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Apple iPhone 12 and 12 Pro to get dual SIM 5G support later this year

By
Jeet
-

With the launch of the iPhone XS smartphone in 2018, Apple finally added support for dual SIM connectivity, thanks to the addition of the eSIM feature. This enables users to use one physical SIM and one digital SIM for connectivity.

The company has kept the eSIM feature for all the iPhones launched since 2018 and the newly launched Apple iPhone 12 models, which are the company’s first phones to have 5G support, also have dual SIM connectivity.

Apple iPhone 12

But, the 5G connectivity isn’t available in the dual SIM mode on the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models at launch, as per the internal training documents for Apple employees shared on Reddit and MacRumors has confirmed it to be authentic.

The document from the company reads: “When using two lines in Dual SIM mode, 5G data isn’t supported on either line and will fall back to 4G LTE. If customers are using eSIM only and are on a 5G supported carrier and service plan, they’ll have 5G access.”

EDITOR’S PICK: LG announces the Velvet UI will expand to budget models starting with the Q-series

However, it seems that the company is planning to enable 5G support in Dual SIM mode through a software update later this year. Till then, the eSIM customers will have to remove the physical SIM from their phones to access the 5G network.

Apple iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are already up for pre-orders and shipments are slated to begin this week. The other models in the lineup — iPhone 12 Mini and 12 Pro Max will be up for pre-order this Friday and being shipments from 6th November.

UP NEXT: ASUS Adol 65W Gallium Nitride Charging Adapter launched for a price of 199 yuan (~$29)

 

Redmi K30 Ultra 8GB + 256GB variant goes on sale in China for 2,499 yuan ($374)

By
Jeet
-

A couple of months ago, Xiaomi launched the Redmi K30 Ultra smartphone in its home market China, marking the 10-year anniversary of the company. Soon after the announcement, the company officially started selling the smartphone.

While the phone comes in four variants, not all the models were made available for purchase. Today, the 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage variant went on sale in China for a price of 2,499 yuan, which is roughly $374.

Redmi K30 Ultra 8GB + 256GB Sale China

For those who are unaware, the device comes in four variants — 6GB RAM + 128GB storage, 8GB + 128GB, 8GB + 256GB, and 8GB + 512GB, priced at 1,999 yuan (~$299), 2,199 yuan (~$329), 2,499 yuan (~$374), and 2,999 yuan (~$449) respectively.

As for the specifications, the Redmi K30 Ultra features a 6.67-inch Samsung AMOLED display with Full HD+ screen resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels, HDR10+ support, 120Hz refresh rate, and 92.7 percent screen-to-body ratio.

Under the hood, the device comes powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ 5G chipset. It is built using a 7nm process and packs the latest high-performance ARM Cortex-A77 and Mali-G77 cores. The device supports SA/NSA dual-mode 5G as well as dual 5G standby.

EDITOR’S PICK: Intel to sell memory business to SK Hynix for $9 billion

Redmi K30 Ultra

In the camera department, there’s a quad-camera setup on the back that includes a 64-megapixel primary camera, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, a 5-megapixel tele-macro lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. On the front side, there’s a 20-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling.

The phone is also optimized for gaming as it comes with dual Hyper Engine 2.0 and Game Turbo optimization engines. It also has a 3,495mm² ultra-large area vapor chamber along with a graphene + graphite 3D heat dissipation system.

It runs the Android 10 operating system with the company’s MIUI 12 on top. The phone is powered by a 4,500mAh battery along with support for 33W fast charging technology.

To check out our review of the Redmi K30 Ultra, click here.

UP NEXT: Samsung Galaxy M02 Geekbench listing reveals Snapdragon 450 and 3GB RAM

 

ASUS Adol 65W Gallium Nitride Charging Adapter launched for 199 yuan (~$29)

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

Taiwanese tech giant ASUS has launched a new gallium nitride adapter dubbed Adol GaN adapter. The charging adapter comes with a maximum power output of 65W and has the 2C 1A interface. It is priced at 199 yuan (~$29).ASUS Adol 65W Gallium Nitride adapter

Just like other GaN chargers in the market, ASUS Adol 65W GaN charger is manufactured using gallium nitride semiconductors. The use of gallium nitride semiconductor materials has the advantages of super thermal conductivity, high-temperature resistance, acid and alkali resistance, and greatly reduces the size of the charger.ASUS Adol 65W Gallium Nitride Adapter

The ASUS Adol Gallium Nitride Adapter comes with a three-port design which includes dual USB-C ports and a USB-A port. It equally supports PD3.0 protocol and has a maximum output power of 65W.

In terms of the design, the adapter uses a foldable plug design. The adapter weighs around 120g and has a dimension of 29×43×66mm.

In addition, ASUS also simultaneously launched an Adol Type-C 100W fast charging data cable, which supports 5A current and is priced at just 29 yuan (~$4).

UP NEXT: POCO C3 for Rs 7,499 (~$102) brings 6.53-inch display, Helio G35, 13MP triple cameras and 5,000mAh battery

 

Intel to sell memory business to SK Hynix for $9 billion

By
Jeet
-

Intel has reached a deal with South Korean company SK Hynix to sell its flash-memory business for about $9 billion in an all-cash deal. With this, the U.S.-based chipset maker has moved away from the memory business as the flash memory pricing is on the decline.

As per the deal, SK Hynix is planning to buy most of Intel’s memory business, which also includes memory manufacturing operations in Dalian, China. However, Intel will keep the Optane line of memory products, which is developed in partnership with Micron Technology.

Intel Logo

The deal is pending government approval, and both the companies are expecting it to close by late next year. In a statement, Intel CEO Bob Swan said “For Intel, this transaction will allow us to further prioritize our investments in differentiated technology.”

With this acquisition, South Korea-based SK Hynix will become one of the largest NAND memory makers in the world. As per the report from TrendForce, SK Hynix and Intel had a combined market share of 20 percent in Q2 2020, behind Samsung which accounted for 30 percent of the market.

EDITOR’S PICK: Upcoming OnePlus 9 series with a codename “Lemonade” is already under development

Intel has said that the company plans to invest the deal’s proceeds in building its presence in fast-growing areas like artificial intelligence and 5G networking. Bob Swan said, “this transaction will allow us to further prioritize our investments in differentiated technology where we can play a bigger role in the success of our customers and deliver attractive returns to our stockholders.”

The semiconductor industry has been seeing major developments in terms of acquisitions as the companies are now aiming to dominate the market. Last year, Apple acquired Intel’s smartphone modem business. Last month, NVIDIA announced that it is acquiring ARM Holdings from SoftBank Group for $40 billion.

UP NEXT: LG announces the Velvet UI will be expanded to budget smartphone models starting with the Q-series

 

Samsung Galaxy M02 Geekbench listing reveals Snapdragon 450 and 3GB RAM

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
-

It was recently revealed that the SM-A025F and SM-M025F model numbers belong to the two upcoming entry-level phones from Samsung. The SM-A025F is expected to arrive as the Galaxy A02, whereas the SM-M025F model number belongs to the Galaxy M02. Both phones were recently certified by the Bluetooth SIG authority. A new report by MySmartPrice reveals that the Galaxy M02 has emerged in the Geekbench benchmarking platform.

The Geekbench 5 listing reveals that the Galaxy M02 has scored 108 in the single-core test and 486 in the multi-core test. While it is not mentioned explicitly in the Geekbench listing, it is believed that the phone is fueled by the Snapdragon 450. The SoC is mentioned with its base frequency of 1.80GHz.

Samsung-Galaxy-M02-SM-M025F-Geekbench

Editor’s Pick:  Samsung Galaxy A51 has begun to receive One UI 2.5 update

The Geekbench listing further shows that the Galaxy M02 has 3 GB of RAM and it runs on Android 10 OS. At present, there is no information available on the other specs of the device. Apart from bagging Bluetooth certification, the Galaxy M02 has also been approved by the Wi-Fi Alliance authority in the past.

The Galaxy M02 will be replacing the Galaxy M01 that went official in June this year. Now that the Galaxy M02 model has received important certifications, it may launch as early as next month.

Samsung Galaxy M01 specifications

The Samsung Galaxy M01 came with a 5.71-inch HD+ Infinity-V TFT screen with a waterdrop notch. It was driven by the Snapdragon 439 chipset and 3 GB of RAM. It came with built-in storage of 32 GB and a microSD card slot for more storage. The device housed a 4,000mAh battery. For photography, it featured a 5-megapixel selfie camera and a 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual-camera system.

UP NEXT: Samsung slashes the offline prices of Galaxy M21 in India

 

LG announces the Velvet UI will expand to budget models starting with the Q-series

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

LG Velvet took the industry by storm earlier this year when it was announced as it came with a design that indicated the tech giant’s resolve to rethink its product lineup. Apart from the physical design, the LG UX interface was replaced by Velvet UI on the smartphone. LG Electronics has now reportedly announced that the Velvet UI will be expanded to its budget models. Under this arrangement, smartphones such as the LG Q51 and Q61 will get the UI within the year, the company is reported to have stated.LG Velvet featured

Apart from the Q-series, the company had earlier indicated that it will push the Velvet interface to the older generation of flagship models. The company has been criticized in the past for neglecting older launches, but it seems that LG is mending its ways. The devices set to receive the update includes the V50 ThinQ, V50S ThinQ, V40 ThinQ, V35 ThinQ, G8 ThinQ, and G7 ThinQ.

LG Velvet’s UI doesn’t really represent a super drastic change from LG UX. Apart from the change in the naming, the new UI also features a few tweaks in the interface like notification bar color customization, volume adjustment settings, and a new pop-up window during a call. It seems that the smartphone maker is dropping the UX naming in favor of the Velvet UI. But there is no official confirmation of that.

LG doesn’t really hold the best record when it comes to supporting its old devices in terms of software updates. The Velvet UI may represent a change of direction not just in its smartphone designs but on the software end, considering that some of the models that have been announced to get the proposed update stretch back to those launched in 2018 like the V35 ThinQ.

UP NEXT: POCO C3 for Rs 7,499 (~$102) brings 6.53-inch display, Helio G35, 13MP triple cameras and 5,000mAh battery

 

OPPO Watch vs Apple Watch SE vs Huawei Watch Fit: Specs Comparison

By
Michele Ingelido
-

Apple launched its new smartwatch lineup and, for the first time, it contains an affordable variant: the Apple Watch SE. Given its affordable price, the new wearable will compete with several other devices from other manufacturers. One of its main rivals is the OPPO Watch as it is in the global market with the Wear OS operating system based on Android. It has the same square-shaped form factor and similar features. If you need something more sport-centric, then there is also Huawei Watch Fit. Which one is the best smartwatch worth the money asked? Let’s discover it together in this comparison between OPPO Watch, Watch SE, and Huawei Watch Fit.

OPPO Watch vs Apple Watch SE vs Huawei Watch Fit

OPPO Watch Apple Watch SE Huawei Watch Fit
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 46 x 39 x 11.4 mm,

45.5 grams

 44 x 38 x 10.4 mm,

36.4 grams

 46 x 30 x 10.7 mm,

21 grams
DISPLAY 1.91 inches square, 402 x 476p, 346 ppi, 326 ppi, AMOLED 1.78 inches round, 448 x 368p, 326 ppi, Retina LTPO OLED 1.64 inches round, 280 x 456p, 326 ppi, AMOLED
PROCESSOR Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100, quad-core Apple S5 /
MEMORY 1 GB RAM, 8 GB 1 GB RAM, 32 GB 4 GB
SOFTWARE Wear OS watchOS Proprietary OS
CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2 Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0
SPORT MODES 5 16 96
BATTERY 430 mAh with VOOC flash charge Up to 18h 180 mAh
ADDITIONAL FEATURES GPS, accelerometer, gyro, heart rate, compass, barometer, waterproof 5 ATM GPS, accelerometer, gyro, heart rate, compass, barometer, waterproof 50m GPS, accelerometer, gyro, heart rate, compass, barometer, waterproof 5 ATM, SpO2

Design

My favorite design belongs to the OPPO Watch (especially in its 41 mm version because it is more compact): it has a curved display and it is very elegant. On the other hand, Huawei Watch Fit is the most original one with its rectangle-shaped display. But the silver medal when it comes to the look goes to the Apple Watch SE: it is similar to the OPPO Watch, but it has a flat display. Someone may prefer the Watch SE due to the presence of a crown instead of physical keys: it is a matter of tastes. In each case, you get a waterproof design with water resistance up to 5 ATM.

 

Display

Besides getting a very elegant design, with the OPPO Watch, you also get an amazing display. In its 46 mm version, the smartwatch comes with a wide 1.91-inch panel with 100 percent DCI P3 coverage and a high resolution of 402 x 476 pixels. Even the Apple Watch SE has a great display with its 1000 nits peak brightness and Retina LTPO OLED technology. Further, it supports 3D Touch with sensors that can recognize the pressure level of your finger. Huawei Watch Fit has an inferior display to the OPPO Watch and the  Watch SE in terms of image quality, but it has a very interesting rectangle-shaped form factor that improves usability.

 

Specs & Software

The OPPO Watch has the most powerful chipset and 1 GB of RAM, while the Apple Watch SE has the highest amount of internal storage (32 GB). Huawei Watch Fit has the weakest hardware department and it does not need powerful hardware because it comes with a proprietary OS. OPPO Watch runs Wear OS based on Android, while Watch SE has watchOS. In terms of features, OPPO Watch and Apple Watch SE are actually better: the former is better if paired with Android devices, while the latter is better with iPhones. OPPO Watch and Apple Watch SE have several preinstalled applications and you can download more through the official stores. Huawei Watch Fit has a proprietary OS and it is inferior to its rivals in terms of features, but it supports more sports mode and it is a better smartwatch for sports lovers. If sport is not your only priority, then you should choose either OPPO Watch or Apple Watch SE.

 

Sensors and connectivity

As mentioned above, Huawei Watch Fit is a better smartwatch for sports not only for its higher amount of sports modes but also because it has the SpO2 sensor. On the other hand, OPPO Watch and Apple Watch SE offer very accurate measurements, but they lack SpO2 tracking. With all of these smartwatches, you get a GPS module, but only the Apple Watch SE and OPPO Watch have cellular connectivity. Note that cellular connectivity is optional on the Watch SE and the OPPO Watch: you have to buy a more expensive variant in order to get it.

 

 

Battery

Huawei Watch Fit is the king of battery life as it lasts up to 10 days on a single charge. With the OPPO Watch and the Apple Watch SE, you can only get one day of battery life.

 

Price

OPPO Watch 41 mm is priced at €249/$300 in the global market (the price varies depending on the market), while Apple Watch SE costs €309/$279 in its base 40 mm variant. For the Huawei Watch Fit, you need just €129,90/$150. For everything but sports, OPPO Watch and Apple Watch SE are better wearable devices than Huawei Watch Fit. The former has a better display and design, while the latter has a more mature operating system.

 

 

OPPO Watch vs Apple Watch SE vs Huawei Watch Fit: PRO and CONS

OPPO Watch

PRO

  • Wear OS
  • Better display
  • Two variants (46 and 41 mm)
  • Better hardware

CONS

  • Nothing particular

 

Apple Watch SE

PRO

  • More compact
  • 3D Touch
  • Wireless charging
  • 32 GB of native storage
  • Watch OS

CONS

  • Smaller display

Huawei Watch Fit

PRO

  • Bigger display
  • More sports mode
  • SpO2 sensor
  • Original design
  • Affordable

CONS

  • Inferior OS

Insta360 to announce a new pocket camera next week

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

While smartphone cameras have come a long way, there are still some things they cannot do such as record a 360° video unless you purchase an add-on. Another option is to purchase a dedicated 360° camera; and one of the big names in that space is Insta360, who has got a new model coming next week.

Insta360 released a video on YouTube earlier today teasing the new camera and there sure seems to be a lot it can do judging from the swings and angles in the video.

As seen from the thumbnail of the video, the camera has a gray finish and a width that is less than that of the average smartphone.

Insta360 is also running a promotion where a lucky subscriber on their YouTube channel gets the chance to win the new camera. The rules are simple – all you have to do is subscribe to the channel and drop a comment under the above video saying how you’ll use the new camera. A winner will be announced in the comment section on October 28.

UP NEXT: Omnivision OV64A announced as the world’s first 1.0-micron 64MP camera sensor

 

Samsung Galaxy A51 has begun to receive One UI 2.5 update

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
-

Samsung introduced One UI 2.5 with the launch of Galaxy Note20 and Galaxy Note20 Ultra. The update was only confirmed for the company’s flagship smartphone series like Galaxy S, Galaxy Note, and Galaxy Z. But surprisingly, the South Korean tech giant began to roll it for Galaxy A71 a few days now. Now, the update is also live for Galaxy A51.

Samsung-Galaxy-A51

Galaxy A51 and Galaxy A71 are Samsung’s best-selling smartphones of 2020. Hence, the company rolled out some Galaxy S20 features to these two devices worldwide and a new feature called AltZLife in India.

Now, the duo is also receiving the latest stable version of its Android skin – One UI 2.5. However, unlike the flagship models, the new update for Galaxy A51 as well as Galaxy A71 only comes with certain features.

According to SamMobile, the Android 10-based One UI 2.5 update for Galaxy A51 comes with firmware version A515FXXU4CTJ1. The new OTA update for the handset also bumps up the security patch level to October 2020.

That said, although the canagelog for the update is unavailable as of now, we expect the new software build to bring a similar set of features like the build that is being rolled out to Galaxy A71.

That means when you finish updating your Galaxy A51, your device may have features like Network Quality Information Display, Request Password, and SOS in Messages app to name a few.

Having said that, One UI 2.5 for Galaxy A51 is merely a minor update. The next major update for this phone will arrive in the form of Android 11-based One UI 3.0. That’s not all, since this smartphone is eligible for three generations of Android updates, it will be also receiving Android 12 (One UI 4.0) and Android 13 (One UI 4.0) in the future.

UP NEXT: Samsung Electronics ranked first as the World’s Best Employer according to a Forbes study

 

OnePlus 9 series with a codename “Lemonade” already under development

By
Balaji S
-

It’s been just five days since the launch of the OnePlus 8T and we are already staring at the leak of probably the next OnePlus device. Max J, a well-known tipster for OnePlus has posted a vague side-view of a smartphone with a codename, “Lemonade”.

 

Max J has shared the image on his Twitter account(@MaxJmb). The image has two supposed side views of a device. They are barely visible and are extremely thin. They probably represent the usual placement of buttons on either side. That said the attention is really on the background of the image. There is a big “Lemonade” written and is intentionally yellow in color.

Now, Max hasn’t really shared any other details on his tweet but has replied to one of the comments saying this it’s about the “OnePlus 9 series codename”. This pretty much sums up what we are looking at. However, this is not the only time we hear about the “Lemonade”. A month ago, an XDA member shared that OnePlus was working on a device with codenames- lemonade, lemonadet, lemonadev, and lemonadep. While we thought of this as some other OnePlus device, Max’s clarification today puts a pin on the OnePlus 9 series.

Previously, we have come across codenames like “kebab“, “Billie“, and “clover“. Of course, these are just developmental or project names and don’t hint us about design or specifications. And that is the case with the OnePlus 9 series but rest assured “Lemonade”  is now its codename if we look at the track record of Max.

OnePlus 9 series – Early guesses

Since it’s very early to be asking for the OnePlus 9 series leaks, we will just speculate on it for now. Max has mentioned it as a “series” and hence, we can at least expect a 9 and a 9 Pro here. However, he doesn’t know if the display will be flat/curved yet.

Being a flagship lineup, the OnePlus 9 series will surely have the next Snapdragon 8 series SoC(probably Snapdragon 875), AMOLED display with at least a 120Hz refresh rate, a minimum of 65W charging(or more), may have a 64MP camera sensor(long-awaited), and more. It will most likely be launched around April of 2021.

Up Next: First OnePlus 8T update brings Canvas feature and lots of optimizations

 

ZTE’s first 5G Converged Set-top Box is also a Gigabit gateway and router

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE has teamed up with China Unicom to announce the industry’s first 5G converged set-top box. The STB comes with a three-in-one design which includes functioning as a gigabit gateway, a router and a set-top box.

ZTE explains that for coastal and mountainous areas where optical fibre is not easy to deploy, 5G uplink Gigabit access can be realized by deploying 5G converged set-top boxes, and home Wi-Fi can be realized by connecting converged gateway + multipoint AP + Mesh protocol in the downlink. This set up will deliver panoramic network coverage and seamless roaming within the home.

ZTE Set top box

 

The ZTE Converged Set-top Box is equipped with a high-performance chip, supports AVS2.0, HEVC and ultra-high-definition video decoding. It also has rich interfaces and indicators such as HDMI and USB.

 

In terms of product design, the 5G converged set-top box has a cool black appearance. It utilises a vertical orientation with an ultra-thin base in a three-dimensional design. The design will allow for efficient heat dissipation. It also has a vertical card design at the bottom which is small and convenient for users to deploy.

This new product comes just a month after the ZTE ZXV10 B836CT and B866V2-H Set-top Boxes were unveiled. The two set-top boxes are powered by a quad-core ARM Cortex-A55 processor and run Android TV. They also support AV1 codec and come with CAS/DRM digital encryption system to protect operators’ content copyrights. The B836CT is targeted at the cable/DTT hybrid market while the B866V2-H is aimed at the IPTV/OTT market.

UP NEXT: POCO C3 for Rs 7,499 (~$102) brings 6.53-inch display, Helio G35, 13MP triple cameras and 5,000mAh battery

 

The new ColorOS Watch 1.5 brings more sports modes and watch faces to the OPPO Watch

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

Today, OPPO announced a new version of the operating system that powers its smartwatch, the OPPO Watch. ColorOS Watch 1.5 brings lots of features including new sports modes and watch faces.

ColorOS Watch 1.5
Image source: MyDrivers

OPPO says when ColorOS Watch 1.5 arrives for the OPPO Watch, users will be able to track more activities as it brings eight new sports modes including free training, elliptical, mountain climbing, and rowing (rowing machine).

The new update also brings support for more than 13 new apps that include Tencent News, Baidu Maps, and NetEase Cloud Music. Another feature that the update brings is more watch faces. Owners of the OPPO Watch can now choose from 50 new watch faces.

There is also a new SOS mode that users can activate which automatically dials the 120 emergency line and also sends important details such as the wearer’s location.

OPPO says ColorOS Watch 1.5 will begin rolling out to the OPPO Watch on October 24. We do not know if the OPPO Watch RX which is scheduled to launch on November 1 will run the new operating system out of the box or will have a different one.

UP NEXT: Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro ECG version may be in development

 

OPPO Find X2 and OPPO Watch League of Legends Limited Editions launched in China

By
Balaji S
-

Finally, OPPO has unveiled the League of Legends S10 Limited Editions of OPPO Find X2, and OPPO Watch in China. Irrespective of the special edition design, both the products have launched at the same price as the standard editions.

OPPO Find X2 and Watch League of Legends S10 Limited Edition Price, Availability

The Oppo Find X2 League of Legends S10 Limited Edition is priced at 4999 yuan($748.11). It comes in a single 8GB RAM and a 256GB storage option. This is the same price as the standard Find X2 8/256GB variant. The limited-edition smartphone is up for sale on the OPPO website starting today(October 19) from 21:00 China Time. However, on checking the website, the device seems to be out of stock as we write this article.

Similarly, the OPPO Watch League of Legends Limited Edition 46mm variant is priced at the same 1999 yuan($299) as the standard one. Also, do note that this version doesn’t have the ECG built-in. This limited edition watch is open for pre-orders on the OPPO website from October 19(today) and will go officially on sale on sale from November 1.

A Chance to watch the League of Legends S10 Finals live

Early buyers of today have a chance to watch the S10 Finals that will be held on October 31, 2020, live. To participate, users have to pay the price on the first sale, and those who don’t avail 7-days refund will quality. The initial list will be published on the oppo find x2 product page, and users have to contact customer care by October 21 to provide details.

OPPO Find X2 and Watch League of Legends S10 Limited Edition details

For the unware, League of Legends is a popular MOBA(Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game in China. Oppo has partnered with the game to launch special editions of the Find X2, and Oppo Watch. The S10 on the name stands for the 10th season of the game.

Find X2

If we take the design and specifications, it is the same as the standard versions. However, the outer color scheme and a few themes inside the software is changed. On the rear, we can see a nebula inspiration. Nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, Hydrogen, Helium, and ionized gases. It has a bluish-green accent with a few yellow colors as well. Similarly, the Find X2 has a bluish-green color with yellow accents at the borders. We also have a yellow ring around the camera, league of legends, and S10 2020 World Championship logo on the rear.

You get a special box packaging with an X-shaped case, a customized SIM ejector, earphones, charger with “Take over”, and logo imprinted on them. You also get a commemorative card that says, “one of 3000”. This indicates OPPO might actually have made only 3000 units of the limited edition. Inside the customized UI, you get new game-inspired icons in black and blue accents with yellow rings, five exclusive wallpapers of Izreal, Li Qing, Le Meilan, Irelia, and Titan(Google Translated), dynamic unlock effects, a League of legends themed game space, charging animation, and more.

Editor’s Pick: OnePlus 8T Cyberpunk 2077 Limited Edition announced, Pre Orders start November 4

 Oppo Watch

Similarly to the Find X2, Oppo Watch League of Legends Editions also has Green accents. It is the Akali Exclusive edition. Akali is a rogue assassin character in the game. The outer ring of the squircle watch dial, buttons, and the upper strap is light Green whereas the lower strap with “Akali” written is dark Green. The upper strap has OPPO branding, and “Too Good, Too Fast”. The box and its contents are also customized with straps, chargers, etc. The UI here is also heavily customized with Akali watch face with date, and time, charging animation, and icons.

Up Next: Oppo launches the Enco X TWS earbuds in partnership with Dynaudio for ¥999($149)

Samsung slashes the offline prices of Galaxy M21 in India

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
-

Samsung launched the Galaxy M21 in India before the COVID-19 lockdown in March. The device initially debuted for ₹12,999 and ₹14,999 for the 4GB + 64GB and 6GB +128GB respectively on Amazon India. The device was sold for ₹1,000 in offline stores as well as Samsung online store. 

Just like other phones, its price was also increased after the GST hike on mobile phones in the country. However, the online price was reduced a long time back but Samsung has slashed the offline price only now.

Samsung Galaxy M21
Samsung Galaxy M21

According to 91Mobiles, the offline prices of Galaxy M21’s 4GB + 64GB and 6GB +128GB storage configurations have been dropped by ₹500 each. Therefore, they can be now bought for ₹13,999  and ₹15,999, down from their previous price tags of ₹14,499  and ₹16,499 respectively.

What’s more interesting is that the Galaxy M21 can be now purchased on Amazon India for only ₹12,499  and ₹14,999 respectively. Buyers can also avail an extra 10% discount if they make transactions through HDFC bank debit/credit cards.

In case you do not know, Samsung introduced the Galaxy M series smartphones as an online exclusive series in India to offer better price to performance ratio products to compete against the likes of Xiaomi. But due to concerns raised by offline retailers, the company had to bring these handsets to offline as well, however, with slightly higher price tags.

Therefore, the best place to purchase Galaxy M series devices in India is Amazon India, the official online retailer for the series in the country.

UP NEXT: Price Cut: Samsung’s cheapest 2020 smartphone in India is now even more affordable

 

Huawei unveils the VR Glass 6DOF Game Set equipped with a 360-degree Joystick

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

Huawei has today at the 2020 World VR Industry Conference Cloud Summit unveiled the Huawei VR Glass 6DOF game set. This was announced by Hua HeGeng, President of Huawei Consumer Business Mobile Product Line.

Huawei VR headset

According to the product introduction, the Huawei VR Glass 6DOF game set will allow consumers to interact more freely and smoothly in VR games. Using the Inside-out positioning method, the spatial displacement accuracy reaches the industry-leading millimetre level, bringing more precise sensing capabilities.

The game set adopts ergonomic design and is equipped with a 360-degree joystick and side gesture buttons. It is professional and powerful. With excellent vibration feedback, it brings a more immersive and real game experience.Huawei VR headsetHuawei VR headset

Huawei says the package will be available to developers at the end of 2020 and will go on sale to be public in April 2021. Huawei also indicated the preparedness to release more high-quality VR games and applications in the future.

Recall that in October 2019, Huawei first introduced its first VR Glass designed to watch VR videos. The wearable has access to 30,000 hours of VR video from the content resources, along with three major VR live broadcast platform and more than 100 virtual reality games. Last year’s Huawei VR Glass offers a screen resolution of 3200 x 1600 pixels with up to 1058PPI pixel density, 90-degree field-of-view, 70/90Hz refresh rate. It comes with 3D sound effects and provides IMAX giant screen-like experience. Furthermore, it weighs around 166 grams and the temples come with a foldable design and it has a distance adaptation of 55 to 71 mm.

The 360 degrees joystick support makes this new model a standout product. The pricing details are yet to be released but for reference, last year’s VR Glass comes in at 2,999 Yuan (~$424). We expect the price of this version to be way higher.

UP NEXT: POCO C3 for Rs 7,499 (~$102) brings 6.53-inch display, Helio G35, 13MP triple cameras and 5,000mAh battery

 

Pakistan lifts TikTok ban following promise to moderate content

By
Habeeb Onawole
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A little over a week ago, the Pakistani government announced a ban on the popular video-sharing social media platform, TikTok. The government had cited the spread of immoral and indecent content on the platform as the reason for the ban. Today, the ban has been lifted but with certain conditions.

The announcement on the lifting of the ban was made on Twitter by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). An image of the press release attached to the tweet says the lifting is conditional as it comes with certain conditions.

It turns out that TikTok has assured the PTA that it will moderate content on the platform “in accordance with societal norms and the laws of Pakistan”. It has also said it will ensure that users who are continuously involved in uploading unlawful content are blocked.

Based on these conditions, the PTA has thus decided to lift the ban. However, it says that if these conditions are not fulfilled it will permanently block the app.

TikTok is one of the most popular apps in the country and boasts 43 million installs according to info from Sensor Tower, an analytics firm. The Verge reports that Pakistan is also the country with the third-highest number of video removals, with more than 6 million videos pulled down in H1 2020 for failing to meet TikTok’s rules.

UP NEXT: TikTok and WeChat ban in the US breaks WTO rules, claims China

 

First OnePlus 8T update brings Canvas feature and lots of optimizations

By
Habeeb Onawole
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The OnePlus 8T has begun receiving its very first update. The update comes just a few days after the phone went on sale across the globe. The update brings several optimizations as well as a new feature owners will be happy to try out.

According to a tweet posted by Peter Holden, the chief editor of Talk Android, the update comes as OygenOS 11.0.1.2.KB05BA. It is 355MB in size and brings optimizations for ambient display, power consumption, nightscape mode, white balance accuracy, and improves the stability of the camera app.

The new feature that the update brings is Canva, a wallpaper feature that draws a wireframe image of a selected photo to use as your lockscreen wallpaper. As seen in the images in the tweet. Canva is still in beta just as it was when we reported about it last month.

The OnePlus 8T is the latest flagship from the Chinese manufacturer. It has a 6.55-inch flat AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a punch hole at the top left corner of the screen. There is a Snapdragon 865 processor under the hood with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

OnePlus ships the phone with a 48MP quad-camera setup on the back and a 16MP selfie camera. It also has an in-display fingerprint scanner, runs Android 11, and packs a 4500mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging.

UP NEXT: Carl Pei confirms exit from OnePlus, pens an emotional “Thank you” note

 

Oppo launches the Enco X TWS earbuds in partnership with Dynaudio for ¥999($149)

By
Balaji S
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Oppo has just finished launching new TVs, Limited editions of a watch, and smartphones in China. Alongside the other products, the company also unveiled a new pair of TWS(Truly Wireless) earbuds called the OPPO Enco X. The company is marketing it as an audio product tuned by Dynaudio, a famous Danish Loudspeaker maker.

Credits: OPPO

Oppo Enco X Price, offers, and Availability

The OPPO Enco X is priced at 999 yuan($149.45). However, for the first sale, you get 50 yuan($8.83) off. It will be available starting today(October 19) from 21:00 China Time on Oppo Store including other offline and online partners. Initially, White and Nocturnal Black will be available while Oppo will launch the Bamboo Green variant at a later date.

Design, Colors

In terms of design, The Enco X has angled earbuds with silicone ear tips. The stem holds the center and unlike the Enco W51‘s big oval shape, this has a smaller ubiquitous design like AirPods Pro and weighs 4.8g each. Oppo says the Enco X has a coaxial dual unit design inside the earbuds. It comes in three colors – Nocturnal Black, White, and Bamboo Green.

Credits: OPPO

There is a superconducting magnetic plane diaphragm, three-layer moving coil, and dual speakers. All of them are located on the same axis for direct audio throw at ears. The charging case also has a modified oval-shaped design, unlike the Enco W51’s squircle shape. It has a “co-created with Dynaudio” caption at the front and the OPPO logo on top. Oppo says the case is a ring design with a metal frame for ergonomics. Also, the design seems to be inspired by the company’s 15-year old first MP3 X3 product.

Audio

For Audio, OPPO has partnered with Dynaudio. For the unaware, it is a Hi-Fi audio and loudspeaker maker located in Denmark. Oppo says the it did the R&D at Dynaudio R&D center in Skanderborg. For the Enco X, it has used an 11mm driver unit along with a 6mm speaker in the coaxial dual unit design. Daniel Emonts, a professional in Acoustic Engineering has Master Tuned the Enco X.

Credits: OPPO

The Enco X has DBEE 3.0 sound system for Hi-Fi audio. Oppo says it’s the improved version of the company’s own DBEE dynamic sound effects developed in 2007. Also, the Enco X supports SBC, AAC audio codecs, and also LHDC(Low Latency High-Definition Codec) high bitrate transmission.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi Mi Air 2 Pro TWS earbuds available on GIZTOP for $129

Noise reduction

For Noise Reduction, Oppo says the Enco X features a dual-core chip for noise reduction and has four noise reduction modes- Strong, and weak noise reduction, Transparency mode(ambient sound), and Toggle noise reduction on/off. This is done through three microphones and a noise reduction algorithm. One of them is a call microphone and is on the earbuds. The other two on the stem are feedforward and backward ones.

Credits: OPPO

Battery and other features

The Oppo Enco X, as claimed by Oppo should last about 25hrs on a single charge. Each of the earbuds will supposedly last 5.5hrs with noise reduction mode. However, you get only 20hrs of playback with Strong Noise reduction turned on. Other features include IP54 water and dust resistance, touch controls for media, volume, calls, and toggling Noise reduction, Quick Pair, Qi Wireless Charging. It also has Bluetooth 5.2 for low-latency dual transmission.

Oppo says the latency of the earbuds is as low as 47ms at earbud end, and 97ms delay with full link transmission. The Enco X is compatible with Android/iOS, and also has single & dual-earbud modes.

Up Next: OPPO launched its first televisions: OPPO TV S1 and OPPO TV R1

OPPO launched its first televisions: OPPO TV S1 & OPPO TV R1

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
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As expected, OPPO has finally launched its first-ever televisions after teasing them for a while. The company has introduced two models namely OPPO TV S1 and OPPO TV R1. The former is a premium model with a QLED panel and only comes in a single 65-inch variant. Whereas, the latter can be bought in either 55-inch and 55-inch version.

OPPO TV S1 Specifications, Features & Price

The OPPO TV S1 flaunts a 65-inch QLED panel with 4K resolution (3840 × 2160 pixels). The company claims the panel to cover 120% of the NTSC color gamut and offer a peak brightness of 1,500 nits.

OPPO TV S1 Featured
OPPO TV S1

Being a QLED display, the screen also supports local dimming with 210 partitions. Also, like most televisions these days, the panel also comes with a 120Hz refresh rate along with support for VRR (48Hz – 120Hz variable refresh rate) and MEMC.

As for audio, OPPO has partnered with Dynaudio to include 18 speakers with 85W sound output and 5.1.2 channel. Going by the specs, customers may not need to invest in a separate speaker system. Additionally, the TV also comes equipped with far-field microphones for Breeno voice assistant and a pop-up camera for video calls.

What’s more interesting is that the flagship OPPO television is powered by MediaTek MT9950 chipset paired with 8.5GB RAM and 128GB internal storage enabling it to boot in 1 second. Talking about software, it runs ColorOS TV with support for local streaming platforms like Tencent, Youku, Mango, and iQiyi.

OPPO TV S1 R1 Video Call Pop-up Camera

Other features include HDMI 2.1, WiFi 6, NFC remote control to quickly enable screen mirroring and OPPO Share, blue light filter certified by TÜV Rheinland, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and 8K video playback support.

The OPPO  TV S1 is priced at 7,999 yuan ($1,197) but will be available for 6,999 yuan ($1,047) during the Double 11 (Single’s Day) sale in China.

OPPO TV R1 Specifications, Features & Price

On the other hand, the OPPO TV R1 sports a 4K LCD panel with an LED backlight. As mentioned in the beginning, it comes in two sizes – 55-inch and 65-inch.

The display of this television features a 96% screen-to-body ratio and covers 93% DCI-P3 color gamut. Unlike the costlier model, the screen does not support a 120Hz refresh rate, however, it does come with MEMC.

OPPO TV R1
OPPO TV R1

Further, it is powered by a less powerful MediaTek MTK9652 chipset but it still supports 8K video playback and 1 second boot time just like the premium model. However, the amount of RAM and internal storage are quite less at 2GB and 32GB respectively.

Other features of this television include HDMI 2.1, WiFi 6, blue light filter certified by TÜV Rheinland, 20W speakers with Dolby Audio, NFC remote control to quickly enable screen mirroring and OPPO Share, pop-up camera, far-field microphones, and ColorOS TV operating system.

As for price, the OPPO TV R1 55-inch costs 3,299 yuan ($493), whereas the OPPO TV R1 65-inch will set you back 4,299 yuan ($643) if you reside in China.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Mi TV LUX Pro 82-inch 8K 5G & Mi TV LUX 82-inch 4K launched in China

 

OPPO PERM00 full specifications and images emerge at TENAA

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
-

Earlier this month, OPPO PERM00 had received approval from the MIIT authority of China. The handset has now appeared in the database of the TENAA telecom authority with full specifications and images. The exact identity of the phone is not known yet. Now that the device has received approval from the MIIIT and TENAA authorities, the OPPO PERM00 phone is likely to go official soon in China.

OPPO PERM00 specifications

The OPPO PERM00 is a 5G smartphone that has 162.2 x 75.1 x 9.1mm dimensions and it weighs 194 grams. It features an LCD screen of 6.5 inches that supports a full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. It has a rated battery of 4,910mAh capacity.

There is a 2GHz octa-core processor present under the hood of the OPPO PERM00. The phone will be arriving in China in 6 GB and 8 GB RAM editions. It could be available in storage versions such as 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB. The device is preinstalled with Android 10 OS.

OPPO PERM00 TENAA

Editor’s Pick: OPPO Watch RX briefly unveiled; launches on November 1

The phone houses a front-facing camera of 16-megapixel. There is a rectangle-shaped camera setup on the backside of the phone. It comprises of 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad-camera system.

The OPPO PERM00 has a microSD card slot for additional storage. It has a side-facing fingerprint scanner. The phone will be arriving in China in color variants such as green, gray, and blue.

Apart from OPPO PERM00, another phone with model number OPPO PECM30 / PECT30 has also emerged at TENAA. The specs of the phone are an exact match with the OPPO A72 5G phone that has PECM10 / PECT10 model number.

UP NEXT:  OnePlus 8T is available for $549 at Oppomart

 

 

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