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Honor V40 offline posters appear to reveal design and color variants

On Jan. 18, Honor will be announcing the Honor V40 smartphone in China. While a couple of leaks have revealed the front design of the V40, its rear appearance has remained a mystery. Weibo users have managed to spot a poster of the V40 at an offline store in China. The poster has revealed the front and rear design of the smartphone.

As can be seen in the poster, the Honor V40 can be seen in three colors in the poster such as black, blue, and peach/orange. The blurry images show that there is a rectangle-shaped camera housing at the upper-left corner of the rear shell. Sitting at the top is the main sensor, followed by three other sensors and an LED flash.

The Chinese text from the poster reveals that the Honor V40 is equipped with a 50-megapixel super-sensitive imaging lens as the primary shooter. Recent reports have claimed that the V40’s main camera could be the Sony IMX766 lens.

At the front, it features a dual punch-hole screen with curved edges. Reports have claimed that it could be fitted with the same 6.72-inch OLED FHD+ panel, which is available on the Huawei Nova 8 Pro. Hence, it is expected to arrive with support for a 10-bit color depth, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 300Hz touch sampling rate. The display of the V40 could be integrated with a fingerprint scanner.

The Dimensity 1000+ SoC is highly likely to be present under the hood of the Honor V40. It could be equipped with LPPDR4x RAM, UFS 2.1 storage, and a 4,000mAh battery with 66W fast charging support. It is also likely to arrive with 45W wireless charging technology. The device will be preloaded with Magic UI 4.0 based Android 10 OS.

 

Xiaomi actually sold over 500K Mi 11 units during the first sale

Xiaomi took the wraps off the Mi 11 flagship smartphone in December but the device went on sale for the first time on January 1. While the company revealed the first sale generated revenue of over 1.5 billion yuan in just 5 minutes, the company was elusive as to the number of units sold. Well, until now.Xiaomi Mi 11 Xiaomi was speculated to have sold over 350,000 units of the device. But that unofficial figure was arrived at using the average price of 4,300 yuan. Well, the Chinese tech giant has now officially announced that it sold over 500,000 units of the flagship. For this reason, Xiaomi held a celebration party that had in attendance Lei Jun, Redmi GM Lu Weibing, and a number of executives such as Zeng Xuezhong, president of the mobile phone department of Xiaomi Group.

The huge sale is an affirmation of the brand’s popularity and the receivership the Mi 11 enjoys already. Despite the removal of the charger, a good number of fans still want to get the device but most of the orders are for the non-Green edition which has an adapter inside the box. The first sale saw only 20,000 units of the Mi 11 Green Edition get sold.

The Mi 11 comes with several improvements over the Mi 10 including the screen, performance, fast charging technology, and several other aspects.Xiaomi Mi 11

As a reminder, the Mi 11 packs a 6.81-inch curved display with a hole in the top left corner of the screen and Corning Gorilla Victus protection. The screen is not only bigger than that of the Mi 10 5G but also sharper as it has a 2K (3200 x 1440) resolution. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate and a 480Hz touch sampling rate.

The phone crams a 4600mAh battery under the hood with support for 55W fast wired charging as against 30W support on the Mi 10. It is powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset paired with 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 high-speed storage. There is also an in-display fingerprint scanner, which Xiaomi says can also measure your heart rate in addition to unlocking your phone and authorizing payments.Xiaomi Mi 11 featured review 15

Other features include stereo speakers tuned by Harman Kardon, dual nano-SIM support, NFC, IR blaster, enhanced WiFi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2 with Qualcomm TrueWireless Stereo Plus. It runs MIUI 12 based on Android 11 out of the box.

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

 

(source)

 

Amazfit GTS 2e and GTR 2e will get a global launch at CES 2021

The Amazfit GTS 2e launched in China last month alongside the Amazfit GTR 2e as more affordable versions of the Amazfit GTS 2 and Amazfit GTR 2. Now, the Amazfit GTS 2e is about to get a global release at CES 2021.

A tweet by the official Amazfit Twitter account has revealed that the Amazfit GTS 2 and GTR 2 family will be announced on Monday, January 11 which is Day 1 of CES 2021.

The launch is actually for the Amazfit GTS 2e and Amazfit GTR 2e based on the tweets below which are teasers for the two smartwatches and because the GTS 2 and GTR 2 have already had a global launch.

As we said, the two smartwatches are more affordable models of their siblings which already launched a few months ago but a lower price tag is not the only selling point of the two watches as they also boast better battery life.

EDITOR’S PICK: Battle for your wrist: Amazfit GTS 2 vs Amazfit GTS 2e vs Amazfit GTS 2 Mini

The Amazfit GTS 2e has a 1.65-inch Super Retina AMOLED display with 2.5D glass. It has support for up to 90 sports modes and also has heart rate measurement, SpO2 measurement, and temperature measurement. It doesn’t have built-in storage like the Amazfit GTS 2 neither does it have a speaker, so you cannot use it to receive calls. The Chinese version comes with the XiaoAI assistant but we expect the global version will have Amazon’s Alexa assistant on board. Its typical usage battery life is 14 days which is double that of the Amazfit GTS 2. The smartwatch is sold for ¥799 (~$123) in China, so we expect a price tag of under $140 for the global version.

The Amazfit GTR 2e has a smaller 1.39-inch round AMOLED display but it packs the same features as the GTS 2e such as a temperature sensor, SpO2 sensor, heart rate measurement, and sleep tracking. It doesn’t have built-in storage like the standard Amazfit GTR 2 and also misses out on a speaker. However, its battery life (typical usage) is 10 days more than that of the GTR 2 and it goes up to 45 days in basic watch mode. It also launched for ¥799 in China, so it should have the same price tag as the GTS 2e in global markets.

 

Xiaomi Mi 11 vs Huawei Mate 40 Pro: Specs Comparison

Xiaomi just came up with its first flagship of 2021: the Xiaomi Mi 11. The handset debuted in the Chinese with a very attractive price tag, but there is another Chinese flagship launched in the recent period which represents a great choice in the 5 nm segment for those who want a real top-tier device for this year: the Huawei Mate 40 Pro. We published this comparison to highlight the main differences between Xiaomi Mi 11 and Huawei Mate 40 Pro so that you can make the best choice depending on your personal needs. Let’s discover together whether it is worth considering the Huawei Mate 40 Pro or not with the Xiaomi Mi 11 around.

Xiaomi Mi 11 vs Huawei Mate 40 Pro

Xiaomi Mi 11 Huawei Mate 40 Pro
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.1 mm, 196 g 162.9 x 75.5 x 9.1 mm / 9.5 mm, 212 g
DISPLAY  6.81 inches, 1440 x 3200p (Quad HD+), AMOLED  6.76 inches, 1344 x 2772p (Full HD+), OLED
PROCESSOR Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, octa-core 2.84 GHz Huawei Hisilicon Kirin 9000, octa-core 3.13 GHz
MEMORY 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB  8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB – nano memory card slot
SOFTWARE  Android 11, MIUI  Android 10, EMUI
CONNECTIVITY  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS
CAMERA Triple 108 + 13 + 5 MP, f/1.9 + f/2.4 + f/2.4
20 MP front camera
Triple 50 + 12  + 20 MP, f/1.9 + f/3.4 + f/1.8
Dual 13 MP + TOF 3D f/2.4 front camera
BATTERY  4600 mAh, fast charging 50W, wireless charging 50W  4400 mAh, fast charging 66W and wireless charging 50W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES Dual SIM slot, 5G, reverse wireless charging 10W Dual SIM slot, 5G, water resistant (IP68), reverse wireless charging

Design

If you want the most elegant and futuristic back cover, we think you should choose the Xiaomi Mi 11. It has a cleaner rear side, a single punch hole on the display, and a very high screen-to-body ratio. But the Huawei Mate 40 Pro remains very attractive with its extremely curved display replacing physical keys with a side touch technology. Both the phones come in a version with a rear cover made of eco leather for a more raffinate look, but the Huawei Mate 40 Pro has an important advantage compared to the Mi 11: it is waterproof. Thanks to the IP68 certification, it is dust and water resistant, while Xiaomi Mi 11 is not. Last but not least, Huawei Mate 40 Pro is more compact.

 

Display

Xiaomi Mi 11 wins the display comparison: not only it has a wider display, but it provides a way better image quality. First of all, it has a higher resolution: with the Mi 11, you get a Quad HD+ panel with 1440 x 3200 pixels. Further, it shows up to one billion colors. The Xiaomi Mi 11 has a 120 Hz refresh rate and the HDR10+ certification as well. With the Huawei Mate 40 Pro, you get an OLED panel with a Full HD+ resolution, a 90 Hz refresh rate, and the HDR10 certification: it is easy for everyone to understand it is an inferior display. With these two devices, you have an in-display fingerprint reader, but the Huawei Mate 40 Pro supports 3D facial recognition as well thanks to a 3D TOF sensor placed in a dual punch hole.

 

Specs & Software

The Xiaomi Mi 11 has a superior hardware department to the Huawei Mate 40 Pro. It is the first phone to be powered by the Snapdragon 888 mobile platform, and it is not the only reason why it is a faster phone. Besides its amazing processor, the Xiaomi Mi 11 offers more RAM than Huawei Mate 40 Pro: up to 12 GB, paired with a UFS 3.1 native storage. But the Huawei Mate 40 Pro is still an amazing flagship with its 5 nm Kirin 9000 SoC and 8 GB of RAM. Unfortunately, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro does not have Google services in the global market. Mi 11 is still not global, but when it will be, it will include Google services.

 

Camera

Huawei Mate 40 Pro beats the Xiaomi Mi 11 if we look at camera performance. It has a 50 MP main camera sensor, a 12 MP periscope camera with 5x optical zoom, a 20 MP ultrawide sensor, and dual OIS. Mi 11 has a great 108 MP main sensor, but it lacks optical zoom and its secondary sensors are disappointing. The Huawei Mate 40 Pro wins even when it comes to the selfie camera, thanks to a great 13 MP front camera which can record 4K videos.

 

 

Battery

Xiaomi Mi 11 has a bigger battery than Huawei Mate 40 Pro, but this does not mean that its battery life is always longer. The Huawei Mate 40 Pro has a more efficient display and great software optimization. Further, it comes with a faster charging technology. Both the phones support 50W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.

 

Price

Xiaomi Mi 11 is priced at €500/$610 in the Chinese market (talking about the base variant) and it is still not available in the global market. The Huawei Mate 40 Pro costs more than €1000/$1220 globally. Overall, Huawei Mate 40 Pro looks like a slightly better phone thanks to its better cameras. But the lack of Google services in the global market and the big price difference (as well as the great display and chipset of the Mi 11) make the Xiaomi Mi 11 a more interesting choice for most people.

 

 

Xiaomi Mi 11 vs Huawei Mate 40 Pro: PRO and CONS

Xiaomi Mi 11

PRO

  • Amazing chipset
  • Good price
  • Wider display
  • Best display

CONS

  • No optical zoom

 

Huawei Mate 40 Pro

PRO

  • Better cameras
  • Faster charging
  • Waterproof
  • Expandable storage

CONS

  • No Google services globally

Lenovo ThinkReality A3 AR smart glasses needs a Motorola phone to work

Lenovo has a new pair of AR smart glasses. However, the ThinkReality A3 is not for the average consumer but for enterprise users and it needs to be connected to a Motorola smartphone powered by a Snapdragon 800 processor or a PC to work.

Lenovo ThinkReality A3

The design of the ThinkReality A3 gives it a smaller form factor than the HoloLens 2 which is actually a Mixed Reality glasses but it is still bulkier than your regular glasses. Lenovo says that it “fits like sunglasses and can be enhanced with an industrial frame for a safer and more durable use”.

There is a Snapdragon XR1 processor inside the glasses which helps it able to present the user with up to 5 virtual displays. There is an 8MP RGB camera that records in 1080p for remote expert use cases and a pair of fish-eye cameras that provide room-scale tracking.

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

If you want to use it with a PC, then you have to get the ThinkReality A3 PC Edition that connects to your laptop or workstation so that you can use multiple virtual monitors. Lenovo says the smart glasses cater to professionals in industries such as finance, architecture, and engineering and those who may be working in a place where space is limited and privacy is important.

The Industrial Edition is the one that connects to Motorola phones powered by a Snapdragon 800 series processor and has DisplayPort support. Lenovo says in its press release that this version is “supported by the ThinkReality software platform that allows commercial customers to build, deploy, and manage mixed reality applications and content on a global scale and with global support”. This version of the glasses is designed for workers in factories, laboratories, and hospitality and the ThinkReality platform allows for remote assistance, guided workflows, and 3D visualizations.

Lenovo didn’t reveal the price tag of both versions of the ThikReality A3 but it says that will be available in select markets by the middle of the year. We expect it to be expensive but the fact that there are two variants that can be used interchangeably is disappointing.

 

Sources confirm Baidu will team up with Geely to manufacture smart EVs

China’s search giant Baidu Inc will establish a company to make smart electric vehicles (EV) and would collaborate with Geely. Sources familiar with the matter that was first broached in December 2020, said that manufacturing is to be carried out at plants owned by automaker Geely.

Baidu will have a majority stake and absolute voting power in the new company. The arrangement is expected to significantly revamp some of Geely’s existing car plants to make the vehicles, with in-car software input from Baidu and engineering expertise from Geely.

Back in December, Reuters had already reported that Baidu was contemplating making its own EVs and had held talks with Geely, Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd (GAC) and China FAW Group Corp Ltd’s Hongqi on a possible venture.. But the sources have now confirmed talks between both companies.

The companies are in talks to use Geely’s EV-focused platform, Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), for subsequent product development, one of the sources, who declined to be identified as the plan was private, said.

Baidu, which is developing autonomous driving technology and internet connectivity infrastructure, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Geely declined to comment. Baidu’s shares at the New York Stock exchange surged on Friday.

Baidu’s competitor Alibaba has already formed an EV joint venture with China’s biggest automaker SAIC Motor Corp while China’s Didi Chuxing is making EVs designed for ride-hailing services with BYD. Drawing from the huge success of Tesla Inc in the commercialization of EVs, internet companies have expanded their operations to foster the development of automobile technology and investments. Informed sources said that Apple
Is also planning a move into automaking and could be designing an electric vehicle and batteries.

Geely is reputed to be China’s highest-profile automaker due to its stakes in Volvo, Daimler AG, and Malaysia’s Proton. The company is expanding its operations into EV production. Shares of Geely Automobile increased by 10% in the NYSE on Friday.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Mi 11 Review: The Best Value Snapdragon 888 flagship to beat in 2021

 

(source)

 

Sony unveils two new wireless speakers with 360 Reality Audio

Japanese tech giant Sony has announced the release of two new wireless speaker systems, the SRS-RA5000 and the SRS-RA3000. Both speakers, according to Sony, are capable of providing a more compelling sound experience with their room-filling sound feature in indoor situations and also have Sony’s 360 Reality Audio feature.Sony SRS-RA3000

The RA5000 is a seven-speaker system with three up-firing drivers, three front-facing drivers, and an internal woofer. The design creates a uniform sphere of sound around the speaker regardless of its position around the room. The device also has a manual sound calibration feature, allowing for an adjustment of the audio.Sony SRS-RA3000

The cheaper and more portable RA3000 is designed as a three-speaker system that is made up of two tweeters that project sound in an arc via a long strip and an internal woofer. It also has two passive radiators as an additional layer for sound modulation.

The RA3000 is designed to be humidity-resistant, and this allows it to be placed in moist and humid environments without any damage or malfunction. Thus you can continue listening to the music inside your kitchen or in the bathroom. The RA5000 does not have the humidity-resistant capability. In addition, the RA3000 can also auto-calibrate itself to its surroundings, which is absent in the RA5000.Sony SRS-RA3000

Both speakers have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. Wireless connectivity allows for the streaming of content from Spotify using the Spotify Connect feature or the Chromecast integration is used to cast audio.

Both speakers also have integration with smart assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant. However, they are not smart speakers but they can integrate with other smart home devices and also play audio along with smart speakers. In order to successfully integrate the smart assistant, an Amazon or Google-compliant smartphone or any other smart device is needed which will serve as the interface between you and the speaker using Alexa or Google Assistant.

Presently, the speakers are only available in the UK and Europe, at a cost of £500/€599 for the RA5000 and £280/€359 for the RA3000. Both devices will be available in February 2021, while their entry into the North American market will be announced later.

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

 

Top stories from last week: 5G comes to the Snapdragon 400 series, a handful of new phones, and another round of app bans

Last week was quite a busy one, further proof that the tech industry is already at full throttle. Not only were there a handful of new phones from manufacturers such as Redmi, Realme, and Motorola but there were some early CES announcements too and another round of app bans. Qualcomm also has a new 5G chipset for budget phones.

Snapdragon 480 5G

5G for you, 5G for me, 5G for everyone!!!

5G smartphones are about to get even cheaper as Qualcomm announced the first Snapdragon 400 series 5G processor last week. The Snapdragon 480 5G not only brings the new network standard but also packs significant upgrades in performance and image processing compared to the previous generation (Snapdragon 460). HMD Global, OnePlus, and OPPO have already signed up for the chipset, so look out for phones from them.

 

New phones from Alcatel, Coolpad, Lava, Motorola, Xiaomi, Realme, Samsung

No less than 10 new phones were announced last week. From the Xiaomi Mi 10i that was unveiled in India to the Redmi Note 9T and Redmi 9T announced in Europe, to Samsung and Coolpad taking the wraps off the Galaxy M02s and Cool S respectively in Nepal. Alcatel also announced two new phones in Argentina while the colorful Realme V15 5G chose China as its first port of call. Motorola decided to kickstart 2021 with not one but three new Moto G phones in the US along with a fourth phone, called the Motorola One 5G Ace a.k.a. Moto G 5G for India and Europe.

Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G

India’s Lava also announced three new phones for its Z series that include entry-level and budget models. However, its most interesting announcement is the Lava myZ, a smartphone with “customizable specs”. Buyers will be able to choose from up to 66 different unique possibilities one of which is having 2GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.

EDITOR’S PICK: WhatsApp makes Data Sharing with other Facebook companies ‘compulsory’

 

WeChat

WeChat, AliPay and more get US ban

The United States has banned a handful of Chinese apps. An executive order signed by the outgoing president, Donald Trump, puts a ban on eight apps including AliPay, CamScanner, QQ Wallet, WPS Office, and WeChat Pay. According to the president, these apps threaten national security, foreign policy, and the economy of the United States.

 

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2

Early CES announcements

CES officially begins tomorrow but some manufacturers have already announced some products. Lenovo unveiled new Ideapad laptops and a pocket PC that can double as a handheld console; Acer has a new Chromebook Spin with an AMD processor along with three gaming monitors while Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook 2 tones down the specs.

 

Poll of The Week: Will you buy the S Pen if you buy the Galaxy S21 Ultra?

The Galaxy S21 series will be announced at a global event on Thursday, January 14. The new flagship phones from Samsung will not only have a new design and upgraded features but the Galaxy S21 Ultra will be the first Galaxy S phone to have support for the S Pen.

The S Pen stylus was originally a distinguishing feature of the Galaxy Note series. However, over the years, the stylus has been included with tablets and even computers. Now, Samsung has confirmed that this piece of hardware will be available for the first time for another of its smartphone series.

Samsung galaxy S21 S Pen

Samsung will not be shipping the Galaxy S21 Ultra with the S Pen included in the box. Instead, users will have to decide if they want it and then proceed to purchase it if their decision is yes. The S Pen is expected to cost between $40 to $50. According to a leak, the S Pen will sell for €49 and can be bought along with a special case that has a slot for the stylus for a total price of €89.

For this week’s poll, we want to know if you will purchase the S Pen if you were to buy the Galaxy S21 Ultra? So take the poll below and let us know. Also, share your thoughts in the comment box telling us what you think of Samsung’s decision to bring the S Pen to the Galaxy S series.

[yop_poll id=”67″]

 

CES 2021: All Major Announcements and Expected Products from Sony, Samsung, LG, Lenovo & More!

CES 2021 is almost here but that hasn’t stopped the brands from announcing their latest technologies, innovation, and products. The first-ever all-digital event will be one of a kind this time with companies hosting virtual experience booths. 

CES logo

Around 1,950 exhibitors are expected to hold conferences that include biggies like HiSense, TCL, Asus, Lenovo, LG, Nvidia, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and more. Ahead of one of the biggest shows that will fall between January 11-14, 2021 at CES 2021, let’s briefly look at already announced and expected products.

Announced Products

1LENOVO

Lenovo has introduced new Laptops, All-in-one Desktop, tablet, and more. You can take a look at them below:

  • Laptops- IdeaPd 5G, IdeaPad 5 Pro, 5i Pro, NEC LAVIE Pro Mobile, NEC LAVIE MINI
  • Desktop- Yoga AIO 7 (All-in-one PC)
  • Smart Products- ThinkSmart Soundbar, ThinkSmart Cam, ThinkSmart Edition Tiny for Intel Unite(already announced in December, will be showcased at CES).
  • Tablet- Lenovo Tab P11
  • Monitor- Lenovo L27e-30, Lenovo L24i-30
  • Software- Show Mode on Alexa for PC.

2Samsung

Samsung will introduce a lot of new technologies, and products at CES. In fact, it has already announced a few of them ahead of January 11, 2021, at the 9 AM ET conference below:

3LG

LG’s 2021 is packed with a lot of new techs from TV-panels to refrigerators. You can experience them in a virtual booth from January 12 till February 15.

4Sony

Sony’s main conference is on January 11 but the company has already announced it’s  Bravia XR 2021 lineup of TVs. Let’s look at them and other announcements below:

  • Tech- B-Series and C-Series microLED displays
  • TV- Bravia XR series – 5 Models-  X90J, X95J, X93J, A80J, 
    • A90J 4K,  Z9J 8K – Master series
  • Sony 360 Reality Audio-Compatible Speakers- RA5000 SRS-RA3000

 

5Acer

Although Acer isn’t hosting a typical stream, it will have virtual events throughout the two days from January 12-14. You can look at some of the announced products below:

  • Laptop- Chromebook 514 spin with metal build, AMD 3000 C-series CPUs.
  • Gaming Monitors- Predator XB273U NX, Predator XB232QK NV, Nitro XV282K KV.

6DELL

As always, Dell has jumped the gun to announce a few Laptops, PCs, and Gaming Monitors as mentioned below:

  • Laptops- Dell Latitude 9420, 9520
    •  Dell Latitude 7520,7420 
    • Dell Latitude 7320 2-in-1
    • Latitude 5420 
    • Precision 3560
    • Modular Desktop PCs- OptiPlex 3090 Ultra, OptiPlex 7090 Ultra
  • Monitors – Dell UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD Monitor, 24, 27, 34-inch Video Conferencing Monitors

7JBL

JBL, a brand owned by Samsung’s Harman International, also announced a slew of Audio Products as mentioned below:

  • JBL Tour ONE noise-canceling headphones and JBL Tour Pro Plus TWS
  • JBL Live Pro Plus TWS, JBL Live 660NC, JBL Live 460NC headphones
  • JBL Charge 5 portable Bluetooth speaker
  • JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam soundbar
  • Harman L.I.V.E- Live Interactive Virtual Experience, Personal Audio Headrest platform
  • JBL SA750 AirPlay 2 Amplifier
  • JBL L100 Classic 75 Limited Edition Speakers

8Others

9Expected Products/Announcements

  • Amazfit & Zepp- Amazfit & its affiliate Zepp will hold conferences on January 12 around 12 AM ET(UTC+05:00). It is expected to announce the GTS2e, GTR2e for Global markets from China. We might also see other new GT-branded products.
  • AMD- AMD will hold a keynote address on January 12 at 11 AM ET(UTC+05:00). It is expected to unveil Ryzen 5000 mobile CPUs based on Zen-3 architecture. We can also expect other updates on its console, PC, and mobile platforms. 
  • Intel- Intel has a conference scheduled for January 11 at 4 PM ET. It says it will unveil “process technology and packaging architecture” for consumer and business use. It is expected to unveil the 11th-gen Rocket Lake Desktop CPUs, Xe discrete GPUs, 11th-gen Intel Core vPro CPUs.
  • LG- QNED miniLED 4K, 8K TVs; 10 TVs are coming with 86-inch as max size
  • TCL- On January 11 at 11 AM ET(UTC+05:00), we can expect the next-gen miniLED TVs, soundbars, and home appliances.
  • Asus- Asus has already teased a new Duo-branded lineup(could be Laptop/screen with secondary display), ROG- New laptops in ROG STRIX, ZEPHYRUS, X13(likely new) on January 13.
  • DELL- Apart from the already announced products, Dell is expected to unveil new Alienware gaming laptops and accessories at the CES event. We might also get a retail price for last year’s Alienware UFO concept PC Prototype but don’t count on it.
  • Nvidia- On January 12, Nvidia has planned a Geforce RTX: Game On event where it is expected to unveil the Mobile versions of RTX 30 series- 3070, 3080, 3080Ti that will likely feature up to 16GB DDR6x vRAM. It might also unveil the long-rumored sub-$200 budget 3050,3060 GPUs.

That’s it for the announced/expected products for CES 2021. If you want to catch up on all the official information on the live stream, you can visit the CES page to know more. 

Stay tuned to our social media handles from January 11 as we will be covering the important launches as and when they release!

 

Next Week in Tech: CES 2021 kicks off; iQOO 7, OnePlus Band, and Galaxy S21 Unpacked launch events

Next week is practically Samsung Week. After months of leaks and waiting, the Galaxy S21 series will finally be unveiled and that should take over the news. iQOO and OnePlus will also try to share the spotlight with a new phone and a new fitness tracker respectively. Oh! CES 2021, the all-virtual event also begins next week!!!

 

iQOO 7 Black
iQOO 7

iQOO 7 – Another manufacturer beats Samsung to the Snapdragon 888

Samsung is usually the first manufacturer to launch a phone with Qualcomm’s flagship processor but that changed with the Snapdragon 888. Xiaomi not only got to do so first with the launch of the Mi 11 but Vivo’s iQOO will also get to announce their iQOO 7 flagship phone before Samsung. The launch is on Monday, January 11, and you can be sure you will find all the details of the new phone here on Gizmochina.

 

OnePlus Band Launch Date

A OnePlus on your wrist

OnePlus is entering into the wearables market and while we thought it will do so with the OnePlus Watch, it is launching a fitness tracker first. The OnePlus Band will launch on Monday, January 11, in India.

 

EDITOR’S PICK: Sony to launch new modular displays, similar to ones used in The Mandalorian

CES logo

CES 2011 – TVs, computers, and a few phones and tablets

Thanks to the pandemic, CES is a virtual event this year. The annual show which usually holds in Las Vegas and serves as a pilgrimage of some sort for tech enthusiasts will kick-off virtually on Monday and run through Thursday, January 14. And because it is a virtual event, it means everyone can watch live-streams and presentations. Don’t have the time to sit through all the announcements? Then check in every day here for our coverage of all the exciting products unveiled.

 

Exynos featured

Samsung Week – A new Exynos in a new Galaxy

While CES goes into its second day, Samsung will announce a new Exynos chipset which is believed to be called the Exynos 2100. The flagship processor promises big gains in performance over its predecessor. The good news is that we won’t have to wait so long to find out if Samsung’s new chipset is as excellent as reported as the Korean giant will announce the Galaxy S21 series on Thursday, the 14th of January.

Galaxy S21 featured

The new flagship series which includes the S21 itself, the Galaxy S21 Plus, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra, will come with the new Exynos processor in some markets and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 in others. Ready for the next Battle Chip? We are excited too!

 

Xiaomi Mi 11 vs OPPO Find X2: Specs Comparison

Xiaomi Mi 11 hitten the shelves with amazing specifications, but still a very interesting price tag. This does not make it the best top-tier flagship of the year, but a lot of people will be able to save money while getting one of the best phones out there. At the same time, a lot of people are wondering whether or not they should go for the Xiaomi Mi 11 or for a top-tier flagship from the previous generation. The OPPO Find X2 is a device sold at a similar price tag and offers amazing specifications as well. While waiting for the global launch of the Xiaomi Mi 11, here is a comparison between the specifications of Xiaomi Mi 11 and OPPO Find X2.

Xiaomi Mi 11 vs OPPO Find X2

Xiaomi Mi 11 OPPO Find X2
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.1 mm, 196 g 164.9 x 74.5 x 8 mm, 209 g
DISPLAY  6.81 inches, 1440 x 3200p (Quad HD+), AMOLED  6.7 inches, 1440 x 3168p (Quad HD+), AMOLED
PROCESSOR Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, octa-core 2.84 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, octa-core 2.84 GHz
MEMORY 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB
SOFTWARE  Android 11, MIUI  Android 10, ColorOS
CONNECTIVITY  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS
CAMERA Triple 108 + 13 + 5 MP, f/1.9 + f/2.4 + f/2.4
20 MP front camera
Triple 48 + 13  + 12 MP, f/1.7 + f/2.4 + f/2.2
32 MP f/2.4 front camera
BATTERY  4600 mAh, fast charging 50W, wireless charging 50W  4200 mAh, fast charging 65W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES Dual SIM slot, 5G, reverse wireless charging 10W Dual SIM slot, 5G, water resistant (IP54)

Design

It is very hard to pick the best design between these two handsets: it depends on personal tastes. The Xiaomi Mi 11 has a very attractive eco-leather variant, but the OPPO Find X2 is available in a ceramic version which is thinner and lighter than the Xiaomi Mi 11, as well as more compact. Another important detail: the OPPO Find X2 is splash resistant, while the Xiaomi Mi 11 does not offer any certification against dust and water. On the other hand, Mi 11 has the Gorilla Glass Victus protection which should make its glass back and its display sturdier. Both the phones come with a curved screen, but the screen-to-body ratio of the Xiaomi Mi 11 is slightly higher.

 

Display

Xiaomi Mi 11 and OPPO Find X2 are very close even when it comes to the displays. Both feature an amazing Quad HD+ panel which shows up to one billion colors and offers a 120 Hz refresh rate, as well as the HDR10+ certification. It looks like the Mi 11 has a higher peak brightness with 1500 nits, but OPPO Find X2 guarantees a stunning image quality from every point of view. You will only get marginal differences, what really makes the difference is the display diagonal: on the Mi 11, it is 6.81 inches, while OPPO Find X2 has a 6.7-inch display. In both cases, you get an AMOLED panel with an in-display fingerprint scanner.

 

Specs & Software

The hardware department of the Xiaomi Mi 11 is more advanced than the hardware offered by the OPPO Find X2. You get a more powerful chipset: the Snapdragon 888 built at 5 nm, instead of the Snapdragon 865 found on the OPPO Find X2. The best Qualcomm’s SoC of 2021 is paired with up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of internal storage. Despite it is not fueled by the Snapdragon 888, the OPPO Find X2 remains one of the fastest flagships and guarantees amazing performance in every scenario. Both the flagship feature the same highest-end memory configuration: 12/256 GB, but the Mi 11 has a UFS 3.1 native storage instead of UFS 3.0.

 

Camera

On the paper, the OPPO Find X2 wins our camera comparison for a simple reason: it includes a telephoto sensor with optical zoom, while Xiaomi Mi 11 does not. You do not get the optical zoom with the Mi 11, but its 108 MP main camera is amazing in terms of photo quality. And it is even able to record 8K videos. But the OPPO Find X2 is an amazing camera phone as well. OPPO Find X2 wins even when it comes to the front camera, thanks to a 32 MP selfie snapper.

 

 

Battery

The Xiaomi Mi 11 packs a bigger 4600 mAh battery and it is able to guarantee a longer battery life in a lot of scenarios not only because of the bigger battery but also because its chipset is built at 5 nm and is more efficient than the Snapdragon 865. OPPO Find X2 has a faster wired charging technology with 65W power, while Mi 11 stops at 55W. But the OPPO Find X2 lacks wireless charging, while Mi 11 features both fast wireless charging (50W power) and reverse wireless charging.

 

Price

OPPO Find X2 has a listing price of €999/$1221 in the global market, while Xiaomi Mi 11 is still not global, so we do not know how much it will cost. In China, it starts at about €500/$611. At the end of the day, Mi 11 looks better in terms of hardware and battery, while the OPPO Find X2 is more compact and it features more interesting cameras. Which one would you pick?

 

 

Xiaomi Mi 11 vs OPPO Find X2: PRO and CONS

Xiaomi Mi 11

PRO

  • Good price
  • Wider display
  • Wireless charging
  • Reverse charging
  • Better hardware

CONS

  • No optical zoom

 

OPPO Find X2

PRO

  • Great camera with a telephoto sensor
  • Splashproof
  • More compact
  • Faster charging

CONS

  • Inferior hardware

Checkout this cool Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 Concept with a camera layout akin to Galaxy S21

Samsung stepped on the ultimatum and opened out a gateway for foldable devices with the “Galaxy Fold”. Although it messed up the first attempt and launched the device twice in 2019, Samsung is currently the master of this art. The Galaxy Z Flip/Z Flip 5G is an example of the company’s one of many widening prospects. That said, a concept of next-gen clamshell device, which is rumored to be Z Flip3, has now surfaced online.

 

First uploaded on a Korean forum and spotted by @FrontTron, the concept render shows the Galaxy Z Flip3 in Purple color with Golden borders. Also, just like LetsGoDigital points out, its camera layout reminds us of Galaxy S21. The latter is likely the upcoming Galaxy-S flagship of 2021 from Samsung.

Further, LetsGoDigital has taken this image and imagined its unfolded position. They have used one of the leaked wallpapers of the Galaxy S21. Talking about the render itself, it shows a triple-camera setup which, if true, will replace the horizontal dual-camera setup on the predecessor.

 

However, don’t expect them to pack a similar setup like the Galaxy S21 as Samsung is very clear about the distinction of its devices this time. Moving on, the cover display seems to be a bit bigger. Earlier we got to know that the Z Flip 3 is probably coming with a 1.81-inch secondary display which is bigger than the 1.1-inch on Z Flip.

Regarding the primary bending display, we might see a 6.70-inch AMOLED display on Z Flip3. This will be a 0.03-inch more than Flip and have a centered punch-hole for the selfie shooter. Other expected specs is an 120Hz LTPO screen, a mid-range SoC, faster storage, and charging support. It is expected to launch sometime in Q1 2021.

 

Next-gen gaming phones to stick to 1080p displays with 144Hz+ refresh rates

The Mi 11 launched with a 2K display, marking Xiaomi’s shift from 1080p screens for its commercially-available phones. For some, this is a case of better late than never. Unfortunately, some manufacturers may still be sticking to 1080p displays for their flagships, especially those that are designed for gaming.

According to Chinese leaker, Digital Chat Station, the next-generation gaming smartphones from manufacturers such as Nubia (Red Magic) and ASUS (ROG) will have 1080p screens. He adds that while their displays will be 1080p panels, the refresh rate will reach 144Hz or even higher.

Gaming phones 1080p screen

Last year’s Black Shark 3 Pro was one of the few gaming phones with a 1440p display, and to be honest, for a phone with a 7.1-inch screen, anything less than that would have been disappointing. Going by the above info, there is a possibility that its successor may have an FHD+ resolution.

The next Black Shark phone is expected to launch soon with a Snapdragon 888 processor. The CEO already has high praises for the phone but a 2K display will likely not be part of its selling points. Its predecessor has a 90Hz refresh rate, so a jump to 144Hz should be noticeable.

The 2021 Red Magic phone should also arrive this quarter while ASUS should unveil the ROG Phone 4/5 in the second half of the year. These two should have Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 processor too and should also have a 144Hz or higher refresh rate seeing as the Red Magic 5S and ROG Phone 3 both have 144Hz screens.

Were you looking forward to a 2k display in gaming smartphones this year? Let us know what you think about the new development in the comment box below.

 

Google Phone App users could soon be able to record Anonymous calls automatically

Although Google Phone App has been on the Play Store for a while, only certain devices have got the support for its Call Recording feature. This list of OEMs include Xiaomi, Nokia, and of course Google’s own Pixel devices. Now, an XDA’s finding reveals that Google is working to let you record anonymous calls automatically.

Google-Phone-App-980x539

According to the report, an APK teardown reveals a lot of new strings added to the Google Phone App‘s Version 59(v.59). These strings of code have keywords like “Always record”, “non_contact_toggle_key”, “Numbers not in your contacts” etc. That is, if this makes it to the working build, the app will record calls from unknown numbers on its own.

Google Phone App introduced the recording feature last year. As always, it was initially limited to the Google Pixel users. Later, Google brought it to certain regions including a lot of Xiaomi devices in September and Nokia smartphones in May 2020. Speaking of which, Global variants of Xiaomi devices already ship with the Google Phone App out of the box.

 

Coming back, the first string of the particular array of code shows a disclaimer message as follows: “You or the other person in your call might be somewhere that requires everyone to consent to being recorded. Everyone will be notified ahead of time that the call is being recorded. It’s up to you to follow laws about recording conversations. Recordings are stored only on your phone.”

After this message, you will get a confirmation pop-up whether to toggle the feature on/off. There will be two options- “Always record” and “Cancel”. As mentioned above the toggle key suggests that we might see a separate setting for it on the App.

That said, it’s a feature in development and might/might not make it to the final version. Hence, take this with a pinch of salt.

 

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

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.

 

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

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).

 

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

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.

 

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.

 

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

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.

 

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.

 

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

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.

 

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.