Amazift Bip U Pro sale starts on April 14 in India

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Apr 9, 2021

Amazfit announced the price of the Bip U Pro in India a few days back. Today, the company has revealed the sale date in the country.

Amazfit Bip U Pro All Colors Featured — Amazfit Bip U Pro

In a Tweet, Amazfit India says that the Amazfit Bip U Pro will retail in India starting April 14. As usual, the smartwatch will be available on Amazon India and Amazfit official website.

Talking about the price, the Amazfit Bip U Pro is priced at ₹4,999 in India. It will be available in three colors- Pink, Black and Green.

Jab in-built GPS & in-built Alexa jaise features ho toh phir bahana kaisa?#AmazfitBipUPro aa rahi hai 14th April ko only for INR 4,999 taaki saare fitness goals ho ab poore!
Kyunki Fitness ke liye ab #KoiBahanaNahi

Get Notified:https://t.co/ubirLnt3EB https://t.co/P4bn4GCJW6 pic.twitter.com/HOEb4TVm9z

— Amazfit India (@AmazfitIndia) April 9, 2021

Amazfit Bip U Pro Specifications and Features

The Amazfit Bip U Pro succeeds the Bip U model in India. It also has few upgrades over the predecessor like the presence of an in-built GPS, a microphone, and a geomagnetic sensor.

The smartwatch has a square display that measures 1.43-inches in size. This is an IPS LCD color display and is protected by 2.5D curved glass, anti-fingerprint coating, covers 72% NTSC color gamut, and has a resolution of 320 x 320 pixels.

As for the sensors, it has BioTracker™ 2 PPG biological optical sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a geomagnetic sensor, a microphone, and an in-built GPS chip. As a result, you can expect features like heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen measurement, menstrual cycle tracking, stress monitoring.

Other features of this Bip U Pro include a 230mAh battery, battery life of up to 9 days(typical) & 5 days(heavy usage), 60+ sports modes, menstrual cycle tracking, Bluetooth 5.0 for connectivity.

The smartwatch also has 5ATM water-resistant, app notifications, call & message alerts, music playback control, stopwatch, weather forecast, camera shutter control, find my phone. It runs RTOS and supports iOS 10.0 / Android 5.0 or higher devices(Zepp App).

Last but not the least, the Amazfit Bip U Pro has a polycarbonate body, 20mm strap made of silicon, measures 40.9 x 35.5 x 11.4mm and it weighs only 31 grams.

RELATED:

Entire Specifications, Price of TCL 20L, TCL 20 Pro 5G leaked before launch

By

Balaji S

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Apr 9, 2021

Yesterday, leaker Evan Blass revealed some insights on a host of devices like the TCL 20 Pro 5G, TCL 20L, TCL 20E, and more. Today, Nils Ahrensmeier from Techniknews has come out with an exclusive leak revealing the entire specifications, renders, and price of the TCL 20L and 20 Pro 5G.

TCL Mobile has scheduled a global launch event on April 14 and it is expected to launch multiple smartphones of the TCL 20 series. The company has already revealed two of the devices at CES 2021- TCL 20 SE and TCL 20 5G.

Now, the report says that the TCL 20L and TCL 20 Pro 5G be a part of the April 14 event. Let’s take a look at their leaked specs, price, and renders.

TCL 20L Leaked Specifications, Price

The TCL 20L is said to feature a 6.67-inch IPS LCD FHD+ display. Renders show that the display has a punch-hole at the center and it likely has a 60Hz refresh rate. Evan Blass earlier said that the device is codenamed Richland and comes with 4GB RAM. However, Nils says that the device has 6GB RAM and a single 64GB storage option.

Under the hood, the device has Snapdragon 662 chipset. And apart from the paired 64GB, the device is also said to support expansion of storage via microSD card.

1 of 2

For cameras, there is a 48MP main, 8MP ultrawide, and two 2MP macro & depth sensors on the rear camera layout. Upfront, we have a 16MP selfie shooter.

Other expected specs include a 3.5mm audio jack, NFC, 5,000mAh battery, IP52 certification, and Android 11 OS. Leak says that the device will debut in Eclipse Black, Luna Blue color options and for a price of 200 euros.

TCL 20 Pro 5G Leaked Specifications, Price

The TCL 20 Pro 5G is said to have a 6.67-inch FHD+ OLED screen and the renders show it as a curved display.

Under the hood, the TCL 20 Pro 5G is said to feature a Snapdragon 750G chipset paired with 6GB RAM and 256GB storage. Just like the 20L, it also has microSD support and the report says that users can upgrade it up to 1TB.

1 of 2

The rear quad-camera setup will have a 48MP main, 16MP ultrawide, 5MP macro, and a 2MP depth sensor. Upfront, it is likely to sport a 32MP selfie shooter.

Other expected specs of the device include 5G, 4,500mAh battery, IP52 certification. The TCL 20 Pro 5G is said to come in Moondust Gray, Marine Blue colors, and retail for around 500 euros.

RELATED:

Lenovo Legion Duel 2 is now available at Giztop for $699

By

Daily Deals

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Apr 9, 2021

Lenovo Legion Duel 2 is now available at Giztop for $699.

WHERE TO BUY

Lenovo Legion Duel 2 at $699 @Giztop

Lenovo Legion Duel 2 comes with a 6.92-inch Samsung E4 AMOLED display and a 144Hz refresh rate. It runs on a powerful Snapdragon 888 5G processor and features a 64MP+16MP dual AI rear camera set up and a 44MP Motorized pop-up front camera. A massive 5500mAh battery fuels this smartphone which also comes with a 90W Fast Charge. Lenovo Legion Duel 2 comes in two colors viz: Black and White and multiple storage variants viz: 8GB + 128GB, 12GB + 256GB, 16GB + 512GB,and 18GB + 512GB .

Right now you can buy the Black color variant , 8GB + 128GB for $699 and 12GB + 256GB for $799 from Giztop. Both these variants are in stock and can be shipped across the globe immediately.

Also, Giztop is now accepting pre-orders for Black color – 16GB+512GB which will arrive next week, and 18GB+512GB which will arrive at end of April.

For more information on such exciting deals and offers check out our deals hub.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e gets Android 11 (One UI 3.1) update

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 9, 2021

Samsung launched the Galaxy Tab S5e in early 2019. The tablet debuted with One UI based on Android 9.0 Pie. It was later updated to Android 10-based One UI 2.x last year. Now, it has started receiving its last major system update in the form of One UI 3.1 (Android 11).

Samsung has been rolling out Android 11 (One UI 3.x) update to eligible smartphones and tablets since December. Within a few months, the company has delivered the Android 11 to most of the devices.

Only a few products are left to be updated, like the Galaxy Tab S5e, which has now begun to get it as well. According to SamMobile, the One UI 3.1 update for this tablet is currently live in Russia and the UK with firmware version T72XXXU2DUD1.

Like any other OTA update, it is being pushed in batches. Therefore, it could take time to reach every unit. Also, apart from the above-mentioned two countries, the update should also hit other countries in the coming days.

Users of this tablet can head over to Settings > Software update > Download and install to check whether their unit has received the update.

That said, although Android 11 is the last major system update for the Galaxy Tab S5e, it should receive security updates till 2023.

Motorola to launch 2 new G series phones with best mid range segment specs in India: Tipster

By

Sean

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Apr 9, 2021

A tipster has revealed interesting news regarding upcoming smartphone launches from Motorola in India. The company is reportedly planning on launching two new Moto G series of smartphones in the region.

As per a recent tweet by a known tipster Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings), the known smartphone brand will soon launch two new smartphones, which will be a part of the G series. For those unaware, the G series is the company’s mid range segment handsets that have historically been popular in the Indian subcontinent. Notably, the tweet also specifically emphasizes that the company will launch these devices with the “best specifications till date in the mid segment smartphones in India.”

[Exclusive] I can now confirm that Motorola is soon going to launch 2 new Moto G series phones loaded with some of the best specifications seen till date in the mid-segment smartphones in India. Will be sharing more details soon.
Feel free to retweet.#NextMotoG

— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) April 9, 2021

Unfortunately, it is currently unknown what these ‘best’ features include. Furthermore, Motorola has lost a lot of ground in India to Chinese tech giants like Xiaomi, especially in the mid range segment. So, it would make sense that the company would seek to bring in new and prospective buyers through attractive specifications. Although, this is just an unconfirmed report so take it with a pinch of salt for now.

Apart from the fact that the two new devices are a part of the G series, the tipster refrained from mentioning the exact models that will be launching in India soon. Additionally, we have no way of knowing for sure at the moment, but it could be a part of the new lineup of G series devices that the company has launched in Europe. This includes the Moto G60 (which could launch as a rebranded G40 Fusion) and Moto G100. However, this would also imply a price tag higher than any other G series device that has launched in India so far.

RELATED:

realme 8 5G and realme 8 Pro 5G tipped to launch in India on April 22

By

Balaji S

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Updated Apr 13, 2021

realme India support team has already confirmed that the company will launch realme 8 5G and realme 8 Pro 5G in India very soon. Now, we have got some information on their launch date.

realme Central, citing their source, reports that the realme 8, 8 Pro 5G devices will debut in India on April 22. Back at the realme 8 4G series launch, Madhav Sheth did confirm that the company is bringing the realme 8 5G version soon.

Later, as mentioned above, the support team, while replying to a user’s query, confirmed that there’s also a ‘Pro’ variant coming with the 5G support. However, we don’t have enough information on the realme 8 Pro 5G just yet.

That said, the vanilla version has popped up on certification sites like BIS, NBTC, Peruvian MTC, and FCC. While the BIS and NBTC listings suggested their arrival to India and Thailand respectively, the FCC had revealed few specs.

As per the FCC listing, the realme 8 5G measures 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.5mm and weighs 185 grams. The phone runs on Realme UI 2.0 based Android 11 OS and has a 5,000mAh battery underneath. Apart from the obvious 5G connectivity, other possible specs include Wi-fi 802.11ac, GPS, GLONASS, BDS, NFC.

realme brought the Narzo 30 Pro 5G with LCD display and a Dimensity 800U 5G chipset. Considering the 4G versions of the realme 8 series have AMOLED, the 5G devices should also have it.

However, there are chances that realme might opt for an LCD display to keep the costs optimal. Additionally, just like the realme Narzo 30 Pro, the realme 8 Pro 5G might launch with a Dimensity 800U chipset while the vanilla realme 8 5G may come with Dimensity 700.

Either way, let’s wait for official info which could be coming out very soon.

RELATED:

Lenovo Legion Duel Phone 2 snaps in two under light pressure during a bend test

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Updated Aug 24, 2021

Lenovo launched the Legion Dual Phone 2 on Thursday as a successor to the Legion Dual Phone that was announced last year as the brand’s first gaming phone. The Legion Dual Phone 2 is targeted at gamers and that is reflected in the design which makes the phone look like a futuristic handheld gaming rig. But how durable is the device?

Well, JerryRigEverything has provided us an answer, thanks to Lenovo who sent him a unit for the usual scratch, burn, and bend tests. The Legion Dual Phone 2 was able to withstand the scratch test which reveals the presence of a solid glass over the display and a metal frame. The phone also didn’t perform badly on the burn test as the screen began changing color after 33 seconds under the flame and didn’t fully recover after the flame is extinguished.

However, the bend test is where things went south for Lenovo’s flagship gaming phone. It took only a slight pressure applied by Zack Nelson for the phone to snap into two just by the side of the secondary display. As stated earlier, the Legion Dual Phone 2 utilizes a metal frame and one would have expected it to more solid but that didn’t out to be the case, apparently due to the dual battery design it utilizes.

The phone actually snapped along the antenna band line that is made of plastic. The same thing happened when the reviewer applied pressure on the other side of the secondary display. it snapped along the antenna band line. Perhaps, Lenovo will have to reinforce that area but the phone is reportedly on sale already in China.

Although it is unlikely that anyone would go snapping his/her device in the real sense, the device is supposed to have a much studier frame that can withstand such stress. If a user accidentally sits on it while in the back pocket, a similar thing can happen.

Overall, the Legion Dual Phone 2 is a good phone specs-wise and even in terms of the design. We can’t say the same thing about its durability but expect Lenovo to do something about that. We’ll keep you updated on this issue if any new development pops up. Meanwhile, check out the video below.

RELATED:

Nokia 4.2 receives Android 11 update

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 9, 2021

Late last month, HMD Global began to roll out the Android 11 update for Nokia 3.2. A couple of days back, this very same update was also made available for Nokia 2.3 and Nokia 8.1. Now, the update is also rolling out to Nokia 4.2.

HMD Global unveiled the Nokia 4.2 at MWC 2019. The device debuted with Android 9.0 Pie. Being an Android One smartphone, it is eligible for two Android updates and three years of security updates.

The handset got its Android 10 update in April 2020. Now, exactly a year later, it has started receiving its last major software update in the form of Android 11.

According to the official announcement post on Nokia Phones Community, the Android 11 update for Nokia 4.2 is being rolled out in all the regions except for the below-listed ones.

Regions wheres Nokia 4.2 Android 11 update is not live (as of April 9)

Armenia
Belarus
Bulgaria
Chile (Entel Chile, Movistar Chile, Claro Chile, WOM)
Colombia (Claro Colombia, Movistar Colombia)
Czech Republic (O2 CZ)
Israel
Kazakhstan
Mongolia
Poland (Plus, Orange PL, PLAY)
Romania (Orange RO)
Russia
USA (T-Mobile)
Uzbekistan

Anyway, the update should be available in the above-listed regions in the coming days.

Talking about other regions, the Android 11 OTA update for Nokia 4.2 will be seeded out to 50% of users by April and 100% by April 12.

vivo V21 5G certified by Indonesia Telecom authority

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 9, 2021

Chinese smartphone maker vivo was tipped to launch the vivo V21 series in India in February. However, that never happened. But now, the upcoming vivo V21 5G finally appears on a certification bureau before going official.

The yet-to-release vivo V21 5G has been spotted on the Indonesia Telecom certification website. According to the listing, this phone will bear the model number V2050. Unfortunately, the listing does not any anything else about this handset.

As per the previous report, the vivo V21 series will include three devices, namely vivo V21, vivo V21 Pro, and vivo V21 SE. However, just like the certification, it also did not reveal anything about these upcoming phones.

As of now, we can only speculate on these handsets. Going by the previous generation, we can expect the vivo V21 Pro 5G to be a rebranded vivo S9. Because the vivo V20 Pro 5G is a rebadged vivo S7.

Also, as per Indonesia Telecom certification, the vivo V21 will be a 5G device, unlike its predecessor vivo V20. Hence, it could be the cheaper vivo S9e that was unveiled alongside the vivo S9 in China.

Anyway, as we mentioned earlier, this is merely speculation. We recommend you wait for more certifications and leaks to pop up in order to learn more about the forthcoming vivo V21 series.

Tencent $3.5 billion deal with Sogou to be cleared by China, subject to security conditions: Report

By

Sean

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Apr 9, 2021

The Chinese regulator SAMR (State Administration of Market Regulation) is apparently planning on giving the green light to Tencent regarding its multi billion Dollar deal. But, the company will have to set p a special mechanism to ensure data security, as per people close to the matter.

According to a Reuters report, the regulator has no objection to the 3.5 billion US Dollar deal for the Chinese tech giant to acquire 60 percent of Sogou. The company would also be required to pay a relatively small fee of 500,000 Yuan (roughly 76,000 US Dollars) for not reporting deals properly to the appropriate authorities for an anti trust review, as per two of the sources. Notably, the news arrives weeks after we had reported on Tencent agreeing to certain conditions for its Chinese streaming platform merger deal.

The move from the Chinese regulators also signifies the government’s attempts to tighten regulations around the local tech giants, especially involving their acquisition deals and mergers. Furthermore, the approval of the deal would also arrive as a relief to other tech firms in the region that have been closely following the development of the situation. This is also likely a part of Beijing’s efforts to crack down on the growing monopoly of internet giants.

One source familiar to the matter added that “What SAMR wants is enforcement … it is not in their interest to kill or actively block a deal. They are fine with companies’ actual market-leading status as long as it doesn’t prevent new entry into the market.” At the moment, Sogou is a major player in the local market and only trails behind other giants like Baidu and Qihoo 360. So stay tuned for more updates regarding this matter.

RELATED:

Lenovo Legion 2 Pro gaming smartphone is now up for sale in China

By

Jeet

-

Apr 9, 2021

Just a few hours ago, Lenovo launched its latest flagship-grade gaming smartphone in the Chinese market, dubbed as Lenovo Legion 2 Pro. Today, the device is officially available for purchase in the market.

The device comes in five variants — 8 GB RAM + 128 GB Storage for 3,699 yuan, 12 GB RAM + 128 GB Storage for 4,099 yuan, 12 GB RAM + 256 GB Storage for 4,399 yuan, 16 GB RAM + 512 GB Storage for 5,299 yuan, and 18 GB RAM + 512 GB Storage that costs 5,999 yuan, roughly $915.

In terms of specifications, the device features a 6.92-inch Samsung E4 AMOLED display that has a 20.5:9 aspect ratio, a 2460 x 1080 resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate, a 720Hz touch response rate, and a 3.8ms response time.

Under the hood, the Lenovo Legion 2 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset. As for the camera configuration, it comes with an OmniVision 64MP f/1.9 1.0 µm main sensor, coupled with a 16MP f/2.2 123° ultrawide angle camera.

On the front side, there’s a 44MP f/2.0 sensor that slides out from the middle of the frame. The phone can record in 8K at 24 fps and 4K at 60fps. It can also record slow-motion videos in 1080p at 240fps and shoot in RAW format.

The smartphone has support for Dolby Atmos and a game mode that enhances the in-game sound experience. It is powered by a 5,500mAh battery that supports a maximum of 90W fast charging via two USB-C ports.

RELATED:

Tecno Spark 7 with 6.5-inch, Helio A25, 6000mAh battery, and Android 11 OS launched in India

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 9, 2021

Tecno has launched the Tecno Spark 7 smartphone in India. It has arrived as the successor to the last year’s Spark 6 handset. The handset offers users a tall aspect ratio display with a waterdrop notch, a massive battery, and it ships with the latest version of Android OS. Moreover, it carries an affordable starting price tag of Rs 6,999 (~$94).

Tecno Spark 7 specifications and features

The Tecno Spark 7 is fitted with a 6.53-inch IPS LCD display that produces an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and a 20:9 aspect ratio. The Helio A25 chipset is present under the hood of the device. It ships with 2 GB / 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB / 64 GB of native storage.

The Spark 7 has a 6,000mAh battery, which supports only 10W charging. The mega battery offers more than 30 days of standby time. The device runs on the latest Android 11 OS that is overlaid with HiOS 7.5 UI, which tags along with features like Bluetooth Audio Share 2.0, auto dark theme, and more.

Place on the front is an 8-megapixel selfie camera. The back panel of the phone has a rectangle camera housing, which includes an AI-powered 16-megapixel dual-camera system with an LED flash. The back panel of the phone also features a fingerprint sensor.

Tecno Spark 7 price in India

The 2 GB RAM + 32 GB storage edition of the Tecno Spark 7 is priced at Rs 6,999 (~$94). On the other side, its 3 GB RAM + 64 GB storage edition costs Rs 7,999 (~$107). The phone comes in three colors like Magnet Black, Morpheus Blue, and Spruce Green. The handset will be up for purchase through Amazon India starting from April 16 in India.

RELATED:

Here’s a cute little washing machine that cleans your Apple AirPods

By

Sean

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Apr 9, 2021

Cleaning your Apple AirPods can be difficult if not a gross ordeal. But now, Cardlax brings to us a solution with its tiny washing machine that is built to clean your truly wireless earbuds in just a couple of minutes.

At first, it would seem like a belated April Fool’s prank, but that is really not the case here. The new Cardlax Earbuds Washer is a real thing, with the device’s top opening up to reveal a soft rotating brush on the inside. These are used to remove the dirt from hard to reach regions in your AirPods. To clean your AirPods, one must simply drop the earbuds into the barrel, which has the spinning cylindrical makeup sponge that will quickly clean the hearables.

The developer behind the quirky and cute little product promises that “After Cardlax is done with cleaning your earphones, you will be amazed by how clean and neat they turn. They will look like the way when you first bought them!” Notably, the Cardlax Earbuds Washer works with both the base AirPods along with the higher end AirPods Pro as well. The company also claims that the washer will also be compatible with 99 percent of other wireless earbuds as well.

In a YouTube video, the company even showcases the device’s effectiveness of the washer. The Cardlax EarBuds Washer is currently being offered on Kickstarted and has already raised 380 percent of its funds, as per a CultOfMac report. It is priced at 33 US Dollars, but this will soon go up to 39 US Dollars, with shipping scheduled to begin in June 2021.

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OnePlus shifts to Google’s Nearby Share over its own File Dash app for file transfers

By

Sean

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Apr 9, 2021

The OnePlus 9 series was recently unveiled by the company. But soon after its launch, the owners of the latest flagship realized that the device is missing a feature, namely the company’s File Dash function that offers file transferring.

According to an XDADevelop report, users on Reddit found that the File Dash feature in the latest handsets was missing on the Chinese tech giant’s File Manager app. Initially, it was unclear why the company decided to skip the feature on its new OnePlus 9 lineup. But now, the company officially offered clarification regarding the matter. For those unaware, the File Dash feature is a peer to peer fast wireless transferring solution the allows users to quickly send files from one device to the other through the File Manager app.

In a recent statement, OnePlus revealed that “In order to provide more seamless file transfer experience among Android devices, we have replaced “File Dash” feature with “Nearby Share” feature provided by Google. Users can go to Settings, click “Google,” and then click “Device Connections.” Users can then click “Nearby Share” to transfer files. If the other device does not support Nearby Share, users can transfer files via Bluetooth or other third-party applications.”

File Dash was introduced with the OnePlus 3 back in late 2016 and has been a common feature up till the OnePlus 8T. But the feature is missing with the company’s latest premium grade handset. Although, unless you use the feature often, it is likely not a feature most users would notice if removed.

RELATED:

ASUS ROG Phone 5 India sale date announced

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 9, 2021

ASUS launched the ROG Phone 5 series in early March. The lineup includes three smartphones, namely ROG Phone 5, ROG Phone 5 Pro, and ROG Phone 5 Ultimate. A month after their announcement, the company has finally revealed the sale date for the vanilla model in India.

ASUS ROG Phone 5 Featured 01 — ASUS ROG Phone 5

Although ASUS has announced all the three ROG Phone 5 series phones for India, only the standard model will be available for purchase first. The first-ever sale of the regular ASUS ROG Phone 5 is scheduled to take place on April 15 at 12 PM.

Back in April 2018, ASUS signed a partnership with Flipkart. Since then, most of the company’s products have been sold exclusively on the home-grown eCommerce giant. Hence, the entire ROG Phone 5 series will be also sold on Flipkart.

As far as pricing is concerned, the ROG Phone 5 series will retail for the following price tags in India.

ASUS ROG Phone 5
- 8GB + 128GB – ₹49,999
- 12GB + 256GB – ₹57,999
ASUS ROG Phone 5 Pro
- 16GB + 512GB – ₹69,999
ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate
- 18GB + 512GB – ₹79,999

Anyway, as mentioned in the beginning, only the vanilla ROG Phone 5 will go on sale on Flipkart at 12 PM on April 15. Interestingly, there seem to be no bank offers as well.

Customers buying the device will get the usual 5% Unlimited Cashback on Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card and a coupon to purchase either Google Nest Hub or Nest Mini at a discounted price (₹5,999, ₹1999).

Anyway, it is worth noting that the interested customers can exchange their old device to lower the price by up to ₹16,500.

Samsung offers iPhone users a Galaxy experience through its new iTest app on iOS

By

Sean

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Apr 9, 2021

Samsung has just launched the new iTest app. It is an application that lets iPhone users experience its Galaxy range of smartphones by offering a mock version of its Android UI on the Apple device.

The new app is free and is currently seeing some promotions in New Zealand, as per an AndroidAuthority report. The launch of the iTest app also arrives soon after Tim Cook announced that a large number of its new iPhone users are people that migrated from Android. So, it seems that the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer has launched an app dedicated to iOS users, to showcase its Galaxy series of smartphones on the iPhone platform.

Interestingly, the iTest app has quite a bit of depth as it is not a simply a skin on top of iOS. Rather, the app arrives with a lot of the apps, which the users can open. It also lets iPhone owners check out the app drawer and even use the Galaxy Store and more. To add to the immersion, the app also periodically sends dummy notifications as well to add to the overall experience. However, it is not a full fledged OS and a lot of the apps do not offer complete functionality, and the real notifications still coming through in iOS.

Although, it is still a unique experience to use the South Korean tech giant’s One UI on an iPhone, without a complex installation process. Another interesting aspect observed on the iTest app was the addition of the ‘Fortnite’ in the Galaxy Store. For those unaware, the game is developed and launched by Epic Games studio, which is currently suing Apple for anti competitive practices on its App Store.

RELATED:

General Motors and Ford temporarily suspends production due to chip shortage

By

Jeet

-

Apr 9, 2021

General Motors and Ford Motors have confirmed that the companies are temporarily shutting down production or extending the shutdown at several plants in North America because of the ongoing chip shortage.

General Motors plant closures range from a week or two to several weeks for plans that are already shut down temporarily due to the parts disruption. Next week, the company plans to restart the production of midsize pickups after it was halted for about two weeks.

On the other hand, Ford has updated its timeline to include additional downtime at two of its plans in Illinois and Missouri through next week. It is also shutting down its Flat Rock Assembly plant in Michigan for a week, starting from Monday. With these new changes, the vehicles impacted include Explorer, Lincoln Aviator SUVs, Ford Mustang, and Transit Vans.

Semiconductor materials are key components used in the vehicle’s infotainment as well as power steering and braking system among others. Automakers are facing issues related to the supply of semiconductor components as several plans have been impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic while demand is on the rise.

Ford had previously said that the company expects chip shortage to lower its earnings by $1 billion to $2.5 billion in 2021. On the other hand, General Motors is expected to earn $10 billion to $11 billion this year. This forecast factors in the potential impact of the chip shortage, including a hit of $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion to its free cash flow.

RELATED:

HUAWEI Band 6 launched in China as a rebranded HONOR Band 6

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

Apr 9, 2021

Last week, HUAWEI Band 6 made its global debut in Malaysia. A day later, the Chinese variant of the company’s latest fitness tracker leaked extensively. Now, yesterday, the wearable went official in the firm’s home county alongside the HUAWEI Smart Screen V series 2021.

The HUAWEI Band 6 (FRA-B19) is exactly the same as the HONOR Band 6 (ARG-B19) but a little bit costlier. The wearable flaunts a 1.47-inch rectangular AMOLED display with a resolution of 194 x 368 pixels, 282 ppi, 64% screen-to-body ratio, and 2.5D glass.

The fitness tracker features a 6-axis IMU sensor (accelerometer, gyroscope), an optical heart rate sensor, and an SpO2 sensor. Thanks to these sensors and software, the wearable supports 96 sports modes, blood oxygen level monitoring, menstrual cycle tracking, HUAWEI TruSeen™ 4.0 24-hour heart-rate monitoring, HUAWEI TruSleep™ 2.0 sleep monitoring, and HUAWEI TruRelax™ 2.0 stress monitoring.

It also has other basic functions like music playback controls, weather, alarm, app notifications, call alerts, and camera shutter control to name a few. Further, there is also an NFC variant with support for transit passes and mobile payments.

As for connectivity, the fitness tracker pairs with devices (Android and iOS) via Bluetooth 5.0. It is backed by a 180mAh battery that charges via the includes magnetic charger. As far as endurance is concerned, the company claims up to 14 days of battery life on a full charge.

Last but not least, the wearable comes in four colors (Black, Green, Orange, Pink), measures 43×25.4×10.99mm in dimensions (only tracker), and weighs about 18g without the strap.

The HUAWEI Band 6 is priced at ¥269 ($41) in China. On the other hand, the HUAWEI Band 6 NFC costs ¥349 ($53). Both of them will be available for pre-order starting April 14 and will go on sale from April 27.

Global chip shortage affects home appliance industry in China

By

Sean

-

Apr 9, 2021

The world is currently suffering from a major semiconductor shortage. This has affected various companies across multiple industries worldwide. Now, the shortage of chips has also affected the vast home appliance industry in China.

According to an SCMP report, the Midea Group recently stated that the Chinese home appliance sector is now also suffering from a global shortage. The firm added that the supply of chips is “under pressure in the home appliances industry.” At the moment, Midea has a market cap of about 600 billion Yuan (roughly 91.7 billion US Dollars), which makes it the world’s largest consumer appliance manufacturer. Under its vast electronic portfolio, the company makes appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners.

Midea said the prices of chips used in these home appliances are usually less sophisticated and advanced in comparison to the ones used in PCs and smartphones, but the prices of these chips are expected to rise due to a global shortfall in their supply. Furthermore, this disruption in the supply chain could also hamper the home appliance industry in China and even have a negative impact on the global market for such products.

At the moment, China produces two-thirds of the world’s air conditioners, televisions, and microwave ovens, and around half of all refrigerators and washing machines. We had previously reported on how the home appliance market across the globe was being impacted by the recent shortage, and since China is one of the major hubs for such products, it is likely that the supply issue would lead to changes in the manufacturer’s plans in the region to better adapt to the current situation.

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Smartphone brands in China are working on their own 5G chips: Report

By

Sean

-

Apr 9, 2021

While Qualcomm and MediaTek are the two primary chip suppliers of smartphone based chipsets, a growing number of Chinese OEMs are working on launching their own proprietary mobile processors.

According to a DigiTimes report, this includes smartphone makers from China like Oppo and Xiaomi, who are working on developing their own 5G SoC. Furthermore, the news also arrives amid a major global ship shortage that has affected various industries across the world. This has even caused companies to struggle to supply semiconductors for their products. Notably, NOR flash chip makers stated that more of their clients are now willing to strike long term supply contracts as well.

Similarly, the demand from MCU clients is also strong in the backend firms. For those unaware, Oppo and Xiaomi are expected to announce their in house sub 6GHz 5G processors sometime between late 2021 and early 2022. This would have both firms join the ranks of other fabless chip makers (firms that design their own chips bt contract production to other companies).

Another vendor that is also working on their own chips includes Unisoc, which will be competing with rival chip makers, Qualcomm and MediaTek, as per sources close to the matter. Talking about the back end firms, companies like SE Technology, Greatek Electronics, Lingsen Precision Industries and Orient Semiconductor Electronics (OSE) are still seeing robust demand for MCUs that are used in a wide array of consumer electronic products, medical care, and even automotive electronics as well.

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