Xiaomi launches the 70Mai 4K Smart Driving Recorder A800 in China for 549 (~$80)

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Sep 3, 2020

Honor is making its foray into the gaming laptop segment with its Hunter Gaming Laptop which is scheduled to launch soon. The manufacturer has been teasing features of the upcoming notebook on its Weibo page ahead of the launch. The latest teaser is about the notebook’s heat dissipation.

According to Honor, its Hunter Gaming Laptop boasts the same level of heat dissipation and cooling technology found in high-end gaming laptops. A post on Weibo reveals that the area occupied by W A S D keys on its gaming laptop has a temperature of 30.6°C even after gaming for 1 hour 12 minutes and with a room temperature of 26°C.

This area is known to heat up on gaming laptops and some manufacturers have found ways to reduce the temperature by creating vents around the keys. We do not know what heat dissipation method Honor has adopted but it sure does keep the temperature down.

In another post, Honor brags about the heat dissipation of its gaming laptop even with its slim profile, unlike other gaming laptops which are usually quite thick due to the cooling technology under the hood.

The Honor Hunter Gaming Laptop is expected to launch on September 16 in Beijing. The device will be powered by Intel’s 10th Gen Core i7 processor and will have a dedicated numeric keypad, full-size directional keys, and a customizable backlight.

In the image at the top of the post, the gaming laptop is shown to have a metal chassis with a blue finish on the outside. It also has an LED under the Hunter logo.

LG Wing may be announced on September 14

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Sep 3, 2020

The LG Wing may be announced on September 14 according to a video invite that has been uploaded on YouTube. While the upcoming device has got us pretty excited, it appears to be the first of many more interesting projects LG is working on.

The short video teases the LG Wing and its unusual dual-screen design.

According to a press release by LG, the Korean giant is kicking off what it has called the Explorer Project which is described as both “an initiative and a category (that) will include devices that deliver distinctive and yet unexplored usability experiences”. LG also says it is “a strategy that tackles uncharted territory in the industry”.

LG explains that the Explorer Project is the beginning of a new direction in its smartphone strategy. It will still keep its new Universal Line which includes the LG VELVET while the Explorer Project will focus on “new usability discovered with innovative designs”.

LG says for the Explorer Project, it is working with a number of partners including streaming service, Tubi; Qualcomm; Rave; Ficto, and NAVER who it has partnered with previously for its Whale Browser which is designed for its LG Dual Screen.

More info about the Explorer Project will be revealed on September 14 at 10:00 AM (7:30 PM IST/2:00 PM GMT) on LG’s official YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 and Wireless Charging Trio officially announced

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Sep 2, 2020

Samsung Wednesday launched the Galaxy A42 5G which happens to be its cheapest 5G phone. The company also introduced a number of products such as the Galaxy Fit2 and the much-touted Galaxy Tab A7 as well as the Galaxy Wireless Charging Trio whose render leaked a few days back.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 is the newest member of the affordable Galaxy Tab A series. The slate features a 10.4-inch TFT display having a WUXGA+ resolution of 2000×1200 pixels and a screen-to-body ratio of about 80%.

The Tab A7 tablet is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 Mobile Platform. The processor is an octa-core chipset built on an 11nm process. The architecture includes four Kryo 260 cores clocked at 2GHz and four Kryo 260 CPUs clocked at 1.8GHz. The processor also includes the Adreno 610 GPU. The processor is backed by a 3GB RAM and there is 32GB and 64GB storage options. The storage can be expanded via microSD card.

The tablet packs a single 8MP camera at the rear while for selfies and video chat, there is a 5MP camera at the front. For an immersive multimedia experience, the slate packs four speakers which is more than what you find in most tablet in this range. For a longer usage time, the tablet packs a 7,040 mAh battery and there is a USB-C port on board for faster charging. The tablet equally packs a 3.5 mm audio jack while for connectivity, you get Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac. Samsung has indicated that an LTE version will be launched in some countries.

Samsung also launched the Wireless Charging Trio, a successor to the Wireless Charging Duo was launched way back in 2018. As we can grab from the name, the Wireless Charging Trio can fire up a maximum of three different devices at the same time. The device comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable and will be available in White and Black colours.

The pad has a rectangular shape and has a round cutout on one side where a Galaxy Watch3 will fit perfectly. Although details of the device weren’t disclosed, the wireless pad may likely support devices compatible with the Qi charging standard.

The charging speed of the device wasn’t also disclosed. Still, we’ll have to wait for a further announcement regarding the pricing and availability.

Redmi 8A Dual starts receiving Android 10 update in India

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Sep 2, 2020

At the Redmi 9A launch in India, Xiaomi revealed that it has shipped more than 34.6 million Redmi A series of smartphones in the country since 2017. The Redmi 8A Dual, which the brand launched in February is the number one selling smartphone in India as per IDC Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, June 2020. Now, this handset has begun to receive Android 10 update.

It was strange of Xiaomi to launch Redmi 8A Dual with Android Pie in February 2020. Anyway, the phone comes with MIUI 11 and is also eligible for MIUI 12. Before seeding out the company’s latest mobile software, the firm has decided to update it first to Android 10.

Currently, the build is being rolled out to a handful of users (via @Mi_Updates on Telegram). If they find no issue, it will be made available for more users, followed by a complete rollout in the coming days.

That said, the Android 10 update for Redmi 8A Dual in India comes with build number V11.0.1.0.QCQINXM. This phone is also sold as Redmi 8A Pro in Indonesia but that variant is yet to receive this update.

Also, it is worth noting that Xiaomi is yet to provide Android 10 update for Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8T though all other devices from its generation as well as the previous generation have received it.

OPPO patents the design of realme X50 Pro with its own branding

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Sep 2, 2020

Recently, Pete Lau, the co-founder and CEO of OnePlus joined Oujia holdings Ltd. (OPlus) as senior vice president and chief product experience officer. With his new positions and continuing as the chief executive officer of OnePlus, he is reported to be responsible for the brand synergy between OPPO, OnePlus, and realme. Though realme clarified that Pete will play no role in the brand, OPPO patents realme X50 Pro’s design with its own branding.

There’s nothing new about this design patent, which Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications filed with the CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration) on February 20 (via LetsGoDigital). Interestingly, it only got published on September 1 after approval.

For those unaware, realme X50 Pro initially debuted in India as the brand’s, as well as the country’s first 5G smartphone on February 24, four days after this phone’s design patent was filed by OPPO.

Further, this handset made its way to China in March and Europe in May. It is also available in SEA (Southeast Asia). In other words, realme X50 Pro can be bought in almost all the markets where OPPO has its presence.

Hence, though OPPO patented this phone’s design with its own branding, this will probably never see the light of the day as this very smartphone already exists in all the regions where it has its operations.

Vivo patents a smartphone design with periscope camera and dual-tone back

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Sep 2, 2020

Lately, smartphone OEMs have been launching devices with periscope lenses to offer lossless zoom functionality. HUAWEI P30 Pro from early 2019 is known to popularize it. A little over a year now, we can find this type of zoom lens even on mid-range handsets like Mi 10 Youth and realme X3 SuperZoom. On the other hand, vivo has been using it on its upper mid-range devices like vivo X30 Pro and vivo X50 Pro/Pro+. Now, it patents another smartphone design with a periscope lens.

This patent was filed by vivo Mobile Communications to the CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration) on April 24. It got published after is approval on August 28. As usual, LetsGoDigital was first to unearth it.

According to the design sketches, this smartphone features a full-screen flat display with minimum bezels and a punch-hole camera at the top left corner. Further, the structure of this phone is boxy with curved corners.

It houses a total of three keys on its right side – volume rockers, power button, and a slider switch. Whereas, its bottom side includes the SIM compartment and USB Type-C port. None of the sketches showcases the handset’s side, hence we can consider it to be black except for maybe a secondary microphone.

Talking about this vivo smartphone’s back, it sports a dual-tone finish separating exactly a the center. The top part houses a circular quad-camera setup, which includes a large primary sensor, a periscope camera, and two more sensors.

This camera arrangement is unlike the one found on X50 series. It resembles that of vivo NEX 3/NEX 3S. Hence, if the company ever plans to use this patented design, it will probably launch as a NEX series phone.

OPPO Enco W51 Earbuds with touch controls launched in India for Rs. 4999 (~$68)

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Sep 2, 2020

OPPO went official with the F17 and F17 Pro smartphones in India. In addition to the smartphone, the company also announced the Enco W51 earbuds, the brands latest truly wireless earphones in India.

The Enco W51 features 7mm drivers which will deliver dynamic bass. The earbuds also bring support for Bluetooth 5.0 support and have IP54 ratings for protection against sweat and splashes. It also has Bluetooth low-latency binaural transmission standard to greatly reduce any audio delay.

The headphones come with a unique design including a G3 ear curve to enhance the comfort of the user. There are also three different tips which users can choose from that will perfectly fit their ears. Further, OPPO says the earbud has hybrid dual microphones that can achieve a noise reduction of 35dB even in crowded environments like subways, high-speed rails, trains etc.

As for the battery, it packs a 350mAh battery case which can deliver up to 24 hours of battery life with the wireless charging case and 4 hours standalone battery life on each bud. The charging case features a USB-C port for fast charging. The earbuds also come with touch controls for volume, call control, and track change.

A for the pricing, the OPPO Enco W51 is priced at Rs. 4999 (~$68)and comes in Floral White and Starry Blue colours. It will be available from September 7 in India.

Ulefone Armor 9E with quad-rear camera and Helio P90 SoC available for $329

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Sep 2, 2020

Ulefone Armor 9E has launched a few weeks ago as a younger sibling to the company’s flagship – Ulefone Armor 9. The smartphone was launched with a powerful hardware configuration at an affordable price. The Ulefone Armor 9E packs a renovated camera without the thermal imaging sensor. It is currently retailing for the price of $329.99 from Baangood.

Ulefone Armor 9E features a quad-rear camera module featuring a 64-megapixel rear camera, an 8-megapixel wide-angle lens, and a 2x 2MP sub-camera. The 8-MP wide-angle is added instead of the thermal imaging sensor in the Ulefone Armor 9. It also supports endoscope to easily look into narrower or confined places.

The smartphone comes with MediaTek Helio P90 SoC coupled with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. There’s a 6.3-inch FHD+ display on board for full-view experience. A massive 6600 mAh battery is enough with 18W fast charging. IT even supports contactless payments via Google Pay suing inbuilt NFC support. The user can easily navigate using its quad navigation system.

Overall, the Ulefone Armor 9E is a value-for-money package available for $329.99 from Banggood. The company is offering a free protective case for the first 100 buyers until Septemeber 9.

Samsung announces Galaxy Fit 2 with 2-week battery life

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Sep 2, 2020

Samsung has announced the Galaxy Fit 2, a successor to the Galaxy Fit that was announced last year. The new tracker comes in two colors and boasts a 2-week battery life.

The Galaxy Fit 2 has a 1.1-inch AMOLED touch display with up to 70 different watch faces, some of which are customizable. Samsung claims the fitness tracker can automatically detect and track five different activities. However, the total number of activities it can track and monitor is more than 90.

There is also sleep tracking, a calorie counter, a heart rate monitor, distance, and more. The Galaxy Fit 2 has an IP68 rating, so you can wear it in the shower or even when it is raining.

The 195mAh battery is expected to provide up to 15 days of battery life on a single charge and there is compatibility with Android and iOS devices. Connection is via Bluetooth 5.0. Samsung is pitting this as an alternative to the Galaxy Watch for those who want a smaller and less expensive device for health tracking.

The Galaxy Fit 2 will be available in Germany on October 2 for €46.76 and buyers will be able to choose from orange and black colorways. There is no news of the price and availability in other countries.

UMIDIGI A7S entry-level smartphone launched with AI Thermometer for $69.99

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Sep 2, 2020

The little smartphone in our hand has replaced whatnot over its course of evolution. We’re not listing but all we can say is the next thing to perish may be the Thermometer. UMIDIGI has launched its new UMIDIGI A7S smartphone with an AI Thermometer feature.

Umidigi A7S Specs

The UMIDIGI A7S comes as a new entrant in the A Series of devices by UMIDIGI. According to the firm, its A Series of devices are favorite among the masses with the recent A7 Pro receiving much acclamation from the users. With the UMIDIGI A7S, it aims to satisfy more users with different needs.

UMIDIGI tags the device as the world’s first entry-level smartphone to feature an AI Thermometer. If we’re not wrong, there are some devices out there with AI Thermometer but we doubt its affordability.

Speaking of the Thermometer, the A7S comes with an infrared thermometer sensor that can measure body temperature without touch. What makes the device compelling is its price. For an entry-level phone especially during this unprecedented time, the in-built Thermometer can be a nifty add-on for the commons. The sensor resides in the rear camera system, and it can be quickly accessed by pressing the dedicated but customizable shortcut key on the left side.

The UMIDIGI A7S flaunts a 6.53-inch waterdrop notch HD+ display with in-cell technology. It’s a tall device with a 20:9 aspect ratio, so watching movies or simply content consumption will be of great experience on the device.

Now coming to the camera front. the device packs a triple camera system which includes a 13MP main sensor accompanied by an 8MP Ultra-Wide (120-degree field of view) and a 2MP depth sensor. There are some software

The device features a 3D unibody design which makes it easy and comfortable to hold. The backside ain’t a fingerprint magnet thanks to its matte-like texture. Besides, the smartphone comes with an internal 32GB storage capable of expanding up to 128GB via a dedicated MicroSD slot. The dual-SIM device phone runs stock Android 10 Go with global LTE bands support.

Technical Specs

Screen: 6.53” HD+ Full Screen, 20:9
CPU: MediaTek, MT6737, 4x Cortex-A53, 1.25GHz
GPU: ARM Mali-T720-MP1, 650MHz
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 32GB
Rear camera: 13MP primary camera, F/1.8, 6-element lens, 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, FOV 120°, and 2MP depth camera.
Front camera: 8MP, F/1.8 aperture, 5-element lens
GPS
USB Type-C, Bluetooth 4.0, OTG
Battery: 4150mAh, 5W Charge
Dimensions: 164 x 77.14 x 9.45 mm
Weight: 195g
Sensors: Infrared Temperature Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Electronic Compass
Colors: Granite Grey, Sky Blue, Peacock Green
Umidig A7S Pricing

In case if you’re wondering if its sale date, then do save the date of September 21 on which the UMIDIGI A7S will go on global pre-sale at $69.99. You can add it to the cart to get notified once it arrives. Last but not the least, UMIDIGI is giving away 10 units of its new rugged camera phone BISON, and you may try your luck and learn more information at UMIDIGI’s official website.

Rollme to roll-out the first ever “bezel-less” smartwatch

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Sep 2, 2020

Rollme, a budding player in the smartwatch industry has a surprise for us. With the upcoming smartwatch – Rollme Hero, the firm may establish itself as the big player in the smartwatch industry. The Rollme Hero, as you’ve already read, will be the first smartwatch to offer a complete “bezel-less” dialer experience.

As per Rollme, it took tremendous efforts and advanced engineering to bring a full-screen experience on a smartwatch. It goes on saying that, the Rollme Hero finally broke through the limitation of the screen frame. We’ve to wait and see what all other bells and whistles do the wearable bring to the table.

The Rollme Hero, going by the official renders is a cool smartwatch though. With no visible frame, it gives a pleasing visual for the beholders. While we don’t have the exact internal specifications, all those flagship-level features can be expected including the best water and dust resistance rating, LTE support etc.

If we have a look at the previous offerings by the company, the Hero will likely board a MediaTek chip. It’s unlikely for the device to run WearOS and as usual, a custom OS can be expected.

As of the pricing and availability, nothing is written in the stone yet. We’ll know further details during the release eve of the watch. You can head over to the official website to know more information about the device.

OPPO F17 and OPPO F17 Pro land in India with quad cameras and punch hole displays

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Sep 2, 2020

OPPO has announced two new F series smartphones in India today. The OPPO F17 and the OPPO F17 Pro arrive eight months after the OPPO F15. This might as well be the longest duration between OPPO’s mid-range phones in a while.

OPPO F17 Pro

The OPPO F17 Pro is touted as the slimmest and lightest phone in the F-series. It weighs 164 grams and measures 7.48 millimeters even with its 4015mAh battery capacity. The phone has a Super AMOLED display with dual punch holes for two front-facing cameras. The quad rear cameras are arranged in the familiar design that reminds one of the burners of a gas cooker

The screen is 6.43-inches in size with a 2400 x 1080 resolution and a 90.7% screen-to-body ratio. There is a fingerprint scanner under the display that unlocks the device in 0.3 seconds.

Under the hood is the Helio P95 processor and it is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage. You also get a MicroSD card slot for additional memory. There is MediaTek’s HyperEngine onboard for enhanced gaming but unfortunately, you won’t be able to play PUBG on the phone as the game has been banned by the Indian government.

The OPPO F17 Pro has a 48MP Samsung GM1ST f/1.7 primary camera and it comes along with an 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide angle camera, a 2M f/2.4 camera, and another 2MP f/2.4 mono camera. The main selfie camera is a 16MO Sony IMX471 camera and it is paired with another 2MP f/2.4 depth camera. There are lots of camera features including fun portrait modes, 4K video, Bokeh Video, and Slow-motion Video.

The phone runs ColorOS 7.2 based on Android 10 and has features such as an anti-lag algorithm that detects and clears data that cause memory errors, thus reducing the likelihood of freezes. There is also support for AIr Gestures so you can answer calls (maximum distance of 50 centimeters without having to pick up your phone. This can come in handy if your hands are wet or dirty.

There is 30W VOOC Flash Charge 4.0 fast charging technology. OPPO says the phone charges fully in just 53 minutes and a 5-minute charge will provide 4 hours of talk time. It also has AI Night CHarging which slows down charging speed during the night but ensures that your device is fully charged by the time you wake up. Another feature is Super Power Saving Mode that allows you access to just 6 apps when your battery level is at 5%. In this mode, you can still enjoy up to 70 minutes of calling.

The OPPO F17 Pro has dual SIM support, Bluetooth 5.1, a USB-C port, and an audio jack. It is available in three colorways – matte Black, Magic Blue, and Metallic White. It can be pre-ordered now for INR 22,990 on Flipkart ahead of the first sale on September 7.

EDITOR’S PICK: OPPO dethrones Samsung as the top smartphone maker in the Southeast Asian market

OPPO F17

The OPPO F17 comes with an updated design too. It drops the notch of its predecessor for a single punch hole and the quad rear cameras are the same design as that of the Pro version above.

The display is a 6.4-inch AMOLED FHD+ panel and the punch hole is home to a 16MP camera. There is a Snapdragon 662 processor powering the device with RAM starting at 4GB and going up to 8GB while storage starts at 64GB and goes up to 128GB.

With respect to cameras, OPPO has swapped out the 48MP main sensor of the F17 Pro for a 16MP f/2.2 camera. However, the rest of the cameras are the same – so an 8MP ultrawide angle camera and two 2MP mono cameras.

The battery capacity is 4000mAh too and it supports 30W VOOC Flash Charge 4.0. It also runs ColorOS 7.2 based on Android 10, has Bluetooth 5.0, an audio jack, and has a USB Type-C port.

OPPO is yet to announce the price and availability of the standard variant.

Blackview BV6300 Pro rugged smartphone offers outstanding specs and durability

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Sep 2, 2020

Blackview is globally known for its rough and tough rugged smartphones. The company offers highly-durable smartphones at affordable prices. Similarly, Blackview BV6300 Pro is quite popular these days due to its exceptional specifications and high build quality. It was announced at MWC 2020 with a rugged camera combining military-grade toughness.

Must See: Blackview BV9900 Pro Android 10 version goes on presale via the official store

The smartphone was finally made available in May 2020 along with a massive online sale offer. Around 200K units of the BV6300 Pro are globally shipped within the first three months of its launch.

Blackview BV6300 Pro is a step ahead than the Blackview BV6000 which sans the certifications like IP68, IP69K, and MIL-STD-810G rating. The new device is fully dust, drop, and waterproof which can withstand vibration and extreme temperatures. In the below video you can check the durability of both the smartphones.

As we can see in the video above, Blackview BV6300 Pro easily resists from the usual falls without bearing a scratch. The smartphone is built using premium material including rubber which makes it an extremely durable smartphone.

It can be a perfect companion for outdoor adventures and can be used by construction workers. It houses SOS functionality for easy help if you’re in danger. Even without a signal, the smartphone can send information to emergency contacts.

Technical Specifications

IP68 | IP69K | MIL-STD-810G
MediaTek Helio P70 octa-core processor
Samsung® 16MP quad rear camera (slow motion, HDR, 120° ultra-wide field of view, night mode, macro)
Sony® 13MP front camera
6GB RAM + 128GB ROM
4380mAh Large Battery | Wireless Charger
GPS+GLONASS+Beidou | SOS
Global Bands & Dual 4G VoLTE
Android 10 | NFC
5.7” 18:9 Display
Fingerprint Recognition | Face Unlock
159.6×78.2 x11.6mm | 230g

You can know more about the device by heading to the official website. Blackview BV6300 Pro can be a favourite choice among the construction workers and adventure loving people. It is even regarded as the most portable outdoor camera smartphone.

See More: Grab best Blackview deals with over 58% discount at ongoing AliExpress 828 sale!

Teclast M40 tablet with a 10.1″ FHD+ screen, 6,000mAh battery, Android 10 launched

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Sep 2, 2020

Just when everyone was giving up on the tablet market, the COIV 19-induced lockdown triggered a surge in the market. Teclast has remained a decent player in the market with its affordable lineup of products. The Chinese company has just launched the Teclast M40 tablet having an impressive specs lineup.

The biggest feature on a tablet is usually the screen and the M40 doesn’t disappoint in that regard. The device packs a 10.1-inch FHD+ display with a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels and 2.5D curved glass on top. The display brings a more immersive and detailed experience to gaming and movies. Similarly, the Teclast M40 still continues the all-metal body design of the previous generation.

The tablet runs on the latest Android 10 operating system and comes with features such as gesture control, dark mode and other amazing features.

The Teclast M40 is powered by a UNISOC Tiger T618 chip which is built with a 12nm process technology and has lower power consumption. The processor is equipped with 2 ARM Cortex-A75 processors for applications that require power and 6 Cortex-A55 chips that have low power consumption but excellent performance. The processor pairs with 6GB of RAM and there is 128GB storage onboard.

Although tablets are not known for good cameras, the M40 isn’t like that. It features an 8MP sensor at the front and rear aspects. Under the hood, there is a built-in 6000mAh high-capacity battery which is enough for daily usage.

Further, the built-in five-mode GPS system can help users achieve higher-precision positioning and achieve faster azimuth guidance.

The tablet may likely be sold for 899 yuan (~$131) but Teclast is yet to announce the pricing and availability details.

Realme X7 Pro pre-orders go live on Giztop with $50 discount

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Sep 2, 2020

It’s been less than 24 hours since its launch, and the Realme X7 Pro is already up for pre-sale via Giztop. Each interested user can get a $50 discount if you grab it before September 10. However, the smartphone features high-end specifications including MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ 5G SoC, Quad-Rear Camera, and a 6.55-inch AMOLED display. Giztop is offering a $50 discount on both the storage variants of 8GB RAM + 128GB and 8GB RAM + 256GB.

Related: Realme X7 Pro Player with Snapdragon 860 rumored to also launch on September 1

Realme X7 Pro features a massive 6.55-inch AMOLED display featuring a 120Hz refresh rate and a 180Hz touch sampling rate. The device also carries a MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ octa-core chipset with 6/8 GB LPDDR4X RAM and 128/256GB UFS 2.1 storage. It even sports a copper tube heat dissipation with five-dimensional ice-sealed heat dissipation for better gaming and 5G network experience.

The quad-rear camera features a 64-megapixel primary sensor, 8-megapixel ultrawide, 2-megapixel black and white portrait, and a 2-megapixel macro shooter. Realme X7 Pro possesses a 32-megapixel front camera for quality selfies and videos.

The 5G smartphone houses a 4500 mAh battery that can withstand a couple of days upon a single full charge. It even supports 65W fast charging which can completely charge the device within 33 minutes. There’s also an in-display fingerprint sensor enabling users to simply lock/unlock the device. It comes with Realme UI skin based Android 10.

Realme X7 Pro with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage is available for $449 while the 8GB RAM + 256 GB variant is available for $559 via Giztop. Moreover, the user can choose from three color options of White, Pink, and Black.

Related: Realme X7 Pro likely to be Realme’s first phone with Sony IMX686 lens; 2,229 Yuan (~$334) pricing leaked

The Redmi 9A is a downgrade from the Redmi 8A in the most important areas

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Sep 2, 2020

Last year’s Redmi 8A had two main selling points – support for 18W fast charging and a USB-C connector. Even before the device launched, Xiaomi/Redmi used these as marketing points. The tweet below by the CEO of Xiaomi India, Manu Kumar Jain, is a reminder.

1st ever look of beautiful #Redmi8A! 🤩

When we said the #Redmi 8A would have #Dumdaar features, we meant it. It will come with #TypeC port and fast charging support.🔋

Probably the ONLY phone in the price segment to have Type-C! 👍 RT if excited. 🔄#Xiaomi ♥️ #DumdaarRedmi8A pic.twitter.com/ycTGyLvzgk

— Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) September 23, 2019

The Redmi *A line is Redmi’s most affordable line and the switch to USB-C and support for 18W fast charging meant the company was leaving MicroUSB as well as 10W charging behind for good. The brand got praise for bringing USB Type-C to the masses and even used these features to go against its competitors.

Here’s how #dumdaar #Redmi8A actually is against the competition.😎#Xiaomi ❤️ #DumdaarRedmi8A pic.twitter.com/mjFj3tj0Kc

— Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) September 25, 2019

Progress, right? That’s what we thought until the Redmi 9A launched with a MicroUSB port and 10W charging. It is quite disappointing to see a successor come with downgraded features.

What makes it even worse is that the Redmi 9A launched in India for a slightly higher price tag than the Redmi 8A did. The new Redmi 9A starts at ₹6,799 (~$93) while its predecessor had a starting price of ₹6,499 (~$89). Even the Redmi 8A Dual that launched about 7 months ago with an extra camera had a launch price of ₹6,499 (~$89).

And those are not the only areas where corners were cut. There is also no mention of Gorilla Glass protection for the Redmi 9A which was a selling point for the Redmi 8A and Redmi 8A Dual which both boast Gorilla Glass 5 protection. These downgrades do not make the Redmi 9A a device I will recommend.

Xiaomi India has pulled the Redmi 8A down from its site and the Redmi 8A Dual now sells for a much higher price tag of ₹7,499 (~$102) than it launched, no thanks to the increase in goods and services tax and other factors.

However, not everyone will be able to pay the extra amount to pick up the Redmi 8A Dual, which is a better buy in my own opinion. In addition, the fact that you have to purchase an 18W adapter (if you don’t already have one) adds to the cost. Nevertheless, a successor to a phone should not be a downgrade when you compare its specs and features to that of its predecessor.

ASUS ROG Phone 3 gets fix for black crush issue

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Sep 2, 2020

In late July, ASUS launched ROG Phone 3 as its third generation gaming smartphone. The phone is well-received by both media and customers. However, certain users are facing “black crush” issue. To address this, the Taiwanese company is seeding out a system update.

The ROG Phone 3 has received multiple updates since its launch. The previous builds brought features like Google Lens integration in the camera app, three-finger screenshot gesture, Outdoor mode for speakers, and more.

Now, the new update with build number 17.0823.2007.58 brings fixes for the infamous back crush issue on the device’s AMOLED display, battery usage statistics, and detection issue with ROG Strix Arion SSD. It also adds ROG Connect community and enables Telia VoLTE/VoWiFi in Norway, Sweden as well as Finland.

ROG Phone 3 Software Build 17.0823.2007.58 Official Changelog

Armoury Crate now also supports portrait mode. Added ROG Connect community.
Enabled Telia VoLTE/VoWiFi in Norway, Sweden and Finland
Fixed the conflict between Netflix app and System brightness function
Fixed not able to detect ROG Strix Arion SSD issue from bottom USB port
Fixed a large difference between the total power consumption items under the battery page and the actual power display in the status bar.

It is worth noting that the company has confirmed to further tune the handset’s display to fix all the anomalies.

(Via)

India bans 118 more Chinese mobile apps including PUBG Mobile!

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Sep 2, 2020

The Indian government has finally gone ahead with plans to ban more Chinese mobile apps. The apps include popular ones such as PUBG Mobile, CamCard, Baidu, Cut Cut, VooV, Tencent Weiyun, Rise of Kingdoms, Zakzak and others.

Recall that the Indian government banned 59 Chinese apps earlier this year including some of the most popular apps such as TikTok, ShareIt, UC Browser, WeChat, CamScanner, and more. The ban was hinged on security and privacy concerns but there is no doubt it is linked to the deteriorating diplomatic row triggered by border dispute in the Ladakh/Aksai Chin region.

Among the banned apps, the ban of PUBG Mobile will definitely hit the hardest. PUBG or PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is one of the most popular Battle Royale games around the globe. The game is available for mobile phones, Xbox console as well as for Windows PC. It is extremely popular in India especially among the youths with India ranking as having the highest number of downloads globally.

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The game, just like any other game can be addictive if caution isn’t exercised with cases of addiction common among teenage players. There have been a couple of reported deaths as a result of addiction to the game. However, the government’s ban isn’t tied to the rising cases of addiction but for the security of the state and the defense of the country.

It remains to be seen how this ban will be received in India but apparently, the ban only covers new downloads. If you already have the app installed n your smartphone. It may likely still work fine. Do confirm in the comments section if you have the app installed and can still play the game.

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