Qualcomm’s CPUs are about to get even more powerful as it plans to acquire NUVIA

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Jan 13, 2021

In this era of COVID 19 pandemic, a touchless video doorbell has come to the rescue of homeowners. It will further minimize contact of visitors to potential areas prone to transmitting the virus.

Alarm.com has unveiled its latest product, a new device that will prevent contact with the doorbell. This will help ensure that your visitors are not at risk of contracting COVID-19 from your doorbell. The Touchless Video Doorbell eliminates the need to press a doorbell button and is designed to buzz an alarm when its camera detects visitors standing in the doormat.

Editor’s Pick: Vivo Y31s launched as the world’s first Snapdragon 480 smartphone

In the opinion of the manufacturer, Alarm.com, this device is the first-ever commercially available video doorbell that is touchless or contactless. The motivation behind the product is the desire to reduce public health risks inherent in visitors touching surfaces that may have been contaminated with germs and disease, making the home to remain safe for both the occupants and visitors.

The company also offers a doormat accessory for the doorbell, which can assist the visitor with instructions on where to stand so as to properly activate the doorbell.
How does this Touchless Doorbell work? When the doorbell detects a visitor, it begins playing a tune and a notification is sent to your phone, while the video recording begins. You can see and speak with visitors through the doorbell, and it also integrates with the rest of a home’s smart home security system, so it can trigger other devices like lights when a visitor or someone else is detected. Its camera is 1080p HDR, and it also has night vision capabilities.

The Touchless Video Doorbell from Alarm.com can be gotten through the company’s array of installation partners. A definitive price is still being awaited for this gadget, but when asked, the company insists that the doorbell itself could be sold below $200, independent of installation costs and other accessories.

UP NEXT: Chip Battle: The Exynos 2100 challenges the Snapdragon 888

YouTube yanks Donald Trump’s video off the platform and bars fresh uploads

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Jan 13, 2021

YouTube has removed a new video uploaded to outgoing US President, Donald Trump’s account for violating what is termed as the company’s content policies on inciting violence. In line with the standard protocols, the account has also been issued a “strike” and the user (either President Trump or any of his aides with access to the account) will be unable to upload new content for at least one week. At this time, it is not yet clear the exact video that warranted the YouTube action on the account, or the content that was deemed offensive. YouTube is yet to provide a definitive statement on the incident and had declined to provide specific details of the matter.

The YouTube statement that revealed action taken on Trump’s account stressed that the decision was arrived at after a careful review of recent violent incidents and in order for the company not to yield itself as a vehicle for propagating violence, it had to remove new content uploaded to the Donald J. Trump channel. They further issued the account a strike for violating YouTube policies for inciting violence. The statement further revealed that the channel is now prevented from uploading new videos or live streams for seven days in the first instance.

Editor’s Pick: Chip Battle: The Exynos 2100 challenges the Snapdragon 888

YouTube has also gone further to remove content from the White House’s official channel. Two videos that were on the White House’s official YouTube page earlier today, both relating to the President have since been removed. In addition, comment on President Trump’s videos have been disabled indefinitely due to what it terms “ongoing concerns about violence,” an action which it claims is in line with YouTube’s existing policy on violence and on channels with “safety concerns found in the comments section.” A second strike on the account would result in a minimum two-week suspension, while a third strike leads to the permanent ban on the account.

Previously, YouTube had removed a Trump video in which he addressed a mob that assaulted the Capitol and also contained widespread false claims about the election results. In response to the unprecedented onslaught by the outgoing President, YouTube last month instituted a new policy that prohibited content of any kind designed to spread misinformation about the outcome of the 2020 US Presidential election by promoting false theories about fraudulent votes or other unverified claims.

YouTube now joins several other organizations that have taken firm action against President Trump after the Capitol attack as he winds up a tumultuous four years as President, including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

UP NEXT: HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G goes official in Taiwan for TWD$11,990($428)

CES 2021: Razer announces Blade 15, Blade Pro 17 laptops with GeForce RTX 30-Series GPUs

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Jan 13, 2021

CES 2021 is already half-way through and Laptops in 2021 are going to get a big buff in graphics after the NVIDIA’s announcement. Among the lot, Razer has refreshed its Blade 15 and Blade Pro 17 laptops with the latest NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 30 Series Laptop GPUs.

Razer Blade 15, Blade Pro 17 Laptops – Features

Razer’s update brings new RTX 3060/3070/3080 GPUs and upgraded Displays with High refresh-rates to the Blade series. Accordingly, the Razer Blade 15 gets two versions- Base Model and Advanced Model, and Blade Pro 17. As Razer says, the Laptops come with NVIDIA’s new Ampere Architecture.

Apparently, this improves the efficiency up to 2x, bring Gen-3 Max-Q tech like Advanced Optimus(Battery Life), Dynamic Boost 2.0(hike in GPU). Additionally, they get improved ray-tracing, Whisper Mode 2.0(improved Acoustics), and more. Also, apart from the usual I/O like USB-C, HDMI 2.1, UHS-III SD Card Reader, you get Keyboard with Razer Chroma RGB lighting, front-firing speakers.

Razer says that Blade users will also get the 360-degree immersive audio experience with THX® Spatial Audio over headphones/speakers.

Razer Blade 15- Specifications

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a) Base Model:

Dimensions: 19.9mm x 235mm x 355mm(HxDxW)
Display:
- 15-inch FHD(1080p) 144Hz IPS panel, 100% sRGB coverage, response: 8ms
- 15-inch QHD(1440p) 165Hz IPS panel, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, response: 3ms
- Note: No Variable Refresh rate.
CPU, Storage, Memory:
- CPU: 10th gen Intel® Core™ i7-10750H(6-core, 12-threads), up to 5.0GHz Max Boost, 12MB L3 Cache
- Memory: 16GB dual-channel DDR4-2933MHz (upgradeable up to 64GB via SO-DIMM slots)
- Storage: 512GB SSD M.2, NVMe SSD; Auxiliary: Open M.2,PCIe 3.0 x4 Slot
Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 6GB DDR6 VRAM(FHD model) / 3070 8GB DDR6 VRAM(QHD model)
Connectivity: Intel® Wireless-AX201 Modem, Bluetooth® 5.1, 1xUSB-C Thunderbolt™ 3, 3xUSB-A 3.1 Gen 1, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI 2.1 output, Gigabit Ethernet.
Battery: 65WHr Li-ion Polymer battery
Other Features: Single-zone RGB powered by Razer Chroma™ Keyboard, 1MP 720P webcam, stereo speakers, 3.5mm audio/mic jack.

b) Advanced Model

Dimensions:16.99mm x 235mm x 355mm
Display:
- 15-inch FHD 360Hz IPS display, 2ms, Up to 100% sRGB
- 15-inch QHD 240Hz display, response: 2.5ms, Up to 95% sRGB, NVIDIA G-SYNC and Advanced Optimus compatible
- 15-inch OLED UHD(4K) display, 60Hz, response: 1ms, 100% DCI-P3,
  Touchscreen w/ Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4 protection
CPU, Memory, Storage:
- CPU: 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-10875H(8-core, 16-threads), up to 5.1GHz Max Boost, 16MP L3 Cache
- Memory:
  - 16GB dual-channel DDR4-2933MHz(Cheaper Models)
  - 32GB dual-channel DDR4-2933MHz(Higher-end Models)
- Storage:1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD; Auxiliary: Open M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 Slot
Graphics:
- NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM(FHD, QHD models)
- NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM. (FHD, QHD models)
- NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU with 16GB GDDR6 VRAM.(UHD model)
- All Features Optimus™ Technology(optimization in Performance, Battery Life)
Connectivity: Intel® Wi-Fi 6E AX210 modem, Bluetooth® 5.2, 1xUSB-C Thunderbolt™ 3, 1xUHS-III SD Card reader, 3xUSB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1xUSB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1xHDMI 2.1.
Battery: 80WHr Li-ion Polymer
Other Features: Per-key RGB powered by Razer Chroma™ N-Key rollover backlit keyboard, 1MP 720P webcam with Windows Hello, stereo speakers, 3.5mm audio jack.

Razer Blade Pro 17 Specifications

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Dimensions: 19.9mmx260mmx395mm
Display:
- 17.3-inch 360Hz IPS FHD display, response: 3ms, 100% sRGB, 300nits
- 17.3-inch 165Hz QHD IPS display, 100% sRGB, 300nits
- 17.3-inch 120Hz UHD(4K) IPS Touch display, 100% sRGB, 400nits
CPU, Storage, Memory:
- CPU: 10th gen Intel i7-10875H processor, Turbo Boost up to 5.1GHz, 16MB
- Memory:
  - 16GB 2933MHz Dual-Channel DDR4 (Upgradeable to 64GB)- Lower-end models
  - 32GB 2933MHz Dual-Channel DDR4 (Upgradeable to 64GB models)- Higher-end models
- Storage:
  - 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD (upgradeable to 2TB)
  - 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD(upgradeable to 2TB)
  - Additional M.2 slot on all modes- Supports PCIe, SATA SSDs up to 2TB
Graphics:
- NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 6/8GB DDR6 VRAM (FHD, QHD models)
- NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070 6/8GB DDR6 VRAM(FHD, QHD models)
- NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3080 16GB DDR6 VRAM(FHD, UHD models)
Connectivity:Wi-Fi 6E Intel® AX210 modem, Bluetooth 5.2, 3xUSB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ Thunderbolt 3, 1xThunderbolt 3, 1xRj45(first time a 2.5Gb port), 1xHDMI 2.1, 1xUHS-III SD Card reader.
Battery: 70.5WHr Li-ion Polymer
Other Features: Per-key RGB powered by Razer Chroma™ lighting, HD 720P webcam with Windows Hello, stereo speakers, 3.5mm audio/mic jack.

Razer Blade 15, Blade Pro 17- Price, Availability

The Razer Blade 15 base model and Advanced model starts at $1699, $2499 respectively. The Base model is already up for pre-orders and will be available for sale from January 26 whereas the Advanced model’s shipment will happen only in February.

The 17.3-inch Pro model, although being a higher-end machine, starts at $2299. Similar to the 15-inch, this is also in pre-orders but Razer has given a vague availability of Q1 2021 for shipping/sale date.

Razer showcases its latest concept gaming chair with a roll-out display

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Jan 13, 2021

Singapore-based tech giant Razer took the center stage at CES 2021 with the announcement of a number of concept products in addition to its sleek gaming laptops. One of them is dubbed Project Brooklyn, a gaming chair with a built-in rollable OLED display. The chair keeps up with the tradition of having Chroma RGB lighting. It also comes with vibration feedback.

The Project Brooklyn concept gaming chair is equipped with a built-in display. The chair looks like a normal gaming chair on first look but in its backbone, there is a hidden 60-inch roll-out OLED screen. You could have a fully immersive gaming experience without a room-sized setup or a VR helmet, and tuck the screen away when you just want a seat.

Editor’s Pick: Chip Battle: The Exynos 2100 challenges the Snapdragon 888

Razer says you also get HyperSense vibration feedback through the gaming chair. Further, it comes with collapsible tables that would let you switch between mouse-and-keyboard and gamepad setups easily. The seat cushions and stand are equipped with Chroma RGB lighting.

Razer also unveiled the Project Hazel face mask to help you get through the pandemic. The mask adopts a glossy outer shell made of waterproof and scratch-resistant recycled plastic. The plastic is transparent making it possible for lip-reading and seeing facial cues when you chat with people. The mask is also embedded with microphones and amplifiers in the ventilators that will project your voice, so you won’t have to worry about sounding muffled.

However, there is no indication as to when the products will go commercial. Going by precedence, we may not end up seeing any of them anytime soon. We can recall that in 2017, Razer unveiled a laptop with three screens dubbed Project Valerie but since then, nothing has been heard of the product.

UP NEXT: HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G goes official in Taiwan for TWD$11,990($428)

Another leaker confirms the OnePlus 9 Lite is coming; will launch in India and China

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 13, 2021

Fans of OnePlus are anticipating the launch of the OnePlus 9 series and rumors have revealed that we will be getting three models this year rather than the two we got for the OnePus 8 series.

An earlier leak had revealed that alongside the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro, there will be a third variant called the OnePlus 9E but a different source said that the device will actually launch as the OnePlus 9 Lite. Now, another source has corroborated the latter and has also provided more details.

According to TechDroider (@techdroider), the OnePlus 9 Lite will have two models with model numbers LE2100 and LE2101. OnePlus will announce the phone in China and India but there is no information on a European release or a North American release. However, there is a possibility that the phone may arrive later in these markets.

[Exclusive] OnePlus 9 Lite Models.

LE2100
LE2101

It is Coming to China and India. Might come to EU, can't confirm as of now.
The device will feature Snapdragon 865 5G CPU.

— TechDroider (@techdroider) January 13, 2021

The source also confirms an earlier report that the OnePlus 9 Lite will have a Snapdragon 865 processor and not the Snapdragon 888 like its siblings.

EDITOR’S PICK: OnePlus invests heavily to improve flagship smartphone camera performance

Details about the design and other specifications are unknown but we expect more leaks will surface in the weeks leading up to the official announcement of the phones. Nevertheless, we expect the OnePlus 9 Lite to have an AMOLED display, a high refresh rate (at least 90Hz) and have support for at least 30W fast wired charging. OnePlus will most likely not add wireless charging support which has been confirmed for the standard model and is also expected to be available on the OnePlus 9 Pro.

The OnePlus 9 Lite should also have inferior cameras compared to its siblings and should miss out on an official IP rating. All three phones will ship with OxygenOS based on Android 11.

OnePlus has changed the number of flagships it announces per year. Last year’s Before the OnePlus 7 series, there were only two models released per year – one in each half. Then it switched to two models per half but last year’s OnePlus 8T series didn’t launch with a pro model. It remains to be seen if we will get three models in the second half of the year or fewer.

Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro launched with ANC, 26-hour battery life, and wireless charging

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Jan 13, 2021

Anker has launched a new pair of truly wireless earphones in the form of Soudcore Liberty Air 2 Pro. The main highlight of this product is the presence of ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) and of course, an affordable price tag. Interested customers can already purchase them. That said, let us take a closer look at the specs, features, and price of this TWS.

Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro Specifications and Features

The new TWS from Anker sport a design inspired by the older Souncore Liberty Air 2 and Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro. These buds feature 11mm PureNote drivers and 3 microphones each.

These 6 microphones work together for ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) functionality. The TWS offers three ANC modes, namely transport, indoor, and outdoor. The earphones also come with two types of transparency modes – total and focus on vocals.

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Further, the buds connect via Bluetooth 5.0 and are IPX4-certified for water resistance. As for audio codec formats, they support SBC and AAC. These earbuds sport gesture controls, measure 37.33 x 22.01 x 23.11mm in dimensions, and weigh 10.5g each. On the other hand, the case weighs 50.5g and measures 61.1 x 59.7 x 29.1mm in dimensions.

Talking about the battery life, the company claims 6 hours from buds (55mAh battery each) and 21 hours with the case (500mAh) when ANC is turned on. Whereas with ANC turned off, the buds are said to offer 7 hours and with the case, users can enjoy music for up to 26 hours.

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Lastly, they come in four colors (Onyx Black, Titanium White, Sapphire Blue, Crystal Pink) and support USB Type-C charging (cable included along with 8 differently-sized ear tips) as well as Qi wireless charging.

Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro Pricing and Availability

The Anker Souncore Liberty Air 2 Pro truly wireless earbuds are priced at $130 in the US, CA$170 in Canada, €130 in Europe, and £130 in the UK respectively, They can be bought from Anker’s Soundcore website or any other official regional retailer.

(Source, Via)

Amazon launches its Prime Video ‘Mobile Edition’ in India; Plans start at ₹89($1)

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Jan 13, 2021

Amazon has launched its First-ever Prime Video Mobile Edition Plan in India. These Plans, which is in partnership with Bharti Airtel, starts as low as ₹89($1.22) in the country.

Amazon is clearly targeting rivals like Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar with this Mobile Edition plans. This is because the company so far has had it’s lowest Prime Video plan starting at ₹129/month. Now, it is looking to attract even more consumers with a lower price. However, partnership with Airtel means users of other networks are left to dry at least for now.

That said, to avail of this, you have to recharge to any of the Airtel Prepaid plans mentioned below. In return, you get the Mobile Data as per the Tariff and Prime Video Mobile Edition as an added benefit.

For those wondering, Prime Video Mobile Edition means you can watch Amazon Prime content only on the Prime Video App on either Android/iOS. Being a Mobile and Video-only Plan, it is restricted to One Screen at a time and Standard Definition(SD) as Video Quality.

That said, to avail it, users of Airtel can recharge any of the Following Prepaid Plans using the Airtel Thanks App or Airtel Stores across the country.

Airtel Prepaid Plans(in ₹)	Amazon Prime Video Mobile Edition	Prime Membership Included	Unlimited Voice Calls	Data (in GB)	Validity(in Days)
89	Yes	No	No	6GB(Total)	28
129	Yes	No	Yes	1GB(Total)	24
131	No	Yes	No	-	30
149	Yes	No	Yes	2GB(Total)	24
179	Yes	No	Yes	2GB(Total)	28
199	Yes	No	Yes	1GB /day	24
219	Yes	No	Yes	1GB/day	28
249	Yes	No	Yes	1.5GB/day	28
279	Yes	No	Yes	1.5GB/day	28
289	Yes	No	Yes	1.5GB/day	28
298	Yes	No	Yes	2GB/day	28
299	Yes	No	Yes	1.5GB/day	28
349	No	Yes	Yes	2GB/day	28
379	Yes	No	Yes	6GB(Total)	84
398	Yes	No	Yes	3GB/day	28
399	Yes	No	Yes	1.5GB/day	56
448	Yes	No	Yes	3GB/day	28
449	Yes	No	Yes	2GB/day	56
558	Yes	No	Yes	3GB/day	56
598	Yes	No	Yes	1.5GB/day	84
599	Yes	No	Yes	2GB/day	56
1498	Yes	No	Yes	24(Total)	365
2498	Yes	No	Yes	2GB/day	365
2698	Yes	No	Yes	2GB/day	365

Having said that, you will have to log in to the app using your Mobile number. It’s worth noting that the Prime Video Mobile Edition is strictly limited to Video and you cannot play Ad-free Amazon Music via this subscription. However, as you can see above Amazon also has some plans like ₹131, ₹349 for that.

Precisely, with ₹131, you can enjoy all of Prime Video, Music, Free and Priority shipping for 30 days. However, it doesn’t have to bring any Mobile data with it. The ₹349, on the other hand, has all the above-mentioned benefits and 2GB/day Data for 30 days.

Prime Video’s worldwide VP Jay Marine says, ” With the launch of Prime Video Mobile Edition we look forward to entertaining every Indian with our Exclusive and Original content”.

(via)

Chip Battle: The Exynos 2100 challenges the Snapdragon 888

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 13, 2021

The Exynos 2100 was announced yesterday as Samsung’s latest flagship processor. It is expected to make its debut tomorrow inside the Galaxy S21 series that will be sold in some markets. In other regions such as the United States and China, the Galaxy S21 series will be powered by the Snapdragon 888. We expect early reviews comparing both variants will surface shortly after the phones are announced, but before then, we want to see how the two chipsets compare on paper.

Both the Exynos 2100 and Snapdragon 888 are 5nm chipsets and the shift to a smaller node size brings upgrades in performance and reduction in power consumption when compared to their predecessors. They also feature ARM CPU cores in the same 1+3+4 arrangement and have built-in 5G modems. The table below shows a spec-by-spec comparison of the two processors:

Processor	Exynos 2100	Snapdragon 888
Node size	5nm EUV	5nm
CPU	1 x ARM Cortex-X1 at 2.9GHz 3 x ARM Cortex-A78 at 2.8GHz 4 x ARM Cortex-A55 at 2.2GHz	1 x ARM Cortex-X1 at 2.84GHz 3 x ARM Cortex-A78 at 2.40GHz 4 x ARM Cortex-A55 at 1.8GHz
GPU	Mali-G78 MP14 (14 cores)	Adreno 660
ISP	Name not available Support for single camera up to 200MP Support for Dual-camera 32MP+32MP Maximum supported number of cameras = 6	Spectra™ 580 Support for single camera up to 200MP Support for dual camera up to 64MP Support for triple camera up to 28MP
AI Engine	Name not available Triple-core NPU (up to 26 TOPS)	Hexagon 780 26 TOPS
Max On-Device Display	4K at 60Hz QHD+ at 144Hz	4K at 60Hz QHD+ at 144Hz
Max External Display	8K	4K at 60Hz
Modem	Name not available Peak download speed: 7.35 Gbps Peak upload speed: 3.67 Gbps	Snapdragon X60 5G Peak download speed: 7.5 Gbps Peak upload speed: 3 Gbps
Connectivity	No details provided	Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz

CPU

The two chips have the same CPU cores and they have the same arrangement. However, the Exynos 2100 is the winner in this category as all of its CPU cores are clocked higher than those of the Snapdragon 888 processor.

GPU

Both chipsets feature new GPUs that bring significant upgrades over their predecessors. We have already seen how the Mali-G78 performs in the Kirin 9000 and Exynos 1080 processors. However, while all three of these chipsets have the same GPU, their performance varies as a result of the number of cores they have.

The Exynos 2100 has 14 GPU cores, four more than the Exynos 1080 but ten fewer than the Kirin 9000. An AnTuTu benchmark result already showed us that the Kirin 9000’s 24-core GPU is just a tiny bit behind the Adreno 660 GPU inside the Snapdragon 888. With the Exynos 2100’s fewer cores, the gap is expected to be wider, though it should be less than the gap between the Exynos 1080 since it has four more cores.

So while Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 wins this round, there is still good news for fans of the Exynos 2100 as its GPU score will surely surpass that of the Snapdragon 865 Plus. The Exynos 1080 already has a higher GPU score (239,408 points) than the Snapdragon 865 Plus (236,287 points), so the Exynos 2100 should widen the margin.

Don’t forget that this is just a paper comparison and a more detailed review will contain more comprehensive details such as game framerates and temperatures.

EDITOR’S PICK: Samsung says the next flagship Exynos will have an AMD GPU

AI

In this category, we will say it is a tie. The Exynos 2100’s triple-core NPU boasts up to 26 trillion operations per second (TOPS), the same figure Qualcomm touts for the Snapdragon 888’s Hexagon 780.

ISP

The ISP in the Exynos 2100 boasts some impressive features. From support for 200MP cameras, to support for 4K video recording at 120FPS and 8K video playback at 60FPS, users should be able to see the benefits when they record their precious memories. The chipset is also the first in the industry to have support for the AV1 Decoder for 8K.

The Snapdragon 888’s Spectra 580 also packs some punch. Not only does it support 200MP cameras too, but it also has 8K video capture at 30 FPS, and 4K HDR recording with computational HDR.

Connectivity

The two manufacturers have decided to go with an integrated 5G modem for the flagship processors. They both support mmWave and sub-6GHz spectrums. Samsung does not say what Wi-Fi technology its new chipset supports but it should have Wi-Fi 6 but we do not know if it has Wi-Fi 6E which the Snapdragon 888 has.

Conclusion

Samsung has done well with its chipset and fans should be pleased. It has a more powerful CPU than the Snapdragon 888 and its ISP brings some significant improvements. However, Qualcomm’s chipset has the GPU advantage and has a great ISP too.

Based on the comparisons, we will say the result is a tie but a real-world comparison of commercial-devices powered by the two chipsets will show us which chipset is better overall.

Samsung Galaxy M02s will go on sale from January 19 in India

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Jan 13, 2021

Samsung introduced the Galaxy M02s in India last week. However, the company didn’t mention a sale date back then. That ends today as Amazon India gives away the sale date of the Galaxy M02s.

Galaxy M02s Sale Date, Price, Availability

As Gadgets360 reports, the Galaxy M02s will officially go on sale from January 19 in India. A dedicated Amazon Page reveals the same and although there isn’t a specific time of sale yet, we guess it could be in the afternoon.

In case you didn’t know, Samsung Galaxy M02s comes in two memory variants- 3GB RAM, 32GB Storage, and 4GB RAM, 64GB storage. It will also have Black, Blue, and Red color options. You can take a look at the pricing below:

3GB + 32GB – ₹8,999($123)
4GB + 64GB – ₹9,999($137)*

*- Even though the price of this variant isn’t officially listed yet, as the report says, Samsung has already confirmed that it is the company’s first 4GB RAM phone under ₹10K.

As for availability, you can purchase the device on January 19 from Amazon, the Samsung website, and other retail partners across the country.

Galaxy M02s Specifications and Features

Samsung Galaxy M02s is a successor to the Galaxy M01s from 2020. It features a 6.5-inch display with an Infinity-V notch. Under the hood, you get the Snapdragon 450 chipset which is a transition from MediaTek on the predecessor.

For cameras, we have a rear triple-camera setup with a 13MP main and a pair of 2MP sensors. Upfront, there is a 5MP snapper for selfies. Other features include a 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging, microSD expansion up to 1TB, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and One UI based on Android 10 OS.

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 announced with a larger e-ink display and 11th Gen Intel Core CPUs

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Jan 13, 2021

At CES 2020, Lenovo announced a laptop called ThinkBook Plus with a secondary e-ink display. This notebook eventually hit the markets in the first half of last year. Now, at CES 2021, the company has unveiled its successor, ThinkBook Plus Gen 2, with a host of improvements. Let us take a look at his laptop’s specs, features, price, and availability in this article.

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 Specifications and Features

The new ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 flaunts a larger 12-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600 pixels) secondary monochromatic e-ink display with support for multi-touch and 68% screen-to-body ratio. For those unaware, the first generation features a 10.8-inch e-ink display with a 48% screen-to-body ratio.

Lenovo also claims to have improved the refresh rate as well as UI of the e-ink display. Hence, users can now have access to most used information, including options to run productivity apps without even having to open the lid.

As far as the primary display is concerned, it is a 13.3-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600 pixels) IPS LCD panel with touch input, up to 400 nits brightness, Dolby Vision, and TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification.

Talking about the build, the notebook is made of anodized aluminum, magnesium, and partial glass. It comes with a full-size backlit keyboard with VoIP hot keys, a one-piece precision touchpad, and a 180° hinge. As for size and weight, it measures 298 x 209 x 13.9mm in dimensions and weighs less than 1.30kg.

Further, it is powered by up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with integrated Intel UHD graphics on Unified Memory Architecture (UMA). The chipset is paired with up to 16GB LPDDR4x dual-channel RAM and 1TB M.2 2 PCIe Gen4 SSD.

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Other features include HD webcam with ThinkShutter, 2 x 2W Harman Kardon speakers with Dolby Atmos, 4 x microphones, 2 x USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4, 3.5mm headphone jack, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, fingerprint sensor, Lenovo Integrated Pen (stylus), single Storm Gray color option, Microsoft Windows 10 Pro, and 53Whr battery with support for 65W fast charging.

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 Pricing and Availability

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 will start from $1,549. It will be available for purchase in Q1 2021 itself. However, it is worth noting that the price and availability may differ by region.

Tecno Camon 16 Premier with Helio G90T, dual front cameras launched in India

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Jan 13, 2021

Transsion Holdings subsidiary Tecno Mobiles has just launched Tecno Camon 16 Premier in India. The smartphone is the company’s latest flagship smartphone which was first unveiled last year alongside the Camon 16 and Camon 16 Pro.

The Camon 16 Premier sports a 6.9-inch LCD FullHD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a pill-shaped punch-hole design giving the screen a 90% screen-to-body ratio. The punch-hole houses a dual selfie camera setup which includes a 48MP main camera and 8MP Ultrawide sensor.

The phone is powered by Octa-Core MediaTek Helio G90T SoC with Multi-dimensional Liquid Cooling Technology. It packs 8GB of RAM and runs Android 10 with HiOS.

Editor’s Pick: Vivo Y31s launched as the world’s first Snapdragon 480 smartphone

For photography, the Camon 16 Premier packs a 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 main sensor with five LED flash, along with an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, a 2-megapixel sensor for portrait shots, and a 2-megapixel 2.5cm macro camera. It has Super Night 2.0 powered by TAIVOS (TECNO AI Vision Optimisation Solution) technology.

The phone also packs a fingerprint sensor on the side located under the power button. It equally comes with dedicated dual SIM and microSD card slots. Under the hood, the Camon 16 Premier crams a 4500mAh battery and comes with support for 33W fast charging. The phone charges over a USB Type-C port. Other features include a 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS + GLONASS.

The Tecno Camon 16 Premier will be available in Glacier Silver colour only. It carries a decent price tag of Rs. 16999 (~$232) and will be available from Flipkart as well as offline retail outlets across India starting from January 16th.

UP NEXT: LG announces its first OLED monitor and a 160Hz gaming monitor

After 12.9-inch, 3D CAD renders of Apple iPad Pro 11-inch 2021 appears online

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Jan 13, 2021

Yesterday, 91Mobiles showed the 3D CAD renders of the upcoming 2021 iPad Pro 12.9-inch model. Alongside this, a report by MySmartPrice shows how an 11-inch variant of it would look like.

Just like the 12.9-inch model, the iPad Pro‘s11-inch CAD renders also resemble the predecessor. We don’t see big design changes confirming the early reports. Accordingly, the new report also says that the 2021 11-inch iPad Pro will have the same thickness as the 2020 model.

Precisely, it will measure 245.74 x 176.61 x 5.90mm as per the report. If we recall, the 2020 model has a 5.9mm thickness but its length and breadth vary at 247.6mm and 178.5mm respectively. This suggests that Apple is looking to make the iPad Pro more ergonomically appealing without experimenting too much.

However, just like early reports, we see the Power Button and Speaker Grille on the top portion where speakers have fewer holes than the predecessor. The rest of the design looks the same. We see a boxy design with squared-off edges. At the back, there is a squircle layout with dual-Cameras, LiDAR scanner, and LED Flash.

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Speaking of which, the renders also show that the camera bump will be a bit subtle and lesser this time. That said, there is another set of speaker grille, Type-C port on the bottom, and volume rockers and smart connector pins to the right. That said, we don’t have any information on the specs right now.

However, a few early reports say that both the sizes of iPad Pro 2021 will get a Touch ID on the power button, bump up in Apple’s A-series(could be 5nm A14 Bionic) processor. Further, we can expect the LCD display on the 11-inch model while the 12.9-inch is vaguely rumored to include a mini-LED display.

Razer unveils a reusable N95 respirator dubbed Project Hazel

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Jan 13, 2021

Taiwanese tech giant Razer has unveiled what it claimed to be the world’s smartest mask. The mask is an N95 respirator that can be reused and it is known as Project Hazel.

The device is still a concept design but going by Razer’s precedence, we may find this product going commercial soon. The mask adopts a glossy outer shell made of waterproof and scratch-resistant recycled plastic. The plastic is transparent making it possible for lip-reading and seeing facial cues when you chat with people.

The Razer describes Project Hazel as a surgical N95, but it is still in the concept stage nd is yet to clinch any of the required approvals and certifications from the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Razer also disclosed that it is working with a team of medical experts and scientists who are helping to develop the mask.

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The main features of this mask lie within its two circular zones that flank your mouth. They’re used for ventilation, giving the device an almost futuristic gas mask look. Razer claims Project Hazel will use active disc-type ventilators and would filter the air that’s breathed in, as well as the CO2 that is exhaled. The company adds that it will be certified to filter 95 percent of airborne particles, including the COVID-19 virus and other common pathogens.

Also, the ventilators will be detachable and can be recharged. However, Razr is yet to explain how long the battery will last or how the user will get alerted when it’s time for a new one. A spokesperson for Razer disclosed to The Verge that the ventilators’ longevity is still being tested. As for when the filters need to be changed, Razer envisions users being notified via a mobile companion app.

Razer also embedded microphones and amplifiers in the ventilators that will project your voice through the mask, so you won’t have to worry about sounding muffled. The company has not demonstrated the use in action or had the chance to try it out ourselves. Razer told us that it’s working with THX sound engineers to find a balance in terms of how loud the speakers should be for accessibility purposes.

Razer assures that despite the pieces of tech crammed inside the Project Hazel, it still retains its comfortability. There is a silicon seal around the nose as well as adjustable ear loops so that it will fit almost everyone.

Finally, the mask comes with Razer’s trademark Chroma RGB LEDs. Each of the respirator-meets-amplifier rings can glow in the color of your choosing. And when it gets dark, a set of LEDs activate automatically to shine a light on your mouth so others can still see you talk. The LEDs automatically switch on the inside of the mask once it’s dark out.
Razer envisions that each Project Hazel mask will include a large charging case that sterilizes the mask with UV light when it’s not in use, although this is still in the concept stage.

UP NEXT: HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G goes official in Taiwan for TWD$11,990($428)

ASUS ROG Swift PG32UQ announced as the world’s first 32-inch 4K gaming monitor with HDMI 2.1

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Jan 13, 2021

At CES 2021, ASUS has announced ROG Swift PG32UQ as the world’s first 32-inch gaming monitor with HDMI 2.1. This latest monitor from the company comes with similar specs as the recently unveiled Acer Nitro XV282K KV and LG UltraGear 27GP950.

ASUS ROG Swift PG32UQ Gaming Monitor Specifications and Features

Just like most companies at the Consumer Electronics Show 2021, ASUS has only published certain features of its new gaming monitor. The firm also did not reveal its price but did confirm that it will be available in Q2 2020.

The all-new ROG Swift PG32UQ gaming monitor flaunts a 32-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels (4K), 138 PPI, and 1ms gray-to-gray (GtG) response time. The company claims this screen to cover 98% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. It also mentions this panel to be calibrated at the factory to an average Delta E of less than two.

The display not only supports VESA DisplayHDR 600 but also AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and NVIDIA G-Sync. Further, the monitor can refresh at the maximum rate of 144Hz at 4K resolution via DisplayPort 1.4.

Thanks to HDMI 2.1, it also supports 120Hz at 4K with VRR (Variable Refresh Rate). Hence, it is touted to be ideal for the latest gaming consoles – Sony PS5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X.

Last but not least, it comes with cybernetic-inspired chassis, thin bezels, an adjustable stand, Aura Sync lighting for the ROG logo at the back, USB ports, and a headphone output port.

OPPO brings the Reno5 and Reno5 Pro 5G variants to Taiwan; Pre-order, Availability details inside

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Jan 13, 2021

OPPO has already launched different versions of the Reno5 Globally(4G) in countries like Indonesia, Vietnam. It has already confirmed that the ‘Pro’ variant is coming to India on Jan. 18. However, the company has now brought the entire series- Reno5 5G, and Reno5 Pro 5G to Taiwan, and surprisingly, they are exactly the same as Chinese variants.

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OPPO Reno5 5G, Reno5 Pro 5G Taiwan – Price, Offers, Availability

OPPO has brought only a single 8GB RAM, 128GB storage of Reno5 5G and 12GB RAM, 256GB storage of the Reno5 Pro 5G. You can take a look at the pricing below:

Reno5 5G(8GB + 128GB) – NT$14,990($536)
Reno5 Pro 5G(12GB + 256GB)- NT$20,990($749)

The Reno5, Reno5 Pro comes in two colors- Symphony Silver and Starry Night Black. Both of them are currently in Pre-order in Taiwan. This pre-order, which runs from January 12 16:00 PM to January 15 11:59 AM, includes some gifts. Those are as follows:

OPPO Enco W31(value: NT$1,899)
A Screen Protector(value: NT$899)
12-months Accidental Damage Protection
6-months Extended Warranty

OPPO’s website says that the shipments will begin on January 15 once the Pre-order period ends. In case your pre-order has any discrepancies, the shipment should get sorted out by January 18 at max.

OPPO Reno5 5G, Reno5 Pro 5G Taiwan- Features

As mentioned above, the Reno5 5G series is exactly the same as the Chinese variant that launched on December 10, 2020. Hence, for the Reno5 5G, you get a device that measures 159.1×73.4×7.9mm and weighs 172g. It features a 6.43-inch OLED Flat 90Hz display with a 2400x1080p resolution, Snapdragon 765 5G SoC, 64MP quad-Cameras, 32MP selfie shooter, 4,300mAh with 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging.

The Reno5 Pro 5G, on the other hand, features a 6.55-inch curved OLED 90Hz display with 2400x1080p resolution, MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ 5G SoC, 64MP quad-cameras, 32MP selfie camera, 4,350mAh battery with 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging. Finally, the Reno5 Pro measures 159.7×73.2×7.6mm and weighs 173g.

Both the devices feature the latest Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi, USB-C, dual-SIM support, and run ColorOS 11 based on Android 11. As Digitimes reports, OPPO says that it has circumvented the Semiconductor shortages and managed to bring the MediaTek variant outside china after realme X7 Pro.

Telegram and Signal see millions of new downloads after recent WhatsApp privacy changes

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Sean

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Jan 13, 2021

After the recent WhatsApp privacy changes went live, the userbase numbers of its alternatives Signal and Telegram have surged almost immediately. In just a short span, both messaging platforms have seen millions of new users download their respective applications.

Talking about Signal first, the messaging app has seen a large influx of new users, with the company seeing new downloads nearing a million every day. For those unaware, Facebook recently updates its privacy policy for WhatsApp and other platforms, which has led it to receive a lot of criticism over its users’ data security and privacy. Since then, many have switched over to alternatives like Signal, which saw over 810,000 downloads just last Sunday alone. This marked a near 18 fold growth in just a week, as per an ETNews report.

For those unaware, WhatsApp’s latest privacy policy has the company reserve the right to share user data, including location, phone number, with its parent company Facebook and its other social media platforms like Instagram and Messenger. Similar to Signal, Telegram has also seen a massive influx of new users, with the platform seeing 25 million new downloads in just the past 72 hours. Out of this figure, 38 percent of all new users are from Asia.

Other regions like Europe account for 27 percent, while Latin America and MENA regions account for 21 percent and 8 percent respectively. With the world becoming more privacy conscious, the move from WhatsApp has basically led to a mass exodus from the app to other platforms, which offer better privacy standards and user data protection. It remains to be seen how WhatsApp responds to its current predicament.

Xiaomi crowdfunds MIJIA Smart Wall Socket for ¥49 ($7)

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Jan 13, 2021

Apart from smartphones, Xiaomi is well-known for its ecosystem products. The company sells a wide variety of IoT products with its own branding as well as products from other brands on its platform. That said, it is now crowdfunding a new device called MIJIA Smart Wall Socket in its home country China.

As the name suggests, the new MIJIA Smart Wall Socket is meant for converting any non-smart device into a smart one. To do so, users will have to replace any traditional wall socket in their homes with this product.

Talking about the design, it is elegant, minimalistic, and comes in a single white color option. Also, it is worth noting that this design is identical to Aqara Smart Wall Socket. For those unaware, Aqara is one of the many ecological brands of Xiaomi.

Some of Xiaomi’s self-branded (Mi, MIJIA, Redmi) products are manufactured by its ecological brands. Hence, there’s nothing to be surprised about here. Anyway, this smart wall socket seems to be a different product altogether despite featuring a similar design.

Because this one uses Bluetooth Mesh networking, instead of Zigbee like the Aqara Smart Wall Socket. Also, it features all the basic functions like scheduler, option to see power statistics, voice controls (uses Xiaomi’s Xiao AI voice assistant), and can be connected with other Xiaomi IoT platform devices.

Last but not least, Xiaomi is crowdfunding the MIJIA Smart Wall Socket for ¥49 ($7) on Mi.com in China. After the campaign, it will retail for ¥59 ($9).

HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G goes official in Taiwan for TWD$11,990($428)

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