Huawei Executive: Wi-Fi 6 phones are not as fast as the 2-year old Mate 20

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Feb 20, 2020

Volatility is a term generally used in different industries to measure the constant changes. But no other industry is as volatile as the smartphone business which has new advancements keeping OEMs on their toes. In this market, a company must either adapt to new technology quickly and include them in their offerings or fear being left behind. Wi-Fi 6 technology is one of these latest advancements but a Huawei executive has stated that it is not worth the upgrade.

After the Xiaomi Mi 10 series launched, it seems like 2020 would set a standard of smartphones arriving with the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard. Many users believed that through this new technology even USB 3.0 is rendered obsolete thanks to its faster data transfer capabilities. Theoretically, Wi-Fi 6 can achieve 150MB/s but according to Bruce Lee, the Product Manager at Huawei Technologies, that is not the case.

The senior executive went on Weibo, a Chinese microblogging website, to share his views on the topic. He mentioned that the current Wi-Fi 6 technology which is featured in most smartphones can only reach up to 1200Mbps (MegaBits) while the highest recorded is around 900Mbps. This implies that these smartphones cannot achieve 150MB/s (MegaBytes) data transfer speeds. In simpler terms, although Wi-Fi 6 has great potential, its current iterations are not as impressive as they are made out to be.

To elaborate further and prove his point, Lee revealed his own WiFi connection using his Huawei Mate 20. His device reached 1733Mbps which makes it technically faster than the smartphones featuring Wi-Fi 6. This may also imply that the Huawei P40 series or other flagship grade smartphones from the Chinese tech giant being launched later during this year might not feature the newer standard. But, it wouldn’t be surprising if the company does actually add the feature later down the road.

Huawei will host Flagship Launch event on 24th February, may unveil Mate Xs

By

Sean

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Feb 20, 2020

In the wake of the MWC 2020 being canceled in Barcelona, many OEMs are now looking at independent methods of promotion. The Mobile World Congress is a major event in which company’s across the globe host their respective launch events or concept teasers. Thus, the cancellation leaves a gap between the expectations of the people and the various brands. Hence, Huawei is now planning on hosting a special launch event on the 24th of February 2020.

According to a series of Weibo posts (Chinese microblogging website) from Huawei, the company plans on hosting a special launch event. The three posts which were shared arrive in quick succession and revealed that three different flagship products will be launched at the conference. These include a smartphone, a tablet, and a notebook as well. From what we know so far, the flagship launches are expected to be the Huawei Mate Xs, Huawei Matepad Pro 5G and the 2020 Mate X Pro.

The Mate Xs is likely to be the signature launch in this event as it has been highly anticipated and hyped smartphones. It will be the successor to the original Mate X which was launched in 2019 and will feature improvements across the board. Previously, certain details regarding the upcoming foldable smartphone were revealed to be an improvement on the hinge mechanism, a faster processor (Kirin 990 5G SoC) and a better flexible display.

Furthermore, the MatePad Pro 5G and the Mate X Pro are other welcomed entries from Huawei. The former will feature 5G networking which is still uncommon in the tablet market while the latter will be a laptop sporting the latest hardware which is currently available. So stay tuned for the launch event and any additional information as well.

Here’s how OnePlus’ camera designs have changed over the years (VIDEO)

By

Sean

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Feb 20, 2020

In recent years, OnePlus has cemented its spot in the smartphone industry. The relatively young smartphone manufacturer has grown significantly in Southeast Asia and is seeing growth even in the European regions as well. One of the company’s many strong suits was undoubtedly its flexibility and quick adoption of new trends and technologies, with none other than camera technology being an important part of it.

A passionate OnePlus fan on Weibo who goes by the name of Xiao Kanmei (@小侃妹) shared a video on the Chinese microblogging website that presented every OnePlus smartphone ever launched. It showcased the company’s different designs and the changes over the years and the post was even recognized by OnePlus as well. Looking at the video, OnePlus smartphones ls starting from the OnePlus One to the latest OnePlus 7T Pro and the Concept One device can be seen.

Changes in Functionality

Starting from the first ever released smartphone to OnePlus 3/3T, the company had launched handsets with a single camera on the rear. A few notable inclusions in the technology used was the OnePlus 2‘s laser autofocus and OIS on the OnePlus 3 series. After the 3rd generation, however, the company rapidly shifted to the dual camera setup, with the OnePlus 5 featuring the telephoto lens. The additional sensor opened the doors for portrait photography that has since become a staple in the company’s offerings.

Oddly, the devices that followed OnePlus 5 never featured a secondary camera that offered a separate function since, until the OnePlus 7 Pro launched back in 2019. The smartphone arrived with a triple camera module, a first for the company, and featured a primary sensor, ultra wide angle lens, and the telephoto lens as well. From then on, other releases like the OnePlus 7T and 7T Pro also offered a similar setup, apart from the base OnePlus 7 variant that offered just a depth sensor, similar to the ones found in OnePlus 6/6T.

Design

When looking at the design, the early years of OnePlus had the company experiment heavily with its format and structure of a smartphone. Each generation had a very different design from the last, with the camera going from the center middle, top left, just the middle and more. But with the recent generations from the OnePlus 6 series to the 7 and 7T series, a mature and recognizable design of stacked cameras in the middle can be observed.

However, the company is known to be flexible with its design and that might soon change in the upcoming 8th iterations. One particular smartphone that stood out was the OnePlus Concept One. The handset isn’t a commercially available product from the OEM but was developed to tease a new vanishing camera technology. In other words, the lens at the back disappears when not in use.

All in all, OnePlus has grown impressively as a smartphone brand, especially in India where it is the market leader in the premium smartphone segments. Furthermore, its 2020 lineup is also expected to arrive with various improvements and we are looking forward to seeing what new features and designs OnePlus has in store for us.

(Source)

Buy Xiaomi Miaomiaoce Digital Thermometer Hygrometer for Just $14.99 from GeekBuying

By

Vinay Patel

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Feb 20, 2020

Household items such as can openers, coffee makers, cooking utensils, etc are considered important come in handy in day to day life, while there are some equally-essential household goods such as the thermometer hygrometer that we rarely consider purchasing due to the steep price tags these items usually carry.

If you are searching for an inexpensive hygro thermometer (a combination of the hygrometer and a thermometer) alternative that doesn’t disappoint in terms of performance, you have come to the right place. As part of its latest flash deals, GeekBuying is now offering the Xiaomi Miaomiaoce Digital Thermometer Hygrometer for a lowered price.

This digital thermometer hygrometer from Xiaomi is designed to measure the temperature, as well as the humidity of the room. The device then shows these calculated parameters on an e-ink display, which also preserves battery power to ensure it runs up to a year on just a single charge.

The aforesaid e-ink display utilizes a 3D curved display screen, which is further adorned with eye-catching curved edges. Furthermore, the Xiaomi Digital Thermometer Hygrometer shows six types of notifications which represent the state of the room in the form of facial expressions on the screen, helping you to better protect the health of your loved ones.

As mentioned earlier, GeekBuying is currently offering the Xiaomi Miaomiaoce Digital Thermometer Hygrometer for a lowered price, allowing even cost-conscious buyers to take advantage of this highly-advantageous device. While it usually retails for $23.96, the Chinese e-tailer is giving you a chance to purchase the Xiaomi Digital Thermometer Hygrometer for a lowered price of just $ 14.99.

In addition to receiving this 37 percent discount, you can get an extra 2 percent discount by applying the New User Coupon at checkout, provided this is your first order with GeekBuying. To place your order now, simply follow this link. Note that the flash deal is slated to end in just one day.

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.

Xiaomi Miaomiaoce Digital Thermometer Hygrometer

Xiaomi patents a two in one SIM and Memory Card, offers 5G and Storage

By

Sean

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Feb 20, 2020

As the industry is moving towards 5G networking, the faster bandwidth speeds also open up possibilities of larger downloads as well. Now, a person can easily stream 4K movies or even download them, but the cost of memory on a smartphone could be a lot over time. Nowadays, it is uncommon for smartphones to arrive with slots for additional memory but Xiaomi may soon change the entire game.

According to a patent, the Chinese tech giant is developing a 5G SIM card that is capable of both networking and serving storage functions as well. Notably, this technology is not an entirely new concept and was first seen back in 2019 from a different company. However, it seems like Xiaomi has also taken an interest in this technology and is planning on developing one of its own.

The new patent from the popular smartphone manufacturer details a memory card which also serves as a SIM card. Thus, it also makes it quite similar to the “super” SIM card which was first introduced by Ziguang last year. To allow for both functionalities, the technology features a memory card technology on one side and components for a SIM card on the back.

Xiaomi — The patent reveals a SIM card on the bottom while the front carries storage features

The implications of this technology could be massive in the smartphone industry. While a few OEMs offer additional memory in their dual hybrid SIM card slots, the higher end flagship smartphones generally skip this feature but provide larger internal storage. But the new technology could be a smarter way of future proofing the need for additional storage on any device. Furthermore, it also would allow for easier migration of data for a user when switching smartphones.

(Via)

Buy Teclast P10HD 4G Phablet for a Lowered Price of Just $109.99 from Gearbest

By

Vinay Patel

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Feb 20, 2020

Gearbest is one of China’s most reliable e-tailers that offers a wide range of products across multiple categories including smartphones, tablets, phablets and more at unbeatable prices. Staying true to the aforesaid reputation, Gearbest is now doling out a noteworthy discount on the Teclast P10HD phablet.

The 3GB RAM+32GB ROM Teclast P10HD variant would normally set you back $159.99, but you can purchase it for a lowered price of just $109.99 through Gearbest. This converts to a 31 percent discount that will be valid for the black color option.

The irresistible Teclast P10 HD 4G Phablet sports an easy-to-read 10.1 inch Full HD IPS screen with a high resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. This display is integrated with the AI intelligent image algorithm and it has 7mm thin bezel with a touch panel.

The phablet is housed in a sturdy metal body that makes it comfortable to carry even for a longer period. Under the hood, it packs a powerful Spreadtrum SC9863A 8 Core 1.6GHz processor along with a highly competent Power VR RogueGE8322 GPU, which delivers a better experience in playing games and watching videos as compared to its predecessors. The processor consumes less power but delivers high performance.

The Teclast P10 HD is a single-SIM phablet that supports the TDD+FDD 4G network for an uninterrupted calling experience. It features big speakers for large volumes and immersive experience whether you are listening to your favorite soundtrack, playing a game or simply watching a video.

Furthermore, the phablet runs Android 9.0 Pie OS and is backed by a 6000mAh large capacity battery that delivers a video playback of up to 10 hours. It also houses a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front-mounted camera for video calling.

You can follow this link to check out more details about the Teclast P10HD phablet and place your order. With more than 600 units sold at the time of writing, the promo is slated to end in four days.

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.

Teclast P10HD 10.1 inch 4G Phablet

Vivo Z6 5G mid-range smartphone to go official in China on February 29

By

Jeet

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Feb 20, 2020

After several rumors related to the Vivo Z6 5G smartphone, the company has today finally confirmed that the Vivo Z6 5G smartphone will get launched in its home country China at an event on 29th February.

Since Vivo has positioned the Z-series of smartphones as mid-range, we expect the upcoming Vivo Z6 5G to be a mid-range pricing and thus, its pricing should not exceed 2,000 yuan, roughly $285.

The company has already created a landing page for the device and has started taking pre-orders for the same. Those who pre-order the Vivo Z6 5G by 28th February will be getting XE900 Headphones for free.

The poster for announcing the phone’s launch date reveals that the smartphone will come with a punch-hole display where the cut-out for the front-facing camera sensor will be located in the top-right corner.

Another teaser image of the smartphone confirms that it will come with PC-grade cooling support. With such feature, the company seems to be all set to compete the device against the likes of Xiaomi Mi 10, which is a premium smartphone.

The upcoming Vivo Z6 5G is confirmed to come powered by the newly announced Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC which packs X55 5G modem. This is the same chipset that powers the Redmi K30 5G from Xiaomi.

The phone’s render on the landing page shows that it will come with a quad-camera setup on the back in which the sensors are placed inside a rectangular camera module, accompanied by an LED flash.

It has also been revealed that the device will come powered by a 5,000mAh battery along with support for 44W fast charging technology. The handset, which features a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, is expected to run Android 10 out-of-the-box and will come with Dual 4G VoLTE as well as dual-mode SA/NSA 5G connectivity.

Huawei teases new MateBook launch for its February 24 virtual event

By

Jeet

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Feb 20, 2020

Huawei was expected to launch a number of products at the Mobile World Congress 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. However, with MWC 2020 getting cancelling due to coronavirus outbreak, the Chinese giant announced that it will host a Virtual Press Event on 24th February.

The company is expected to launch the same devices at this virtual event as the company had initially planned for the the MWC 2020. Now, Huawei has shared a new teaser poster which hints at the launch of a new MateBook device.

While the poster clearly hints at a laptop, the company has not yet revealed what it will be be launching. However, the laptop device in question is most likely to be the upgraded Huawei MateBook X Pro 2020.

Along with teasing the launch of a new laptop, the company has also shared a teaser poster hinting at a new tablet launch. The caption of the teaser poster reads: “Every inspiration has the opportunity to grow into creativity, every idea has the potential to change the world, and it will give both hands the power to rebuild creativity with a strong core.” While nothing has been confirmed, the tablet could come powered by the company’s own Kirin 990 SoC.

In its Virtual Press Conference, Huawei will screen a pre-recorded keynote at the event in Barcelona, followed by a demo experience on-site. Along with the new laptop and tablet, we have confirmed that the company will be launching a new foldable smartphone.

The foldable smartphone could be the Huawei Mate Xs which the company’s CEO Richard Yu had confirmed last year to feature better processor (Kirin 990 5G), an improved display and an upgraded hinge mechanism. The phone will come with some changes in its design that’ll make it more compact and durable.

(Via)

Buy Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop for Just $313.50 from Amazon

By

Vinay Patel

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Feb 20, 2020

If you are looking for a reliable laptop for regular use around the home or office, the Acer Aspire 5 might just fill the bill. Designed to meet your everyday computing needs, this thinner, lighter laptop is portable and powerful.

Housed in a thin body, the Acer Aspire 5 features a sandblasted aluminum top cover, which makes it a perfect travel companion. Before we dive further into more details, it might interest you to know that you can now buy this travel-friendly laptop for a lowered price from Amazon.

Integrated with 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 128GB SSD storage, the Acer Aspire 5 would normally set you back $349.99, but you can now get your tech-greedy hands on it for an unbeatable price of just $313.50 from Amazon. This 10 percent off enables you to save $36.49.

With the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Mobile Processor under its hood, the Aspire 5 can efficiently handle all sorts of complex tasks. It sports an eye-catching 15.6-inch Full HD IPS screen, while the thin bezels offer more space for you to work with.

It packs Radeon Vega 3 Graphics for power-packed performance and enhanced battery life. Keeping those who fancy listening to their favorite soundtracks on the go, the Aspire 5 comes with Acer TrueHarmony that brings deeper bass and increased volume using the innovative speaker design.

In terms of connectivity, the Acer Aspire 5 laptop offers a wide range of ports such as HDMI, USB 3.1 and USB 2.0, delivering a more stable wireless signal with 2×2 802.11ac. Furthermore, it features a backlit keyboard that allows you to work comfortably even in dim conditions.

Furthermore, the Aspire 5 introduces Windows 10 in S mode, which is touted as a locked-down Windows operating system. It enables you to install apps from the App Store and browse the internet with Microsoft Edge.

To know more about the Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop and to place your order, simply follow this link without wasting time.

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.

Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G smartphone to go on sale again on 25th February

By

Jeet

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Feb 20, 2020

Xiaomi’s newly launched flagship smartphone Mi 10 first went on sale in China on 14th February and was sold out within a minute. The phone is again scheduled to go on sale in its home country on 21st February at 10:00 AM.

A couple of days ago, the company started sale of the Mi 10 Pro smartphone which was revealed to have been sold out within 55 seconds, which is five seconds earlier than the first sale of Mi 10.

It was also reported that similar to the sale of Mi 10, the company generated revenue of 200 million yuan with the sale of Mi 10 Pro. Now, the company has announced that the Mi 10 Pro will again go on sale in China on 25th February.

This new announcement from Xiaomi puts rumors related to the supply chan issues with the Mi 10 series to rest. Earlier, Pan Jiutang, Partner of Xiaomi Industry Investment Department, had suggested that the new flagship lineup could be sort on quantity for a couple of weeks given the situation in China because of coronavirus outbreak.

To remind you of the specifications, the Xiaomi Mi 10 comes with a 6.67-inch curved AMOLED display with 2340 x 1080 pixels screen resolution, a 90Hz refresh rate. The peak brightness on the panel reaches 1200 nits with a contrast of 5,000,000:1.

Under the hood, the device comes powered by Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 865 chipset, coupled with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and UFS 3.0 storage. Thanks to SD865 SoC, the phone comes with support for both SA and NSA dual-mode 5G connectivity.

As for cooling, the phone comes with Vapour Chamber liquid-cooling system with multiple layers of graphite and AI machine learning to keep the temperature under control. The company is also offering a special cooling fan as a separate accessory.

Coming to the camera department, the Mi 10 Pro comes with a quad-camera setup on the back, consisting of 108MP primary sensor, a 20MP ultra-wide-angle lens, an 8MP telephoto lens, and a 12MP portrait lens. On the front side, it features a 20MP camera sensor for taking selfies and video calling.

For connectivity, the Mi 10 series features support for Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, dual-mode 5G, and NFC. The Pro variant comes running Android 10, is powered by a 4,500mAh battery which comes with 50W wired fast charging and 30W wireless fast charging as well as support for 10W reverse wireless charging.

Nubia Red Magic 5G spotted on Geekbench in 8GB and 12GB RAM variants

By

Jeet

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Feb 20, 2020

Nubia was all set to launch its next-generation gaming smartphone named Nubia Red Magic 5G at the Mobile World Congress 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. However, the launch is now postponed as the MWC 2020 has been cancelled.

The company has said that it will soon announce a new launch date for the smartphone in the coming days or weeks but so far we haven’t heard any regarding this. It seems that instead of global launch, the Nubia Red Magic 5G smartphone will first launch in China and then make its way to other markets.

Ahead of the official launch, the smartphone has now appeared on Geekbench benchmarking platform, which has revealed some key specifications about the phone. It reveals that the device has codenames SUPER_DEVICE and SuperCharger SC-B0. The tipster also claims that the phone will come with 2K resolution display.

With those model numbers, Geekbench 4 has listed two variants of the smartphone packing 8GB RAM and 12GB RAM. The 8GB RAM model has scored 4,308 points in single-core and 13,537 in the multi-core test while the 12GB RAM model has scored 4,333 points in single-core and 13,489 points in the multi-core test.

Nubia’s president and co-founder Ni Fei had earlier confirmed that the Red Magic 5G will be the “world’s first 144Hz 5G gaming phone”. It was also revealed that the phone will come powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC along with Snapdragon X55 modem for dual-mode SA and NSA 5G connectivity.

As per the leaks, the smartphone is expected to be the first to come with a massive 16GB of RAM in its top-end variant. It was previously revealed that the phone will have LPDDR5 RAM, which will be supplied by Samsung.

Recent image leak of the phone’s About section reveals that the smartphone is running the latest Android 10 operating system out of the box with a custom Redmagic OS version 3.0 user interface, along with January 2020 security patch. The smartphone is also said to have triple rear cameras, Wi-Fi 6, 240Hz touch sampling rate, and a built-in cooling fan.

(Via)

Xiaomi 5G smartphone with 33W fast charging passed certification; could be Redmi K30 Pro

By

Jeet

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Feb 20, 2020

Xiaomi has been launching new smartphones at regular intervals and now after launching the Redmi K30, it seems that the company is all set to launch another smartphone in its home country, that too with 5G support.

Two Xiaomi smartphones with model numbers M2001J11E and M2001J11C have passed through 3C certification process. This comes just a day after a power adapter with 33W fast charging support was passed, which will be bundled with the phone.

While the listing for the certification doesn’t reveal the name of the smartphone, it is likely to be the Redmi K30 Pro smartphone. It is also being reported that the Redmi K30 Pro will come with an OLED full-screen display.

As for the camera department, it will come with Sony IMX686 “Oreo” camera module in what is expected to be a quad-camera setup. The phone has also appeared on Geekbench, which reveals that it is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC with dual-mode SA and NSA 5G support, and is paired with 8GB of RAM.

The 33W fast charging support is also in line with the previous leak in which it was reported that the phone will come powered by a 4,700mAh battery, a bit larger compared to the 4,500mAh battery in Redmi K30.

Also, the Redmi K30 Pro may not come with a punch-hole display and instead the smartphone may come with a pop-up front-facing camera system, similar to the one we saw on its predecessor Redmi K20 Pro.

Lu Weibing had earlier hinted that an LPDDR5 memory-packing Redmi device was coming in Q1 2020 and claimed it to become the standard for flagship phones in this 5G era. This could mean that the K30 Pro could also come with LPDDR5 RAM.

(Via)

Realme C3 vs Redmi 8A Dual vs Oppo A31: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Feb 19, 2020

A few days after the Realme C3 and its dual camera setup, Redmi launched a new variant of one of its most affordable entry-level smartphones in order to compete with the new budget phone: Redmi 8A Dual, which mounts a dual camera as well. Now, Realme came up with another variant of the C3 boasting a triple camera. It seems there is a war between the two brands launched by Oppo and Xiaomi to conquer the entry-level segment. That is why we think it is worth comparing the Realme C3 and Redmi 8A Dual. We also brought Oppo A31 2020 in the comparison since it is another entry-level device launched recently which offers complementary features to the above-mentioned ones.

Oppo Realme C3 vs Xiaomi Redmi 8A Dual vs Oppo A31

	Oppo A31	Oppo Realme C3	Xiaomi Redmi 8A Dual
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	163.9 x 75.5 x 8.3 mm, 180 grams	164.4 x 75 x 9 mm, 195 grams	156.5 x 75.4 x 9.4 mm, 188 grams
DISPLAY	6.5 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD	6.5 inches, 720 x 1560p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD	6.22 inches, 720 x 1520p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	MediaTek Helio P35, octa-core 2.3 GHz	Mediatek Helio G70, octa-core 2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, octa-core 1.95 GHz
MEMORY	4 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot	2 GB RAM, 32 GB – 3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD dedicated slot	2 GB RAM, 32 GB – 3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD dedicated slot
SOFTWARE	Android 9 Pie, Color OS	Android 10, Realme UI	Android 9 Pie, MIUI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS
CAMERA	Triple 12 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.4 and f/2.4 8 MP f/2.0 front camera	Triple 12 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8 and f/2.4 5 MP f/2.4 front camera	Dual 13 + 2 MP f/2.2 and f/2.4 8 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY	4230 mAh	5000 mAh, battery charging 10W	5000 mAh, fast charging 18W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot, reverse charging, splash resistant	Dual SIM slot, splash resistant, reverse charging

Design

In the segment of budget phones with a so affordable price, you can not expect premium materials. All of these devices are made of plastic, so you do not get the most premium design experience. But they are still pretty nice with their narrow bezels and waterdrop notches. Realme C3 and Redmi 8A Dual are both splash resistant, while Oppo A31 is not. Redmi 8A Dual is a way more compact device, so you may be interested to know that it is easier to use with one hand and to keep in a pocket. That is exactly why it would be my choice if we exclude the fact that it has a smaller display.

Display

All IPS displays, with HD+ resolutions: nothing special, but they all provide decent image quality and a high brightness. Oppo A31 and Realme C3 come with a wider 6.5-inch panel, but they have a lower pixel density due to this. Redmi 8A Dual has a smaller display and a higher pixel density, but the resolution is the same. These displays are more or less at the same level, we do not recommend to make your choice basing on them. Instead, you should take care of all the other specifications.

Specs & Software

Realme C3 is the most amazing phone when it comes to the hardware side. The MediaTek Helio G70 is stronger than both the Snapdragon 439 and the Helio P35 found on the Redmi 8A Dual and Oppo A31. The Snapdragon 439 is better than the Helio P35, but there is a huge gap between it and the Helio G70. The Helio G70 is currently the best chipset you can find on a device with a so affordable price. But consider that you get more internal storage with the Oppo A31: 128 GB. Realme C3 is the only one with Android 10 out of the box. The Realme C3 wins in this section of the comparison.

Camera

Realme C3 and Oppo A31 have a superior rear camera department if we compare them to the Redmi 8A Dual. They both come with a 12 MP triple camera including a 12 MP main sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, a 2 MP macro camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. Despite we are talking about the same camera departments, Oppo A31 wins the camera comparison because it boasts a better 8 MP selfie camera. Even Redmi 8A Dual has a better selfie camera than Realme C3, but its rear cameras are inferior on the paper.

Battery

Realme C3 and Redmi 8A Dual pack huge 5000 mAh batteries, while Oppo A31 has a smaller (but still great) 4230 mAh unit. We believe Redmi 8A Dual will last more on a single charge since it has a smaller display. Further, the Redmi 8A Dual has a faster charging technology.

Price

Redmi 8A Dual has an €80/$86 starting price, Realme C3 (in its triple camera variant) starts from €120/$130, and Oppo A31 costs €180/$195. Realme C3 looks like a better device thanks to its better chipset, but Redmi 8A Dual is more compact and it features faster charging speeds, so do not underestimate it. However, it lacks a fingerprint reader and it has inferior cameras, that is why I would choose the Realme C3. We did not award the Oppo A31 since its chipset is inferior to both and it has a smaller battery, but the presence of 128 GB of internal storage and great cameras may be very interesting for a good amount of potential buyers.

Read More: Xiaomi Redmi 8A with 6.2-inch HD+ display and 5000mAh battery launched in India

Oppo Realme C3 vs Xiaomi Redmi 8A Dual vs Oppo A31: PROs and CONS

Xiaomi Redmi 8A Dual

PROs

Very affordable
Huge battery
Reverse charging
Compact
Splash resistant

CONS

No fingerprint reader

Oppo Realme C3

PROs

Amazing performance
Splash resistant
Android 10 out of the box
Reverse charging
Huge battery

CONS

Nothing particular

Oppo A31

PROs

Better cameras
128 GB of internal storage
Lightweight

CONS

Inferior chipset

iQOO 3 4G variant is powered by the Snapdragon 865 processor

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Feb 19, 2020

iQOO has announced that its upcoming phone, the iQOO 3 will launch in 4G and 5G models. Earlier today, the manufacturer had an “immersion event” where it invited members of the press to come and have a hands-on experience of the device.

Some invited guests that got review units of the phone have been sharing photos on social media. While some got the 5G version others got the 4G version. We are sure a lot of our readers have been wondering what chipset powers the 4G version just like we have. It turns out the iQOO 3 4G is also powered by the Snapdragon 865 processor. Yes, you read that right.

The info was revealed by the Director of iQOO India, Gagan Arora, on Twitter.

It's the latest only. iQOO 3 will in 2 variants -4G and 5G and you have received the 4G variant. By the way, both variants have Snapdragon 865!

— Gagan Arora (@gagan_arora1) February 19, 2020

We are pretty surprised too since Qualcomm is only selling the Snapdragon 865 to manufacturers along with the Snapdragon X55 5G modem. So how is iQOO able to sell a 4G version of the phone with the SD865 processor?

The plausible explanation is that 5G support is deactivated on the device and since the modem supports multiple network types including 4G and 3G, everything is fine. That makes sense since manufacturers do this all the time especially with band support for phones launched in different regions.

Based on this info we want to know if you will purchase the 4G version or the 5G version of the phone.

(Source)

How to change Gmail Background/Theme?

By

Simranpal Singh

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Feb 19, 2020

Google’s Gmail is one of the most successful Google products to date. Gmail is serving millions of users with free email service supporting additional tools and features. It has ushered as the most popular email service throughout the last decade. Its minimalist design, lightweight console and easy accessibility over PC/Laptop/Smartphone are some primary reasons behind the success.

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Google has evolved the Gmail with new features and enhancements. Google Mail team recently added the Smart Compose feature that enhances the mail composing experience by saving time and eliminating the chance of errors. It offers 15 GB of free storage along with high-end security features. There are many other advantages of using Gmail over the other email services.

Benefits of Gmail

Free Online Storage: Google Mail offers 15GB of free online storage. It is sufficient to hold thousands of emails. Moreover, the same account can be shared with other Google services such as Google Drive, Google Photos, etc.
Undo Send: You can undo any sent email within the initial few seconds. It can save you from a ton of disappointment if inadvertently sent any mail. The user can select the cancellation time between 5, 10, 20 or 30 seconds.
Cross-Platform Support: Gmail is easily available through a web interface, Android and iOS App.
Support for Other Email Service: The dedicated Gmail App on Windows 10, Android and iOS support other email service providers also. The user can add Outlook, Yahoo or any other email service through the Gmail app.
Minimal and Useful UI: The major advantage of the Google Mail service is its lightweight and minimal User Interface. The user can send and receive mails at remote locations where Internet Speed crawls.
Auto Respond: It carries the inbuilt feature of auto-responses which comes handy when you’re away from work for some days.

There is a multitude of features that Gmail possed in the span of 16 years of its existence. The continuous progression led by adaption from users’ demands is eminent.

In today’s we will guide our readers on how they can change the Gmail background theme. Until a few years ago, it was only possible by changing the background image, but today Gmail has received support for different themes. The user can change the theme as per the need and can even arrange the list in different styles.

Change Gmail Background/Theme

It is quite an easy process to change Gmail’s background and theme. The user can choose from different theme categories like animals, cartoons, landscapes, etc. You can even add your own photo to blend it as desired.

Sign in to Gmail on the web browser.
Click on the setting panel or gear icon as illustrated in the image below, and then select ‘Themes’.
Different themes will appear, and on scrolling below you will find native Gmail theme, dark theme and some other presets.
You can even upload from ‘My Photos’ at the bottom.
Select the desired image or theme and press ‘Save’.
Enjoy!

We hope you’ve successfully changed the Gmail theme. If you got any queries, then let us know via the comments below.

Related: Guide to enable Gmail Dark Mode on old Android versions

Leaked photos reveal full specs of the iQOO 3 5G; render of orange variant surfaces

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 19, 2020

The iQOO 3 5G is an upcoming smartphone that will be unveiled next week in China. Ahead of the launch, photos that show the device, as well as key specs, have been published on the internet. A render showing the phone in orange has also been posted.

The images seem to have been taken at a pre-launch or launch rehearsal. According to the first photo, the iQOO 3 5G will have a Snapdragon 865 processor paired with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. Geekbench has revealed that there is a 12GB RAM version of the phone.

The image also shows the phone’s screen is called “Polar View Display” and it is a Super AMOLED panel. There is a hole at the top right corner of the screen for the selfie camera.

It is also stated that the iQOO 3 5G has what is called “Ergonomic Monster Touch Buttons”. It also has an Ultra Game Mode with features such as 180Hz Touch Response Rate, 4D Game Vibration, and what is termed Eagle Eye Display Enhancement.

Coming to optics, the iQOO 3 5G has 48MP quad rear cameras. An official poster released earlier today already revealed that and also mentioned that it has a 50mm portrait lens. The specs of the other three cameras and that of the front-facing camera were not stated.

The phone will have a 4400mAh battery and support for 55W Super Flash Charge. It also has Hi-Res Audio and a HiFi AK4377A PA amplifier. The phone will run iQOO UI with Monster Mode out of the box.

[envira-gallery id=”306129″]

The top image also shows the phone will come in three colors – Volcano Orange, Tornado Black, and Quantum Silver. A render of the orange variant leaked today too and it reveals some more details.

The iQOO 3 5G is not the first orange phone in recent times. The color was made popular last year with the launch of the Pixel 4 and the Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G. However, unlike Huawei and Google’s flagship phones, the iQOO 3 5G is not plain orange but has black spots all over. We can also see the power button is coated in a shade of orange.

iQOO 3 5G Volcano Orange — Image source: Weibo

The render reveals some details of the device such as the presence of an audio jack at the top of the phone. Other than the volume rocker and power button on the right side of the phone, the iQOO 3 also has a special button on the left side. This button is most likely for the AI assistant.

The other live photos are of the Tornado Black variant. We are not sure if the unit has already been set up but the last image shows the phone has apps such as Amazon, WPS Office, Flipkart, Facebook, and Opera installed.

The iQOO 3 5G launches in China on the 25th of February. It will also be announced in India.

(Source)

iQOO 3 5G smartphone to reportedly be priced under ₹45,000 in India

By

Jeet

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Feb 19, 2020

Vivo’s sub-brand for premium smartphones iQOO is debuting in the Indian market with the launch of iQOO 3 5G smartphone on 25th February. Ahead of the phone’s launch, the company has shared several key features and specs of the device.

Now, a new report claims that the iQOO 3 5G will be priced under ₹45,000 in India, which roughly converts to $629 while the 4G variant of the same phone will cost around ₹35,000 which is roughly $489.

As for the smartphone’s availability, it is reported that both the variants of the iQOO 3 smartphone will be available through online marketplace Flipkart as well as through offline stores across the country.

Earlier, it was said that when iQOO launches in India, it will initially sell devices through online channel and later make its way to offline market but looks like the company has reworked its strategy for the Indian market.

The TENAA listing of the iQOO 3 5G has revealed that the phone will come with a 6.44-inch S-AMOLED display with a punch-hole screen that will offer full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2,400 pixels, an aspect ratio of 20:9 and 120Hz refresh rate.

Under the hood, the device will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC along with 6/8/12 GB of RAM and could be the first smartphone in the world to arrive with the latest UFS 3.1 storage technology.

It will be running the latest Android 10 operating system out of the box. As for the camera, the device could come with a front-faxing camera of 16-megapixel while the rear shell of the device has a 48-megapixel quad-camera system.

Allegegd iQOO 3 (right) with purported OPPO Find X2 (left)

It has been confirmed that the device will come powered by a 4,440mAh battery along with support for 55W ultra-fast flash charge technology. It is claimed to charge the phone up to 50 percent in just 15 minutes.

As mentioned, iQOO 3 is set to debut on 25th February in China as well as India. We are expecting the company to launch a 4G-only variant as well, at least in the Indian market given that the 5G infrastructure deployment is yet to take place in India.

(Source)

The LG W10 Alpha is a new budget phone for India

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 19, 2020

The LG W10 Alpha (LMX210LMW) is a new budget smartphone for the Indian market but its price and specs may work against it when compared to the competition.

The W10 Alpha has a 5.71-inch display with a “RainDrop Notch” and a 19:9 aspect ratio. The resolution maxes out at HD+ but that should be fine for its size. It is powered by the UNISOC SC9863 processor, a 28nm chipset with eight Cortex-A55 cores (4 cores clocked at 1.6GHz + 4 cores at 1.2GHz).

LG has paired the chipset with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage or you can pick the version with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Owners will be able to add up to an additional 128GB of storage via a dedicated MicroSD card slot.

The phone has a single rear camera and it is an 8MP sensor with an LED flash. It also has an 8MP selfie camera. There is no fingerprint scanner but there is “AI Facial Unlock” with 128 identification points and an unlock time of 0.3 seconds.

1 of 2

The LG W10 Alpha has dual SIM slots with support for Dual 4G VoLTE and ViLTE Dual SIM Dual Standby. It packs a 3450mAh battery with support for 5V 1.5A charging via a MicroUSB port. Unfortunately, LG ships it with Android 9.0 Pie.

The LG W10 Alpha is priced at INR 8,990 (~$125) for the 2GB RAM version and INR 9,999 (~$140) for the 3GB RAM version. At the above prices, LG will have a tough time convincing buyers to pick it over the Realme C3 and the Redmi 8A Dual that have better specs and are both priced at INR 6,999 (~$98) for their 3GB + 32GB variants.

The poster shows it is available in Blue and Black but only the black variant is available on the official website.

Xiaomi Youpin launches the Ningmei CR600 all-in-one desktop computer

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 19, 2020

Xiaomi Youpin has launched the Ningmei CR600 all-in-one desktop computer. The PC comes with an integrated design but what should count as its most spectacular feature is the massive 23.8-inch 1080P screen which it packs. The device comes in Core i3 and Core i5 processor versions and prices start at 3199 yuan.

Desktop computers have rapidly changed from the way we know them. The Ningmei CR600 desktop computer represents a new design style with the CPU integrated with the display. The PC comes in three models based on the processor. There is one with the ninth-generation Intel Core i5-9400 processor having six cores and six threads, and a core frequency of 4.1 GHz. This processor is 50% higher than the previous-generation Core i5-7400. The second version is equipped with an Intel Core i3-9100 processor.

The display is a UHD630 nuclear display which is not only capable of rendering the graphics of the various design drawing software such as Adobe Photoshop, CAD, etc., but also can easily play 95% of mainstream large-scale games. In addition, the screen supports 8-way adjustment. It can be adjusted in the vertical direction (-90 ° to 90 °) while the screen height can be adjusted (0-130mm) to suit your own height. The new ergonomically designed base provides vertical adjustment of the display, vertical rotation, horizontal rotation and depression angle adjustment.

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The portable all-in-one PC comes in three memory versions;

Share version: Core i3-9100 / 8GB memory / 512GB SSD

2. Enjoy Edition: Core i5-9400 / 8GB RAM / 512GB SSD

3. Enjoy Edition: Core i5-9400 / 8GB RAM / 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD

The computer comes bundled with a set of wireless keyboard and mouse, a large mouse pad, and a 16GB U disk for photos. We’ll have to wait for details of its availability.

(via)

Report says TSMC is reducing its chip support for Huawei

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 19, 2020

The US has been looking for ways to further stifle Huawei’s business by persuading its allies to also sanction the Chinese tech giant. It is also trying to enforce trade restrictions on Huawei via foreign companies and it may have just won if the report that TSMC is cutting down its chip support for Huawei is true.

According to Digitimes, TSMC has begun reducing its chip capacity support for Huawei. TSMC manufactures chips for several clients including Huawei, Qualcomm, and Apple.

Huawei’s Kirin chipsets are manufactured by TSMC

TSMC is able to cut Huawei’s chip supply based on an alteration to the Foreign Direct Product Rule which governs products made by foreign companies using American technology. The Taiwanese semiconductor company is reported to use American technology for its chip production and will, therefore, require a license from the US to be able to supply Huawei.

The rule applies to any company that uses American technology, and it is claimed that no Chinese company, that Huawei may decide to contract its chip manufacture to if it ditches TSMC, uses Chinese-only technology.

(Sources: 1, 2)

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Changes in Functionality

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Design

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Oppo Realme C3 vs Xiaomi Redmi 8A Dual vs Oppo A31

Design

Display

Specs & Software

Camera

Battery

Price

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Benefits of Gmail

Change Gmail Background/Theme

Related: Guide to enable Gmail Dark Mode on old Android versions

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