[Update: FCC] Xiaomi Mi TV Stick receives EEC certification with model number MDZ-24-AA

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Jun 19, 2020

Update: FCC Certification

The Xiaomi Mi TV Stick with model number MDZ-24-AA also receives FCC certification as spotted by GoogleChromecastHub. The FCC ID for this device is 2AIMRMITVMDZ24AA.

Original Story

Xiaomi Mi Box S aka Mi Box 4K is one of the well-known products in the streaming category. It debuted in the US almost two years back. Hence, a successor was expected but instead, the company has plans to launch Mi TV Stick, a competitor to Amazon Firestick. This device has leaked multiple times and now it also receives EEC certification.

The Mi TV Stick first leaked in mid-April along with other upcoming ecosystem products. A month later, its listing with complete specifications was spotted on Gearbest, a Chinese online retailer.

Followed by that. It was officially teased by Xiaomi during the Redmi Note 9 launch in Germany in late May. Now, the device visits EEC (European Economic Community) for certification purpose, which reveals its model number to be MDZ-24-AA.

Since the Mi TV stick has now received certification in Europe, we can expect it to launch in this region first. We also believe that it will make it to other regions after its initial debut.

According to the product listing leak, the Mi TV Stick will be powered by Amlogic S905 quad-core processor paired with 2GB RAM and 8GB internal storage. It will run Android TV and will have features like 4K HDR, DTS-HD, Dolby Audio, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2, HDMI 2.0, USB Type-C, and Bluetooth voice remote with dedicated buttons for Netflix and Prime Video.

(Via)

Apple 2020 iPhone to feature Qualcomm X60 5G Modem: Report

By

Sean

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Jun 19, 2020

Apple is expected to launch its first 5G smartphone offerings later this year. To feature the newer and faster bandwidth, the Cupertino based giant was rumored to feature a Qualcomm X55 5G modem from 2019. However, a fresh report from DigiTimes says otherwise, as the Taiwanese publication claims that the 2020 iPhone lineup will feature Qualcomm’s latest X60 modem.

According to the report, the world’s largest contract chipmaker and Apple supplier, TSMC, will start manufacturing the A14 chips and Snapdragon X60 modems later this month. These chips will be found in the upcoming iPhone 12 series that will launch later this year and are built on the 5nm process, according to DigiTimes’ industry sources.

Being built on a 5nm process means that the X60 will be more power efficient than its predecessor, the X55 modem. 5G enabled smartphones are known to be power hungry when running the new standards of mobile networking. So, the reduction in power consumption would be a welcomed change, especially for the iPhone. Furthermore, the X60 modem can aggregate data from both mmWave and sub-6GHz bands at the same time to achieve a combination high-speed and low-latency.

Although this report sounds a good deal on paper, it is still unknown if Apple will actually the X60 modem, which was only announced back in February 2020. Thus, it is more likely to be featured on 2021 iPhones rather than the upcoming ones, due to time constraints. Apple will need an ample amount of time for testing and production of this modem. So take this report with a grain of salt and stay tuned.

(Via)

Realme Buds Q TWS earphones confirmed to launch in India on June 25

By

Jeet

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Jun 19, 2020

Last month, at an event in China, OPPO-backed Realme launched a few products in the market, including its new true wireless earphones — Realme Buds Q. The company is now all set to launch the same in India.

Realme has confirmed that the Realme Buds Q will be launched in India on 25th June — the same day when the company will launch the Realme X3 series smartphones. The company has also created a landing page on its website for the TWS earphones.

Previously, the company had confirmed that the Buds Q will be priced under ₹2,000 in the Indian market but the exact pricing will be revealed next week. The landing page confirms that it will be made available in three colors — White, Black, and Yellow.

The Realme Buds Q comes with 10mm driver units with Dynamic Bass Boost technology and support for AAC. They connect to smartphones through Bluetooth 5.0 and have a battery life of up to 20 hours with the case.

The TWS earbuds also have support for touch controls and a game mode that allows for real-time transmission between the earbuds and the phone thanks to a built-in chip (R1Q). It also works with the Realme Link app for configuring various settings and to upgrade the firmware when required.

In China, the company is selling Realme Buds Q for 149 yuan (~$21) so we expect the company to launch this in India under ₹1,899 (~$25) to make it compete against the likes of Redmi Earbuds S launched last month for ₹1,799.

(Source)

Micromax to soon launch three new budget smartphones in India

By

Jeet

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Jun 19, 2020

Micromax, the Indian smartphone brand which had a significant market share is now nowhere to be seen. The company launches new devices every now and then and it seems that the brand is again gearing to launch a few devices in India.

As per the report, Micromax will be launching three new smartphones in the Indian market. It will include a budget offering that is said to have “premium features” and “modern look” but nothing much is known.

The report further goes on to add that the pricing of the upcoming smartphones could be under ₹10,000, which roughly converts to $131. With such low pricing, it remains to be seen what are the “premium features” that the company will offer.

Recently, in response to a user on Twitter, the company said “We’re working hard internally and soon we will come up with something big. Stay tuned!” Although this confirms that new devices are coming, it doesn’t reveal anything and keeps things vague.

To promote the upcoming smartphones, the company is using hashtags #MadeByIndian and #MadeForIndian in its tweets. This is likely to cash-in on the campaign in India that is asking users to boycott Chinese products.

However, it remains to be seen if the devices are manufacturing in India. This is noteworthy given that Micromax has a track record of selling rebranded Chinese smartphones. For instance, the company’s sub-brand Yu Televentures sold rebranded phones from Coolpad before the Chinese company independently entered India.

The last smartphone from Micromax was launched in the form of Micromax iOne Note last year and prior to that, the company had launched two devices in 2018 — Infinity N11 and Infinity N12.

(Source)

Huawei launched Petal Search in Singapore, a replacement for Google Search

By

Sean

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Jun 19, 2020

Back in May 2020, Huawei officially announced its proprietary search engine called Petal Search. The app was previously simply referred to as Huawei Search in Beta and was developed to replace Google Search within its Huawei Mobile Services ecosystem. Now, the Chinese tech giant has launched the search engine in Singapore.

For those interested, Petal Search is currently available for download in the region through the company’s AppGallery. Huawei has built its own mobile services and related application software after losing Google support back in 2019 since it was placed in the US Entity List. This list includes blacklisted companies, which cannot trade or buy goods and services from American based companies. Thus, the company lost Google’s support and shipped its smartphone with the vanilla Android.

Over the course of a year, Huawei has since been building up its software ecosystem and expanding its AppGallery and Huawei Mobile Services as a whole. The Huawei Search has now finally appeared as a stable build of Petal Search and is currently available for download. This platform enables easier for users to find applications from third party sources and to download and run them.

At the moment, the complete functions of the new application may not yet be available in all countries right now. Although, Huawei is working on including additional regions soon. Petal Search can be downloaded by those smartphones that run the latest EMUI 10 version (v10.1.0.131). Currently, the app supports 40 languages and is available in 45 countries and regions.

Honor President confirms 7-inch 5G smartphone launch this year

By

Jeet

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Jun 19, 2020

As the bezels on the smartphone keep getting thinner, companies are now able to offer smartphones with a bigger display that is handy enough. Now, Honor President has confirmed that the company will launch a smartphone with a 7-inch display and 5G connectivity support this year.

Currently, there’s no information available about the smartphone teased by the company’s president. As per the reports, the device will not be a part of the Honor Note series even though the company had launched Honor Note10 a couple of years back featuring a 6.95-inch display.

Other reports claim that the upcoming 7-inch display smartphone could be a part of the newly launched Honor X10 series and could make its way to the market as Honor X10 Max. Previous leaks hint at Honor X10 Max getting launched next month along with Honor 30 Lite aka Honor 30 Youth Edition.

Zhao Ming, President at Honor said that he is glad to be able to keep his promise about launching a larger display smartphone. Apparently, around two years ago, he had promised that the company will launch a device with a larger display within two years.

Not only Honor, but several other smartphone brands are also either gearing up to launch a 7-inch display smartphone or have already launched it. Samsung is rumored to soon launch Galaxy M41 is said to feature a 6.67-inch FHD+ CSOT flexible OLED panel from TCL.

Recently, Tecno Spark Power 2 smartphone got launched in the Indian market which features a 7-inch display. It is a budget offering powered by a 6,000mAh battery and has a starting price of ₹9,999, which is about $131.

(Via)

LG showcases transparent OLED display technology at InfoComm 2020

By

Sean

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Jun 19, 2020

LG Electronics has just showcased certain new display technologies at the InfoComm 2020 event. The conference that took place from 16th to 18t June had the South Korean tech giant reveal new LG LED Cinema Display and a transparent OLED touch display.

The LG LED Cinema Display utilizes high brightness LED modules for movie screens at theaters. This technology is said to offer a more uniform movie screen that is less susceptible to distortions when compared to their digital projector counterparts. The company has already supplied this type of large display to a Taiwanese cinema chain called Showtime Cinema.

Furthermore, LG also unveiled its new transparent OLED touch screen, which has a transmittance of 38 percent and its possible applications have been aimed at commercial spheres like airports, museums, and even stores. Notably, multiple such transparent displays can be attached side by side, with the technology already being utilized by a store run by Top Golf.

The horizon of applications for both these new display technologies is extremely wide. We may even see such smartphones with transparent displays in the future, have stores built with interactive windows, and more. The fact that these displays are already being introduced in certain areas is indicative of it being ready to branch out to other fields as well.

(Via)

Windows 10 ARM project running on Lumia 950 keeps making progress

By

Jeet

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Jun 19, 2020

A few years ago, developers figured out a way to get a full Windows 10 operating system running on a Lumia 950 and 950 XL smartphones. Over the years, the development of Windows 10 ARM port has picked up and made some steady progress.

Now, developers working on the project says that the team has managed to get Windows 10 Build 19041 (20H1) work on the Lumia smartphone. Currently, ARM64, ARM, and x86 apps can run with Windows 10 ARM on Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL devices.

As of now, this is limited to just these two devices. Although the developers are working on a port for Android smartphones, so far the development has not expanded to non-Lumia devices. it’s worth noting that developers have started working on a port for Android flagship smartphones.

Coming back to Windows 10 on ARM for Lumia, most of the sensors, including a light sensor, accelerometer, and gyroscope, among others are working. The “MobileShell” app is available on Microsoft Store for devices running Windows 10 on Lumia which brings back navigation, status bar, and notification toast integration.

Further, it has got support for the cellular networks through “WOA Dialer”, but the connectivity may not be available for working for all, depending on the region. There’s also support for “Chat” and SMS, but MMS functionality is not yet supported.

With the development of Windows OS on ARM picking up pace, we expect a breakthrough for the Android port in the near future. Meanwhile, there are reports claiming that Apple could be ditching Intel for ARM for its upcoming MacBook.

(Source, Via)

ZTE President Xu Ziyang confirms launch of 5nm chipset next year

By

Jeet

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Jun 19, 2020

Current flagship smartphone chipsets are based on the 7nm node process but the manufacturers are now shifting towards 5nm and even 3nm process for the upcoming next-generation chipsets.

Joining the list of those companies in China-based ZTE. The company held its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders at its headquarters in Shenzhen where the company revealed its plan for the smartphone chipset.

Xu Ziyang, President of ZTE Corporation, revealed that the company is already working on a 7nm chipset which has entered mass-production. He further added that the company has started working on a 5nm chipset and revealed that it’ll be launched next year.

He further goes on to add that while ZTE has done the front-end and back-end design for the chipset, it has to rely on global partners for production and manufacturing.

The development comes as ZTE has been heavily investing in its Research and Development (R&D) department, especially for chip development. The company has spent around 12.1 billion yuan (~$1.7 billion).

ZTE isn’t the only Chinese company working on the next-gen chipset. Huawei, currently the leading smartphone brand globally, is reportedly working on its Kirin 1020 and Kirin 1000 chipsets, which are said to be based on the 5nm process.

With the on-going US-China trade war, the Chinese companies are now stepping up their game in the semiconductor business. After recent US sanctions cutting off chip supply from TSMC to Huawei, the Chinese giant is also heavily investing in local semiconductor firms.

Last month, Samsung announced a new 5nm chip production plant in South Korea which is expected to be operational by next year. TSMC, on the other hand, has already started mass production of 5nm chipset — Apple A14.

Earlier this month, TSMC officially revealed the existence of a new 4nm manufacturing process which falls between the 5nm and 3nm nodes that are already on the company’s roadmap. The “N4” process is said to be an enhanced version of the “N5P” process and is expected to enter mass production by 2023.

Huawei MateBook 13 AMD Edition debuts in the UK

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 19, 2020

Huawei has unveiled the MateBook 13 AMD Edition in the U.K. As the name goes, it is an AMD processor variant of the existing MateBook 13 that features an Intel processor. The MateBook 13 AMD Edition is driven by AMD Ryzen 5 series chipset. It has arrived with a starting price of 699 pounds (~$868).

Huawei MateBook 13 AMD Edition specifications

The MateBook 13 AMD Edition comes with an aluminum chassis and it weighs 1.31kg. The laptop is equipped with a 13-inch IPS LCD panel that offers a 3:2 aspect ratio and a high-resolution of 2160 x 1440 pixels. The display supports 100 percent sRGB color gamut. For video calling, the device is equipped with a 1-megapixel camera.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei Mate 40 to feature 120Hz Refresh Rate display: Report

The laptop is equipped with a backlit enabled full-sized chiclet keyboard. It features a fingerprint reader. When it comes to connectivity ports, the notebook offers a pair of USB-C 3.1 ports and a 3.5mm headphone and microphone combo jack. The dual speakers of the notebook are powered by Dolby Atmos.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor fuels the device along with Radeon Vega 3 graphics. The processor is assisted by 8 GB of DDR4 RAM. For storage, the notebook offers NVD SSD options like 256 GB and 512 GB.

The Huawei MateBook 13 AMD Edition boots to Windows 10 Home. It has Huawei Share feature for seamlessly transferring data between Huawei phones. The 42Wh rated battery of the MateBook 13 AMD edition can be fueled using a 65W USB-C charger.

Huawei MateBook 13 AMD Edition pricing

The 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage is available at the Huawei Store in the U.K with a price tag of 699 pounds (~$868). Select retailers will also sell the higher 8 GB RAM + 512 GB storage edition of the laptop with a price tag of 749 pounds (~$931).

(source|via)

Honor 30 Lite 5G full specifications leaked; Launch seems imminent

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 19, 2020

Honor is expected to announce three new phones in the coming weeks such as Honor 30 Lite 5G (Youth), Honor X10 Max, and Honor X10 Pro. It speculated that the Honor 30 Lite 5G and Honor X10 Max will go official together on July 4 or July 5. However, the X10 Pro’s launch date is yet to be finalized, claimed a leakster. Another tipster today shared a specs sheet of the Honor 30 Lite 5G phone.

Honor 30 Lite 5G Specifications

The Honor 30 Lite 5G has a 6.5-inch display. It could be a punch-hole display like the 6.5-inch screen found on the Honor 30S smartphone. The Honor 30 Lite 5G supports a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, a tall aspect ratio of 20:9, and a refresh rate of 90Hz.

The MediaTek MT6873 SoC (Dimensity 800) is present under the hood of the device. The RAM and storage capacities of the phone are not mentioned in the leak. The device is packed with a 4,000mAh battery that supports 22.5W fast charging.

Editor’s Pick: Honor Play4 Pro temperature measurement edition goes on sale in China

The Honor 30 Lite 5G is loaded with Android 10 OS along with EMUI 10.1 skin. It has a selfie camera of 16-megapixel. The 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera system can be found on the backside of the phone.

A previous leak revealed that the model number of the Honor 30 Lite 5G is MXW-AN00 and its codename is Maxwell. The handset is likely to be priced around 1,600 Yuan (~$225).

OPPO Find X2 vs OnePlus 8 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi 10: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jun 18, 2020

A lot of interesting flagships belonging to different price ranges went on sale in India and several other regions. The recent Xiaomi Mi 10 can be considered a flagship killer, while devices such as OnePlus 8 Pro and Oppo Find X2 are more expensive and they seem more like top-tier flagships. There are several kinds of flagship phones, but which one should you buy? It mostly depends on your actual needs and in this specs comparison between Oppo Find X2, OnePlus 8 Pro, and Xiaomi Mi 10 sold at different prices, we will try to let you understand which device is worth going for.

OPPO Find X2 vs OnePlus 8 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi 10

	Xiaomi Mi 10	OnePlus 8 Pro	Oppo Find X2
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	162.6 x 74.8 x 9 mm, 208 g	165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5 mm, 199 g	164.9 x 74.5 x 8 mm, 196 g
DISPLAY	6.67 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED	6.78 inches, 1440 x 3168p (Quad HD+), Fluid AMOLED	6.7 inches, 1440 x 3168p (Quad HD+), AMOLED
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, octa-core 2.84 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, octa-core 2.84 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, octa-core 2.84 GHz
MEMORY	8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB	8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB	12 GB RAM, 256 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 10, MIUI	Android 10, Oxygen OS	Android 10, Color OS
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS
CAMERA	Quad 108 + 13 + 2 + 2 MP, f/1.7 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 20 MP f/2.0 front camera	Quad 48 + 8 + 48 + 5 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.4 + f/2.2 + f/2.4 16 MP f/2.5 front camera	Triple 48 + 13 + 12 MP, f/1.7 + f/2.4 + f/2.2 32 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY	4780 mAh, fast charging 30W, Fast wireless charging 30W	4510 mAh, fast charging 30W and fast wireless charging 30W	4065 mAh, fast charging 65W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot, reverse wireless charging 10W, 5G	Dual SIM slot, 5G, IP68 waterproof, reverse wireless charging	Dual SIM slot, 5G, IP54 splash proof

Design

OPPO Find X2 gives you more choices. You can get it with either a ceramic body or a glass body paired with an aluminum frame, and in both cases, it has a premium design. It is also splash resistant with the IP54 certification. OnePlus 8 Pro has an amazing design as well, with a high screen-to-body ratio, a glass back, and an aluminum frame. Further, it is waterproof with the IP68 certification. Xiaomi Mi 10 is another beautiful phone just like Oppo Find X2 and OnePlus 8 Pro, but it does not offer any protection against water and dust.

Display

If you need the most advanced display, you should go either for the Oppo Find X2 or the OnePlus 8 Pro. They feature a 10-bit panel that can display up to one billion colors with the HDR10+ certification, a high 120 Hz refresh rate, and very high peak brightness. The Oppo Find X2 convinces me the most, despite it has a slightly smaller display. They all feature a high Quad HD+ resolution. The Xiaomi Mi 10 loses the battle with its average Full HD+ panel with a 90 Hz refresh rate.

Hardware/Software

Oppo Find X2, OnePlus 8 Pro, and Xiaomi Mi 10 feature the best hardware you can get in 2020. They are fueled by the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform paired with up to 12 GB of RAM and UFS 3.0 native storage. Note that the Xiaomi Mi 10 only comes with 8 GB of RAM in India, you do not get the 12 GB RAM version. Given they got the same astonishing hardware department, it is essentially a draw if we talk about hardware. Instead, they feature different UIs. With the Oppo Find X2 and the Xiaomi Mi 10 you get customized user interfaces (ColorOS and MIUI, respectively), while with the OnePlus 8 Pro you get a UI closer to stock Android (Oxygen OS).

Camera

On the paper, OnePlus 8 Pro offers the most advanced cameras. It is equipped with two 48 MP sensors including an ultrawide lens, a telephoto lens with OIS and optical zoom, and a depth sensor. It also features omnidirectional autofocus. Xiaomi Mi 10 supports 8K video recording, but its camera department is inferior due to its inferior secondary sensors (it even lacks a telephoto lens). In the middle, we got the Oppo Find X2 with a 48 MP main sensor, a 13 MP telephoto lens, dual OIS, and a 12 MP ultrawide sensor, as well as a great 32 MP front camera.

Battery

Xiaomi Mi 10 is the longest-lasting phone on a single charge not only because it features a bigger battery, but also because it has a more efficient display due to its lower resolution and refresh rate. It even supports wireless charging and reverse wireless charging (just like the OnePlus 8 Pro). Oppo Find X2 lacks wireless charging, but it has the fastest charging technology with a 65W power.

Price

You can get the Xiaomi Mi 10 8/128 GB for Rs. 49,990 in India (€899 globally, but there are a lot of more affordable street prices), OnePlus 8 Pro 8/128 GB starts from Rs. 54,999 (€900 globally), and Oppo Find X2 costs Rs. 64,990 in its 12/256 GB configuration (about €1,000 in the global market). With the Xiaomi Mi 10, you can save a bit of money, but despite you get a longer-lasting battery, you lose the waterproof design, the amazing display you can find on Oppo Find X2 and OnePlus 8 Pro, and impressive cameras. We think it is worth spending more on the OnePlus 8 Pro and the Oppo Find X2. The former offers a more convincing rear camera and a larger battery than Find X2, while the latter has faster charging, a more attractive design, 12 GB RAM, and still amazing cameras.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro+ with 65W wired/40W wireless charge support leaks

OPPO Find X2 vs OnePlus 8 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi 10: PRO and CONS

Oppo Find X2

PROS

Amazing display
Optional ceramic design
Fastest charging technology
IP54 splash proof

CONS

Price

Xiaomi Mi 10

PROS

Good price
Bigger battery
Wireless charging
8K video recording

CONS

Inferior cameras

OnePlus 8 Pro

PROS

Wider display
Awesome display
IP68 waterproof
Great cameras
Wireless charging

CONS

Nothing particular

Zhiyun Smooth X smartphone gimbal launched to aid smooth video creation for $59.99

By

Simranpal Singh

-

Jun 18, 2020

Zhiyun is popularly known for its different gimbal and accessories to aid video making. The affordability and quality are two main aspects behind the ascent of the company within a few years. To further improve its product wardrobe, the company has introduced Zhiyun Smooth X smartphone gimbal with various new design improvements and operational advancements over the old products. It is a foldable smartphone gimbal that can be folded onto the size of the palm.

Smooth X Gimbal features

It enables gimbal users to get a wider or broader perspective with the smartphone camera. It is carved out of aluminum and can extend up to the height of 260mm and weighs 9 ounces (246g). Zhiyun Smooth X smartphone gimbal can easily fit into the bag or pocket for easy portability. the new gimbal enables to record stable and steady video without the need of any additional accessory.

The Smooth X is easy-to-use gimbal with only three buttons to effectively control it. The rotatable axis easily folds and holds the camera position at different angles. It can smoothly shift between horizontal and vertical positions using Smooth-X Quik ROll function.

Intelligent Gestures and Motion Tracking

Zhiyun Smooth X features a motion-tracking sensor as it can move along with the object aka it follows the desired object.

The support for gesture control allows you to easily capture moments even without touching the gimbal. The V gesture or waving gesture can quickly capture the picture.

App for Extensive Features

The Zhiyun Smooth X has its smartphone app which further improves the possibilities. Users can unlock smart filmmaking after downloading the app on their respective Android or iOS device. It reduces the tedious editing or processing work and integrates custom filters, effects, music, and movements. Other features of the ZY Cami app are as follows:

Slow Motion Video Recording – Moreover, the user can clear exciting slow-motion videos.

Timelapse Video Support– The gimbal can easily create impressive timelapses by moving in the desired direction.

Panorama Support– It can capture 180° stunning panoramic view with a single click on your app.

Battery Backup

The new gimbal can easily work for 8-10 hours upon a single full charge of its 1000 mAh battery. However, the Battery backup depends upon the usage pattern.

Specifications:

Weight: 400 Grams
Dimensions: 65 x 56 x 154mm
Roll mechanical Range: 285 degree
Pan Mechanical Roll: 200 degree
Battery capacity: 1000 mAh
Charging Time: 2 hours
Bluetooth: 5.0

Pricing and availability

The Smooth X is available at a super affordable price of $59 from Aliexpress across the globe. A USB Type-C port is available for charging and some other purposes. For more information, head over to the official website.

Blackview BV6300 Pro rugged smartphone available at discounted price of $199

By

Simranpal Singh

-

Jun 18, 2020

The Chinese smartphone manufacturers are hosting a massive 618 discount festival to celebrate the Mid-Year eve. Blackview is also offering huge discounts on its popular smartphone and accessories. Blackview posted 618 Sales page detailing about the offers and discounts on all the selected Blackview devices. Interestingly, the company is offering a limited-time discount of 31% on its popular BV6300 Pro rugged smartphone for the next three days.

Blackview BV6300 Pro features slim design despite the fact that it is a rugged smartphone. The latest rugged smartphone from Blackview offers protection from dust, water, drop and can resist extreme temperatures easily. It is purely IP68, IP69K and military-grade MIL-STD-810G certified smartphone.

Unlike other rugged smartphones, the Blackview BV6300 Pro features a slim body measuring 11.6mm and weighs over 230 grams. The simple yet intuitive look and slender body of the smartphone make it more pocket friendly.

Blackview BV6300 Pro features a 5.7-inch in-cell display for immersive and vibrant view. It is powered with MediaTek Helio P70 Octa-Core processor featuring 4x ARM Cortex-A73, 4x ARM Cortex-A53 cores. The ARM Mali-G72 MP3 GPU handles the graphics processing with 900 Hz clocking speed. There is a 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage coupled to offers seamless multitasking and storage.

In the camera department, it features a quad-rear camera featuring a 16-megapixel primary sensor, 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens, a 2-megapixel sensor and a 0.3-megapixel lens. It can easily capture detailed photos even in the low-lit environment. There’s a 13-megapixel Sony selfie shooter on the front. The built-in software tweaks and optimizations make the photos look more vibrant and rich-in-detail.

Blackview BV6300 Pro is available for the price of $199. THe reduced price will be applicable only for the next three days. You can grab it by heading to the Aliexpress.

Meizu has no plans to launch new phones in H2 2020

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jun 18, 2020

The Meizu 17 series are the only smartphones Meizu has announced this year and they may as well be the only smartphones it will launch this year according to news from China.

A summary of a conference was posted on the manufacturer’s Weibo page and one of the points said Meizu will not be announcing new phones in the second half of the year. The reason is that the Meizu 17 series is reasonably priced, thus there is no need to launch other phones.

The Meizu 17 starts at ¥3699 while the Meizu 17 Pro has a starting price of ¥4299. They are definitely not the cheapest Snapdragon 865 phones on the market but pack pretty impressive specs nonetheless.

The summary also mentioned that FlymeOS will eventually get ads but they should not be intrusive. Meizu also plans to launch smart home and smart wearable products which may launch in the second half of the year.

Meizu also revealed it is working on TWS ANC earbuds alongside a Meizu POP3 that is better and more expensive than the previous generation. The Meizu POP3 should launch in time for the Double Eleven shopping festival in November.

(Source, Via)

Best 6 reasons to grab Ulefone Armor X7 Pro for $79.99

By

Simranpal Singh

-

Jun 18, 2020

Ulefone is majorly known for its rugged and affordable smartphones across the globe. Ulefone Armor series is the company’s best performing lineup consisting of purely rugged smartphones. It has recently received a new member aka Ulefone Armor X7 Pro which features competitive specifications under the entry-level rugged smartphone segment. The new smartphone provides legit experience with aggressive hardware at such a price point. It is globally available for the price of $79.9.

Must See: Ulefone Armor X7 proves its metal in extreme temperature test [Video]

Today we are going to list some best reasons to buy Ulefone Armor X7 Pro. However, the primary highlights include dust, drop and waterproof certifications, Android 10, 4GB RAM, 4000mAh battery, and support for NFC. It is quite a useful rugged device in every rough and tough condition.

Best Companion for Outdoor Adventure

Ulefone Armor X7 Pro is a fully certified rugged device that carries IP68, IP69K certifications for being dustproof, waterproof, and drop-proof. It can easily resist any unusual fall as it features military-grade MIL-STD-810G ruggedness. The smartphone works effectively and efficiently in extreme temperatures. It can survive tough, challenging environments with ease.

Large RAM for Endless Multitasking

Android smartphones are bundled with massive RAM chips to improve the multitasking. Ulefone Armor A7 features the 4GB RAM and 32 GB internal storage. The smartphone houses Helio A20 SoC for powerful performance. It can easily offer endless multitasking with abundant RAM.

Optimal Camera Performance

The latest smartphone from Ulefone embeds a 13-megapixel camera module for taking quality photos. The dual rear flash on the rear side enables better photography while in the low light environments. Overall, at a price range of $79.99, such a camera is more than enough.

Large 4000 mAh battery

Like the other rugged smartphones, Ulefone Armor X7 Pro features a massive 4000 mAh battery. It can easily work for a couple of days upon a full charge. The smartphone also supports reverse charging which can aid in charging other smartphones are electronic edges.

Contactless Payments with NFC

Ulefone Armor X7 Pro supports NFC payments via Google Pay or other compatible apps. It can act as your virtual wallet for true wireless payments.

Complete Operating System

The smartphone runs on a stock-like Android 10 operating system. The enhanced privacy and security features help improve the overall stability of the device.

All these features are available with Ulefone Armor A7 for a mere $79.99. You can grab it from the AliExpress at a discounted price till July 21.

Related: Ulefone 618 Sale page goes live, sales to commence soon with big discounts

Triumph Trekker GT e-bicycle is the motorcycle maker’s first e-bike

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jun 18, 2020

In recent times, we have seen several well-established brands shifting to smart products but one common thing is that most usually join the party late. A reference point is Swatch’s recent move to enter the smartwatch market, something that could have been done long before now. UK motorcycle manufacturer Triumph has made its own attempt at the e-bike market. The company has launched the Trekker GT e-bike.

Triumph Motorcycle is an established brand with a history dating back to 1884 but the Trekker GT electric bicycle is the brands first foray into the fast-growing e-bike market. The Trekker GT looks like a well-designed and reliable bike but it won’t come cheap. The e-bike will be sold in Europe, the UK, and the US for £2,950 (~$3,318).

In terms of the design, the Triumph Trekker GT adopts a minimalist design and even looks like a regular bicycle. That is because the battery, wiring, and drivetrain are tucked inside the hydro-formed, lightweight aluminium frame. Triumph claims the Trekker GT is “perfect all-road choice for commuting, fitness and everyday riding fun.”

The e-bike is equipped with Shimano’s latest torquey powertrain, including a 250W motor that outputs 60 Newton-meters (44 pound-feet) of pulling power. The company also disclosed that the Shimano E8035 504Wh battery gives it a riding range of 93 miles (150 km) between charging. The total electric drivetrain weighs less than 6.6 pounds (3 kg). Also, the integrated battery can be locked to the frame, apparently to prevent theft. Overall, the bike weighs about 53 pounds (24 kg) in the medium frame size.

The bike which weighs 24kg is also outfitted with an LCD display manufactured by Shimano. The display allows riders to toggle between four different modes and displays parameters such as speed, distance, trip time, gear, range, and remaining battery power.

Also onboard is a pair of Shimano Deore M6000 brakes with 180mm / 160mm discs as well as Shimano Deore Shadow 10-speed shifter and rear mechanism. The RockShox Paragon forks come with 65mm of travel and turnkey damper with adjustment and lockout.

The e-bike is also fitted with narrow-width handlebars and a posh Selle Royal Vivo saddle which provides “the rider with optimal ergonomics and great rider control.” You also get a fully integrated LED lighting, matte black mudguards and pannier rack, a super-strong 270mm U-lock, and cast aluminium Triumph badging.

There is no word yet on the availability.

(source)

Is Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 worth buying for ₹14,999 during Flipkart Big Saving Days sale?

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

Jun 18, 2020

Xiaomi launched the Mi Mix 2 in 2017 as its secondary flagship smartphone apart from Mi 6. The speciality of this handset is its 5.99-inch FHD+ IPS LCD panel with minimal bezels all around except for a relatively larger chin. It debuted in India for ₹35,999. Now, after almost 3 years, the phone will be available to purchase for a rock bottom price of ₹14,999 on Flipkart during Big Saving Days sale starting June 23.

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 was a good phone of its time at ₹36K in India. But is it worth buying now? Let us answer that question in this post.

Hardware

The Mi Mix 2 is one of the well-built phones even today, especially at the price it will go on sale. The handset features a ceramic back and an aluminium frame. None of the phones sold in India under ₹20,000 has a metal frame, let alone ceramic finish.

It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC paired with 6GB LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB UFS 2.1 storage. This combination is still powerful in today’s standards.

The screen of the phone is a gorgeous edge to edge 5.99-inch FHD+ (2160 x 1080 pixels) IPS LCD panel with 403 ppi, 1500:1 contrast ratio, and DCI-P3 color gamut. But unfortunately, it is neither HDR compliant nor has a high refresh rate. However, it is still a good display compared to other devices in the segment.

It has all the essentials like USB Type-C, WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, 4G, VoLTE, dual SIM, fingerprint sensor, 3,400 mAh battery, and 18W Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging. But it lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack and only has a single 12MP Sony IMX386 primary camera with OIS and a 5MP selfie camera.

As far as hardware is concerned, the Mi Mix 2 from 2017 is still a solid phone in 2020.

Software

Coming to the software, Xiaomi launched the Mi Mix 2 with MIUI 9 based on Android Nougat. The handset was later updated to MIUI 10 and MIUI 11, which it currently runs.

The underlying Android was also updated to Oreo and Pie. But it will be not receiving Android 10, however, it is eligible for MIUI 12 update, which will be rolled out in the coming days.

In a nutshell, the device’s official software support will end soon. But if you can deal with custom ROMs, then there are lots of options to try and they are even based on Android 10.

Some of the notable ROMs include Havoc OS, PixelExperience, Paranoid Android, LineageOS 17.1, and more.

Conclusion

In our opinion, the Mi Mix 2 is still a good buy for those users who don’t care about latest Android as MIUI 12 is common on all Xiaomi/Redmi smartphones and has all the features one needs. But it is worth noting that there won’t be any official update thereafter except maybe some critical security patch if needed.

So if you can deal with old software or say custom ROMs, then this handset is still recommended as there’s not a single device in any price range as of now with such unique design and finish.

Last but not least, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is highly recommended for collectors as Mix series of phones played an important role in the development of today’s bezel-less smartphones.

Apple may rename iOS to iPhoneOS

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jun 18, 2020

Last year, Apple announced iPadOS, a special version of iOS made for iPads. Before then, iPads ran iOS just like iPhones. A new leak has revealed that Apple may soon ditch the iOS name for iPhone OS (will most likely be stylized as iPhoneOS).

The info comes from a tweet by Jon Prosser, a leaker known for Apple-related news. The tweet was corroborated by Max Weinbach of XDA Developers who said he received a mail saying that Apple will rename iOS to iPhone OS.

Dude I got a random email saying Apple would rename iOS to iPhone OS and the iPhone to Apple Phone and I didn't believe it…

wow

— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) June 18, 2020

Max’s tweet also said the mail mentioned that the iPhone will be renamed Apple Phone. Regarding the renaming of the iPhone, we advise you to take it with a pinch of salt for now.

We expect the announcement will be made at Apple’s WWDC 2020 conference which is scheduled for April 22. The conference is supposed to be for new developments and features coming to iOS 14, iPadOS, watchOS, and macOS.

What do you think about the name change from iOS to iPhoneOS, yay or nay?

(Sources: 1, 2)

Xiaomi crowdfunds the CATLINK Automatic Litter Box Lite

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jun 18, 2020

Xiaomi Youpin has played host to the CATLINK Automatic Litter Box Lite which is up for crowdfunding for 999 yuan (~$141). The product has an original price tag of 1,699 yuan (~$240) which it will revert to after the crowdfunding exercise.

The CATLINK Automatic Litter Box Lite has a dimension of 60 cm x 71 cm X 58 cm and weighs 9 kg. The litter box uses a dual design which includes a base and a ball-shaped compartment. There is also a detachable top cover and a stool storage compartment. The round litter box has a triangular base like that of a pyramid. The base is said to be stable, preventing the box from rolling over.

The CATLINK Automatic Litter Box Lite features triple safety protection as well as a 13L collection bin. It also has a double-sealed deodorization chamber.

Talking of the automation, when the smart litter box detects that the cat has left the box for up to 3 minutes, it will automatically clean it up. The bottom of the litter box is equipped with two sets of double-beam high-precision, high-sensitivity gravity sensors which recognise a minimum weight of 1.5kg . With accurate gravity recognition, if the cat suddenly re-enters the box while it has started spinning, it will stop working immediately until the cart leaves the litter box.

(source)

Update: FCC Certification

Original Story

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Design

Display

Hardware/Software

Camera

Battery

Price

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App for Extensive Features

Battery Backup

Specifications:

Pricing and availability

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Best Companion for Outdoor Adventure

Large RAM for Endless Multitasking

Optimal Camera Performance

Large 4000 mAh battery

Contactless Payments with NFC

Complete Operating System

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Hardware

Software

Conclusion

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