Acer unveils new Spin 3 and Spin 5 computers with 10th Gen Intel proessors

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Jan 6, 2020

The TV market in the US is really starting to heat up. Established companies like Samsung and LG continue to grow, while Chinese brands like Hisense and TCL have been making pretty big splashes for a while now. Samsung have even introduced some radically new concepts and products at CES to keep the attention. Now, Skyworth, another Chinese player, hopes to enter the fray.

At CES 2020, Skyworth has introduced its next generation wallpaper series TV for the living room, the W81 series. This line of TVs is available in sizes of 65″ and 77″, featuring the Skyworth OBM (OLED basic module) panel that enables the company to build the TV with an extremely slim profile while realizing Always On Display technology.

Measuring a mere 4.6mm at its thinnest point, the W81 series TV is very much a direct competition to Samsung’s Frame TV and LG Wallpaper TV, it attaches to the wall of your living room with the help of a powerful magnetic fixture and an invisible wall mount for stability.

On top of that, Skyworth has also introduced its very first 8K TV at its CES 2020 global launch today, while the company might be late to the 8K TV game, it simply wants their TVs to be ready at the right time where 8K content is readily available, as it has partnered with two content services back in China to offer 8K content to customers.

The 75-inch Q91 8K IPS LED screen features an powerful MediaTek S900C SoC coupled with 8.5GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, it is capable of doing hardware decoding up to 60fps along with an 8K AI Image Processing Engine that performs digital signal processing to upscale videos in real-time to 120fp and 8K resolution.

The 8K-packing 75-inch Q91 will sell for $5,999 while the 65-inch W81 and 65-inch W81 Pro OLEDs will retail for $3,599 and $4,599, respectively. The 77-inch W81 on the other hand has not been priced. Skyworth claims that they plan to bring both these products to the US in 2020.

You can find more CES2020 coverage from here.

The Samsung Sero is a rotating 4K TV designed for social media

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Jan 6, 2020

Back in April, Samsung announced a rotating TV called ‘The Sero.’ Like Microsoft’s Surface Hub 2, the screen can swivel between a conventional landscape setup and portrait orientation that’s optimized for smartphone-centric content like Snapchat, Instagram Stories and TikToks. Samsung even says it’s designed with Millennials in mind.

At this year’s CES, Samsung announced the Samsung Sero is officially coming to the U.S. The 43-inch TV comes equipped with a 4K display and 60-watt speakers built into the stand. It’ll also be available on wheels, just in case you want to transport this bad boy from room to room. Its ability to rotate makes sense considering how much video is filmed vertically these days.

So how does it work? Once you sync your smartphone to the TV, you can cast content from your phone. It also works with AirPlay, so those with iPhones aren’t left out. Every time you flip the orientation of your phone, the TV automatically follows suit. Seeing it switch back and forth during demos does make it seem pretty cool and interesting.

When it’s not in use, it also doubles as a decoration piece. You can use it as a digital photo frame or a clock. There’s also the option to use it as a giant speaker to stream music on. Samsung has yet to release information on price and availability, but we’ll keep you updated as soon it’s revealed.

You can find more CES2020 coverage from here.

Master Lu Benchmarks Best Smartphone Chipsets of 2019

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Jan 6, 2020

Master Lu, the Chinese benchmarking platform, has just released the 2019 annual report for the best performing smartphone chipsets. The report arrived earlier today (6th January 2020) and features many of the known industry leaders.

According to Master Lu, Qualcomm with the Snapdragon 855+ SoC is the best performing mobile processor of 2019. Huawei’s Kirin 990 5G chipset arrives second. Notably, MediaTek also made an appearance in the listing with its latest Dimensity 1000L 5G processor.

The Snapdragon 855+ takes the lead with a total score of 348,837 points, comprising a GPU score of 84,994 points and a CPU score of 163,843 points. The Kirin 990 5G chip comes in a close second with a total score of 326,101 points, with 160856 points in the GPU score and 165245 points in the CPU score. Furthermore, the third rank of the list also went to Huawei with the base variant of Kirin 990 with a total score of 324153 points. (GPU score of 160805 points and the CPU score of 163348 points).

Further down the list, familiar names like the base variant Snapdragon 855 SoC, Samsung’s Exynos 9820, and even the previous year Qualcomm flagship, Snapdragon 845 chipset, can be found. Additionally, even MediaTek’s Dimensity 1000L 5G processor makes an appearance alongside the mid range Snapdragon 765G and the Kirin 980 SoC. The fact that a mid range chipset made it to the list shows the level of performance output Qualcomm is being able to deliver on its chips found on more affordable handsets.

MTK Dimensity 1000 — MediaTek’s Dimensity 1000 5G SoC

Unfortunately, newer processors like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC, MediaTek’s upcoming flagship Dimensity 1000 processor and even Samsung’s Exynos 980 chipset are not included in this list. These are the three major mobile processing platforms that will be seen this year (in 2020) and their performance will be benchmarked after official respective launches.

(Via)

Huawei Y6s with MediaTek Helio P35 and GMS goes official discreetly

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Jan 6, 2020

Chinese electronics giant, Huawei, discreetly launched its new entry-level smartphone recently, called the Huawei Y6s. The smartphone comes equipped with Google Mobile Services (GMS) and is powered by a MediaTek chipset instead of Snapdragon or Kirin chipset.

Among its numerous quirks is the MediaTek processor powering the Huawei Y6s. This is a rarity since Huawei has not been using MediaTek chipsets in its smartphones. It looks like Huawei is looking at ways around the trade restrictions put on it by the US Government. Using a MediaTek processor might be the most viable solution for a budget smartphone when trying to avoid Qualcomm chipsets.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei announces plans to start selling Hisilicon chipsets to other OEMs

Huawei Y6s specifications and features

The Huawei Y6s sports a 6.09-inch LCD display with an HD+ resolution and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The smartphone features a MediaTek Helio P35 SoC under the hood and flaunts 3 GB of RAM along with 32 GB of native storage, expandable via a microSD card.

In terms of optics, the Huawei Y6s flaunts a single 13-megapixel primary camera with an aperture rating of f/1.8. It gets an 8-megapixel sensor on the front, with an aperture rating of f/2.0. The smartphone draws power from a 3,020 mAh battery and does not support fast charging.

The Huawei Y6s runs on Android 9.0 Pie-based EMUI 9. The device also gets a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner for additional security. There is no word on the official pricing, and which markets will be receiving it. Starry Blue and Orchid Black are the two color editions of the smartphone.

Nokia 6.1 Plus gets Android 10 update

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Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 6, 2020

We are still in the first week of the new year and gifts are still rolling in, at least for Nokia 6.1 Plus owners. Nokia Mobile has announced that the Android 10 update is now rolling out to the mid-range phone.

Nokia 6.1 Plus users, you ready? Your phone’s are now running on the latest Android 10 update . Tap into your smartphone’s upgraded experience and access the latest features today. Have you already upgraded? Let us know in the comments below!👇https://t.co/KHlUcTyy76 pic.twitter.com/7KC9wSOb2V

— Nokia Mobile (@NokiaMobile) January 6, 2020

There is no info yet on the size of the update and what security patch level is bundled with it. We also cannot say if there are any bug fixes or optimizations. Nevertheless, Android 10 brings a Dark Mode, Smart Reply, new customizations for notifications, control over location data, and a new navigation style.

The Nokia 6.1 Plus was announced in July 2018 and is also known as the Nokia X6 in China. It has a 5.8-inch FHD+ screen with a notch at the top that houses a 16MP camera and the earpiece. The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 636 processor and paired with up to 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. It has 16MP + 5MP dual rear cameras and also has a fingerprint scanner below the sensors.

There is a 3060mAh battery with support for 18W fast charge. When it launched, it ran Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box and was later updated to Android 9 Pie in October 2018.

With the Nokia 6.1 Plus out of the way, the Nokia 6.1 and Nokia 7 Plus are the next in line.

Lexilife unveils the Lexilight lamp designed for people with dyslexia

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Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 6, 2020

Scientists haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact cause of dyslexia but recent research emanating from France suggests that the condition occurs when someone has two dominant eyes, rather than the usual one. This makes letters appear mirrored or blurred, making it difficult to read.

France-based startup Lexilife has unveiled the Lexilight lamp at CES 2020 designed to tackle issues of blurry letters using LEDs. The lamp pulses at a customizable rate, enabling the brain to process information from a single “dominant” eye and clearing up mashed-together letters instantly. The lamp comes with adjustable knobs on the back which is used to change the pulsation level. This allows users to find the rhythm that works for them. Lexilife claims the lamp has been tested, in partnership with dyslexia support organizations, on more than 300 people with dyslexia. Ninety percent of them found it improved their reading abilities.

According to Lexilife founder Jean-Baptiste Fontes, the Lexilight is now available in Europe. It costs €549 and is offered with a free 30-day trial. He also stated that the lamp will be launched in the US soon.

You can find more CES 2020 coverage from here.

OPPO Find X2 with SD865 and LPDDR5 to break AnTuTu’s records, claims tipster

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Jan 6, 2020

OPPO will be one of the first companies to launch the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform powered flagship phone. The Find X2 featuring the said chipset is expected to go official in Q1 2020. OPPO Vice President has been gradually revealing key information on the Find X2. Earlier today, he debunked the Find X2 rumors that claimed that it will be equipped with an in-display camera. A Chinese tipster with a good track record on revealing leaked information has shared key details on the Find X2. He is of the view that the Find X2 may end up achieving highest scores on AnTuTu benchmarks.

The leakster has claimed that the Find X2 is fueled by Snapdragon 865 mobile platform. He has revealed that the phone will be equipped with LPDDR5 RAM. The smartphone will come with UFS 3.0 storage.

Samsung began with the mass production of 12 GB LPDDR5 RAMs for 5G flagship phones in the second half of the year. However, none of the smartphone OEMs have launched handsets with LPDDR5 RAM. With LPDDR5 RAM mass produced, many flagship phones could come equipped with it. The upcoming ZTE Axon 10s Pro is confirmed to arrive with LPDDR5 RAM.

Editor’s Pick: Oppo F15 launching in India on January 16; key specs revealed

The other thing that the leakster has mentioned is that the Find X2 with its powerful hardware can achieve 560K+ score on AnTuTu. Recently, the upcoming Xiaomi Mi 10 / Mi 10 Pro smartphone was spotted on AnTuTu with 560K+ benchmarking scores. It will be also featuring the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform, but there is no confirmation on whether it will be arriving with LPDDR5 RAM.

Recent reports have revealed that the OPPO Find X2 may come with a quicker or enhanced edition of the 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 Flash Charge technology. The display of the Find X2 will offer higher resolution, wider dynamic range, better refresh rate and color reproduction. Also, it will be featuring 2 x 2 On-Chip Lens (OCL) solution from Sony for faster and accurate autofocus and better photography in low-light conditions. It is speculated that the company may showcase the Find X2 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 tech event in the coming month.

(source)

Antutu Best Performing Chinese Smartphones of December 2019

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Jan 6, 2020

Earlier today (6th January 2020), Antutu released the performance ranking of Android smartphones that are currently available in China through its benchmarking software. The rankings are from two different categories, namely mid range and flagship grade smartphones, to better encompass the vast array of options in the Chinese market.

Antutu Best Flagship Smartphone Ranking

According to the listing, the company renowned for its universal benchmarking software for Android smartphones has crowned the Vivo IQOO Neo to be the best performing smartphone with 8GB RAM paired with 128GB of internal storage. The smartphone scored 504,432 points.
IQOO Pro 5G version with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage arrives a close second. It scored 499,446 points in the benchmarking software.
The third place went to Vivo’s NEX 3 5G with a similar 8GB RAM and a 256GB internal storage version which scored 498,596 points.

Notably, smartphones like the ROG Gaming Phone 2 and Realme X2 Pro also were top performers found a bit lower in the list. Furthermore, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 SoC made a recurring entry in the list, especially on the top three best performing devices.

Antutu Best Mid Range Smartphone Ranking

The Antutu benchmarking software results has seen the Vivo X30 Pro 5G having the lead in the Mid Range smartphone category. The device arrives with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage and scored an impressive 327,527 score in the tests.
Oppo’s Reno3 Pro 5G came in second with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The handset scored a commendable 318,328 points.
On the third spot, Honor 9X Pro scored 310,398 points and is also one of the few devices in either category to not feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Instead, it uses the company’s indigenous Kirin 810 chipset.

Additionally, other notable entries in the list include Xiaomi subsidiary’s Redmi Note 8 Pro, Redmi K30, Xiaomi CC9 Pro, Realme X2 and more.

Lastly, Antutu has also stated that the testings was over the period lasting from 1st December to 31st December 2019. Each individual model were tested numerous times on the latest Antutu V8 version benchmarking software.

(Via)

Xiaomi trademarks RedmiBook moniker in India

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Jan 6, 2020

Xiaomi is finally looking to introduce its laptop series in India. The first step of the process includes trademarking the RedmiBook moniker in the country. The trademark listing was recently spotted on the website of Intellectual Property India that belongs to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, suggesting an imminent launch. Xiaomi fans finally get a reason to rejoice as the RedmiBook is expected to revamp cost-effective laptops in India.

Manu Kuma Jain, Xiaomi India Head and Global Vice President, in an interview back in 2018 had mentioned gaming laptops as part of the company’s product portfolio in India. Staying true to tradition, Xiaomi is expected to launch the RedmiBook 13 in May 2020 with different variants launching in the following months.

Xiaomi launched the RedmiBook 13 in China alongside the Redmi K30. There is a possibility that Xiaomi may launch the same notebook along with the Redmi K30 smartphone in India a few months later.

Editor’s Pick: Redmi K30 5G: Only 8GB+128GB version will go on sale tomorrow

Xiaomi Redmibook 13 Specifications and Features

The Xiaomi RedmiBook 13 flaunts a 13.3-inch full-HD+ display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, an 89% screen-to-body-ratio, 250 nits brightness, and a 178-degree viewing angle. The laptop is powered by 10th-generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. It flaunts a 2GB NVIDIA MX250 GPU and a Hurricane cooling setup with a custom wing fan connected to dual heat pipes. The setup ensures optimal thermal dissipation and silent operation.

Xiaomi incorporated a cross-platform file transfer system on the RedmiBook 13, known as Smart Connect. This works together with the Xiaomi Sensor Key rendering it capable of remote user authentication using devices like the Xiaomi Band 3. The network is connected to Mi Cloud services. The RedmiBook 13 runs on Windows 10 and has Microsoft Office Student Edition built-in. The device flaunts Harman speakers with DTS support, Bluetooth v5.0, dual-band Wi-Fi, 2x USB 3.1 ports, an HDMI port, a USB 3.1 port, and a 3.5mm AUX port.

The RedmiBook 13 draws power from a 40Whr battery, which comes with a 65W charger adapter. Xiaomi claims the laptop is capable of up to 11 hours of video playback and 8.5 hours of web browsing. Using the charging adapter, the battery can be recharged up to 50% within 35 minutes. The device measures 307.3 x 195 x 17.8 mm and weighs 1.23 kg.

Xiaomi RedmiBook 13 Price

The RedmiBook 13’s based model is priced at 4,199 Yuan (~$602; ~Rs. 43,400) in China. The 1.6GHz 10th-Gen Intel Core i5 processor variant costs 4,499 Yuan (~$645; ~Rs. 46,500). The high-end variant with a 1.8GHz Intel Core i7 processor is priced at 5,199 Yuan (~$745; ~Rs. 53,700).

(via)

Redmi K30 5G: Only 8GB+128GB version will go on sale tomorrow

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Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 6, 2020

The Redmi K30 5G will go on sale tomorrow for the first time since its launch in December. However, only one variant will be available and that is the 8GB RAM + 128GB version. That sure must be heartbreaking for those looking forward to the first sale tomorrow.

There is no specific reason as to why only one configuration is available and according to a Weibo post by Lin Bin, it is not just one configuration available but only one color variant and that is the “Deep Ocean Twilight” colorway.

The good news is that interested buyers will not need to wait for long as the 6GB + 64GB version and 6GB + 128GB version will be available for purchase on January 14, exactly a week later.

The Redmi K30 5G has a 6.67-inch FHD+ LCD display with a dual punch hole and a 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the 7nm Snapdragon 765G which has a 5G modem built-in. Apart from the configurations listed above, there is also an 8GB RAM + 256GB version but there is no word on when that will go on sale.

The phone has dual SIM support and has a hybrid SIM tray that allows you to use a MicroSD card instead of a second SIM. It supports NSA and SA 5G networks, has NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, IR blaster, and FM radio.

On the back of the phone are four cameras – a 64MP primary camera + 120° 8MP ultrawide angle camera + 2MP macro camera and 2MP depth sensor. The punch holes in the display house a 20MP camera and a 5MP depth sensor.

Redmi has put a 4500mAh battery inside the phone with support for 30W Flash Charge that allows you to charge the phone from empty to full in under 1 hour. The Redmi K30 5G will ship with MIUI 11 based on Android 10 out of the box.

Realme 5i launched in Vietnam; Specifications, features and price

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Jan 6, 2020

Realme had launched the Realme 5 smartphone in India in August. Currently, it is selling with a starting price of Rs. 8,999 (~$125) in the country. The Chinese firm is all set to launch the Realme 5i on Jan. 9 in the country. Before its India launch, the smartphone has gone official today in Vietnam. The Realme 5i is now available for purchase through the partnered online retailers of Realme. The handset has arrived with a starting price of 3,690,000 VND (~$160).

Realme 5i Specifications and Features

The Realme 5i is fitted with a 6.52-inch IPS LCD display with waterdrop notch. The 20:9 display produces 720 x 1600 pixels HD+ resolution. The Snapdragon 665 along with up to 4 GB of RAM powers the Realme 5i. Its highest model features 64 GB of native storage. There is a dedicated slot for expanding the storage on the phone.

The Realme 5i has a selfie shooter of 8-megapixel. The rear side of the phone has a vertical quad camera system. It comprises of a 12-megapixel main lens, an 8-megapixel ultrawide shooter, a 2-megapixel macro lens and a 2-megapixel depth assist lens.

Editor’s Pick: TENAA publishes full specifications of the Realme X50 5G

The Android 9 Pie OS along with ColorOS 6.1 UI comes preloaded on the Realme 5i. The device is backed with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 10W charging. The other features of the smartphone include 4G VoLTE, dual SIM support, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, GPS, Bluetooth, microUSB, a 3.5mm audio jack and a fingerprint scanner is available on the Realme 5i.

So, in terms of specs and appearance, the Realme 5i resembles with the Realme 5 phone from last year. However, the Realme 5i has a downgraded selfie camera and it has a less attractive back panel. The Realme 5 has a front-facing camera of 13-megapixel and it has a diamond pattern on its rear shell.

Realme 5i Price

The 3 GB RAM and 4 GB RAM editions of the Realme 5i are respectively priced at 3,690,000 VND (~$160) and 4,290,000 VND (~$186). The smartphone is now on sale in Vietnam and can be bought in Green and Blue colors.

In India, the Realme 5i is expected to priced lower than the Realme 5. Hence, it remains to be seen whether it carries a starting price of Rs. 7,999 (~$111).

(source 1, 2)

Lenovo boosts laptop gaming lineup with a new Legion eGPU

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Jan 6, 2020

Gaming laptops are one of the most convenient ways to get a proper and portable gaming experience. However, despite years of advancements, the technology is still limited by its biggest positive factor, the size. Since it does not have the area to fit in conventional desktop grade components, the upgradability of the laptops has been nigh impossible.

There is an often forgotten solution to this problem, namely external GPUs. Now, Lenovo has just revealed its take on it to boost its Legion lineup of gaming laptops. The upcoming eGPU will be seen at CES 2020 (Consumer Electronics Show) alongside multiple gaming related peripherals for its Legion range.

Lenovo Legion BoostStation eGPU

Lenovo Legion BoostStation is capable of housing an additional storage unit in the form of either an SSD or HHD with a 3.5 inch or 2.5 inch slot. It is also equipped with ports like an HDMI, USB 3.1 (2x), USB 2.0 (1x) and an ethernet port. This essentially makes the package an external hard drive, dock, eGPU and power solution; all accessible through a single cable to users’ laptops.

The BoostStation connects to a laptop of one’s choice via a Thunderbolt 3 port and supports a varied range of the latest full sized GPUs that are currently available in the market. These offerings include options from both Team Green (NVIDIA) and Team Red (AMD), namely (and not limited to) GeForce RTX 2080 and Radeon RX 5700 XT.

Price and Availability

Lenovo Legion BoostStation eGPU will be available in the US and will go on sale sometime in May. Its pricing starts at 250 US dollars or roughly 1,743 Yuan. The availability and pricing for other regions are yet to be announced and are unfortunately unknown.

You can find more CES2020 coverage from here.

(Via)

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite India launch soon

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Jan 6, 2020

Last week, Samsung introduced the Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note 10 Lite with lower price tags compared to their original flagship siblings. Before the unveiling of these devices, leaked information had revealed that the South Korean company will be releasing the Galaxy S10 Lite in January in India. It seems the rumor has turned to be true as a landing page for the Galaxy S10 Lite has appeared on Flipkart. It indicates that the smartphone will break cover soon in the country. The Samsung India website has added pages for S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite. Hence, it appears both phones will be made available in the coming weeks.

The Galaxy S10 Lite listing on Flipkart reveals its front and rear design. It also confirms the configurations of the front and rear cameras. The listing confirms that the 8 GB RAM variant will be available in India. The Note 10 Lite is yet to appear on Flipkart or any other third-party retailer site.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite Specifications

India usually receives Exynos chipset powered flagship phones from Samsung. However, the upcoming Galaxy S10 Lite is a Snapdragon 855 SoC driven smartphone. There is no confirmation whether India will be receiving 8 GB as well as 6 GB RAM editions of the S10 Lite. The S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite are fitted with massive 6.7-inch S-AMOLED displays with Infinity-O design. The offer full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The displays of both phones are integrated with in-screen fingerprint reader. The Exynos 9810 chipset along with 6 GB / 8 GB RAM powers the phone. Both smartphones come with 128 GB of native storage.

Editor’s Pick: Samsung invents a special magnetic hinge for a Dual Display smartphone

The Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite have a front camera of 32-megapixel. On the rear side of the S10 Lite is a triple camera setup with LED flash housed in a rectangle shaped module. It includes an OIS enabled f/2.0 aperture 48-megapixel main lens, an f/2.2 aperture 12-megapixel ultrawide lens and a 5-megapixel macro lens. The company claims that the Super Steady OIS feature will allow the S10 Lite to capture better stable videos even in low-light conditions. The Note 10 Lite has a triple 12-megapixel lenses with Dual Pixel autofocus and OIS and it includes a ultrawide lens and a telephoto lens. The Note 10 Lite is equipped with a 3.5mm audio jack and it comes with a Bluetooth enabled S Pen stylus.

Both phones are packed with 4,500mAh batteries that support for 25W fast charging. The One UI 2.0 based Android 10 OS comes preloaded on the smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy S10 and Note 10 Lite Price and Availability

The Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite are respective priced at 649 euros (~Rs. 52,300; ~$725) and 599 euros (~$48,300; ~$669) in the European markets. The S10 Lite was introduced in color editions such as Prism White, Prism Black and Prism Blue whereas the Note 10 Lite has Aura Red, Aura Black and Aura Glow color ways. The pricing of S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite for India are currently under the wraps.

(source)

Samsung invents a special magnetic hinge for a Dual Display smartphone

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Jan 6, 2020

In early 2019, Samsung was one of the first OEM to release a smartphone with a foldable display. The Galaxy Fold, although flawed initially, was a perfect glimpse of a new trend/emerging smartphone market. This new breed of smartphones offers a lot more screen real estate for use whilst still being more portable than a tab (can carry in pockets).

Now, Samsung is further innovating on this lineup as the company has patented a new smartphone with a Dual Display feature, built on an innovative Magnetic Hinge system. The patent for the dual display handset had surfaced in late December 2018.

From the design render, it can also be seen that the new hinge mechanics is primarily hidden from view, allowing for both displays to be in close proximity; this should allow for a more uninterrupted viewing experience.

According to the patents note, the South Korean tech giant has achieved a larger display by coupling to electronic devices to each other through a hinge. It makes the entire viewing experience seamless while still maintaining portability for the device. So far, it has been difficult to include a hinge in the middle of the device without the mechanism being visible. With the new technology, Samsung aims to make devices with hinges more attractive and viable as a purchase.

Samsung’s mishap with the Galaxy Fold had soured the foldable smartphone market for a number of individuals. Hence, handsets with a hinge mechanism to join two conventional displays might better appeal to such an audience. Lastly, Samsung also aims to introduce more in the lineup at CES 2020.

(Via)

Amazfit T-Rex smartwatch to offer 20-day battery life

By

Jeet

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Jan 6, 2020

Huami has confirmed that the company will be attending CES 2020 where it will unveil a couple of new products. One of them is the Amazfit T-Rex, a rugged smartwatch that will be announced on Wednesday, the 8th of January.

Ahead of the event, the company’s CEO shared an official render of the smartwatch. Now, just days before the official launch, the company has shared more renders of the device and also a feature.

Amazfit T-Rex smartwatch is now confirmed to come with support for 20 days of battery life on a single charge. Making the revelation, Huang Wang, Founder and CEO of Huami Technology said: “Long battery life has always been our specialty and Amazfit T-Rex is no exception. We have equipped this tough, military-certified outdoor smart watch for 20 days. Extra long battery life. “

Previously, it was revealed that the rugged smartwatch can achieve heat resistance of 70 ℃, resistance to severe cold of -40 ℃ and has survived 240-hour damp heat test, and 96-hour salt spray acid-base test .

From the images shared so far, it seems that Amazfit T-Rex has a bulky case and comes with a black rubber strap. There are four buttons on the watch labeled Select, Back, Down and Up (clockwise). The watch face shows the smartwatch has a heart rate sensor and a step counter.

The smartwatch should have support for GPS, GLONASS, and BeiDou and should also have a compass, a barometer, and an altimeter. Given that its a rugged devices meant to outdoor activities, it will come with a number of sports modes including outdoor ones such as skiing, hiking, mountain climbing, trail running.

Along with the Amazfit T-Rex smartwatch, the company will also announce a pair of True Wireless Earbuds and the Amazfit Bip S at CES 2020.

Samsung debuts new bezel-free Q950TS QLED 8K TV at CES 2020

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Jan 6, 2020

Samsung has confirmed its flagship 8K QLED TV for 2020, which launches with a new Infinity design that “eliminates the screen bezel”. Samsung’s 8K TV claims to be able to use up to 99% of the screen, while also measuring just 15mm thin and sporting a completely flat back panel. The new Samsung Q950TS will make an appearance at CES 2020.

First announced earlier today via Samsung’s Korean press site, the Q950TS is surely going to be one of the star attractions over at CES 2020 thanks to its truly stunning design. The lack of a true bezel surrounding the screen makes it look like the picture is floating, and it’s a mindblowingly impressive feat to accomplish for the company.

The Q950TS uses a new AI quantum processor promising enhancements to the picture, sound and smart TV features. A key area of improvement is said to be the upscaling of lower resolution content to fit the 8K screen, which is very necessary ahead of the broad availability of 8K content. That said, the 2020 Samsung 8K QLED will be able to stream 8K video from YouTube, thanks to support for YouTube’s 8K AV1 codec.

The company isn’t providing all the details about its new flagship model at this time, but we do know that it features a large number of modes and capabilities, including Adaptive Picture for optimizing the contrast and brightness levels, AI ScaleNet for reducing data loss during streaming from Prime Video and ‘Object Tracking Sound Plus’ tech for tracking audio with moving objects on the screen.

Speaking of audio, the Q950TS is pretty impressive on that front as well. Samsung Q-Symphony promises to combine both the TV and soundbar’s speakers for the best possible sound in up to 9.1.4 channels of audio, while AVA (Active Voice Amplifier) allows the TV to recognise ambient noise and adjust the volume accordingly. No more missed dialogue?

In addition to ‘Multi View,’ which is a picture-in-picture and side-by-side viewing option, this 8K TV model features Tap View for mirroring content from a phone, Digital Butler for controlling other devices, and ‘TV Plus,’ a free streaming service with access to content like news and movies.

For voice control, in addition to Samsung’s not-so-popular Bixby, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are also available on this Samsung 8K TV. Samsung is delivering the main CES 2020 keynote on Sunday 5th January where it is expected to reveal more details on its 2020 product line-up.

You can find more CES2020 coverage from here.

Samsung & LG Smart Fridges come with AI & Large See-through displays

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Jan 6, 2020

Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) have been steadily increasing its influence in various industries related to consumer electronics. Forms of it are present in current generation smartphones, tablets and now even fridges, as Samsung and LG are set to showcase AI powered refrigerators at CES 2020.

Samsung Family Hub Smart Fridge

The smart fridge from the South Korean giant was first seen back in CES 2016 (Consumer Electronics Show). However, ready and working units have only been produced now. It features many different upgrades that include Bixby Support, SmartThings integration, AKG speakers and even software support that enables AI image recognition via its View Inside cameras.

The cameras on the inside help identify the food on the inside while the display lets the user peer into insides without ever opening the fridge door. Notably, the Family Hub app that connects to smart Samsung IoT home devices also sends users updates on what groceries need replenishing. In other words, if the user is out grocery shopping, the smart fridge can send reminders for certain ingredients that are low and need to be restocked.

Samsung’s Family Hub Smart Fridge also includes Whisk, which is a meal planning software that offers multiple recipes to users based on the items in the refrigerator. The built-in large touchscreen display doubles as a bulletin board as well and even supports video clips and can be used as a mirror display for Samsung TVs and smartphones.

LG InstaView Smart Fridge

LG, another South Korean electronics company, is also showcasing two models of its latest InstaView smart fridges. Both of the models arrive with a large 22 inch display that turns transparent to let users peer inside and see what is stored without having to open the refrigerator. The models in question are the InstaView ThinQ and InstaView with Craft Ice; the latter is capable of making two inch spherical ice balls as implied by the name.

The InstaView with Craft Ice is already available in the US and will soon be sold in other markets as well. Similar to the Samsung smart fridge, the InstaView series also offers AI powered technology and cameras on the inside. This allows for improved inventory management of food items that even alerts the user regarding items that need replenishing.

The 2020 LG InstaView’s transparent panel also doubles as a 22 inch display that lets users browse the internet and watch cooking videos via WI-FI without requiring a smartphone. It supports LG’s Proactive Customer Care service, namely ThinQ AI infused smart customer service solution.

You can find more CES2020 coverage from here

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Shen Yiren reveals that the OPPO Find X2 wont have an in display camera

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Jan 6, 2020

Shen Yiren, vice president of OPPO, revealed that due to the process of mass production, the upcoming OPPO Find X2 will not have an in display camera like earlier rumors hinted at. While this may be slightly disappointing to some, it’s a clear indication that the technology is advancing well and we could see it soon. On top of that, the Find X2 is still shaping to be an impressive device.

The OPPO Find X2 will be powered by the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform that was introduced earlier this year. This means the Find X2 will be a 5G-ready device as the SoC ships along with the latest X55 5G modem that supports sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G frequencies. Unfortunately, the Find X2 won’t carry support for mmWave 5G.

OPPO founder and CEO Chen Mingyong said an interview earlier this week that the company will be debuting the Find X2 in Q1 2020. He added that the Snapdragon 865 chipset powered phone will bring an extraordinary 5G experience. Neither Mingyong nor Shen have shared any other details on the specifications of the Find X2.

Despite this, we can probably also expect to see OPPO’s SuperVOOC charging solution on-board as well. OPPO’s core developer for VOOC Flash Charge, Tian Chen had recently claimed that only OPPO can defeat its own fast charging technology. What remains to be seen however is whether the new device will come with faster or an improved version of 65W SuperVOOC 2.0.

Realme 5i India launch on January 9; Flipkart landing page reveals key features

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