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Another leak says that the OnePlus 9 series will not have Leica cameras

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

About a month ago, a leaker revealed that OnePlus was working with German camera giant, Leica, on the cameras for the OnePlus 9 series. Now, another leaker says that the info is false.

OnePlus + Leica

OnePlus has said that it is investing in improving the camera performance of its phones. However, no specific details were provided by the CEO, Pete Lau, but the rumor about them working with Leica, which has gotten fans excited, may not be true.

Max Jambor, the tech journalist that also doubles as a leaker tweeted that the info about a OnePlus partnership with Leica for the OnePlus 9 series is false. However, the leaker that said they are maintains that it is true.

EDITOR’S PICK: OnePlus brings the Nord N10 5G and Nord N100 to North America

There is no concrete evidence that the OnePlus 9 will or will not feature Leica technology but we also can’t rule out the possibility that OnePlus may have developed a prototype phone that has camera technology from the German company. Surely, a partnership with a camera company is not a necessity for having the best camera in the market.

Regardless of what the true situation is, we look forward to seeing how the OnePlus 9 series holds up in terms of camera performance against other phones that will launch this year and those that have already been announced.

The OnePlus 9 series will have three models according to leaks and we expect the top-end model, which should launch as the OnePlus 9 Pro, to be the one with the best camera of all.

The phones are expected to arrive this quarter. The OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro are said to have Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 chipset while the third model, rumored to launch as the OnePlus 9 Lite, is said to have the Snapdragon 865 processor from last year.

UP NEXT: Massive leak reveals details of the OnePlus Watch, OnePlus Band, and a OnePlus Watch RX

 

Lenovo’s new and affordable 24-inch gaming monitor has a holder for your phone

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

Lenovo has a new monitor that is not only affordable but has a nice addition that users will find very useful.

Lenovo L24i Monitor

The Lenovo L24i-30 is a 23.8-inch WLED monitor with a tri-borderless design that Lenovo has dubbed 3-side NearEdgeless. The bottom bezel is pretty thick but it can be excused as that is where the buttons are placed.

Lenovo says the monitor is targeted at casual gamers and professionals alike, especially those working from home who want a monitor that serves both entertainment and work purposes.

Gamers will find the Lenovo L24i-30’s 75Hz refresh rate, the response time of 4ms, and support for AMD’s Freesync useful. Other specs are up to 250 nits of brightness, a 75% NTSC color gamut, and a TUV Rheinland Eye Comfort mode.

Lenovo L24i Monitor

EDITOR’S PICK: The Lenovo Tab P11 arrives months after the pro version

Coming to the neat little addition, Lenovo has included a groove in the base that can hold your smartphone. This groove can be used by gamers who are following a walkthrough on the web or by professionals who want to use their phone for that video call while also getting some work done. Lenovo has also added a cable management design to keep the wires out of the way.

For ports, you get an HDMI port along with a VGA connector and a 3.5mm audio port. The monitor supports a VESA mount, can be tilted back to 22° and forward to 5°. Worried about power consumption, you don’t have to be as the maximum power consumption is just 23.5W.

The Lenovo L24i-30 is priced at €149 ($160) and will be available globally in March. if 24-inches is small for you, Lenovo also announced the L27e-30 which has a 27-inch screen as the name says and keeps the remaining features of the 24-inch model. Of course, it sells for higher at €169 ($190).

UP NEXT: Dell unveils UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD display & Curved Video Conferencing Monitors

 

Sony PlayStation 5 Digital Edition won’t be available on February 2 in India as it is delayed

By
Balaji S
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Sony gave a sweet New Year surprise for all the Indian PlayStation 5 (PS5) fans on January 1. The company announced that the PS5 gaming console will finally launch in the country on February 2. While there are three days yet for the pre-orders, the company has now given a shocking confirmation.

PlayStation 5

yesterday, a Twitter post said that Sony officially updated about the delay of the Digital Edition of the PlayStation 5 in India. IGN India later verified with its retail sources and says that the news is accurate, i.e, PS5 Digital Edition won’t be available in India at launch. In fact, it has also received an official email from Sony confirming the same.

In the mail, Sony reportedly says that the following will skip the launch window that is on February 2:

  • PS5 Digital Edition
  • DualSense Wireless Charging Station
  • PULSE 3D Wireless Headset
  • HD Camera

That’s really disappointing news as users will have to wait a bit to get the comfort of charging the Controller wirelessly. Besides, If you recall, the PS5 Digital Edition got a lot of positive response when sony announced the India Pricing. That’s because it sits very close to the inferior XBOX Series S with a ₹39,990($547) pricing.

EDITOR’S PICK: Sony ends 2020 with record-breaking PS5 sales; sets higher targets for 2021: Report

 

Anyway, you will have to opt for the 4K Blue-ray Disc Drive edition if you want to get your hands on the PS5 quickly. This one is a bit higher at ₹49,990($684) but is on-par with the XBOX Series X(₹49,990) pricing. That’s not all as IGN also says that Amazon won’t provide any bundle offers(as of now) for the PS5, unlike the offline retailers.

However, a relief is that both the Prime and Non-Prime members of Amazon can delve in on January 12 at 12PM IST to fight for the early adoption. Either way, it looks like the Disc Drive PS5, along with Dual Sense Wireless Controller(₹5,990), and Media Remote(₹2,590) will be the only available products on February 2.

The craze for PS5 is at the top right from the first official launch(US, Japan) on November 12. In India, it’s even higher as Sony had to delay it for about two months for various reasons. We hope Sony improves the situation real soon as the Digital Edition is also a great bang for the buck.

UP NEXT: Sony to launch new modular displays, similar to ones used in The Mandalorian

 

Xiaomi Mi 11 Global variant appears on Singapore’s IMDA certification and Geekbench

By
Balaji S
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Xiaomi launched the Mi 11 in China towards the fag end of a hard-hitting 2020. However, it caught everyone by surprise as it’s the first smartphone to feature the Snapdragon 888 SoC. While the device is already selling exceptionally well in China, a Global launch will only be icing on the cake for the sale figures. Accordingly, the device has received Singapore’s IMDA certification and appeared on Geekbench.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Standard

 

Spotted by Mukul Sharma, a Xiaomi Smartphone with model number M2011K2G appears on the IMDA database. Previously, a similar device with model number M2011K2C was spotted on China’s 3C certification before Mi 11’s launch. Later, a similar device appeared on Geekbench with a codename “Venus”.

Now, if you recall, Xiaomi released the Kernel source code of the Mi 11 after it’s launch. This revealed that the codename of the Chinese variant is “Venus”. All these clearly indicate that the device with suffix-‘G'(probably for Global) is the Mi 11. To corroborate this, a new Geekbench listing also shows a device with an M2011K2G model number and “Venus” running Snapdragon 888 SoC, 12GB RAM, Android 11.

EDITOR’S PICK: MIUI 12.5 announced: All new Features, Supported devices, & Rollout details

 

Mi 11 Global – Features Expected

Xiaomi Group’s VP has already shared an official poster on Weibo confirming the Global launch of the Mi 11. While Xiaomi is yet to disclose the official dates, it looks like that the deadline isn’t that far away now. Anyway, the Mi 11 Global variant will mostly be the same as the one selling in China.

In that case, the device will feature a 6.8-inch 2K display with a 3200x1400p resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate, 480Hz touch sampling rate, and Gorilla Glass Victus protection. Under the hood, Snapdragon 888 will power the device with 8/12GB RAM, and 128/256GB storage.

We can expect the Blue, Black, and White colors on the GLobal variant. However, we’ll have to wait and see if Xiaomi brings the Smoky Purple, Khaki leather editions or the Lei Jun’s Signature Edition. For cameras, it has a 108MP f/1.85 primary, 13MP ultra-wide, and a 5MP macro on the back, and a 20MP selfie shooter up front.

Other features include a 4,600mAh battery with 55W wired, 50W wireless, 10W reverse wireless charging, Android 11, and MIUI 12.5 out of the box.

UP NEXT: A picture of the first damaged Xiaomi Mi 11 unit emerges online

 

Acer announces three gaming monitors with up to 275Hz refresh rate

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
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Apart from unveiling the Chromebook Spin 514 powered by AMD Ryzen 3000 C-series processors, Acer has also announced three gaming monitors ahead of CES 2021. One of them comes with Nitro branding, whereas the remaining two feature Predator branding with more features and costlier price tags.

Acer Nitro XV282K KV Gaming Monitor Specifications and Price

This model is the cheapest of three priced at $899.99, €949, and ¥6,999 respectively. It will be first available in China starting February, followed by the US and Europe in May.

Acer advertises it as the best option for new generation gaming consoles  – PS5 and Xbox Series X, as it supports 4K UHD 120Hz with VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) via HDMI 2.1. 

It sports a 28-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels (4K) and up to 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. The screen is TÜV Rheinland Eyesafe-certified and boasts 90% DCI-P3 color gamut, 100,000,000:1 contrast ratio as well as AMD FreeSync Premium.

EDITOR’S PICK: CES 2021: Samsung unveils Neo QLED and Micro-LED TV display panels

 

Acer Predator XB273U NX Gaming Monitor Specifications and Price

This model costs a bit more at $1,099.99, €1,179, and ¥7,999 respectively. Further, it will go on sale in the US and Europe in May, whereas it will hit the shelves in China in March.

Coming to specs, this monitor features a 27-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels (WQHD) and up to 275Hz refresh rate and 0.5s response time.  

This HDR screen also supports NVIDIA Reflex Latency Analyzer, NVIDIA G-SYNC, and comes with a 95% DCI-P3 color gamut.

Acer Predator XB323QK NV Gaming Monitor Specifications and Price

This model is not only the expensive of all but also the largest of all with a 31.5-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels (4K) and up to 144Hz refresh rate. It not only supports NVIDIA G-SYNC but is also VESA DisplayHDR 400-certified.

Other features include 90% DCI-P3 color gamut, TÜV Rheinland Eyesafe certification, and versatile adjustment options.

Lastly, this monitor will debut first in China in March priced at ¥8,999, followed by the US and Europe in May where it will cost $1,199.99 and €1,199 respectively.

UP NEXT: LG showcases the world’s first Eyesafe certified TV display

 

vivo reveals Funtouch OS 11 (Android 11) update schedule for India

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
-

Chinese smartphone makers are known for updating their devices to the latest version of Android slowly. But that narrative began to change tides in the past couple of years. A large number of heavy-skinned handsets from Xiaomi (MIUI) and OPPO (ColorOS) are already on Android 11. Unfortunately, this cannot be said for vivo as the OEM has shared the list of eligible phones and the rollout schedule for Funtouch OS 11 only now.

Funtouch OS 11 featured

In case you have forgotten, back in November, vivo announced OriginOS as its new operating system for smartphones. The company is currently running an open beta program in its home country China. But for India, its devices will be updated to Funtouch OS 11 based on Android 11 instead.

We think this should be the case for other regions as well. Anyway, OriginOS is meant for high-end smartphones and it is basically Funtouch OS 11 with additional UI elements. Since vivo is known for mid-range and budget handsets, it makes sense for the company to provide a light OS for a better experience on lower hardware.

EDITOR’S PICK: Vivo officially unveils OriginOS; it’s a complete system overhaul from FuntouchOS

 

That said, here’s the list of eligible phones for Funtouch OS 11 in India along with their update rollout timeline.

vivo Funtocuh OS 11 Update Rollout Schedule India

  • Mid-December 2020

    • vivo X50 Pro

  • End of January 2021

    • vivo X50
    • vivo V19

  • End of March 2021

    • vivo V17 Pro
    • vivo V17
    • vivo V15 Pro
    • vivo S1

  • End of April 2021

    • vivo S1 Pro
    • vivo Z1Pro
    • vivo Z1x

  • End of June 2021

    • vivo V15

Unsurprisingly, the list only includes a few phones. Apart from these handsets, vivo V20 Pro 5G has already received the update, whereas vivo V20 debuted with Funtouchh OS 11 based on Android 11 out of the box.

Having said that, it is worth noting that the above-mentioned timeline is meant for beta rollout. Hence, the actual stable release for these devices will take more time.

UP NEXT: Vivo X60 series brings the Exynos 1080 to market while focusing on camera performance

 

OnePlus Band fitness tracker confirmed to launch in India on January 11

By
Jeet
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OnePlus had recently confirmed that it is working on its own fitness tracker named OnePlus Band and had also teased the device. Now, the company has revealed that the wearable device will be officially launched on 11th January.

Recently, the OnePlus Band was teased by Amazon, confirmed that the device will be available for purchase through the e-commerce platform. There’s also a possibility that it will soon be available through offline stores.

OnePlus Band Launch Date

While the company has not yet revealed any information about this upcoming fitness tracker, reports indicate that the OnePlus Band could be priced at ₹2,499 in the Indian market, which is approximately $34.

A recent leak related to the wearable device claims that the product will feature a 1.1-inch AMOLED display with support for touch input. It will also come equipped with a real-time heart rate sensor, a SpO2 sensor for blood oxygen level monitoring, as well as support for the sleep monitoring feature.

EDITOR’S PICK: Xiaomi Mi 11 Review — The Best Value Snapdragon 888 flagship to beat this year

It is expected to have 13 different modes for sports and exercise tracking. The device will be IP68-certified, making it dust and water-resistant. The report also indicates that the device will come with support for 14 days of battery life on a single charge.

The OnePlus Band will compete against a number of fitness devices in the market from brands like Xiaomi, Realme, Honor, and more — all in the same price range. It will be interesting to see how the fitness tracker from OnePlus differentiates itself from others.

UP NEXT: Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Pro Gaming computer with 120Hz refresh rate and IdeaPad 5 Pro launched

 

iQOO 7 official renders showcase its black and white color editions

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
-

On Monday, iQOO will be taking off covers from the iQOO 7 flagship phone in China. So far, the company has showcased the appearance of the white-colored iQOO 7 BMW Edition. The Chinese firm has released a fresh render to reveal the appearance of its black variant.

iQOO 7 BMW Edition

The red, black, and blue BMW stripes can be seen on the white-colored version of the iQOO 7. The rear-facing camera module houses three cameras and below it is a plate that houses a dual-LED flash unit and iQOO branding.

The black-colored iQOO 7 has an offbeat textured design on its rear. At the front, the phone features a top-centered selfie camera cutout.

iQOO 7 Black

Editor’s Pick:  iQOO 7 with SD888, enhanced LPPDR5 and UFS 3.1 storage scores 752,935 on AnTuTu benchmarks

iQOO 7 specifications

Rumors have revealed that iQOO 7 has a thickness of 8.7mm and it weighs 209 grams. It could be housing a 6.56-inch AMOLED display that delivers a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen of the iQOO 7 is integrated with a fingerprint reader. The iQOO 7 could be featuring the same display that is available on the Vivo X60 smartphone.

The Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform is present under the hood of the iQOO 7. The SoC is coupled with up to 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. The device could be backed by a 4,000mAh battery and it may carry support for 120W ultrafast charging technology.

The iQOO 7’s triple camera setup may include a Sony IMX598 48-megapixel primary shooter, a 13-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 13-megapixel depth sensor. The smartphone is fitted with dual speakers and dual linear motors for in-game vibrations. It could be carrying a price tag of 3,299 Yuan (~$509).

UP NEXT: Vivo Y51A (2021) with Snapdragon 662 SoC will reportedly launch soon in India

 

Samsung Galaxy A12 pricing confirmed for multiple markets

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
-

Samsung announced the Galaxy A12 smartphone in November 2020. At that time, the company did not confirm the pricing of the device. The sales of the Galaxy A12 are going to be soon as its pricing has been revealed.

The Samsung Galaxy A12 will be available for purchase in Singapore starting for today (Jan. 9) with a price tag of S$229 (~$172) in Singapore. It will be available in colors like Cosmic Black and Cosmic Blue. The device will be available in 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage version in Singapore

In Malaysia, the Galaxy A12 is priced at RM799 (~$198) and it comes with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. Black and blue are the A12’s color variants for Malaysia. In the U.K., the Galaxy A12 carries a price tag of £170 (~$230) and it carries 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. It comes in three colors like black, blue, and white in the U.K.

Samsung Galaxy A12
Samsung Galaxy A12

Editor’s Pick: Samsung Galaxy A32 5G official renders leaked to reveal impressive rear design

Samsung Galaxy A12 specifications

The Samsung Galaxy A12 has a 6.5-inch LCD panel that sports an Infinity-V notch. The Helio P35 chipset by MediaTek fuels the device and it is backed by a 5,000mAh battery. The handset comes with support for 15W fast charging. A fingerprint scanner is available on the right edge of the device.

At the front, the Galaxy A12 houses an 8-megapixel camera. The back panel of the phone has a 48-megapixel main camera, a 5-megapixel ultrawide lens, a 2-megapixel macro lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. It comes preinstalled with One UI flavored Android 10 OS. For additional storage, it has a microSD card slot.

UP NEXT: Samsung Galaxy A51, A71 receive price cuts in India; Time for successors?

 

Redmi 7A MIUI 12 update rollout begins in India

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
-

The Redmi 7A was one of the best entry-level smartphones of its time. The device debuted with MIUI 10 based on Android 9.0 (Pie). Later, Xiaomi updated its software to MIUI 11 based on Android 10. Earlier this week, the handset even started receiving  MIUI 12 in China. Now, the same update is even live in India.

Redmi 7A

MIUI 12 was announced back in late April 2020. Since then, Xiaomi has been delivering this update to the eligible devices worldwide. Being a cheap phone from 2018, the Redmi 7A has begun to get this update only now.

That said, the  MIUI 12 update for Redmi 7A in India comes with build number V12.0.1.0.QCMINXM. Since the rollout has just started now, the build is currently in the Stable Beta phase.

That means the update is only available for certain users in the country. But it should be available for every user if there’s no major issue with this build. Else, a new build will be released and it will go through the same cycle again.

Further, we also expect other variants of this smartphone such as Global, EEA, and Russia to get the update very soon. Also, it is worth noting that the MIUI 12  is the last major update for Redmi 7A as it is not eligible for Android 11 but may receive MIUI 12.5 later next year.

UP NEXT: Redmi Note 6 Pro gets MIUI 12 update

 

Redmi 8 and Redmi 8A are receiving MIUI 12 update in multiple regions

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
-

Lately, Xiaomi has been rolling out MIUI 12 update to its older affordable smartphones. The Redmi 7A began to receive this update recently and now, its successor Redmi 8A along with Redmi 8 has also started getting it. The update is live for multiple regional variants of these handsets at the same time.

Redmi 8 Ruby Red Featured

The Redmi 8 and Redmi 8A launched with MIUI 10 based on Android 9.0 (Pie) just like the Redmi 7A. These smartphones were later updated to both MIUI 11 and Android 10. Now, they have begun to receive MIUI 12 as well.

That said, the MIUI 12 update is currently live for the following regional variants of Redmi 8.

  • Global: V12.0.1.0.QCNMIXM
  • EEA: V12.0.1.0.QCNEUXM
  • Russia: V12.0.1.0.QCNRUXM

Similarly, the Redmi 8A MIUI 12 update is available in the following regions as of now.

  • China: V12.0.1.0.QCPCNXM
  • EEA: V12.0.1.0.QCPEUXM

All the above-mentioned builds are in the Stable Beta phase except for the one meant for Redmi 8 Global variant. Because the update went live for this version in December itself. Also, we expect more regional variants to get the update, especially India, in the near future.

The MIUI 12 is the last major update for Redmi 8 and Redmi 8A. These devices may receive MIUI 12.5 later this year but they will be not getting Android 11.

UP NEXT: Redmi Note 5/5 Pro has begun to receive MIUI 12 update

 

A picture of the first damaged Xiaomi Mi 11 unit emerges online

By
Jed John Ikoba
-
Xiaomi Mi 11
Xiaomi Mi 11 damaged

Just a week after Chinese tech giant Xiaomi officially put up the flagship Mi 11 series for sales, the first broken unit has been spotted and it is badly damaged in an awkward manner. The actual owner of the broken device is unknown but the damaged device was posted on the Chinese social app Weibo.

From the picture, it can be seen that the Mi 11 frame is bent backward nearly making an angle of 90 degrees close to the lower part of the camera module. The bend also narrowly missed the power button but resulted in the shattering of the rear glass panel.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi’s Merach Nano Pro Massage Gun launched on Indiegogo
Xiaomi Mi 11 featured review 15
Xiaomi Mi 11

Several reasons have been propounded as to what caused the damage with some even suggesting that the user was attempting to transform the device into a foldable phone.

Xiaomi Mi 11 is equipped with Snapdragon 888 chip, the first device to pack Qualcomm’s last flagship SoC. The device also comes with a 2K 120Hz curved screen, 4600mAh battery, supports 55W wired, 50W wireless, and 10W wireless reverse charging. The main camera is a 100MP Samsung HMX sensor, Harman Kardon stereo dual speakers, among other features.

Just like other Xiaomi flagship models, the Mi 11 utilizes a front and rear glass design with an aluminum mid-frame. That isn’t all, the device uses the latest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus which is the strongest glass protection around presently. Thus, whatever that would’ve broken the model pictured above must have been a strong force. We’ll update this story if any new detail emerges. you can also check out our full Xiaomi Mi 11 review.

UP NEXT: realme V15 5G launched in China with Dimensity 800U, AMOLED display, and 50W fast charging

 

(source)

 

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G official renders leaked to reveal impressive rear design

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
-

At the beginning of December, popular tipster Steve Hemmerstoffer shared the CAD renders of the upcoming Galaxy A32 5G. Yesterday, Winfuture.de published a report to leak the official renders of the smartphone. The leak reveals that the Galaxy A32 5G will be indeed sporting a refreshed design as it was revealed through its CAD renders.

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G renders

Instead of using a large-sized dark frame for the quad-camera setup and LED flash like other brands, Samsung has placed the cameras and flash unit individually on the polycarbonate surface on the Galaxy A32 5G. The design seems to be inspired by the LG Velvet smartphone.

At the front, the Galaxy A32 5G features a teardrop notch enabled LCD panel of 6.5 inches. The chin of the device is fairly thick, and it has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G front and rear

Editor’s Pick: Samsung Galaxy A32 5G bags Bluetooth certification, launching in January?

The appearance of the Galaxy A32 5G at Geekbench last month had revealed that it could be powered by the Dimensity 720. However, since the Dimensity 800U chip is misread by Geekbench as the Dimensity 720, there is a possibility that the A32 5G could be equipped with a D800U chip. It will come loaded with Android 11 OS.

It could be available with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB / 128 GB of internal storage. The rear-facing camera setup may include a 48-megapixel main camera, an ultrawide lens, a macros shooter, and a depth helper. Other rumored features of the phone include support for a 5,000mAh battery, NFC, and 15W charging.

Rumors are rife that the device will be arriving as the cheapest 5G phone from the brand. Apart from A32 5G, the South Korean company is also expected to soon other A-series phones like Galaxy A52 5G and Galaxy A72 5G soon. In some markets, the company is expected to sell 4G variants of the Galaxy A32, A52, and A72.

Up Next: Xiaomi Mi 11 Review

Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Pro Gaming PC with 120Hz refresh rate & IdeaPad 5 Pro launched

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

Lenovo has unveiled two exciting devices for video and gaming enthusiasts – the IdeaPad 5 Pro and IdeaPad 5i Pro. The two laptops are designed for higher performance with more powerful display options when compared with the IdeaPad set of Lenovo laptops. The naming of both devices followed the trend that has been observed in the last couple of years, as the Pro is attached to the base names from the previous models.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Pro
Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Pro

The IdeaPad 5 Pro is powered by AMD Ryzen processors, while the more premium IdeaPad 5i Pro uses Intel Core processors. The AMD and Intel versions both have either a 14-inch or 16-inch model, with most of the exciting features being replicated in both variants, albeit, one has a larger screen than the other. But there are some areas of fundamental differences between the 14-inch and 16-inch versions of the devices. One major difference is the choice of processors between Intel and AMD.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Pro
Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Pro

Both models share a lot of similar features and capabilities. However, Lenovo uses the thermal headroom in the 16-inch IdeaPad 5 Pro to pair next-generation Ryzen and RTX chips. Users have the option of switching between 60 Hz (or 90 Hz) (14-inch) and 120 Hz (16-inch) refresh rates on these 16:10 (2560 x 1600) displays available.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro

The RAM and GPU options have a maximum of 16 GB and the Nvidia MX450 respectively in the Intel models and the smaller AMD model. However, users can configure the 16-inch 5 Pro with up to 32 GB RAM and a next-generation GeForce RTX graphics card, probably an RTX 30 card (mobile Ampere). In addition, the larger Intel unit supports Thunderbolt 4.

There is an observed overlap between these new models and their predecessors, especially the IdeaPad Gaming 3, which was an entry-level gaming laptop using a Ryzen 5 or Core i5 and GTX 1650 Ti card. It could be possible that the new model may serve as a substitute or replacement for Gaming 3, which had been out of stock on the company’s US website. Therefore, it’s not unthinkable to assume that the much larger IdeaPad 5 Pro could be replacing the Gaming 3.

The displays now have a multi-use 16:10 aspect ratio at 2.5K (1560 x 1600) resolution. For gaming enthusiasts desirous of having faster refresh rates, they can choose the 90 Hz on the 14-inch panel or 120 Hz on the 16-inch panel. The new Fn+R hotkey is used for performance switching and Q-Control (Fn +Q) for switching between the display’s max refresh rate and 60 Hz when battery saving is most important.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and 5i Pro are available from April 2021 at 829 Euro (US$1020) and 899 Euro (US$1100) respectively.

UP NEXT: Redmi Note 9T 5G with Dimensity 800U launches alongside the Redmi 9T

 

Motorola One 5G Ace with Snapdragon 750G launched in North America for $399

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

Back in July last year, Lenovo-owned Motorola announced the Moto G 5G Plus and later unveiled the device in the U.S as the Moto One 5G. The tech giant has now launched another 5G phone for the North American market. The device dubbed Motorola One 5G Ace is the brand’s most affordable 5G phone for North America and is the same device known as the Moto G 5G in India. It adopts a decent starting price of $399.Motorola One 5G Ace

The Motorola One 5G Ace packs an expansive 6.7-inch LCD with an FHD+ resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The display houses a centered punch-hole that holds a 16MP selfie camera and allowing Motorola to trim the bezels around the screen to make way for an immersive display experience.

Motorola One 5G Ace
Motorola One 5G Ace

The 5G phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G chipset which is an 8nm SoC and which integrates the Snapdragon X52 5G modem for sub-6GHz 5G connectivity. The processor is paired with 4GB/6GB RAM options and there are 64GB and 128GB storage options with the option of expansion via microSD.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi’s Merach Nano Pro Massage Gun launched on Indiegogo

On the camera aspect, the phone packs a triple camera setup comprising a 48MP primary shooter bundled with an 8MP ultrawide module, a 2MP macro sensor, and an LED flash. The device also packs the trademark Moto dimple which houses the fingerprint scanner at the rear. The Moto One 5G Ace comes with an IP52 rating and weighs 212grams.

Motorola One 5G Ace
Motorola One 5G Ace

On the software side, the device runs Android 10 OS with Motorola’s My UX skin on top. The device gets its juice from a massive 5000mAh battery. The device supports 15W wired charging but Motorola slaps a 10W adapter in the box.

The Moto One 5G Ace is scheduled to go on sale starting January 14 in the US while it will go on sale in can later. The device comes in silver colorway only.

UP NEXT: Chip Battle: How does the Exynos 1080 compare to the Snapdragon 888?

 

Acer Chromebook Spin 514 announced with metal build and AMD Ryzen 3000 C-Series processors

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
-

Ahead of CES 2021, Acer has announced a new Chrome OS laptop called Acer Chromebook Spin 514. The highlight of this notebook includes metal build, U.S. MIL-STD 810H certification, and AMD Ryzen 3000 C-Series processors. It will be available in multiple variants, in addition to Enterprise Edition models.

Acer Chromebook Spin 514 Mist Green Featured 03

Acer Chromebook Spin 514 Specifications and Features

According to Acer, the new Chromebook Spin 514 models are powered by AMD Ryzen 7 3700C and Ryzen 5 3500C quad-core processors with respective built-in AMD Radeon Vega Graphics. It can be bought in up to 16GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage version.

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It flaunts a 14-inch FHD IPS LCD panel with support for touch input and Corning Gorilla Glass protection. The display features 6.1mm side bezels and a 78% screen-to-body ratio. Since the product is a convertible, it can be also used as a Chrome OS tablet as it can run Android apps, which can be installed from the Google Play Store. Also, buyers can opt for an optional backlit keyboard model.

As mentioned in the beginning, the laptop features a metal build and weighs about 1.55Kg and measures 17.35mm in thickness. As for ports, it comes with 2 x USB Type-C (USB 3.2 Gen 1) with support for DisplayPort and charging, 2 x USB Type-A (USB 3.2 Gen 1) with one of them supporting power-off charging, and a MicroSD reader. Some variants also feature an HDMI port.

On the connectivity front, the notebook features dual-band WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0. Further, it sports a dual-speaker, dual-microphone with support for Google Assistant, and HD webcam.

Last but not least, it can be purchased in either Pure Silver, Steel Gray, or Mist Green color version.

Acer Chromebook Spin 514 Pricing and Availability

The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 (CP514-1H) will be available in the US from February starting at $479.99. Whereas, it will hit the shelves in Europe in March for a starting price of €529.

Similarly, the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 Enterprise Edition (CP514-1WH) will be available from March in both the US and Europe, starting at $749.99 and €799 respectively.

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Motorola Moto G Stylus 2021, G Power and G Play 2021 launched in the U.S

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

Motorola has proven itself to be a giant phonemaker for the mid-tier segment of the market. The company is continuing to be a frontrunner with the unveiling of the new G Stylus, G Power and G Play 2021 models. The three new G-series mid-rangers are packed with several exciting features, which the company aims will retain its share of the market and even make inroads into other areas. All three models can be ordered today, but only the G Play 2021 is ready to ship, with the G Stylus 2021 and G Power 2021 coming on board in a week’s time.Moto G Stylus 2021

The Moto G Stylus 2021 has a 6.8-inch 1080p display, which holds the record as the largest G-series model yet, comes with a “push-pen” stylus, having a clickable top that makes it possible to pull it out of its sheath inside the phone. The stylus can be used to sketch stuff or highlight text and quickly copy it to another app. A Snapdragon 678 which runs on Android 10 provides seamless operation of the Stylus-specific custom software like the Moto Note app.
The phone has 4GB of RAM and 128GB storage (with a microSD slot option). The battery has 4,000 mAh capacity and supports only the standard 10W for charging.

The camera has a 48MP main sensor together with an 8MP ultrawide (118°), 2MP macro and an additional 2MP depth sensor. The selfie camera is a 16MP module having pixel binning support. The main camera is capable of recording 4K 30 fps videos, while the ultra wide and selfie cameras can shoot hyperlapses.

The build of the G Stylus is plastic and it is designed for some waterproof capabilities, although no IP rating was provided.

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The Moto G Stylus 2021 sells at $300 and can be ordered right away, although the first units will be shipped from January 13.Moto G Power 2021

The Moto G Power 2021 has a larger capacity battery but a smaller screen when matched with the G Stylus, in addition to the absence of the stylus. The battery is 5,000 mAh and can last up to 3 days on a single full charge, which is quite higher than that of the Stylus, which can only last two days.

It comes with a 10W charger although it has support for 15W charging, with the right power charging device. It is powered by Snapdragon 662 chipset, and has options of 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB storage (with a free microSD slot for memory expansion). With a lower screen resolution (720P), it has a main 48MP camera, limited to 1080p resolution for videos. Also, the ultrawide module is absent, while the two 2MP modules are retained.

The new G Power sells for $250, while shipping begins from January 13.moto G Play 2021

The Moto G Play 2021 comes in the rear as the least expensive of the three models at $170 and sales and shipment begin today. It is a 6.5” IPS LCD with 720p resolution with Android 10 operating system, running on a Snapdragon 460 chipset with 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage (and a microSD slot).

The battery is at par with the G Power at 5,000 mAh and 10W USB-C charging. All three G-series phones have 3.5 mm jacks and they all lack NFC.

The camera features a 13MP main camera (1080p/60fps video), a 2MP depth sensor and a 5MP selfie camera. The selfie camera is in a notch instead of a punch hole as the other three, underlining that this is the low budget edition.

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OnePlus 8/8 Pro get OxygenOS 11.0.3.3 update with more fixes

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
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Before Christmas, OnePlus rolled out OxygneOs Open Beta 5 for the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro. Now, a couple of weeks later, these handsets have begun to receive a new stable update in the form of OxygenOS 11.0.3.3. Just like the previous stable release, this one also brings a plethora of fixes.

oneplus 8 pro

Unlike the latest Open Beta update, the changelog for the latest stable build does not mention an updated security patch. Hence, we believe the security patch level still remains to be November 2020.

Further, the new release fixes alarm clock starting abnormally, failure to enable the auto-rotate feature, photos not displaying in the gallery app, pop-up window not showing up issue when connecting Bluetooth headset,  and WiFi connection failure.

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Other than the above-mentioned fixes, the fresh update also brings a new keyboard height adjustment feature as well as OnePlus Store app to manage OnePlus account, shop OnePlus products, get easy access to support, and discover exciting member-only benefits. But this app is only available for the India version of the handsets and they can be uninstalled.

Anyway, it is worth noting that the above-mentioned two additions were recently even made available for the OnePlus 8T with the OxygenOS 11.0.6.8/11.0.6.9 update.

OnePlus 8/8 Pro OxygenOS 11.0.3.3 Official Changelog

  • System
    • Newly added keyboard height adjustment where you can raise or hide the bottom shortcut bar for a better input experience (Go to Settings-System-Language & input-Keyboard height adjustment)
    • Fixed the issue of a small probability that the alarm clock starts abnormally
    • Fixed the failure to enable auto rotate feature
  • Gallery
    • Fixed a small probability issue that photos don’t display in the Gallery
  • Bluetooth
    • Fixed the small probability issue that no pop-up window shows up when connecting Bluetooth headset
  • Network
    • Fixed the issue that the WiFi connection failed in a specific situation
  • OnePlus Store (IN only)
    • An intuitive and convenient way to manage your OnePlus account, get easy-to-access support, discover exciting members-only benefits, and shop for OnePlus products. (Please note that it can be uninstalled)

The OxygenOS 11.0.3.3 update for the OnePlus 8 series is being rolled out in batches. Hence, it may take time to reach every unit out there.

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Redmi Note 9T 5G with Dimensity 800U launches alongside the Redmi 9T

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has officially launched the Redmi Note 9T 5G which is the global variant of the Redmi Note 9 5G that was launched in China recently. The company also announced the Redmi 9T packing a Qualcomm chipset. Redmi Note 9T 5G

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T 5G packs a 6.53-inch IPS LCD display with an FHD+ resolution of 1080p. The device adopts a waterdrop screen while the rear adopts a vertically aligned quad-camera setup. The display packs 450 nits and has a standard 60Hz refresh rate.

Redmi Note 9T 5G
Redmi Note 9T 5G

The Redmi Note 9T 5G is powered by a 7nm MediaTek Dimensity 800U chipset paired with 6GB of RAM. The device also comes with 64GB and 128GB storage options. The phone also comes with a splash-proof build as well as dual speakers just like the Chinese version.

For optics, the Redmi Note 9T 5G packs a triple camera setup. The setup includes a 48MP Quad-Bayer sensor with f/1.8 aperture, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro sensor. There is no Ultrawide camera on this model, unlike the China-only Redmi Note 9 5G. At the front, there is a 13MP selfie camera with f/2.25 optics. 

 

Keeping the lights on is a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging. Xiaomi claims up to 3 years of continuous use without significant degradation.

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The Redmi Note 9T 5G is available in two colors – Daybreak Purple and Nightfall Black. As for the prices, there is an early bird offer of €199 for the 4GB+64GB version while the 4GB+128GB version comes in at €249. The prices will increase slightly to €229 and €269 respectively after the promo. The models will be available from Xiaomi’s website and also from other third-party retailers.

Redmi 9T – Specs, Features & Pricing

Xiaomi also launched the Redmi 9T for the global market. The device has several features that make it stand out while retaining the affordable pricing for which Xiaomi is known. Redmi Note 9T 5G

The Redmi 9T features a 6.53-inch IPS LCD with a resolution of 1080p just like the Redmi Note 9T 5G. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor paired with 4GB or 6GB of RAM while there is 64GB or 128GB of storage.

On the camera aspect, the Redmi 9T packs a Quad-camera setup, one sensor higher than the Redmi Note 9T 5G. The camera configuration is the same just the addition of a fourth 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide shooter. The front camera is an 8MP selfie camera.Redmi Note 9T 5G

The battery is a 6000mAh cell, another impressive addition. The phone also supports 18W fast charging. The phone also comes with an infrared sensor, 3.5mm headphone jack, and optional NFC.

As for the price, the Redmi 9T starts at €159 for a 4GB+64GB model (€10 more for NFC) and goes up to €189 for the 4GB+128GB model (again, €10 more for NFC). The price of the topmost 6GB+128GB variant hasn’t been announced. The phone will be available in four colors – Twilight Blue, Sunset Orange, Carbon Gray, and Ocean Green.

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HONOR 20, 20 Pro, V20, and Magic2 get Magic UI 4.0 stable update

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
-

Although HUAWEI has sold its HONOR sub-brand to a consortium of over 30 agents and dealers, the latter’s smartphones still run Magic UI based on EMUI. Hence, four of its handsets have started receiving the latest Magic UI 4.0 stable update based on EMUI 11.

HONOR 20 Pro V20 Magic 2 Magic UI 4.0 Stable Update

HUAWEI and HONOR-branded smartphones and tablets have been receiving EMUI 11 and Magic UI 4.0 builds ever since the Chinese tech giant unveiled the latest version of its mobile software in September 2020.

So far, newer HONOR premium handsets have received the stable update. Hence, the brand has now begun to deliver this update to the following older flagship models.

That said, the Magic UI 4.0 stable update for the above-listed phones is only live in China as of now. But we do expect the company to roll out a similar build in global markets in the coming days. Also, it is worth noting that the open beta program began for these devices only late last month. However, the firm has managed to deliver stable release quickly.

Anyway, though the update brings some exciting features, it is still based on Android 10 that was released in 2019. Also, the global version will be devoid of GMS (Google Mobile Services whenever it releases.

UP NEXT: HUAWEI reveals EMUI 11 update timeline for global markets

 

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