Swatch’s latest smartwatch is the Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar

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Mar 25, 2020

Earlier this month, Xiaomi, the known electronics company, was granted the license for a new patent license. The patent was initially applied for back in 22nd May 2019 and was granted on 17th March 2020.

According to the patent description, the license is for a new face mask. The notable thing about this particular mask is that it features a 3 dimensional support skeleton that better fits a wearer’s face. In other words, it is more ergonomic in terms of use and should theoretically better sit on a user’s face. This skeletal support is made from plastic and can also be adjusted when force is applied in a certain area, meaning it is probably flexible and moldable for a comfortable fit.

The other function this new Xiaomi face mask could potentially offer is a better air restriction. In other words, it could effectively improve air seal around one’s face. This helps by offerings a better protection, even in compromised areas where infection by air borne diseases can be contracted. So, in today’s time where the coronavirus outbreak is a real threat, this face mask could potentiall save lives and help curb the chances of infection.

For those unaware, a new strand of Coronavirus started to spread like wild fire in China. Now, confirmed cases of the COVID-19 have been found in upwards of 170 different countries, while the WHO (World Health Organization) has officially classified the virus as a pandemic. Hence, users are asked to exercise a reasonable amount of caution and take proper steps to reduce the risk of infection.

(Via)

Oppo Find X2 series repairs are expensive, with high priced spare parts

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Mar 25, 2020

Oppo had recently launched its latest Find X2 series. This included the Oppo Find X2 and Find X2 Pro. The flagship series features top notch specs and also carries a high price tag. So it is advised to be careful with the device since even if its repairs and spare parts are expensive as well.

For those unaware, the base Oppo Find X2 is priced at 5,499 Yuan (roughly 774 USD) while the high end variant, Find X2 Pro, is sold for 6,999 Yuan (roughly 985 USD). So, you can already tell that the handset is pretty pricey. Over this, the price of Oppo Find X2 Pro’s display panel is 1,750 Yuan (roughly 246 USD) outside of warranty. Similarly, the repairs for the motherboard (2GB +256GB variant) is 3,190 Yuan (roughly 450 USD).

Arriving at the optics, the primary sensor, ultra wide angle, and telephoto lens spares cost 560 Yuan, 390 Yuan and 490 Yuan (roughly 78, 54 and 68 USD) respectively. The battery replacement is relatively affordable with a charge of just 129 Yuan (roughly 18 USD). On the other hand, the repairs and replacements of the base Find X2’s motherboard, battery, and rear camera setup are a bit lower, but the front camera and battery costs remain the same.

Oppo Find X2 Pro Repair Costs — Oppo Find X2 Repair Costs

However, looking at the entire cost overall, the prices of the repairs are definitely not cheap. So, it is highly advised to get a good protective case to give your Find X2 series smartphone a better chance in surviving accidental falls. One can also look into a warranty extension and damage protection policies as well since you never know what may happen. Although, just a bit of caution goes a long way and one shouldn’t require such proactive steps.

(Via)

Xiaomi unveils the Roidmi F8 Pro Handheld Vacuum Cleaner with improved features

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 25, 2020

Xiaomi first launched the Roidmi F8 Handheld Vaccum Cleaner in 2018. The product was a popular one and even won the German iF Design Award as well as the Red Dot Design Award as a result of its amazing design. The product has no got a predecessor dubbed Roidmi F8 Pro Handheld Vacuum Cleaner.

The Roidmi F8 Pro Handheld Vacuum Cleaner is an upgraded version of the Roidmi F8. The gadget sees its suction power upgraded from 115W on the F8 to 135W. The number of filters is also increased from four to five on this model. Apart from that, the battery also received a bump and can now endure up to 60 minutes of use, up from 55 minutes on its predecessor. Although both models pack a 2500mAh battery, the power consumption is reduced from 76Wh on the F8 to 72Wh on the F8 Pro.

In terms of the design, the Roidmi 8 Pro keeps up with the simple geometric design style of the F8. It adopts a large 270 ° handle design, which is both a handheld part and an air duct. The handle can be pushed or pulled. It is easy to use with a one-button gear switch. It also has a power display and full dust indication function.

The main unit adopts a lightweight design and weighs only 1.5Kg, ensuring a strong suction while remaining as lightweight as possible. This ensures the user will not get fatigued easily due to long use.

The motor upgrades the ninth-generation digital brushless motor. The speed per minute is increased from 100,000 to 110,000 rpm. It can generate 23500Pa centrifugal wind pressure and efficiently remove ground dust. The internal structure of the F8 Pro also got some changes. The overall air duct structure has been redesigned to optimize the air duct, filtering system, and battery arrangement. Thus, Roidmi F8 Pro’s performance is increased by 27%. At the same time, it adopts the triple intelligent noise reduction design which reduces the noise by 10%, and it is quieter with only 72dB.

The Roidmi F8 Pro Handheld Vacuum Cleaner is on sale for 1,599 yuan ($226).

Xiaomi Redmi K30 Pro is now available for $499 on Giztop

By

Vinay Patel

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Mar 25, 2020

Redmi took the covers off a new flagship smartphone dubbed the Redmi K30 Pro on Tuesday, March 24th. The long-awaited K20 Pro successor is currently touted as one of the fastest smartphones launched under Xiaomi’s popular sub-brand.

China’s popular e-tailer Giztop is currently offering the 6GB/8GB RAM+128GB ROM Redmi K30 Pro variants at unbeatable prices. Available in highly appealing blue, as well as white color options, the 6GB RAM+128GB ROM Redmi K30 Pro model has gone up for sale bearing a $499 price on Giztop.

Those willing to shell out a little more can go for the slightly larger model that ships with 8GB of RAM and offers 128GB of internal storage space, which is enough for you to save your favorite multimedia content. This model comes in four eye-catching color options including blue, gray, purple and white.

The irresistible Xiaomi Redmi K30 Pro sports an extra-large 6.67-inch AMOLED FHD+ display, with a fingerprint scanner embedded under the screen. The phone packs a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, along with a highly competent Adreno 650 GPU under the hood.

As far as the optics department is concerned, the Redmi K30 Pro features a quad camera setup comprising a 64MP, 13MP, 5MP, and a 2MP camera at the back. Upfront, the phone features a 20MP camera for selfies and video calling.

Furthermore, the K30 Pro runs MIUI 11 based on the Android 10 operating system (updating supported). The phone draws its juices from a 4700mAh battery that supports 33W Fast Flash Charge and it adopts a VC cooling system with 9 temperature sensors to restrict overheating while carrying out intensive tasks.

Moreover, you can use the K30 Pro to share your 4G data connection with family members and friends using compatible wireless devices. You can follow this link to check out more details about the recently-unveiled dual-SIM smartphone and place your order through Giztop.

The Gizmochina Coupons is a community that finds, reports and evaluates deals and coupons of Chinese products from online shops. Please visit it here to find more coupons to save money on mobiles and smart gadgets.

Buy Xiaomi Redmi K30 Pro

Apple shuts iPhone production in India due to the Coronavirus Pandemic

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Mar 25, 2020

Apple is following in the steps of Samsung as it is shutting down its production line that assembles iPhones in India. The move arrives after the Coronavirus pandemic pressures the local government to take drastic measures, reflecting on the smartphone industry as well.

For those unaware, the Indian Government has just implemented a three week long complete lockdown earlier this week. The step was taken to curb the further spreading of the viral outbreak which had originated from China. In just a short period of time, there have been confirmed cases of Coronavirus being found in upwards of 170 countries, with India already facing over 500 cases as well. Thus, the lockdown has been implemented prompting Indian citizens to stay confined to their homes.

Apple assembles a few of its iPhone models in India through known manufacturer’s Foxconn and Wistron. But according to a new report, Foxconn is shutting its operations until 14th April 2020. Wistron is also facing a similar dilemma and has confirmed its lockdown. As of right now, it is unknown as to why exactly the factory sites have been shut. It has either been in compliance with local authorities or after confirmed cases being found in the production lines. Both cases represent a dire state for Apple India.

Previously, we had reported on other electronics brands like Samsung, LG, Oppo and Vivo also facing a similar predicament. It seems like the effects are covering a wider base and that more sites will close down in the coming weeks. The COVID-19 virus has been one of the biggest outbreaks in recent history, so cautionary practices are all but expected.

It remains to be seen just how severely the economy and the smartphone industry as a whole is affected. Xiaomi, the most popular brand in India, will likely also suffer from these effects after the Foxconn production sites closed down. Fortunately for Apple, only older and previous generations of iPhones were made in India, so its latest offerings shouldn’t see a severe decline in the Southeast Asian country.

(Via)

Realme devices’ warranty period to initialize after SIM insertion until lockdown in India

By

Simranpal Singh

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Mar 25, 2020

The ongoing crisis throughout the globe has even affected the smartphone market. Many OEMs have postponed the launch of devices for a few months. Even, Realme has deferred the Realme Narzo series launch amid a 21-day nationwide lockdown across India. Moreover, some concerns about the smartphone warranty have propped up via Twitter. The customers are asking about the warranty period of the devices which are stuck with the lockdown announcement.

While answering one of such questions over Twitter, the Realme’s Chief Marketing Officer of Realme India, Francis Wang confirmed that the warranty will start from the day you insert SIM. Other details about the revised warranty policy are not yet available, but it is a welcome move from Oppo’s subbrand in such a grave situation.

Most of the global smartphone manufacturers are reeling under the ongoing lockdown across the country. Apart from Realme’s Narzo 10 and Narzo 10A, Vivo also postponed the launch of the upcoming Vivo V19 smartphone.

Additionally, Realme Narzo 10 series is expected to feature a 6.5-inch HD+ resolution display with a 20:9 aspect ratio. Both the devices will come with 5000 mAh batteries supporting 18W fast charging. There will be different storage variants that include 4GB RAM + 128 GB Storage. IN optics, the smartphone is set to feature a 16-megapixel front camera and a 48-megapixel quad-camera module.

Meizu 17 image reveals its horizontal quad camera setup

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Mar 25, 2020

In April, Meizu will be unveiling its Meizu 17 flagship phone. The Snapdragon 865 powered device will be the Chinese manufacturer’s first device to arrive with 5G capabilities. Couple of leaks that have appeared in the recent past have revealed vital information on its specs and features. Today, a tipster from China shared a live shot of the white colored Meizu 17 phone. It showcases the horizontally aligned quad camera system of the device.

The Meizu 17 live shot shows that it has a horizontal camera setup on the upper half of its rear. It has four cameras and the lasts one is decorated with an LED flash ring. A previously leaked render of the phone had showed that it features a horizontal rear camera system and a punch-hole display. The newer reports contradict early rumors that had claimed that the phone will be sporting an Oreo camera setup.

Editor’s Pick: Honor shares a Camera Sample of Honor 30S, Will feature new improved ISP and Noise Reduction tech

Meizu 17 specifications

Previous reports have revealed that the Meizu 17 will be arriving with a punch-hole display. It is rumored to house a 6.4-inch or 6.5-inch AMOLED display. The small-sized camera cutout is said to be surrounded a battery indicator LED. The phone is expected to impress with screen space as it features slim bezels. It may offer an aspect ratio of 19.5:9.

The Snapdragon 865 powered phone may feature 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128 GB of built-in storage (UFS 3.0). The device could be backed by a 4,500mAh battery. It may carry support for 30W fast charging and 30W fast wireless charging.

Official: EMUI 10.1 will debut on Huawei P40 Series

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Mar 25, 2020

Huawei is gearing up to unveil the P40 series on March 26, which happens to be tomorrow. Now, just a day ahead of the launch, the company confirms the debut of EMUI 10.1 on these smartphones. This goes in line with a report from last month which suggested the same.

The EMUI official account on Weibo posted a teaser poster for EMUI 10.1. It mentions the new iteration of Huawei’s Android skin to be announced alongside the P40 series launch tomorrow. Unfortunately, the teaser image does not reveal features of the upcoming new version of UI. Instead, it simply says ‘Wisdom, Wonderful Unlimited’ (translated).

If you look back at the history of EMUI releases, we can clearly get the picture that the new improved x.1 version of the software have been debuting on the Huawei P series for the last two years. For example, EMUI 8.1 debuted on P20 series, followed by EMUI 9.1 on P30 series, and now we will get to see EMUI 10.1 on the upcoming P40 series.

However, we are uncertain of the new features and improvements it will come with. Last year’s EMUI 9.1 brought new notable features like EROFS file system, GPU Turbo 3.0, and ARK compiler. This time around, the company may bring features related to HMS (Huawei Mobile Services) core, which the company depends upon to sell its devices in global markets.

Realme CMO: All Flagship models in 2020 will feature a High refresh rate

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Mar 25, 2020

Earlier today (25th March 2020), a senior Realme official had confirmed that every flagship smartphone model being released in 2020, will feature a high refresh rate display panel. The news was shared on Weibo, the Chinese microblogging website.

The announcement arrived from Xu Qi, the Vice President and President of Global Marketing of Realme, and ramps up the anticipation for its 2020 flagships. Previously, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer had launched the Realme X50 Pro on 12th March 2020, which featured a 6.44 inch Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a screen sampling rate of 180Hz. Being the flagship handset, it even sported Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 SoC and other top notch specs.

While a higher refresh rate translates to better user experience in terms of daily usage, media, and gaming, the drawbacks are clear with a faster battery drain. We have already seen such an example with the Redmi K30 Pro, which is the flagship but has a standard 60Hz display unlike the 120Hz found in the base K30 variant. So, we will have to wait and see just how well the implementation actually is and how high Realme’s plans on outputting it display panels.

The likely option is above at least 75Hz. So, a 90Hz display may be the go to option. However, this is just speculation and Realme could possibly also opt for a 120Hz display to trump its competition. Although this is again unconfirmed so take it with a grain of salt. More information should arrive soon as well, stay tuned.

Lenovo Legion gaming phone renders leaked

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Mar 25, 2020

Lenovo is prepping up a new gaming-focused phone called Lenovo Legion Gaming Phone. It is powered by the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform and it is expected to arrive with 55W fast charge technology. Pricebaba has shared the renders of the Lenovo Legion phone that it came across through the CNIPA Chinese patent website. The images seem to showcase the upcoming Lenovo gaming phone from all angles.

The images suggest that the Lenovo Legion gaming phone will be arriving in Red and Grey color editions. The large-sized Legion logo on the backside of the phone seems to be integrated with an LED. The handset appears to be sporting a unibody metal design.

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There are three rear-facing cameras on the Lenovo Legion gaming phone. There seems to be a small opening with “cool” text near which suggests that the phone could be equipped with a liquid cooling solution.

Editor’s Pick: Lenovo Xiaoxin Pro 13 2020 with GeForce MX350 to go on sale on March 24

The renders seem to belong to an early prototype of the Lenovo Legion phone. This could be the reason why the handset is imprinted with Snapdragon 855. There is a possibility that the final product may come with a modified design.

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Around the edges, there is a toggle key probably for high performance gaming and shoulder buttons and a USB-C port for conveniently charging while playing games. There is another USB-C port on the bottom side of the smartphone. The display of the phone has almost equal-sized upper and lower bezels which could assist in comfortably gripping the device. A selfie camera is available on the top bezel. The device is rumored to be backed by a 5,050mAh battery.

Readers are advised to digest the above leak with a grain of salt as the images could belong to an early prototype.

(via)

Honor shares a Camera Sample of Honor 30S, Will feature new improved ISP and Noise Reduction tech

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Mar 25, 2020

Honor will launch the Honor 30S mid-range 5G smartphone on March 30 in China. Ahead of the release, the brand has been teasing the specs and design of the phone. Now, the Vice President of Honor brand, who is known as ‘Honor Bear’ on Weibo posts a camera sample of the device touting the capabilities of new ISP present in the HiSilicon Kirin 820 5G chipset.

The VP of Honor posted the above picture online, which he says comes from the upcoming Honor 30S. The picture also has the device’s watermark confirming it to feature a quad-camera setup like any other smartphone these days. According to him, the image shot from the device has vivid colors and finer details that are visible even after zooming in. He also mentions the presence of new ‘ISP 5.0’ and ‘industry-leading BM3D SLR image noise reduction technology’ in Kirin 820 5G SoC to be responsible for extraordinary imaging performance on the Honor 30S.

In case you have missed, the forthcoming Honor 30S will be the debut smartphone for the Kirin 820 5G chipset. According to a recent Geekbench scorecard shared on Weibo, the Kirin 820 5G will be faster than the Kirin 980 flagship SoC from 2018. Also, an AnTuTu benchmark graph revealed it to score better than its closest competitor, the Snapdragon 765G 5G chipset by Qualcomm.

Royole announces Flexpai 2, features a better foldable display

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Mar 25, 2020

Foldable smartphones have been a trend since early 2019. Although many accredited Samsung for making the innovative step, it was actually Royole that was the first to launch a foldable smartphone. And now, the company has just unveiled the Flexpai 2, the successor to the first smartphone with a flexible display.

Royole Flexpai 2 features the 3rd generation Cicada wing, which is basically a fancier term for the company’s flexible display panel. The latest iteration features various improvements over its predecessor and now has a smaller crease and bend radius. This also allows for an increase in brightness, contrast and offers a better viewing angle.

Under the hood, Royole Flexpai 2 houses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 SoC alongside the X55 5G modem. Its display is a 7.8 inch screen with a 4:3 ration when fully opened. It also features the latest LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.0 storage as well. Unfortunately, details regarding its battery capacity are still unknown, but that is to be expected since there is still time for the device officially launches.

In the conference, Royole officials showcased the display, which was the highlighting part of the event. The improvements in technology was boasted, rightly so, and the panel has reportedly withstood 200,000+ bends without sustaining any damage. This new flexible panel features nearly 100 micro nanomaterials that improve the strain recovery and “layer peeling.” In other words, there are less chances of creases and bubbles forming when the device is unfolded.

According to Royole, the Flexpai 2’s new Cicada Wing will feature 1.3x better color gamut and 500x the contrast, thanks to its high quality LCD panel. The handset will also feature a unique custom designed display driver that is integrated in the circuit chip. On the other hand, the display panel can be folded in multiple directions and even rolled on its own, showcasing the advancements in the flexible display field.

Royole Flexpai 2 was showcased in an event in China by CEO Bill Liu, who also announced the company’s partnership with another electronics brand, ZTE. This may be indicative of ZTE using Flexpai’s technology, integrating the display in its own foldable smartphone series. However, that is just speculation. Thus, take it with a grain of salt. The Flexpai 2 is expected to launch in Q2 of 2020, so stay tuned.

(Via)

Xiaomi Mi 10 5G Pricing for the UK revealed, Will start from £700

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Mar 25, 2020

Xiaomi launched the Mi 10 series last month in China. The company is yet to debut it in international markets and even in India, whose launch dates are March 27 and 31 respectively. Also, it has been reported that the Chinese smartphone maker will be only selling the standard Mi 10 5G in global markets, leaving behind the Mi 10 Pro 5G exclusively for China. Now, a new report by TechRadar also reveals the UK pricing of the device.

The Mi series of smartphones by Xiaomi is the company’s premium lineup of smartphones. The smartphone maker has a number of sub-series in this lineup including Mi number series (primary flagships), Mi Note series (premium mid-rangers), and Mi Mix series (concept flagships). The Mi number series, which is currently in its 10th generation, consists of the Mi 10 5G and the Mi 10 Pro 5G in the Chinese market.

Now, as usual, the Mi 10 series will be made available in international markets like Europe and even India after a hiatus of four years since the Mi 5 in 2016. Although we know everything about these phones, their availability and pricing outside have been uncertain. But not anymore, as a report confirms the company will only sell the standard Mi 10 5G in global markets including Europe where the company launched both Mi 9 and Mi 9 Pro last year.

Additionally, the report also reveals the pricing of the Mi 10 5G for the UK. According to the report, the handset will cost £700 and £800 for the 128GB and 256GB storage variants respectively.

Unfortunately, it is not clear whether the 256GB variant will come with 12GB RAM or 8GB RAM as the base variant. Further, although the launch is set for March 27, it is still not clear when the device will be made available for purchase amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Source, Via)

Xiaomi VP: Coronavirus outbreak doesn’t severely affect its phone sales, talks about competition with Huawei

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Mar 25, 2020

During the online launch event from Redmi, the K30 Pro was finally unveiled. Alongside this a few more products were announced and also some interesting statements were made, in an interview right after the event. According to Lu Weibing, Xiaomi VP and Redmi GM, its phone market wasn’t affected severely by the recent epidemic and that the competition with Huawei is like a long drawn out war.

For those unaware, China had recently been hit with the Coronavirus outbreak which had led to various manufacturing sites and production lines being closed in the country. This had affected many businesses and suppliers as well and has also become a global pandemic with confirmed cases of infection in upwards of 170 countries. During this time, various economies and industries are expecting severe dips, but the Chinese tech giant thinks otherwise.

According to the Xiaomi VP, its smartphone market hasn’t been severely affected. Lu Weibing did mention that the offline stores had been shut in various regions and are seeing longer downtimes, but also said that its online portals are still operating and are actually seeing a rise at the time. He even accredited the Chinese government’s logistics as a very powerful supplementing factor during these difficult times; and the users’ that needed to upgrade their handsets.

The Xiaomi senior official briefly talked about its competition with Huawei as well. Lu mentioned that despite their inevitable fight for market share, he still respects Huawei for all its efforts and achievements. Furthermore, Huawei and Xiaomi had shared a lot of similar decisions for the layout of future and the growing AIoT platform, according to the Xiaomi VP. Notably, Lu Weibing even admitted to being a few steps behind Huawei and acknowledged the gap as its stands now, but this is a protracted war and the future may change in the next few years.

(Source)

OPPO Reno Ace 2 seemingly 3C certified with 65W fast charger

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Mar 25, 2020

The OPPO Reno Ace 2 is the next flagship phone from the company. The company’s Vice President Brian Shen confirmed this morning that the Reno Ace 2 will be debuting in April. A new OPPO phone that has a model number of PDHM00 has been certified by the 3C regulatory body of China. The listing suggest that it could be the upcoming Reno Ace 2 phone.

The PDHM00 was previously spotted at the database of Wi-Fi Alliance. The listing had revealed that it runs on Android 10 OS and it carries support for Wi-Fi 802.11ac.

The same PDHM00 OPPO phone has now appeared on the 3C authority in China. The listing confirms that it is a 5G-enabled device. The VCA7GACH / VCA7JACH charger carries support for up to 65W fast charger. The OPPO Reno Ace that had debut last year in October featured a 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging technology. Since the PDHM00 phone could be coming with the same charger as the Reno Ace, it could be the Reno Ace 2 smartphone. The handset is expected to be fueled by the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform.

Editor’s Pick: OPPO PDAM10 with punch-hole selfie, quad rear cameras certified by TENAA

The Reno Ace 2 live image that had surfaced recently had revealed that it will be flaunting a round-shaped camera module. The predecessor phone features a 48-megapixel vertical camera system. The Reno Ace 2 could be coming with improved quad cameras in its circular camera system.

The front design of the phone is still a mystery. The handset has a USB-C port and a pair of external speakers at its bottom. There is no confirmation on whether the phone features a 3.5mm audio jack.

Ulefone Armor 7E with 48MP triple rear camera unveiling soon

By

Simranpal Singh

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Mar 25, 2020

Ulefone is popularly known for its rugged phones, especially the Ulefone Armor series which is well-received across the globe due to the several merits it possesses. In order to further improve its Armor lineup, the company is on the verge to launch a new rugged smartphone Armor 7E. These Armor rugged phones help to remain connected with your loved ones if you’re on some adventure trip.

Ulefone Armor 7E offers enhanced specifications and features including a triple rear camera setup consisting of 48-megapixel primary and other two 2-megapixel sensors. The setup is more than enough to take ultra-clear and detailed photos in super-high resolution with the help of enhanced AI algorithms. A 16MP front shooter is present on the front to capture selfies and do video calling.

It comes powered with the latest Helio P90 processor offering more power efficiency, powerful performance, and enhanced AI processing. The smartphone comes coupled with 4G RAM with 128 GB internal storage. Moreover, the users can expand it up to 2TB via a TF card.

There’s a 6.3-inch waterdrop display offering 1080 x 2340 pixels resolution. A 5500 mAh battery with Qi 10W wireless charging is present on the board to keep the device running for longer periods. On the sensor’s front, the device consists of a heart rate sensor, NFC & Google Pay, and other necessary equipment. In connectivity, there’s a GPS + GLONASS + Beidou + Galileo, dual SIM support and global bands. Ulefone Armor 7E runs on Android 9.0 Pie.

It is an IP68/IP69K certified device and can sustain accidental splashes and rugged environments easily.

Ulefone Armor 7E will come on sale via AliExpress from March 27th for the special discounted price of $219. You can learn more about the device by heading to the official Ulefone website.

Nubia Red Magic 3S performs poorly in DxOMark Audio Review with an overall score of 50 points

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Mar 25, 2020

Nubia launched the Red Magic 3S gaming smartphone powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ in September of 2019. It comes with all the bells and whistles one wishes in a gaming-centric handset including shoulder triggers and active-liquid cooling with a turbo-fan. But unfortunately, the phone seems to have poor audio performance according to the latest review by DxOMark. It scores only 50 points and sits at the third position from the last but with an exceptional Artifacts performance.

DxOMark is well-known for its camera reviews but lately, they have also started testing audio on smartphones. The final score of their audio test is an average determined by the points scored by the phone in both playback and recording tests conducted by them under controlled lab conditions. Just last week, the company posted the audio review of Realme X2 Pro, which according to them has an exceptional playback volume. Now, they are back again with a review of Nubia Red Magic 3S, a gaming smartphone launched in the same month as the X2 Pro.

As per the tests performed by the DxOMark Audio team on Nubia Red Magic 3S, the device did not meet the standards of a gaming smartphone with a final score of 50 points. They found the playback from the speakers to be ‘heavily impaired by the narrowness of its frequency response’. This is because the phone highlights more on hollow midrange frequencies without outputting bass and high-end frequencies. As a result, the overall sound yield from the speakers is suppressed with poor performance in attack (percussion instruments like drums), bass precision, and localizability (location of audio in the overall soundscape).

nubia red magic 3s silver featured — Nubia Red Magic 3S Silver

Further, the review states that the wideness performance of the phone is only good while playing games. For those who do not know, wideness refers to ‘ability to render where sounds come from in recording’. Also, another major con of the phone’s speakers is the shifting of voice content to the right side rather than being balanced. However, the Nubia Red Magic 3S shines in one department unlike any other phone DxoMark Audio team has ever tested. And that is Artifacts performance with an impressive highest score of 89 points. This means the phone produces extremely clean sound with no audible noise or distortion even at high volume.

As far as recording capabilities are concerned, the Red Magic 3S performs even poorer than its playback performance. The voices recorded through the phone’s microphone sound come out canny as well as hissy. The recordings also have insufficient loudness, almost no spatial elements as the phone can only record in mono, and inferior background rendering due to aggressive noise canceling algorithm. Simply put, this phone has the worst recording capability than any handset DxOMark Audio team has tested so far.

(Source)

Facebook reportedly negotiating to acquire multi billion dollar stake in Reliance Jio

By

Jeet

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Mar 25, 2020

Social media giant Facebook is reportedly in talks with India’s latest entrant in the telecom sector, Reliance Jio, to acquire a multi-billion dollar stake in the company. It has also come to light that Google has also been in talks with Jio for the same.

As per the report from Financial Times citing two people aware of the development, Facebook was close to acquire 10 percent stake in Reliance Jio but the talks haven’t move forward because of the coronavirus outbreak.

If everything would have worked as planned, then the deal was set to be announced by the end of this month. However, with the disruption causes by the coronavirus and India going under lockdown for three weeks, the deal seems to have been stuck.

While Google and Facebook have been in talks with Jio for acquiring stake, Microsoft is already partnered with Reliance Jio as the company had said last year that it would provide cloud-computing services to the Mukesh Ambani-backed company.

As per the report, the deal with Facebook will help Jio’s parent company Reliance Industries Ltd achieve the goal of cutting debt to zero by March 2021. The company is also planning to sell a 20 percent stake in its refining business to Saudi Aramco as part of this exercise.

For Facebook, India is one of the biggest market with 328 million monthly users. The company’s instant messaging app WhatsApp has 400 million users in the country, most compared to any other market.

If the deal goes through, then it will mark the third investment for Facebook in India. In past one year, the company has invested $25 million in social commerce startup Meesho and around $15 million in ed-tech startup Unacademy.

Reliance Jio began its commercial operation in the second half of 2016 and so far, the company has upended the local telecom market by offering bulk of 4G data and free voice calls for six months. The firm’s entry led to price war within the sector to revise data plans and tariffs and several companies consolidated operations.

(Source)

Vivo S6 5G live shots showcase waterdrop notch display, Oreo camera setup

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Mar 25, 2020

The Vivo S6 5G smartphone is slated to go official on March 31. The entire specifications of the smartphone have leaked on TENAA along with its images. On Weibo, live shots of the Vivo S6 5G have appeared to reveal its design in real.

Vivo S6 5G live shots

The Vivo S6, the company’s first 5G selfie phone can be sporting a waterdrop notch display. Many smartphone OEMs are providing mid-range phones with the new punch-hole display design. The predecessor Vivo S5 from last year also flaunted a punch-hole screen. However, for the successor Vivo S6 phone, the Chinese firm has decided to use a waterdrop notch screen. The chin of the device is a bit thick while the remaining bezels are slim.

The backside of the Vivo S6 5G seems to feature a curved glass panel. There is a circular camera housing with an LED flash placed below it. The absence of rear-facing fingerprint reader is a good hint that its screen is embedded with the biometric sensor. The volume rocker and power key are available on the right spine of the phone.

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Vivo S6 5G specifications

The Vivo S6 5G has a 6.44-inch S-AMOLED 20:9 display that delivers 1080 x 2400 pixels. A 2.2GHz octa-core fuels the device with up to 8 GB of RAM. The phone will provide users with up to 256 GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot.

The handset will arrive with FunTouch OS 10 based Android 10 OS preinstalled. It has a 32-megapixel selfie camera and a 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad camera system. It has a minimum rated battery of 4,390mAh capacity. It may arrive with support for 18W fast charging.