Recently, the Galaxy S20 was revealed to have an unofficial 96 Hz refresh rate option that wasn’t made available by Samsung. The guys at XDA Developers were able to force the device to load the 96 Hz refresh rate which will offer a better battery consumption than 120 Hz. A similar tweak has now come to the POCO X3 which allows you to keep the device locked on 120Hz, thanks to XDA member Slim K.
The POCO X3 as you may recall comes with a 120Hz refresh rate just like its predecessor. However, the drag is that POCO included a software feature known as Dynamic Refresh Rate. This feature intelligently adjusts the display refresh rate as a way to optimize battery usage. Thus, even when the refresh rate is set at full blast 120Hz by the user, the feature still reduces the refresh rate based on scenarios. For instance, the refresh rate will fall down to 60Hz during video streaming and even further down to 50Hz when scrolling through static images. While gaming, it then bumps up to 120Hz. The switch isn’t that smooth as it causes the phone to stutter, albeit momentarily but it is noticeable.
The discovery by XDA Member Slim K allows users to disable Dynamic Refresh Rate, thus unlocking the super-smooth 120Hz refresh rate in all apps. However, to be able to do this, you’ll need to unlock the bootloader and root the phone with Magisk v21.0. Mind you, this voids the warranty the phone has.
We should also point out that keeping the refresh rate permanently hooked on to 120Hz will have a huge toll on battery life. The smartphone comes with a massive 6000mAh battery for the non-NFC version released in India and a 5,160mAh battery for the NFC version so that may not be a big issue.
You can check out the step-by-step guide to disable the Dynamic refresh Rate from the XDA Forum thread from here.
Last year, Amazon announced its first wireless earbuds dubbed the Echo Buds. The Alexa-powered $130 earbuds have active noise cancellation and a case that supports wired charging via a MicroUSB port. Now, a successor is on the way and it will support wireless charging.
The info comes from listings of an Anker wireless charger at the FCC and Wireless Power Consortium that reveals the second-gen Echo Buds will have support for wireless charging.
A report by The Verge states the FCC listing is for an Anker wireless charging pad whose official name is PowerWave Pad for Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen with Wireless Charging)”.
We decided to check the database of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) and found that the Anker wireless charger has also been certified there. The listing even includes a render of the charger that gives us an early look at the final product.
The image shows the Anker PowerWave Pad for Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen with Wireless Charging) is shaped like a round pebble and will come in black with a matte finish. While we are not sure, we want to believe the port at the back where the cable goes into the charger is a USB-C port. The top of the charger has a recess shaped like a pill, and it is speculated that the 2nd Gen Echo Buds may have a similar shape.
There are a total of 9 LEDs on the charger – four are placed beside an inscription that reads “BUDS“, another set of four LEDs are next to an inscription that says “CASE”, and the last is next to an inscription that says “PHONE”. Our theory is that the wireless charger will be able to indicate the battery level of not just the case but also the buds when charging which is why there are LEDs labeled “BUDS” and “CASE”. The LED labeled ”PHONE” should light up when you place a phone on the charger.
The original Echo Buds launched more than a year ago and the timing of these listings may be a hint a new model isn’t far off.
Just a couple of days back, Xiaomi launched the Mi Water Purifier H600G with a dual outlet design and 600G higher flux RO membrane. Just a few days after, the company released the Mi Water Purifier H1000G. The product carries a price tag of 3999 yuan (~$595) but early adopters can pick up the model for 2999 yuan ($446). It is scheduled to go on sale on November 1 via Xiaomi Youpin.
The Mi Water Purifier H1000G is Xiaomi’s water purifier with the strongest water purification capacity, the most water-saving and the fastest water output so far. It can purify 2.5L of water in 1 minute, which is close to the domestic water supply need of an average home.
The water purifier is said to have a stable 3:1 pure/wastewater ratio, which is higher than the national first-class water efficiency. In terms of water purification technology, the machine adopts the industry’s first double RO reverse osmosis filtration technology. The wastewater filtered by the RO main membrane is filtered again through the RO secondary membrane. The second stage filtration uses the pressure transmission of the first stage filtration, with low noise and low cost.
In addition to the double RO membrane, the three-stage filter element also includes folded PP cotton, pre-activated carbon, scale inhibitor, post-activated carbon, etc.
In terms of cost, the RO-800G filter element can be replaced after 3 years, and the cost of using it for the first three years is less than 1 yuan.
In addition, the Mi Water Purifier H1000G comes with a dedicated smart faucet which is equipped with an OLED display screen. The display screen shows the water purification status. It equally features a horizontal suction filter element and a design height of 43 cm with a water storage tank.
The new water purifier is also a smart home product, which means it can be paired with the MIJIA app. Through the app, users can check water quality, filter life, and other information in real-time.
Flagship killers are here to stay. With top-tier flagships becoming every day more expensive, the attention of the consumers moved mainly to affordable flagships and upper-midrange phones. Xiaomi and Realme are two of the leading company in the flagship killers segment and they released devices with incredibly high value for money this year. The latest one comes from Xiaomi and it is the Mi 10T Pro, the successor of the Mi 9T Pro also known as Redmi K20 Pro in China and India. Realme released three flagship killers this year, two of which come with 5G connectivity just like the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro: we are talking about the Realme X7 Pro and the Realme X50 Pro 5G. Here is a comparison between Xiaomi and Realme’s affordable flagships.
Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro vs Realme X7 Pro vs Realme X50 Pro
Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro
Realme X50 Pro
Realme X7 Pro
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
165.1 x 76.4 x 9.3 mm, 218 g
159 x 74.2 x 8.9 mm, 209 g
160.8 x 75.1 x 8.5 mm, 184 g
DISPLAY
6.67 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), IPS LCD
6.44 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
6.55 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
Triple 108 + 13 + 5 MP, f/1.7 + f/2.4 + f/2.4
20 MP f/2.2 front camera
Quad 64 + 12 + 8 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.5 + f/2.3 + f/2.4
Dual 32 + 8 MP f/2.5 and f/2.2 front camera
Quad 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.3, f/2.4 and f/2.4
32 MP f/2.5 front camera
BATTERY
5000 mAh, fast charging 33W
4200 mAh, fast charging 65W
4500 mAh, fast charging 65W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Dual SIM slot, 5G
Dual SIM slot, 5G
Dual SIM slot, 5G
Design
Realme X7 Pro has an amazing design. It is thinner and lighter than its rivals, and it is made of premium materials. Realme X50 Pro 5G has a less elegant dual punch-hole, but the camera module on the rear is less invasive and the phone is more compact. Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro is the biggest, heaviest and thickest device of the trio, that is why I do not like it much. Realme X7 Pro and Realme X50 Pro 5G have an under-display fingerprint scanner, while Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro has a side-mounted sensor making the phone thicker.
Display
The most impressive display belongs to the Realme X7 Pro 5G. In terms of dimensions, its AMOLED panel sits in the middle with a diagonal of 6.55 inches, but it is more interesting than the Realme X50 Pro 5G because it has a higher 120 Hz refresh rate. On the other hand, Realme X50 Pro 5G supports the HDR10+ standard. The Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro has the highest refresh rate with 144 Hz, but it has an IPS display, that is the reason why it loses this comparison. It is a great IPS panel, but its image quality does not reach the level of those AMOLED displays.
Hardware/Software
If you need the most powerful hardware, you must go for the Realme X50 Pro 5G as it sports a Snapdragon 865 chipset, up to 12 GB of RAM, and up to 256 GB of UFS 3.0 internal storage. The Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro has a Snapdragon 865 chipset as well, but it offers a max of 8 GB of RAM paired with its UFS 3.1 native storage. The Dimensity 1000+ chipset found on the Realme X7 Pro is a great flagship chipset, but it is inferior to the Snapdragon 865. Each of these devices comes with Android 10 out of the box: even the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro is based on Android 10, despite it is very recent and it runs MIUI 12.
Camera
The most convincing camera phone is the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro. It has the best main camera: a 108 MP sensor with OIS which is able to record videos with 8K resolution. On the other hand, Realme X50 Pro 5G is more interesting when it comes to zoom and front cameras: it is the only with a telephoto sensor and it has a dual ultrawide front camera with 32 and 8 MP resolutions. Realme X7 Pro has a midrange-class rear camera which can not compete with its opponents.
Battery
Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro has the biggest battery with a 5000 mAh capacity, but Realme X7 Pro and Realme X50 Pro 5G support faster charging thanks to their 65W power.
Price
Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro and Realme X50 Pro 5G are priced €599/$707 globally in their base variants, while Realme X7 Pro is only present in China where it carries a €347/$410 starting price. Due to its great display, amazing hardware, pretty nice cameras, and very fast charging, Realme X50 Pro 5G looks the most complete device of the trio, despite it is older. Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro offers a better photo quality and a bigger battery, but it comes with an IPS display and not everyone likes it on a flagship killer. Realme X7 Pro has the highest value for money but it is a slightly inferior phone.
Today, OnePlus announced the Nord N10 5G, its second 5G mid-range phone this year. The phone will go on sale first in the UK and Europe at a price tag of £329 and €329 respectively before landing in North America.
While the OnePlus Nord N10 5G does pack decent specs, the category and price range it belongs to is packed full with several options. This post is a list of five alternative budget 5G phones you can purchase. Do note that this list of devices is in no particular order.
Mi 10T Lite 5G
The Mi 10T Lite 5G is a new phone that launched this month. It is the least powerful model of the Mi 10T series but is also the cheapest. Nevertheless, this budget 5G phone has a lot going for it.
The Mi 10T Lite has a 6.67-inch display with a centered punch hole in the middle. This is an LCD display like you have on the OnePlus Nord N10 5G but Xiaomi’s phone has a higher 120Hz refresh rate and AdaptiveSync that automatically switches between refresh rates based on the content on your screen. The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 750G and comes with 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of storage with a dedicated MicroSD card slot.
There is a 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP quad-camera setup on the back while a 16MP camera is in front for taking selfies. It also has a bigger 4820mAh battery and supports 33W fast charging. There is NFC, a 360° ambient light sensor, IR blaster, stereo speakers, and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.
The Mi 10 Lite packs better specs than OnePlus’s new phone and is also cheaper in the UK, selling for £229 for the 64GB version and £249 for the 128GB version. You can even grab the base model for £199.00 today. Hurry, there are only a few hours left. In other parts of Europe such as Germany, the phone sells for €279.90 for the base model and €349.90 for the 128GB version. That sure is more expensive than the OnePlus Nord N10 5G but it offers more in terms of features.
Mi 10 Lite 5G
Before the Mi 10T Lite 5G, there was the Mi 10 Lite 5G. If you prefer an OLED display, then this should do it for you, however, its 6.57-inch FHD+ HDR10+ screen has a waterdrop notch and it only has a 60Hz refresh rate.
The Mi 10 Lite 5G also has a 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP quad-camera setup but its selfie camera is a 16MP sensor. You do get the Snapdragon 765G processor with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There is no storage expansion support but it has an in-display fingerprint scanner, NFC, stereo speakers, and an IR blaster. Its battery is slightly smaller than that of the Nord N10 5G at 4160mAh and it supports a much slower 20W fast charge.
The Mi 10 Lite is £349/€349 for the 6+128GB version and £299/€309 for the 6+64GB version.
Moto G 5G Plus
Motorola’s Moto G 5G Plus is the first Moto G 5G phone and it keeps the affordable price tag the series is known for. Starting at €349, the phone has a 6.7-inch FHD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate and two separate holes in the screen for front-facing cameras.
It is powered by the Snapdragon 765 processor and has up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Just like the Nord N10 5G, and the other two phones mentioned above, the Moto G 5G Plus has quad rear cameras – a 48MP primary camera, an 8MP ultrawide angle camera, a 5MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth camera. Its primary front camera is a 16MP sensor paired with an 8MP ultrawide angle camera.
Other features are a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, NFC, a dedicated Google Assistant button, and a 5000mAh battery with support for 20W fast charging. The base model with 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage is €349 while the 6+128GB version is €399.
OPPO Reno4 Z 5G
The Reno4 Z 5G is another affordable 5G phone that launched earlier this month in Europe. Unlike the other devices on this list that are powered by Qualcomm processor, the Reno4 Z 5G has MediaTek’s Dimensity 800 chipset inside it.
The screen is a 6.57-inch FHD+ LCD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a pill-shaped punch-hole for dual front-facing cameras. The processor is paired with 8GB of RAM, more than the Nord N10 5G has but you get 128GB of non-expandable storage.
You also get a 48MP quad-camera setup on the back which includes an 8MP ultrawide angle camera and two 2MP sensors. The front cameras are a 16MP + 2MP combo with an ultrawide angle lens. You get a smaller 4000mAh battery and a much slower 18W fast charging. There is also NFC, an audio jack, and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.
The phone is available for purchase for £329.99 and if you order between now and November 13, you get a free pair of OPPO Enco W31 TWS earbuds that are priced at £89.
Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
The Galaxy A42 5G will arrive in Europe next month but it is still worthy of being on this list. The mid-range 5G phone will sell for £349/€369 when it goes on sale on November 6, and for that price, you get a phone powered by the Snapdragon 750G processor.
The phone also has a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display albeit HD+. The variant that will be sold in the UK has 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It also has a 48MP quad-camera setup that includes an 8MP ultrawide angle camera, a 5MP macro camera, and a 5MP depth of field camera. A 20MP selfie camera sits in the notch in the display. There is also a 5000mAh battery that charges at a disappointing 15W.
The Galaxy A42 5G also has an in-display fingerprint scanner, support for MicroSD card, and NFC.
Apple recently announced a new HomePod Mini, along with the iPhone 12 series. Now, a report by Bloomberg says the company is gearing up to launch more Audio products including low-end AirPods in 2021.
Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg’s report says(via TechRadar), Apple is working on the next entry-level Airpods( Tentative: AirPods 3), AirPods Pro 2nd gen, and a one more HomePod. This new HomePod is likely to take a spot between the Original HomePod(2018), and Mini(2020). Now, this is a bit surprising considering the Mini launched only a couple of weeks back.
AirPods 3, and AirPods Pro 2nd gen – Designs
Regarding the AirPods 3, the report says the design will be similar to the current AirPods Pro. If reports are true, Apple will shorten the stem and introduce in-ear design with ear tips for the new AirPods. This is a welcoming change considering the old design doesn’t seal your ears perfectly. Also, Apple will reportedly improve battery life for the AirPods 3.
Currently, Apple promises playback, talk time of 5hrs & 3hrs with each earbud, and 24hrs & 18hrs with charging case respectively. This model, however, isn’t going to feature ANC(Active Noise Cancellation) like the Pro version says the report. This negates an earlier report from last year that said the AirPods 3 will have ANC.
For the AirPods Pro 2nd gen, Apple is reportedly looking to get inspiration from Google, and Samsung. It is likely to eliminate the stem and sport a rounded design. Apparently, it is already testing a design that has a rounded shape to fill the user’s ear more. Looks like Apple wants to borrow some pages off Google’s Pixel Buds, and Samsung’s latest Galaxy Buds.
Besides, Apple has reportedly found it difficult to incorporate the ANC, antennas, microphones inside the new rounded design. Hence, don’t expect a revolutionary change in the design department whenever it launches commercially. The low-end AirPods(Tentative: AirPods 3) is rumored to launch in H1 of 2021. Luxshare Precision Industry Co. and Goertek Inc. are likely to handle the production.
Another HomePod, AirPods Studio details
As mentioned earlier, the new HomePod is likely to be placed somewhere between $99-$299 at which both the Original HomePod, and Mini sell. However, the report also warns that Apple may launch this, or just cut the price of the higher HomePod as well.
AirPods Studio headphones is a long-rumored product, and as of now it’s launch looks uncertain this year. The report says its production got delayed due to issues on the headband. Apparently, it was “too tight” in a few testing. Also, Apple has now re-designed the touchpads of the headphones and has reduced the “interchangeability of the buds” as well. Let’s wait for more info as we march ahead.
Microsoft has already confirmed that the company is working on a new variant of the Windows operating system — Windows 10X which is a modular and lightweight version of Windows 10.
Now, as per the latest report, the Windows 10X operating system from Microsoft could be ready by December this year. However, there’s one major disappointment for those who are looking forward to it.
As per the report, there will be no support for Win32 apps. Earlier, Microsoft had promised that Windows 10X will be able to run Win32 applications using virtualization but not it is being said that there will no support for VAIL technology and the users will be stuck using UWP and PWA applications.
We just hope that this is for the initial release and the company is working on adding support for VAIL and Win32 apps on the Windows 10X operating system soon.
Microsoft was set to launch the Surface Neo dual-screen device running the Windows 10X operating system. However, the device has now been delayed until 2022. With Microsoft set to offer Windows 10X RTM this December, third-party devices will get launched running this new operating system instead of Microsoft’s own hardware.
The devices running this new operating system should be available by Spring 2021. It seems that Windows 10X is now aimed towards low-cost devices and could compete against the likes of Chromebooks in the market.
A couple of weeks back Samsung rolled out a Public beta of One UI 3.0 in South Korea. Now, the company is rolling out the new beta version of the UI to signed-up users of the Galaxy S20 series in China, and India.
A report from Sammobile shows a first beta version of One UI 3.0 with firmware G98x0ZCU2ZTJG. The firmware version is for the Galaxy S20 series devices that have signed up for beta in China. This includes the Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra. Also, a beta version with firmware version G98xFXXU5ZTJF is rolling out to Indian users as well. As promised, the beta is live in other countries like the United States, South Korea, United Kingdom, Poland, and Germany.
Further, the report says that the firmware version for China is same as the US. It is obviously based on Android 11, packs in October 1, 2020, Android Security patch, and Knox 3.7. And, it reportedly fixes bugs identified in the earlier release.
Also, the update is expected to arrive soon for devices like Galaxy Note 20 series, and S20 FE across the regions. Samsung confirmed the OneUI 3.0 based on Android 11 back at the event on August 5. The beta program began after the initial developer build and is now covered to almost all the countries as promised earlier. The public version will reportedly roll out before 2020 ends.
Besides, OneUI 3.0 has quite an overhaul from the earlier version apart from carrying the Android 11 features. The changes include Accessibility, Contacts, Bixby routine, Digital wellbeing, revamp to Home, Lock screen. And AOD features, revamped screenshots, and more.
So if you are someone who has signed up for the beta, navigate to settings->software update->download and install to try the new UI via OTA update. If you haven’t registered, you can click on the One UI banner inside the Samsung Members App.
Meizu is known for its uniquely-designed smartphones. Unfortunately, the company’s devices are currently limited to its home country China. Back in May, the firm launched Meizu 17 and Meizu 17 Pro as its flagship smartphones of 2020. Now, months later, the company has announced Meizu 17 limited edition box in collaboration with Crazyracing Kartrider.
Meizu is the second smartphone brand to partner with the popular go-kart racing game Crazyracing Kartrider this year. When HONOR X10 was unveiled, Huawei’s sub-brand HONOR announced a limited edition gift box for select customers in association with this game.
However, unlike HONOR, which offered a figurine inside the gift box, Meizu is only providing a scratch card for in-game content. Further, HONOR gave away the box to select customers who pre-ordered HONOR X10 ahead of its official sale. On the other hand, Meizu is offering the gift box as part of the 11.11 (Double Eleven) sale event.
That said, the smartphone included in the Meizu 17 Crazyracing Kartrider Limited Edition Gift Box comes with Fantasy Unicorn paint job and 8GB + 128GB storage configuration. This color variant of Meizu 17 is similar to the recently announced HUAWEI Mate40 Pro’s Mystic Silver color version.
Having said that, despite being a limited edition gift box, the Meizu 17 Crazyracing Kartrider box costs the same 3,699 yuan ($551) as the standard edition. The registration for this box is currently live on Jingdong(JD). Pre-orders will November 1, followed by Sale on November 11.
Xiaomi has launched the Viomi Electric Drying Rack Lite 1C under the Youpin crowdfunding platform. The device comes with a crowdfunding price tag of 699 yuan (~$104). It comes with free installation and free dismantling in China.
The Viomi Electric Drying Rack Lite 1C isn’t the first clothes drying rack that Xiaomi would be launching. The tech giant has its own MIJIA Clothes Dryer which was first launched in 2018 and a new model with voice control was released this year. There is also the Aqara Smart Dryer equally released last year.
The Viomi Drying Rack comes with support for XiaoAI’s voice control and can equally be controlled via the MIJIA app. It adopts a gradually brightening lighting design, has three-fold safety protection and a three-year warranty for the whole machine.
Viomi Electric Drying Rack Lite 1C supports one-key automatic lifting. When the drying rack is lowered to a suitable height, it will stop descending with a light hold of the hand. After hanging the clothes, push the hand upwards to automatically move it upwards so the clothes can be dried.
The rack can be extended up to 2.2 meters to create space for more clothes. It is also possible to extend it to the left and right sides. It comes with up to twenty-six wind-proof hanging holes and the entire rack can bear a gross weight of 70 kg.
The drying rack is equipped with two rows of multifunctional mother and baby clips, which can meet the needs of drying many small clothes. The unique hanging hole design, stable and windproof design all make this a good buy.
Further, when folded, the clothes drying rack has a thickness of just 152mm, which does not occupy too much ceiling space and has a wider field of vision.
The Viomi Electric Drying Rack Lite 1C can be controlled via the Mijia app to perform functions such as raising, lowering as well as pause the rack. The drying lamp can also be turned on using the app. You also get voice control via a XiaoAI supported device.
Xiaomi will launch the next iteration of the K30 series in China tomorrow(October 27). The company has confirmed today that the Redmi K30S Extreme Commemorative Edition will be the latest entrant in the series. Now, ahead of the launch, let’s look at the expected specifications, and price.
The Xiaomi Mi 10T will be rebranded as the Redmi K30S in China
Xiaomi’s approach has altered a bit in 2020. It skipped the Redmi Note 9 series in China, and now, the Redmi K30S is strongly hinted at as a rebadged version of Mi 10T from Europe. If we recall, Xiaomi launched the Mi 10T series in Europe last month. Later, it brought the series to India as well. Now, the company’s launch tomorrow in China will be at 2 PM local time. To affirm the hints, the company has already teased the device with a couple of pictures, and it is indeed looking like the Mi 10T.
Redmi K30S Design
First off, Xiaomi is calling it the Redmi K30S Extreme Commemorative Edition in China. The device will have a side-mounted fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button. Above that, there are volume buttons. At the bottom, we have speakers, a USB-C port, and a SIM card slot. The front has a display with a single punch-hole to the left whereas the rear has a rounded rectangle layout for cameras.
Considering its a rebadge of Mi 10T, we can expect the display and rear panel to sport Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 protection. As for the color variants, teasers so far point to the same Cosmic Black and Lunar Silver options for China.
So, the Redmi K30S Extreme Commemorative Edition will probably feature a 6.67-inch FHD+ LCD 144Hz display. Now, a Xiaomi executive had already explained why the company had to opt for LCD on the Mi 10T. To affirm it, Redmi’s Product Director Wang Teng has replied to one of the users on Weibo citing that LCD on K30S will be of top quality.
If Xiaomi were to retain the same panel from Mi 10T, it will have ΔE=0.63 and JNCD (Just Noticeable Color Difference)=0.39. Additionally, it could also have features like Adaptive Sync, MEMC, Sunlight Mode 3.0, Reading Mode 3.0, and 4096 levels of brightness adjustments. Under the hood, a recent leak on TENAA hints at Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC, and Xiaomi has confirmed it already. Also, the SoC will be paired with LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 storage but variants are China is not known yet. However, we can expect at least 6GB/8GB RAM and 128GB storage.
As for the optics, the teasers on Weibo already show a 64MP sensor on the renders which is the same as Mi 10T. Hence, the device is likely to host Sony’s IMX682 64MP main lens, a 13MP ultra-wide, and a 5MP macro lens. Upfront, it will probably host a 20MP selfie shooter like the Mi 10T. We can expect other features like NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi 6, Stereo speakers, 3D audio recording, IR blaster, SA/NSA 5G, 5,000mAh battery with 33W charging via USB-C, and more.
Price, Availability
In both Europe and India, the Mi 10T is already starting at €499, and ₹35,999 respectively. However, a hint by Wang Teng suggests the Redmi K30S Extreme Commemorative Edition could start at 2,598 yuan($388) in China. This will make it the Cheapest Snapdragon 865 SoC device yet, if that happens.
For Availability, Xiaomi is already hinting at 11.11 which is a famous Double Eleven sales day in China. It is nothing but Nov. 11 Singles’ Day shopping festival in the country. Hence, we can expect it to go on sale that day but let’s wait for the official word during the launch.
Chinese smartphone maker launched realme C17 first in Bangladesh in the month of September. This handset is also available in countries like Pakistan. However, it is yet to debut in India, which is the brand’s most important market. Now, more than a month after the phone’s initial announcement, a tech influencer has revealed when this device will land in India.
realme C17 Navy Blue
The Indian launch information about the realme C17 comes from one of the popular tech influencers known as Mukul Sharma. He tweeted that his handset may debut in the country in either late November or early December.
In other words, it will land in India after the Diwali festive season if this information is true. It is worth noting that this smartphone was already spotted on realme India’s website earlier this month.
The realme C17 is unlike other recent handsets in the realme C series. Because it is powered by a Qualcomm chipset, Snapdragon 460 to be exact, and sports a 6.5-inch HD+ (720 x 1600 pixels) LCD panel with 90Hz refresh rate, 90% screen-to-body ratio, 600 nits peak brightness, and a top left-aligned punch-hole for the selfie camera.
It comes in a single 6GB LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB UFS 2.1 storage configuration, however, India may get a lower variant so that the company could price it lower to cut the competition. Anyway, like almost all budget handsets, it supports microSD cards via a triple card slot.
realme C17 Lake Green
As for cameras, the phone comes equipped with a 13MP (wide) + 8MP (ultra-wide – 119°) + 2MP (macro) + 2MP (monochrome) quad-camera setup on the back and an 8MP front-facing camera for selfies and video calls.
Other features of the realme C17 include 4G LTE, dual-band WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C, rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, light sensor, proximity sensor, compass, accelerometer, realme UI based on Android 10, 5,000mAh battery, 18W fast charging, and reverse charging.
In case you are not aware, Xiaomi sells a number of products other than smartphones. Some of the company’s best products are not its phones but its ecological products. Unfortunately, most of them are limited to China and hence, nobody knows about them. Therefore, we at GizmoChina bring you information about new Xiaomi ecological products whenever the company launches an interesting one. That said, let’s take a look a look at the newly announced Mi Leak Detector.
Xiaomi Mi Leak Detector Features, Price & Availability
As its name suggests, the Xiaomi Mi Leak Detector is a tool to detect water leaks at your home or workplace. It sports a minimal design like any other Xiaomi ecosystem product. Unfortunately, the device only comes in a single white color option with ‘Mi’ branding on top.
It can be used in any part of your residence or office, especially the kitchen and bathroom where there’s a high chance of water leakage. The company claims it to work 24 hours and notify you on your smartphone whenever there’s a leakage.
It is a useful product for those who own a large place or live in an area where flooding is frequent during monsoon. In the latter situation, the user will be alerted when the water level rises in their home so that they can safeguard their things at home from water damage.
Unfortunately, we don’t have much information about this product as of now. We will update this article if we learn more about it.
Having said that, the Xiaomi Mi Leak Detector is priced at 59 yuan ($9) and will be available for purchase starting October 27 in China.
OnePlus has today officially taken the wraps off the much-anticipated budget smartphones. The two smartphones dubbed OnePlus Nord N10 and Nord N100 are the brand’s cheapest models yet, cheaper than the Nord which was released recently. The duo comes with several features but the most outstanding should be the return of the 3.5mm audio jack and the fact that they emerge as the first OnePlus models with a microSD card slot.
The OnePlus Nord N10 is ranked beneath the OnePlus Nord when you talk about the specifications. On the other hand, the Nord N100 goes even further down the ladder, emerging as the lowest specs and price OnePlus has ever adopted.
OnePlus Nord N10 & Nord N100 Pricing & Availability
OnePlus has indicated that the new Nord smartphones will be launched for sale in Europe and the UK first. The phones will then be launched in North America as well.
As for the price, the OnePlus Nord N10 will start at £329/€329 (~$429) while the N100 comes with a more pocket-friendly price tag of £179/€179 (~$233).OnePlus is yet to reveal more details about the release dates.
OnePlus Nord N100 specs
OnePlus Nord N100 is the budget model of the two. It packs a decent specs lineup which includes a 6.52-inch display with HD+ resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 chipset paired with 4GB of RAM. The phone comes in a sole 64GB storage option but there is a MicroSD slot for expanding the storage.
As for the camera setup, the Nord N100 features a triple camera setup made up of a 13MP main camera as well as a 2MP Bokeh lens and a 2MP macro sensor. There is a 13MP front camera for selfies onboard.
The Nord N100 packs a generous 5000mAh battery and features support for 18W wired fast charging. It runs on OxygenOS based on Android 10, the first time OnePlus’ custom ROM is available on a budget phone. It comes in Midnight Frost colour option and 4G support only.
OnePlus Nord N10 specs
On the other hand, the Nord N10 features a 6.49-inch screen with FullHD+ resolution and a better 90Hz refresh rate. It is fired up by a Snapdragon 690 processor paired with 6GB of RAM. The phone comes with 128GB of storage which can be expanded up to 512GB via microSD card. The N10 packs a 4300mAh battery and has support for Warp Charge 30T wired charging. The phone also comes with 5G connectivity.
For photography, the Nord N10 packs a quad-camera setup at the rear consisting of a 64MP main camera teaming up with a 13MP Ultra-wide sensor, a 2MP macro lens and a 2MP monochrome lens. At the front is a 16MP selfie camera. The N10 comes in Midnight Ice colour option only.
The two new Nord smartphones will be available in dual-SIM variant in Europe and the UK while the North American market will only get the single SIM model. They also come with rear-mounted fingerprint sensors.
Italy has just prevented the telecom group, Fastweb, from signing a deal with Huawei to supply equipment for core 5G network, as per multiple sources, which believe that this move is a clear indicator of Rome adopting a stricter stance against Chinese firms.
The move to prevent this deal was decided by a cabinet meeting earlier this month, which also marked the first time Italy has had to veto a deal over 5G core networks with Huawei. Previously, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Italy back in September and had described the Chinese tech giant as a threat to the country’s national security, similar to the Trump administration’s stand on the company in the US.
At the moment, Huawei has strongly rejected the charges and its Italian unit is ready to undergo any scrutiny to showcase the safety of its technology. However, the meeting from earlier this month has decided to use the body’s special vetting powers to block Fastweb from striking a deal with the Chinese firm for the supply sensitive parts for its 5G mobile networking solution in the country, as per sources close to the matter.
According to a Reutersreport, a senior government official has stated that “The government has vetoed the operation, asking Fastweb to diversify its suppliers.” Furthermore, the Prime Minister’s office also plans on evaluating Huawei’s role in the 5G core networks in the region. While many European nations like the UK have sought to ban the Chinese brand, Italy has yet to do so yet. So stay tuned for more updates regarding this matter.
Custom Android Skins are more than a revamped Stock UI as they contain many customizations and useful features. Vivo’s FunTouch OS is no exception and its latest FunTouch OS 11 remains an example with heavy customizations. Now, a new tipster on Weibo says the company will rename the next one as Origin OS. And it could come as early as this year.
Tipster Digital Chat Sation(Translated from: 数码闲聊站的微博_微博) on Weibo says that the Vivo’s new UI will become Origin OS. Also, he says that the new UI has a lot of improvements. On top of that, it reportedly will be a complete package. And be the first iteration of the company’s new Customized UI. Now, this is really surprising and intriguing at the same time because Vivo’s recently updated its UI to FunTouch OS 11.
Vivo launched the Vivo V20 recently with FunTouch OS 11 which is the first device to ship with Android 11 out of the box. Also, the company has listed the features of its new FunTouch OS 11 on its Hongkong website with improvements to AOD, Gallery, iManager, Ultra Game Mode, and more.
That said, before the unveiling of FunTouch OS 10, it teased a new Jovi OS. However, Vivo suspended the Jovi OS naming after discussing it with team members. Hence, it will be interesting to see if the new Origin OS is anything real. And bring drastic improvements, if any, with it considering the FunTouch OS 11 is already out.
Coming back, the tipster has also replied to one of the comments on the probable launch date of ORIGIN OS. He says the new UI will probably debut with Vivo’s X60 series in November/December this year. Now, we saw the X60 advertisement hoardings inside a retail store a few days back. However, nothing is known about the X60 series yet but we can expect it to succeed the X50 series that launched a few months back. Anyway, let’s wait and see if any interesting leak comes in the coming days.
Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer, has recently been asked to replace the smartphone of an Indian customer after a commission called out the company for selling “shoddy” products to its customers in the country.
The Bandra Consumer Redressal Commission has directed the tech giant and its authorized service centers to provide an Andheri resident (in Mumbai, Maharashtra) with a brand new smartphone, while also paying the said customer with compensation and costs of 10,000 INR as well (roughly 135 US Dollars). Furthermore, it has also directed that the respondent pay back the 6,999 INR the customer originally paid for the handset back in September 2015, if they do not provide a new smartphone model, as specified by the Commission.
According to a FreePressJournalreport, Hiranna Fulari had started experiencing heating and battery related issues with his newly purchased Redmi 2 Prime, within a month of its purchase through an online channel. This prompted Fulari to take the device to customer service, which required him to leave the device behind for 2 days, but that was further delayed to 4 and then even 7 additional days.
Fulari ended up making two more round trips to the service center but was informed that more time was needed to resolve the issue. In the end, Fulari received the device two and a half months later from the service center. Despite the long wait, the smartphone still suffered from the same issues, which again had the device be left at the service center. After this ordeal, Fulari approached the consumer commission for receiving a faulty handset that needed elaborate repairs within a very short period of purchase.
Thus, he filed a complaint seeking a newer smartphone model or a full refund of the amount he paid as compensation. The Commission noted that despite receiving the notice, Xiaomi and its service center “deliberately failed” and “neglected” to appear before it and put forth their defense. In the judgment, President Shubhada D Tulankar noted that the device needed repairs within a month of purchase and even required a two and a half months long service that didn’t even rectify the issue, which proved that the device suffered from an inherent problem in manufacturing.
Despite being the world’s second largest smartphone market and having one of the most affordable data rates in the world, India has ranked 131st in terms of Global Mobile Data Speeds.
According to Ookla‘s Speedtest Global Index for September 2020, the average mobile download speed in India is 12.07Mbps. This figure is significantly lower than the global average of 35.26Mbps. Furthermore, the average mobile upload speed and latency in the region didn’t show any favorable results either, with a 4.31Mbps upload and 52ms of latency, which is again lower than the global average of 11.22Mbps upload and 42ms latency.
Notably, India’s neighboring nations including, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, all ranked higher on this list. These countries arrive in at 102, 116, and 117th positions respectively. Each of these nations also had mobile data speeds over 17Mbps. On the other hand, the Southeast Asian country faired much better on the fixed line broadband category, ranking in much better at the 70th spot, with an average download speed of 46.47Mbps. Although, this number is still below other smaller nations like Ghana, Moldova, and Malta.
Photo by Alok Uniyal from Pexels
The global speed index is revealed every year, and it has been common in recent years to find India later down the list, despite having one of the best potentials. Indian telecommunications firms suffering from weak financial positions might be a cause for the lower rankings, which might also be the reason why India fell two spots below its ranking from back in 2019.
OnePlus is said to launch two new Smartphones today. They are N10 and N100, and the company has already teased it on the official Twitter handle. Now, ahead of launch, let’s compile all the leaks and rumors to get a clear picture of what’s coming.
While everyone thought OnePlus Nord was the name of mid-range OnePlus, the company said it was the beginning of something. The Nord began its journey in Europe and India but missed out on the US. Before we could call them biased towards the latter, they are bringing two new devices and this is supposedly launching there first. Now, we are a bit hesitant with the naming scheme but nonetheless, it looks like OnePlus will simply call them Nord N10, and N100.
OnePlus Nord N10 5G Design, Ports
The former is probably a 5G device whereas the latter is a 4G-only smartphone. The Nord N10, from the leaks so far, looks to borrow designs from OPPO. For instance, the camera module that leaked earlier is reminiscent of the OPPO A53. We have a rounded rectangle design but due to four rear cameras, the shorter edges are a bit flatter than the A53. You can get a clear picture of what it could like below. At the front, the display has a single punch-hole at the top left.
OnePlus Nord N10 5G
We sadly miss out on OnePlus’ traditional “alert slider” but they have similar volume and power button placements like any OnePlus device. However, a physical fingerprint at the back means, we miss out on the in-display ones. Although, we aren’t sure if the display would be an LCD or AMOLED. Anyway, we can expect OnePlus’ typical glass sandwich design and ports like USB-C, stereo speakers here. Surprisingly, the leaks hint at a return of a 3.5mm headphone jack but let’s put a pin on that for now.
OnePlus Nord N10 5G Specifications
The OnePlus Nord N10 5G is said to have a 6.49-inch FHD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate. As said earlier, it could either be an LCD to cut costs or host an AMOLED panel without in-display biometrics. Under the hood, it will reportedly feature Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 5G SoC, paired with 6GB RAM, and 128GB storage. That said, there may or may not be other variants.
For cameras, the rear setup is likely to get a 64MP main lens which is a first for a OnePlus device. The auxiliary lenses are probably an 8MP ultra-wide, and two 2MP sensors. Sadly, there is no information on the selfie shooter yet but we can expect at least a 16MP sensor.
The device might draw power from a 4,300mAh battery and charge via USB-C port. While the fast charging specs aren’t out yet, we can’t rule out the possibility of an 18W charging capability. Being an OnePlus device, we can expect it to run the latest OxygenOS 11 out of the box but let’s not get ahead of ourselves till launch.
Nord N10 5G Price, Availability
The Nord N10 5G is expected to be priced below $400 to counter the likes of Apple, and Google here. Apple’s iPhone SE 2020, and Google’s Pixel 4a are hovering around the $350-$400 price points. And we can expect OnePlus to follow suit, if not higher.
For availability, leaks so far say that both the Nord N10 5G, and Nord N100 are headed for a launch in the USA, but let’s wait for the official word.
Despite being the market leader in terms of foldable smartphones, Samsung continues to file design and utility patents related to this kind of phone. This shows the company’s dedication towards what’s said to the future of smartphones. That said, now another Samsung foldable smartphone utility patent has emerged describing the usage of pop-up cameras.
As always, the new utility patent by Samsung Electronics was spotted by LetsGoDigital. The company filed it with the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office) titled ‘ Foldable electronic device including sliding structure and method for controlling the same’. The patent got approved and published on October 22.
The 79-page documentation for this patent talks about using pop-up cameras in 4 different ways in a foldable smartphone that looks like the Galaxy Z Fold2. We don’t think that the South Korean tech giant will ever adopt this but still it is worth taking a look at.
In the first type, the pop-up module contains sensors for selfies and video calls like on traditional smartphones. Hence, this module resides inside the left-wing of the phone. Whereas, in the remaining three types, the pop-up module sits inside the right-wing.
In the second type, the pop-up module is dedicated to rear cameras so that the back panel of the device can be kept clean. However, in the third type, the pop-module includes microphones and flash for rear cameras as well as the entire suite of front-facing sensors. Lastly, the fourth type houses both the rear and front cameras together.
Having said that, as we mentioned in the beginning, Samsung may never use this utility patent as under-screen cameras are expected to take over in the coming years.
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