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LG showcases an array of flexible and rollable displays at the SID 2020

A few years ago, there were speculations that flexible display which would feature on foldable phones were the next big thing waiting to happen in the industry. Since then, a number of flexible display-packing models have hit the ground running but the technology is still not ready for mass adoption. Display maker LG is working on some solutions to fast track the adoption of the technology.

The Korean giant has showcased its next-generation OLED technologies at the 2020 Society for Information Display (SID) conference being held online. The company already has quite some experience in display innovation and this year, the focus seems to be of bendable displays.

In the company’s “Unlimited Design Freedom Zone” there’s a large 65-inch TV that unrolls its screen from above when needed and hides from sight when not. A smaller 12-inch version of the same technology is expected to make its way to car infotainment systems and desktop displays. The third SID wonder is transparent touch screens. From wardrobe covers to smart mirrors and windows, the applications of this technology are quite diverse.

Finally, the fourth tech on display is LG’s 13.3-inch Foldable OLED that can be used to turn a large tablet into a laptop. The company also showcased a number of other more conventional screens but these flexible models stand out. However, we are not so sure if they will be available in the market anytime soon.

 

The Moto E7 Plus may come with a Snapdragon 460 processor

Motorola is gearing up for the release of multiple new phones including a new Moto G series as well as new Moto E models. The Moto E7 Plus is one of the expected devices and it might be one of the first phones to be powered by the Snapdragon 460 that was announced at the beginning of the year.

The device was seen on Geekbench on Monday with an unknown chipset dubbed “guam”. There are speculations that the chipset may be the Snapdragon 662 that was announced in January but it is the Snapdragon 460 mobile platform.

Moto E7 Plus - Snapdragon 460 Geekbench

According to the folks at DealnTech the developer codes of the motherboard which has the CPU core and GPU configuration shows the processor has four of its cores clocked at 1.61GHz and the other four clocked at 1.80GHz. This is the CPU configuration for the Snapdragon 460 and not the Snapdragon 662. The latter has a different CPU configuration with a clockspeed of 2.0GHz. However, both chipsets have the same Adreno 610 GPU.

The Moto E7 Plus will have a waterdrop notch, dual rear cameras, a USB-C port, and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. It will run Android 10 out of the box, most likely with Motorola’s new My UX interface. Geekbench has also revealed the phone will have 4GB of RAM but we expect there will be other configurations too.

 

Files by Google now has a Safe Folder for your private files

Several phone manufacturers ship their phones with a bunch of their own apps, one of which is a File Manager app. If you don’t like it, you can grab one from the scores available on the Play Store. You can also grab Google’s own Files by Google which was originally made for Android Go devices but is now available for all. If you already have it, then it will interest you to know that the app is getting a new feature called Safe Folder.

Safe Folder as the name says is a place for users to keep their private files. It is similar to the Lockbox available on OnePlus’s File manager app.

Files by Google Safe Folder

 

To set it up, you will be asked to create a PIN. If you forget the four-digit PIN, you can’t recover the files there. If you also lose or change your device, you also can’t get access or transfer the files as they are not backed up to the cloud.

The new feature is available on version 1.0.323 of the app according to Android Police and you will find it under Collections. The tech website also says clearing app data or uninstalling the app also means you lose all the files in the folder.

In (un)related news, we are curious to know what will happen to the file-sharing feature available in Files by Google seeing as Nearby Share is now official? Will a future update remove the feature or will it be left alone?

 

Top 5 Blackview waterproof and rugged smartphones to enjoy summers flawlessly at the beach

Summers are at its peak across major parts of the globe, and people are spending time on the beach or by the pool to make most out of the current season. However, most of the smartphone users always get worried about the water splashes, and ultimately they miss on some entertainment. To fade away some of your worries, here’s our list of best Blackview waterproof yet rugged smartphones which will eliminate your woes about the non-waterproof phones.

Unlike the normal smartphone, the waterproof and rugged smartphone has some different metrics to measure its stealth and performance. The waterproof performance is measured using the IP (Ingress Protection) scale to indicate its resistance to dust and water. There are some ratings like IP67, IP68, and IP69K to measure that waterproof and dustproof level. Meanwhile, the IP68 and IP69K are the best or high ratings which can resist water up to a depth of 1.5m for 20 minutes.

All the smartphones from Blackview possess IP68 and IP69K rating along with the MIL-STD-810G rating to protect against bumps, drops, or shocks. All the Blackview smartphones are built to provide strong and sturdy design along with powerful performance. We have compiled a list of 5 best Blackview smartphones available at great deals this summer.

Blackview BV9900 Pro

It is known as the best waterproof thermal imaging smartphone offering some high-end specifications along with a durable body. It is a useful device along with several use-cases in the heavy industry work. The flagship-level device is available for the price of $439 until August 5.

Key specifications

  • Thermal imaging camera, Sony® 48MP rear camera
  • MediaTek Helio P90 octa-core processor, 8GB RAM 128GB ROM
  • 5.84-inch FHD+ screen, made of tough Corning Gorilla Glass 5
  • Heart rate & Barometer sensor
  • IceMode – basic phone functions available even at -30℃
  • NFC supported for Google Pay
  • Global LTE Bands & Dual 4G VoLTE supported
  • Android 9 (With Android 10 update coming soon)

Buy Now 

Blackview BV6300 Pro

Most of the rugged smartphones are bulgy and heavy, but the Blackview BV6300 Pro is the slimmest of all. It houses rich-camera features that can capture quality and detailed photos. It is a mid-range device available for the price of $229. Other specifications of the device are as follows.

Key Specification

  • Samsung® 16MP quad rear camera featuring slow-motion & HDR & 120° field of view & night mode & macro
  • MediaTek Helio P70 octa-core processor, 6GB RAM 128GB ROM
  • 11.6mm slim body
  • 4380mAh long-lasting battery
  • 5.7 inches screen
  • Global bands & Dual 4G VoLTE
  • Android 10 OS

Buy Now

Blackview BV9800 Pro

Blackview BV9800 Pro is a device for adventurous people or for the heavy industry workers. It houses features like thermal imaging cameras which can easily spot any anomaly within the material or object, and have many other use-cases. It can easily diagnose problems like pipe leaks, electric failure, and others with the thermal camera. It is available at a limited time discount of $399.99.

Key Specifications

  • Thermal imaging camera, Sony® 48MP rear camera
  • MediaTek Helio P70 octa-core processor, 6GB RAM 128GB ROM
  • 6.3-inch FHD+ screen, made of tough Corning Gorilla Glass
  • 6580mAh big battery
  • NFC supported for Google Pay
  • Global LTE Bands & Dual 4G VoLTE supported

Buy Now

Blackview BV6900

It is a classic rugged smartphone sporting exceptional features and masculine body design. Its strong and sturdy design makes the device tough, dustproof, and waterproof. Blackview BV6900 design is inspired by a famous movie character – Transformers.  It comes in an affordable price segment and is currently retailing for the price of $199.

Key Specifications

  • Samsung®16MP quad rear camera, Samsung® 16MP front camera
  • MediaTek Helio P25 octa-core processor, 4GB RAM 64GB ROM
  • 5580mAh big battery
  • 5.84’’ FHD+ waterdrop screen, made of Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5
  • NFC supported for Google Pay
  • Global bands

Buy Now

Blackview X1 & X2 Smartwatches

These are entry-level waterproof smartwatches – X1 was launched last year and the X2 made a mark this month. Both smartwatches offer value-for-money and offer reliable features. There are only some design changes between the Blackview X1 and Blackview X2.

Key Specifications of both the watches

  • 5ATM waterproof
  • 1.3- inch HD round color display
  • Heart rate sensor
  • 9 sports modes 
  • Sleep monitor 
  • Long-lasting battery

Buy Now

There are plenty of other Blackview rugged smartphones, which you can know by heading to the official website.

Google announces Nearby Share for Android; coming to other operating systems later

After months of waiting and years of development according to Google, Nearby Share for Android is finally official. The feature which allows users to share files to nearby devices in a similar fashion as Apple’s AirDrop was announced today for Android devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and up.

While Android has never had a shortage of super-fast file sharing apps, Nearby Share is a built-in feature that requires no app and the good thing is that it is not manufacturer-specific. This means you can transfer to any Android device as long as it is running Android 6.0 and up.

Nearby Share allows you to share files, photos, and links between devices easily. It will even automatically select the best way to send

Google takes privacy seriously with Nearby Share. When you share files with a device, the information of both the sender and receiver is fully-encrypted. You can also choose which devices can see you. You can allow all devices within range to see you or selected devices under your contacts. You can also choose to stay hidden.

It was also revealed that the feature will be coming to more operating systems starting with Chromebooks in a few months. Thus, allowing Android and Chromebooks to share files between devices.

Starting today, Nearby Share will be available first on select Google Pixel and Samsung devices. Other devices will get the feature in the coming weeks.

 

DigiTimes predicts 5G phone shipments will reach 250 million in 2020

5G network connectivity has not attained significant spread in many countries but China has tremendous progress in that regard. That progress may be what the 5G phone market needs to project it to a lofty height. DigiTimes research has now predicted that shipment of 5G phones may reach 250 million units in 2020. Google Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 5G poster leak

That is a tall order but the research firm is confident about it, tipping China to account for a massive 170 million units which are about 70 percent of the forecasted shipment. %G phone are significantly popular in China and in recent times, the market has witnessed a sift from just flagship models carrying 5G chips to mid-range models having same. Within this year, OEMs are expected to bring 5G to entry-level models.

Majority of phones that are expected to be shipped in China will be by Huawei which has maintained a firm grip of the market for a long time. That grip has even been strengthened as a result of the ban by the US which made it difficult to sell outside China due to the absence of Google Mobile Services on its phones.

Between January and March this year, an estimated 24 million 5G phones were shipped leaving a deficit of 225 million units to be covered between April an December. That looks unattainable but then, the second and third quarter has seen a massive influx of affordable phones in the mid-range segment which should boost sales especially in China as 5G phones are expected to account for 52.7% of total smartphones shipped in the Asian country this year. The global market is expected to contribute only around 82.3 million units which should be below 10% of global smartphone shipments in 2020. This is due to the rollouts of 5G networks in most other parts of the world which have been delayed by the COVID 19 pandemic.

Digitimes Research also maintains its April forecast that global smartphone shipments for 2020 will contract 15.2% to 1.15 billion units as global economic activities remain weak amid the lingering impacts of the pandemic.

 

Umidigi A7 smartphone with 6.49-inch display, and AI-Quad camera launched for $89.99; UWatch 2S also makes debut

Umidigi A7 is finally here with some toned-down specifications than its elder sibling – A7 Pro. The new smartphone carries sumptuous features like a 6.49-inch large display, 4GB RAM, an Octa-Core processor, and a 4150 mAh battery. It is available for the starting price of $86.99 from AliExpress and will start shipping from August 24. However, the Umidigi UWatch2 is already on sale via Amazon across several countries.

umidigi a7

Umidigi A7 Specifications

Umidiigi A7 smartphone comes with a quad-rear camera module carrying a 16-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, 5-megapixel macro lens, and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. The hardware is efficient enough to capture detailed photos even in the low light environment. There’s a 16-megapixel camera on the front for beautiful selfies and video calling.

A massive 6.49-inch In-Cell display is present with waterdrop notch and features a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The display is capable enough for bringing pleasant viewing experience. It is powered with an octa-core processor which couples a 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. However, the user can even expand the storage via a MicroSD card up to 256GB.

umidigi a7 rear

There’s a 4150 mAh battery with 10W charging. The battery can easily work for 2 days upon a full charge. It gives you the freedom to leave the charger at home. The comfortable yet stylish 2.5D Glass is present on both the front and the rear side of the device. Umidigi A7 is a Dual SIM device and carries a separate slot for MicroSD card. It runs on stock Android 10 with features like System-wide Dark theme, privacy controls, and other useful features. In connectivity, the smartphone houses a Bluetooth 4.2, Dual-Band Wifi, GPS, and 4G.

It is available in Space Gray and Dark Green colors for $89.99 from AliExpress. However, it will go on sale from August 24, you can add it to the cart now. You can know more information about the Umidigi A7 smartphone by heading to the official website.

Umidigi UWatch 2S

Uwatch 2S-1

Umidigi also launched a new smartwatch named UWatch 2S. It is the successor to the popular UWatch2 smartwatch that was launched last year. There are several advancements in the new watch and is retailing for the price of $35.99 on Amazon. UWatch 2S is built using aircraft-grade aluminum and sustains for about 15 days upon a full charge.

Uwatch 2S-2

Other features include a colored touch display with customizable watch faces. The watch supports 14 sports mode and 5ATM water-resistant. It can effectively track heart rate, activity, and can control music remotely. You can even capture beautiful family moments in a single frame by remotely controlling the camera using a smartwatch.

You can grab the smartwatch at the affordable price of $35.99 from Amazon. Know more about the watch by heading to the official Umidigi website.

Giveaway

umidigi a7 giveaway

Umidigi is offering 10 units of Umidigi A7 for free under a giveaway. The interested tweeps can join the giveaway and win the new smartphone.

 

Latest Mi Fit 4.4 update brings new features to the Mi Band 4 & Mi Band 5

Xiaomi has announced the rollout of a new version of the Mi Fit app. The app is the official app for Xiaomi and Huami‘s (Amazfit) activity trackers and smartwatches. It also works with a bunch of other smart fitness products made by Xiaomi and its ecosystem partners such as the Mi Smart Scales and smart shoes.

The new version is Mi Fit 4.4.0 and is already available on major app stores including the Google Play Store. It is yet to be pushed for iOS, though according to the report.

The updated Mi Fit app brings a new update to the Mi Band 4 and Band 5. Some of the features include that the Mi Band 4 display now shows battery percentage. On the Mi Band 5, it adds motion detection which can automatically detect the current state. At the same time, it adds a new option to set the dial switch. As usual, it also brings bug fixes.Mi Fit

About the Mi Band 4 and Mi Band 5

The Mi Band 4 was sold for the first time in June last year with the standard version priced at 169 yuan ($24), and the NFC version was sold for 229 yuan (~$32). In just 8 days, the global shipment of Mi Band 4 exceeded 1 million, with an average of 5,000 units shipped per hour. This was the fastest shipping speed ever for Mi Band. Mi Band 4 is also the world’s best-selling wearable band model from Q3 2019 to Q1 2020.

The Mi Band 5 joined the fray in June this year when it was officially released. This is also the strongest Mi Band in history. It supports a dynamic dial for the first time, adopts magnetic charging for the first time, a more powerful PPG sensor, and supports all-day sleep monitoring.

 

 

New POCO phone teased as a challenger to the OnePlus Nord

The OnePlus Nord was supposed to go on sale today in India but the sale date was postponed to Thursday, 6th of July. For those who are yet to make up their minds on purchasing the phone, POCO has teased the arrival of a new phone as an alternative to the Nord. Will it be a better alternative? Time will tell.

The info comes from a tweet by Angus Kai Ho Ng, the product marketing manager and global spokesperson for POCO. The tweet hints at the arrival of a new POCO phone and also has the hashtag #POCOcomingsoon.

The official POCO Twitter account replied to the tweet too, confirming that a new phone is indeed coming.

There are speculations that the phone coming is the POCO F2. However, there is no info to back this up. Nevertheless, we believe it may actually be a rebadged phone.

The OnePlus Nord will be up to some serious competition in India in the coming months. For example, the Pixel 4a is launching in the country in October and some buyers may be willing to wait for Google’s new mid-range Pixel rather than purchasing the Nord. We also expect Realme to announce a phone too.

Are you planning to pick up the OnePlus Nord? Will you wait to see what POCO has to offer or will you go ahead and make your purchase? Let us know in the comment box.

 

OxygenOS 10.0.7/10.3.4 for OnePlus 7/7 Pro brings new clock styles, Chromatic effect & more

OnePlus is readying to unveil HydrrogenOS 11 in China on August 10. Ahead of it, the brand has begun to tease some of the new features earlier today. Additionally, Pete Lau, the co-founder and CEO of the company revealed some details regarding OxygenOS 11. At the same time, the company is also rolling out a new OxygenOS stable update for OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro users worldwide.

oneplus 7 pro
Oneplus 7 pro

The new OxygenOS stable update for OnePlus’ flagship smartphones of H1 2019 brings July 2020 security patch, some new features, and certain fixes. The update comes with build number OxygenOS 10.0.7 for Global and EU variants of OnePlus 7/7Pro and OxygenOS 10.3.4 for the Indian versions of the handsets.

The update adds support for OnePlus Buds as well adds a variety of clock styles and a new Chromatic effect for Reading Mode.  It also fixes for “double tap could not wake up the screen” and “wrong display of names of inserted SIM cards”.

Last but not least, the update also adds support for “Bluetooth hearing aid app connection under the Android 10 Audio Streaming for Hearing Aid (ASHA) Agreement”.

OnePlus 7/7 Pro OxygenOS 10.0.7/10.3.4 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

 

(Source)

Xiaomi launches the Qicycle Electric Power-assisted Bicycle National Standard Edition

Xiaomi has built a reputation over the years for affordable products without a compromise on quality. Thus, it was a surprise in 2016 when the company announced one its most expensive product till date, the Qicyle R1 bicycle priced around $3000. Despite the high price tag, the Qicycle R1 was a huge hit in terms of sales and popularity and it catapulted the company to fame. Since then, the Qicycle brand has released several other popular bikes including e-bikes. The brand launched the Qicycle Electric Power-assisted Bicycle in December 2019. This product has now gotten a successor.Qicycle Electric Power-assisted Bicycle

The successor is dubbed Qicycle Electric Power-assisted Bicycle National Standard Edition and carries a price tag of 2799 yuan (~$401). The new version conforms with China’s national standard for EVs and is now available on Mi.com. It supports three riding modes and has an assisted battery life with a range of 40km. The bike is also equipped with a large-size light-sensitive display and a 20-inch wheel diameter.

The new national standard version of QiCycle electric-assisted bicycle supports free switching of three gears – the first gear is the economic mode which delivers 25% electric output. The second gear is the balance mode which takes into account both endurance and power with the assisted riding distance getting up to 40km. The third mode is known as Enhanced mode with 75% electric output and three-speed levels.

The QiCycle electric-assisted bicycle also uses a multi-cavity integrated 6061 lightweight aluminum alloy frame. There are multiple screw holes reserved for the body. You can mount baskets, shelves and other accessories according to your needs. It is equipped with a bright LED front large Lights and tail warning lights. It also supports connection to the MIJIA app via a smartphone which can be used to view exercise data at any time.

In terms of specifications, the new bicycle has a body size of 1530x205x1040mm, weighing in at 18kg. The front and rear wheel centre distance of 1014mm, a maximum design speed of 25km/h, a load capacity of 100kg, and a charging time of fewer than 4 hours.

 

OnePlus Buds with 13.4mm drivers, Dolby Atmos support available for $89.99 via Giztop

OnePlus Buds are the latest addition to the company’s audio portfolio. The OnePlus Buds was launched along with the OnePlus Nord in India, but its open sale is yet to commence in India and various other parts of the world. However, you can get it now as the OnePlus Buds are not up for grabs via Giztop across the globe for the price of $89. You can even choose between two different color options of White and Blue.

oneplus buds

OnePlus Buds is the company’s first true wireless earphones offering a lot more in terms of sound and design. OnePlus Wireless Z was the only wireless option that the company offered prior to the Buds launch.

OnePlus Buds Features

These are baked with low latency, 13.4mm large drivers, and unique noise cancellation for better, premium, and lag-free sound. The low latency of 103ms can enable you to enjoy gaming and video calls in a better way. The noise cancellation algorithm with three microphones improves the clarity and reduces background noise. It houses a Quick Pair technology

The new TWS is built using the same seashell-inspired CD-pattern. Some useful gestures like long-press and double-tap are part of the package which enables to skip tracks, play/pause music, and toggles voice assistant.

OnePlus Buds comes with a circular charging case consisting of a USB Type-C port with 30W Warp charging supports. It enables you to get 10 hours of power backup once charged for just 10 minutes. However, a full charge of the case can bring you 30 hours of battery backup. OnePlus Buds is splash resistant as it carries an IPX4 rating.

The interested user can grab it for the price of $89 from Gizbot.

Samsung Wireless Charger Convertible leaks ahead of tomorrow’s launch

The Galaxy Unpacked event is happening tomorrow; finally bringing an end to all the Galaxy Note20, Galaxy Z Fold 2, and Galaxy Tab S7 leaks. However, one more leak has surfaced, this time for an accessory – a wireless charger to be specific.

Samsung Wireless Charger Convertible

The leak is from Roland Quandt (@rquandt) and it is of a wireless charger called the Samsung Wireless Charger Convertible (Samsung EP-N3300 9W). The 9W wireless charger has a detachable design and appears to be able to work in two modes – either standing or laid flat. This means you can have it propped up on your desk so you can operate the device without lifting it off the charger or have it lay flat by the bedside when going to sleep.

The renders show the charger will be available in white and black color variants. There is also an image that shows the retail box and it reveals that the charger will work with select Samsung and Apple devices.

We are actually surprised that it only supports 9W charging seeing as Samsung has phones that support 15W wireless charging.

There is no info on the price of the charger but we don’t expect it to be cheap.

 

Lava Z66 with 6.08″ notch display launched in India for Rs. 7777 (~$103)

Earlier this year, Lava launched the Z61 Pro, Z71 and Z53 in India. The company has now added a new model for the South East Asia country dubbed Lava Z66. The new smartphone has as some of its highlight a notch display, Android 10 operating system and others.

The Lava Z66 features a 6.08-inch notch display with an HD+ resolution of 1560 x 720 pixels, 19:9 aspect ratio and 283 PPI. The phone is powered by a 1.6GHz Spreadtrum octa-core processor paired with 3GB RAM. The device packs a 32GB storage which can be expanded up to 128GB with microSD. Providing the interface is the latest Android 10 OS.

On the camera aspect, the Lava Z66 packs a dual rear camera setup made up of a 13MP main sensor with f/2.0 aperture and a 5MP depth sensor. At the front, there is a 13MP front-facing shooter with f/2.2 aperture. The phone is a dual-SIM model and it packs a 3,950mAh battery. In terms of connectivity, the phone features 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS. It has a 3.5mm audio jack and a micro USB port. Lava Z66

The LavaZ66 comes in Marine Blue, Berry Red and Midnight Blue and is priced at Rs. 7777 (~$103). The phone is available on Amazon.in and offline stores. It will also be sold on Flipkart.

 

Top Google Pixel 4A alternatives

After months of rumors and leaks, Google Pixel 4a is finally official. The second generation of affordable Pixel phones offers pretty nice midrange specifications at a very modest price. But if you do not care so much about a few aspects such as stock Android experience, faster updates, and compact design, you can actually get better devices in the smartphone market at a similar price. Even though it may be the most interesting choice for a lot of users, on the paper, Pixel 4a is all but a perfect phone. That is why we decided to show you all the best Google Pixel 4a alternatives you can get in the global market.

 

Best alternatives to Google Pixel 4a

Google Pixel 4a

OnePlus Nord

OnePlus Nord Blue Marble Featured

OnePlus Nord is one of the most complete devices you can get for less than €400 in the global market and its specs sheet is way better than the Google Pixel 4a. It has everything you can desire from a 2020 phone, including the support to 5G networks. The handset is equipped with a flawless AMOLED display sporting a 90 Hz refresh rate and the HDR10+ certification. Under the hood, you get a Snapdragon 765G chipset, up to 12 GB of RAM, and up to 256 GB of internal storage. There is even a quad-camera with OIS for better stabilization, as well as an incredible dual ultrawide selfie camera with 32 and 8 MP resolution. Last but not least, you get 30W fast charging and a pretty nice battery.

 

Apple iPhone SE 2020

Apple iPhone SE (2020)

For less than €400, you can get an even more compact device than the Google Pixel 4a, but you have to stick to the iOS operating system. We are talking about the iPhone SE 2020 that is the most affordable Apple phone. Despite its great price, you get all the power of the Apple A13 Bionic chipset: the same found on the iPhone 11 lineup. Further, the phone packs an amazing dual 12 MP single camera with OIS (the same sensor as the iPhone lineup too) and a great selfie camera, but no secondary sensors. On the other hand, the phone has a pretty outdated design: it still features Touch ID and it comes with thick bezels. But it is very compact thanks to its 4.7-inch display: the smallest among last-generation flagships.

Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite and Mi Note 10 Lite

 

Xiaomi Mi Note 10 LiteThe Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite is the most affordable last-generation 5G phone available in Europe, yet it is powered by the amazing Snapdragon 765G mobile platform. It even sports an AMOLED display with the HDR10+ certification, so it can provide a good image quality. For the rest, it is a classic affordable phone: you get a mediocre 48 MP quad-camera, an average battery, and a notched design.

If you do not care about 5G and you need something better in terms of camera quality and battery life, you should go for the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite which carries the same price tag as the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite. It has a better 64 MP quad-camera and a huge 5260 mAh battery, as well as an AMOLED display and the same chipset as the Google Pixel 4a (Snapdragon 730G), paired with up to 8 GB of RAM. You even get a premium design, including a glass back and an aluminum frame.

Motorola Moto G 5G Plus

Moto G 5G Plus Blue

The Moto G 5G Plus is another among the most affordable 5G phones out there and it will offer you a nearly-stock Android experience similar to the Google Pixel 4a. Besides recommending this device for the software, we also recommend it for its great hardware department including the Snapdragon 765G chipset, for its pretty nice 90 Hz HDR10 display (but it is an IPS panel), for its interesting ultrawide front cameras and especially for its huge 5000 mAh battery. The Moto G 5G Plus is also splash resistant and it supports NFC.

Oppo Find X2 Lite

Oppo Find X2 Lite

If you want a premium, thin and lightweight design while still getting all the power of 5G and the Snapdragon 765G SoC, go for the Oppo Find X2 Lite. Thanks to street prices, it is available for less than €450 in its 8/128 GB configuration. This device is also known in China as the Oppo K7 5G and it has both an audio jack and NFC. You even get a great AMOLED display and a pretty good camera setup including a 48 MP Sony sensor and a 32 MP front camera.

Realme X50 5G

Realme X50 5G featured

The Realme X50 5G recently hitten the global market with a €349 listing price but it is different from the Chinese Realme X50: it is actually the X50m rebranded. It can become incredibly affordable (more or less like the Mi 10 Lite 5G) thanks to street prices and it offers a display with a very high 120 Hz refresh rate. Other specs include a Snapdragon 765G and a 4200 mAh battery with 30W fast charging.

Huawei P40 Lite 5G

Huawei P40 Lite 5G
Huawei P40 Lite 5G

Huawei P40 Lite 5G can be considered the opposite choice to the Google Pixel 4a because it does not even come with Google services installed. But its price still makes it a great alternative to the Google Pixel 4a. This handset sports a very powerful chipset: the Kirin 820 5G, as well as a good 64 MP quad camera. Its charging speeds are very high thanks to its 40W fast charging technology and it even supports reverse charging. With the P40 Lite 5G, you get an audio jack and NFC too.

TCL 10 5G

TCL 10 5G

TCL 10 5G is one of the biggest TV manufacturers but it is a relatively new brand in the smartphone market. However, it came up with a device that is literally a best-buy. The TCL 10 5G is a great alternative to the Google Pixel 4a because it offers superior specifications. It has a display with a very nice image quality, a Snapdragon 765G chipset, and a pretty good 64 MP quad-camera. Further, it comes with an exclusive feature called Super Bluetooth which allows connecting up to 4 Bluetooth devices to the phone at the same time. Last but not least, a generous 4500 mAh battery and a premium design composed of a glass back and an aluminum frame.

Hisense A56E & A71F series smart TVs start at ₹11,990 ($160) with 5 years panel warranty

Last week, Hisense officially announced to enter the Indian market with a wide range of LED and QLED smart TVs. The company even confirmed to launch Toshiba-branded smart TVs as well as its own lineup of smart air conditioner and refrigerators later this year. Now, ahead of Flipkart Big Saving Days sale, the firm reveals the pricing of the TV models (A56E & A71F) that will be available for purchase starting August 6.

Hisense 43A71F Featuerd
Hisense 43A71F

Hisense will have six smart TV models up for sale during Flipkart Big Saving Days sale. All of them are LED TVs powered by Android TV Pie with support for all leading streaming platforms, Chromecast Built-in, and Google Assistant. Also, they come with 5 years of panel warranty for customers buying them from August 6 to 9.

Talking about resolution, three of these TVs come with a 4K UHD panel, two with a 1080p FHD panel, and one with a 768p HD panel. Further, only 4K models support Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, whereas the other models are limited to DTS Studio Sound. Also, they come with 3 x HDMI ports (HDCP 2.2) instead of 2 on the FHD and HD models. But the number of USB ports (2) remains the same on all the models.

As for audio, the TV models up to 43-inch feature 24W speakers and sizes above it come with 30W speakers. The 4K models also come with additional features like unibody design, dual-band WiFi, UHD AI upscale, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Game Mode,  Noise Reduction, and Ultra Dimming Technology.

Having said that, here’s the pricing of Hisense A56E and A71F series of smart TVs in India. Do note that the below-listed prices are only applicable during the inaugural period (August 6 – 9).

Model
Panel Size
Panel Resolution
Price

32A56E

32-inch HD (1366 x 768) ₹11,990

40A56E

40-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) ₹18,990
43A56E 43-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)

₹20,990

43A71F 43-inch UHD (3840 x 2160)

₹24,990

50A71F 50-inch UHD (3840 x 2160)

₹29,990

55A71F 55-inch UHD (3840 x 2160)

₹33,990

 

Samsung Galaxy S20+ running Android 11 appears on GeekBench

While everyone’s eyes are centred around Samsung‘s up and coming August 5th occasion and all the new devices the tech giant is going to unveil, the company is also working behind the scene to ensure that Google’s upcoming Android 11 software is available to its fans as soon as it is announced.Samsung Galaxy S20

Samsung’s product engineers have been taking a shot at it for a couple of months at this point however it appears they currently have a useable adaptation of Android 11 on a Galaxy phone.

According to a GeekBench listing, a Galaxy S20+ running Android 11 is in the works. The listing shows the gadget is running Samsung’s Exynos 990 chip which powers the global variant of the Galaxy S20+.

Samsung faced criticism from fans as it came to light that the Exynos 990 couldn’t quite match the prowess of the Snapdragon 865. However, this latest GeekBench score shows Samsung’s own chip beating existing Snapdragon 865 scores.

Samsung may have made a few improvements to the Exynos 990 to help its performance or the higher score may be the consequence of the Android 11 One UI running better. As of late, it was uncovered that Google is knocking the base RAM requirements for Android, which can show the working framework is getting heavier as opposed to lighter. Furthermore, One UI is known to add some additional load to it too.

In the event that Samsung adheres to its standard release plan, we could expect the main Galaxy phones to get the One UI adaptation conveying Android 11 towards December 2020/January 2021. When that occurs, we’ll at long last have a better idea of what Samsung has achieved.

 

Pete Lau reveals new details about OxygenOS 11; open beta coming soon

It has already been announced that HydrogenOS 11 will be announced on August 10. This is the Android-based operating system that ships with OnePlus phones in China. For those in other countries whose devices run OxygenOS, there is exciting news for you too.

OxygenOS 11

According to a blog post by OnePlus founder and CEO, Pete Lau, the final developer preview build of OxygenOS 11 will be released on August 10 too. This is to allow select members of the OnePlus community to provide feedback for the new features coming to eligible devices.

He adds that once the major bugs and stability have been fixed, an open beta version will be released for more users to try it out.

OxygenOS 11 is said to bring fresh design elements and highly anticipated features that fans have been asking for. Some of these new features are being developed by members of the OnePlus community

Even with the new features, Pete Lau says they are not moving away from what users love about the operating system which includes its super-smooth performance, clean UI, light weight, and tons of customizations.

OxygenOS 11 will be based on Android 11. It should be available for the OnePlus 8 series, the OnePlus 7T series, the OnePlus 7 series, the OnePlus 6T, and the OnePlus 6. The new OnePlus Nord will also get the update.

 

Oukitel C21 appears in Ocean Blue color, launching on August 11

Ouitel C21 is on the verge of launch as the smartphone’s landing page went public last week. The smartphone which is regarded as the “best buy in 2020” has leaked once again revealing the third color option. Along with the already present color variants of Neon Purple and Midnight Black, the smartphone has appeared in Ocean Blue color.

oukitel ocean blue

According to the leaked pictures, the smartphone gives a more premium look in the new color. The gradient mixing of two colors on the Ocean Blue variant makes it more beautiful and dynamic. Oukitel C21 is expected retail under $100 and will feature a quad-rear camera module in 2020.

The previous leaks and rumors state that the device will launch with an Helio P60 octa-core processor. It will house a 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. As we can see in the pictures leaked above, the device houses a quad-rear camera module featuring a 16-megapixel primary camera + 2-megapixel macro lens, 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 2-megapixel wide-angle shooter. The smartphone’s cameras are efficient enough to capture detailed photos. However, there will be a 20-megapixel punch-hole camera on the front for selfies.

oukitel ocean blue

Oukitel C21 will feature a massive 6.4-inch HD+ display with a punch-hole for selfie camera on the left side. A fingerprint sensor is also present at the rear side of the device along with the matrix camera module. It will run on Android 10 OS out of the box featuring all its luxuries like improved dark mode and enhanced security.

The smartphone will launch on August 11 as according to a leaked teaser.

However, if you’re interested to grab the Oukitel C21 smartphone for free, then don’t forget to participate in its giveaway via Oukitel or AliExpress. The company is giving away 20 smartphones to celebrate the global launch.

Galaxy M51 FCC certification reveals 25W fast charging support

Samsung unveiled Galaxy M31s last week in India as a successor to Galaxy M31 from earlier this year. This handset will go on sale starting Amazon Prime Day sale from August 6. In addition to this phone, the South Korean tech giant has been also working on Galaxy M51 for a very long time. It has leaked multiple times over the past few months. Now, the device also gets FCC certification revealing it to support 25W fast charging.

Galaxy M51

The Galaxy M series lineup of budget smartphones are Samsung’s online-exclusive SKUs. These handsets feature better specifications for their price compared to the company’s Galaxy A series.

This long-leaked Galaxy M51 is expected to be the successor of Galaxy 40 from earlier last year. It is said to be the first Samsung smartphone to feature a non-Samsung Display OLED panel. According to China’s 3C and Safety South Korea, it will be the first handset from the company to come with a 7,000mAh battery.

Now, the FCC certification (via SamMobile) confirms this phone to support 25W fast charging. It also corroborates its model number to be SM-M515 with dual-SIM card slot.

Further, it also confirms the handset to support Bluetooth with LE, NFC, and dual-band WiFi. As per previous leaks, the device will feature Snapdragon 730 SoC (it was thought to be 675), 8GB RAM, 128GB internal storage,  and a quad-camera setup with 64MP primary sensor and 12MP ultra-wide unit.