now, the Huawei MateBook X Pro 2021 is available for pre-order in China with a deposit of 100 yuan (approximately $15) and the company has confirmed that the device will be officially up for purchase from 20th January.
The laptop features a thin and light metal build and comes in two color options — Gray and Teal. The highlight of the device is its display, featuring a 13.9-inch screen that offers 3K resolution and a 3:2 aspect ratio. It also comes with support for a 100% sRGB wide color gamut and offers a 91% screen-to-body ratio.
It comes with a new Touchpad that has four times the sensing area. The device also supports the company’s own Huawei Share technology. There are four high- and low-frequency speakers for an immersive audio experience.
The device also has Huawei Application Market as well as Quick Applications support. As for the internals, the device comes in three different configurations, packing up to Intel 11th generation Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD.
Its pricing starts at 8,999 yuan (~$1,387) for the base model that includes a Core i5-1135G7 chipset, 16GB RAM, and 512GB of internal storage. Another model with Core i7-1165G7, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD is priced at 9,999 yuan (~$1,541). The top-end model with Core i7-1165G7, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD costs 11,999 yuan (~$1,849).
In December, it was revealed that Motorola is working on two smartphones that are codenamed Capria and Capri Plus. It is speculated that the XT-2127 model number belongs to the Capri whereas the XT-2129 model number is associated with the Capri Plus. Both models have received approvals from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and are expected to launch in Q1 this year. However, the rumor mill has been silent on their final marketing names. The XT2192-2 variant received approval from Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) today. The listing (via) has revealed that the phone could be heading to the country with the Moto G30 moniker.
The listing did not reveal any new information on the specifications of the Moto G30. Past reports have revealed that it will be a mid-range handset.
The Moto G30 is expected to arrive with a display that offers an HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. Unfortunately, the size and design of the screen is not known yet. The device was spotted at the Geekbench benchmarking platform recently. While it was not mentioned explicitly in the listing, it is speculated that the Snapdragon 662 could be present under the hood of the G30.
The Moto G30 could be coming with a front camera of 13-megapixel. The backside of the phone could be featuring a triple camera system comprising of a 64-megapixel main camera, a 13-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.
The G30 could be coming with a 5,000mAh battery. It is speculated to arrive in two models such as 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage.
MediaTek is growing rapidly in the smartphone chipset market and one of the reasons behind that is the company’s newly introduced Dimensity series. The company has already launched a few chips under the lineup and is now set to launch more.
The company has today confirmed by sharing a poster on its social media account that it will launch new Dimensity series products in China on 20th January. While MediaTek has not revealed what product it plans to launch, it is likely to be Dimensity 1200 (MT6893).
Now, another chipset from the company has been leaked online, which is dubbed as MediaTek Dimenisty 1100. From the leak, it seems that the Dimensity is just an under-clocked variant of the upcoming Dimensity 1200, and nothing much is changed.
It is being reported that the MediaTek Dimensity 1100 will be manufactured using the 6nm processor and will have four Cortex A78 cores and four Cortex A55 cores in the 1+3+4 architecture. Its clock speed is said to be 2.6GHz and the GPU won’t be overclocked.
Additionally, the chipset packs ISP that supports 108MP primary camera sensor, a Full HD+ display with a 144Hz refresh rate, LPDDR4x RAM, and UFS 3.1 storage. Overall, it seems to be a mid-range offering from the company.
We expect the chipset to be announced later this week along with the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC. To know for sure about these chipsets and expected availability in the market, we will have to wait for a couple of days.
In related news, it is being reported that the upcoming Redmi K40 smartphone will have a MediaTek-powered variant along with the Snapdragon 888 version. It remains to be seen which chipset from MediaTek ends up in this upcoming smartphone.
Last week, Redmi confirmed that the Redmi K40 series will be launching in February. The company also shared the key details on the specs and pricing of the K40 lineup. Yesterday, Redmi Product Director Wang Teng Thomas took to Weibo to hint that the company could be launching two Snapdragon 888 powered K40 series phones.
The machine-translation of Thomas’ Weibo post reads that there is more than one Snapdragon 888 version in the K40 series. Last year, Redmi launched multiple K30 series smartphones across different price points. At the beginning of the year 2020, it began with sales of the Redmi K30 5G and in February, it announced the Redmi K30 Pro and Redmi K30 Pro Zoom edition. Both Snapdragon 865 SoC powered phones carried identical specs, but the Zoom edition offered a better photography experience.
The first K40 phone with an SD888 chip onboard could very well be the Redmi K40 Pro smartphone. The second SD888 phone could be the successor to the Redmi K30 Pro Zoom edition. Apart from the Snapdragon 888 powered models, the company is also expected to launch a vanilla model powered by a new MediaTek chip or the new Snapdragon 7-series sm7350 chip by Qualcomm.
So far, Redmi has revealed that the Redmi K40 series will be carrying a starting price of 2,999 Yuan (~$462). It will be equipped with the most expensive flat display and it will be backed by a battery that is bigger than 4,000mAh. Rumors have that it could be sporting a punch-hole display with a high refresh rate support. The other details of the K40 models are under wraps. Since the lineup is set to launch next month, the company is expected to start revealing some of its key features in the coming days.
Earlier this month, Honor confirmed that it will be launching the Honor V40 on Jan. 18. Last week, the company revealed that its launch date has been postponed to Jan. 22. Ahead of the launch, the official renders of the Honor V40 have appeared in a listing at a Chinese retailer site.
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Honor V40 render
The Honor V40 is now up for reservations on Suning and other retailer sites in China. The renders confirm the presence of a pill-shaped cutout at the upper-left corner of the V40’s screen. The display can be seen sporting curved edges. The rear view of the phone reveals that its rectangle-shaped camera module has three cameras, laser autofocus, and an LED flash unit
Recent reports have revealed that apart from black, the V40 will be also available in blue and orange colors. In addition, multiple sources have revealed the live shots of the Honor V40. A screenshot of the Honor V40’s price through a channel dealer warehouse has appeared on Weibo. The listing states that the device is priced at 3,999 Yuan (~$617).
Rumors have revealed that the Honor V40 could be coming with a 6.72-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen that offers a 120Hz refresh rate and a 300Hz touch sampling rate and it could be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1000 Plus chipset.
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For photography, the Honor V40 could be sporting a 50-megapixel + 8-megapixel (ultrawide) + 2-megapixel (macro) rear camera setup and a 32-megapixel + 16-megapixel duals selfie camera system. The smartphone is rumored to house a 4,000mAh battery with 66W fast charging and a 50W wireless charging support. Lastly, it features an in-screen fingerprint reader.
At the end of the year 2020, POCO India seemingly teased the arrival of the POCO F2. Since then, the rumor mill has been spilling some information on the specs of the POCO F2. A recent leak claimed that it will not be a flagship phone, but an upper mid-range phone driven by the Snapdragon 732G. On Saturday, popular tipster and YouTuber Mukul Sharma carried out an AMA session with POCO India Country Director, Anuj Sharma to share some exclusive information. During the session, Anju revealed that the Snapdragon 7332G would not drive the POCO F2.
In December, two laptop batteries with model numbers R15B02W and R14B02W was certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). These batteries were reportedly listed with POCO branding. Hence, the rumor mill started speculating that the POCO brand could be venturing into the laptop market soon. However, in the starting few minutes of the AMA session, Anuj confirmed that it was indeed a POCO battery, but it was not a laptop battery.
While Anuj spoke a couple of times about the POCO F2 in the AMA session, it is yet to be confirmed whether the successor to the legendary POCO F1 will be called POCO F2 or POCO F3. He revealed that the company the Snapdragon 732G (an upper mid-range chip) will not power the F-series. This indicates that the POCO F1’s successor could be a flagship SoC.
The Snapdragon 845 SoC powered POCO F1 came with an astonishing price tag of Rs 20,999 (~$287). Talking about the pricing of the F1’s successor, Anuj revealed that it will be priced higher as it is impossible to launch it with pricing that the F1 carried. He did not mention the specific price range of the POCO F2.
The POCO F2 Pro debuted in August 2020 with a starting price of 599 euros (~$723; ~Rs 52,920). It was a rebranded version of the Snapdragon 865 powered Redmi K30 Pro 5G that went official in March. Probably, the POCO F1’s successor featuring a flagship SoC could be priced between Rs 25,000 (~$341) to Rs 40,000 (~$546).
Anuj also revealed that he tasked the R&D team to work on another product that could end up as a spiritual successor to the POCO F1. It may be something, and it might not be called the F2. The POCO executive did not divulge much info on the mysterious device. Check out the video above to know what else Anuj spoke about in the AMA session.
WhatsApp announced changes to its privacy policy a few weeks ago. The announcement was met with disapproval as folks interpreted the changes to mean that their messages will no longer be private and their data will be exchanged with Facebook and its other services.
Following the development, several users numbering millions decided to switch to other messaging apps such as Telegram and Signal which offer better privacy. While WhatsApp has tried to reassure users about protecting and respecting their privacy via social media announcements, a blog post, full-page newspaper adverts, and even in-app stories, the deed has already been done and it will be hard to reverse it.
For this week’s poll, we want to know if you still use WhatsApp or if you have switched to a different messaging app. Also, let us know in the comment box if you will return to using the app following WhatsApp’s clarification.
Popular networking products manufacturer Netgear has launched the Nighthawk RAXE500 Tri-band Wi-Fi Router. The new router is the brand’s first-ever Wi-Fi 6E router and it makes its debut alongside the Nighthawk 4G LTE Wi-Fi 6 Router, the LM1200 4G LTE Modem, and the WAX214 and WAX218 APs.
NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router
The Nighthawk RAXE500 Tri-band Wi-Fi Router is built with expanded capacity to use the present 6GHz Wi-Fi band for higher-capacity, lower latency connections. The router is great for use cases such as simultaneously streaming 4K/8K video, video conferencing, and conducting distance learning. It also features the latest WPA3 protocol, which should provide enhanced security.
The new high-end router has a semblance with a manta ray, which is similar to other products on Netgear’s Nighthawk line of wireless routers. Netgear says the router can push beyond gigabit speeds for mobile devices, and that it offers a total bandwidth of up to 10.8Gbps.
Netgear Wireless APs
Furthermore, the new Nighthawk RAXE500 Router features five-gigabit ports and two USB 3.0 ports on its rear. It supports multi-gigabit speeds via a compatible DOCSIS 3.1 modem, either through the RAXE500’s single 2.5Gb link or by opting for a multiport link aggregation method (which offers up to 2Gbps speeds).
The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 is priced at $599.99 and will be available later this month while the Nighthawk LAX20 costs $299.99 and the LM1200 LTE modem costs $149.99.
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