Ulefone Armor X8 arrives as an entry-level rugged phone with Helio A25, 4GB RAM

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Oct 7, 2020

U.S. PC giant Dell recently held a launch event where it announced a number of monitors under the UltraSharp and P-series. The company also unveiled the Slim Soundbar, its latest audio product which is designed as the perfect companion to some of the monitors.

The Dell Slim Soundbar comes with the model number SB521A. It has a built-in magnetic system that allows it to be attached directly to the underside of such a peripheral. The soundbar has a dimension of 298 mm x 18 mm x 24 mm (11.73 inches x 0.71 inches x 0.95 inches), weighing in at 114g.

The Slim Soundbar packs a 3.6W RMS speaker which delivers a wide frequency response range of 180Hz to 20kHz. It connects via USB type-A port which grants the soundbar a seamless plug-and-play interface with effective cable management for its compatible monitors. It is also intended to stay in place relative to these devices with a built-in security chain.

The Dell Slim Soundbar (SB521A) carries a price tag of $54.99 and is available right away globally.

ASUS ROG Strix XG32VC gaming monitor silently launched

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Oct 7, 2020

Taiwanese tech giant ASUS has silently launched the ROG Strix XG32VC gaming monitor on its official website. The monitor features a 32-inch panel with WQHD resolution. The price has not yet been announced but there are European retailers who have already listed the monitor, indicating that it would be sold for 569 Euro.

As a gaming monitor, the display has 1.0737 billion colors, a curvature of 1800R. It also provides a viewing angle of 178° horizontal/vertical. The panel supports up to 170Hz refresh rate and has a 1ms MPRT response time, a brightness of 400 cd/m2, and a contrast ratio of 3000:1. It has passed S DisplayHDR 400 certification. The panel also covers 125% of the sRGB color gamut and 90% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. The monitor is also DisplayHDR 400 cewrtified which means you’re getting real HDR performance.

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In other aspects, the monitor supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro synchronous refresh technology and can achieve -5° to 20° tilt, -25 to 25° rotation, 100mm height adjustment, etc., supports VESA 100 wall mounts, and supports various eye protection and gaming functions. It comes with HDMI 2.0 interface, DisplayPort1.2 interface, USB-C and a 3.5mm audio port.

The Teracube 2e is a $99 sustainable Android phone with a 4-year warranty

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Oct 7, 2020

When Apple and Google announced their new products last month, they mentioned how they are built from recycled materials such as recycled aluminum and recycled plastic. This is part of the goal to reduce waste. If you are looking for an affordable Android phone that is also made from recycled materials, then the Teracube 2e might be that device.

Teracube is an American company, and their new phone, the Teracube 2e is currently on crowdfunding on Indiegogo. The entry-level smartphone is DIY repairable (no glue, just screws), has a fully biodegradable case, a replaceable battery, and a 4-year warranty!

With respect to the specs, the Teracube 2e has a 6.1-inch HD+ display with a waterdrop notch. It is powered by the Helio A25 processor and has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage. The selfie camera is an 8MP sensor while the back is home to a 13MP+8MP dual camera setup.

The phone has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, face unlock, dual SIM support, a dedicated MicroSD card slot, an audio jack, and a replaceable battery with a 4000mAh capacity. It also has Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, dual-band Wi-Fi, a USB-C port, and runs Android 10 out of the box.

Talking about the box, Teracube will not ship the phone with a charger, earphones, and cable. They have tagged them “redundant accessories” that “most users already have”. They also believe the smaller packaging, which is 50% smaller than that of other phones, reduces carbon emissions from shipping. The Indiegogo page says the packaging is made from recycled paper and printed using soy ink.

As with all crowdfunded items, the price varies. You can grab the super early bird deal for $99. There are only 8 units of that left, and if you are unlucky, the next price tag is $119. There is also a twin pack (2 units) early bird that is $199.

The 4-year warranty is no longer limited to the US and Canada. It is now available to those in France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Spain, and the UK.

Some Microsoft Surface Duo users have reported a cracked frame around the charging port

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Oct 6, 2020

When the Microsoft Surface Duo was announced, I remember seeing several tweets from those who got review units praising how thin the device is. Even when closed, the Surface Duo still manages to be thinner than a lot of other smartphones. It turns out that while the incredible thinness earned it praises, it was actually a demerit in the long run.

The news is that some users have noticed cracks in the plastic around the charging port of the Surface Duo. We know it is disappointing that the $1400 Surface Duo has a plastic frame! These cracks are said to have occurred while they tried to plug in the charger while others say it cracked when in their pockets. So far, no one has complained about a faulty USB port.

Surface Duo broken plastic — Image source: Reddit (foganime)

The cracks are happening because the plastic around the port is really thin. This problem would also have been avoided if the Surface Duo had a metal frame rather than a plastic one.

Some owners have suggested purchasing a magnetic charging cable whose head sits permanently and the port and thus doesn’t require the user to remove and reinsert just because they want to unplug or charge the device. If you own a Surface Duo and planning to go this route, we advise you to ensure you get a good cable that will not damage your device.

We hope Microsoft learns from this design mistake if and when it plans to launch a second-gen model of the Surface Duo.

POCO C3 vs Realme Narzo 10A vs Moto E7 Plus: Specs Comparison

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Michele Ingelido

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Oct 6, 2020

POCO launched its first entry-level phone: the POCO C3. It is a rebranded version of the Redmi 9C for the Indian market. Will the new handset from Xiaomi’s sub-brand conquer the entry-level segment or its competitor are too strong for it to stand a chance? We think there is no better way to find it out than comparing it with the best entry-level phones out there. Two very popular budget phones in India are Motorola Moto E7 Plus and Realme Narzo 10A, and they are popular because of their incredibly high value for money. Let’s see if POCO C3 can beat them.

Xiaomi POCO C3 vs Realme Narzo 10A vs Motorola Moto E7 Plus

	Motorola Moto E7 Plus	Xiaomi POCO C3	Realme Narzo 10A
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	165.2 x 75.7 x 9.2 mm, 200 grams	164.9 x 77.1 x 9 mm, 194 grams	164.4 x 75 x 9 mm, 195 grams
DISPLAY	6.5 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD	6.43 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD	6.5 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, octa-core 1.8 GHz	MediaTek Helio G35, octa-core 2.3 GHz	MediaTek Helio G70, octa-core 2 GHz
MEMORY	4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD slot	3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD dedicated slot	3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD dedicated slot
SOFTWARE	Android 10	Android 10, MIUI	Android 10, Realme UI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Triple 48 + 2 MP f/1.7 8 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	Triple 12 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8 5 MP f/2.4 front camera
BATTERY	5000 mAh, charging 10W	5000 mAh	5000 mAh
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot

Design

I like the design of the POCO C3: it is compact, minimalistic, and well-balanced. The handset is not too heavy and thick, despite it packs a huge battery. And it even comes with great build quality. However, the choice mostly depends on your tastes: all of these phones are made with a polycarbonate body and they are similar. You do not get better materials with any of these devices and they all come with a waterdrop notch. Note that POCO C3 does not feature a fingerprint scanner, unlike Motorola Moto E7 Plus and Realme Narzo 10A. This makes the device sleeker, but you have to renounce to that authentication method.

Display

The displays of these devices are pretty disappointing, but they are more than sufficient for average users. They are classic IPS panels with a below-average HD+ resolution. The Realme Narzo 10A looks more convincing because it has higher brightness, but it remains nothing special. While choosing among these devices, you should not focus on the display. Instead, look at the other specifications and make your own conclusions.

Specs & Software

The Snapdragon 460 chipset found on the Motorola Moto E7 Plus and the Helio G70 SoC found on the Realme Narzo 10A are pretty similar in terms of performances, but we believe most of the people would choose the Snapdragon 460 because it is built with a better production process and because it is a Qualcomm chipset. POCO C3 loses the hardware comparison because it sports a weaker Helio G35 chipset: still a good SoC even for gamers, but way inferior to Helio G70 and Snapdragon 460. These three handsets run Android 10 out of the box and feature up to 4 GB of RAM paired with up to 64 GB of eMMC internal storage.

Camera

Despite it has a lower amount of sensors on the rear side, the Motorola Moto E7 Plus is the best camera phone of the trio. It has a great 48 MP main sensor with a bright f/1.7 focal aperture as the main camera, paired with a 2 MP depth sensor. It even comes with a better 8 MP selfie camera (Realme Narzo 10A and POCO C3 have a 5 MP selfie snapper). The silver medal goes to the Realme Narzo 10A with its 12 MP f/1.8 main sensor paired with a 2 MP macro camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. POCO C3 loses again.

Battery

Motorola Moto E7 Plus, Realme Narzo 10A, and POCO C3 have exactly the same battery capacity: 5000 mAh. We did not test all of them, but we can say the Motorola Moto E7 Plus may last more because it has a more efficient chipset built at 11 nm. However, we are probably talking about marginal differences.

Price

POCO C3 is priced just €86/$100 in India. Motorola Moto E7 Plus costs €150/$175 in the 4/64 GB, while Realme Narzo 10A 3/32 GB costs €130/$152. Due to its better cameras and great chipset, Motorola Moto E7 Plus wins the comparison. But with the POCO C3, you can save a lot of money while still getting a very good entry-level phone. Realme Narzo 10A sits in the middle: it is more affordable than Motorola Moto E7 Plus and inferior to the Moto E7 Plus, but it has better specifications than POCO C3.

Read More: Moto E7 Plus packs a Snapdragon 460 processor and 48MP dual cameras for €149

Xiaomi POCO C3 vs Realme Narzo 10A vs Motorola Moto E7 Plus: PROs and CONS

Motorola Moto E7 Plus

PROs

Best rear camera
Best front camera
Stock Android
Nice hardware

CONS

Thick and heavier

Xiaomi POCO C3

PROs

Very affordable
FM radio
MIUI 12
Build quality

CONS

No fingerprint reader

Realme Narzo 10A

PROs

Punch-hole design
The rear camera is not bad
FM radio
Reverse charging

CONS

Nothing particular

Samsung Galaxy M31 Prime with 64MP quad rear cameras is coming soon

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Oct 6, 2020

It has been more than a month since Samsung launched the Galaxy M51 which packs a massive 7000mAh battery capacity. Now, the Korean giant is ready to announce another M-series smartphone in India which will launch as the Galaxy M31 Prime.

The Galaxy M31 Prime will join the Galaxy M31 and Galaxy M31s that launched earlier this year. Amazon India already has a promo page live on its website that reveals images and some of the upcoming phone’s key specs, however, there doesn’t seem to be any significant difference between the Prime version and the standard version.

So yes, this phone is indeed the Galaxy M31 Primehttps://t.co/BKLw7tC6Yk pic.twitter.com/NUlnZwm08l

— Sudhanshu (@Sudhanshu1414) October 6, 2020

The page doesn’t reveal the name of the phone but as shown in the tweet above by Sudhanshu (@Sudhanshu1414), if you sign up to be notified, the email you receive from Amazon reveals the device is the Galaxy M31 Prime.

The design of the Galaxy M31 Prime is practically identical to that of the Galaxy M31. It has a waterdrop notch and the rear cameras and fingerprint scanner are in the same position as that of its sibling.

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The Galaxy M31 Prime will be powered by the 10nm Exynos 9611 processor clocked at 2.3GHz. It will have 6GB of RAM with 64GB or 128GB of storage. A dedicated MicroSD card slot is available for storage expansion.

The quad-camera setup is the same 64MP + 8MP ultrawide + 5MP macro + 5MP depth sensor found on the Galaxy M31 and so also is the 32MP sensor. The phone will also have a 6000mAh battery with support for 15W fast charging via a USB-C port.

We are yet to know what new features Samsung has added that warrants it to be called “Prime”. We expect more details to surface before the launch of the phone whose date is also unknown.

OneUI 3.0 Public Beta is now live for users of Samsung Galaxy S20 series in South Korea

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Oct 6, 2020

Samsung has finally made the OneUI 3.0 Public Beta live for users of the Galaxy S20 series in South Korea. A post on Samsung’s Korean forum says the beta is open initially to limited users but the number will increase in the future.

Samsung confirmed the OneUI 3.0 based on Android 11 back at the event on August 5. Soon after the event, the initial developer build for the Galaxy S20 series was announced in South Korea and US. However, the latest update gives (via Sammobile)every other S20 series customer an opportunity to experience the new UI.

That said, the beta that currently limited to the Galaxy S20 series could extend to Note 20 series and other devices as well. As of now, the eligible devices in South Korea are S20/S20+/S20 Ultra with carriers SKT, KT, LGU+, and Unlocked. To register, users need to download Samsung Members App and click on “Signup for OneUI beta Program” in notice. However, you will need a Samsung account for successful registration. After signing up, users can install the beta by navigating to settings->software update->download and install.

Besides, a changelog of OneUI 3.0 released recently suggests that the new UI will have an overhaul apart from Android 11 features. The changes include Accessibility, Contacts, Bixby routine, Digital wellbeing, revamp to Home, Lock screen, and AOD features. Apart from this, the UI is sure to get many more tweaks like revamped screenshots in the coming versions.

That said, the beta is reportedly coming to the UK, USA, Poland, Germany, China, and India soon. Regarding other devices, we can hope for the Galaxy S20 FE, older S10 series to get it at some point. But nothing is confirmed yet.

Also, the disclaimer on the forums says certain apps like GOM Audio, RAKBANK Digital Banking, Organizing Tasks, and few other apps won’t run after installing the beta. As always, we advise you to take a backup of data before hitting install. If you find face any error while installing, you can easily recover the older firmware by visiting a service center.

Up Next: Samsung to source batteries from ATL for the upcoming Galaxy S21 series

Apple officially confirms the October 13 event, iPhone 12 series will be the showstopper

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Oct 6, 2020

Apple has officially announced the date of what could be its biggest ever event in 2020. Through an invite on its events page, the company has scheduled an event on October 13, 2020, with a tagline, “Hi Speed” hinting the arrival of the next iPhones.

The event will start at 10 AM PDT in Apple Park. And will be streamed live via its website, Apple TV app, and likely on social media like YouTube. The invite as mentioned above, clearly suggests that the unveiling of the iPhone 12 series. Besides, the “Hi speed” probably means the powerful A14 chip with 5G connectivity that’s coming with iPhone 12. Additionally, the logo has a lot of concentric circles covering it. This could either mean a revamped Siri or the rumored small HomePod but we will have to wait for a week.

Anyways, the showstopper of the event will definitely be the iPhones. The design is likely to get a revamp with similarities to iPad Pro. The company is expected to name the next iPhone series the iPhone 12 with 4 different models. Starting with iPhone 12 Mini, the three other models will likely be iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. The display sizes are likely a 5.4-inch for Mini, 6.1-inch for iPhone 12 and Pro. And, a 6.7-inch for the 12 Pro Max. All of them will probably sport OLED displays albeit skipping 120Hz.

As usual, we can expect Face ID to be tucked inside the notches. However, the new powerful A14 SoC will most likely break open the support for 5G connectivity on iPhones. That said, the mmWave band will reportedly be only on the ‘Pro’ models. Apart from this, the Pro models will also get the LiDAR scanner along with other auxillary lenses like the iPad Pro 2020. On the contrary, the entry-level 5.4″ and 6.1″ models might stick to dual-lens setup.

Storage-wise, the first two models will start from 64GB whereas the Pro models will begin at 128GB storage. The invite also has yellow, and blue tints on it suggesting new color variants. Accordingly, iPhone 12 is rumored to sport six colors– Black, White, Blue, Red, Yellow, and Coral. However, the Pro models will likely get Black, Silver, and White alone. That said, the price is expected to start at $649 for the Mini, while the iPhone 12, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max will start at $749, $999, and $1,099 respectively.

Apart from iPhones, Apple could also unveil the rumored Airpods Studio, AirTags, a new Siri Remote, and a hint about its future ARM Macs as well.

Up Next: Apple VP explains the engineering behind Touch ID sensor in new iPad Air

Mi 10T 5G and Mi 10T Pro 5G launched in Malaysia; Mi 10T Lite to go on sale later

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Oct 6, 2020

After launching the Mi 10T 5G and Mi 10T Pro 5G in Europe, Xiaomi has announced the two devices in Malaysia.

The Mi 10T Pro 5G is available in a single configuration of 8GB RAM + 256GB storage and is priced at RM 1,999 (~$481) which is significantly cheaper than the price tag in Europe which is €649 (~$765).

Interested buyers can grab it on Lazada in Cosmic Black, Lunar Silver, and Aurora Blue beginning October 9. Sadly, there are no free gifts available with orders unlike in Germany and Italy. Nevertheless, they are getting it at a much cheaper price. However, if you do a search on the site, there are some third-party resellers that have pre-order bundles with some nice free gifts including a wireless charging pad, power bank, selfie stick, car charger, and more.

The Mi 10T is also available in just one configuration – 8GB RAM + 128GB – and it is priced at RM 1,699 (~$409). It is available in Cosmic Black and Lunar Silver and will be available starting October 23.

The Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro both have 6.67-inch FHD+ displays with a 144Hz refresh rate. They are powered by the Snapdragon 865 processor which draws power from a 5000mAh battery with support for 33W wired fast charging. The Pro version has a 108MP triple camera setup while the standard version has a 64MP triple camera. Both have 20MP selfie cameras, NFC, Wi-Fi 6, and run Android 10 out of the box.

The Mi 10T Lite is listed on the Xiaomi Malaysian site but it appears it will go on sale at a much later date.

Samsung to source batteries from ATL for the upcoming Galaxy S21 series

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Oct 6, 2020

Samsung is reportedly back with a battery company that supplied for it two years back. Accordingly, a fresh report from TheElec says that the company will use batteries from China’s Amperex Technology Limited(ATL) for the upcoming Galaxy S21 series.

The report focuses mainly on the contract that ATI has acquired from Samsung now. It says the company will make batteries with capacities of 4,000mAh, 4,800mAh, and 5,000mAh. This goes in-line with the latest listing on China’s 3C certification website. It had revealed that a battery, probably belonging to a Galaxy device with model EB-BG998ABY and a typical value of 4,885mAh. Also, the ‘G998’ is reportedly indicating the S21 Ultra but that we aren’t sure of that yet. If reports are true, the S21 series -Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra could sport batteries of the above capacities.

Further, the report also says that this is the first time for ATI to acquire orders for all the models in the S21 series. Previously, ATI seems to have supplied for the Galaxy A, and the new M smartphones along with China’s BYD Co Ltd. However, in 2016, Samsung removed ATI from the list after the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. After the battery problem in Note 7, Samsung reportedly switched over to its own sister entity, Samsung SDI. It also tried to widen the options by including rivals like LG Chem, Electric, Almus, and ITM Semiconductor.

However, it seems to have turned back to the roots now. And, if the reports are true, new transition to ATL is to probably save costs. While the exact reason is a mystery, ATL reportedly supplied briefly Galaxy S9 after the initial batch. Also, according to the report, Samsung SDI and LG Chem have the upper hand in small-size batteries. Samsung might have feared their domination with monopoly pricing. It will be interesting to see if the transition will affect battery quality in the upcoming flagship devices. That said, the company is yet to officially say anything about this.

Though it is too early to talk about specs, rumors so far say the devices will probably have a punch-hole sAMOLED display, Exynos 2100 SoC, skip the third-party ToF sensor, and include its own ISOCELL Vizion sensor.

Up Next: Samsung Galaxy S20 FE launched in India for ₹49,999 ($681)

Specs and features of Realme Smart Cam and Electric Toothbrush revealed

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Oct 6, 2020

Ahead of tomorrow’s launch event, the specs and features of the Realme Smart Cam 360° and the Realme N1 Sonic Electric Toothbrush have been revealed. According to the source, Sudhanshu (@sudhanshu1414), Realme posted the spec sheet on its official website for a short while before taking them down.

Realme Smart Cam 360°

The Realme Smart Cam 360° with model number RMH2001 has support for 1080p video recording and a field of view of 105°. It also has AI motion detection, infrared night vision, 360° panoramic vision, voice talkback, full color in low light, and multiple protection. One of the images shows that users can add stickers to the camera to make it look interesting. However, it is not stated that the stickers are included in the box.

realme Smart Cam 360° pic.twitter.com/Rq3ZBKhpeK

— Sudhanshu (@Sudhanshu1414) October 6, 2020

There is a MicroSD card slot that allows users to add up to 128GB of storage. The spec sheet says it connects via 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and will send push notifications via the Realme Link app. The camera is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.

The smart home security camera weighs 190 grams and measures 114.3 x 71 x 65.8 millimeters. The power input rating for the Realme Smart Cam 360° is 5W and Realme includes a power adapter and USB cable in the box. There is also a wall-mounting accessory inside too.

Realme N1 Sonic Electric Toothbrush

The Realme N1 Sonic Electric Toothbrush has model number RMH2013. There is a high-frequency sonic motor with an RPM of 20,000 and a noise level of 55db that draws power from an 800mAh battery. Realme claims the battery life is up to 130 days and the spec sheet says it charges via a USB-C port at the bottom of the brush. The power input rating is just 5W and there are three charging protections built into the device.

The toothbrush ships with DuPoint™ 99.99% Antibacterial bristles made from food-grade material. It has three cleaning modes – Soft Mode for sensitive teeth, Clean Mode for daily use, and Polish Mode for shinning teeth. There is also a memory function that remembers the last mode you used.

The toothbrush will alert you after 30 seconds to switch to a different area in your mouth. After 2 minutes, the toothbrush will automatically stop. There are blue indicator bristles that alert you to replace the cleaning head once their color fades. When it launches tomorrow, we should know how much replacement bristles cost.

(2/3) pic.twitter.com/vH2T5HfiMT

— Sudhanshu (@Sudhanshu1414) October 6, 2020

As earlier reported, it will be available in Blue and White. The spec sheet also reveals the toothbrush weighs 60 grams and has an IPX7 rating, so you can wash it under running water. Realme says the toothbrush also has a 1-year warranty.

It appears the only thing we do not know about these two products is their price tags.

PUBG Mobile teases impending Payload 2.0 update bringing new weapons and armed vehicles

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Oct 6, 2020

PUBG Mobile will get a new update soon which will usher in Payload 2.0. This information is contained in a new teaser shared on PUBG’s official Twitter page. The teaser doesn’t reveal the date the new update will start rolling out but a few sources tip the update to start rolling out on October 10.

PUBG Mobile first introduced the Payload mode in October 2019 and became very popular with gamers. However, for some unexplained reasons, the feature was pulled down earlier this year. The reintroduction of this mode will also be the first major feature added to the popular game ever since PUBG Mobile 1.0 was released last month.

In case you are not conversant with the Payload mode, here’s a summary. The Payload is based on the classic battle royale mode with the addition of heavier weaponry as well as the ability to fly helicopters. The mode included the M3E1-A rocket launcher, the MGL, and M79 grenade launchers, and RPG-7. It also included the ability to revive a dead teammate by picking up their ID Card and taking it to the nearest radio tower, similar to what we have seen on Apex Legends. This feature was also introduced to PUBG Mobile Lite earlier this year.

Unlock fierce firepower in Payload 2.0! 💥

Coming soon! 👉 https://t.co/GvjOMZKm0P pic.twitter.com/NLggTiZYjA

— PUBG MOBILE (@PUBGMOBILE) October 6, 2020

A leaked trailer for the Payload 2.0 mode (via) shows that new weapons will be added as well as armed vehicles, and the ability to hunt enemies using remote-controlled UAV. We can see a new rocket launch that looks like the M202 and a new radar system that lets you scan your area for vehicles. All the vehicles have also been upgraded with mounted weapons including rocket launchers, heavy machine guns, flamethrowers, and more. Notably, Payload 2.0 will make use of the newly released Erangel 2.0 map.

The Chinese version of the game known as Game for Peace has already received the new mode but for beta testers only.

October 2020 security update brings a ton of fixes & improvements for Google Pixels

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Oct 6, 2020

Yesterday, Google started rolling out the October 2020 security patch to all the eligible Pixel smartphones. Anyway, they aren’t the first devices to receive the new monthly patch as that mantle belongs to the Galaxy A50. However, these builds not only patches the security vulnerabilities but also brings fixes for a ton of bugs.

Pixel smartphones are the only way to experience the best Android experience. But like any other handset, their software is filled with bugs. There have been multiple reports on issues with Pixels ever since the first model.

Thankfully, Google has a habit of fixing them sooner rather than later by taking feedbacks from users and media around the world. Now, with the October 2020 security patch build, the search giant has bundled a total of four fixes and three improvements.

The new build brings the following fixes for Pixel 2/2 XL, Pixel 3/3 XL, Pixel 3a/3a XL, Pixel 4/4 XL, and Pixel 4a.

Fix for some devices stuck during boot
Fix to prevent inadvertent disablement of call notifications
Fix for missing auto-rotate icon in certain device orientations
Fix for undetected overview swipe gesture in launcher

Talking about improvements, the first one listed below is applicable to all the Pixels while the last two is solely for Pixel 4a.

Improvement for auto-rotation in certain device orientations
Improvements to auto-brightness response in certain lighting conditions
Improvements for touch sensitivity with screen protectors

Having said that, the update is currently being rolled out in batches and should hit your Pixel handset in the coming days.

(Via)

Upcoming smartphones in October 2020: Xiaomi, Huawei, OnePlus & More!

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Oct 6, 2020

October is usually a festive season in countries like India and we are sure to witness quite a few smartphone launches every year. However, thanks to the Global Pandemic, multiple delayed launches have shifted plans for companies across the globe. Let’s recap the list of phones that are expected/coming in the month of October 2020.

Huawei Mate 40 Pro CAD Renders

1Huawei Mate 40 Series

First up, is the most important launch of the year, the Huawei Mate 40 series. After a tussle with the US, Huawei is restricting itself inside China lately. Besides, several rumors strongly indicate that the next iteration of the Mate series- Mate 40, Mate 40 Pro, Mate 40 Pro+, and a Mate 40 RS Porsche Special Edition will go on sale by late October in China. Also, the Pro variant will probably have a rear-cameras arranged in arc-shape. The SoC will likely be the Kirin 9000 but the base variant could sport a slightly less powerful 9000E. We can expect other features like 5G, punch-hole AMOLED display, wireless charging, big battery, and run EMUI 11 out-of-the-box.

2Oppo Find X2 League of Legends S10 Limited Edition

Oppo’s Find X2 will most likely get a special edition with the theme of the popular MOBA title League of Legends. As per the report, the Find X2 League of Legends S10 Limited Edition will probably launch on October 12 in China. It will be accompanied by two Oppo Watch with similar themes. While the news is yet to break officially, leaked posters show revamped rears with the green coating with world championship branding. The S10 reportedly indicates the 10th competitive season of the game.

3Redmi K30T and Redmi Note 10 5G

While Xiaomi is mum regarding the Redmi Note series after the Note 8 Pro in China, few rumors indicate that the Mi 10T series from Global markets will land in China under Redmi branding. First, the Mi 10T Lite with Snapdragon 750G 5G could be rebranded as Redmi Note 10 5G in China. Next, rumors say that the Mi 10T could become Redmi K30T in China. The 10T has a 6.67-inch FHD+ LCD display, Snapdragon 865 SoC, 5,000mAh battery with 33W charging. And the 10T Lite has Snapdragon 750G overseas but few rumors say it might sport Dimensity 820 5G. With Mi 10T debuting in India this month, we can expect Xiaomi to bring it to its home country soon.

4OnePlus 8T and Nord N10, N100

OnePlus has skipped the Pro variant with the upcoming OnePlus 8T that will launch on October 14, at 7:30 PM IST in India and October 15 in China. The device will feature a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 865 SoC, up to 12GB RAM, 4,500mAh battery with 65W fast-charging. Since Nord didn’t debut in the USA, as promised earlier, OnePlus is expected to unveil two new devices- Nord N10, and N100 most likely this month. One of them(N10) could sport the Snapdragon 690 5G SoC, 6.49-inch HD+ display, and be priced aggressively.

5Apple iPhone 12 series

Probably the most talked-about series, Apple’s iPhone 12 series will include iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. The sizes of displays will be 5.4″, two 6.1″, and a 6.7″ respectively. All of them are said to sport AMOLED displays, Apple A14 SoC, storage up to 512GB, and 5G connectivity. The Pro will have LiDAR scanners and mmWave connectivity as well. Rumors say prices will start from $649 and go all the way up to $1,399. The Global launch is rumored to be on October 13.

6Realme 7i

Realme will launch the budget Realme 7i in India on October 7(tomorrow). The device will be a part of a big event where the company will also launch other IoT products. The device will sport Polar Blue and Aurora Green colors and feature a 6.5-inch HD+ punch-hole display with a 90Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 662, 4/6GB LPDDR4x RAM, and UFS 2.1 128GB storage, 64MP sensor-equipped quad-camera, 5,000mAh battery with 18W charging.

7Samsung Galaxy F41

Lately, Samsung is focussing on the budget segment with M and the new F series of smartphones. The new Galaxy F41 will launch on October 8, at 5:30 PM IST in India. The device will likely feature a 6.4-inch AMOLED FHD+ display, Exynos 9611 SoC, 6GB RAM, 64/128GB storage, triple-rear cameras with 64MP sensor, 6,000mAh battery with 15W charging, and more.

8Xiaomi Mi 10T series(India)

Xiaomi has confirmed that the Mi 10T series- Mi 10T 5G and Mi 10T Pro 5G will land in India on October 15. The Mi 10T has a 6.67-inch FHD+ LCD display with a 120Hz(10T), 144Hz refresh rate(on 10T Pro). It features Snapdragon 865 SoC, 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast-charging. They differ in rear cameras as well. Mi 10T Pro has a 108MP main sensor while the 10T has a 64MP sensor.

Editor’s Pick: [UPDATED] Explained: Under Display Cameras & its Application with the CEO of OTI Lumionics

9Oppo A15, A93, and Reno4 F

Oppo has teased a new Oppo A15 smartphone on Amazon India. Although the launch date isn’t final yet, we can expect it in October considering the teasers have started popping up. That said, the specifications are also a mystery as of now. However, looking at teaser images, we can expect a triple-rear camera, fingerprint sensor on the back. Also, a device with model CPH2185 certified by FCC is speculated to be the A15. It has a 4,230mAh battery, 10W charger, 3.5mm jack, USB-C port, and ColorOS 7.2.

Oppo A93 is another budget smartphone that will launch in Malaysia on October 6(today). It is a rebadged F17 Pro and has already launched in countries like Vietnam. Priced at VND 7,490,000($324), the device has a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with a built-in Fingerprint sensor, MediaTek helio P95 SoC, 16MP and 2MP front cameras, 8GB DDR4x RAM, 4000mAh(4,100mAh on F17 Pro) battery with 18W charging and 128GB storage. The same device will be rebadged as Reno4 F in Indonesia on October 12.

10Vivo V20(India)

Vivo started teasing the V20 smartphone through Flipkart last month. Now, the app shows a micro teaser that the device will debut in India on October 13. And it is expected to be priced between INR 20,000-30,000($272-$408). From earlier launch, the V20 in Europe says the device will feature a 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, Snapdragon 720G, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, 44MP selfie, and a combination of 64MP, 8MP, and 2MP sensor on the back. It will have a 4,000mAh battery with 33W charging despite the small 7.38mm thickness.

11Pixel 4a, 4a 5G, and 5 5G

Although the 5G Pixels, and Pixel 4a have been announced last month Globally, and in August in India respectively, they aren’t launched yet. As for the Pixel 4a, it will launch in India on October 17, while the 5G Pixels– 4a 5G, and 5 5G will start shipping from October 15 across Australia, Japan, UK, Canada, and the US.

12Other expected launches

Lenovo’s k12, an alleged upcoming smartphone, has been listed on Google Play Console recently, and by looking at specs, it seems to be a rebadged Moto G9 from India. It may launch in markets like India but nothing is official yet. Also, recent rumors suggest that Blackview is expected to launch a rugged 5G device with a 6.5-inch screen, running on Mediatek, and have Honeywell® flagship-level 2D scanner sometime in October.

Up Next: ASUS ROG Phone 3 finally launches in the US for $1,000

Fossil Gen 5E arrives with a 1.19″ OLED screen, Wear 3100, WearOS & more

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Oct 6, 2020

U.S watch maker Fossil group has launched a new smartwatch dubbed Gen 5E. The watch is a trimmed down version of the Gen 5 smartwatch that was launched last year. This model comes with a cheaper pricing than its predecessor. However, it shares several features with the Gen 5 including features such as fitness tracking, sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, etc.

The Fossil Gen 5E smartwatch is offered in two sizes – 42mm and 44mm. Both versions feature a 1.19-inch OLED display. The watch is powered by the older Snapdragon Wear 3100 which has been replaced with the Wear 4100 by Qualcomm this year.

The processor is paired with 1GB of RAM and there is 4GB of internal storage onboard. Providing the power is a 300mAh battery. The watch also comes with NFC and has 3ATM water resistance property.

Furthermore, the Watch 5E also crams a speaker and microphone inside which makes it suitable for users to make and answer calls straight from the watch. The watch can also be used to trigger the voice assistant onboard the connected smartphone. One feature that is lacking on this model is standalone GPS. In order to access your location, the watch needs to be connected to a smartphone. There is also no ambient light sensor, altimeter, or compass onboard this model.

As for the pricing and availability, the Fossil Gen 5E smartwatch is priced at $249 for both sizes. The watch is expected to go on sale in the first week on November.

ASUS ROG Phone 3 finally launches in the US for $1,000

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Oct 6, 2020

In Late July, ASUS launched ROG Phone 3 as its gaming smartphone of 2020. Initially, the handset was only limited to certain markets like the company’s home market Taiwan and India to name a couple. But now, finally, the phone makes its way to the US in two storage configurations starting at $1,000.

The ROG Phone 3 is one of the few smartphones launched this year with Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ chipset. Being a gaming handset, the device comes with a 6.59-inch AMOLED display with 144Hz refresh rate, stereo speakers, UFS 3.1 storage, LPDDR5 RAM, pressure-sensitive buttons called AirTriggers in the place of physical shoulder buttons, a dedicated USB Type-C port to attach accessories, and RGB light.

As for optics, it features a 64MP (wide) + 13MP (ultra-wide) + 5MP (macro) triple camera setup on the back and a 24MP selfie camera on the front. Other features include WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, GNSS), in-display optical fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, 6,000mAh battery, 30W fast charging, 10W reverse charging, and Android 10.

The latest ASUS gaming phone comes in a single Black Glare color option and is on sale for the following prices in the US.

ASUS ROG Phone 12GB + 512GB – $1,000
ASUS ROG Phone 16GB + 512GB – $1,100

(Via)

HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro, FreeBuds Pro & MateBook 14 2020 AMD are on sale in the UK with exciting freebies

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Oct 6, 2020

Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro, HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro, and HUAWEI MateBook 14 AMD (aka Ryzen Edition) for a number of global markets last month. Now, these three products are finally on sale in the UK with some exciting freebies.

HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro UK Price and Launch Offer

The HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro is the company’s latest high-end smartwatch. It is a minor upgrade over last year’s HUAWEI GT 2. The only major difference between the last-gen model and the new version is support for wireless charging.

The wearable is priced at £299.99 in the UK and customers who buy it during 5-20th October will get a pair of HUAWEI FreeBuds 3 true wireless earphones for free.

HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro UK Price and Launch Offer

The newly launched HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro is the company’s answer to Apple AirPods Pro. Some notable features of this TWS include ANC (active noise cancellation), 30-hour battery life with the case, and dual-device connection support.

The company sells it for £169.99 and customers will be eligible for a free HUAWEI Band 4 Pro if they buy this pair of true wireless earphone on or before October 20.

HUAWEI MateBook 14 2020 AMD UK Price and Launch Offer

The HUAWEI MateBook 14 2020 AMD comes in two variants and their prices are as listed below.

AMD Ryzen 5 4600H + 8GB DDR4 RAM + 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD – £749.99
AMD Ryzen 7 4800H + 16GB DDR4 RAM + 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD – £949.99

Customers who buy either of the above-mentioned variants by 20th October will get a MatePad 10.2 tablet with keyboard for free.

(Via)

OnePlus 8T Wallpapers available for download a week before the official launch

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