The ASUS ROG Phone released in 2018 was the company’s first Android gaming smartphone. The handset debuted with Android 8.1 (Oreo) and was later updated to Android 9.0 (Pie). Now, over a year later from the last major update, ASUS confirms the ROG Phone with model number ZS600KL will not be updated to Android 10.
The ASUS ROG Phone is powered by Snapdragon 845 chipset, the flagship Qualcomm processor of 2018. Even after three years, this silicon is still more than enough to perform most tasks.
Hence, almost all smartphones featuring this chip are still supported by their respective companies. Also, most importantly, they are on Android 10 except for the ROG Phone. It is a shame that ASUS is not providing this update even though the cheaper POCO F1 with the same chipset had received the same update almost a year ago.
That said, this information comes from an ASUS ZenTalk moderator. His reply to a community member enquiring about the update goes like this, “It is confirmed that there is no Android 10 update plan for ZS600KL”.
Unfortunately, unlike Xiaomi devices, the ROG Phone is also not a popular device in the developer community. Hence, there aren’t any custom ROM either. As a result, users of this handset will be stuck with Android 9.0 (Pie) until the end of the lifetime of their unit.
This year is all about ultra-fast connectivity at affordable prices. Xiaomi has recently launched Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra 5G, which meets both of the above requirements. Presently, this smartphone is up with $50 off at Giztop. You can use the coupon code – M10U50EU to avail this offer.
Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra 5G features a 6.67-inch curved AMOLED punch-hole FHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It runs on MIUI 11 based on Android 10 OS and is powered by a 7nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Octa-core 5G processor having a refresh rate of 2.84 GHz. This smartphone has 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128Gb and 256GB ROM. MIUI 11 supports full-screen gestures to offer optimal use. This Xiaomi smartphone supports both 5G and 4G connections.
Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra 5G packs a quad-rear camera, having a 48MP 1/1.32-inch sensor with an 8P lens, 48MP super-telephoto lens, 12MP portrait lens, and 20MP ultra-wide-angle lens. The 20MP front camera is perfect for clicking decent pictures and face-timing. It features a 4500mAh battery that supports 120W super-fast wired charging, 50W fast wireless charging, and 10W reverse wireless charging. Other features include an in-display fingerprint reader, WiFi 6, linear speaker, multi-functional NFC, dual-frequency GPS, an IR blaster, and liquid cooling.
Currently, Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra 5G can be purchased at a discounted price by using a $50 coupon code – M10U50EU. The deal is only for European users, where in addition to the discount, they can get fast shipping. So make the most of it while it lasts.
CES 2021 will be a digital event this year no thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. The virtual event, which will kick off next week and last three days from January 11-14, 2021. Ahead of this, brands are doing their usual norm of announcing products beforehand. One such is the LG’s new self-emptying Vacuum cleaner.
LG, in a press release(via), talks about the new LG CordZeroThinQ A9 Kompressor+ vacuum cleaner. The uniqueness of the new upgrade over the LG CordZeroThinQ A9 is the fully-automated dust removal system. It also gets a new Charging station that automatically empties the dustbin of the Vac while it is docked for charging.
Apparently, the charging station is sleek and can accommodate six additional accessories of the vacuum cleaner inside a functional stand. That is, attachments include a 2-in-1 combination tool, a crevice tool, a pet nozzle, a power carpet nozzle, and a power mop. Besides, we have seen charging attachments some like Xiaomi Roidmi X30 Pro vacuum cleaner and even Dyson.
Anyway, as you place the CordZeroThinQ A9 Kompressor+ in the charging stand, the contents are sucked in and collected at the attached Dust bag. As this occurs, the charging stand continues to juice up the vacuum cleaner for another run. The charging station also has a one-touch display with “manual cleaning mode” too.
LG says that improvements to Power Carpet Nozzle and Power Mop attachment help wipe out carpets as well as hard floors efficiently. That said, the vacuum cleaner has features like one-touch controls, two quick-change battery packs, and washable filters.
If you are an old user of the CordZeroThinQ A9 series, you don’t need to worry. This is because the Power Mop Upgrade kit will be sold separately. Although there is no info on the pricing of the Vac currently, LG will place it for display at the virtual CES 2021 Exhibition booth.
Xiaomi, a mega smartphone manufacturer, recently launched Xiaomi Mi 11 that boasts a triple-rear camera and massive battery. This device supports the ultra-fast 5G connection and has a decent specs sheet. Currently, this smartphone is up with a $50 discount that can be availed using the coupon code – M1150. The deal is valid only till 10th Jan, so hurry and make the most of it.
Xiaomi Mi 11 boasts a 6.81-inch 2k AMOLED WQHD display and runs on an MIUI 12 based on the Android 11 operating system. It is powered by a 5nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G octa-core processor that has 2.84 GHz. It features 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB ROM, while the other variant has 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB ROM.
The Xiaomi Mi 11 packs a triple-rear camera, having a 108MP 1/1.33″ sensor with a 7P lens, a 13MP super-telephoto lens, and a 5MP dedicated portrait lens. It has a 20MP front camera for clicking selfies. It features a 4600mAh battery that supports 55W super-fast wired charging, 50W fast wireless charging, and 10W reverse wireless charging. Other features include 5G support, WiFi 6 connectivity, a linear speaker, multi-functional NFC, dual-frequency GPS, an IR blaster, a liquid-cooling system, an in-display fingerprint reader, and more.
Interested readers can now buy the Xiaomi Mi 11 for $50 off after using the coupon code – M1150. The deal is up only till 10th Jan enjoy it till it lasts.
Honor recently confirmed that its HONOR MALL will officially launch on January 12 in China. The company will henceforth offer its products and services through an independent platform. A new leak now reveals codenames of supposed other products that could launch on the occasion of HONOR MALL’s unveiling.
The latest leak was first spotted by a Weibo user @长安数码君 (via). Accordingly, a Home Page of the upcoming HONOR MALL reportedly reveals the following codenames of products:
York
Nobel D
Bohr
Locke
Kanon
The webpage, which is down now, could have revealed the info mistakenly. Anyway, out of this, we know that the ‘York’ belongs to the upcoming Honor V40 smartphone. That said, while there is no information about other products’ codenames on the website, Honor MALL has already started teasing them on Weibo.
In the poster, Honor shows a silent preview of what to expect from the company which is now independent from Huawei. The poster hints that new products are coming soon and we can see Laptop, Smartwatches, Electric Massager(vibrator) and Toothbrush, and TV.
We already know that Honor has confirmed a 75-inch X1 Smart TV but we can safely expect more TVs and other smart products now from the company.
Either way, the Honor V40 series(likely 2 models- YOK-AN10 & NEW-AN10), which is probably the first phone from the new-HONOR, will likely launch on January 18 with an announcement happening earlier. The device is expected to feature a 6.72-inch FHD+ OLED 120/90Hz display.
Several reports say that it could sport a Dimensity 1000+ chipset, circular quad-camera setup with 50MP IMX700 or a 64MP sensor, 4,000mAh battery with 66w Wired and 45/50W wireless charging.
Korean tech giant LG has officially unveiled a new lineup of its Gram laptops. The 2021 edition of the Gram series consists of five models of which three are clamshell models while the remaining two are convertible models. The lineup features a new design as well as some internal upgrades.
The three clamshell models include the LG Gram 17, Gram 16, and Gram 14. While the two convertible models include the Gram 2-in-1 16 and the Gram 2-in-1 14. The LG Gram laptops are known for their lightweight build from where the name Gram was derived from. The largest model which is the Gram 17 2021 weighs just 2.98 pounds which is the same weight as its predecessor. On the other hand, LG Gram 16 is just 2.62 pounds while the Gram 14 weighs 2.2 pounds.
The 2021 Gram 17 adopts a 16:10 display which offers more vertical space than a traditional 16:9 panel. Further, LG says the new clamshell models have a new “four-sided slim bezel design” which achieves a screen-to-body ratio of 90 percent. The laptop also comes with small bezels which adds to the overall aesthetic.
The 2021 Gram models also come with an enlarged keyboard and touchpad “for comfort and efficiency.” However, where the laptops see the most change i in the internals. All of the new Gram laptops have Intel’s 11th-Gen Core processors and can come with Iris Xe graphics or UHD graphics. All of the models are also certified through Intel’s Evo program, which is an Intel badge meant to certify the laptop can get at least nine hours of battery life, wake from sleep quickly, and other features. LG claims the Gram 17, Gram 16, and 16 2-in-1 can deliver up to 19.5 hours of use.
“Synonymous with unprecedented portability and first-class performance, the LG gram brand continues to raise the bar for the ultra-lightweight and slim laptop market,” said Jang Ik-hwan, LG senior vice president and head of the company’s IT business unit, in a statement. “With sleeker, more refined designs and 16:10 aspect ratio displays, while maintaining their lightweight, our latest LG gram lineup gives consumers the ability to enjoy better productivity and more immersive viewing experiences wherever they go.”
LG is yet to announce the pricing and availability details.
OriginOS is the latest version of vivo’s smartphone operating system. The new software from the brand is based on Android 11. It is basically a pumped-up variant of Funtouch OS 11, which is found in the company’s budget devices. In early December, the brand began to recruit closed beta testers for five handsets from the first batch. Now, a little over a month later, the firm has opened open beta registrations for all the models in the initial batch.
According to the official Weibo account of OriginOS, open beta recruitment is live for the following smartphones.
vivo NEX 3S
vivo X50 Pro+
vivo X50 Pro
vivo X50
vivo S7
iQOO 5 Pro
iQOO 5
iQOO 3
iQOO Pro
iQOO
iQOO Neo3
The registrations for these devices have begun from January 6 and will remain open until January 20. Anyway, the build will be pushed only from January 11-13.
However, it is worth noting that the company has only allocated 5,000 seats for each of the above-mentioned 11 smartphones. Hence, if you are using the Chinese variant of any of these handsets, then head over to the respective community pages of vivo and iQOO to enroll in the program.
Having said that, vivo is yet to announce OriginOS for global markets. Only then, we would know when the international versions of vivo and iQOO devices will be getting the latest software update.
At the launch of its new Z-series of smartphones, Lava put forth a new concept that it’s not quite popular in the industry. In fact, it launched a completely new ‘myZ’ customizable phone and a ‘Zup’ upgrade program.
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myZ
Zup upgrade
Lava myZ
According to Lava, myZ is the world’s first customizable phone. It essentially gives you the choice of choosing your own version of RAM, ROM, Cameras, and Color while purchasing. That is, you can mix and match the available features on your own to get a customized version of the device.
Generally, manufacturers sell a smartphone with fixed specs. However, it markets different storage variants at different price points any of which you cannot upgrade or change in the same device unless you have a faulty device. Lava’s myZ eliminates at least half of that taboo.
The company, however, puts a disclaimer that vital features like display, battery, processor remains the same no matter what you choose. Essentially, myZ is typically the Lava Z2, Lava Z4/Z6 depending on your configuration. The display is still the same as a 6.5-inch HD+ Gorilla Glass 3 screen with 1600x720p resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio.
Change your life as you want it to be. Don't stop there. Take action.
Presenting myZ. The World's First Customizable phone.
Design your phone in 66 unique ways, just the way you want it!
Similarly, under the hood, you will get the same MediaTek Helio G35 SoC and 5,000mAh battery. Also, with the exact same display, the design and dimensions would also be similar at 164.5 mm*75.8 mm*9.0mm, and 190g weight.
You can also expect the device to carry over the other features from Z2, Z4, Z6 like Type-C port, 3.5mm audio jack, 4G, 5,000mAh battery, dual-SIM 4G, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 5.0, 512GB microSD expansion.
That said, as mentioned above, you can choose from 66 unique possibilities by varying Cameras, RAM, ROM, and Colors. The available config is listed as below:
Rear Cameras – Either 13+2MP or 13+5+2MP
Front Camera- 8MP/16MP
RAM- 2/3/4/6GB
ROM- 32/64/128GB
Color- Red/Blue
That said, the combo above varies in price between ₹6,999 to ₹10,699 as per the information on Lava website page. You can start playing with this from January 11 and meanwhile, take a look at an eg. picture of the combination as shown by the company below:
In addition to the customization at the purchase end, Lava also introduced a new upgrade program. According to this, by mistake, if you had purchased a fixed storage variant of a Lava device, you can upgrade just the RAM and ROM with this ‘Zup’ program.
Zup upgrade
For example, if you have a 2GB RAM+32GB storage variant but you feel the need to upgrade it to a 4GB RAM+64GB storage whilst retaining other features. In such case, as per the ‘Zup’ program you can just pay the required amount (here ₹1,949 only) to get it done.
Users can pre-book an appointment at a service Center and get it done. Lava says there won’t be any loss of personal data and the original warranty stands binding even after this. As always, there is a disclaimer for this too. The upgrade program is limited to users of Lava Z2, Z4, Z6, and myZ currently.
Lava International unveiled four new Z-series of smartphones today in India. Alongside the smartphones, the company also unveiled its first fitness tracker in the country. In addition to sporting a color display, it supports features like Temperature, Blood Oxygen, Heartrate monitoring.
As mentioned above, Lava Befit is the company’s first Smart Band from Lava International. It features(via) a 1.1-inch color display and has a touch-sensitive button at the bottom. You can either single tap/ long-press the circular button can be used to access various features like tracking and notifications.
Lava Befit Smart fitness band Features
The display is rectangular with Black accents around and slightly bends towards the strap portion seamlessly. Speaking of which, the straps are also Black in Color and have unusual curvy patterns on them. However, the highlight of the band is the SpO2, Heartrate monitoring, and body Temperature measurement.
SpO2, which basically does the job of a pulse oximeter helps finding a person’s oxygen saturation. Additionally, Lava says the fitness band can also track the all-day activity of a user including Sleep. It can also tap the phone’s notifications like Calls, SMS, emails, and social media alerts.
Some of the auxiliary features of the Lava Befit smart band are as follows:
GPS Tracking
Sedentary Reminder
Vibration Alert
Phone Finder, Phone Muting
Run Plans with Ranks & Badges
Telemedicine integration
Water-resistance(unspecified Rating), and more.
Lava Befit Price, Availability
The Lava Befit is priced at ₹2,699($36.80) and will go on sale from January 26 in India. Users can purchase the fitness band both online from Amazon, Lava Website, and offline stores in the country.
A couple of new A-series Samsung phones such as the Galaxy A32, Galaxy A52, Galaxy F62, and a mysterious SM-E025F have appeared in the database of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). At the same time, the official support page of the Galaxy A32 5G has also appeared on Samsung UK and Samsung Ireland websites. Hence, it appears that the launch date of the Galaxy A32 5G may not be far away.
The SM-A325F/DS, SM-A525F/DS, and SM-E625F/DS model numbers that have appeared at BIS belong to the forthcoming smartphone such as Galaxy A32 4G, Galaxy A52 4G, and Galaxy F62. There is no word on the identity of the SM-0E25F. The device was spotted with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi support and Android 10 OS at Wi-Fi Alliance certification last month.
While the rumor mill revealed that the Galaxy A32 5G will be arriving with Dimensity 720, there is no word on the processor that will be fueling its 4G version. The 5G variant is expected to arrive with other specs like a 6.5-inch display 4 GB of RAM, a 5,000mAh battery, Android 11 OS, and a 48-megapixel camera, and a 5,000mAh battery. The 5G model was recently spotted at Bluetooth SIG and its official support pages are now live. Unfortunately, the support listings have not revealed any information on their specs.
The Galaxy A52 4G is expected to arrive with Snapdragon 720G. It is rumored to be equipped with other specs such as a 6.5-inch screen, 8 GB of RAM, Android 11 OS, and quad cameras. Its 5G version is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 750G SoC. As far as the Galaxy F62 is concerned, it is expected to arrive with specs like an Exynos 9825 chipset, 6 GB of RAM, and Android 11 OS.
Chinese phone maker vivo has debuted the vivo V20 smartphone in Kenya. The handset is priced at Ksh 45,999 ($420) for the single 8GB + 128GB storage configuration. Interested customers can pick it up in either Midnight Jazz (Black) or Sunset Melody (Blue-Purple Gradient) color option. The device can be purchased from any vivo branded shop or authorized retailer across the country.
The vivo V20 launched in Kenya is the same device that first made its debut in Thailand, followed by India. Hence, the handset’s specifications are identical. We are saying this because usually vivo and OPPO launch different phones with the same branding.
Anyway, coming back to the V20, the smartphone flaunts a 6.44-inch AMOLED display on the front with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels (FHD+), an in-screen fingerprint sensor, and a dew-drop notch at the top housing a 44MP selfie camera with support for eye autofocus.
Whereas, the rear panel of the handset resembles vivo X series device with its triangle-shaped camera alignment located at the top left side. This setup consists of a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP secondary sensor for wide-angle, macro, and bokeh shots, and a 2MP tertiary monochrome sensor.
Further, the phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage, as mentioned in the beginning. On the connectivity front, it supports 4G, dual-band WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, GNSS (GPS, BeiDou, Galileo, GLONASS), and USB Type-C port.
Unfortunately, the smartphone does not come with a 3.5mm headphone jack but does feature a triple card slot for dual-nano SIM and microSD, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, compass, proximity sensor, gyroscope
Last but not least, the vivo V20 runs Funtouch OS 11 based on Android 11 and is backed by a 4,000mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging.
After hyping the “Made In India” smartphones for a while, Lava International has finally launched them and a Fitness Band in India. Let’s take a look at four new Lava Z-series of smartphones- Lava Z1, Z2, Z4, and Z6.
The prices of Lava Z1, Z2, Z4, and Z6 devices begin as low as ₹5,499($75). Although Lava gives you an option to upgrade to higher storage(for Z2, Z4, Z6 models) within a year, they have fixed variants of the devices too. Among them, Lava Z2, Lava Z4, Lava Z6 will go on sale from January 11 in India.
As for the lowest model, i.e., the Lava Z1, will go on sale at a later date from January 26. you can take a look at the entire pricing details below:
Lava Z1(2GB+16GB)- ₹5,499($75)
Lava Z2(2GB+32GB)- ₹6,999($95)
Lava Z4(4GB+64GB)- ₹8,999($123)
Lava Z6(6GB+64GB)- ₹9,999($136)
All the devices will be available for purchase online via Amazon, Lava e-store, and offline retailers across the country.
Lava Z1 Specifications and Features
The Lava Z1 is the latest entry-level offering from the company. It has a traditional display with huge bezels on top and bottom. In fact, Lava says it’s the first smartphone to be designed in India and it is Military-Grade Certified. It measures 145.1×73.3×10.26mm.
Upfront, you get a 5-inch FWVGA display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, 480x854p resolution, 195 PPI. It also has a less-powerful 1.8GHz MediaTek Helio A20 SoC. This is paired with 2GB RAM, 16GB storage.
For cameras, you get a 5MP f/2.2 sensor each on the front and back. Other features include a five-magnet speaker, 3,100mAh battery, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, USB 2.0 micro-USB, and 3.5mm audio jack. The website says it runs Android 10 but it’s probably a Go Edition considering it has only 2GB RAM.
Lava Z2, Lava Z4, Lava Z6 Specifications and Features
Essentially, the Lava Z2, Z4, Z6 share a lot of similarities in design and specs. However, we do have some distinctive differences between them. All three devices have the same 6.517-inch HD+ display with a water-drop notch and 20:9 aspect ratio. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and has a 2.5D curved screen with 1600x720p resolution, 263 PPI.
Under the hood, all three devices are powered by 2.3GHz MediaTek Helio G35 SoC. However, the Lava Z2 has a single 2GB RAM variant with 32GB storage. The Lava Z3 and Z4, on the other hand, have 4GB, 6GB RAM, and 64GB storage respectively. All three devices have a dedicated microSD slot for expansion up to 512GB storage.
Another important distinction lies in the Cameras. The Lava Z2 sport a vertical dual-camera setup with an AI logo on the back. There is a 13MP main, and a 2MP sensor with LED flash. Upfront, you get an 8MP selfie shooter.
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Lava Z2
Lava Z4, Z6
Both the Lava Z3 and Z4 feature three lenses with a 13MP main, 5MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP tertiary sensor and a rear fingerprint sensor(not in Z2). Additionally, they have a higher 16MP selfie camera at the front. All three devices support 1080p rear video recording and have common features like Beauty Mode, HDR Mode, Burst Mode, Panorama, Night, AI Scene Detection, Bokeh Mode.
Other common features of Z2, Z4, Z6 include a Type-C port, 3.5mm audio jack, 4G, 5,000mAh battery, dual-SIM 4G, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 5.0, dimensions of 164.5 mm*75.8 mm*9.0mm, Flame Red and Aqua Blue colors, speakers at bottom-right of rear panel, and 190g weight.
For software, the Z2 runs Android 10 Go Edition(2GB RAM) while the Z4 and Z6 run the regular Android 10 but Lava says that all of them will offer a stock Android experience.
Samsung has announced its Neo QLED, micro-LED, and lifestyle TV display panels at the virtual CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2021. The Neo QLED is designed for upcoming 8K and 4K TVs from the brand. The 88-inch, 99-inch, and 110-inch MicroLED panels are designed for TVs that will be aimed towards general consumers.
The Neo QLED panel is based on mini-LED backlighting technology that features smaller LEDs that can focus light on a smaller area. The panel is equipped with up to 40 times smaller LEDs than conventional LEDs with full-array back-lighting. Adding more LEDs in a smaller area makes it possible for the display panel to offer precise backlighting control, improved HDR, higher contrast, and better brightness.
Samsung’s New QLED panel
The Neo QLED panel is equipped with the Neo Quantum Processor (image processor) for AI upscaling with 16 neural networks to upscale image quality to the native resolution of the panel. The Neo QLED panel is built for Samsung’s QN900A 8K and QN90A 4K models. The new TVs featuring Neo QLED panels will offer features like super-slim bezels, 21:9 and 32:9 aspect ratios, a new audio system with object tracking and spatial optimization, and more.
TVs with MicroLED panels have only been aimed towards business since they are expensive. In 2021, the South Korean company will launch standard TVs with MicroLED panels for consumers.
Samsung’s microLED panel
MicroLED panels have self-emitting LEDs for each pixel and there is no backlight required. It is better than an OLED panel as it offers accurate black levels and high brightness. The Multi View feature will allow users to view content from four different sources at the same time on the forthcoming MicroLED TVs.
The Frame (2021)
The 2021 Frame lifestyle range of TVs come with a reduced thickness of 24.9mm. The company is offering swappable bezels for 2021 Frames in five colors and two styles. Customers who subscribe to ArtStore can configure The Frame to display artwork when idle. Like before, it produces the same QLED 4K HDR image. In its quest to reduce carbon footprint, Samsung also announced a solar-powered remote control that can be charged with indoor/outdoor light sources or USB.
Alongside the company’s 2021 lineup of 4K and 8K QLED TVs, Samsung has also unveiled its new Eco Remote Control. This new remote supports solar charging and is a part of the company’s environmentally friendly efforts.
According to TheVergereport, the South Korean tech giant claims that the new remote will “reduce tons of plastic waste per year” and will benefit the environment. Looking at the Eco Remote from the front, it more or less resembles any of the previous TV remotes that shipped with Samsung TVs. However, the rear is what houses its most highlighting feature. On the rear, one can see a long panel of solar cells that can charge the internal battery.
The Samsung Eco Remote itself weighs just 31 grams and is made of plastic, but the company claims that about 28 percent of this material is from “recycled polyethylene terephthalate.” As per Samsung’s official claims, the battery on the remote can be used at a stretch for up to two years before requiring a full charge and can remain functional for a total of about seven years, which is also the average cycle of a single TV.
While it can be charged using solar energy, Samsung has also offered a USB Type C port on the bottom to charge the remote faster. The company added that “By eliminating oil-based ink and expanding eco-friendly packaging to all Lifestyle and QLED TV models, Samsung offers a sustainable solution that can upcycle up to 200,000 tons of boxes a year and turn them into pieces of home decor.”
Sony has just announced that it will soon start selling its new series of modular displays. These displays can be used to create digital movie sets, which is similar to the technology that was also used to create the popular Star Wars series, The Mandalorian.
According to an official announcement from Sony (Via TheVerge), the company is going to start selling its Mandalorian like virtual set displays. The technology resembles the digital sets that were used to create The Mandalorian by Industrial Light & Magic and Epic Games. These displays are a part of the company’s Crystal LED line, which arrive in the form of modular panels that use MicroLEDs. To put it simply, the modularity enables these displays to be stacked together to make a single giant display, using only a bunch of panels and a controller. This helps in making virtual sets out of displays alone.
Earlier this week, Sony announced new modular displays that are a part of its latest B series. The new panels are being marketed for movie production and feature anti reflective coating and are quite bright as well. These displays can top out and operate at around 1,800 nits, which is even higher than the Apple Pro Display XDR’s 1,600 nits. This high brightness also adds another benefit to film studios, as it can offer the set more realism as the brightness helps in creating lighting that makes it seem like the actors are actually in the scene that is in the background.
As per claims from Sony, the new displays are capable of high frame rates and 3D as well. This offers a higher degree of flexibility as well. The company aims on launching the new modular displays by “the summer.” Although, it has yet to announce an official price tag for it. However, considering these are professional grade products, we can assume an average consumer might probably not even considering buying these due to exorbitant prices.
Samsung has officially scheduled its first-ever Unpacked event of 2021 for January 14. The company is expected to announce the Galaxy S21 series comprising of Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra at this virtual launch conference. It is also reported to unveil the Galaxy Buds Pro as well as Galaxy SmartTag. Ahead of it, the firm has started taking pre-orders in multiple regions across the world. However, the offer in Thailand is more intriguing than any other.
The Thailand division of Samsung is running an exciting promo called ‘RESERVE THE EPIC’ for the Galaxy S21 series on its official website. According to the description, the first 100 customers who order a pre-defined model, can get the device for only ฿21 ($0.70) by trading-in a digital camera.
Since the page reads ‘pre-defined model’, the exact Galaxy S21 model is a mystery. It can be any of the three but still not bad for less than a dollar and an old working digital camera, which can be either DSLR, DSLR-like, mirrorless, compact, or action. Additionally, these 100 customers, as well as the next 1,000 customers, will get a 1-year Samsung Care+ plan worth ฿2,939 ($98).
That said, in order to stand a chance to claim this offer, interested customers will have to register on the campaign page before 6:00 PM (local time), January 14. Customers who register will receive a unique code on their email ID. They will have to use that code when pre-ordering the device between 10:00 AM, January 21 – 11:59 PM, January 28.
Having said that, if you are from Thailand, then make sure to check Samsung’s official website and social handles to stay up to date regarding this offer.
After the impacts of the US sanctions, Huawei faced a sharp decline in its smartphone business. However, that has yet to stop the company from expanding its horizons. Despite facing impacts of reinforced restrictions the company aimed at diversifying into the automobile industry, and now a report suggests that the company is collaborating with another brand to launch a new smart car.
HiCar Smart Screen
According to a ChinaStarMarketreport, the Chinese tech giant’s HiCar is partnering up with BAIC Blue Valley to launch a new smart car. The announcement was made earlier today (7th January 2021), during a conference. This collaboration had apparently begun early last year, on January 28, and will have both companies jointly launch a new smart car by the first half of this year.
At the moment, not a lot of finer details regarding this partnership or the smart car is known. But the report also stated that Huawei will be undertaking the research and development behind the upcoming smart car’s software systems and more. Furthermore, the company will also be responsible for the ICT technology and cloud computing systems behind the new smart car.
Huawei HiCar partnership with BYD
Previously, the company had similarly partnered with Chinese automobile maker BYD, to launch the world’s first car that features HarmonyOS, under its HiCar initiative, and had even reportedly planned to begin making parts and systems of automobiles as well. For those unaware, BAIC Blue Valley is a Beijing based electric vehicle manufacturer, which has collaborated with other major automobiles brand from across the globe. So, its partnership with a local company, which has experience in networking and software systems, would only help to boost its strength in the EV market.
Samsung will be launching the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra phones on Jan. 14 through a global launch event. Ahead of the launch, the pricing of the Galaxy S21 trio for European markets has already appeared in recent reports. A fresh report by ET News has revealed the South Korean pricing of the S21 models.
According to the report, the Galaxy S21 will be priced at 1,000,000 KRW (~$916)and the Galaxy S21 Plus will be priced at 1,119,000 KRW (~$1,025). The Galaxy S21 Ultra will carry a price tag of 1,450,000 KRW (~$1,329). In comparison, the predecessor models such as Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20 Ultra had debuted with costlier price tags. At the launch, these models were priced at 1,248,000 KRW (~$1,148), 1,353,000 KRW (~$1,240), and 1,595,000 KRW, respectively.
After hosting the Galaxy Unpacked 2021 event, the Galaxy S21 models will be available for reservations in the home market until Jan. 21. Customers who reserved will be allowed to place orders for S21 models between Jan. 22 and Jan. 28. The sales of the Galaxy S21 series will finally begin on Jan. 29 in South Korea.
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (left) and Galaxy S21 Plus 5G (right)
As compared to the predecessor models, the Galaxy S21 models will be debuting a month earlier and it will be arriving with cheaper price tags. The South Korean publication mentions that the company has taken such a decision to increases sales by reducing consumer burden and to counter the iPhone 12 series, which is the first generation 5G-enabled smartphone from Apple. Samsung also aims to dominate the premium smartphone market at a time when Huawei is currently with the ongoing US sanctions.
In a bid to reduce the price, Samsung is offering only Full HD+ resolution support on the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ models. In comparison, the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 carried support for quad HD+ resolution. Also, the S21 will be sporting a plastic build instead of glass. Recent reports have revealed that Samsung has excluded chargers from the retail packages of the S21 models in some regions to sell them at reduced prices.
Samsung has reportedly allotted 60 precent of the production of the S21 series to its base/standard model. The report mentions that difference between standard and premium (ultra) variants is getting narrower. These days, consumers are averse to pricey models and are opting for cheaper models. People are now more inclined towards base models since they come with premium features at affordable prices.
Google launched Pixel 5 late last year during the Launch Night In event with some exciting features and a new Google Camera app. The Pixel devices are known for their extraordinary camera features with limited hardware resources. Due to the immense popularity of the Google Camera application, the third-party developers started extending the unofficial support for other devices. However, the Google Camera 8.1 aka Gcam 8.1 APK extracted from Pixel 5 device is now available for all Android smartphones.
Google Camera is known for its built-in AI features like Astrophotography mode, HDR+ and much more. The new features include Night Sight portrait mode, Cinematic pan, etc. However, Google Camera 8.0 and 8.1 are limited to Pixel devices. In order to grab the same set of features the users can download Gcam 8.1 Mod APK.
Download Gcam 8.1 for all Android devices
You can download the latest Gcam Mod from the link below. The APK will flawlessly work on most of the Android smartphones excluding some Samsung, OnePlus and Snapdragon-845 based devices. It is designed to perfectly work on devices running Android 10 and Android 11.
Huawei is apparently calling on the Australian government to begin the initiative of rolling out the next generation of telecommunications. The company seeks to cooperate with the government for 6G networking.
According to an SMHreport, the Chinese telecom equipment maker wants the government to talk to the company on how to roll out the next generation of mobile networking technology, or 6G. This time it aims at working closely with the government to avoid a ban, which it faced for the nation’s 5G network. In other words, it is also another attempt to reverse its original ban from working on Australia’s 5G roll out and aims at working with the government for research and development of 6G networking.
As per Huawei Australia’s director of corporate affairs Jeremy Mitchell, it is still “not too late” for the company to supply the country with telecommunications equipment for its 5G infrastructure, but he also believes that “it is very unlikely.” The official added that “The conversation we now want to have with the Australian government is what do we do when 6G or 7G comes, because like it or not Huawei or another Chinese company will be the leader in this area,” and that “We would like to work with the government to ensure Australia has access to the best technology but do so in a way which gives security agencies confidence in terms of risk mitigation.”
Mitchel believes that “6G is just at the very beginning of research development but it’s important to get in now to understand where this technology is going.” For those unaware, Huawei faced a ban by the Australian government over its participation in the 5G roll out as it was a “high risk vendor,” which might be under the influence of a foreign government and its interest that might conflict with Australian law. Thus, the move from the Chinese company might be seen as an attempt to scrap the ban, with Mitchell even bringing the example of Ericsson lobbying against the Swedish government over a similar Huawei 5G ban as an example.
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