Apple iPhone 12’s MagSafe charger works with some Android smartphones

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Oct 22, 2020

Apple announced its new iPhone 12 series smartphones a few days ago and along with that, the company revealed a few new features for the devices as well and one of them is the new MagSafe charging accessories.

For those who are unaware, the MagSafe charging feature is a magnetic attachment system for different accessories that can be snapped right onto the back of the iPhone 12. There are a bunch of different use-cases and accessories, including wallets and chargers.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 MagSafe Charger — Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 with Apple MagSafe Charger (Image via Android Police)

While Apple says that the feature is limited to the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models, new reports claim that some Andriod smartphones are also compatible with this new MagSafe feature from Apple.

The reports claim that Google Pixel 5, as well as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 smartphones, are also working with the MagSafe charger from Apple. A report from Android Police says that Galaxy Z Fold 2 has magnets in its hinge and the side which connects to and holds the MagSafe charger in place.

EDITOR’S PICK: Apple is lobbying the US government for tax breaks to boost local chipset production

It’s noteworthy that while the MagSafe charger is capable of providing fast wireless charging up to 15W to the newly launched iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, the Pixel 5 only supports 12W wireless charging.

The MagSafe Charger is just a Qi wireless charger so it is compatible with any smartphone that supports Qi wireless charging but the highlight is the magnetic connection, which is not going to work with every device.

Apart from the MagSafe Charger, Apple has launched a few other MagSafe accessories, including Case, Leather Wallet, and more. The company has also revealed that third-party accessories are coming, confirming that Belkin is already working on a couple of options which also includes a car mount.

ZMI launches a ¥39 ($5) 20W USB-C charging adapter compatible with the iPhone 12

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 22, 2020

As you probably already know, Apple decided to remove the charging adapter from the iPhone 12 retail box in a bid to help in conserving the planet. The “gesture” was even extended to the older models like the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE 2020. This decision no doubt created a market lucrative market for third-party accessories manufacturers. Xiaomi‘s ecological chain company ZMI has taken advantage of this by launching a Power Delivery (PD) adapter for the iPhone 12.

The ZMI PD adapter comes with support for 20W fast charging. As you would recall, the the iPhone 12 will ship with a USB-C to lightning cable. Thus, the adapter utilises a USB-C output port.

Apple is selling a 20W charging adapter separately which costs 149 yuan (~$22). However, the ZMI USB-C Fast Charger 20W is on presale for just 39 yuan (~$5).

ZMI USB-C fast charger 20W is compatible with PD3.0/QC3.0/FCP fast charging protocol and can provide 20W fast charging for iPhone 12, Xiaomi Mi 10 and Huawei Mate30 series.

The charging adpter weighs just 42.8g, which is lighter than an Apple. It can be easily put into a backpack for travel. It supports 100-240V voltage range, covering most areas of the world’s city network voltage standard range. Thus, you can use it in any part of the world you travel to.

Using imported chip solutions, intelligently identify and match the current of the access device, protect the battery from damage, and multiple protections to ensure safe use.

Quibi streaming service is shutting down just months after its launch

By

Jeet

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Oct 22, 2020

Quibi, a short form media streaming service that focused on mobile-only consumption, is shutting down just about six months after officially getting launched. This makes it the shortest-lived video streaming service provider to date.

The step taken by the company was inevitable given the botched launch of the service but what’s surprising is that the platform is shutting down just months after its launch. Just a day before, the company had launched its app on Apple TV. So far, the company has not notified its final date to the subscribers.

As per the report from the Wall Street Journal, the company’s founder Jeffrey Katzenberg and Chief Executive Meg Whitman decided to shut down the service to return as much capital to investors as possible instead of trying to prolong the life of the company and risk losing more money.

People aware of the development say that the company will layoff its staff and will pay a severance package. As for the content, Quibi will be exploring options to sell rights to some of the content as well as technology.

EDITOR’S PICK: Apple is lobbying the US government for tax breaks to boost local chipset production

Quibi was launched on 6th April amid the COVID-19 pandemic, although the company had planned its launch months in advance. It offers content to users in 5- to 10-minute chapters to fit on a smartphone screen, designed to be consumed on-the-go.

The company had spent aggressively to develop its content, which includes a star-studded lineup of programming, featuring Chrissy Teigen, Anna Kendrick, Christoph Waltz, Liam Hemsworth, among others.

Earlier in July, Sensor Tower reported that Quibi lost more than 90 percent of its 910,000 subscribers after the three-month free trial period. While the company disputed that claim, it never revealed the actual subscribers count.

Redmi GM teases the Redmi K30S which is tipped to be cheaper than the K30 Ultra

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 22, 2020

A couple of months back, Xiaomi’s Redmi brand launched the Redmi K30 Ultra with a flagship specification but decent pricing. The company has in recent times been touted to have got the K30S in the works. Redmi’s General Manager has now posted a teaser on Weibo which confirms the company is indeed working on the Redmi K30S.

The Redmi GM posted a shot of a man sitting in a studio with the Redmi logo in a white background with a caption “Who is this?”. The President of Xiaomi’s Mobile division Zeng Xuezhong responded to the post with a comment that suggested the phone will pack a large camera sensor.

An earlier rumour tips the K30S to launch on October 27 while the phone will go on sale on November 1, according to a second rumour. If this is true, the phone is no doubt targeted at the double 11 shopping festival. However, Xiaomi is yet to officially confirm these dates. According to popular tipster Digital Chat Station, the K30S price will be lower than expected. He also hinted that it will be lower than the K30 Ultra’s.

While the K30 Ultra packs a Dimensity 1000+ chipset, the Redmi K30S is expected to be powered by a Snapdragon 865 chipset. In fact, a leak shows the phone is a rebranded Mi 10T. This has been confirmed by a listing on TENAA where the phone was recently certified.

Since the K30 Ultra starts at 2,000 yuan (~$300) for the 6GB+128 GB model, selling the K30S cheaper than that would be pretty interesting. But we doubt if the model will make it outside China since the Mi 10T which it mirrors is already available in the global market.

Apple lobbies US government for tax breaks to boost local chipset production

By

Jeet

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Oct 22, 2020

Earlier this year, Apple announced that the company will be adopting its own ARM-powered Apple Silicon to power the upcoming MacBooks. While it has not yet confirmed the launch date, the company has said that the new laptops powered by its own chipset are coming later this year.

Now, as per the report from Bloomberg, Apple has been lobbying the United States government for tax breaks as the company aims to boost chip production domestically. The company has also suggested that it is keen to move more of its supply chain to the U.S.

In the disclosure reports for the second and third quarters of this year, Apple revealed that it lobbied officials from the U.S. Treasury Department, U.S. Congress, and the White House. The lobbying efforts, as revealed through the reports, are related to tax topics, including “issues related to tax credits for domestic semiconductor production.”

Apple has been designing its own chipsets for years but outsources its manufacturing to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Also, several parts of Apple devices are manufactured in China.

EDITOR’S PICK: Samsung Electronics asserts that it has developed a new industry-leading Blue QLED technology

With the US-China trade tensions rising, the company has been trying to reduce its dependence on China as much as possible. Some of the suppliers and contract manufacturers of Apple are also moving their production outside of China.

Apple’s chipset manufacturer, TSMC has also announced that the company will be spending around $12 billion to set up a new chip production plant in Arizona, U.S. It is also lobbying the government for tax breaks.

As for the upcoming ARM-based Apple Silicon-powered MacBook laptops, while the company has not yet revealed the launch date, recent reports claim that Apple is all set to launch the new devices on 17th November and the official announcement of the same could take place sometime around 10th November.

Xiaomi crowdfunds the MIJIA Smart Switch, starts at 49 yuan (~$7)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 22, 2020

Xiaomi‘s smart home continues to expand its product offering with the launch of the MIJIA Smart Switch under crowdfunding. The product comes in two types; a single button model and a double button version. During the crowdfunding exercise, the single button version will be sold for 49 yuan (~$7) while the double button model will go for 59 yuan (~$8). Both comes with free shipping in China.

The MIJIA Smart Switch is yet another was of simplifying tasks in the home. It allows users to control their light bulbs right from the comfort of their beds without having to stand up to go turn off the lights. It is usually difficult to get up from bed during cold weathers like winter period but with this smart switch, that can be done without standing up.

The smartness of the MIJIA Smart Switch come to play in three different aspects of being able to access XiaoAI speakers, Bluetooth gateways and mobile app so as to allow you to control the light using voice control, from the mobile phone and from an IoT multi-device gateway.

In terms of durability, Xiaomi claims that the switch has undergone 80,000 repeated pressing tests, and is V0 fire-resistant and flame-retardant.

In terms of convenience, Xiaomi claims that there is no need for rewiring, it can directly replace traditional switches and can be applied to most lamps on the market. It can control energy-saving lamps with a minimum of 3W.

After the crowdfunding exercise, the device will start shipping on November 7.

Huawei launches one-click internet speed test app in China

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 21, 2020

If you want to check the speed of your internet connectivity, there are different sites you can visit to do so. Some of these sites also have apps you can download on to your device – the Play Store is packed full of them. It has been reported that Huawei has also announced its own internet speed test app in China.

The One-Click Speed Test app lets you check your network speed and router speed. The app which is free has also been reported by ITHome to have no ads, thus providing a distraction-free experience.

We can’t say why Huawei decided to make its own app seeing as the Huawei App Gallery is also packed full of speed test apps including the popular ones such as Speedtest by Ookla. Nevertheless, if you reside in China and you are not satisfied with the speed test apps out there, you can check out Huawei’s app.

The Acer Halo is the coolest Google Assistant smart speaker

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 21, 2020

Acer has made its entry into the smart speaker market with what can be termed the coolest Google Assistant smart speaker. The Acer Halo, as it is called, seems like a mashup between several speakers but the result is best described as very interesting.

The Acer Halo is not cylindrical like a lot of smart speakers but a large cuboid with curved corners. There is a recess at the top that houses the controls including a switch to mute the microphone. The body, which has a LED display on one side, is wrapped in a fabric material while the base is transparent.

The addition of the display means users can get visual feedback with respect to inquiries. As shown in the video below, the speaker can display weather info, countdown timer, and icons and animations for a bunch of other things you ask it to do. The transparent base has an LED that reacts to the music the speaker plays.

The Halo speaker has two far-field microphones and is one of the first Google Assistant-powered speakers with DTS surround sound according to Acer. The speaker will control compatible smart home devices, play podcasts, and answer questions.

The Acer Halo Smart Speaker will sell for €119 in Europe when it goes on sale in December and $109 in the US when it launches in North America in the first quarter of 2021.

Xiaomi’s latest MIJIA Air Purifier X looks like a mini tower PC

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 21, 2020

Xiaomi has launched a new flagship air purifier dubbed MIJIA Air Purifier X. The air purifier adopts a design style that is entirely different from all of MIJIA’s previous air purifiers. It is presently on pre-sale on JD.com for 1999 yuan (~$300).

The MIJIA Air Purifier X adopts a brand-new metallic appearance design which looks a bit like a normal mini-tower computer. The body looks like the tiny pores are air vents but that doesn’t seem to be the case. The air vent is at the top alongside an LCD screen for checking the quality of the air inside the apartment.

In addition, the MIJIA Purifier X is also equipped with a more sensitive VOC sensor imported from Switzerland, which can more sensitively detect the content of indoor VOC pollutants, supports 5-fold high-precision filtering and powerfully removes VOC and formaldehyde. Data will be displayed on the screen to help users understand the indoor VOC pollution situation more intuitively.

The purifier can display the newly defined AQ (Air Quality)-comprehensive air quality level, VOC, PM2.5 pollution level and change curve allowing users to more simply and comprehensively understand the VOC pollution status in the past period of time.

The MIJIA Air Purifier X is equipped with an integrated H13 grade HEPA filter element that supports 5-fold high-precision filtration.

Further, the Air Purifier X can provide 6660 litres of clean air per minute, supports wind angle adjustment, and sleep mode sound volume is only 30.7dB. It also supports smartphone control via the MIJIA app. There is equally support for voice control and it can be paired with other smart home appliances.

Gionee F8 Neo is an entry-level smartphone priced at ₹5,499 ($75)

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Oct 21, 2020

Last week, Gionee F8 Neo was spotted on Google Play Console. The handset’s listing revealed some of its specifications. Now, this smartphone has launched officially in India for an affordable price tag of ₹5,499 ($75).

The Gionee F8 Neo is an entry-level smartphone. This device is aimed at first-time smartphone buyers. It competes directly with Samsung’s cheapest 2020 smartphone – Galaxy M01 Core.

On the front, the phone features a 5.4-inch HD+ (720 x 1440 pixels) LCD panel without any notch or punch-hole. Therefore, the 5MP selfie camera resides in the bezel above the screen along with an LED flash and an earpiece for calls.

The back of the handset sports geometric patterns like certain realme devices and houses an 8MP main camera accompanied by an LED flash. Being a super cheap smartphone, it lacks a fingerprint sensor but does support the less secure face unlock via the front-facing camera.

Although the brand did not reveal it, as per the Google Play Console listing, it is powered by UNISOC (formerly Spreadtrum) SC9863A chipset paired with 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. If required, users can further expand the storage up to 256GB via microSD card.

Further, the phone runs Android 10 and is backed by a 3,000mAh battery with support for 10W charging. Lastly, it will be available in Black, Blue, and Red color options across 1.5 to 2 lakh offline stores in India ahead of Diwali festive season.

Lenovo YOGA Life Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo launched for 299 yuan ($45)

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Oct 21, 2020

On October 20, Lenovo launched a number of computers in its home country China. Alongside them, the company also announced certain accessories. One of those was YOGA Life Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo. Let us take a look at this product in this article.

Lenovo YOGA Life Wireless keyboard and Mouse Combo Specifications, Features & Price

The newly launched Lenovo YOGA Life Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo is a regular accessory like its name suggests. But unlike those normal peripherals available in the market, this one is designed for Lenovo YOGA 27 AIO (All-in-One) PC, however, it can be used with any computer or laptop with a USB Type-A port.

Talking about the keyboard first, it features full-size layout but no numeric keypad. The keys sport floating design and the company claims them to be quiet, offering a comfortable typing experience.

It measures 416 x 140 x 26mm in dimensions and weighs 620g. It is backed by a 250mAh built-in battery and charges via USB Type-C.

On the other hand, the mouse comes with an ergonomic curved design. It does not include extra keys apart from the left-right button and a scroll wheel, however, the optical sensor present in it features 1,600 DPI precision.

Lastly, it weighs 83g with an AA battery and measures 105 x 62 x 37mm in dimensions.

Unfortunately, despite their premium look, they operate over 2.4GHz via an included USB receiver and not Bluetooth. On the plus side, they don’t require any driver.

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The Lenovo YOGA Life Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo is priced at 299 yuan ($45) and is available for pre-order starting today (October 21) in China. On November 1, the first day of its sale, this product can be purchased for a discounted price tag of 199 yuan ($30).

Xiaomi crowdfunds the Hipee Smart Posture Correction Wizard for 99 yuan (~$14)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 21, 2020

Xiaomi has launched the Hipee Smart Posture Correction Wizard under crowdfunding. The device is designed to help users to actively develop good postures through real-time monitoring, reminders and interesting somatosensory exercises and habits. The device carries a crowdfunding price is 99 yuan (~$14).

The traditional kyphosis (hunchback) correction belt is to force the body to straighten by an external force. The long-term wearing of the belt can not get the corresponding effect but may aggravate the posture problem. Correct posture correction requires the use of one’s own muscles to maintain the correct posture, exercise the back muscles, and fundamentally solve the posture problem.

Hipee intelligent posture correction wizard breaks the traditional concept and helps users actively develop good posture habits through real-time monitoring reminders + interesting somatosensory exercises. After the user wears the device and records the correct posture according to the instructions, when the device detects that the posture is incorrect, it will vibrate to remind the user until the user returns to the correct posture, and actively develop good posture habits.

Hipee Smart Posture Correction Wizard adopts a new concept of posture correction which involves real-time monitoring and wrong posture reminder. The device is equipped with a built-in high-precision motion sensor chip and intelligent posture correction recognition algorithm. It also comes with a companion Wechat applet through which you can visualize the posture correction data. You can view posture changes in real time through the WeChat applet. There are also innovations in posture recognition algorithms that can recognize human postures in different scenarios such as sitting, bending, writing, and standing, and accurately capture posture changes.

In order to exercise weak muscles and allow users to develop good posture habits, Hipee Smart Posture Correction Wizard also features professional posture training courses and interesting somatosensory interactive games for users, allowing users to complete professional posture corrections while playing and training so that training is no longer boring.

In order to meet the needs of different ages, Hipee Smart Pose Correction Wizard features adult styles and children styles. The metal head for adults is cool and fashionable, and the cat paw head for children is cute and interesting. The one for kids is dedicated to improving the child’s poor posture when studying, reading, and writing homework, and can effectively prevent children’s scoliosis, myopia and other problems.

You can check out the Youpin crowdfunding page from here.

Acer’s latest Chromebooks powered by the Snapdragon 7c boast a 14-hr battery life

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 21, 2020

Acer has announced two new Chromebooks that are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7c processor. The two devices, the Chromebook Spin 513 and Chromebook Enterprise Spin 513 are the first Chromebooks powered by Snapdragon processors.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 starts at $399 and has the 8nm Snapdragon 7c Compute Platform powering it. The 2-in-1 has a 13.3 FHD IPS display with moderate-sized bezels, Gorilla Glass protection, and a 360° hinge that allows you to fold it completely backward. The Chromebook comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

For ports, the Chromebook Spin 513 has a full-sized USB 3.0 port, two USB-C ports with one serving as a power input port, and a microphone+headphone combo jack. It has an island-style keyboard with an optional backlight and a trackpad that is also covered with Gorilla Glass.

There is optional LTE and Acer claims a battery life of up to 14 hours on a single charge. The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 weighs under 1.2 kilograms and will be available for purchase in the EMEA in January 2021 for €429. Those in North America will get it the following month. The Enterprise Edition will be available in March for $699.99.

Following Acer’s announcement, we expect more manufacturers will announce Chromebooks with the same processor in the coming weeks or months. Maybe they will hit the market before Acer’s own.

This is what the OnePlus Nord N10 5G will look like

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 21, 2020

OnePlus’ Nord line is expected to get two new models soon, and one of them is the made-for-US Nord N10 5G. A leak has now revealed what the budget 5G smartphone will look like.

An image posted on Twitter today by Max J. (@MaxJmb) shows the back of the design or what it will look like. The photo shows the Nord N10 5G has a rear design similar to that of the recently-launched OnePlus 8T. The camera housing is a rectangle with curved corners while the phone itself has curved sides. The caption of the tweet also hints at the phone coming in a blue colorway

📷 / 🔵 pic.twitter.com/RnFOB239y8

— Max J. (@MaxJmb) October 21, 2020

It has been reported that the OnePlus Nord N10 5G will come with a 64MP quad-camera setup on its back. Under the hood is a Snapdragon 690 processor with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. In front, the phone will sport a 6.4-inch FHD+ screen with a 90Hz refresh rate.

OnePlus will launch the phone with a price tag under $400, positioning it as a competitor to the Pixel 4a and Pixel 4a 5G.

It was revealed in a leak that the Nord N10 5G will be unveiled on October 26 but OnePlus is yet to officially announce a launch date. A 4G mid-range phone called the OnePlus Nord N100 is also expected to arrive alongside the Nord N10.

Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad & Xiaoxin Pad Pro launched in China as rebranded Tab P11 series

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Oct 21, 2020

Apart from a number of laptops and an AIO PC, Lenovo also launched two new Xiaoxin tablets called Xiaoxin Pad and Xiaoxin Pad Pro respectively. These two are nothing but the Chinese versions of the upcoming Tab P11 and the already unveiled Tab P11 Pro. The only difference between them and the international versions is that they run different software.

Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Specifications, Features & Price

The Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad’s rear design is identical to the IdeaPad Duet Chromebook. However, on the front, it sports a 2K 11-inch TDDI LCD panel with a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels and a peak brightness level of 400 nits. The display also supports input from Xiaoxin Stylus with 4096 pressure levels and it is TÜV Rheinland-certified for low blue light emission.

Under the hood, the tablet features Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 chipset paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. If needed, users can expand the memory space using a microSD card. The internals of the device also includes dual-band WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, and GPS + BeiDou.

Further, it flaunts a 4W quad-speaker setup powered by Dolby Atmos and dual-microphone. It also comes with a 13MP A rear accompanied by an LED flash and an 8MP front-facing TOF camera for video calls, selfies as well as face authentication.

Like most tablets, it also features a 4-pin POGO for keyboard accessory. But unlike other tablets (except rugged), it is also IP52-certified for dust and water resistance.

Whereas, in terms of software, the tablet runs ZUI based on Android 10 and is backed by a 7,700mAh battery with support for 20W fast charging via USB Type-C port.

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Lastly, the tablet measures 258.4 x 163 x 7.5mm and weighs 490g.

The Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad is priced at 1699 yuan ($255) and is already up for pre-order in China starting today (October 21). The tablet will be available for only 1,299 yuan ($195) on November 1, the first day of its sale.

Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro Specifications, Features & Price

As mentioned in the beginning, the Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro is a rebadged Tab P11 Pro for China. Hence, it comes with the same set of specifications except for ZUI based on Android 10.

This tablet flaunts a 2K 11.5-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels and 350 nits maximum brightness level. The company claims 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and 108% NTSC color gamut.

Further, the panel supports Dolby Vision, HDR 10, DC Dimming, and Xiaoxin Stylus for input with 4096 pressure levels. It is also TÜV Rheinland-certified for low blue light emission.

The tablet comes powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G chipset paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. Whereas, on the connectivity front, It features dual-band WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, and GPS + BeiDou + A-GPS.

As for cameras. It features a 13MP (wide) + 5MP (120° ultra-wide) dual-camera setup on the back with an LED flash and another 8MP (RGB) + 8MP (IR) dual-camera setup on the front along with a ToF sensor for selfies, video calls, and face authentication.

Other features of this tablet include a microSD card slot, 4-pin POGO connector for keyboard accessory, 6W JBL quad-speaker with support for Dolby Atmos, and an 8,600mAh battery that charges via USB Type-C 3.2 with support for 20W fast charging.

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Last but not least, the tablet measures 264.28 x 171.4 x 5.8mm in dimensions and weighs 485g.

The Xiaoxin Pad Pro costs 2,499 ($376) and is up for pre-order starting today, however it will go on sale on November 1. On the first day of sale, it will be available for purchase at a discounted price tag of 1999 yuan ($301).

Huawei Mate 40 Pro listed on Amazon Germany priced at €1,199

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 21, 2020

Huawei will officially take the wraps off the much toutedest top flagship Mate 40 series next week. Ahead of the launch, the media has been awash with renders of the models in the series as well as some of the specifications.

A first listing for the Huawei Mate 40 Pro has now appeared on Amazon Germany . The listing which has been pulled down gives the price of the Mate 40 Pro as 1,199 euros and also reveals that the flagship will start shipping on November 9, 2020.

The Huawei Mate 40 Pro is expected to feature a 6.76-inch OLED display that has a resolution of 2772×1344 pixels and thus achieves a pixel density of 456 PPI. We don’t yet know whether the screen supports an increased refresh rate.

Amazon Germany just listed the new Huawei #Mate40 Pro for sale at 1199 Euro: https://t.co/mElvIoXVAX

Specs and official pics: https://t.co/ENCKoSIbg8

— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) October 21, 2020

What is certain, however, is that the panel is strongly curved back at the edges, so that the impression of a borderless screen is created when the phone is viewed directly from the front. An optical fingerprint reader, which is supposed to unlock the smartphone quickly and reliably, is located directly under the display surface.

The HiSilicon Kirin 9000 is the last new high-end SoC manufactured by TSMC for before Huawei the US embargo came into force. The chip offers a total of eight cores, four of which use the ARM Cortex-A55 architecture and work with a maximum of 2.04 gigahertz.

In addition, there are three further high-end cores which, according to current knowledge, use the ARM Cortex-A77 architecture and offer a maximum clock rate of 2.54 gigahertz. On top of that, Huawei runs a fourth Cortex-A77 core with a maximum clock rate of at least 3.13 gigahertz, so that, according to the first benchmarks, the overall package offers more than sufficient performance that overtakes the current Snapdragon 865 Plus with similar clock rates.

In addition to the fast CPU cores, the chip also has an ARM Mali-G78 graphics unit, the Huawei-typical neural processing engine for processing data from the field of artificial intelligence and an integrated 5G modem, which is probably only in Sub -6 GHz networks. The Kirin 9000 is also the first SoC from Huawei that was manufactured on a 5 nanometer scale and thus offers an even narrower structure than its predecessor.

Huawei sells the Mate 40 Pro in Europe in only one version: this has 8GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal flash memory based on UFS 3.1, which cannot be expanded using a microSD card slot. In China, there will also be variants with up to 12GB of RAM. In addition, special editions are planned, including a Mate 40 RS and a “Pro +” model, which differ primarily in terms of adapting the design and the camera equipment.

Speaking of cameras, with the Huawei Mate 40 Pro packs three main sensors at the rear which consist of a 50-megapixel sensor with an F / 1.9 aperture and an optical image stabilizer, a 20-megapixel sensor for ultra-wide-angle shots with an F / 1.8 aperture and a zoom camera with 12 megapixels resolution and F / 3.4 maximum aperture size. Among other things, the camera system should be able to record 8K videos and offers a 5x physical magnification for zoom recordings.

In the pill-shaped cutout on the front of the Mate 40 Pro there is a 13-megapixel camera with an F / 2.4 aperture, which Huawei provides with a 3D sensor. In combination, this system should enable the smartphone to be operated with gestures, similar to what is already known from other devices. All the user has to do is move his hand over the display in order to interact with the phone.

The version intended for Europe of the Huawei Mate 40 Pro has a 4400mAh battery. Huawei always supplies a new SuperCharge power adapter, which is connected to the device via USB Type-C port (3.1 Gen 1) and provides a maximum charging power of up to 65 watts.

Huawei will offer the new Mate 40 Pro in black and silver in Europe. Other colors may be unveiled in China.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S and Mi Mix 3 get a taste of Android 11 through Custom ROM

By

Balaji S

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Oct 21, 2020

Xiaomi’s Mi Mix 2S and Mi Mix 3 recently got their MIUI 12 update based on Android 10 in China. The devices, being more than a year old, aren’t going to get the Android 11 which is a no brainer. However, if you own one of these devices, and are wanting to try out the new features of Android 11, you just got lucky.

Both the Mi Mix 2S and Mix 3 have got(via Notebookcheck) a new Custom ROM based on Android 11. The ROM is called ArrowOS. ROMs of both the devices are developed by an XDA member with username palaych. For the unware, ArrowOS is a custom ROM based on AOSP/CAF. AOSP is an Android Open Source Project while CAF is Code Aurora Forum. The ROM has a simpler UI with no bloatware and is closer to the stock android experience. The ROM has two versions- VANILLA and GApps. VANILLA is without Google Apps(pure AOSP) and the latter includes one.

Mi Mix 2S Android 11

The Android 11 build for Mi Mix 2S(codename: Polaris) is ArrowOS 11.0 with Linux Kernel 4.x. The ROM is official meaning it is constantly supported by the Developer but is currently in Alpha state. This means the ROM might have a few bugs here and there. The dev says almost everything works well in the custom ROM so you don’t have to worry about broken LTE or major glitches. Below are that’s not working as of now:

Encryption(disable it)
Wi-Fi display
Android Auto
SELinux status: permissive.

Mi Mix 3 Android 11

For the newer of the two, Mi Mix 3, Android 11 ROM is the same ArrowOS 11.0 with Linux Kernel 4.x. The codename of the device is Perseus. The developer says almost everything is working as usual. It is currently listed as an Alpha build just like the Mix 2S. Below are few bugs spotted as of now:

WiFi Display
Android Auto doesn’t work.
“Ok, Google” doesn’t work with display off.

If we recall, Mi Mix 2S launched with Android Oreo(8), whereas Mix 3 launched with Android 9 Pie. They got their Android 10 update but didn’t make the cut for the list of devices to get Android 11 from Xiaomi.

Hence, this custom ROM compiled by developers is a blessing for the users whose devices aren’t sure to get the next MIUI 13 in the first place.

No sign of mini Android Chinese smartphones in the near future: tipster

By

Balaji S

-

Oct 21, 2020

Smartphones with smaller screens are a thing of the past. Companies have been changing the standard size of a smartphone every year. And in 2020, it has already gone past the 6-inch size displays. In the light of this, a tipster on Weibo says he has not heard any news about the launch of mini Android devices from China.

Tipster Digital Chat Station(translated) on Weibo says(via ITHome) he hasn’t heard of any domestic manufacturers listing new Android small-screen phones. He feels that their cost is too much and requires a modified production line. He adds that even if companies were to procure displays from the local market, there aren’t many options.

Also, a component market that operates based on the supply chain requirement doesn’t work that way. If we take smaller smartphones like the iPhone 12 mini, Apple had to heavily customize it. Right from the body, display, to the internals, and battery, they add to the cost of production more than a device that has a ubiquitous design. This is because it is simply easier to purchase the components ready-made rather than modifying it yourselves.

To assert this, the tipster also mentions the 5.4-inch OLED screen on iPhone 12 mini is the most expensive component of all. Even if you take the risk of doing it, the returns are weak due to less demand. Small screen phones don’t share a large percentage of the shipments. And as the tipster says, a mismatch happens with selling price and cost of production.

Goodbye to compact Android devices?

However, this negates the hints which company’s executives like Redmi were leaving behind recently. Product director of Redmi, Wang Teng said that the company was considering launching a small screen device. Later Redmi GM teased a mini smartphone whilst warning about reduced battery life.

Currently, very few companies like Google, Sony make small screen Android devices. This year Google launched the budget Pixel 4a with a 5.81-inch OLED display. It also has the higher-priced Pixel 5 with a display just about the same size as 4a. On the other hand, Sony has launched Xperia 5 II with Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. It is a flagship device at a compact size.

Not to mention Apple’s commitment to compact devices is high as well. It resurrected the iPhone SE lineup after many years and launched an iPhone SE 2020 that basically has the shell of an iPhone 8. That said, considering the tipsters’ track record and his reported contacts with vendors of Huawei, Redmi, and others suggests that he could be right in this regard.

Samsung Electronics asserts that it has developed a new industry-leading Blue QLED technology

By

Balaji S

-

Oct 21, 2020

Samsung has immense experience in various technologies including consumer electronics, networks, semiconductors, cameras, displays, and more. Out of these, it has mastered the display department with technologies like QLED(Quantum dot LED). And now, it’s asserting that it has developed yet another industry-leading QLED tech.

Samsung’s research has been published by the journal ‘Nature‘ recently(via Sammobile). It says Samsung has developed a cadmium-free blue Quantum Dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) technology. Samsung’s R&D hub SAIT(Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology) has done the research. Further, the report says the new tech has 20.2% improved luminous efficiency, offers maximum luminance up to 88,900 nits, and 16,000 hours of QLED lifetime. However, the lifespan is measured at 100-nit luminance half brightness.

What is a Quantum Dot display?

A Quantum dot display uses quantum dots, semiconductor nanocrystals which can produce pure monochromatic red, green, and blue light. Now, for the unware, Quantum Dots are nanoparticles that manufacturers are adding to the layers(sandwiches) of films, filters, glass, and electronics that make up a display. Ranging between two to ten nanometers, when they are hit by a light wave, they emit color. However, they differ depending on size. Larger dots lean towards red, and smaller dots towards green.

What is a QLED TV?

QLED is basically a Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode(QLED). Accordingly, QLED TVs are the ones that have the dots inside a film and an LED backlight as a light source. After hitting the film, the light then travels other layers including a liquid crystal (LCD) layer, to create the picture. It’s then transmitted to the screen surface as visuals.

Why is Blue QLED difficult to develop?

Samsung says the Blue QLED has the largest bandgap among the three primary colors(Red, Green, and Blue). It rapidly oxidizes on exposure to an external light source which results in a shorter lifespan and low luminous efficiency.

Samsung’s solution

Samsung says the Quantum dots are made up of a basic structure of a core, a shell, and multiple ligands. Hence, it had to stabilize the QD materials better and achieve reliable photoresponse functionality. Accordingly, the researchers applied a structure with Quantum Dot double emitting layers and shorter ligands on the surface of the blue-light-emitting QDs whilst improving the injection rates.

Samsung recently launched QLED TVs with high energy ratings in South Korea. In addition to QLED, Samsung is also working on mini-LED and is targeting around 2 million mini-LED TV sales in 2021.

Xiaomi Mi Water Purifier H600G launched with a dual outlet design

By

Sean

-

Oct 21, 2020

Xiaomi has just launched a new product earlier today (21st October 2020). It is the Mi Water Purifier H600G that arrives with a dual outlet design with a starting price of 1899 Yuan (roughly 285 US Dollars).

The new Mi Water Purifier H600G uses a 600G high flux RO membrane, and it only takes 6 seconds to fill a glass of water. According to official notes, the RO reverse osmosis membrane offers a six stage filtration that can filter out rust, bacteria, lead and other impurities. This filter can also absorb residual chlorine and other odors from the water.

Xiaomi Mi Water Purifier H600G is also equipped with a dual outlet faucet, with the water being filtered in the left through a composite filter element, which can be used for washing fruits and vegetables, other kitchen utensils, and more without using the RO reverse osmosis membrane filter element. 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.

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Mi Mix 2S Android 11

Mi Mix 3 Android 11

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Goodbye to compact Android devices?

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What is a Quantum Dot display?

What is a QLED TV?

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Samsung’s solution

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