Xiaomi has been updating its smartphones to MIUI 12, the latest version of its Android-based mobile operating system worldwide. These devices have been getting the update first in China, followed by the global rollout. As the Mi 8 Lite and Mi Note 3 got the MIUI 12 update last month, they have now begun to receive it globally as well.
Xiaomi Mi Note 3
The Xiaomi Mi Note 3 is from 2017, whereas the Mi 8 Lite debuted in 2018. However, both of them launched with MIUI 9 out of the box but with Android Nougat and Android Ore respectively.
They have received two Android as well as MIUI updates each and are currently running MIUI 11 based on Android Pie and Android 10 respectively. MIUI 12, which has now begun to roll out to these handsets is expected to be their last major software update.
That said, the MIUI 12 update for Mi Note 3 comes with build number V12.0.1.0.PCHMIXM. On the other hand, the build for Mi 8 comes with version V12.0.3.0.QDTMIXM. They are currently being rolled out in batches and should reach all the units if the early adopters don’t face any major issues.
It is good to see Xiaomi providing updates to its older mid-range smartphones. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for its most recent devices as the company’s software rollout has degraded over the years.
Samsung has launched both the flagship lineups of the years — Galaxy S20 series and Galaxy Note20 series. Now, the South Korean giant is gearing up to launch the next-generation Samsung Galaxy S21 series smartphones next year.
Even though there are few months for the Galaxy S21 models to go official, details about the smartphones have already started surfacing online. Now, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has reportedly been spotted on TUV Rheinland listing with model number SM-G998.
The listing reveals that the smartphone will come packed with a 5,000mAh battery. This is in line with the previous report which claimed that Samsung will use a battery with model number EB-BG998ABY which will be marketed as a 5,000mAh capacity battery. It could also support 60W fast charging technology.
The 3C listing of this series suggests that the Galaxy S21 will be fuelled by a 3,880mAh rated capacity battery while the Galaxy S21 Plus will pack a 4,660mAh battery. The batteries are reportedly manufactured by a Chinese company and not Samsung.
The upcoming flagship smartphone from Samsung could be powered by the company’s own 5nm Exynos chipset while the same models will also be available with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 SoC instead of Exynos chipset.
The company is expected to offer a 40MP selfie camera on the S21 Ultra. The phone is said to have a quad-camera setup on the back, featuring a 108MP ISOCELL HM2 sensor along with a 12MP ultra-wide camera, a 10MP telephoto lens, and another telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom support.
The flagship smartphone is also rumored to come with an under-display camera, eliminating the need for a notch on top of the screen. There are also rumors suggesting the Galaxy S21 Ultra having S-Pen support to replace the Note series of smartphones.
Earlier this week, Oracle made a notable statement to reporters regarding the ongoing deal with TikTok’s parent company. The company said that ByteDance will have no ownership over the new TikTok venture.
According to the company, “Upon creation of TikTok Global, Oracle/Walmart will make their investment and the TikTok Global shares will be distributed to their owners, Americans will be the majority and ByteDance will have no ownership in TikTok Global.” This differs significantly from previous reports that had said that ByteDance will still maintain a majority stake in the popular social media platform, which was previously a share of 80 percent to ByteDance and just 20 percent to Oracle and Walmart.
Notably, this news also arrives slightly after the US President, Donald Trump, stated that he might not sign off on the TikTok-Oracle deal, especially if an American company did not have a majority share in TikTok. In other words, the short video making app had to have an American firm behind it to continue its operations, which is indicative of the frictions between the US and China.
Unfortunately, ByteDance has yet to respond to this statement while Oracle has also declined to further elaborate on this when it was reached out by TheVerge. At the moment, many are still concerned regarding the national security concerns that surround TikTok and it also remains to be seen just how the Chinese government responds to the matter.
Xiaomi has been launching new Smart Home products at regular intervals in its home market China and today, the company has launched its first fully automatic smart door lock, called Xiaomi Automatic Smart Door Lock.
The product is now up for pre-order and will be shipped out by the end of this month, costing 1,699 yuan (~$250). This represents a 100 yuan discount over its retail price of 1,799 yuan, which is roughly $265.
The lock will automatically open when a fingerprint is recognized and after opening the lock, the door will automatically get locked within 0.8 seconds. This eliminates the need to rotate or push the handle to open or close the door.
Xiaomi says that the internal system of this new automatic door includes a set of power components which comprises the linear driving force, planetary gear reduction, micro-motor power, state perception, and a few other components.
Further, the company says that it has a C-level lock core that offers a fingerprint recognition rate of 98.94 percent. It can also be combined with multi-dimensional information such as fingerprints, skin, and conductivity.
It supports 50 sets of long-term passwords, periodic passwords, and a one-time temporary password. It also supports 20-bit virtual input as well as a few different unlocking methods such as NFC unlocking, mobile Bluetooth unlocking, HomeKit unlocking, among others.
The product is powered by eight AA batteries, offering 12 months of usage. There’s also a USB Type-C port that can be used for power supply in case of an emergency.
Last week, Xiaomi India teased to launch new power banks in the country. We predicted it to be the popular Mi Power Bank 3 series sold in China. Fortunately, that happens to be true, the company has launched the basic 10,000mAh and 20,000mAh models of this series as Mi Power Bank 3i in India priced at ₹899 ($12) and ₹1,499 ($20) respectively. They are already up for sale on Xiaomi online store (Mi.com) and Amazon India.
Just like their predecessor Mi Power Bank 2i series, the Mi Power Bank 2 models also feature metal casing for the 10,000mAh variant and plastic casing for the 20,000mAh version.
The smaller model comes with 2 x USB Type-A ports for output and a MicroUSB port as well as a USB Type-C port for input, On the other hand, the larger version sports 3 x USB Type-A for output, a MicroUSB port for input, and a USB Type-C port for both input as well as output (Power Delivery – PD).
Though both of them provide maximum charging speed of 18W, they differ in size and weight due to their capacity. Another common feature between the two is the low power charging mode for accessories like fitness trackers, TWS, and more.
The company says that they are manufactured (assembled) in India just like the previous models with 12-layer protection that includes temperature protection, input over-voltage protection, and electrostatic protection to name a few.
Last but not least, the Mi Power Bank 3i 20,000mAh is currently only available in Sandstone Black color version. Whereas, the Mi Power Bank 3i 10,000mAh can be purchased in either Midnight Black or Metallic Blue color variants.
With Apple iPhone 12 series launch getting closer, more details about the lineup keep surfacing online. In the latest development, a leaker known as “L0vetodream” has shed light on the naming of the upcoming smartphones.
As per the leak, the four upcoming iPhone 12 models will be called iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. The 5.4-inch model of the device will be called Apple iPhone 12 Mini.
The model with a 6.7-inch display will be called iPhone 12 Pro Max while the two devices with a 6.1-inch display will be called iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. The naming scheme seems to be in line with the usual Apple iPhone naming, except for the Mini branding.
The Apple iPhone 12 Mini would be the first time for the company with a “Mini” moniker for the smartphone. The company has used the moniker for the iPad and Mac devices, so it seems possible for Apple to adopt the same for iPhones.
As per the reports, the 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch models of the iPhone 12 will have the same display notch like the iPhone 11 models. However, the 5.4-inch model will have a slightly narrow notch to show more information on the screen at the top edges.
Recently, it was revealed that the iPhone 12 cost somewhere between $699 to $749 while the iPhone 12 Max could be $799-849. The Pro and Pro Max models are expected to be priced around $1,100 to $1,200. To know for sure, we will have to wait for the official announcement from the company.
OnePlus is now gearing up to launch its new flagship smartphone of the year — OnePlus 8T, which is slated to go official on 14th October. Ahead of the official launch, the company’s CEO Pete Lau has taken to Weibo to hint at some of its features.
In a Weibo post, Pete Lau says that a true flagship smartphone should be lag-free for at least three years and adds that this is the problem with many so-called flagship phones. He then states that the OnePlus 8T will provide a smooth user experience for at least 3 years.
Apart from that, the phone is also set to offer a smooth screen given that the display on the OnePlus 8T will support a 120Hz refresh rate, as confirmed by the company. This is an upgrade compared to the 90Hz refresh rate in the OnePlus 8.
Interestingly, the phone will come with support for Full HD+ screen resolution. As per the report, the device will have a 6.5-inch S-AMOLED display panel with a punch-hole cutout for housing the front-facing camera.
Under the hood, the smartphone will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC, along with up to 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. On the front side, the phone will have a 32 MP snapper for taking selfies and video calling.
There will be a quad-camera setup on the back, featuring a 48-megapixel main camera, an ultrawide lens of 16-megapixel, a macro shooter of 5-megapixel, and a depth sensor of 2-megapixel. It will run Android 11 out-of-the-box with OxygenOS 11 and the phone will be powered by a 4,500mAh battery with 65W fast charging support.
A recent leak revealed that the 8GB + 128GB model will cost 799 Euros while the 12GB + 256GB model will be priced at 899 Euros. Both models are expected to be priced at $799 and $899 respectively in the United States.
Huawei, the known consumer electronics maker, is apparently planning on expanding its sales operations in Russia. The company will do so by opening over 50 new stores across the country in 2021.
A report from SputnikNews stated that the company made the announcement earlier this week. Huawei said that “In 2021, Huawei will continue to develop its retail network and will additionally open 50 branded stores in major Russian cities: St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Vladivostok and others.” Furthermore, the smartphone maker will also be growing its customer service capabilities in the region.
These new stores will showcase and sell all the latest products launched by the company, which includes smartphones, laptops, wearables, and other IoT (Internet of Things) products as well. At the moment, there are currently only 18 physical Huawei stores present in the country. So, this move will greatly increase the scale of its operating by a notable degree.
Interestingly, these new stores will also follow the company’s ‘1+8+N‘ device ecosystem strategy that it had previously announced earlier this year. The ‘1’ stands for its smartphones, while the ‘8’ stands for PC, tablet, TV, audio, glasses, watches, locomotives, and headphones. Lastly, the ‘N’ represents the mobile offices, smart homes, sports and health, audio-visual entertainment, and smart travel products.
With new sanctions from the United States, Huawei has been barred from acquiring chipsets or manufacturing them if they use American technology. The situation for Huawei was getting worse day by day but now there’s some positive news.
According to the report coming from China, Intel has been granted a license by the United States to continue doing business with Huawei. This means that the Chinese giant will be able to keep making its laptop devices.
This is a major development for the Chinese company and gives some hope that there’s still a possibility for the company to turn the tides. But, there’s still no development regarding a special license for the smartphone business.
Recently, AMD was granted license by the United States to continue doing business with the Chinese companies that are in the Entity List. However, the company has not yet revealed the name of the companies it is allowed to do business with.
Such developments mean that even if there’s no license for Huawei right now, the United States is giving out licenses to companies for doing business with those firms that are in the Entity List. So, sooner or later, licenses can be granted to companies for doing business with Chinese giant Huawei.
Back in August, the US Government reinforced its restriction against Huawei, which effectively regulated its supply of any technology that has originated from the US. This includes software as well and was set to take effect from 15th September. Now, reports have suggested that the effects of this ban might have the Chinese tech giant’s smartphone shipment fall by about 30 percent.
According to a TrendForcereport, the smartphone market in China may undergo a major reshuffling as the ban takes hold on one of its primary players. The analytical based firm stated that the stronger restrictions will drastically affect Huawei and projected that the smartphone production for 2020 will only reach about 170 million units, which is already 10 percent lower than previous estimates of 190 million units.
This means that the overall annual smartphone shipments from the company would fall by about 30 percent since the company shipped 240 million units back in 2019. This showcases a sharp decline of 70 million units. The primary reason for this steep drop is likely due to the lack of key components that Huawei would be able to acquire after recent US sanctions. With the company’s focus being mainly placed on the Chinese market at the moment, this may also have its rivals like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo benefit from its current situation.
Although, the report also states that with the foundries operating at maximum capacity, material shortage for crucial components like processors and panel modules might make it harder for the other brands to raise production volumes on short notice. Thus, Huawei is still expected to maintain a market share of 14 percent in 2020, while Xiaomi’s share is expected to rise by 12 percent, Oppo’s by 11 percent and 9 percent for Vivo.
Earlier this month, POCO held a global unveil event to announce the POCO X3 NFC smartphone. The handset was made official today in India through a dedicated launch event. Unlike the global edition, the smartphone has arrived in India as POCO X3. Also, the Indian variant is slightly different from its global edition.
POCO X3 specifications and features
The POCO X3 sports a 6.67-inch IPS LCD screen that supports a full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, a 20:9 aspect ratio, HDR10, a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and a touch sampling rate of up to 240Hz. The 2.3GHz Snapdragon 732G chipset fuels the POCO X3 with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.1 storage. The phone boots to MIUI 12 and POCO Launcher enabled Android 10 OS that is devoid of ads.
The global edition of the POCO X3 NFC features a 5,160mAh battery. The India edition is backed by a larger 6,000mAh battery. The retail package of the device includes a 33W fast charger. The LiquidCool Technology 1.0 Plus available on the POCO X3 has a 70 percent larger heat pipe and multiple layers of graphite sheet. The upgraded heat dissipation will allow the POCO X3 to run 6 degrees Celsius cooler than the previous generation.
The rear-facing quad-camera system of the POCO X3 features a 64-megapixel Sony IMX682 main lens, a 13-megapixel ultrawide lens with 119-degree FOV, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, a 2-megapixel macro lens with 4cm focal length, and an LED flash unit. The display punch-hole houses a 20-megapixel selfie snapper.
The phone comes with IP53 rated chassis and Gorilla Glass 5 protection for the display. It has a renewed textured rear for a better grip along with a large-sized logo. Its other features include a microSD card slot, dual stereo speakers, AI face unlock, a side-mounted fingerprint reader, an IR blaster, dual SIM support, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, USB-C, and a 3.5mm headphone slot. It lacks support for NFC connectivity.
POCO X3 price in India
Here is the pricing of the different variants of the POCO X3:
6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage – Rs 16,999 (~$231)
6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage – Rs 18,499 (~$251)
8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage – Rs 19,999 (~$272)
The POCO X3 comes in two colors such as Shadow Grey and Cobalt Blue. The first sale of the phone will be carried at 12 PM IST on Sept. 29 through Flipkart.
LG‘s smartphone business has not been able to catch up with the leading smartphone brands. The company is trying to play catch-ups with the leading OEMs with a couple of new releases like the Wing flagship phone and recent the K71 and K52. The brand has apparently got a new entry-level model in the works dubbed LG W11.
The LG W11 has been spotted on Google Play Console revealing some key specs. The device is powered by an Helio P22 chipset. LG is known for its innovative and peculiar designs even for entry-level phones.The Google Play Console listing shows the front design of the device and it includes a full-screen design with a waterdrop notch.
The LG W11 bears the codename Neo11LM and appears to be the same device, certified on FCC back in August. It is listed to pack an HD+ screen with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels and a 20:9 aspect ratio while the selfie camera is waterdrop notch. Some other features for this version include 3GB RAM and Android 10. The FCC listing shows the device will equally pack a 3,900 mAh battery under the hood. There is also 32GB of storage onboard.
The Google Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G are expected to debut on Sept. 30. Fresh information reveals that both phones were found listed in multiple European retailer sites. According to listings at BT.com, the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G smartphones will go on sale on Oct. 15. Both phones are expected to arrive with 128 GB of storage.
The Google Pixel 4a 5G is mentioned with £499 pricing (~$638) in the U.K. and its pricing for continental Europe is 499 euros (~$586). In the U.K., the Pixel 5 costs £615 (~$787) and it is priced at 629 euros (~$739) in mainland Europe. The Pixel 4a 5G will come in black and white color options, while the Pixel 5 will be available in black and green color editions.
Google Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G specifications (Rumored)
The Google Pixel 5 has a 6.2-inch FHD+ OLED display with 90Hz refresh rate support. The Pixel 4a 5G is fitted with a 6-inch FHD+ OLED screen with 60Hz refresh rate support. Both phones have Sony IMX520 8-megapixel selfie cameras. These phones are powered by the Snapdragon 765G chipset. These devices will come with Android 11 OS preinstalled and they are equipped with rear-facing fingerprint sensors.
The Pixel 4a 5G has a single 12.2-megapixel Sony IMX363 lens on its back. On the other side, the Pixel 5 has a dual-camera system with a Sony IMX362 12.2-megapixel primary camera and an 8-megapixel superwide sensor. The Pixel 4a 5G will come with 6GB of RAM and a 3,800mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. The Pixel 5 has 8 GB of RAM and a 4,000mAh battery with 18W rapid charging tech.
In late 2018, out of nowhere, a company named Royole (Rouyu) announced the world’s first foldable smartphone dubbed as FlexPai. This firm has been existing since 2012 specializing in flexible display technology, however, FlexPai was their first-ever smartphone. Now, more than a year later, the company has launched its successor called FlexPai 2.
Last week, Royole scheduled an event for today (September 22) to unveil FlexPai 2. A few days later, almost entire specs of this device leaked. Now, the handset is official and is already up for pre-order in China priced at 9,988 yuan ($1,471), which happens to be ~40% cheaper than Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2’s 16,999 yuan ($2,505) price tag in the country.
Royole FlexPai 2 Specifications
The newly launched Royole FlexPai 2 brings a number of improvements over its predecessor. The most obvious one is its display. Unlike its forerunner, the 3rd Generation Cicada Wing flexible OLED display with Stepless 3S Hinge (180°) on the FlexPai 2 can be folded flat with a zero-gap. The company claims they have decreased the overall thickness of the phone when folded by 40%, compared to their previous model.
Further, the 7.8-inch unfolded display, which is larger than any other foldable smartphone in the market has a resolution of 1920 x 1,440 pixels with 4:3 aspect ratio. On the other hand, when folded, the main and secondary display will measure 5.5-inch (1,440 x 900) and 5.4-inch (1,440 x 810) respectively.
Royole FlexPai 2 – 3rd Generation Cicada Wing Display with 180° Stepless 3S Hinge
Under the hood, the device comes equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset coupled with 8GB/12GB RAM and 256GB/512GB internal storage. There’s no support for microSD card but the handset comes with dual nano-SIM card slots and also has dual-mode (SA/NSA) 5G connectivity.
It runs waterOS 2.0 based on Android 10 with an uncanny resemblance to Huawei’s EMUI operating system. In case you do not know, the software on the original FlexPai looked similar to MIUI. Anyway, the phone does come with features to use three apps at a time, camera mirror, and others to make use of its foldable display. These features are again similar to those found on Galaxy Fold, Galaxy Z Fold2, Mate X, and Mate Xs.
The major upgrade in FlexPai 2 apart from the display is its quad-camera setup. It features a 64MP primary sensor paired with a 16MP sensor with a 116° ultra-wide-angle lens, an 8MP sensor 3x telephoto lens, and a 32MP sensor dedicated for selfies. All of them sit vertically along with an LED flash facing front.
Other features of this device include WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, GNSS (GPS, A-GPS, BeiDou, Galileo, GLONASS), USB 3.1 Type-C, dual stereo speakers, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, compass, and barometer.
The FlexPai come in three colors namely Sunrise Gold, Midnight Black, and Cosmic Gray backed by a 4,450mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging (Qualcomm Quick Charge 4.0).
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Royole FlexPai 2 Sunrise Gold
Royole FlexPai 2 Midnight Black
Royole FlexPai 2 Cosmic Gray
Royole FlexPai 2 Pricing & Availability
The Royole FlexPai 2 is only limited to China for now and will retail for the following prices.
8GB + 256GB – 9,988 yuan ($1,471)
12GB + 512GB – 11,588 yuan ($1707)
Royole’s second foldable smartphone is currently up for pre-order on Jingdong (JD) and will go on sale starting 10 AM on September 25.
Netgear has launched the Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR1000 WiFi 6 AX5400 router. The XR1000 is the latest addition to the brand’s Nighthawk Pro router series. It brings along the next-gen WiFi 6 hardware with advanced DumaOS 3.0, the latest innovation in managing your network settings for optimized gameplay. DumaOS 3.0 software is purpose built for gamers to enjoy superior gameplay and smoother video streaming.
This state-of-the-art software combined with the most advanced networking hardware ensures stabilization of ping and reduction of lag spikes with reliable connectivity over both wired and wireless networks.The Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR1000 is the first WiFi 6 gaming router powered by DumaOS 3.0 gaming software.
With the latest WiFi 6 technology, XR1000 is designed specifically to improve performance and reduce network latency when it comes to the gaming environment but will also enhance the overall home networking experience for every connected device. The router is designed with the capacity to improve the WiFi performance by up to 40% and reduce the ping rates up to 93% under a congested network, which fundamentally resolves the primary pain points for gamers and provides the best gaming experience possible.
To further boost the gaming experience and give gamers the best gaming connection possible, the DumaOS 3.0 software includes new top features, such as: customizable Geo-Fencing, Ping Heatmap, Application QoS with Bandwidth Allocation, Connection Benchmark, and Traffic Controller. This new Nighthawk Pro Gaming router stands alone with its advanced list of features, which provide optimized control over the network connection while gaming or streaming, ensuring that gameplay can continue uninterrupted.
As demand for online entertainment via streaming and gaming has increased, the new Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR1000 WiFi 6 AX5400 router addresses a growing market need for robust WiFi connectivity that is expected to continue to expand according to current industry research
With faster, more reliable connections and a 4X increase in capacity, the dual-band WiFi 6 AX5400 allows for more devices to connect and stream simultaneously, without impacting speed or reliability. The Five (5) 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet ports (1 WAN and 4 LAN) and powerful 1.50 GHz Triple-Core processor support more devices for better VR gaming, 4K streaming and more while boosting both wireless, wired, and USB performance.
With heightened online activity, the importance of protecting your network and privacy comes to the forefront. The Nighthawk Pro gaming XR1000 router comes with NETGEAR Armor cybersecurity which is the most advanced cyber threat protection for your home network and connected devices. Activation includes a free 30-day trial, after the trial period, a yearly subscription of $69.99 is required to continue the service. NETGEAR Armor customers can upgrade their VPN from the free 200 MB of encrypted data traffic per day per device to unlimited encrypted data traffic for an additional yearly subscription of $39.99.
The Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR1000 WiFi 6 AX5400 router is now available for $349.99 from NETGEAR.com and other online retailers
Xiaomi officially unveiled the MIJIA Pure Smart Humidifier and it is now on the Xiaomi store. The product will be officially launched under crowdfunding at 10 am on September 23. It carries a retail price of ¥229 but under the crowdfunding, the price is ¥199 ($29).
The Mijia Pure Smart Humidifier simulates the natural evaporation of water. It humidifies the air by spraying the filter element and then evaporating the water. It is supplemented by a redesigned waterway and air duct system to form a double cycle of internal and external.
This method can continuously evaporate the water into a humid air flow and send it out so that the air can be kept fresh and moisturized efficiently and lastingly, so the indoor dryness can be dispersed.
The humidifier filter element is composed of high-density water-absorbent fibres. When it evaporates naturally, it can block the spread of impurities in the water. It can humidify purely even with tap water. It is suitable for pregnant women, babies, elderly people and people who are sensitive to breathing.
Xiaomi developed a new type of water pump structure on the MIJIA humidifier whereby the automatic circulation pump sprays on the filter element when working. Thus, it always maintain a full water absorption state, and continuously evaporate and humidify the air.
The surface of the humidifier body has as many as 240 air holes, and the air enters at the same time, which can make the evaporation more efficient, and then send surging humid air through the turbofan to nourish the entire space.
With the upper water injection design, tap water can be added directly from the water injection port at the top, which is easy and convenient. It can humidify for up to 19 hours at a time.
The struggle to stay connected with family, friends, and coworkers has become more and more real during this age of Social Distancing. Never before has quality-of-life been so affected by tiny little bars on a cell phone. Thankfully, for those of us living under metal roofs or out in the country, HiBoost is here with a solution for all our connectivity needs.
The HiBoost brand has been around for a few years now, making cellphone signal boosters all over the world. They are region-specific, so you can’t take an American HiBoost unit on your luxury yacht around the Mediterranean, but for the majority of us that won’t be a problem. HiBoost USA boosters work for every carrier in the United States and Canada, and are all approved by the FCC for use. Don’t be fooled if your local phone carrier doesn’t know about signal boosters and tells you they aren’t supported, they are all legal for use with a simple registration at signalboosterregistration.com
One thing that I really like about the HiBoost boosters is their sleek and sturdy design. They don’t feel cheap, they are made of sturdy materials that shed heat better than other boosters I’ve tried. They use only the best Type-N connectors and LMR-200 or LMR-400 cable that helps to minimize loss and can be buried if needed.
Most of the boosters offered at hiboost.com or amz.hiboost.com work using these same general principles. Line-Of-Sight to a tower from your roof, isolating the indoor and outdoor antennas so they don’t have feedback (oscillation), and using the App or the LCD screen to fine-tune the aiming of your antenna to maximize your signal strength. Here are some tips for installation, because it can be tricky:
Do some research! www.cellmapper.net or www.cellreception.com can aid in finding your cell tower. You can also call your carrier and ask them.
Always do a “Soft Install” first. Don’t drill any holes or make any permanent changes until you know this will work in your location.
Mount your antenna on the wall closest to the tower, pointing AWAY from your house. (Feedback between this antenna and the indoor antenna can be an issue, so they must point in opposite directions.
Get that antenna high enough so that there can be a minimum of 20 feet VERTICAL separation between this antenna and your indoor antenna. (Indoor antenna will go on the wall facing your living area, opposite the direction of the tower.)
Whether you look at the “Power dBm” column on the booster LCD screen or the gauges on the Signal Supervisor App, the range on these numbers is from -24 dBm (worst) to +12 dBm (best). You want to get these numbers as close to +12 as possible.
Now that you have a general idea of what it is going to take to install these machines, let’s go over how to choose which booster is for you. If you’ve ever purchased home broadband internet you understand that the advertised speed is not what you will actually achieve. The SmartLink series comes in three categories that cover 4K, 10K, 15K sqft. These estimates are in a perfect world, with 5 bars of signal outside, and 0 inside. Instead of expecting to get those out of a poor donor signal, go ahead and take half that number if you only have 3 bars outside, and 1/4 of that number if you only have 1 or 2. The booster can only boost what’s there, to begin with, and that is the same for any cell booster.
4K SMART LINK Cell phone signal booster boost signal strength with a powerful antenna system. With up to 60 dB gain of amplification (uplink: 24 dBm, downlink: 10 dBm), it greatly enhances 3G & 4G LTE cell service for all wireless devices. Perfect for increasing your signal bars in a bad reception area up to 4,000 sqft. You could purchase it on Amazon and save 20% with the coupon code: 20SYC3A2.
I am consistently asked, “What about 5G?”, and the answer is simple: HiBoost boosters will continue to work to boost 4G, 3G, 2G, and they are working on coming out with a 5G capable booster as well. Cellular Carriers are not going to stop transmitting 4G signals any time soon because the range for 5G is so low that most people won’t ever even get to experience it. Unless you are living in a metropolitan area and are less than 800 feet from a 5G tower, then it’s unlikely to reach your home any time soon.
Another thing to consider is obviously the price. Thankfully HiBoost doesn’t charge any ongoing service fees or require a monthly commitment, it’s a one-time hit to the wallet and then after installing properly you can enjoy a life free from dropped calls and slow data speeds.
Yesterday, OnePlus confirmed that it will be launching the OnePlus 8T smartphone in India on Oct. 14. The handset will be available for purchase through Amazon India. The Chinese wing of the brand has confirmed that the OnePlus 8T will go official in the home market on Oct. 15. The smartphone will be also releasing in the European markets. Well ahead of the launch, a tipster has leaked the pricing of the OnePlus 8T for Europe.
The leak reveals that the OnePlus 8T will arrive in Europe in two options such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. These variants will be priced at 799 euros and 899 euros, respectively.
The tipster claims that he is quite confident about the source of the leak because of its track record. In the U.S., the two models could be priced at $799 and $899, respectively. This means that the OnePlus 8T will be exactly 100 euros or $1000 more expensive than the launch price of the OnePlus 8. Past reports have claimed that OnePlus will not launch the OnePlus 8 Pro smartphone this year.
Past reports have revealed that the OnePlus 8T will be sporting a 6.5-inch flat S-AMOLED panel with a punch-hole design. The screen will offer Full HD+ resolution and its refresh rate is reportedly bumped up to 120Hz. The smartphone will draw power from the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform.
The OxygenOS 11 based Android 11vk will come preinstalled on the OnePlus 8T. The handset could be backed by a 4,500mA battery. Rumors have it that the OnePlus 8T will arrive with support for 65W fast charging.
It will sport a front camera of 32-megapixel. The rear side of the device will have a quad-camera system comprising of a 48-megapixel main camera, an ultrawide lens of 16-megapixel, a macro shooter of 5-megapixel, and a depth sensor of 2-megapixel.
Last week, the Realme RMX2173 and RMX2117 smartphones had surfaced in the database of China’s TENAA regulatory body with preliminary specifications. Rumors have that the Realme RMX2117 will break cover as a Q-series phone from the brand. The entire specs of the RMX2117 are now known since its TENAA listing is now updated with all important information. The RMX2173’s listing at TENAA has also been updated with its images and specs.
The RMX2173 model number indicated that it could be a variant of the recently unveiled Realme X7 phone that has a model number of RMX2176. Now that the TENAA listing of the Realme RMX2173 is updated, it is quite evident that the phone is a lower variant of the Realme X7. Hence, it is likely that the Realme RMX2173 may arrive in the Chinese markets as Realme X7 Youth or Realme X7 Lite. Both phones have identical specs and design, and the only noticeable difference is that the Realme RMX2173 has downgraded cameras.
The Realme X7 has a selfie camera of 32-megapixel, whereas the Realme RMX2173 has a 16-megapixel front camera. The Realme X7 flaunts a 64-megapixel (main) + 8-megapixel (ultrawide) + 2-megapixel (macro) + 2-megapixel (depth) quad-camera system on its rear. The Realme RMX2173 is equipped with a 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quadruple cameras. The other specs of the Realme RMX2173 are identical to the Realme X7.
Realme X7 (left) and Realme X7 Pro (right)
The Realme RMX2173 has 160.9 x 74.4 x 8.1mm dimensions and it weighs 175 grams. Its 6.43-inch S-AMOLED with punch-hole design produces an aspect ratio of 20:9 and a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The AMOLED screen is integrated with a fingerprint sensor. The phone has a dual-cell battery, but the TENAA listing mentions the rated size of one of its cells as 2,100mAh.
There is a 2.4GHz octa-core processor present under the hood of the RMX2173 smartphone. It may arrive in China in 6 GB and 8 GB RAM variants and storage options like 128 GB and 256 GB. The handset is loaded with Android 10 OS and it lacks support for a microSD card slot.
This year, Realme launched a couple of Realme X-series and V-series of smartphones in China. It is expected to introduce a new series of smartphones soon. Last year, the Chinese firm also sold a phone named Realme Q, which arrived as a rebranded version of the Realme 5 Prov that debuted in India. Rumors have it that the Realme RMX2117 recently appeared with preliminary specs in the database of the TENAA is the next Q-series smartphone from the brand. The TENAA listing of the Realme RMX2117 phone has now been updated with its full specifications and images.
Realme RMX2117 specifications
The Realme RMX2117 is a 5G smartphone that features a 6.5-inch display that produces a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and an aspect ratio of 20:9. It draws power from an octa-core processor that ticks at 2.4GHz.
In China, the new Realme Q phone may arrive in RAM options like 4 GB, 6 GB and 8 GB. It could be available in storage choices such as 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB. There is a microSD card slot onboard for additional storage.
The Realme RMX2117 has a rated battery of 4,900mAh capacity. The handset is preinstalled with Android 10 OS. It has a selfie snapper of 16-megapixel. The backside of the phone has a rectangle-shaped camera module that includes a 48-megapixel primary shooter, an 8-megapixel lens, and a 2-megapixel sensor.
A fingerprint scanner seems to be embedded under the power button on the right edge of the RMX2117 smartphone. The left spine of the phone features a volume rocker. The dimensions of the smartphone are 162.2 x 75.1 x 9.1mm and it weighs 194 grams. The handset is expected to arrive in color options like silver, blue, black, and gray in the homeland.
Since the Realme RMX2117 is now TENAA certified, it is likely to debut soon. Hopefully, upcoming reports will reveal the final product name of the device.
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