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Tecno Camon 16 launched with Rs 10,999 (~$149) price as the cheapest 64MP quad camera phone in India

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
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In September, Chinese brand Tecno announced the Tecno Camon 16, Camon 16 Pro, and Camon 16 Premier smartphones. As scheduled, the brand officially unveiled the Camon 16 smartphone in India on Oct. 10. It has arrived as the cheapest smartphone with a 64-megapixel quad camera setup in the country.

Tecno Camon 16 price in India

Priced at Rs 10,999 (~$149), Camon 16 comes in two color options such as Cloud White and Purist Blue. The phone will be up for purchase through Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sale that begins on Oct. 16 in India. The official listing of the phone shows the phone in a third color variant called Misty Grey. It appears that this color variant will be up for purchase sometime later.

Tecno Camon 16 specifications

The Camon 16 is a polycarbonate-bodied phone that has 170.9 x 77.2 x 9.2mm dimensions. The phone features a massive 6.8-inch waterdrop notch display that produces an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1640 pixels and a 20.5:9 aspect ratio. It is preinstalled with Android 10 OS that is flavored with HiOS 7.0.

Tecno Camon 16
Tecno Camon 16

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The Tecno Camon 16 has a 16-megapixel Samsung RGB S5K3P9 front-facing camera with dual flash. Its square-shaped camera module on its rear has a uniquely arranged quad-camera system. It has a 64-megapixel OmniVision OV64B RGB primary sensor, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, a 2-megapixel macro lens, and an AI lens. The cameras of the Tecno Camon 16 are coupled with plenty of features such as TAIVOS (Tecno AI Vision Optimization Solution) system, penta-LED flash unit, 10x hybrid zoom, super night mode, portrait AI scene recognition, 120ps slow-motion video shooting, video beauty, video bokeh, and Animoji.

The Camon 16 is driven by the Helio G70 chipset and 4 GB of RAM. It has 64 GB of internal storage and it houses a 5,000mAh battery. The phone carries support for 18W charging through microUSB. Lastly, it has a rear-positioned fingerprint sensor.

UP NEXT:  Tecno Camon 16 S with Helio P22 chipset spotted on Google Play Console

 

 

Xiaomi has sold over 5 Million Smart TVs in India

By
Sean
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Xiaomi, the known smartphone manufacturer, is a popular brand in India. It has been known for its aggressively priced smartphone and the company has even branched out to other consumer electronics products in recent years. Now, the company has officially announced that it has sold over 5 million Smart TVs in the region.

Xiaomi Mi TV Horizon Edition India September 7
Xiaomi Mi TV Horizon Edition

The Chinese tech giant has announced that it has sold over 5 million Mi TVs in India since the lineup was brought to the country back in 2018. At the moment, the brand also holds 22 percent of the market share for smart TVs in the local market, which marks the 9 consecutive quarters of it being the best selling brand in the category.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo made the Huran Top 5 Consumer Electronics Brands list in China in 2020

Eshwar Nilakantan, Category head for TV at Mi India, stated that “Mi India has played a critical role in building the market for smart TVs in India, by providing the best hardware and software, at an incredibly great value. With a strong understanding of what our consumers need, we have focused on bringing consumers an unparalleled line-up of options that deliver on engineering,  technology prowess, and content experiences.”

Xiaomi

Xiaomi India also showcased its three core philosophies for the market, with “content first, consistent experience and customizations for India” being the driving ideals. Mi TVs in India is powered by Patchwall and are designed specifically for Indian consumers with the integration of known streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Videos as well, with support for 16+ languages and more.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi demonstrates Ultra Wide Band technology for controlling smart home devices

 

Huawei, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo made the Huran Top 5 Consumer Electronics Brands list in China in 2020

By
Sean
-

The Huran Research Institute has just released the list for the top Consumer Electronics Brand in 2020 in China. In the list, Huawei, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo make the top 5 rankings.

Huawei Logo MWC 2019

The list ranks the companies by their market value or valuation, which is based on the closing price on 30th September 2020. This was calculated and shared earlier today (10th October 2020), includes known Chinese smartphone manufacturers, with Huawei becoming China’s most valuable consumer electronics company with a valuation of 1.1 Trillion Yuan. Similarly, Xiaomi ranked second with 434 billion Yuan in value, while Vivo and Oppo arrived third and fourth respectively with a value of 170 and 175 billion Yuan.

Editor’s Pick: Redmi Note 10 series leak reveals LCD punch-hole display, SD750G, 108MP camera, and more

This also marked the first time Vivo surpassed Oppo. Notably, Apple, the most valuable consumer electronics company in the world is worth 13.5 trillion Yuan (or about 2 trillion US Dollars), so, it is quite a feat for Huawei as well. DJI, the known drone maker that has captured various markets from across the globe arrived fifth in the list with a valuation of 100 billion Yuan. Furthermore, Lenovo dominated the laptop market, arriving with an annual revenue of 360 billion Yuan, ranking 7th with a 54 billion Yuan valuation.

mi logo

Notably, the top four brands and the sixth brand that is Transsion Holdings accounted for 40 percent of the total smartphone shipped in the world with a total of 620 million handset units. And despite all of the regulations and pressures from the US government, Huawei has still achieved another milestone. Meanwhile, other known companies like Gree, Midea, Haier, and other home appliance makers didn’t make the list this year.

UP NEXT: New Razer Blade Stealth 13 arrives with 11th Gen Intel chip and an OLED option

 

OPPO Smart TV confirmed to launch in China on October 19

By
Jeet
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OPPO, the China-based company known for making smartphones, is now all set to enter the Smart TV market. The company has today confirmed that it will be hosting a launch event on 19th October to launch its first Smart TV in the market.

While the company has not revealed many details about the TV, it is being reported that there will be two variants based on the display size — 55-inch and 65-inch. It is also expected to have a Quantum Dot full-screen display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

OPPO Smart TV Launch Date

From the previous leak, it has been confirmed that the OPPO Smart TV will come with a pop-up camera, enabling video calling on the device. The ultra-narrow display seems to have a silver-colored base.

Thanks to the Quantum Dot display, which is made with the innovative semiconductor nanocrystal technology, it improves the color gamut of the display. This makes the color appear more bright and pure.

EDITOR’S PICK: Xiaomi demonstrates Ultra Wide Band technology for controlling smart home devices

OPPO TV Render Official Teaser

Both the OPPO Smart TV models have passed the 3C certification process with model numbers A65U0B00 and A55U0B00 with screen sizes 65-inch and 55-inch respectively. Both the TVs are manufactured by TPV Display Technology.

The company has also said that the upcoming smart TV will bring the content ecology for the family into one integrated platform. It also teases the new system-level gameplay.

The upcoming product is expected to feature a 4K panel and not 8K like the newly launched Mi TV LUX Pro 82-inch 8K 5G. It remains to be seen what else the company has planned to offer with this Smart TV.

UP NEXT: New Razer Blade Stealth 13 arrives with 11th Gen Intel chip and an OLED option

 

The standard iPhone 12 may outsell the other three models

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
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Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 12 series tomorrow (October 13) at the “Hi, Speed” event. According to multiple leaks and rumors, the Cupertino-based tech giant will launch four iPhones this year. However, only one of them will be more popular among customers compared to the other three models, as per a new report.

The prediction regarding the popularity of the upcoming iPhone 12 series comes from none other than Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities (via AppleInsider). According to the analyst, the standard 6.1-inch iPhone 12 will outsell the remaining three devices in the series.

Apple Logo Featured

For the first time in the history of iPhones, Apple will be unveiling four new iPhone models at a single event. The alleged brandings, screen sizes, storage configurations, and prices of these smartphones are as listed below.

  • iPhone 12 Mini
    • 64GB – $649
    • 128GB – $699
    • 256GB – $799
  • iPhone 12
    • 64GB – $749
    • 128GB – $799
    • 256GB – $899
  • iPhone 12 Pro
    • 128GB – $999
    • 256GB – $1,099
    • 512GB – $1,299
  • iPhone 12 Pro Max
    • 128GB – $1,099
    • 256GB – $1,199
    • 512GB – $1,399
EDITOR’S PICK: Diamond-like carbon coatings will make your smartphone display glass more durable

 

It is worth noting that there’s another leak, which claims the iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 to start from $699 and $799, instead of the above-mentioned prices. Therefore, we would advise you to take this piece of information with a pinch of salt.

That said, talking about Kuo’s prediction, he says that the iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max will only account for 20% each in terms of shipments this year. On the other hand, the regular iPhone 12 will acquire 40% of the remaining total shipments.

As per the analyst, although the iPhone 12 Mini will be the cheapest of the lots, it won’t be appealing to more customers because of its size. Whereas, the iPhone 12 with a slightly larger screen and not much expensive price tag will be more attractive to customers.

In the past, the costlier iPhone X outsold iPhone 8 models at the launch. However, in the following years, the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 sold more than the iPhone XS and iPhone 11 Pro series.

Since the world economy is severely affected by the pandemic, the prediction by ever-reliable Ming-Chi Kuo sounds right. He also adds that the inclusion of 5G won’t matter to most customers. Hence, we believe that there’s a possibility that people will continue buying last year’s iPhone 11 or the older iPhone XR if Apple does not discontinue them.

UP NEXT: Apple VP explains engineering behind Touch ID sensor in new iPad Air

 

New Razer Blade Stealth 13 arrives with 11th Gen Intel chip and an OLED option

By
Sean
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Razer has always positioned its Blade Stealth lineup as one of the most portable gaming machines that one can own. Now, the company is launching a late 2020 refreshed model for the 13 inch variant, which arrives with an Intel 11th gen processors along with an OLED display option.

Razer

Under the hood, the only major change with the new Razer Blade Stealth 13 is its processor. This variant sports Intel’s latest Tiger Lake based CPU, namely the Core i7-1165G7. It is paired with a GTX 1650 Ti, with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of upgradeable storage. According to Razer. the new laptop offers “up to 2.7 times” the performance for content creation and “more than 20 percent faster” in office productivity than the previous iteration.

Editor’s Pick: Redmi Note 10 series leak reveals LCD punch-hole display, SD750G, 108MP camera, and more

Furthermore, another notable inclusion in this upcoming refresh is the display option. The new Razer Blade Stealth 13 now offers a FHD touchscreen OLED panel option that will cover 100 percent CPI-P3, which is very important for content creators that require accurate colors for their work. Similar to the previous generation, the laptop also arrives in a non touch FHD panel with 120Hz display, which is the highest refresh rate at this size.

Razer

Razer has also paid close attention to audio with the new laptop. While the previous version had decent audio, it lacked strong bass. However, the newer model will arrive with a new audio app from THX that allows you to toggle preset audio profiles for different scenarios (movies, gaming, music, etc.) or to create your own. So, it might offer better tools to tweak audio performance. The new Blade Stealth 13 will be available later this month and will arrive with a price tag of 1,799 US Dollars, similar to the last gen model.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi demonstrates Ultra Wide Band technology for controlling smart home devices

 

Xiaomi demonstrates Ultra Wide Band technology for controlling smart home devices

By
Jeet
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Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has today demonstrated its new technology that the company is calling Ultra Wide Band technology. As the name indicates, it is ultra-wideband communication with 500MHz bandwidth for transmitting data.

The company installed the UWB chip on the Mi 10 smartphone along with an array of antennas. Xiaomi has also used its own algorithms to achieve centimeter-level positioning and ±3° angle measurement accuracy.

EDITOR’S PICK: Huawei Mate 40 series color options leaked ahead of launch

Xiaomi says that this Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technology gives smartphone and smart devices spatial perception capabilities, similar to something like Indoor GPS. With this technology, the user can just point the smartphone to any device and a control card for the same will automatically pop-up on the screen.

Zeng Xuezhong, Vice President of Xiaomi and the company’s President for the Smartphone Department demonstrated the technology. In the video, he is seen pointing the Mi 10 toward a phone which automatically shows the control options for the fan on the phone. He then turns towards and Smart TV and the phone shows control buttons for the TV, eliminating the process of establishing a separate connection.

It should support all the Smart Home products launched by the company. Xiaomi also says that in the near future, it will eliminate the need to point the smartphone towards the device in order to control it. Currently, there’s no information on when the company is planning to roll out this technology on its smartphones.

UP NEXT: OnePlus Nord Special Edition set to launch on October 14; teaser hints at Sandstone Black

 

Redmi Smart TV A65 4K with HDR support, dual speakers launched

By
Jed John Ikoba
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In September, Redmi hinted at a new Smart TV A series coming out soon. Since then, the brand has quietly launched the Smart TV A55, A50 and A32 models. Now, the Redmi Smart TV A65 has joined the fray.

Going by the earlier teaser, the 65-inch model will be the largest size the Smart TV A-series will be getting. The Redmi Smart TV A65 is equipped with a 65-inch screen and has 4K resolution. It supports HDR and is equipped with high-power dual speakers. The smart TV is also equipped with Xiaomi’s self-developed audio algorithm and supports DTS decoding.

In terms of design, the Redmi smart TV A65 uses an ultra-narrow bezel and piano paint texture. In terms of configuration, it is powered by a 4-core A53 processor backed by 1.5GB RAM and there is 8GB storage onboard. For interface, the smart TV comes with HDMI, USB, network cable interface, antenna interface, AV output interface and S/PDIF.

The Redmi Smart TV A65 carries a price tag of 2599 yuan ($386) and is presently available on Jingdong.

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

 

Redmi Note 10 series leak reveals LCD punch-hole display, SD750G, 108MP camera, and more

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
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Redmi is expected to announce a new smartphone this month. While Redmi fans are eagerly waiting for the arrival of the Redmi Note 10 series, the company is likely to launch a new Redmi K30 series smartphone this month. Some reports have claimed that this month could see the arrival of the Xiaomi Mi 10T smartphone in China as the Redmi K30T. Meanwhile, a Chinese tipster has been tipping on the specs of the alleged Redmi Note 10 series. A recent leak by the tipster revealed the key specs of the two phones that belong to the upcoming Note 10 series.

The leak states that both smartphones of the Note 10 series are equipped with LCD panels with punch-hole design. One of them features the MediaTek MT6853V chipset i.e. the Dimensity 720 chipset and a 48-megapixel main camera on its rear.

Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G
Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G

Editor’s Pick: There is a major difference between the Redmi Earbuds 2C and Redmi Earbuds S

The other handset is driven by the Snapdragon sm7225 i.e. the Snapdragon 750G chipset and it has a 108-megapixel primary shooter. The tipster had previously mentioned that it has a 4,800mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging. It is being speculated that a tweaked version of the Mi 10 Lite 5G will be rebranded as the Redmi Note series smartphone in China. Since it will be the first smartphone in the Note series to feature a 108-megapixel camera, it is likely to debut as the Redmi Note 10 Pro or Pro Max.

There have been reports that the Redmi Note 10 is powered by the Dimensity 820 chipset and 8 GB of RAM. Hence, it appears that the Note 10 family may include as many as three devices. Hopefully, newer reports will spill more information on the Note 10 series. It is unclear when Redmi will be announcing the Note 10 lineup.

UP NEXT: Redmi 9, Note 9S and Note 9 Pro rumoured to get MIUI 12 update from October 20

 

 

BMAX MaxBook Y13 Pro powered by Intel Core m5 and 8GB RAM goes official

By
Jeet
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BMAX, a Chinese company that makes computing products, has launched a new laptop in its home market, dubbed as BMAX MaxBook Y13 Pro. On the first look, the device seems quite similar to the Lenovo YogaBook series of laptops. The BMAX MaxBook Y13 Pro comes in an ultra-thin 2-in-1 360-degree convertible design. The company says that it has six different usage modes — Tablet, Portable, Drawing Pad, Laptop, Stand, and Tent.

BMAX MaxBook Y13 Pro

It has 5mm ultra-narrow bezels around the display and the full-sized backlit keyboard on the device has a borderless design. The laptop, made using aluminum alloy body, is just 14.7mm thin and weighs 1.2 kg.

Coming to the specifications, the device features 13.3-inch Full HD IPS display that offers a 1920 x 1080 pixels screen resolution. It supports 10-point precision touch and offers an 81.7 percent screen-to-body ratio.

BMAX MaxBook Y13 Pro

Under the hood, the laptop is powered by an Intel Core m5-6Y54 processor which is clocked at 2.7GHz. The chipset, which is based on the 14nm process, support 4MB smart cache and is claimed to be 25 percent faster compared to Core m3-6Y30.

The graphics part on the device is handled by Intel HD Graphics 515 clocked max to 900MHz. It is claimed to offer a 40 percent performance over the previous generation Intel HD 5300. The laptop packs 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. There’s also an M2 slot for adding additional M.2 SATA SSD storage on the device.

As for connectivity, it features Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac dual-band. The company says that it comes with a Magic Sound System for a multi-dimensional sound experience. The device also has two USB-Type C ports and is powered by a 38Wh two-cell battery which the company promises can offer six hours of battery life on a single charge.

For more details, please check it on the BMAX official site, or buy it from Amazon.it or Amazon.es for €449.

OPPO A53s pricing, specifications listed before October 13 release date

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
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In August, OPPO announced the OPPO A53 smartphone in markets like Indonesia and India. The phone was rebranded as OPPO A32 in China last month.  A listing of an unannounced phone named as the OPPO A53s has appeared at the official OPPO store at Amazon Germany. The listing carries specifications, renders, and pricing of the phone and it also mentions that it will be releasing on Oct. 13 (tomorrow). What’s interesting about the OPPO A53s heading to Germany is that it has the exact same specs as the OPPO A53 that debuted in other markets. Hence, it appears that the A53 will be simply dubbed as the OPPO A53s in Germany and maybe in other European markets.

OPPO A53s specifications

The Amazon Germany listing of the OPPO A53s states that it has a 6.5-inch IPS LCD panel with a punch-hole design. It supports HD+ resolution and a high refresh rate of 90Hz. The phone draws power from the Snapdragon 460, which is at present the latest Snapdragon 400-series SoC.

The listing does not mention the amount of RAM present inside the OPPO A53s. It mentions that it has an internal storage of 128 GB. The handset has a 5,000mAh battery that carries support for 18W fast charging through USB-C.

OPPO A53s Fancy Blue and Electric Black

Editor’s Pick:  Entire specs of OPPO A15 leak ahead of official launch

The OPPO A53s has a 16-megapixel front-facing camera. It has a rectangle-shaped camera module that includes a 13-megapixel main camera, a 2-megapixel macro lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. It has a rear-mounted fingerprint reader.

OPPO A53s pricing

The OPPO A53s is mentioned with a price tag of 189 euros (~$223) on Amazon Germany. It comes in Fancy Blue and Electric Black color editions. There is a pre-order bundle that allows the buyers of A53s to get the OPPO W31 TWS earbuds worth 77 euros (~$91) for free.

UP NEXT: OPPO A73 5G images, specs, and price appear online

 

(via)

Realme Q2 key specifications and image leaked before launch

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
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Realme will be announcing the Realme Q2 series of smartphones in China tomorrow. Based on the rumors surrounding the Q2 series, it can be said that the lineup includes two phones namely, the Realme Q2 and Realme Q2 Pro. It is speculated that these are RMX2117 and RMX2173 phones that were approved by the TENAA authority of China in September. Tomorrow’s Q2 series launch will also see the arrival of the Realme Buds Air Pro and an Electric Toothbrush in the home market. Ahead of the launch, a reliable tipster took to Weibo to share the key details of the Realme Q2.

The tipster has revealed that the Realme Q2 could be priced between 1,299 Yuan (~$194) and 1,599 Yuan (~$239). The phone will be flaunting an LCD screen that delivers up to 120Hz refresh rate. It will be fueled by the Dimensity 800U chipset by MediaTek.

The Realme Q2 will receive the power to perform from a 5,000mAh battery. The phone will carry support for 30W VOOC 4.0 Flash Charge technology. For photography, it is equipped with a 48-megapixel triple camera system.

Realme Q2 leaked image

Editor’s Pick: Check out the Realme 7i official unboxing video

The Weibo post that reveals the above specs also carries an image. It seems to belong to the Realme Q2 as it resembles with its rear image at TENAA. The phone is equipped with a rectangle-shaped camera module and it has a side-facing fingerprint scanner.

The Realme Q2 series will be the first phone from the brand to come preinstalled with Realme UI 2.0. The new skin will be overlaid on Android 10 OS. Its known through its TENAA listing that it has a front-facing camera of 16-megapixel, 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple rear shooters, up to 8 GB of RAM, and up to 256 GB of internal storage.

UP NEXT: Realme X7 Pro 5G spotted on NCC database as global launch draws near

 

 

Huawei Mate 40 series color options leaked ahead of launch on October 22

By
Jeet
-

After months of rumors and speculations, Huawei officially confirmed that the company will be launching its much-anticipated Huawei Mate 40 series flagship smartphones through an online-only event on 22nd October.

Now, ahead of the launch, some information about the phone’s models, their color options, and the build material of the RS Porsche Edition has leaked online.

Huawei Mate 40

As per the leak, the Huawei Mate 40 and Mate 40 Pro smartphones will come in five color options — Bright Black, Cosmic Silver, Pearl White, a new Green hue, and for the first time, the company will also offer a Yellow color.

It also reveals that the RS Porsche Edition will have a ceramic back panel. There will be Huawei Mate 40 Pro Plus variant as well, but so far the color options for this top-end model are not yet known.

EDITOR’S PICK: Redmi Note 10 could become the first Redmi smartphone to sport a 108MP camera sensor

In the poster announcing the phone’s launch date, the company touted the upcoming smartphone series as “Leap Further Ahead”, which could be hinting towards the chipset powering the devices — Huawei Kirin 9000 SoC, which is built on 5nm process. It could also be the company’s latest flagship chipset for the time being, because of the US sanctions.

Reports indicate that the phone could sport a similar display design as the Huawei P40 Pro series and thus it could be equipped with a curved OLED display with a pill-shaped cutout for a selfie camera as well as TOF 3D sensor for face unlock.

The devices will be running the latest EMUI 11 custom user interface, likely to be based on the Android 11 operating system. However, reports indicate that the standard Mate 40 may ship with EMUI 10.1 instead of the latest version.

UP NEXT: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra could feature 108MP camera and 65W fast charging

 

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra could feature 108MP camera and 65W fast charging

By
Jeet
-

Samsung is done launching premium smartphones for this year and now the South Korean giant is gearing up to unveil its next-generation Galaxy S-series smartphone, which is likely to be named Samsung Galaxy S21.

The Galaxy S21 series have been in the leaks for some time and we keep getting more and more information. In the latest leak, we have got some information about the phone’s primary camera sensor and the fast charging capabilities.

Samsung Galaxy S20

As per the new report, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will come with the company’s own Samsung HM2 108-megapixel primary camera in the Penta-camera, which as the name indicates, is a successor to the HM1 sensor launched last year. The usage of the ISOCELL HM2 sensor in line with the previous report.

It is also said that the phone will have support for 1080p recording at 240fps, 4K recording at 120fps, and 8K recording at 30fps. The report goes on to add that the phone will 1440p display with either 120Hz or 144Hz refresh rate.

EDITOR’S PICK: Huawei will soon unveil a smart screen for cars running the company’s own HongmengOS

The report adds that the Galaxy S21 Ultra will be powered by a 5,000mAh battery and will have support for 65W fast charging technology, which the company is already working on. Earlier, it was being reported that the phone could have 60W charging support. Recently, it was reported that Samsung will be sourcing batteries from China-based Amperex Technology Limited (ATL).

The company is expected to launch three devices in the series — Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra — powered by either Snapdragon 875 or Exynos 2100 chipset. The launch of the Samsung Galaxy S21 series smartphones is still months away and we expect more details about the phones to surface online as the launch date nears.

UP NEXT: OnePlus Nord Special Edition set to get unveiled on October 14; teaser hints at Sandstone Black

 

There’s a major difference between the Redmi Earbuds 2C and Redmi Earbuds S

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

Last week, Redmi India announced the Redmi Earbuds 2C, adding to its lineup of TWS earbuds sold in the country. The new earbuds not only look exactly like the Redmi Earbuds S that launched 5 months ago in India but also have almost identical features and the same dimensions. So if these two earbuds are “identical”, why is one cheaper than the other?

It turns out that there is a major difference between the two pairs of earbuds, one that Redmi believes justifies why the Redmi Earbuds 2C sells for ₹1,299 (~$18) while the Redmi Earbuds S is ₹1,799 (~$25).

Redmi Earbuds S Gaming Mode
The Low Latency Gaming Mode on the Redmi Earbuds S distinguishes it from the Redmi Earbuds 2C

That feature is Low Latency Gaming Mode and it is only available on the Redmi Earbuds S. When activated, the gaming mode reduces the latency to 122ms for better audio syncing when playing games. That is the only significant difference between the Redmi Earbuds 2C and the Redmi Earbuds S.

Is this feature worth the extra ₹500 (~$7) Redmi is charging for the Earbuds S? Honestly, I can’t say but a comparison of the two pairs of earbuds can help with that. Nevertheless, if you do not use earbuds when playing games on your phone or don’t even play games on your device at all, then save yourself some money and pick up the Redmi Earbuds 2C. If it is a feature you want in your earbuds, we will advise reading reviews of the Redmi Earbuds S or asking someone who owns a pair if it is worth the extra cost.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi announces the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic is coming soon to India

 

OnePlus Nord Special Edition coming on October 14; teaser hints at Sandstone Black

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

The OnePlus Nord comes in two color options – the head-turning Blue Marble and the low-profile Gray Onyx. OnePlus has announced that the phone will be getting a special edition on October 14, and the teaser all but confirms the return of a beloved OnePlus design.

The announcement was made on Twitter along with a teaser image. Long term fans of OnePlus will be able to decode the image in a second. However, for those who don’t know, the stones and sand hint at a Sandstone finish for the special edition OnePlus Nord.

Back in 2014, when the OnePlus One was announced, it was available in two colorways – Silk White and Sandstone Black. The latter was a fan favorite, thanks to its (fine)sand-like texture that also provided a firm grip. The OnePlus 2 was also available in Sandstone Black while other models including the OnePlus 8 series have Sandstone cases that users can purchase.

If the special edition OnePlus Nord does have a Sandstone finish, it means it will drop the Gorilla Glass 5 back panel in favor of the new material.

The special edition phone will be announced alongside the OnePlus 8T series on October 14.

UP NEXT: OnePlus Nord N10 5G and N100 will reportedly launch on October 26

 

ZIMI (ZMI) sets October 15 for annual Autumn product launch

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

Xiaomi-owned Zimi Corporation is the manufacturer behind the popular ZMI brand of charging accessories such as power banks, cables, and chargers. Today, the company took to Weibo to announce the date for its annual Autumn product launch.

As revealed by the Weibo post, the event has been set for Thursday, October 15 in Nanjing and will begin at 14:00 hrs. The post also includes a large poster that shows three quadrilaterals with purple light shining through them.

ZMI Autumn 2020 Product launch

A text on the poster reads “Listen To The Future” which hints at the possible launch of an audio-related product, probably a smart speaker of some sort.

At the moment, Zimi has two audio products – the ZMI Smart Alarm Clock Speaker that was announced back in 2019 and the ZMI Wireless Charging Bluetooth Speaker that can pass for a 3rd-gen Amazon Echo Dot. So another speaker wouldn’t be surprising.

Anyway, the launch is in a few days, so we might as well just wait for the device to be unveiled rather than trying to figure out what it is.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi unveils Mijia Desktop Heater to keep your hands warm while you work

 

POCO C3 vs Redmi 9i vs Redmi 9 Prime: Specs Comparison

By
Michele Ingelido
-

POCO C3 came up as the first POCO smartphone in the entry-level segment. At the moment, Xiaomi has a lot of last-generation entry-level handsets. There are so many devices that it is very hard for non-expert people to recognize which one is the best for their actual needs. That is the reason why we decided to publish a comparison between three entry-level phones by Xiaomi. The first is the POCO C3, while the others are Redmi phones: Redmi 9i and Redmi 9 Prime. You can find all of these devices in the Indian market at very affordable prices.

Xiaomi POCO C3 vs Xiaomi Redmi 9i vs Xiaomi Redmi 9 Prime

Xiaomi Redmi 9i Xiaomi POCO C3 Xiaomi Redmi 9
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 164.9 x 77.1 x 9 mm, 194 grams 164.9 x 77.1 x 9 mm, 194 grams 163.3 x 77 x 9.1 mm, 198 grams
DISPLAY 6.53 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 269 ppi, IPS LCD 6.43 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD 6.53 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 395 ppi, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR MediaTek Helio G25, octa-core 2 GHz MediaTek Helio G35, octa-core 2.3 GHz Mediatek Helio G80, octa-core 2 GHz
MEMORY 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot 3 GB RAM, 32 GB  – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD dedicated slot 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD dedicated slot
SOFTWARE Android 10, MIUI Android 10, MIUI Android 10, MIUI
CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5, GPS Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5, GPS Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA 13 MP f/2.2
5 MP f/2.2 front camera		 Triple 13 + 2 + 2 MP f/2.2 + f/2.4 + f/2.4
5 MP f/2.2 front camera		 Quad 13 + 8 + 5 + 2 MP f/2.2, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4
8 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY 5000 mAh 5000 mAh 5020 mAh, fast charging 18W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES Dual SIM slot Dual SIM slot Dual SIM slot

Design

While the front side is pretty much the same, POCO C3, Redmi 9i and Redmi 9 Prime have different back covers. All are built with plastic materials, but they have a different look. Given that it comes with just one camera, the Redmi 9i has a cleaner back, but the camera module of the POCO C3 remains small, even though it contains three sensors. The Redmi 9 Prime looks less elegant due to its bigger camera module including a fingerprint reader, but it has better color variants: as you can see in the render, it is available in gradient colors. Last but not least, Redmi 9 Prime has a water-repellent design.

 

Display

Do not expect a huge quality from these devices when it comes to the displays. Just like most of the entry-level phones, POCO C3 and Redmi 9i have a below-average HD+ resolution. But the Redmi 9 Prime has a Full HD+ panel and it is actually able to provide a higher definition, as well as a high brightness. Further, it has the Gorilla Glass 3 protection making the front panel sturdier. In each case, you get IPS panels with no astonishing color reproduction, but all of them are sufficient displays.

 

Specs & Software

Even when it comes to the hardware, Redmi 9 Prime wins the comparison. The reason is simple: it has a better chipset. We are talking about the Helio G80 by MediaTek, definitely superior to the Helio G35 found on the POCO C3. Further, it has more internal storage: up to 128 GB in the most expensive variant. The POCO C3 takes the silver medal with its Helio G35 paired with up to 4 GB of RAM. Redmi 9i loses with its Helio G25, but it runs MIUI 12 out of the box like the POCO C3, while Redmi 9 Prime is still based on the MIUI 11 as it is an older device.

 

Camera

The best camera phone of the trio is again the Redmi 9 Prime which sports a 13 MP quad camera paired with an 8 MP ultrawide sensor and a pair of sensors with 5 and 2 MP resolutions for macro and depth calculation. POCO C3 lowers the macro camera to 2 MP and lacks the ultrawide sensor, but it has the same main sensor as the Redmi 9 Prime. Even the Redmi 9i has the same 13 MP sensor, but it lacks secondary cameras. Redmi 9 Prime is also the best selfie phone thanks to an 8 MP snapper.

 

Battery

POCO C3, Redmi 9 Prime, and Redmi 9i all feature 5000 mAh batteries, but the Redmi 9 Prime has a shorter battery life because it has a display with a higher resolution. The battery king should be Redmi 9i because it has a display with lower brightness, but it naturally depends on the usage.

 

Price

Redmi 9i is priced at less than Rs. 10,000 ($130) in India, Redmi 9 Prime costs Rs. 10,299 ($140) in its base variant and POCO C3 is priced at Rs. 7,499 (appr. $103). While the POCO C3 provides the highest value for money, the Redmi 9 Prime wins this comparison thanks to its better display and cameras, as well as a stronger chipset.

 

Xiaomi POCO C3 vs Xiaomi Redmi 9i vs Xiaomi Redmi 9 Prime: PROs and CONS

Xiaomi Redmi 9 Prime

PROs

  • Best hardware
  • Best cameras
  • Water-repellent
  • Fingerprint reader
  • Wireless FM radio

CONS

  • Price

 

Xiaomi POCO C3

PROs

  • Affordable
  • Compact
  • MIUI 12
  • Build quality
  • FM radio

CONS

  • No fingerprint reader

 

Xiaomi Redmi 9i

PROs

  • Very affordable
  • Minimal design
  • FM radio

CONS

  • Inferior hardware
  • No fingerprint scanner

 

Xiaomi India to announce a face mask on October 13

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

Come Tuesday, October 13, Xiaomi India plans to expand its Mi Lifestyle product lineup. A teaser shared on Twitter by the official Xiaomi India account hints that the product is a face mask.

The mask launching on Tuesday won’t be the first Xiaomi has announced in India. Back in January 2019, it launched the Mi AirPOP PM2.5 Anti-Pollution Mask. The mask is currently listed as out of stock on the Xiaomi India website. Also, the Mi AirPOP PM2.5 Anti-Pollution Mask doesn’t protect against coronavirus, so there is a chance this new mask does and meets the KN95 standard.

Following the pandemic, we have seen a few manufacturers enter into the mask production business. Apple now designs and produces its own masks for its employees and LG announced a rechargeable mask back in August at IFA 2020. However, Xiaomi has been making masks for more than four years now. In China, which has several polluted cities, it offers a variety of masks for both adults and kids. We do not think the mask launching on Tuesday is for kids but we won’t be surprised if it announces one for children in the near future.

UP NEXT: N95 face masks might soon be rechargeable, reducing waste

 

PS5 Backward Compatibility: Sony says practically all PS4 discs will work

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

Backward compatibility is a phrase that you see often when a new generation console is released. What it means in the simplest of terms is if a new game console supports games from the previous generation. Sony has released a blog post explaining how it will work on the PlayStation 5 (PS5).

PlayStation 5

When the PlayStation 5 goes on sale next month, its catalog of games will be very small but the good news is that, for those who own the PlayStation 4, they will be able to play their current catalog of games on the new game console. These games include exclusives such as The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima.

When the PlayStation 5 launches this November, more than 99 percent of the 4000+ games available on PS4 will be playable on PS5 – Hideaki Nishino (SVP, Platform Planning and Management)

We all know the PS5 comes in two versions – an all-digital version and a version with a Blu-ray disc drive. According to the post, the mode of playing PS4 games will differ on both.

For the digital edition of the console, users will be able to play the digital edition of their compatible PS4 games on the PS5 Digital Edition. These games include those they already bought or those they plan to purchase on the PlayStation Store on the PS4, PS5, web, or via the PlayStation mobile app. Those who have PS4 discs but pick up the PS5 digital Edition will not be able to play their disc-based games on the console.

If you pick up the PS5 with a drive, you will be able to play the digital version of the games you bought on it. If you also have disc-based games, you will also be able to pop them in the drive and play. Sony advises that users update their consoles to the latest version and also apply any game patches available. Supported games for both versions of the PS5 include PlayStation VR games too.

It doesn’t end there. The PS4 games you play on the PS5 will have a different experience. They will load faster and also take advantage of Game Boost for better and more stable frame rates. The post also says that these games will take advantage of some of the new console’s new UX features but doesn’t explain which ones. Users will also be able to move game saves (based on developer decision) from the PS4 to PS5 using LAN cables, WiFi, external storage USB, and cloud storage for those who have a PS Plus account.

Sony says not all games will work and have released a list of unsupported games (below). To make it easier, games that do not work with the PS5 will have a description that says “PS4 only” on the PlayStation Store. Also, supported games may exhibit errors or unexpected behavior when played on the PS5, and certain features such as the SHARE menu, tournaments feature, In-Game Live, and PS4 Second Screen app don’t work with the PS5.

PS4 games not compatible with the PS5

  • DWVR
  • Afro Samurai 2 Revenge of Kuma Volume One
  • TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 2
  • Just Deal With It!
  • Shadow Complex Remastered
  • Robinson: The Journey
  • We Sing
  • Hitman Go: Definitive Edition
  • Shadwen
  • Joe’s Diner

The PS4 games you play on the PS5 can be played with the DualShock 4 controller, the DualSense controller of the PS5, and licensed third-party controllers. For PS VR games, you also need the PS VR headset, a PS Camera that needs to be bought separately, and a PS camera adaptor. Officially-licensed racing wheels, arcade sticks, and flight sticks will work with compatible PS4 games on the PS5 and also with PS5 games, however, the DualShock 4 controller can’t work for PS5 games.

More details about the PS5’s backward compatibility and how to get your PS4 games on the new console are explained here.

UP NEXT: Sony’s PlayStation 5 official teardown video reveals a massive cooling fan

 

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