In roughly a month, Samsung will announce the Galaxy S20 series. According to a tweet by XDA Developers writer, Max Weinbach, we will be getting five Galaxy S20 phones. The five phones are the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20 5G, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20+ 5G, and the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G. Since all the phones that will be powered by the Snapdragon 865 will have a 5G modem, it is safe to say the non-5G versions of the Galaxy S20 are the ones powered by the Exynos 990 chipset.
Ahead of the release, Max has also posted live photos of the Galaxy S20+ 5G and they confirm what we already know about the design of Samsung’s upcoming flagship.
The biggest change is the display which no longer has a pill-shaped punch hole at the top left corner for dual front-facing cameras but a centered one for a single camera. Max says in a separate tweet that the display is not as curved as that of its predecessor, the Galaxy S10+. The reason for this is because Samsung is using 2.5D glass for the display.
The Galaxy S20+ also has fewer buttons as the Bixby button is now gone, hopefully for good.
As I mentioned in the article, the Galaxy S20+ isn't very curved. It actually feels flat in the hand. This is because Samsung is using 2.5D glass. For those who hate curved screens, you all will be very excited.
2.5D glass is the same type of curve as the Pixel 2 XL.
Another of the live images show the phone’s rear with the now-familiar rectangular camera housing. There are four cameras – three vertically arranged on the left while the fourth is nestled between the LED flash and a microphone on the right.
Other than a difference in the processors, we don’t know if there will be any other significant differences between the Galaxy S20+ and the Galaxy S20+ 5G.
Max said he has more details about the phone including videos of the device. So keep your eyes peeled for more Samsung leaks this week.
Xiaomi-backed Redmi had introduced the Redmi K30 series smartphones in China in December 2018. While the 4G edition had released in the company’s home market last month, the Redmi K30 5G was made available for purchase for the first time in China on 7th January.
In the sale, which lasted for just two hours, only the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model was made available. However, the company has now revealed that the 6GB RAM model will be available for purchase tomorrow.
The 6GB + 64GB model is priced at 1,999 yuan (~$289) while the 6GB + 128GB model costs 2,299 yuan (~$333). Both these variants can now be pre-booked with a deposit of 100 yuan (~$14).
As for the specifications, the smartphone features a 6.67-inch punch-hole display and Gorilla Glass 5 panels for protection on its front and rear. The HDR 10 complaint display produces a tall aspect ratio of 20:9 and offers Full HD+ screen resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. It is also the first Redmi phone to arrive with support for 120Hz refresh rate.
Under the hood, the device is powered by the new 7nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset and comes with up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 256GB UFS 2.1 inbuilt storage. There’s also a microSD card slot on the device for expanding the storage capacity.
The back panel of the phone features a vertical quad camera setup which is placed inside a glossy round pattern. It comes with Sony IMX686 64-megapixel primary lens with an f/1.89 aperture and a 1/1.73″ sensor size. The other sensors on the device include an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens with 120-degree field-of-view, a 5-megapixel macro lens and a 2-megapixel depth assist lens.
The company claims that the Redmi K30 5G has the same camera algorithms that is available on the Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro that features 108-megapixel penta-lens camera setup. On the front, the Redmi K30 5G features an AI powered dual camera setup that includes a 20-megapixel main lens and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.
It is the company’s first phone to arrive with Android 10 OS which is overlaid with the latest MIUI 11 user interface. The Mi Turbo 2.0 optimised the system performance whereas Game Turbo 2.0 enhances the device for gaming. It is powered by a 4,500mAh battery and carries support for 30W fast charging technology.
Strategy Analytics has published a report on the TWS headset market for 2019. According to the report, Apple is at the top with a market share of more than 50% while Xiaomi and Samsung follow in second and third positions respectively.
It is no surprise that Apple has the largest market share seeing as the Cupertino-based company practically created the category with the launch of the AirPods in 2016. Ken Hyers, the head of Strategy Analytics said: “Apple’s AirPods are the dominant Bluetooth headset in terms of sales volumes and revenues in the TWS segment”. He added that Apple will continue to dominate the category through the middle of the next decade.
In 2019, the revenues from the sales of TWS headsets grew by more than 200% and Apple took 71% of the total. It is predicted that wholesale revenues will grow beyond $100 billion by 2024 and new players in the market should be able to make their own share of the money.
Xiaomi and Samsung who are the second and third largest respectively each have a market share of less than 10%. One of Xiaomi’s TWS headsets, the Redmi AirDots is one of the cheapest headsets in the market and a popular alternative for those who can’t afford premium ones from manufacturers such as Samsung, JBL, Beats, and Sony.
Samsung will announce a follow-up to its Galaxy Buds on February 11 and it will launch as the Galaxy Buds+. We also expect the Redmi AirDots will get a successor this year.
Based on this report, it is safe to say TWS headsets are here to stay, and with the new features Bluetooth will bring with LE Audio, they should even get better.
Never listen to people who say you need a flagship to get everything you need from a smartphone. A lot of users can grab the perfect device without spending a lot of money, thanks to actual mid-rangers. Among the latest high value for money, smartphones announced there are Samsung Galaxy A51 and Redmi K30. Given their well-balanced specs sheets, we think it is worth including them in a comparison to establish which one is the best. We also added Redmi Note 8 Pro to the comparison since we believe it is one of the most amazing smartphones you can get at a very affordable price.
Samsung Galaxy A51 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro vs Xiaomi Redmi K30
Quad 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4
20 MP front camera
Quad 48 + 12 + 5 + 5 MP f/2.0, f/2.4, f/2.4 and f/2.2
32 MP f/2.2 front camera
Quad 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.9, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4
Dual 20 + 2 MP f/2.2 and f/2.4 front camera
BATTERY
4500 mAh, fast charging 18W with Quick Charge 4+
4000 mAh, fast charging 15W
4500 mAh, fast charging 27W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Hybrid Dual SIM slot
Dual SIM slot
Hybrid Dual SIM slot
Design
While Redmi Note 8 Pro comes with a classic waterdrop design, Redmi K30 and Samsung Galaxy A51 offer something more innovative. They come with punch-hole notch-less displays. I personally prefer the Samsung Galaxy A51 because it has a single punch hole, a thinner profile, more compact dimensions, and an in-display fingerprint scanner. Both the fingerprint scanners of the Redmi Note 8 Pro and Redmi K30 are side-mounted.
Display
A lot of people might initially think that Samsung Galaxy A51 has a better display since it is the only one sporting an AMOLED panel in this trio. But despite having an LCD display, Redmi K30 is way more interesting as it features both the HDR10 certification and a high 120 Hz refresh ratio. And actually there is just a limited amount of mid-rangers with a 120 Hz display. The 120 Hz refresh rate provides smoother user experience and it is amazing for gamers. Further, Redmi K30 has a wider display diagonal.
Specs & Software
On the paper, the most powerful hardware department is on board of the Redmi Note 8 Pro. The device boasts an Helio G90T chipset paired with up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of UFS 2.1 internal storage. The silver medal goes to the Redmi K30 with its Snapdragon 730G, despite a lot of people actually prefer to buy a device with a Qualcomm’s chipset due to the higher reputation of the San Diego-based chipmaker. Android 10 is installed out of the box on Redmi K30 and Samsung Galaxy A51, while Redmi Note 8 Pro is based on Android 9 Pie. Samsung Galaxy A51 has a lower-end chipset and it only comes with 6 GB of RAM in its most expensive variant.
Camera
While there is no way Samsung Galaxy A51 can compete with its opponents in terms of hardware and performance, its cameras are all but bad. But we will have to test them thoroughly to give a definitive opinion, as the device is still not in the market. Redmi K30 and Redmi Note 8 Pro come with the same rear camera department, but Redmi K30 is the only with a dual front camera including a depth sensor.
Battery
The best battery phone here is the Redmi K30 and the reason si very simple: it has the biggest battery with a 4500 mAh capacity and the most efficient chipset. Further, it even features a faster charging technology.
Price
Samsung Galaxy A51 is going to hit the global market with a €379,90 price tag, Redmi Note 8 Pro actually costs less than €250 globally, while Redmi K30 is available for €255, but only in China. The amazing, wider display, the good hardware department and the long-lasting battery would let me go for the Redmi K30 which we choose as the winner of this comparison.
A few days ago, we reported that there is a petition by owners of the Xiaomi Mi A3 to force Xiaomi to release the Android 10 update for the phone. In what can be termed a surprise, Xiaomi has now released the Android 10 update…..for the Mi A2.
Yes, the Android 10 update is now available for the older Mi A2 that was released in 2018. However, there is a chance the Mi A3 will follow shortly as Xiaomi released the Android 10 kernels for both devices simultaneously.
Image source: laviniuc (Mi Community)
The Mi A2’s update weighs in at almost 1.3GB in size. Along with all the new features Android 10 has to offer such as Smart Replies, Dark Mode, Family Link parental controls under Digital Wellbeing, and the new gesture navigation; the update also comes with December 2019’s security patch and the camera app has a new icon.
There are a few issues reported by those who have updated already. Some say there are UI glitches in a few places and VoWiFi is missing. While another user said Google Services stopped working for a while before things returned to normal. There are also a few bugs in the camera app and there is still no support for camera2api.
It appears Xiaomi rushed the update. We advise you to wait for more users to post their feedback. And if you are going to update, make sure you back up your data.
The Mi A2 launched with Android Oreo out of the box and was updated to Android 9 Pie the same year. There is a high chance this is its last major OS upgrade.
We are already aware that OnePlus will announce three new phones in the first half of the year. There is the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro which are successors to last year’s OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro respectively. We will also be getting a third device called the OnePlus 8 Lite. Ahead of the release date which may likely be earlier this year compared to last year, the OnePlus 8 Pro has been spotted on Geekbench.
The device was benchmarked on Friday, January 10, and appears on Geekbench’s database as “GALILEI IN2023”. It runs Android 10 and has 12GB of RAM paired with the Snapdragon 865 processor. We know it is the Snapdragon 865 because it has the same motherboard name as the Sony Xperia flagship that was spotted on Geekbench last month.
The OnePlus 8 Pro scored 4296 points in the single-core test and 12,531 points in the multi-core test. The scores are lower than that of the Sony phone which we believe is the flagship, Xperia 5.
The OnePlus 8 Pro will have a curved AMOLED display with a punch-hole at the top left corner and has been reported to have a 120Hz refresh rate. It will also have quad rear cameras and an in-display fingerprint scanner. The phone will come in multiple configurations with the base model having 8GB of RAM.
Smartphones have become the lifeline for every working human being. It has become the sole companion as it is widely used around the globe to connect. Smartphones have become the primary source to store data, including our photos, contacts, passwords, and even some financial information. It is acting as our personal data bank these days, along with flawless connectivity. It has become necessary to keep a backup of our stored data on smartphones. We have crafted a guide to backup essential data on Android smartphones.
Recovering Data – The sole and primary motive of doing a backup is to improve it if any data loss happens.
Individual File Restoration – It is not necessary to restore the full backup, the user can recover individual files.
Protection Against Hardware Failure – In case of sudden hardware failure like bricking the smartphone, Backups can play a vital role in getting back essential data.
Enhanced reliability – If you’re using any custom ROM, or any Framework, it is highly recommended to create backups.
There are different ways to backup Android data, including Contacts, Call Logs, SMS, images, videos, and other files. Some of the below-mentioned ways need root access, but most of the methods are rootless.
Root Based Methods to Backup Android Phones
Titanium Backup
Using a rooted device offers you more flexibility in creating backups using different apps. One such app is the Titanium Back, which helps to backup app settings, system data, and even Wi-Fi passwords within a single console. It is quite a powerful app that allows to backup and restores data with few taps. It can be easily used by following the steps below:
Download and Install the Titanium Backup app.
Open the app, press the hamburger icon on the top-right corner, and select ‘ batch actions.’
Select the different options to backup or select every option to fully backup the smartphone.
It also offers the flexibility to upload the backup to Google Drive or Dropbox directly. Choose the desired option in the settings.
The user can also choose to create a recovery compatible .zip backup file. (Note: This option can unbrick your device if you found it unresponsive.)
That’s it
This is the most productive way to backup every file and settings present on your smartphone.
Backup Android Phone Without Root Access
Using Google Services
Android being native to Google services and products, it is always recommended to backup essential data by using Google’s inbuilt service on Android system. There are different ways to backup every document on Google servers. Follow the steps below to recover Photos and Videos, Contacts And Call Logs, WhatsApp, and other apps data.
Photos and Videos
Google Photos is the sole app that allows users to store unlimited photos and videos on Google servers in high quality. It is the easiest way to backup and restores videos and pictures to the cloud. The Google Photos app is always available on Android Phones. Otherwise, the users can download it here. Here are the steps to use Google Photos App Auto Backup:
Download and Install Google Photos app
Open Settings and Tap ‘Backup & Sync’ to turn on Sync
Select ‘Upload Size’ to enable ‘High quality with free unlimited storage, or Original with Google Drive storage limits.’
Enjoy Easy Backup!
You can successfully upload photos, and videos present in your smartphone by toggling each folder in your Photos App.
Other Files
Google Drive is the best companion app to store every other file to the cloud. It can act as a primary backup location for the files present on your Android smartphones. The user can add files or folders to the Google Drive app:
Open Google Drive App
Press the ‘+’ button and upload files you’d like to backup.
That’s it!
Other Settings and Contacts data
The service essentially backs-up every useful app and its data to Google servers. It can be easily turned on by heading to Android Backup services as follows:
Open Smartphone settings app.
Head over to ‘Accounts and Backup”
Tap on ‘Backup and Restore’
Enable ‘Back up my data’ switch and select your Google Account.
Google also offers the inbuilt facility to back up most of the settings and contacts to the cloud.
You can enable the feature to backup contacts and other apps data by heading to the Settings>Accounts>Google>Enable Sync option for backup.
Using Other Apps
There are a lot of other apps that let users to backup and store data on Android Phones easily. Using other Apps is a perfect choice to backup important data on external media. Super Backup & Restore app allows users to backup all individual items, including apps, SMS, contacts, calendars, voice calls, and more.
Select items or categories you want to backup on the smartphone.
Tap on “Backup”
It’s Done!
Using Other PC/Laptop
It’s free, and anyone having a PC/Laptop can backup phone data by connecting via USB cable. The user can use specific PC Suites for easy data backup and restore options. However, the Mac users can install Android File Transfer App to backup Android devices to a computer. Follow the steps below to backup Android Phones using PC/Laptop:
Connect Phone with your PC/Laptop using a USB cable.
Goto respective PC Suite or open Phone Storage by going to ‘My Computer’.
Now enable Sync or directly use Windows or Mac commands to backup or restore files.
These are some best ways to backup your Android smartphones. Based on your phone status, you can follow the respective method. If you have any queries, please follow up via the comments below.
At the just-concluded 2020 edition of CES, Samsung demoed a number of products to a select number of individuals. One of the products is its soon-to-be-released second foldable phone with a clamshell design. A leaked photo from the event showed the phone, which was originally referred to as the Galaxy Fold 2, with the name “Galaxy Bloom”. Now, a new leak has revealed that is not the official name of the phone but its codename.
Popular leaker Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) took to Twitter a few hours ago and posted a tweet saying “Bloom is just a code name…” and that “the real name is Galaxy Z ****”. A few hours later, probably unable to contain his excitement, he shared a photo showing the official name of the device.
According to the tweet, the device known as the Galaxy Bloom will launch as the Galaxy Z Flip. Based on this new info, it is safe to say the Galaxy Z is a new line of smartphones from Samsung.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip will have a fold across its horizontal axis, unlike the Galaxy Fold that folds across its vertical axis.
It has been reported that the device will come with a Snapdragon 855 processor under the hood rather than the new and more powerful Snapdragon 865. It will also feature a new type of glass covering the display called Ultra Thin Glass which replaces the polymer film used for the Galaxy Fold.
Other features of the Galaxy Z Flip include support for 8K video recording, dual cameras, and an Infinity-O display with a centered punch-hole for the selfie camera. It should also run Android 10 based on OneUI out of the box. You can check out images of the device that leaked last month here.
Samsung will announce the Galaxy Z Flip alongside the Galaxy S20 series at an event scheduled for February 11.
A few days ago, we reported that Realme announced a new phone in Thailand called the Realme C2s. That phone may be getting a successor soon as Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has certified a new phone called the Realme C3s.
The certificate reveals the Realme C3s has the model number RMX2020. While there is no other info about the device, we believe this will be a variant of the yet-to-be-announced Realme C3. And both phones will differ just the same way the Realme C2s differs from the Realme C2 with respect to RAM and storage.
Just a couple of days ago, Realme had an event in China where it announced the Realme X50 5G along with some lifestyle products. The manufacturer may be planning another event soon, most likely in India, where it will unveil its first fitness band that was recently teased by its CEO. There is a possibility the successor to the Realme C2 will be announced at the event too.
Just a few days into the year, Samsung announced the Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note10 Lite as affordable versions of its 2019 Galaxy S and Galaxy Note flagships. The two phones were also on display at CES 2020 where those who attended were able to get hands-on experience. Samsung is set to launch it in India, and thanks to Flipkart, we now know the exact date.
The Galaxy S10 Lite will be launched on January 23 in India according to a screenshot from the mobile app. There is no mention of the Galaxy Note10 Lite but it should arrive on the same day since the Samsung India website has both phones listed.
Flipkart has a landing page for the Galaxy S10 Lite that lists some of its top features such as its pro-grade camera system. The phone has a 5MP macro camera paired with a 48MP main camera with Super Steady OIS and a 12MP 123° ultrawide angle camera on the rear. Up in front and nestled inside the centered punch-hole is a 32MP sensor.
Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note10 Lite listed on Samsung India’s website
The Galaxy S10 Lite has a 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-O display. There is a Snapdragon 855 processor inside it with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage irrespective of the RAM variant. It packs a 4500mAh battery with support for 25W Super Fast Charging and runs One UI 2.0 based on Android 10 out of the box. There is an in-display fingerprint scanner but there is no audio jack.
The Galaxy Note10 Lite shares some of its specs with the Galaxy S10 Lite such as its screen, RAM and storage variants, battery capacity, and selfie camera. It swaps out the Snapdragon 855 for the older and less-powerful Exynos 9810; it has a 12MP main camera paired with a 12MP ultrawide camera and a 12MP telephoto camera; keeps the audio jack; and of course, has an S Pen.
For fans of the POCOPHONE F1, last year was definitely not a great one seeing as Xiaomi didn’t release a successor. It became a norm to find users ask about the POCO F2 when Xiaomi and its executives made an announcement via any of their social media channels. Today, there is good news for them.
Screenshots showing a trademark application for “POCO F2” were shared on twitter by @_the_tech_guy. The images show the application was filed on the 4th of December, 2019 at the China Trademark Office and has application number 4280005.
[envira-gallery id=”300285″]
For those wondering why the trademark was filed in China seeing as the POCO brand isn’t available there, it will interest you to know that Xiaomi filed a trademark application for the POCO F1 in its home country too in June 2018 before it launched in August 2018.
The trademark application is proof that there is a successor to the POCO F1 (POCOPHONE F1) in the works. However, there is still no info on when the POCO F2 will launch, though we presume it may arrive in February or March seeing as the POCO F1 arrived two months after its trademark application.
That date also makes sense, especially for India. There are reports the Mi 10 series will launch next month but unfortunately, Xiaomi will not launch the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro in India. So, announcing the POCO F2 flagship killer in India between February and March is plausible.
The POCO F1 was a huge success as it offered flagship specs at an affordable price. It launched with the same processor as other flagships such as the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the OnePlus 6T but sold for significantly less.
Back in 2018, Huami launched the Bip Lite fitness tracker under its well-received AMAZIT brand. Encouraged by its success, the Xiaomi-backed wearable device company launched another variant of the Bip Lite dubbed the Huami AMAZFIT Bip Lite smartwatch.
Before we dive into more details about the AMAZFIT Bip Lite’s awe-inspiring features and specifications, it might interest you to know that you can now get your hands on the newfangled smartwatch without emptying your pockets via Giztop. The Chinese e-tailer is currently offering the Amazfit Bip Lite for $69.99.
You can use coupon code GTAZBPL20 to reduce the retail price of the smartwatch to just $49.99. In short, you can save $20 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon code before placing your order.
Available in black color option, the AMAZFIT Bip Lite is a perfect fitness and sports companion. The smartwatch boasts an impressive array of features that come in handy while you are working out at the gym or doing an adventurous outdoor activity such as trekking, hiking, dirt biking, etc.
It has a 1.28-inch screen which offers a high resolution of 176×176 pixels for enhanced readability. Moreover, it is housed in a high-quality polycarbonate material body and has Corning Gorilla 3 tempered glass + AF coating on top for supplemental protection.
With a 3ATM waterproof rating, the AMAZFIT Bip Lite is designed to efficiently withstand water during daily activities such as washing hands. Moreover, you can wear this smartwatch while swimming (up to 30 meters’ water pressure). However, the company advises avoiding wearing it for bathing, sauna, and diving.
Furthermore, the AMAZFIT Bip is compatible with Android 4.4, iOS 8 or above OS and is backed by a 200mAh LiPo battery that lasts for 45 days. On top of that, the smartwatch has been integrated with a slew of useful sensors including an acceleration sensor and a slew of other functions including heart rate monitoring, message reminder and more.
To know more about the Amazfit Bip Lite and to take advantage of the coupon, simply follow this link. Note that the coupon code will be valid for the first hundred units only.
Xiaomi announced a new smartwatch for kids a couple of days back dubbed Mitu Children Learning Watch 4Pro. The smartwatch is now on sale on Jingdong (JD.com) for 1,299 yuan (~$187).
The Mitu (Mi Bunny) Children Learning Watch 4Pro comes with several upgrades over its predecessors but keeps up with the design philosophy for which the Mi Bunny models are known.Before this model, there is the Mi Bunny Smartwatch 3, Mi Bunny Smartwatch 3C, Mi Bunny Smartwatch 2C. The Mi Bunny Watch 4Pro offers 4G, NFC and GPS among others.
For the hardware, the smartwatch packs a 1.78-inch display with a 326PPI pixel density and protected by a layer of 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass 3 making it resistant to scratches and drops. The is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2500 SoC, coupled with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. While the device is running Android 8.1 operating system, it is heavily customised to make it suitable for easy use for children.0
The highlight of the Mitu Children Learning Watch 4Pro is that it comes with high-definition dual cameras. At the top, there is a 5-megapixel wide-angle camera sensor with f/2.4 aperture and 82-degree field-of-view. The second camera is an 8-megapixel zoom camera with f/2.2 aperture and 84.9-degree field-of-view as well as T-LENS ultra-fast focus located at the side just above the strap. This dual-camera arrangement lets the parent see the child and the surrounding environment at the same time during video calling.
The NFC supports contactless payments in 4000+ large shopping malls, high-speed rail stations, and airports in China. As for the AI feature, it brings XiaoAI voice assistant support as well as AI learning machine. The learning machine can be deployed by the kids to learn new stuff in various subjects such as Chinese, English, math, social, fun, logical thinking and other content. It also supports interactive English learning tool with support for oral practice at any time, AI assessment of children’s pronunciation accuracy, American pronunciation, among others.
The Mi Bunny Smartwatch 4Pro comes in Blue and Pink colours.
A Black Shark model with model number SHARK KLE-AO and believed to be the Black Shark 3 was certified in China last month. The certificate didn’t reveal many details about the device but shows that it will feature support for 5G.
Black Shark 2
Apart from the 5G support which will feature onboard the device, a tipster has revealed that the Black Shark 3 will come with a whopping 16GB RAM. According to the tipster, that would potentially make the gaming smartphone the first phone to have such a large RAM. That will sure be overkill if it becomes a reality.
The Black Shark 3 will take the baton from the Black Shark 2 Pro which was the last phone from the Chinese manufacturer, announced back in July 2019. The Black Shark2 Pro features a 6.39-inch FHD+ screen, a Snapdragon 855+ processor, and packs a 4000mAh battery with support for 27W fast charge. We don’t expect anything lesser from the Black Shark 3. A recent leak says it will have a bigger 4700mh battery.
The Lite versions of the latest Samsung’s flagships are going to hit the shelves very soon. But despite being affordable variants, they will have a lot of rivals. And the fact that they are the first Lite versions of the S series and the Note series does not matter. That is why, in order to let you understand whether it is worth giving a chance to Samsung’s affordable flagships, we think it is time to compare them with the competition. In this comparison, you will learn not only the differences and the strong points of Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite and Galaxy S10 Lite, but you will also see them compared with the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 which is another high-end device launched in a similar price range.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite vs Xiaomi Mi Note 10 vs Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Pro
Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
163.7 x 76.1 x 8.7 mm, 199 g
157.8 x 74.2 x 9.7 mm, 208 grams
162.5 x 75.6 x 8.1 mm, 186 g
DISPLAY
6.7 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
6.47 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
Triple 12 + 12 + 12 MP, f/1.7, f/2.4 and f/2.2
32 MP f/2.2 front camera
Penta 108 + 5 + 12 + 20 MP, f/1.7, f/2.0, f/2.2 and f/2.4
32 MP f/2.0 front camera
Triple 48 + 12 + 5 MP, f/2.0, f/2.2 and f/2.4
32 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY
4500 mAh, fast charging
5260 mAh, fast charging 30W
4500 mAh, fast charging
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Hybrid Dual SIM slot
Dual SIM slot
Hybrid Dual SIM slot
Design
Despite the curved edge-to-edge display of the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 are definitely very attractive, the award for the design goes to the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite, at least in my opinion. It has a higher screen-to-body ratio and a more interesting punch-hole display making the overall aesthetics better. The Note 10 Lite is similar, but with slightly thicker bezels and a thicker profile. Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite is the thinnest and the most lightweight one. But obviously it is also a matter of taste. Which one would you pick?
Display
We still did not test the displays of the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite, but there should not be so much difference in terms of image quality, even compared to the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite. In each case, you get a great HDR display with high-end image quality. The real difference is the presence of the support to the S Pen for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite. If you need a phone for productivity and you would like handwriting or draw on your phone, you should not miss this device. It is the most affordable device from the Note 10 lineup supporting the S Pen.
Hardware/Software
While Xiaomi Mi Note 10 and Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite come with a hardware side which can be considered upper-midrange, Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite is a real flagship thanks to the presence of a Snapdragon 855 chipset. So if you need the most powerful device, go for it without thinking twice. Unlike the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 which is the lower-end one, it offers up to 8 GB of RAM and a micro SD slot to expand the internal storage. The Galaxy Note 10 has the same processor as the Galaxy S9, it is high-end, but you can not compare it to 2019 flagships.
Camera
It may seem odd, but if you need the best camera this time you have to choose a Xiaomi device instead of a Samsung flagship. With its 108 MP penta camera, the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 is one of the most amazing camera phones ever released. It includes OIS and even 5x optical zoom, besides an ultrawide lens and a dedicated macro camera. Right after, we got the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite. We still did not test its cameras, but on the paper, it looks very promising. It has a new technology of optical stabilization which should help shooting even better photos and videos. The Samsung Note 10 Lite is not the best camera phone of the trio, but it is still very capable thanks to its 12 MP triple camera including a bright focal aperture and OIS.
Battery
Finally, Samsung includes very big batteries inside its flagships. Both Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite are equipped with huge 4500 mAh batteries and both support fast charging (but no wireless charging, neither reverse wireless charging). But the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 has an even bigger unit: a mammoth 5260 mAh battery with 30W fast charging. This does not necessarily mean that it will last more on a single charge in every scenario, but it should be superior in most of the situations.
Price
Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite will hit the shelves globally with a price starting from €649/$722, while Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite will cost €599/$666 in its base configuration. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 was launched for €599, but you can currently find it for about €450/$500. Overall, Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite is a more complete and well-balanced device, but it lacks the S Pen. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 should have a superior camera and battery, but when it comes to hardware, it is just a mid-ranger. Despite its specs sheet does not have more to offer, the Note 10 Lite is the only affordable flagship supporting the S Pen, so it is still an amazing option.
Xiaomi has patented two new vastly different foldable smartphone concepts in China. These two patents feature designs that are familiar to what we’ve seen from other companies before, but they’re also slightly different in their own way. The first device folds horizontally making a wider display, while the second folds vertically for a longer display.
The first design shows a phone that reminds us of the Huawei Mate X, and it’s the more practical of the two patented devices. The display folds over to the back, making the device feel like a normal sized smartphone. When folded out however, the device will be similar in size to your standard 8-inch+ tablet. The camera strip on the patent is much more subtle when compared to the Mate X’s camera strip.
The second patented device on the other hand is VASTLY more bizarre than the previous device. Instead of forming a wider display, this device features a much longer display in a clamshell form. The main thing however is that the display is always on the outside of the device, which means that folding the phone is only for making the device shorter. The camera bump also interestingly seems to sit on the display.
While it seems to have been inspired by things like the Motorola Razr, the fact that the display is always on the outside of the device is just such a weird decision to us. This leaves it exposed to the elements at all times for what seems to be no practical reason. We’d much prefer to see a standard clamshell design like the upcoming Galaxy Fold 2.
While it’s fully possible neither one of these devices will ever fully materialize, it’s certainly interesting to discuss and imagine what they’d be like if they were real. This second device especially seems to be rather pointless, so it’d be nice to see what sort of counter arguments and features we could see in favor of it.
Xiaomi‘s Youpin crowdfunding platform has brought us plenty of oddities and interesting gadgets, but today’s product is a lot more conventional. The IQUNIX F96 is a new mechanical keyboard featuring Cherry MX keys and key-line separation. The wired version starts at 896 yuan ($130), while the wired + Bluetooth variant goes for 1188 yuan ($172).
So, let’s take a closer look at the dimensions of the colourful little mechanical keyboard here. The dimensions for the IQUNIX F96 measure in at 372 × 123.5 × 42mm with a weight of 1060g. It adopts an all-aluminum alloy shell with three colors of dark blue, coral orange and white, as well as built-in RGB lights with a variety of lighting effects.
The IQUNIX mechanical keyboard uses Cherry MX switches, ensuring that the keys have a nice and satisfying click with every press. These come in red, green, brown and muted red options, as you’d expect from any mechanical keyboard. On top of that, they also come in backlit and non-backlit versions in case you need it.
As for connectivity, the wireless version of the IQUNIX F96 utilizes Bluetooth 4.0 for its wireless connection. The device can seamlessly switch between three different paired devices, and in case you suddenly need it, you can also use a USB Type-C cable for a wired connection. Overall, the IQUNIX looks like a solid mechanical keyboard, especially with its smaller size making it more portable.
Xiaomi has launched the Mi Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker Mini and it is now on sale on Mi Mall for 99 yuan ($14). As the name implies, the Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker Mini is a smaller version of the MI Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker that was launched in September 2019 priced at 199 yuan ($28).
This new model looks like a miniaturized version of last year’s sleek portable Bluetooth speaker. The design is similar as well as several of the features. This model adopts the attractive lanyard pattern of its predecessor but the lanyard is shorter on this model. It also supports Bluetooth 5.0 protocol. The mini has a dimension of 86 × 86 × 45mm and weighs 185g. It also utilises a USB Type-C interface which is located just under the lanyard. The Mi Bluetooth Speaker Mini also presents with an impressive 2000mAh battery that Xiaomi says can deliver up to 10 hours of music playback at 60% volume level. The portable speaker also comes with IP55 level dustproof and waterproof protection.
Furthermore, the Mi Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker mini supports true wireless stereo interconnection function. This means it can interconnect two speakers to form a wireless stereo speaker with the delivery of stereo effects on left and right channel playbacks.
The Bluetooth speaker mini equally has a built-in high-sensitivity, high-signal-to-noise ratio microphone, and integrated echo cancellation technology, which can be used to answer and hang-up calls with one click.
Vivo was one of the smartphone manufacturers who shook the industry last year with its array of amazing products. Little wonder the company still ranks among the top 5 OEMs in terms of phone shipment. One of the spectacular smartphones we saw from its stable was the Vivo NEX 3. The model is about getting a new variant this year if the latest TENAA listing is anything to go by.
The BBK subsidiary has got a new orange variant of the NEX 3 which has just been certified by China’s telecoms regulatory agency TENAA. The colour is listed as “Golden” but the corresponding image shows it in fact, has an orange-coloured rear panel.
Apart from the new colour, the model is similar to the Vivo NEX 3 that has already hit the market. As a reminder, the NEX 3 comes with dual-mode 5G support making it the first 5G flagship from the NEX series with such configuration. The phone is powered by a Snapdragon 865 SoC and sports a 6.89-inch display with a resolution of 2256 x 1080pixels. Most spectacular, the phone boasts of a mammoth 99.6% immersive screen ratio which happens to be the highest any OEM has been able to expand to on a commercial device.
The NEX 3 comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB/256GB storage options. For photography, there is a 16MP camera at the front. On the other hand, the device features a triple rear camera setup comprised of a 64 MP main cameras + 13 MP super wide-angle/macro + 13 MP telephoto lens. It gets its light from a 4500mAh which supports 44W ultra-fast flash charge.
On 10th January 2020, Lei Jun, Co-Founder and CEO of Xiaomi group, revealed on the company was almost called Xuande or Red Star when it was founded. The story was shared earlier today on the 10th anniversary of the Xiaomi community.
According to Lei Jun, a few of the founding members sat for a meeting, the first official meeting ever, on 14th January 2010. In the meeting, the main topic of discussion was the naming of the brand. Apparently, Red Star was one of the first to be proposed but was rejected due to a certain trademark issue.
Xiaomi’s new logo that was unveiled on the company’s 10th anniversary earlier this month
Another name that was put up was Xuande but that was also not approved due to people saying it not sounding right. The list of supposed names numbered in the hundreds and included Red Storm, Xuande, Qianqi, Antong, Lingxi and more, which were introduced a decade ago.
Since the Xiaomi was branded, the “MI” logo has been prevalent and associated with the company. Mi stands for more than just an acronym (shortened version) and holds two different meanings, according to Lei Jun. First, Mobile Internet, as Xiaomi was going to be a mobile company on the internet. The second was Mission Impossible as the company was going to perform and complete a task that seemed impossible, difficult or not yet undertaken.
The official Mi logo of Xiaomi
Lastly, the founder also shared a Buddhist proverb that described the aforementioned values relating a grain of rice to a large mountain. This was shared on the senior executive’s official Weibo account (the Chinese microblogging website).
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With a 3ATM waterproof rating, the AMAZFIT Bip Lite is designed to efficiently withstand water during daily activities such as washing hands. Moreover, you can wear this smartwatch while swimming (up to 30 meters’ water pressure). However, the company advises avoiding wearing it for bathing, sauna, and diving.
