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Xiaomi launches new Mijia Convection Microwave Oven for 549 Yuan ($78)

Xiaomi has just launched a new Mijia product earlier today (7th August 2020). It is a new Mijia Smart Convection Microwave Oven, that supports both regular heating and barbecue as well.

Looking at the product, it resembles a simple design with a single color scheme. Its form factor resembles any other conventional microwave, with just two multi function buttons and one multi purpose knob. The Mijia microwave can hold up to 23 litres in volume in terms of total capacity. It will be available for purchase from 11th August 2020 in China and is priced at 549 yuan (roughly 78 US Dollars).

Xiaomi

The Mijia Convection Microwave Oven supports different types of cooking as well, including micro roasting, and grilling apart from just regular heating. It also offers quartz tubes for grilling barbecue while its flat plate heating plate is made from microcrystalline. Through this, it can also offer heating and steaming functions. Since it is a smart product, the device can be controlled with the Mijia smart app that connects to other IoT products as well. Notably, built in recipes are also offers and can be accessed through the application.

 

OnePlus 7T/7T Pro get OxygenOS 10.3.4/10.0.12/10.0.10 with July 2020 security patch and more

OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7T Pro, the brand’s last-gen smartphones are receiving new system update with July 2020 security patch, a couple of new features, and some fixes. This is the same update that was rolled out to OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro a few days back.

oneplus 7t

The new OxgenOS update for OnePlus 7T series come with different build number based on regions. The Indian version of the OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7T Pro are getting OxygenOS 10.3.4. While the EU (Europe) and the Global variant of the devices are receiving separate builds – OxygenOS 10.0.12 (7T) and OxygenOS 10.0.10 (7T Pro).

Despite different build numbers, it is a common update for both OnePlus 7 and 7T series. Hence, the changelog remains the same for the models.

The new system update brings July security patch, new clock styles, new “Chromatic effect” in “Reading mode”, adds support for OnePlus Buds, fixes double tap issue in waking screen as well as the wrong display of SIM card names, and adapts Bluetooth hearing aid app connection under the Android 10 ASHA agreement.

OnePlus 7T/7T Pro OxygenOS 10.3.4/10.0.12/10.0.10 Official Changelog

  • System
    • Newly adapted OnePlus Buds, easier to take advantage of wireless connection
    • Provided a variety of clock styles for you. You can customize on your own. (Go to Settings>Customization>Clock style)
    • Fixed the issue that double tap could not wake up the screen in some settings
    • Updated Android security patch to 2020.07
  • Reading mode
    • Added the Chromatic effect option to adapt color range and saturation intelligently for a better reading experience (Settings – Display – Reading mode – Turn on reading mode – Chromatic effect)
  • Bluetooth
    • It has adapted to Bluetooth hearing aid app connection under the Android 10 Audio Streaming for Hearing Aid (ASHA) Agreement
  • Network
    • Fixed the wrong display of names of inserted SIM cards from different carriers

 

(Via)

Black Shark releases new Gaming Thumb Sleeves for 29 Yuan ($4)

Earlier today (7th August 2020), Black Shark officially announced a new gaming peripheral. Unlike its regular electronic products or gaming smartphone add ons, this one fits the user and has been dubbed the Black Shark Gaming Thumb Sleeves set.

Black Shark

The new Gaming Thumb Sleeves are exactly as the name suggests, a pair of thumb sleeves for avid gamers. It is priced at 29 Yuan (roughly 4 US Dollars) and will be available for purchase on 11th August 2020. According to official notes, these gaming thumb sleeves are extremely thin, measuring just 0.25mm and are made out of superconducting carbon fiber along with ultra-thin spandex and super breathable cotton.

Black Shark

The Black Shark Gaming Thumb Sleeve was sewn together using 18 knitting methods and use a 1-piece stitching technology through 12 technological processes. It can wrap up to 220g, making it suitable for different types of hand sizes as well. Since it is made out of fiber material, it is highly advised to keep it away from any source of fire or any sharp objects that might cut the thin material. It follows a dark gray color scheme with neon green lining and features the brand’s logo as well.

 

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 features ECG in just South Korea for now

Samsung recently unveiled its next generation of smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 3. It arrives with support for multiple health related functions, including an electrocardiogram (ECG) feature. However, this is only available for the South Korean variant for now, and will soon be available on the Galaxy Watch 3 global version and Galaxy Watch Active 2 as well, as reported by Engadget.

Samsung

Among its other notable health features, the new Galaxy Watch 3 also supports blood pressure monitoring, something the Apple Watch has yet to offer. Although, it does require one to calibrate it with a blood pressure cuff to get the baseline readings. But after this, it can calculate the systolic and diastolic pressures through the use of algorithms. Keep in mind, it won’t be as accurate as a standard blood pressure monitor.

One of the big let downs is that these features are only available in South Korea. Samsung was waiting for FDA approval before bringing blood pressure monitoring and ECG to the US. According to the South Korean tech giant’s recent livestream, approval for both have been received, which means that the update for these features should arrive soon.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 41mm
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3: 41mm

Other health related features like the maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 Max) and SpO2 (relative blood oxygen) readings will also be present in the device. But unfortunately, it will not be available from day one of launch. Samsung plans on adding these through future software updates sometime during Q3 2020.

 

Cut corners on the OnePlus Nord makes it easier to repair: iFixit

The newly launched OnePlus Nord made its way to iFixit, which recently uploaded a teardown video of the affordable 5G smartphone. The YouTube video had the handset be disassembled, revealing cut corners that have made it easier to repair.

At the moment, OnePlus Nord is one of the most affordable 5G smartphones in the market. But with the non-premium price tag comes a few areas that had to be downgraded. While most OnePlus smartphone models in the past couple of years sport a glass on metal rear cover, the Nord features a cheaper glass on plastic panel. However, this makes it easier to pry open, rather than requiring dangerous levels of heat application to loosen the adhesive.

After removing the rear pane, iFixit found a good number of screws, which were all the same size, length, and kind. In other words, they required only a single Philips screwdriver to remove. Furthermore, the expert also noted that everything is modular and easy to replace, with even the battery pack having an easy to use pull tab. Interestingly, the teardown revealed a generous use of rubber gaskets around connectors for waterproofing. This means that OnePlus did offer some protection against water despite the device not having an official IP rating, which the company previously stated to be expensive.

OnePlus Nord
OnePlus Nord in Gray and Cyan

iFixit gave the device an overall score of 6 out of 10, with the main drawback being the display which is still glued down hard and a rather bothersome method of removing the battery. Although, apart from these issues, the OnePlus Nord still received a positive review in the YouTube video, which you can check out above.

 

TikTok was the most downloaded app in July despite stresses from governments

Apps have become a fundamental part of our daily life. We have apps for almost everything on our smartphones. Due to lockdowns, people around the world are spending more time on their handsets than ever before. This has led to the rise of app downloads. According to a new report, despite stresses from various governments, TikTok was still the most downloaded app on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in July 2020.

Top Apps Downloads July 2020 Sensor Tower

Sensor Tower is a well-known app analytical research firm. It releases a public report on top app downloads every month. The report for July 2020 is out and it mimics the previous month’s report with some minor changes.

The top 5 overall app downloads still include the same apps from last month and they are TikTok, Facebook, Zoom, Instagram, and WhatsApp respectively. Also, TikTok led the chart on both App Store and Play Store with more than 65.2 million downloads (combined).

Due to the ban of TikTok by the Indian government, its alternatives are on the rise since then but only two of them reached the top 10 chart. The first one is Likee at the ninth position and it has been part of the top 10 before.

The second one is Snatch Video with about 28.8 million downloads securing the eighth position. This app managed to enter the elite list for the very first time. For comparison, it was only downloaded 7.8 million times in June, which is 3.5 times lower than its July count.

Having said that, it is not sure how long TikTok will continue to lead the chart as it is expected to be banned by the US government if no American company buys it.

 

Kirin 1000 may launch on September 5, probably at the IFA 2020

Last year, Huawei announced the Kirin 990 5G chipset in September. The company has used the chipset to power many of its flagship phones such as Huawei Mate 30 series, Huawei P40 series, Honor 30 series, and more. Rumors have it that the upcoming Huawei Mate 40 will be driven by the all-new Kirin 1000 chipset. A reliable tipster from China has claimed that the Kirin 1000 5G will break cover on Sept. 5.

The Sept. 5 date that the leakster has claimed coincides with the upcoming IFA 2020 tech trade show that will be held between Sept. 3 and Sept. 5. Hence, it appears that the Chinese manufacturer will possibly unleash the Kirin 1000 5G chipset at the IFA 2020 event.

The Kirin 1000 will be Huawei’s weapon to rival with upcoming chipsets from rival brands such as A4 chip from Apple, Qualcomm’s next chipset that could be called Snapdragon 875, and the Samsung’s forthcoming flagship chip. The leak by the tipster suggests that Huawei will produce 15 million units of the Kirin 1000 SoC.

It was reported in June that the Huawei Mate 40 series debuting in October could be the first Kirin 1000 powered chipset. The Kirin 1000 is expected to debut as the world’s first 5nm chipset for mobile devices. The leakster had previously claimed that the SoC is manufactured by TSMC.

Rumors are rife that the 5G chipset is equipped with ARM Cortex-A78 CPU cores. The chip area of the Kirin 1000 is said to 113.31 sq. mm and is said to have 171.3 million transistors per mm.

Coming back to the Mate 40 series, rumors have it that the Mate 40 series may not be equipped with Kirin chipset outside China. It is being said that the Mate 40 models in global markets may feature MediaTek’s flagship chipset.

 

South Korea to launch Pilot 6G Project in 2026

The South Korean government is planning on launching the pilot project for 6G networking in 2026. The upcoming mobile networking generation is touted to be 50 times faster than 5G and the nation plans on commercializing the service between 2028 to 2030, according to a report from Business Korea.

South Korea

Earlier this week, Chung Se-kyun, Prime Minister of South Korea, finalized the government’s strategy to promote research and development for the next generation of telecommunications at a science and technology meet. The strategy involves preemptive development of future technology alongside securing standard and high value patents and laying R&D and industry foundations.

The South Korean government is planning on investing 200 billion won (roughly 169 million US Dollars) over five years for this project, starting from 2021, to secure high risk basic 6G technology. It will start by pushing 10 strategic tasks in 6 key areas which include hyper-performance, hyper-bandwidth, hyper-precision, hyper-space, hyper-intelligence, and hyper-trust.

South Korea

This project aims to reach one-terabyte-per-second data transmission speed, which is five times faster than 5G, and reduce latency to a tenth of 5G services, down to  0.1ms for its wireless services. Notably, the government is also planning on making6G networking available up to 10 km above the ground. After securing the supporting infrastructure and technology, the government will begin the 6G pilot project by 2026 which will also have far reaching applications in various industries like healthcare, self driving cars, and construction of smart cities.

 

Xiaomi responds to recent app ban in India, says that Indian User data stays in India

Earlier this week, Xiaomi, with its Mi Browser Pro, joined the Indian government list of banned Chinese applications. Now, the company has responded to the ban and has even claimed a few interesting points as well.

In a Twitter post that was shared earlier today (7th August 2020), Xiaomi India stated that it will comply with the local government’s mandate and not have any of the blocked apps available. However, it also pointed out that its “MIUI Cleaner app is not using Clean Master app banned by Indian Govt,” and that “100 percent of Indian user data stays in India.”

The Chinese tech giant also shared a message with its userbase as well, in which it further clarified and elaborated on the aforementioned points. The company is working on developing a “new version of MIUI that will be built without pre-installation of any of the blocked apps.” This will be available in the next coming few weeks. Xiaomi stated that it uses its own Cleaner app and not the banned Cleaner Master app that has been blocked.

Xiaomi

Furthermore, the company also said that it complies and adheres to a strict data privacy policy that meets the security requirements under Indian law. Xiaomi mentioned that before it was mandated, Xiaomi had already “pioneered” data localization for all of Xiaomi India apps and users. In other words, the smartphone maker has stores data for Indian users in servers located within the country since 2018 and has not shared it with anyone outside of the region.

 

Here’s why Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra is not called Mi 10 Pro Plus

Xiaomi has scheduled an event for August 11 in China to launch a number of products celebrating the 10th anniversary of the company. The star of the show will be Mi 10 Extreme Commemorative Edition aka Mi 10 Ultra. Last night, Lei Jun, the CEO and co-founder of the firm revealed the motive behind this unique branding.

Xiaomi Mi 10 Extreme Commemorative Edition Mi 10 Ultra Box Teaser Featured

The upcoming Mi 10 Ultra is expected to be the fastest charging smartphone of 2020. Also, it is said to offer granular control over GPU in partnership with Qualcomm. Even the company is teasing it to be its most powerful smartphone yet.

But there is a commotion among netizens regarding why the device is not called Mi 10 Pro Plus like P40 Pro Plus, which is Huawei’s ultimate flagship smartphone of H1 2020. To clear everyone’s doubts, the CEO of Xiaomi posted an FAQ on Weibo explaining the branding, availability, and price.

Why Mi 10 Extreme Commemorative Edition (Mi 10 Ultra)?

Lei Jun has been describing the forthcoming Mi 10 series phone as a “超大杯” (super big cup/oversized cup). In China, this term is used for premium flagship smartphones. Secondly, the company is launching it to celebrate its 10th year anniversary. Also, they wanted to give it a Chinese name.

Hence, he chose two names for the device and combined them. The first part of the branding says “至尊” (Extreme/Supreme) as it will be a powerful smartphone (super big cup). Whereas, the second-word “纪念” (commemorate/celebrate) is being used to describe it as the product for the 10th year anniversary.

Further, he revealed that they will be simply calling it “Mi 10 Ultra” for global markets. Probably because the original branding it too long and confusing for international customers.

Talking about availability, he said that they have enough stock to fulfil the demand but still asks fans to pre-order just in case to get first dibs on it. Lastly, he hinted the pricing to be premium.

So don’t expect Xiaomi’s powerful smartphone to be cheaper compared to premium handsets from its competitors as well as its own lineup.

 

Apple iPhone 12 camera lens supplier faces quality issues, launch date unaffected: Ming-Chi Kuo

One of the camera lens suppliers for the upcoming Apple iPhone 12 series is apparently facing quality issues. However, this won’t be affecting the company’s launch schedule, which is already delayed, according to known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Apple

Kuo’s latest report revealed that Genius Electronic Optical has found issues with cracking coating on the wide angle camera lens, which was designed for the 5.4 inch and 6.1 inch iPhone 12 models. These problems were found in the high-temperature/high-humidity (HTHH) testing and will hamper the Genius’s ability to supply the upcoming 2020 iPhone flagship.

The report also stated that it “estimates that the low-end 7P wide-angle lens, CCM, and final assembly mass production of the 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch aluminum frame iPhone will be in mid-to-late August, mid-to-late September, and early October, respectively. We believe that in the uncertain timetable for [Genius] to solve the quality problem of film cracking, Apple will give priority to purchasing Largan’s low-end 1/2.6” 7P wide-angle lens at least in the initial supply stage to ensure that the two aluminum-framed ‌iPhone 12‌ can be as scheduled.”

Apple

Furthermore, Genius will probably have to slash its prices down by about 30 percent. This would act as an incentive for the issue and still keep it relevant while not have it lose its shares to Largan, who is not facing a similar issue at the moment. Apple has already confirmed that the launch of the iPhone 12 series will be delayed by a few weeks, with a staggered launch which would have the two 6.1-inch models (non-Pro and Pro) arriving first and the 5.4-inch non-Pro and 6.7-inch Pro models launching after.

 

HTC Wildfire E2 with Helio P22, 4,000mAh battery and 16MP triple cameras launched for RUB 9,990 (~$138)

HTC has silently announced a new smartphone called HTC Wildfire E2 in Russia. It is a new mid-ranger from the brand that comes with a tall aspect ratio display, a modest chipset, a big battery, and triple rear cameras.

HTC Wildfire E2 specifications and features

The HTC Wildfire E2 comes with a polycarbonate construction measures 154 x 75.9 x 8.59mm and it weighs 173.5 grams. The rear side of the device has a textured appeal. The handset houses a 6.2-inch IPS LCD display that produces HD+ resolution of 720 x 1560 pixels. The Wildfire E2 has an 8-megapixel selfie camera. The rear-facing camera setup that is assisted by an LED flash includes a 16-megapixel main sensor and a 2-megapixel lens. The Wildfire E2 is capable of recording 1080p videos and it coffers photography features like autofocus, beauty mode, and face detection.

HTC Wildifre E2 Black

The Wildfire E2 is powered by Helio P22 chipset. It is coupled with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage. The device is equipped with a hybrid SIM slot for adding a microSD card. The phone comes preinstalled with Android 10 OS.

HTC Wildfire E2 blue

The HTC Wildfire E2 is backed with a 4,000mAh battery. Once charged, the phone can offer up to 20 hours of talk time, 25 hours of music playback, and 6 hours of video playback. It has a rear-mounted fingerprint reader. The other features that are available on the Wildfire E2 include dual SIM slot, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, micro USB, FRM radio, Dictaphone, and 3.5mm audio jack.

HTC Wildfire E2 pricing and availability

The HTC Wildfire E22 is priced at RUB 9,990 (~$135). The phone comes in two colors like black and blue. There is no word on which other markets will be receiving the Wildfire E2.

 

 

iQOO 5 Pro (V2025A) variant with 120W fast charger bags 3C certification

It is believed that the iQOO 5 series launching on Aug. 17 has two models. One could be a standard model whereas the other one could be a top model. A Vivo phone with model number V2024A was certified by the 3C authority of China. The 5G phone was spotted with a 55W charger. This model number is mentioned in the iQOO 5 reservations page on JD.com. It indicates that the model number belongs to the standard version of the iQOO 5. A new smartphone with a V2025A model number has received approval from the 3C certification platform. Since it has been spotted with a 120W charger, it seems to the top variant of the iQOO 5.

iQOO 5 phone with 120W charger 3C certified

The V2025A’s 3C listing shows that it is a 5G phone and it is accompanied with a charger that has a V12060L0C0-CN model number. It supports maximum charging rates of 20V/6A (120W).

iQOO 5 Pro 120W charging (V2025A)

According to a Chinese tipster, the V2025A will be made official as iQOO 5 Pro. He added that its charging port is backward compatible with 55W/44W fast charging technology and it also supports 65W PD fast charging. It is speculated that the handset has a 4,000mAh battery. With 120W charging tech, the phone can fully charge in 15 minutes, claims the company.

iQOO has revealed that the iQOO 5 series is powered by Snapdragon 865 mobile platform. The SoC is coupled with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. It is known that the iQOO 5 houses an AMOLED display with punch-hole design. The screen curves impressively towards the left and right edges. It supports a 120Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate.

A poster released by the company today states that the iQOO 5 has a 120db high dynamic Hi-Fi audio chip and stereo speakers. It supports Hi-Res audio. However, a video commercial of the phone that is doing rounds on Weibo shows that it lacks a 3.5mm audio jack. The video also suggests that the phone’s rear is equipped with a Vivo X50 Pro-like camera setup with a large-sized main camera sensor.

 

 

E Ink announces a 10.3-inch flexible ePaper display

If you want a smartphone with a foldable display, you can actually purchase one this very minute. Manufacturers such as Samsung, Huawei, Motorola, and Flexpai have announced commercially available foldable devices with flexible OLED panels. However, OLED panels are not the only type of screens that have been made foldable. There are also flexible e-ink displays and E Ink just announced a new one.

EInk flexible ePaper display
Image source: ITHome

The new E Ink display is the 10.3-inch flexible ePaper display and it seems to have been announced very recently. It is just 0.1-inches larger than the version announced back in 2017. The main difference between the two seems to be the addition of a backlight to the new model, to make it easier to see even in low-light.

The flexible ePaper display will find good use in eReaders, e-ink notebooks, eNewspapers, and even small-sized signage boards. At the moment, there isn’t any commercially-available eReader that uses a flexible ePaper display and we are not sure we will see one soon. Wearable manufacturers also do not seem too keen to adopt flexible e-ink displays for use in their products.

 

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra vs Galaxy S20 Ultra: Specs Comparison

Who said new flagships are always better than older ones? Never been so wrong. Samsung announced the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra at its Unpacked event yesterday: it is a great handset and it brings a lot of new features to the shelves, but not all of its specifications are superior to its predecessor Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. This does not mean that the S20 Ultra is better than the Note 20 Ultra, but it depends on the kind of user you are if you are looking for a new flagship. This specs comparison will highlight all the main differences between Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and, hopefully, it will let you understand which one is better for your needs.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1 mm,

208 grams

166.9 x 76 x 8.8 mm,

222 grams

DISPLAY 6.9 inches, 1440 x 3088p (Retina HD), Dynamic AMOLED 2X 6.9 inches, 1440 x 3200p (Quad HD+), Dynamic AMOLED 2X
PROCESSOR Samsung Exynos 990 octa-core 2.73 GHz or Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ octa-core 3 GHz Samsung Exynos 990 octa-core 2.73 GHz or Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 octa-core 2.84 GHz
MEMORY 12 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM 512 GB – micro SD slot 12 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM 512 GB – micro SD slot
SOFTWARE Android 10, One UI Android 10, One UI
CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA Triple 108 + 12 + 12 MP f/1.8, f/3.0 and f/2.2
10 MP f/2.2 front camera
Quad 108 + 48 + 12 + 0.3 MP f/1.8, f/3.5, f/2.2 and f/1.0
40 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY 4500 mAh, fast charging 25W, wireless charging Qi 5000 mAh, Fast Charging 45W, fast wireless charging 15W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES IP68 waterproof, reverse wireless charging, 5G, S Pen IP68 waterproof, reverse wireless charging, 5G

Design

Under the design point of view, despite being more productivity-oriented Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G wins the battle. It has a higher screen-to-body ratio and it comes in a wonderful matte color variant called Mystic Bronze which I consider definitely more beautiful than all the color variants of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G. Even the camera module is more elegant, and the build quality is higher. The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra features the new Gorilla Glass Victus protection by Corning allowing it to survive to drops up to 2 meters on hard surfaces. Both the phones are waterproof with the IP68 certification. Despite the presence of a slot for the S Pen, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is thinner and lighter than Galaxy S20 Ultra.

 

Display

There are only marginal differences when it comes to display quality, so we are not focusing too much on it. But there is an important difference which will make productivity users go for the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra: the S Pen support. With the S Pen, you can handwrite and draw with a very high accuracy thanks to an active digitizer for the stylus, you can remotely control the smartphone via Bluetooth and you can even perform air gestures. The dedicated physical key of the S Pen also allows shooting photos remotely. The display of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is slightly wider since the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra has a taller aspect ratio.

 

Specs & Software

In the Snapdragon version, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra actually offers a better chipset than the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. It is powered by the Snapdragon 865+ which offers a 10% boost in CPU and GPU performance, compared to the Snapdragon 865 found on the Galaxy S20 Ultra. But in the Exynos version (the one sold in the European market), Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Galaxy S20 Ultra have exactly the same SoC: Exynos 990. EU customers are disappointed: some of them even opened class actions against the Exynos 990 on the S20 Ultra, yet Samsung decided to keep the processor on the Note 20 Ultra without even releasing an upgrade. Both the phone runs Android 10 out of the box, but the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra comes with more productivity features such as wireless DeX and deep integration with Microsoft services.

 

Camera

The camera department of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is superior to the one of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Both the phones come with the same 108 MP main sensor, but the Galaxy S20 Ultra has a better periscope camera with a 48 MP resolution, as well as a better front camera with a 40 MP resolution. With the Galaxy S20 Ultra, you even get an additional 0.3 MP ToF 3D camera which is not present on the Note 20 Ultra.

 

Battery

The battery of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is bigger and that means it offers a longer battery life, given that the two phones come with the same software and similar specifications. Despite being bigger, it still charges faster thanks to a faster charging technology (45W power against 25W of the Note 20 Ultra).

 

Price

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has a starting price of €1329 in Europe and $1300 in the U.S., while Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra starts from €1349/$1150, but it is actually a lot more affordable thanks to street prices. If you are a productivity user and you prefer having the S Pen, then the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is actually a better option. Otherwise, Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is a superior phone due to better cameras and longer battery life. Note that in the Exynos version it has the same hardware and similar display to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, while in the Snapdragon version, it has a slightly better processor.

 

 

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G: PRO and CONS

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

PRO

  • S Pen
  • Gorilla Glass Victus
  • Wider display
  • Wireless DeX
  • Better processor (Snapdragon version only)

CONS

  • Higher price

 

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

PRO

  • Bigger battery
  • More affordable
  • Better cameras
  • Faster charging

CONS

  • No S Pen!

Huawei P9 gets July’s security patch and smart charging feature in new update

The Huawei P9 was released in 2016 and has already gotten four successors. However, Huawei is not done releasing updates for the device. The latest one rolling out to the device updates the security patch and brings a new feature too.

Huawei P9

The update which is rolling out in China has build number EVA-AL10 8.0.0.550(C00) and is about 660MB in size. It comes with the security patch for July 2020 which is rolling out to phones such as the OnePlus 7 series and the Realme 5 series.

It has also been reported that the update brings a feature called Smart Charging that prevents the device from overcharging when plugged in to charge, most especially overnight. The feature slows down charging during the night since it knows the user will be asleep. The feature also helps slow down the battery’s aging process, though we are not sure about the battery life of a 4-year old device.

The Huawei P9 has a 5.2-inch screen with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. There is a Kirin 955 processor under the hood along with 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of storage. On the back is a 12MP dual-camera setup in an RGB+B/W setup while the front is home to an 8MP selfie camera.

The device has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, NFC, an audio jack, and a 3000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging. When it launched, it ran Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box and got an update to Android 7.0 Nougat.

 

TikTok gets a new rival as Instagram officially launches Reels

US President Donald Trump’s threat to ban TikTok has been in the news for quite a while and is responsible for Microsoft’s bid to acquire the social media giant’s US business. While a deal is yet to be struck, Instagram has launched its own video sharing platform that is aimed at taking on TikTok. TikTok

The platform known as Reels was first launched Brazil two months back. But now, the company has announced that the platform will be available on the Instagram app. The feature will allow users to record and edit 15-second multi-clip videos with audio, effects, and new creative tools. The feature will be made available in 50 countries.

The Instagram Reels is located in the Instagram Camera, the button in the top left corner with an overhaul of the entire interface. There are now several tools for editing. This includes adding Audio, AR Effects, Timer and Countdown for all the fun dances you want to do.

Users can share Reels the same way they share Live videos or regular posts but there is a dedicated tab on the profile where the videos will be located which makes it visible to everyone. Alternatively, only your followers can see the videos ff you set your privacy settings to Private.

There are also options of saving a reel as a draft before publishing. The cover image can also be changed and all other features that come to play when posting a video. The process of watching a ree posted by someone is also akin to viewing a regular photo or video. It appears either in the Feed or in the Discover tab. Instagram is also tagging some as “Featured” to “help users discover original content that will entertain and inspire”.Instagram Reels

As of now, Instagram is yet to release a list of the countries where Reels will be available but Brazil, where it was tested, is definitely one of them. The feature has also launched in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Japan, Australia, France and Germany. Let us know your experience in the comment section if you have got the feature.

 

Honor 20 is receiving Magic UI 3.1 update in India

Honor 20 was one of the last Huawei smartphones to launch in India with GMS (Google Mobile Services). This handset came with Magic UI 2.1 based on Android Pie out of the box. Now, it is receiving the newly released Magic UI 3.1 in the country.

Honor 20 featured

Just like Xiaomi (MIUI 12), Huawei has been rolling out EMUI 10.1/Magic UI 3.1 to its smartphones and tablets worldwide. After completing the rollout in China, the company is focusing on international markets.

Just last month, Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro began to receive the much-awaited Magic UI 3.1 in Europe. Now, the same update is live in India but only the former device has got it so far.

The latest OTA system update for Honor 20 in India weighs a whopping 4.63GB in size and comes with build number 10.1.0.230. Apart from bringing new features, the update also bumps up the security patch level to June 2020.

The new Huawei mobile software brings features like Multi-Screen Collaboration, Cross-Device Photo Gallery, Multi-Window, Huawei MeeTime video calling app, and more.

As usual, the update is being rolled out in batches and hence it may take time to reach every unit out there.

 

(Via)

Roborock S6 MaxV vacuum cleaner gets several new features and enhancements with v01.44.26 software update

Roborock S6 MaxV Vacuum cleaner was launched in April with an advanced level of intelligence and security. It houses intelligent obstacle avoidance with the help of Qualcomm’s maturity and experience. However, a new update with version 01.44.36 is rolling out to Roborock S6 MaxV with plenty of new features and changes. It also packs some bug fixes and refinements for obstacle recognition feature.

roborock

Roborock S6 MaxV update brings new Remote viewing feature whilst ensuring the privacy of users’ data. It can now easily recognize different fabrics like socks, and the user can view photos of unknown objects taken by the robot.

The existing features have also perceived some refinements. It enhances the obstacle avoidance features, increases the positioning accuracy and efficiency, and improves water control for more even flow. There are general bug fixes and UI adjustments to improve the user experience.

Roborock has worked with biggies like Qualcomm to improve the security of the Robot Vacuum cleaner. It has improved the video-based function’s security by introducing two-factor authentication and even engaged with TUV-Rheinland to find security flaws. The device underwent around 60 tests from user-authorization to app cybersecurity and passed with flying colors.

Roborock S6 MaxV does not carry any security anomaly and TUV Rheinland has certified it with ERSI TS 103645 certification.

Note: ETSI TS 103645 is a consumer IoT standard issued by ETSI (European Telecommunication Standardization Committee). Being awarded TUV Rheinland’s ETSI TS 103645 certificate means the product has reached a high cybersecurity level and privacy protection level.

Samsung Galaxy M31s goes on sale in India, Galaxy A51 price slashed

Samsung launched the Galaxy M31s last week and was billed to go on sale in India for the first time today (August 6). Indeed, the model has gone on sale in India. The device is no available on Amazon.in with the pricing starting at Rs. 19,499 (~$260). The 8GB RAM version comes in at Rs. 21,499 (~$287).Samsung Galaxy M31s

The Galaxy M31s is available in two memory options – 6GB RAM + 128GB storage and 8GB RAM + 128GB storage. Buyers will also avail themselves of the model in two different paint jobs: Mirage Black and Mirage Blue. Amazon is offering interested buyers in India a 6-month financing scheme with no-cost EMI. The retail giant who will retail the phone exclusively is also offering a 10% instant discount when a purchase is made using an HDFC credit or debit card during the Prime Day sale on August 6th and 7th.

The Galaxy M31s is Samsung’s first Galaxy M-series model that features a Super AMOLED Infinity-O display. The phone equally features a centre-aligned punch-hole cutout where the 32MP selfie camera is domiciled. The M31s sports a 6.5-inch display with Full HD+ resolution and Gorilla Glass 3 protection.

It is powered by an Exynos 9611 processor paired with 6GB/8GB RAM and there is 128GB of internal storage on both versions which can be expanded via a microSD card. The mid-range smartphone runs Android 10 with One UI 2 overlay.

Other features include a 64MP quad-camera setup with a 12MP ultrawide camera, a 5MP macro camera, and a 5MP depth sensor. The phone packs a 6,000mAh battery and it supports 25W fast charging and 9W reverse charging. You also get a dual-SIM card slot, A-GPS, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an under-display fingerprint reader.

Samsung also announced today, a price cut for the Galaxy A51. The 6GB RAM + 128GB variant which was launched for Rs 23,999 ($316) is now on offer for Rs 22,499 (~$300). The phone is also available on Amazon.in and on authorized retail stores in India.