Redmi 9A launched in India with Rs. 6,799 (~$93) starting price

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Sep 2, 2020

A few years ago, in 2014, Xiaomi had released a product named Xiaomi NFC Touch Sticker and now the company has unveiled the second-generation of the same, named Xiaomi NFC Touch Sticker 2.

The company had put up the Xiaomi NFC Sticker product for crowdfunding for a price of 19.9 yuan, which is about $3. Now, it seems that the Chinese company has already raised about 995,000 yuan from the campaign.

EDITOR’S PICK: Redmi K30 Ultra Review: Excellent Value for Money but there’s Room for Improvement

As you would expect from any of the NFC stickers, the Xiaomi Touch Sticker 2 also triggers a variety of the functions when tapped with a smartphone. The functions on the sticker can be configured using Mijia App.

It supports a range of functions, including music relay, all-round screen projection, touch connection, Miji Smart Home support, etc. All you need to do to use this NFC sticker is to enable the NFC feature on the smartphone and tap on the NFC card with the phone.

The official listing from the company claims that the Xiaomi NFC Touch Sticker 2 comes with support for more than 2,200 smart devices, including 89 IoT platforms from companies like Philips and Op, along with its own ecosystem of products.

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 10 powered by MediaTek Dimensity 820 SoC surface online

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Sep 2, 2020

Xiaomi has been launching quite a few smartphones in the market, at a regular interval, and now the company seems to be gearing up to launch a new 5G smartphone in the market, which is likely a budget to the mid-range offering.

A new Xiaomi smartphone with model number M2007J22C has been approved for network access, as per the report. It is being speculated that the device in question is the upcoming Redmi Note 10 smartphone.

It is also being reported that the device will come powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 820 SoC. This makes sense given that the Redmi Note 9 was also powered by the Helio G85 gaming-centric chipset from MediaTek.

This is the same chipset that powers the China-exclusive Redmi 10X 5G and Redmi 10X Pro 5G. A leak related to the device revealed that the phone has 8GB of RAM and runs Android 10 operating system out-of-the-box.

EDITOR’S PICK: ZTE Axon 20 5G goes official in China as the world’s first under-display camera smartphone

As for MediaTek Dimensity 820, the chipset is focused on the mid-range and upper mid-range smartphones, and the chipset is jointly built by Xiaomi and MediaTek. It is based on a 7nm process and comes with 4 x Cortex A76 cores and 4 x Cortex A55 cores.

We expect the Redmi Note 10 smartphone to be accompanied by a Pro model as well, which should have a high refresh rate display, NFC support, and more. While not many details about the phones are known at this time, the Redmi Note 10 lineup is expected to be priced around 1,000 yuan (~$146) in China.

POCO M2 to launch on September 8 in India

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Sep 2, 2020

POCO is gearing up to launch the POCO X3 NFC through a global launch event on Sept. 7. The company seems to be having different plans for India. Today, the company released a fresh tweet to confirm that it will be launching the POCO M2 phone on Sept. 8. Hence, there is a possibility that the company may hold a dedicated POCO X3 launch event for India on a later date.

The POCO M2 teaser reveals that it will be made official at 12 PM (local time) in India on Sept. 8. The tweet carries a link to the phone’s landing page on Flipkart. The latter has no word on the specifications of the POCO M2, but it only mentions that it has a large screen, more amount of RAM, and a big battery. The teasers also suggest that it will be good in the photography department.

It's time to change all your WTF moments to #PowerFTW moments.

Get ready, the #POCOM2 is arriving on 08th September at 12 noon on @Flipkart.

Know more here: https://t.co/IhIRnUwfng

RT & get a chance to win the new POCO phone.
2000 RTs – 1 📱
3000 RTs – 2 📱
5000 RTs – 4 📱 pic.twitter.com/U6DGxP6ton

— POCO India #POCOM2 (@IndiaPOCO) September 2, 2020

Judging from the moniker, the POCO M2 will have weaker specs than the POCO M2 Pro that debuted in July. The POCO M2 Pro is now selling in India with a starting price of Rs. 13,999 (~$191). There is a possibility that the POCO M2 may debut in the country with a price tag of around Rs. 10,000 (~$137). Hence, it could end up as the most affordable smartphone from the brand.

Editor’s Pick: POCO X3 Pro name appears in a deleted promo image

POCO M2 could be a Redmi 9 variant?

In June, the Xiaomi phones with model numbers M2004J19I and M2004J19PI received certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). In the same month, the M2004J19I and M2004J19PI along some other model number variants had appeared as Redmi 9.

The M2004J19I and M2004J19PI models had also appeared in the database of TUV Rheinland certification platform. Interestingly, the M2004J19I and M2004J19PI were mentioned as Redmi and POCO devices, respectively.

The Redmi 9 Prime that debuted last month in India has M2004J19PI. Hence, a slightly lower version of the Redmi 9 could be announced in India as POCO M2. Hopefully, more details of the POCO M2 will surface before the Sept. 8 launch.

Google Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G smartphones pass through FCC certification

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Sep 2, 2020

After much anticipation and delays, Google recently launched the much-awaited Pixel 4a smartphone. At the time, the company had revealed that it will soon be launching the Pixel 4a 5G as well as Google Pixel 5 smartphones.

While the company has not yet revealed the launch timeframe for the upcoming devices, reports indicate that both of them could go official by the end of this month. Now, both — Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 have passed through FCC certification.

From the listing, it seems that the Pixel 4a models A4R G025E, G025H, and G025I are the 5G variant of the device. It is also revealed that the phone features a plastic body and comes with 6GB of RAM and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Under the hood, it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset. It comes with a bigger screen, a dual-camera setup on the back, and support for sub-6 5G bands. We are expecting a similar design to the original model.

EDITOR’S PICK: Redmi K30 Ultra Review: Excellent Value for Money but there’s Room for Improvement

As for the Google Pixel 5, models, A4R GD1YQ and GTT9Q have been listed. It also reveals that the phone will have support for Wireless Power Transfer (WPT). This will enable the smartphone to charge accessories, like Pixel Buds.

From the listing, it is revealed that the model number GTT9Q doesn’t have support for mmWave and is relying on the sub-6 band but the other models, including GD1YQ and G6QU3, have support for both the bands.

The Google Pixel 5 is rumored to come featuring a 6-inch Full HD+ display with a 90hz refresh rate. It is said to come packed with 8GB of RAM and a 4,000mAh battery. Unlike the Pixel 4a models, this one won’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack, being a so-called “premium” phone.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 5G goes official; pricing starts at $850

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Sep 2, 2020

Along with launching the Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G smartphone, South Korean giant Samsung also launched the 5G version of the Galaxy Tab S7. With this, the company has now become one of the first brands to add 5G connectivity to its tablet lineup.

The device will be available for purchase in the market from 18th September, carrying a price tag of $800. This is $200 more than the pricing of the standard model. The Galaxy Tab S7+, on the other hand, costs $1,050.

It seems that the only difference between the non-5G and 5G version is the support for 5G connectivity and everything else remains the same. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 sports an 11-inch LPTS TFT LCD with a WQXGA resolution of 2560×1600 pixels.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Tab S7+ has a bigger and better 12.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a screen resolution of 2800 × 1752 pixels. Both displays come with support for the 120Hz refresh rate.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 Plus SoC, which is paired along with 6GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB UFS 3.0 storage. It comes with another memory configuration that packs 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

EDITOR’S PICK: Samsung Electronics reportedly partners with Corning to develop its own UTG for foldable smartphones

The device has a microSD card slot that can expand the storage capacity up to 1TB. As for the camera configuration, it has a dual-camera setup on the back that includes a 13MP primary sensor with f/2.0 aperture and an 8 MP secondary sensor with f/2.2 aperture.

Both devices have support for recording 4K resolution videos at up to 30fps from the rear cameras. For taking selfies and video calling, they come with an 8MP snapper with an f/2.0 aperture lens.

As for the software, the device runs the Android 10 operating system out-of-the-box with Samsung One UI 2.5 on top. They also come with support for S-Pen and on-device Samsung DeX, enabling a PC-like experience.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 packs an 8,000mAh battery whereas the larger Galaxy Tab S7+ comes with a mammoth 10,090mAh battery. Both have support for Samsung’s 45W Super Fast Charging technology, which is based on the USB Power Delivery 3.0 specification with Programmable Power Supply (USB-PD PPS).

POCO X3 Pro name appears in a deleted promo image

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Sep 2, 2020

POCO has recently confirmed that it will be launching the POCO X3 NFC on Sept. 7. The phone will be announced globally through an online launch event. Malaysia is one of the markets where the POCO X3 NFC will be launching on the same date. Yesterday, POCO started a promotional campaign for the POCO X3 NFC. The poster that revealed the details of the campaign carried POCO X3 Pro moniker. Hence, it appears that there could be a POCO X3 series variant dubbed as POCO X3 Pro.

Chinese publication ITHome has shared a screenshot of the promo image, which has been taken down. The image states that those who participate in the campaign will stand a chance to win the POCO X3 Pro smartphone. The company did not share any details on the specs of the POCO X3 Pro.

The promo image has been replaced by a new one that mentions that the winner will win a POCO X3 NFC phone. It is unclear whether the POCO X3 Pro phone really exists, or it was the moniker was mentioned erroneously.

Editor’s Pick: Realme X7, X7 Pro 5G with 120Hz display, Dimensity 1000+, 64MP quad cameras, 65W fast charging launched in China

POCO X3 NFC specifications

The POCO X3 NFC could be flaunting a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with top-center positioned punch-hole. It is expected to arrive with support for the 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate. It will come preinstalled with MIUI 12 based Android 10 OS.

The POCO X3 NFC will be the first phone from the brand to feature the Snapdragon 732G processor. It recently appeared on Geekbench with 6 GB of RAM. The phone is expected to draw power from a 5,160mAh battery. It is likely to arrive with support for 33W rapid charging technology. Rumors have it that the fast charging tech will fully charge the POCO X3 NFC in 65 minutes. The backside of the device will be fitted with a 64-megapixel quad-camera system

UP NEXT: Xiaomi launches the Mi Walkie Talkie Lite priced at ¥129 ($18)

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G and 4G editions receive Bluetooth SIG certification

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Sep 2, 2020

Recent reports have revealed a lot about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition. Previous reports had suggested that the Galaxy S20 FE may launch towards the end of the year. Now that the rumor mill has revealed almost everything about the device, it appears that its launch may not be far away. Today, the 5G and 4G LTE editions of the Galaxy S20 FE received approval from the Bluetooth SIG authority. Hence it appears that the smartphone may break cover by the end of September or in early October.

The Galaxy S20 FE Edition’s 5G versions that have appeared in the database of Bluetooth SIG authority are SM-G781U (US, China), SM-G781V (Verizon), SM-G781 (Canada), SM-G781 (dual-SIM variant for the US). The SM-G781F (Asia, Europe), and SM-G781F/DS (dual-SIM version for Europe, Asia) is 4G LTE versions of the Galaxy S20 FE.’

The Bluetooth certification only reveals the support for Bluetooth 5.0 on the device. Devices that appear in the Bluetooth SIG’s database are known to go official around a month after receiving the certification. Hence, the South Korean company may launch it by September end or early October.

Editor’s Pick: Report: Samsung Electronics partners with Corning to develop its own UTG for foldable smartphones

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE specifications

The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition has a 6.5-inch S-AMOLED screen with Infinity-O punch-hole appearance. The screen offers FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The Snapdragon 865 SoC will fuel the device. It is speculated that India and some other markets will receive the Exynos 990 chipset version.

The Galaxy S20 FE 5G will come with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. The handset will be loaded with One UI 2.5 skinned Android 10 OS, and it will come with a microSD card slot for more storage.

The Fan Edition will be equipped with a 4,500mAh battery. It will have a front camera of 32-megapixel and a 12-megapixel (Sony IMX555 main) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide) + 12-megapixel (telephoto) triple camera. It will come with an IP68 rated dustproof and water-resistant chassis. It is expected to arrive in multiple colors such as Navy, Lavender, Sky Green, Red, White, and Orange.

OnePlus device with “Lemonade” codename in works

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Sep 2, 2020

OnePlus has a couple of new smartphones waiting in the pipeline to go official. Last week, a report had revealed the specifications of an entry-level OnePlus phone codenamed as “Clover.” Recent reports have revealed that the “Billie” and “Kebab” are the codenames of the other upcoming OnePlus phones. It appears that the company is working on one more device with the “Lemonade” codename.

As per a tweet by XDA Developers’ Mishaal Rahman who cites information shared by an XDA forum member reveals that there are five variants of the OnePlus Lemonade device. These variants are mentioned as lemonade, lemonadep, lemonadept, lemonadet, and lemonadev. The final marketing name of the OnePlus Lemonade device is under wraps. Hopefully, newer reports will more information on the OnePlus Lemonade.

Editor’s Pick: OnePlus: first look at the OnePlus 8T; MicroSD card support coming to future models

As it is known, the Billie codename belongs to the OnePlus phone powered by Snapdragon 690. There are around two to four variants of the device such as Bille, Bille2/2T, and Bille8/8T. The OnePlus 8T is said to be codenamed as Kebab and its two variants are Kebab and Kebabt. The OnePlus 8T is likely to be powered by the Snapdragon 865 Plus and it may come with a 65W fast charger.

The Snapdragon 460 powered OnePlus Clover could be the cheapest OnePlus phone. The handset is rumored to cost around $200 in the U.S. It is expected to come with specs like 6.52-inch IPS LCD HD+ screen, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, rear-facing fingerprint reader, a 6,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support, and a 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera system.

[UPDATE] Huami Zepp E Square and Zepp E Circle smartwatches unveiled

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Sep 2, 2020

UPDATE:

Zepp has clarified that it will co-exist with Amazfit but will operate as an independent brand. Amazfit will focus on hardware and will be connected to Zepp’s platform, while the Zepp brand will release hardware devices as well as digital health management software solutions.

Original Story as follows…

Huami recently renamed the Amazfit app on Google Play Store as Zepp, fuelling speculations that the company was about to restructure the brand. Indeed, Huami has unveiled the Zepp E smartwatches which comes in two iterations Zepp E Circle and Zepp E Square.

The new products announce the birth of a new brand lineup instead of a total replacement of the Amazfit brand. Huami did clarify that the Amazfit and Zepp brands will exist side by side.

The Zepp E Circle and Zepp E Square both come with all the bells and whistles of a decent smartwatch. Apart from the usual heart rate monitoring, it also features sleep tracking and there is a SpO2 sensor onboard for monitoring the blood-oxygen saturation.

The Zepp E Circle features a round screen shape, adorning a 1.28-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 416×416 pixels. On the other hand, the Zepp E Square packs a larger 1.65-inch AMOLED display with 348×442 pixels resolution. The two models adopt a stainless steel body and are available with different strap colors, the bands all having different textures since they are made from different materials.

The color options include a leather band in “Polar Night Black” or “Moon Grey” and a fluoroelastomer band for both models, the “Onyx Black”, the Square gets a unique “Deep Sea Blue” leather band, “Pebble Grey” fluoroelastomer band, and “Metallic Black Special Edition” while the Circle gets its own unique “Ice Blue” fluoroelastomer band and “Champagne Gold Special Edition.”

The Zepp E series arrives with 11 sports modes, including cycling, climbing. swimming, walking, indoor and outdoor running, and more. They also feature the ability to track a wearer’s sleep stages, including light sleep, deep sleep, Rapid Eye Movement (REM), and awake time. The data is provided on the app which users can use to take actionable steps to improve their sleep quality.

Furthermore, the smartwatches are rated as 5ATM water-resistant but there is no GPS on board for location tracking. The heart rate sensor inside will also provide wearers with information about stress, a feature that Huami says will come in a future OTA upgrade.

In terms of battery life, the Zepp E packs a 188mAh battery which boasts of up to 7 days of battery life. In the basic watch mode, battery life can be extended to up to 15 days. It charges via a 2-pin pogo pin connector on a magnetic charging base.

The watches don’t run on Wear OS instead, they pack the Huami’s latest Zepp’s proprietary RTOS, a customized real-time operating system. The OS offers five watch faces built-in, though more can be downloaded from the Zepp app.

As for the pricing and availability, the Zepp E smartwatches are priced at $249 in the US. In the UK, it is priced at £209 and will start shipping on September 1.

Xiaomi launches the Mi 10 Lite 5G, Mi Band 5 and other smart products in Japan

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Sep 2, 2020

Xiaomi has launched its first 5G smartphone in Japan and it is the Mi 10 Lite 5G which was first announced in Europe back in July. The smartphone formed part of the products that were announced by the tech giant recently in Japan during an event to mark its 10th anniversary.

The 5G smartphone is scheduled to go on sale from KDDI on September 4 and is priced at 42,740 Japanese Yen (~$400). For reference, the Mi 10 Lite 5G carries a price tag of €349 in Europe which means the price in Japan is slightly lower.

As a reminder, the Mi 10 Lite 5G features a 6.57-inch AMOLED TrueColor display with FHD+ resolution. The display houses a waterdrop notch design which houses the selfie camera and also there is an under-screen fingerprint sensor onboard.

The Snapdragon 765G processor onboard is supported by the LiquidCool technology which prevents the device from overheating. For photography, the Mi 10 Lite 5G packs a quad-camera setup with a 48MP AI sensor in the lead. The waterdrop notch holds a 16MP selfie shooter. The main camera comes with several features found on the flagship Mi 10 series such as Pro Mode, Night mode 2.0, ShootStead and several others.

Under the hood, there is a 4,160mAh battery with support for 20W fast charging.

In addition, the company also launched the Mi Smart Band 5 a successor to the Mi Band 4. The fitness band carries a 4,490 yen (~$42) price tag. The Mi Air Purifier 3H, Xiaomi Airdots Basic TWS earphone and the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic were also announced. The air purifier is priced at 19,900 yen (~$187) including tax, the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic comes with a 3990 yen (~$37) price tag and Xiaomi Airdots Basic TWS earphone is priced at 2,490 yen (~$23).

Report: Samsung Electronics partners with Corning to develop its own UTG for foldable smartphones

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Sep 1, 2020

Samsung is the forerunner of foldable smartphones. The company just launched Galaxy Z Fold2 a few hours ago as its third foldable device. Ahead of it, news broke out that Samsung Electronics has partnered with Corning to develop its own foldable glass.

The display, display cover, and hinge are the three main crucial hardware parts of a foldable smartphone. The original Galaxy Fold uses CPI (Colorless Polyimide) as display cover, which is not as durable as UTG (Ultra-Thin Glass) used in the other two devices from the company – Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold2.

For those unaware, Samsung Electronics and Samsung Display are two independent companies. The latter supplies OLED panels for almost all the devices manufactured by former except for the upcoming Galaxy M51.

Samsung Display also supplies UTG for Samsung Electronics, which is manufactured by DOWOO INSYS using glass substrates supplied by SCHOTT AG. Thus, the electronics division of Samsung has to pay a large amount of money for display and display cover supplies.

Back in April, a report by South Korea’s ETNews stated that Samsung Electronics was looking to manufacture UTG on its own to reduce the overall manufacturing cost of its foldables. That report mentioned that UTG used in Galaxy Z Flip costs $40 per unit compared to $2 for flat glass used in normal smartphones.

This is one of the reasons why foldables are expensive. But that could change in the coming years as Samsung Electronics has successfully joined hands with Corning to develop its own UTG as per a report by the same publication. This news comes after the company had patented three different types of screen covers for foldables, out of which, two of them involves UTG.

The new report states that “according to the display industry, Samsung Electronics IT & Mobile Communications Business has recently started receiving necessary glass substrates from Corning”.

That means the company will continue to improve its yield in the coming months so that it could be self-reliant as well as competitive to Samsung Display. This will further lead to competition among other glass manufacturers in the next few years eventually bringing down the cost of foldable smartphones as a whole.

On the other hand, Samsung Display has now begun to focus on diversifying its customers as it cannot rely on Samsung Electronics. In fact, it has already received orders for OLED panels from Huawei for its foldable smartphones.

Amazfit Band 5 with Alexa built-in appears on Amazon; will launch September 30

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 1, 2020

In early July, the Amazfit Band 5 was spotted at the FCC. The listing revealed a number of details including an image of the printing on the retail box. The fitness tracker has now been spotted on Amazon with a release date set for the end of the month.

The Amazfit Band 5 shares the same design as the Mi Band 5/Mi Smart Band 5 and can actually pass for Xiaomi’s own fitness tracker which of course is manufactured by Huami. However, some of its features are different.

For example, the Amazfit Band 5 has Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant built-in. So you can talk to the band and ask it questions, set alarms, and timers, create shopping lists and control compatible smart home products.

The Amazon listing says the watch also has a SpO2 monitor, PAI health assessment system, sleep quality monitoring, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, stress monitoring, breathing exercise, women’s health tracking, and support for 11 sports modes including swim tracking.

The Amazfit Band 5 has an HD color AMOLED display with over 45 watch faces that includes 2 customizable ones. It has support for music control and can also serve as a remote control for your phone’s camera. The battery life is put at 15 days for typical usage and 25 days in power-saving mode.

The fitness tracker has a price tag of $49.99 and will be available in Orange and Midnight Black. According to Amazon, it will be released on September 30 but you can pre-order it now.

Lenovo Tab M10 HD Gen 2 launches in regular, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa variants

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Sep 1, 2020

Yesterday, Lenovo launched Tab P11 Pro and Smart Clock Essential. At the same time, the company also unveiled Tab M10 HD Gen 2 as an entry-level budget Android tablet. It comes with modest specifications compared to the other model.

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Lenovo Tab M10 HD Gen 2 Specifications and Price

As the name suggests, the newly announced Lenovo Tab M10 HD Gen 2 features a 10.1-inch HD ( 1280 x 800 pixels) IPS LCD panel with TDDI (Touch and Display Integration) technology. That means the screen will not have a weird gap between the glass and the actual panel like the entry-level iPads.

Further, the display on this tablet is rated to cover 60% of NTSC color gamut and output a maximum brightness of 400 nits. Also, this panel is certified by TÜV Rheinland for lower blue light emission.

As for design, the casing of the tablet is made of aluminium and it is boxy in shape with slight curves at the corners. What’s underwhelming is its internals as it is powered by MediaTek helio P22T SoC paired with 2/4GB RAM and 32GB/64GB internal storage. If the memory is not enough, users can insert a microSD card up to 250GB in size.

Other features on this new entry-level tablet include Android 10, newly announced Kids Space, dual speakers powered by Dolby Atmos, dual microphones, 8MP primary camera, 5MP front-facing camera, FM Radio, 5,000mAh battery and two colors – Iron Grey & Platinum Grey. On the connectivity front, it comes with 4G LTE, WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C, and two pogo pin connector for accessories.

As for price, the regular Lenovo Tab M10 Gen 2 starts at  €159 (including VAT) and is expected to start shipping later this month.

Lenovo Tab M10 HD Gen 2 With Google Assistant/Amazon Alexa

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The tablet also comes in Google Assitant and Amazon Alexa variants with a charging dock. They feature the same specs as the regular version except for changes in microphones. The former model sports only a single low-power DSP. On the other hand, the latter retains dual microphones, in addition to extra three far-field mics and 3W speakers on its dock.

Their prices (including VAT) start at €179 and  €199  with shipping commencing from October and November respectively.

ZTE LiveBuds boasts noise cancellation and a 20-hour battery life for ~$29

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 1, 2020

ZTE’s Axon 20 5G launched today as the first commercially-available smartphone with an under-display camera. However, it isn’t the only new product from the Chinese manufacturer as it also unveiled the ZTE LiveBuds.

The ZTE LiveBuds (not the most creative of names) is a pair of affordable TWS earbuds with electronic noise cancellation (ENC). With respect to design, the earbuds have pretty short stems and silicone ear tips. They also differ greatly from ZTE’s other TWS earbuds, the Nubia Pods, which launched last year. However, just like the Nubia Pods, the LiveBuds is a collaboration between ZTE and 1More.

ZTE says they support touch controls and each earbud has dual microphones. They weigh 4 grams each, ship in a black case, and boast a battery life of 20 hours (case included). Other features include Bluetooth 5.0 and an IPX5 waterproof rating.

The ZTE LiveBuds has a price tag of ¥199 (~$29) and is already available for purchase in China. Just like the Axon 20 5G, there is no news of a global release for the earbuds.

Nubia Watch with a 4.01″ super-flexible AMOLED screen launched on Kickstarter

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Sep 1, 2020

Nubia has launched the Nubia Watch under crowdfunding on Kickstarter. The smartwatch was first launched in China back in July with an interesting specs and design. The watch carries a starting price of $179.

The Nubia Watch features a 4.01-inch super flexible AMOLED screen which tends to wrap around the wrist. The dial is made from a lightweight aluminium alloy manufactured using nano-injection process while it uses biomedical-grade ceramics on the side. The overall lightweight design makes it lighter to wear.

The extension of the screen is a 316L stainless steel watch section which the company claims have gone through more than 30 processes, taking into account the aesthetics and structural strength. It comes standard with a soft and skin-friendly silicone strap. There is also a Napa leather strap made of imported Italian calfskin, with a silky surface and a delicate touch. This strap is a free add-on for all the perks.

In terms of functions, Nubia Watch supports eSIM independent call functions of China Mobile and China Unicom, and Alipay mobile payment. It features an array of sports and health monitoring functions, as well as weather reminders, find my phone function, compass, schedule reminders and many other functions. The watch also supports Wake-up gesture which wakes up the screen when the user raises his wrist. Nubia Watch also comes with a variety of watch face themes.

The watch is available for support on Kickstarter and will start shipping to backers in October. The watch is available in Midnight Black and Army green colours.

Report: Apple to launch iPhone 12, iPad Air, Watch, headphones & smaller HomePod in the coming weeks

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Sep 1, 2020

Apple is expected to unveil the next-generation iPhones in the coming weeks like every year. Ahead of it, new details about the company’s 2020 product lineup launch have emerged. This report comes from Bloomberg and it not only mentions iPhones but an iPad, Apple Watches, headphones, smaller HomePod as well as next year’s products like refreshed Apple TV and AirTags.

The report reveals that the Cupertino-based firm expects to ship a maximum of 80 million units of iPhones by the end of this year just like 2019. Hence, it has begun to mass manufacture at least 75 million new iPhone 12 series smartphones.

Apart from new iPhones, Apple will also launch next-gen iPad Air featuring minimum bezels like similar to iPad Pro. Further, the company will also introduce two Apple Watches, the higher model will replace last year’s Series 5 and the budget model will take place of the older Series 3.

That’s not it, the American tech giant is also reported to launch a pair of self-branded headphones instead of Beats. Additionally, it will be also debuting a smaller HomePod cheaper than the original model’s current price – $299.

Talking about the iPhone 12, there will be a total of four models varying in sizes – 1 x 5.4-inch, 2 x 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch. All of them will feature OLED panels and support for 5G connectivity. Also, at least one of the Pro models, the latter two sizes, will come equipped with LiDAR sensor as found on the newer iPad Pro models.

The new report also reiterates previous reports regarding a delay in shipments. The latest one once again states that cheaper iPhone 12 models will ship first, followed by Pro in later weeks. However, iOS 14 will be released in September for existing supported iPhones just like every year.

Last but not least, the report also states Apple to be working on an Apple TV box with a faster processor and upgraded remote control, however, it will be only launching in 2021. Similarly, the company will be also releasing AirTags, a tracker for physical items, which will be available with a leather carrying case.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is bigger and better and starts at $1999

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 1, 2020

Samsung officially announced the Galaxy Z Fold 2 today. If you loved the Galaxy Fold that launched last year, you will even love its successor even more as it is not only bigger and better in practically all areas but also costs more or less the same as last year’s model.

How much does the Galaxy Z Fold 2 cost?

Yes, I am starting with its price first this time. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is priced at $1999 in the US. You get 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Yeah, that is less storage than the Galaxy Fold which launched for $1,980 last year. However, when you realize that the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has bigger displays on both sides, better cameras, and 5G out of the box unlike its predecessor which has a 4G modem, then $20 more for all these with half the storage doesn’t sound bad.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 will sell for £1,799 in the UK and €1,949 in the rest of Europe. In Hong Kong and Mainland China, the foldable comes with 512GB of storage but just like in India, their price is unknown. Chance is that these regions will get their own launch.

There is also the Galaxy Z Fold 2 Thom Browne Edition that is limited to just 5000 units and costs $3,299 in the US and £2,999 in the UK. While it is significantly more expensive, you are also getting a Thom Browne Edition Galaxy Buds Live and Galaxy Watch3.

Pre-orders start today in the US for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and goes on sale on September 18 while the Thom Browne Edition will be available on September 25. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is available in Mystic Brown and Mystic Black with the option to choose from four different colors for the hinge in select regions.

EDITOR’S PICK: Samsung to start manufacturing Galaxy Z Fold 2 smartphone in Brazil

Galaxy Z Fold 2 Specs and Features

The new foldable flagship has a 6.2-inch Super AMOLED cover screen with a resolution of 2260 x 816 that stretches from the top to the bottom and is covered with Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus. The main flexible display inside is a Dynamic AMOLED screen that unfolds into a 7.6-inch 2208 x 1768 display with Ultra Thin Glass (UTG). It also has a 120Hz refresh rate.

Under the hood is the Snapdragon 865 Plus processor and it brings a 5G modem with support for both mmWave and sub-6GHz networks. The processor draws juice from a 4500mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging, fast wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging.

Samsung has redesigned the hinge which it calls Hideaway Hinge now. It uses CAM technology and allows you to lock the screen at any angle. Samsung says its Hideaway Hinge is the most advanced mechanism for folding smartphone technology.

There are five cameras on the phone. On the back is a protruding camera housing that holds a 12MP f/1.8 main camera, a 12MP telephoto camera with OIS, and a 12MP ultrawide angle camera. The cover screen has a centered punch hole for a 10MP f/2.2 selfie camera. The inner display also has a punch hole and the same 10MP f/2.2 selfie camera. There are tons of camera features built into the phone and with its flexible nature, there are multiple ways to take pictures.

The device runs Android 10 with features designed for foldable phones. You can run three apps at the same time and adjust the size for each app. You can even save a configuration you use frequently. For example, if you frequently use YouTube, Twitter, and WhatsApp at the same time, you can save the setting and just launch it anytime from the side pane without having to individually open the apps one after the other.

There is also app continuity that lets you open two apps on the cover screen and when you open up the device, it automatically moves to the main screen with the option to add a third app. You can also launch multiple apps at once and drag and drop from one app to the other.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 will receive three OS upgrades. So updates to Android 11, Android 12, and Android 13 are promised.

Z Premier Service

Samsung is offering a concierge service to owners of the Galaxy Z. They will get 24/7 one-on-one assistance from experts. You can also sign up for Samsung Care+ within the first 30 days of purchasing the phone so you can be entitled to one-time device protection against accidental damage within the first year of purchase.

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