How to bulk delete WhatsApp Media Forwards (Images, Videos and GIFs)?

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Nov 4, 2020

WhatsApp has become an ultimate social messaging app for most of the smartphone users around the globe. The chat application has over 1.5 billion active users contributing 100 billion messages every day. At such a scale, it becomes an equally difficult and challenging task for the developers to bring some new features without affecting the service even for a fraction of the second. In such addition, WhatsApp has added a new Storage Management Tool to aid the users for easy media management. It further brings the ability to bulk delete WhatsApp Media Forwards – Images, Videos, GIFs, and others with just a few taps.

It’s an uphill task to select every single media forward and delete the unnecessary images, videos, audios and documents. It takes a lot of effort and time to these unnecessary items. But, thanks to the WhatsApp developers, who have introduced the WhatsApp Storage management Tool to introduce bulk media removal options.

WhatsApp Storage Management Tool

In September, WhatsApp added the Storage Usage Section to its Beta Build. The users were quite thankful for its “Suggested Clean up” feature leading to the deletion of forwarded and large files. It even lists the chats according to the storage space used. All these features and functions are now rolling out for the stable build along with some other changes.

WhatsApp took to Twitter to formally announce the new feature for the public. All the users can now update or download the latest build by heading to the Play Store.

Note: WhatsApp update may take a whole week to reach every corner of the globe.

Steps to bulk delete WhatsApp Media Forwards

It is quite easy to now to delete the Media Forwards, you can follow the steps below to accomplish the bulk removal of Media forwards.

Update WhatsApp to the latest version by heading over to the Play Store.
Now, head over to the Settings > Storage and Data > Manage Storage and select Manage Storage.
In the following window, you will see Media details and the “Review and delete items” option.
Tap on the “Review and delete items” option and then choose the option to either select Media Forwards or file larger than 5MB size.
After tapping, the respective media will open in the gallery where you can easily select and remove it permanently.
That’s it!

It is a better way to clear safe and manage the files where users can identify, review, and bulk deletes the content. It is available for both Android and iOS devices.

We hope WhatsApp will introduce more such useful features to further enhance the user experience. However, the company introduced a forever mute option for chats.

Samsung may bundle Galaxy S21 series with Galaxy Buds Beyond earbuds

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 4, 2020

It has become a norm for manufacturers to include pre-order gifts for their flagship phones. The pre-order gifts sometimes vary from country to country but it is usually always worth it. For a few years now, Samsung has included its Galaxy Buds earbuds as pre-order gifts for its flagship phones but news from Korea says it may become a standard accessory included in the box for all purchases, starting with the Galaxy S21 series.

Galaxy Buds+ pre-order — Galaxy Buds+ was included with pre-orders of the Galaxy S20+ and S20 Ultra

According to the Korean publication, TopDaily, Samsung is considering removing accessories included in the box such as the AKG wired USB-C earphones to lower prices.

However, the lack of earphones will result in buyers having to purchase their own earbuds/earphones, and there is a high chance they will not purchase one made by Samsung. The source says an industry insider has revealed that Samsung is planning to include wireless earphones in the box, and this is presumed to be its upcoming earbuds, the Galaxy Buds Beyond.

The decision to include wireless earbuds in the box is supposed to help Samsung increase its share of the wireless earbuds’ market which is currently dominated by Apple. Another option Samsung is considering if it removes the wired earbuds is to provide discount vouchers for buyers.

The Galaxy Buds Beyond is expected to bring significant upgrades over its predecessors such as a higher IP rating, better sounds, and an improved battery life. The Galaxy Buds Live launched for $169 but is currently sold for $139. We don’t know how much the new Galaxy Buds Beyond will sell for but having it included free of charge in the box for all Galaxy S21 purchases sounds enticing.

OnePlus Nizam Palace is the company’s Largest Experience Store Globally in Hyderabad

By

Balaji S

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Nov 4, 2020

Following its first R&D Center, OnePlus has launched its World’s largest Experience Store in Hyderabad today. On the occasion, the company has also announced that it plans to invest ₹100 crores to expand its offline business. Launched virtually, OnePlus says it is the “first-ever, fan-controlled store reveal” on Twitter Live.

OnePlus, in a Press release, says that the new building spans across 16,000 sq ft. Named OnePlus Nigam Palace, the new Store is located at Himayat Nagar, Hyderabad. And, the naming looks like a conscious decision to match the cultural heritage of the city. Talking about the design, the store has an outer Aluminium Facade at the front, And a Red Brick wall beneath.

OnePlus also says that the newly launched OnePlus 8T 5G will be available at Nizam Palace Store starting tomorrow(November 5).

Highlights of New OnePlus Nizam Palace

First-ever Community-led Store launch
Design- Burdenless, and Unique
Aluminum Facade- Represents bright and lustrous future
Red Brick Wall- Represents a loyal community
Inside Features- Interactive desk for catalogs, horizontal LED walls- show #ShotOnOnePlus content from users across India
Large Customer Service Center- with Glass Cubicles for transparency in service.
Display Unique Visual Elements of the latest OnePlus 8T 5G.
A Holographic View of Display Elements with emulation of Camera lens effect.

Offline Expansion

Additionally, OnePlus says it has followed all stringent norms including safety and hygiene to honour the Government’s protocol. Accordingly, it follows social distancing, sanitation of premises, and temperature check of staff members. Also, OnePlus’ new Store is in-line with its omnichannel strategy to expand offline. Previously, the company opened its first offline partner store in Mumbai back in 2018. And an Experience Store in Bengaluru in 2017.

After a lot of expansion strategies, it now has over 5,000 stores including partners. And OnePlus says the offline expansion will continue with a new ₹100 crores investment. It aims to take the premium store experience deep into interior regions of the country beyond Metro cities via new retail alliances. Not to mention its commitment to cover 100 cities through the service center network will be covered by next year(2021).

Samsung Galaxy W21 5G Foldable smartphone official

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 4, 2020

Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy W21 5G foldable smartphone in China. The smartphone is the successor to the Galaxy W20 5G which was launched last year. Also, it adopts a clamshell design just like its predecessor, the device packs a specs lineup similar to the Galaxy Z Fold2 5G.

The Galaxy W21 5G packs a 7.6-inch QXGA+ Infinity-O Dynamic AMOLED screen on the inside with 120Hz refresh rate and Samsung Ultra-Thin Glass. On the outside, there is a 6.2-inch HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Flex display. The device comes with dual nanoSIM support and a new Glitter Gold colour. The phone is developed in partnership with China Telecom.

The Galaxy W21 5G is powered by an Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ 7nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 650 GPU powering the graphics. The processor is paired with 12GB LPDDR5 RAM while there is 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage. Proving the interface is the Android 10-based One UI 2.5.

For optics, the smartphone packs a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 12MP main lens with f/1.8 aperture, PDAF, OIS. There is also a 12MP telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom, up to 10x digital zoom, and a 12MP 120° Ultra Wide sensor with f/2.2 aperture. The phone equally packs a 10MP front-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture.

The sleek foldable flagship device also comes with stereo speakers tuned by AKG with Dolby Atmos support. There is equally a side-mounted fingerprint sensor onboard. For connectivity, the Galaxy W21 5G comes with SA/NSA dual-mode 5G support, dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ax (2.4/5GHz), HE80, MIMO, 1024-QAM, Bluetooth 5, GPS with GLONASS, USB Type-C (Gen 3.2), NFC etc. Keeping the lights on is a 4500mAh battery with 25W wired and 11W wireless (WPC and PMA) charging.

As for the price, the Samsung Galaxy W21 5G is priced at 19999 yuan (~$3000). It is available to pre-order in China right now but sales will commence on November 20th.

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Live photos show the Samsung W21 5G is not a rebadged Galaxy Z Fold 2

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 4, 2020

Following the launch of the Galaxy Fold last year, Samsung’s China-exclusive W-series has also gotten a massive change. Gone is the clamshell+dual screen+physical alphanumeric keyboard design, and in its place is a phone with a design similar to the Galaxy Fold.

For this year’s Samsung W21 5G, the design is similar to that of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and some folks believe it is rebadged. However, live photos of both phones show that while their design is similar, they are in no way identical.

What? Samsung W21 is actually bigger than Fold2! pic.twitter.com/IIk1mxAI04

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) November 4, 2020

The photos were posted on Twitter by the popular Chinese leaker that goes by Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) and they show the W21 5G and Galaxy Z Fold 2 side-by-side.

The first thing you notice is the strikingly different finishes of the two phones. The W21 5G comes in gold and appears to have a textured back unlike the smooth finish of the Fold 2. The phone is also slightly larger than the Galaxy Z Fold 2.

On the inside, it has been reported that the Samsung W21 5G will have the same specs as the Galaxy Z Fold 2. The TENAA listing says it has a 6.23-inch cover display, 2090mAh + 2160mAh (rated capacities) dual batteries, and dual SIM support. The phone is also powered by the Snapdragon 865 Plus processor

The W21 5G launches today, so do keep an eye out for our launch post.

Among Us Rip-off version, Werewolf Among Us game tops the chart on App Store in China

By

Balaji S

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Nov 4, 2020

A clone of the popular US game Among Us is the talk of the town in China. Known as Werewolf Among Us, it is currently topping the download charts on App Store in the country. The game has even managed to surpass giants like Peacekeeper Elite and Honour of Kings.

As per an SCMP report, the game is at the top of the Free Game download charts on Apple’s App Store. Albeit being developed by a recondite developer, it sits on the top with 116,000 downloads as of November 2. Further, App Tracking firm Qimai’s Data says the Clone has more than 478,000 total downloads so far.

That said, Tencent Holdings’ giants like Peacekeeper Elite(China’s PUBG). And Honour of Kings trail the charts with 111,000, and 112,000 downloads respectively behind Werewolf Among Us.

How did it get Popular?

However, this is not the only clone App of the American Video Game. IP(Intellectual Property) doesn’t generally protect Game Mechanics. Hence, popular games usually see a lot of rip-offs bombarding the market.

Having said that the most popular of them all, Werewolf Among us is developed by a small developer, Shenzhen Youliang Technology. And launched on October 28. Initially, it was thought of as just another version of another in-party game Werewolf that’s already popular in China. However, it has gained steam recently thanks to its OG version’s popularity that has a better-dedicated user acquisition budget.

Still, the number crunches of downloads are crazy considering it’s just been a week since launch. Anyway, the rip-off version has cloned the Map, Game Mechanics of the OG Among Us. The only difference is reportedly the setting of the game in a Medival Castle instead of Space.

Among Us by InnerSloth

For the unware, the OG Among Us is developed by American Game Studio InnerSloth. It is a free-to-play Mobile/PC game allowing players to pit against each other. Players act as “crewmates” or “imposters” on a Spaceship and try to remove the opponent(imposter->crewmates and Viceversa) while performing other tasks.

It launched way back in 2018 but has become popular only recently. As per the company, the OG version currently has over 100 million downloads worldwide. And 60 million active users as of September.

Coming back, Qimai says the OG “Among Us” is the 10th most downloaded game in China with 885,000 downloads in the last three months. However, it doesn’t support the Chinese language, and that’s where Clones like Werewolf Among us reportedly comes into play.

Xiaomi Youpin crowdfunds the Circle Joy Electric Vacuum Preservation Box

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 4, 2020

Xiaomi crowdfunds the Circle Joy Electric Vacuum Preservation Box set which supports -0.03Mpa high vacuum antibacterial freshness, one-button electric smart vacuuming, and is manufactured using baby products specified Tritan material. The device is a set consisting of an electric vacuum pump and vacuum crisper.

The crisper is divided into T-shaped compartments with a capacity of 1 litre and a single compartment of 1.3 litres. The device carries a crowdfunding price of only 99 yuan (~$50).

The preservation box deploys a vacuum method to reduce the oxygen level in the box and not just to seal the storage. The removal of the oxygen content delays food oxidation and inhibits the growth of bacteria. The high vacuum of -0.03Mpa can effectively extend the preservation time by 3-5 times.

The electric vacuum pump is responsible for vacuuming and can be removed after vacuuming. All you need do is to place the vacuum pump on the vacuum valve on the top of the box cover and press the button lightly to automatically start pumping. You can monitor the vacuum change in the box in realtime. When the vacuum level reaches the requirement of -0.03Mpa, the pumping stops automatically without you pressing any button.

It is worth noting that the vacuum pump uses an environmentally friendly lithium battery charging method. It uses a USB-C charging interface. The box is made of Tritan material designated for infant products, which is environmentally friendly and non-toxic. The material does not contain harmful substances such as bisphenol A and lead, and meets international FDA food contact standards. The box will not be damaged under high temperature heating, so it supports microwave heating. It can also be used as a lunch box or as a daily food preservation storage.

The product is available for backing on the Youpin crowdfunding platform.

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OPPO patents a smartphone design akin to OnePlus 7T but with under-display camera

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Nov 4, 2020

OPPO is one of the popular Chinese smartphone markers. It is a well-known brand in Asia. Lately, the company has been slowly expanding into markets like Europe to fill the void left by HUAWEI. The firm is known for selling both budget as well as high-end devices. It has now patented a smartphone design with an under-display camera and circular camera window.

Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications filed this smartphone design patent with the CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Office) at the end of 2019. However, it got approved and published only on October 23, 2020. As always, the patent was unearthed by LetsGoDigital.

At first sight, one can easily mistake the rear design to be of OnePlus 7T. The only difference between the two is that the patented design has an extra camera at the top. The design can be also compared with that of OPPO ACE2, however, the layout of the sensors is not identical on the latter phone though it has the same circular camera window.

That said, apart from the back design, the patent differs in terms of front design. Because it sports a curved screen with an under-display camera. Whereas, the OnePlus 7T and OPPO ACE2 feature flat panels with a dew-drop notch and a punch-hole respectively. Anyway, OPPO also patented the same design with a punch-hole too.

Interestingly, LetsGoDigital mentions the design to feature a 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom. But the hole looks so tiny for that and therefore, we are skeptical regarding this claim. It could be the secondary mic as the top of the handset is plain.

Last but not least, the bottom of the phone also houses a USB Type-C port and SIM card slot, whereas the left and the right side of the device sports volume rockers and power button respectively.

Samsung Galaxy M21 is the first M-series Smartphone to get One UI 2.5 Update

By

Balaji S

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Nov 4, 2020

Samsung has been constantly delivering One UI updates to its older devices. Recently, it’s A-series of devices like the Galaxy A51, A71 received the One UI 2.5 update. Now, as a surprise, Galaxy M21 becomes the first M-series Smartphone to get it.

As reported by XDADevelopers, the new Update for Galaxy M21 also includes the latest October 2020 Android Security Patch. As you can see from the screenshots below, the firmware versions are M215FXXU2ATJ5/M215FODM2ATJ5/M215FDDU2ATJ5. It weighs 650MB and carries improvements to the Camera, Keyboard, and Messages.

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From the screenshots, we can note that the Samsung Keyboard brings several features like input-language Search Function, split keyboard on Landscape Mode. Further, the Messages section now gets an SOS message feature. It allows users to share SOS-location every 30 minutes for a day. Additionally, the update also has Camera improvements and stability. But we aren’t sure if that will impact performance just yet.

Samsung unveiled the One UI 2.5 based on Android 10 with Galaxy Note 20 series. Initially, we thought the update will roll out only to its Galaxy Note, S, and Z series of devices. However, the company surprised us by rolling it out to mid-range smartphones like Galaxy A51, and A71.

That said, the new One UI 2.5 update for Galaxy M21 is a surprising move considering its higher-priced siblings like Galaxy M51 themselves launched with One UI Core 2.1. And are yet to get the next version. Earlier, the company rolled out the One UI 2.1 update last month with features like Single Take, Night Hyperlapse, My Filters, and more.

Anyway, the official changelog says the update started seeding out on November 3(yesterday). Hence, it might take a few days to reach everyone via an OTA update. Meanwhile, you can check if your device has got it by visiting the System Update section in Settings.

Xiaomi Mi Box 4S Pro with upgraded 8K video decoding, 16GB storage launched

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 4, 2020

Xiaomi launched the new Mi Box 4S Pro, which has upgraded video decoding capabilities, transmission speed and bigger storage space. The product comes with a price tag of 399 yuan ($59). It will be on reservation at 0:00 on November 5.

The Mi Box 4S Pro comes upgraded from 4K to 8K video decoding. The HDMI interface is also upgraded from HDMI 2.0 to HDMI 2.1. The storage is upgraded from 8GB to 16GB. However, the design remains the same with the Mi Box 4S.

Recall that the Mi Box 4S is identical to the original Mi Box 4 which was first launched in 2018. The TV box was also launched as Mi Box S and Mi Box 4K in global markets. Details of the processor are not known yet but the device is expected to be powered by the same 64-bit quad-core Amlogic S905X chipset with 4 x ARM Cortex-A53 cores and Mali 450 GPU. The RAM size is still the same 2GB RAM. As for connectivity, we expect the device to come with dual-band WiFi 5, Bluetooth 4.3, a USB 2.0 port and a 3.5mm headphone jack as well as power input port. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow with PatchWall UI on top of it.

In addition, the Mi Box 4S Pro is still equipped with MIUI For TV intelligent operating system, standard Bluetooth voice remote control, and also supports mobile phone screen projection.

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AnTuTu releases User Preferences report of Android Smartphones for Q3 2020

By

Balaji S

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Nov 4, 2020

AnTuTu recently released the best iOS devices for October. Now it has released a report on Global User Preferences of Android Smartphone users for Q3 2020. The report includes preferences like display, processor, and android versions they use.

As per the report, AnTuTu says the results of Q3 2020 are based on the backstage data of the company’s ANTUTU V-8 Android App. Further, it puts out a disclaimer that the report reflects the preferences of its AnTuTu users. And it doesn’t have any relation to the performance and preference of the overall Android Phone market.

Display(6-inch+, 1080P)

Beginning with display, it says the old-school 5.5-inch displays on Smartphones are almost outworn now. That’s obvious considering manufacturers are increasingly moving towards 6-inch+ displays except few like Apple. Out of the entire chart, nearly 17.2% of devices have 6.4-inch displays. This is followed by 6.3-inch, 6.5-inch which accounts for 14.7%, and 13.6% respectively.

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Not to mention the 6.0-inch size that has a bite of its own but AnTuTu believes that the sizes are reaching a threshold here. Furthermore, the 1080P resolution of the display remains the most popular irrespective of size. Precisely, 19.5:9 and 20:9 aspect ratios that result in resolutions like 1080×2340, and 1080×2400 are the toppers. The former accounts for 35.7% of the entire data while the latter sits at 12.9%.

Processor(Qualcomm, Octa-core)

In terms of processors, Qualcomm leads the pack with a whopping 57.5%, while Samsung, HiSilicon, MediaTek trail behind at 14.9, 14.1, and 12.4% respectively. And Octa-core CPUs dominate the segment with a staggering 95.1% of the market data across segments. Besides, MediaTek’s performance has reportedly increased from Q2 due to the Dimensity SoCs. On the contrary, Huawei’s HiSilicon has taken a hit. And the report says the recent US ban will further dent the percentage but we will have to wait and see what happens.

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RAM, and Storage(6GB RAM, 128GB storage priorities)

For RAM, and Storage, AnTuTu says the majority of the data donors who use its app have either 4GB/6GB RAM. Accordingly, the 6GB occupies 34.3% while 4GB RAM is on 27.4% of the total. However, in China, 8GB is the king of the market where 4GB is rarely seen. The report predicts that with LPDDR5 becoming mainstream, the threshold might reach 8GB soon and 6GB will be the bare minimum.

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Similarly, charts show that 128GB storage dominates the market with 41.3% whereas 64GB, and 32GB account for 33.2, and 11.8% respectively. If the report is true, the threshold of minimum storage will rise to higher options in the future.

Android version(10 dominates)

Moving on to the important part is the Android Version. The AnTuTu report says that Android 10 devices account for 63.3% of the market. However, lower versions like 9, 8.0, are still out there at 27.7%, and 4.8% respectively. Android 11, despite being out for more than a month now hasn’t hit that many devices. Hence, it is under “others” accounting for 1.8%. That said, Google needs to find a way to bring all the users under one roof for a hassle-free experience.

Huawei engineer explains advantages of Mate 40 Pro’s Free Form lens

By

Sean

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Nov 4, 2020

The Huawei Mate 40 series was just recently launched. Within the series, the Mate 40 Pro arrives as the higher end variant and sported a Free Form lens on the rear camera module. Now, an engineer from the Chinese tech giant has come forward and explained the advantages of using this technology.

For those unaware, the free form lens used in the Mate 40 Pro is one of the device’s highlighting feature. While traditional lenses use a spherical or aspherical optical element, the 20 megapixel ultra wide angle lens on the Huawei flagship houses an asymmetrical lens with a complex and uneven surface. Through this, the company is trying to fix the biggest issue with an ultra wide angle sensor, which is the distortion, as per the engineer.

According to a GSMArena report, the the distortion is just one of the obstacles the company tackled. Since modern smartphones, especially flagships have become heavier, the free form lens on the Mate 40 Pro is lighter, which makes it thinner and easier to wield as well. This is possible since the free form lens requires fewer optical components and even allows for more light to pass into the sensor to improve camera performance.

The engineer stated that the company has been working on this technology for more than two years now and finally shipped it to the commercial market. Additionally, Huawei also has plans to tackle similar issues faced by the telephoto lens that has grown in popularity in recent times. These types of lenses also suffer from a form of distortion, and the company official stated that reducing its thickness is important as well.

This $45 ZMI power bank features HDMI & can act as a USB hub

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Nov 4, 2020

ZMI is a well-known brand of power accessories. Recently, the company launched ZMI Multifunctional Power Bank in its home country China. Unlike other power banks in the market, this one can act as a USB hub and also features an HDMI port.

ZMI Multifunctional Power Bank Specifications & Features

The newly launched ZMI Multifunctional Power Bank comes with a 10,000mAh capacity and is only available in gray color option. It measures 117.2 x 68.5 x 23.6mm in dimensions and weighs 243.5g. Further, it bears the model number QB816 and ships with a USB Type-C to Type-C cable (USB 3.2 Gen 1×1).

The product sports the following ports.

2 x USB Type-C (Input/Output)
1 x USB Type-A (Output)
1 x HDMI (Output)

The USB Type-C ports support USB 3.2 Gen 1×1 standard so that the power bank can be used as a USB hub to transfer data at the maximum rate of 5Gbps. Whereas, the HDMI port supports HDMI 1.4, HDCP 1.4, and HDCP 2.2. Hence, it can be used to output content at 4K (30Hz) or 1080p (60Hz).

As far as charging speeds (output) are concerned, the first Type-C can support up to 30W, whereas the second Type-C port can output current at a maximum rate of 50W. However, the Type-A port is limited to 18W.

Since the power bank uses the Power Delivery protocol, it can be used to charge a plethora of devices out there, including smartphones, laptops, wearables, etc. It can even charge the new iPhone 12 series at the maximum speed of 20W.

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Last but not least, the product can charge at the rate of 22.5W within 3 hours, whereas it can fill within 3.5 hours using an 18W charger.

ZMI Multifunctional Power Bank Pricing & Availability

The ZMI Multifunctional Power Bank is priced at 299 yuan ($45) and is already up for sale in China at a discounted price of 269 yuan ($40) for a limited time. There’s no word on international availability from the brand yet. Hence, interested customers will have to import it from China.

SoftBank and other Japanese carriers to invest $38 billion in 5G

By

Sean

-

Nov 4, 2020

A new report has suggested that Japanese network operators, SoftBank and KDDI are planning on investing a total of 38 billion US Dollars for 5G networking in the country over the course of the next 10 years.

According to an ITHome report, the move from the Japanese carriers arrives as they plan on catching up to other developed nations that are currently racing to adopt the newer and faster generation of networking. 5G network requires a large sum of capital investment and it is expected that its applications will be spread across various industries, and not simply limited to mobile networking. This would also effectively boost the country’s economy as well.

SoftBank recently planned on investing 2 trillion yen (roughly 19 billion US Dollars) to build 5G networking in the region. This would have the company build over 350,000 base stations within the next 10 years. At the moment, SoftBank is the first Japanese telecommunications company to announce its long term network development strategy but others are expected to soon unveil their own plans as well.

The company will be placing a focus on the commercial aspect of 5G, or in other words, push towards the consumer market. Its 5G network will support low latency and large data transmission. Furthermore, it is also hoping that its 5G base stations will promote further development of data intensive applications within other fields like IoT (Internet of Things), medicine, and even autonomous vehicles.

Samsung Galaxy M12/F12 live shots reveal rear design, 7,000mAh battery and 6.7-inch display expected

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Nov 4, 2020

Samsung announced the Galaxy F41 as its first F-series phone last month. A recent report revealed the existence of another F-series that has a model number of SM-F127G. This handset is expected to debut as the Galaxy F12. 91mobiles has shared live images of the back panel of the Galaxy F12. The report has also revealed the key specifications of the device. The SM-M127F model number mentioned along with SM-F127G in the live shots suggests it could be also rebadged as an M-series with Galaxy M12 or Galaxy M05 moniker.

The live shots have revealed that the Galaxy F12/M12’s back panel has a textured finish with a Samsung branding towards the bottom. There is a square-shaped camera module for its quad cameras. Below the camera housing, there is a cutout for LED flash.

Editor’s Pick: Samsung Galaxy S21 series launch and pre-order dates revealed

The device does not feature a rear-positioned fingerprint sensor. The biometric recognition feature seems to be embedded under the power button on the right edge. The volume buttons are also available on the right spine. The bottom edge of the back panel has cutouts for a 3.5mm audio jack, a microphone, a USB-C port, and a speaker grille. A microphone hole is also available on the top edge. A cutout for the SIM tray seems to be placed on the left edge.

The front design of the Galaxy F12/M12 is still a mystery. The publication claims that it has learned through its source that it has a 6.7-inch punch-hole screen with a tall aspect ratio. It has also revealed that the phone is backed by a gargantuan battery with a 7,000mAh capacity. The other details of the phone are under wraps.

Samsung and LG to launch TVs with miniLED displays in 2021

By

Sean

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Nov 4, 2020

Samsung, LG, and other major TV brands are planning on launching TVs with the new miniLED display technology in 2021. The miniLED TV lineup will likely arrive in high end premium segments in the market.

For those unaware, miniLED is a relatively new breed of displays that are being touted as the next generation of displays. These displays are made up of LED chips in the 100 to 200 micrometers range that make up the backlight unit of LCD TVs. This, in turn, helps raise the contrast ratio in comparison to traditional LCD panels, which use LED chips that are sized around 300 micrometers.

Furthermore, the use of miniLED can also effectively increase the efficiency of local dimming, which basically means that some chips are simply turned off to display deeper blacks. Other benefits of this type of display include advantages in terms of overall brightness and price over organic light emitting diode (OLED) TVs. At the moment, Samsung is the largest TV maker by sales and is pushing to launch its own offerings among its QLED TV series, which sport LCD displays.

Similarly, another South Korean tech giant, LG, is also gearing up for the launch of its 4K and 8K resolution 70 inch miniLED TVs, as per TheElec report. These will be within the Nanocell brand of LCD TVs. Although, the company would likely not mush its miniLED TVs are aggressively in comparison to Samsung as its primary focus is still its OLED TVs. Notably, Apple is also planning on launching a new iPad Pro that sports miniLED technology sometime next year.

Infinix Smart 4 with 6.82-inch display, Helio A22, 6,000mAh battery and 13MP dual cameras launched for Rs 6,999 (~$94)

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 4, 2020

In July, Infinix announced the Smart 4 Plus smartphone with a pricing of Rs. 7,999 (~$107). The Helio A25 SoC powered phone brought along features like a 6.82-inch HD+ display, 6,000mAh battery, and 13-megapixel dual rear cameras. Today, the Chinese brand unveiled the Infinix Smart 4 phone as its weaker sibling.

Infinix Smart 4 specifications and features

The Infinix Smart 4 also features a 6.82-inch HD+ display with a waterdrop notch. It delivers an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and a 20.5:9 aspect ratio. The phone is loaded with Android 10 Go edition OS along with XOS 6.2 Dolphin UI.

Editor’s Pick: Infinix Hot 10’s new 4GB RAM variant launched for Rs 8,999 (~$122)

The modest Helio A22 chipset along with 2 GB of RAM powers the Infinix Smart 4. The phone has an onboard storage of 32 GB and it has a microSD card slot for more storage. The phone s backed by a massive 6,000mAh battery that supports 10W charging.

For capturing selfies, the Smart 4 has a front-facing camera of 8-megapixel. The backside of the phone features an f/1.8 aperture 13-megapixel main camera and a depth sensor. A fingerprint sensor is available on the backside of the device. It has other features like dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, microUSB, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Infinix Smart 4 price in India

The Infinix Smart 4 has landed in India for Rs 6,999 (~$94). Midnight Black, Ocean Wave, Quetzal Cyan, and Violet are the color variants of the smartphone. It will go on sale at 12 PM on Nov. 8 through Flipkart.

$99 Selpic 3D Printer- Star A will be Launched Soon via Kickstarter

By

Greeva Agnihotri

-

Nov 4, 2020

Selpic focuses on introducing digital printing solutions and has been developing innovative technologies ever since its foundation. Following the successful debut of Selpic P1, the company has gone one step ahead and come up with the world’s most cost-effective 3D printer- Selpic Star A and is crowdfunded by Kickstarter. This unit is created to bring the user’s imagination to life.

Given the MO of Selpic, Star A naturally boasts an ultra-compact design, weighing just 4.4 lbs. and measuring 10.2 x 9.4 x 9.8-inches. It is an easy-to-use multifunctional 3D printer that allows open-source customization. This 3D printer features an intuitive 4-button operation that enables one to reset, print (start, pause or cancel), feed filament, or release filament. Furthermore, its-step assembly offers added convenience.

Having an X-axis and Y-axis accuracy of 100 μm and the Z-axis accuracy of 50 μm, Star A offers a printing resolution of ±0.1 mm with the layer thickness of 0.1~0.2mm. This unit helps capture and define the fine detailing of the design accurately. It adopts direct extrusion technology that prevents filament stringing and oozing to achieve enhanced extrusion and quick retraction. This 3D printer comes with a brass nozzle that keeps the extrusion smooth and stable.

In case of a power outage or filament exhaustion, Star A automatically stops and resumes printing from where it left off after the problem is resolved, saving filament and effort. Its low-noise motor keeps the noise below 60dB to improve the users’ experience.

By upgrading Star A’s parts with add-ons, the user can transform or enhance it for various functions. With a hotbed, one can raise the temperature to 100℃ for an improved printing effect, while the 2.4-inch full-color touchscreen can completely replace its buttons. Adding a laser head to this unit enables it to function as a laser engraver and can easily etch surfaces like wood, plastic, or card. This unit has open-source customization that allows one to modify and adjust its parameters according to their requirements.

With its versatile and flexible functionality, Star A creates more room for creativity and is perfect for DIY projects, among other things. Its compact and easy-to-use form paves the way for a large audience. Star A line of 3D printers will be launched soon via Kickstarter and are currently sold for a discounted early bird price, starting from just $99.

To know more about the specifications and discounts, click here.

AnTuTu: Android mobile phone cost-effective rankings list for October released

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Nov 4, 2020

AnTuTu’s list of top 10 flagship phones for the month of October is led by the Huawei Mate 40 Pro, iQOO 5 Pro, and iQOO 5. The benchmarking platform has also released October’s list of the best performing Android smartphones across different price points for the Chinese market.

0 – 1,499 Yuan (~$223) price range

The Redmi 10X 5G (6GB+128GB) is seen leading the list of phones that are priced between 0 and 1,499 Yuan (~$223). The second and third spots are occupied by the Redmi 9 (4GB+64GB) and Redmi Note 8 Pro (6GB+128GB). The other phones that are included in the list include Honor 9X, Redmi K30 5G, Redmi K30i 5G, Redmi 10X 4G, Honor Play 4T Pro, and Vivo Y5s.

1,500 Yuan (~$223) to 1,999 Yuan (~$298) price range

The 1,500 Yuan (~$223) to 1,999 Yuan (~$298) price range is led by the Redmi K30 Ultra. It is followed by the Redmi K30 5G Racing Edition (6GB+128GB) and iQOO Z1x (6GB+128GB) are placed second and third, respectively. The Vivo Y51s 5G and OPPO 725G are also included in the list.

2,000 Yuan (~$298) to 2,999 Yuan (~$447) price range

The Redmi K30S Ultra (8GB+128GB) is at the number uno spot in the 2,000 Yuan (~$298) to 2,999 Yuan (~$447) price range. In the second place is the Realme X7 Pro 5G (8GB+128GB) and Redmi K30 Pro (6GB+128GB). The other phones are included in the list are iQOO Neo3, iQOO Z1, Realme X50 Pro Player Edition, Realme X50 Pro 5G, Black Shark 3, Redmi 10X Pro 5G, and Honor V20.

Editor’s Pick: AnTuTu October 2020: HUAWEI Mate40 Pro tops the list but not by a high margin

3,000 (~$447) Yuan and 3,999 Yuan (~$596) price range

The Redmi K30 Pro Zoom Version (8GB+256GB), OPPO Ace2 (8GB+128GB), and Meizu 17 (8GB+128GB) are ranked first, second, and third, respectively, in the 3,000 (~$447) Yuan and 3,999 Yuan (~$596) price range. The OnePlus 8T, iQOO 5, Xiaomi Mi 10T, Black Shark 3S, Lenovo Legion Pro, ROG Phone 3, and OnePlus 8 are mentioned in the list.

Above 4,500 Yuan (~$670)

The iQOO 5 Pro, Meizu 17 Pro, and Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra are the top 3 phones in the above 4,500 Yuan (~$670) segment. These phones are followed by the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro, Vivo NEX 3S 5G, Vivo X50 Pro+, OnePlus 8 Pro, OPPO Find X2 Pro, Huawei Mate 40 Pro, and Honor 30 Pro+.

Xiaomi India emerges as the top brand for smartphone quality

By

Sean

-

Nov 4, 2020

Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer, has been extremely successful in the Indian market. Since its first entry into the region, it has become the most popular brand in the region and has now also received the title for the top brand in terms of smartphone quality.

The company received the title after RedQuanta, a customer intelligence firm, reported on its findings of a study that was conducted in over 25 cities with over a thousand respondents. The primary goal of the study was to find the top smartphone brand in the market, in terms of the perceived quality of its handsets. In the study, multiple factors were taken into consideration, which includes the camera, battery life, durability, and value for money.

The report found that Mi India led the rank in two of these aspects, namely camera, and long battery life. Furthermore, the company also arrived on top of its known affordability. The study found that most respondents placed an emphasis on a “good quality” smartphone. While the recommended score is 83 percent as per the firm, Xiaomi managed to achieve a score of 86 percent on post purchase satisfaction.

Muralikrishnan B, Chief Operating Officer, Mi India stated that “we are committed to continuous innovation with an unwavering focus on quality and customer experience. Towards this, we are deeply invested in ensuring that our Smartphones are designed for India and are able to weather the tough environmental and usage conditions that phones are subject to in the real world. While we are excited about topping the Quality charts again, our aim is to provide the best quality at an honest price and well rounded experience to our consumers. Recognition like this gives us more confidence about our decisions and pushes us to ensure that the user receives only the best.”

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0 – 1,499 Yuan (~$223) price range

1,500 Yuan (~$223) to 1,999 Yuan (~$298) price range

2,000 Yuan (~$298) to 2,999 Yuan (~$447) price range

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3,000 (~$447) Yuan and 3,999 Yuan (~$596) price range

Above 4,500 Yuan (~$670)

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