Xiaomi Haylou SmartWatch Hands-On: A $14 Smart Band in Disguise

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Dec 30, 2019

Samsung has reportedly commenced working on the Galaxy M51 at its Noida factory.in India, claims a new post on 91mobiles, The smartphone has a model number of SM-M515 is currently underway.. The smartphone might not be on sale anytime soon since the device is currently in the early stages of production.

Earlier this year, Samusng had launched Galaxy M10, Galaxy M20, Galaxy M30 and Galaxy M40 smartphone in the first part of the year. In the second half of 2019, it unleashed upgraded M smartphones such as Galaxy M10s, Galaxy M20s and Galaxy M30s. This indicates Samsung is likely to skip the Galaxy M50 moniker and directly launch the Galaxy M51 directly in 2020.

This is in line with the company’s strategy where it plans to replace the A and the M-series moniker with ‘1’, instead of ‘0’. It is too early to speculate on the design and specifications of the M51. The Galaxy M51 will be available at offline retail stores alongside e-commerce platforms since the chaebol has decided to part ways with online-exclusive variants and offers in India.

Editor’s Pick: Samsung to showcase SelfieType, a new way of typing with front cameras at CES 2020

Samsung Galaxy M40 Specifications and Features

The Samsung Galaxy M40 flaunts a 6.3-inch full-HD+ Infinity-O LCD display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. It features Corning Gorilla Glass 3 certification for additional security. The smartphone draws power from a 2.0 GHz Snapdragon 675 SoC with Adreno 612 GPU. The device features 6GB of RAM and 128GB of native storage, further expandable up to 512GB via a microSD card. The Galaxy M40 flaunts a triple-camera setup at the rear.

The primary camera uses a 32-megapixel sensor that works together with an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens with a 123-degree field-of-view and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. There is a 16-megapixel selfie camera housed within the punch-hole display for selfies. The smartphone draws power from a 3,500 mAh battery that supports fast charge. The device has a physical fingerprint scanner on the rear for additional security. The Samsung Galaxy M40 runs on Android 9.0 Pie, with the custom One UI skin on top. Connectivity options include dual SIM 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth v 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, GPS, USB-C and 3.5mm audio jack. It is currently selling for Rs. 17,999 (~$252) in India.

(source)

Realme 5i specifications, renders leaked through online retailer listing ahead of January 6 launch

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Dec 30, 2019

The Realme 5i that was recently spotted during certification from Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), has just shown up on Vietnamese e-retail store FPTShop. The listing reveals quite a few key specifications of the Realme 5i, including hardware and color variants. The website has also put up a ‘Notify Me’ button, hinting at an imminent launch. The smartphone will go official in Vietnam on Jan. 6.

The above poster confirms that the smartphone will be made official in Vietnam on Jan. 6. According to the initial renders, the design of the upcoming Realme 5i is very similar to the Realme 5 that is currently on sale in India. On the front, the Realme 5i sports thin bezels on three sides and a thicker chin. There is a waterdrop notch housing the front camera.

While the volume rockers are on the left edge, the power button is on the right. At the rear, there is a quad-camera setup on the left, with two LEDs housed within a small module. The physical fingerprint scanner is located towards the center top half of the body. The Realme branding is visible on the bottom left.

Editor’s Pick: Realme trademarks “DART” and “SUPERDART” as names for its fast charge technology

Realme 5i Specifications and Features (Rumored)

As evident from the limited information on specifications currently available, the Realme 5i flaunts a 6.52-inch display. The device draws power from a 2.0GHz Snapdragon 665 SoC with Adreno 610 GPU and is available with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of native storage. Realme could offer a lower-spec variant with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage eventually.

In terms of optics, the primary camera uses a 12-megapixel lens, in association with an 8-megapixel lens, and two 2-megapixel sensors. There is an 8-megapixel sensor on the front for selfies. The device draws power from a massive 5,000 mAh battery and runs on Android 9.0 Pie-based ColorOS 6.0.1. The smartphone gets a dual hybrid SIM slot, where SIM 2 can be replaced with a microSD card for additional storage capacity. The Realme 5i will be available in two color variants, namely green and blue. Pricing is yet to be announced.

Apart from the downgraded front camera and a slightly different rear appeal, the specs and design of the Realme 5i are an exact match with India’s Realme 5 available in India. The Realme 5 features a front camera of 13-megapixel. Realme does not sell the Realme 5 in Vietnam and the other neighboring markets. The Realme’s Vietnamese website only sells the Realme 5s phone that comes with a better primary lens of 48-megapixel in comparison to the Realme 5. It is possible that Realme might be rebranding the Realme 5 as the Realme 5i for the Southeast Asian market including Singapore. The device would be a more affordable version of the Realme 5s and go on sale in select markets.

(source 1, 2)

Vivo to discontinue online-exclusive smartphone launches in 2020

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Dec 30, 2019

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo is among the top 5 best-selling companies in India. They managed to pull off this feat by focusing on offering quality products at affordable prices and smart marketing techniques. In one such move, Vivo plans to stop launching online-exclusive smartphones in India starting 2020.

Vivo has reached a position to consolidate the offline market. The company has sent out letters to its retail partners, promising them a simultaneous inventory of all products and variants available online at the same price starting 2020. The letter sent out by CEO Jerome Chen ensures that there will be no more online-exclusive smartphones in India. It looks like the days of Amazon-exclusive or Flipkart-exclusive smartphones from Vivo going on flash sale is over!

“Apart from focusing on customer satisfaction, we aim to keep out business partners, channel associates, direct employees and shareholders content with our policies”. Chen added, “We expect our retail partners to gear up in their efforts to offer a smooth buying experience for existing and potential clients”.

Vivo HQ

Editor’s Pick: Vivo APEX 2020 Renders flaunt a bezel-less design and super high screen ratio!

The All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA) has thanked Vivo for taking note and acting on its long impending demand for simultaneous online and offline product launch. “We would like to thank @Vivo_India for taking the initiative against unfair trade practices favoring e-retail channels. Together we strive to usher in a positive change for mobile retailers with fair trading opportunities”, the AIMRA officially tweeted on Friday, along with a copy of Chen’s letter.

Although it is too early to tell, initial reports from IANS claim that rival manufacturers like Samsung, Oppo, and Realme have made similar commitments to their channel partners. However, nothing is official at the time of publication.

In related news, Vivo is all set to launch its latest smartphone, the Vivo S1 Pro, in India on Jan. 4. The smartphone flaunts a massive 6.38-inch full HD+ Super AMOLED display with in-screen fingerprint reader and is powered by the Snapdragon 665 SoC with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The smartphone features a quad-rear camera setup arranged in a diamond pattern, at the heart of which lies a 48-megapixel primary sensor. It has a front camera of 32-megapixel. The phone is fueled by 4,500mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging through USB-C.

(via)

FiiO M15 is an Android-based DAP with loseless audio playback capabilities

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Dimitris Economou

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Dec 30, 2019

Modern smartphones can do a lot of things and have replaced many different devices we used to use in the past like a digital camera or a navigator but there’s still one thing that they are not very good at: high-quality audio reproduction. This gap is detected by FiiO that combines the power of Android OS and quality hardware to release DAPs with lossless audio support and high-quality DAC chips.

The latest model, FiiO M15 is their flagship and features a dual AK4499 DAC Chip combined with the powerful Exynos 7872 SoC. Also, for those who prefer wireless headphones, there is also a CSR8675 Qualcomm Bluetooth Chip. Two Femtosecond Crystal Oscillators from NDK and an Independent XMOS XUF208 control chip are also there to assist. The device features a 5.15″ HD display and as said, it is powered by Android. Of course, a professional Digital Audio Player couldn’t miss the traditional headphone jack, so the FiiO M15 comes with 2.5mm/3.5mm/4.4mm jacks.

Lastly, the device can become a music gateway as it supports FiiO Link, DLNA, AirPlay, and WiFi Song Transfer. More information can be found in the source link below.

Source

360 Watch Pro with 4G LTE, health monitoring functions for the elderly launched

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 30, 2019

Qihoo 360 has released a new generation smartwatch for elderly users. The watch is dubbed 360 Health Watch Pro. The watch adopts a spectacular design and several topnotch specs. The watch supports 4G full Netcom system, with functions such as high-definition calling, AI real-time positioning, professional health management, intelligent voice assistant, and mobile quick payment, which can accurately solve many problems that plague the daily life of the elderly.

In terms of communication standards, this watch supports the 4G networks of the three major carriers in China namely, China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom. Users can choose their own carriers and enjoy greatly improved communication bandwidth and transmission rate. This also means that this smartwatch has VoLTE call enhancements. With this feature, parents can use the smartwatch to make calls anywhere. Not only the answering time is shorter, but the voice quality is higher-definition.

Further, the 360 Watch Pro smartwatch comes with a call firewall function which can limit calls from strangers who are not in the address book and prevent parents from being deceived.

In terms of real-time positioning, this smartwatch uses 7-layer AI positioning technology, as well as 360’s long-term positioning algorithm and assisted by big data accumulation. Children can track their parents’ movement at any time via a mobile phone. You can even set a safe again which when the elderly leaves, the children will be notified as soon as possible, which can greatly reduce the chance of the elderly getting lost.

Health monitoring is a major feature of this smartwatch. In the event of an accident such as a collision or a fall, the watch will give a reminder so that parents can ask their family for help in a timely manner. If there is no response within 60 seconds after the accident, the child’s mobile phone will receive a text message and an app notification to remind them to confirm that the parents are safe.

Considering that heart and brain organ diseases are a big killer for the elderly, the 360 Watch Pro also provides two important functions of heart rate monitoring and blood pressure trend observation. The watch can achieve all-day heart rate monitoring, single heart rate monitoring, remote heart rate measurement, and can clearly To understand the blood pressure trends of loved ones. Once the parents’ heart rate or blood pressure is abnormal, the watch will send a reminder to the watch and to the child’s phone at the same time.

In addition, based on the heart rate, blood pressure and other data recorded by the watch, combined with cloud big data analysis, the child’s mobile phone paired with the smartwatch will receive an exclusive health report every week to help the children understand the parents’ recent health status.

The 360 Watch Pro also comes with a new and upgraded voice assistant. Parents can send voice commands at any time to complete operations such as querying the weather, broadcasting short messages, and playing music. Other features include a mobile payment function, sedentary reminder. You can also set a reminder to take a glass of water or medication on the app.

Taking into account the elderly’s usage habits, it also provides detailed functions and designs such as full-colour large screen, customized large fonts and large icon designs, voice transmission, IP67-rated dust and waterproof build, large-capacity battery, and magnetic charging port design.

No word yet on the pricing and availability.

(source)

New Amazfit Sports Watch 3 (Stratos 3) software update will increase sports modes to 80

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 30, 2019

The Amazfit Sports Watch 3 a.k.a. Stratos 3 will be getting a major update soon according to Huami. The said update is said to increase the available sports modes to 80.

The watch currently has 19 sports mode but with the new update, it will increase to 80 to meet the various needs of users.

The attached poster shows the watch will be able to track your activity for new sports and activities including pilate training, basketball, volleyball, badminton, skateboarding, yoga, triathlon, sparring, judo, karate, archery, skipping, ballet, ballroom dancing, etc.

The Amazfit Sports Watch 3, unlike the other Amazfit smartwatches, is targeted at professional athletes and sports enthusiasts. The watch has a 1.34-inch display with a 320 x 320 resolution. It has a dual-chip and dual OS mode that allows it to be used as a professional sports watch and a regular smartwatch.

The watch connects via Bluetooth 4.2 and also supports Bluetooth 5.0 LE. It has support for 2.4GHz WiFi and also supports GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BEIDOU. There is a 300mAh battery inside that lasts up to 7 days in smart mode and up to 14 days in endurance mode. With GPS on and set to Accurate Mode, it will last 35 hours while in Balanced Mode, and 70 hours in power-saving mode. There is a PPG heart rate monitor and it can also measure oxygen intake (VO2 Max).

Huami didn’t say when the update will begin rolling out but it should not be far off, though it might take longer before it is available for the global version.

Chuwi will soon launch HeroBook Pro, the upraded version of HeroBook, on Amazon

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Dimitris Economou

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Dec 30, 2019

Chuwi HeroBook was one of the most successful laptops for the company in the past and the Chinese manufacturer is about to release an upgraded version, the HeroBook Pro. It will be equipped with a more powerful processor as well as more RAM and storage to meet the needs of users at a higher level. Hopefully, it will have a low price tag as its predecessor did and will become a best-seller.

Hardware upgrade

Instead of the Intel E8000, Chuwi went with the more powerful Intel N4000 CPU that is manufactured at 14nm and reaches a peak operating frequency of 2.6GHz. With the ninth-generation Intel UHD 600 graphics card, it can decode 4K video smoothly. The difference of the two processors can be seen below in the benchmark test.

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Besides the CPU upgrade, HeroBook Pro also comes with more and faster RAM as it now comes with 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM while the previous model featured 4GB of DDR3 RAM. The advantage here is clear.

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The same goes for the disk that is a 256GB of fast SSD. A solid upgrade that is totally worth the around $250 price tag. Lastly, the display is a 14.1″ IPS panel while the device it carries a full-size narrow border keyboard, a big touchpad, and a big 38Wh battery.

Comparison with other laptops

When compared with other laptops from popular manufacturers like Dell and Acer, the HeroBook Pro is lighter and has larger storage and RAM. So, with a competent CPU and plenty of RAM and storage, it’s safe to say that the Chuwi HeroBook Pro will be the next best-seller of the company thanks to its low price and hardware combination. You can find out all about it on the official product page.

Best Air Quality Monitoring Apps for Android and iOS

By

Simranpal Singh

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Dec 30, 2019

The pollution levels are rising day by day. It has become impossible to breathe in fresh air due to alarming pollution levels in urban areas. According to a recent survey by the WHO (World Health Organisation), more than eighty percent of the urban population does not have access to clear air throughout the world. It has become an alarming situation for the households residing in the cities. The situation is even worse in developing nations like China and India. It has become quite challenging to find optimal air quality to perform physical activities in the open air. The Air Quality monitoring apps can help schedule your activities and to have minimal effect on your health.

The increasing pollution has ill-effects on the majority of the population, but it has worse effects on the children and old age citizens. The pollution in developing nations mainly consists of pollutants like particulate matter, including PM 2.5 and PM 10. Whereas, the sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide are primary pollutants in the developed nations. The pollution is having a short term and long term effects on the citizens.

Short and long term effects on health

Difficulty in breathing
Chest Pain
Sore throat
Nasal congestion
Cancer
Lung tissue damage
Asthma

There are some prescribed permissible limits for different pollutants. However, these limits are set according to their local environmental conditions. The PM 2.5 pollutant value is set to 10UG/M3, PM10 at 20UG/M3, O3 at 100UG/M3, NO2 at 40UG/M3, and SO2 at 20UG/M3.

We have crafted a list of apps that will allow the users to keep a tab on the pollution levels in their surroundings. The apps will not only provide information about the pollution level of your city, but it will also showcase the air quality of other cities. The list includes apps for both the iOS and Android platforms.

List of best Air Quality monitoring Apps

AirVisual

It is the key service in measuring, maintaining, and monitoring the air pollutants at the city level. The app has vast support across cities throughout the world. Along with the app, the AirVisual also supply air monitoring machines for users at reasonable prices. Airvisual has several data-collecting stations. Each device sold by Airvisual, in turn, acts as a data collection center.

AirVisual fetches the pollution data from the nearest center upon a successful selection of the current location. However, there’s also an option to enter the location of your choice manually. The user can get information about different pollutants along with the overall AQI of the location. AirVisual also extracts pollution information from government websites to maintain accurate data. It also brings historical data to great use by beautifully depicting it using graphs.

There’s even a graphical map to see the worldwide pollution status via a globe. It also features some weather information along with the AQI data.

The app might need location permissions to set the current location. AirVisual is available both on Android and iOS platforms

Download

Breezometer

The users can stay away from lousy air by merely installing the Breezometer. The app can send you custom alerts for air quality, weather, and fire alerts. The make productive use of machine learning and Artificial Intelligence to calculate real-time air quality accurately where the air quality monitoring is not possible.

It is a personalized assistant to protect our families, friends from the bad air, and other toxic elements in the air. It helps to recognize the best time to perform outdoor activities with minimal or no impact on our health. Breezometer is available in more than 92 countries with a detailed analysis of your air quality.

Breezometer is known for real-time air quality maps, fire alerts, and daily information for multiple pollens from weed, trees, and grass. Apart from air quality information, the app also brings weather forecasts to plan accordingly. The user can personalize the health recommendations like what’s the best exercise route, aids in trip planning, or when to play in the outdoor. The beautiful UI brings native experience for parents and teenagers. It’s a solution for athletes, cyclists, runners, and other outdoor sports activities.

Breezometer has more than 7000 official air quality monitoring stations worldwide.

Download

Plume Labs Air Quality

The sleek interface of the Plume attracts a lot of users. It helps to answer potential questions like, “What’s air quality like today? Is it the best time to go for a run? When should I go for a walk in the park with my children?” It offers full coverage of all the major cities and towns around the world. Hour by Hour forecast of the Air Quality makes Plume stand against other competitors.

Plume’s environmental AI helps to recommend the best time to go out of your home and do favorite outdoor activities without getting exposed to pollution. Around 70% of users are surveyed to have breathed cleaner air after using the Plume App. It supports the data availability of every location throughout the globe. Thanks to 18 months of rigorous hard work by developers and scientists to build a worldwide air quality forecasting model in Plume.

The users can add up different cities automatically and manually. Fluid Timeline depicts all the historical data in a well-crafted User Interface. It’s a favorite app if you care about your health.

Download

Sht! I Smoke**

A creative idea to convert the Air Quality Index into the number of cigarettes consumed. It hides the real pollutant levels and shows the cigarette equivalent of the air you breathe. The Sh**t!I Smoke will give you the number of cigarettes you consumed within a day, week, and month.

However, interested users can also see the pollutant level under the “See More Details” option. The app calculates cigarette consumption based on Berkeley Earth’s findings of 1 cigarette that is equivalent to 22 micrograms per m3. The popular app is featured on several big media houses due to its unique approach to the Air Quality Index.

The user can share the cigarette consumption from within the app. It can help raise awareness about Air Pollution.

Download

Air Matters

A beautiful and clean UI welcomes the users on the AirMatters app. It broadcasts real-time air quality for more than 180 countries. It shows the air quality index neatly by acquiring data from the nearest monitoring station. Along with the air quality information, the app informs about weather and pollen data in the US & Europe.

Surprsingly, the AirMatters also connects with Philips Smart Air Purifier and Laser Egg for realtime indoor air quality. The users can also control the purifier from anywhere using the AirMatters app.

The free version of the app is ad-supported. However, the Air Matters Premium is available for $0.99 per year.

Download

Sameer

(CPCB India)

Sameer is an official app by the Indian board of Pollution Control. It provides hourly updates for all cities and small towns across the country. It is a useful tool for accurate air quality information across India. The app features official data from the CPCB observatories on an hourly basis.

The interactive map layout brings the air quality information on a single map with the appropriate color, AQI number across all the cities. The natives of India can also register complaints related to air pollution from within the app.

The app currently lacks beautiful User Interface as of the above apps, but still, it conveys the right numbers to users.

Download

We expect the Governments should take appropriate measures to make sure everyone breathes fresh and clean air. Otherwise, the days of buying clean air are not far away. These are some best apps to check Air Quality in your city. If you have any recommendations for air quality monitoring apps, then make sure to let us know via the comments below.

Lenovo G25-10 gaming monitor launched, 144Hz and HDR decoding for 1799 yuan ($258)

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Dec 30, 2019

While Lenovo aren’t what you think of when you think gaming, the company has been working hard to change that notion. They’ve built up a very solid line of gaming laptops, peripherals, and now the company has launched a new gaming monitor. The Lenovo G25-10 is a 24.5-inch FHD 144Hz monitor with HDR support and is priced at 1799 yuan ($258).

In terms of specs, the Lenovo G25-10 is pretty decent all around. The gaming monitor uses a TN panel over an IPS panel for faster response time. This panel features a resolution of 1920×1080, a refresh rate of 144Hz, a 72% NTSC color gamut, a 1ms response time, a brightness of 400nit, and support for HDR decoding.

In terms of design, the Lenovo G25-10 display uses a three-sided narrow bezel design, the base supports lifting, and is equipped with HDMI 1.4 and DP 1.2 interfaces. It’s much more sleek than most of Lenovo’s older monitors, with a very subtle black finish, minimalist bezels and a clear lack of garish gaming colours.

Overall, the Lenovo G25-10 is looking like an excellent choice for a gaming monitor, especially for the price. It’s well rounded and designed well, and we’re hoping Lenovo continues down this track of good gaming equipment for decent prices.

(Source)

Indian Startups raised a record high $14.8 Billion in 2019

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Dec 30, 2019

Startups in India have raised a record 14.8 billion US Dollars in 2019 alone. It marks a major year on year growth from 10.6 billion US Dollars back in 2018.

According to Tracxn, a research firm, Tech related startups in India this year had participated in over 1,185 financial rounds. In this, about 459 of these were Series A (1st stage startups after conceptualisation) or later rounds raised the amount from 917 different investors. Notably, about 81 of these financial dealings were in between the sizes of 25 million to 100 million US Dollars.

The rise in financial investors in India Startups

On the other hand, early-stage startups also participated in pre-Series A financial rounds and raised upwards of 6.9 billion US Dollars. This is a bit more than double of last year’s 3.3 billion US Dollars, according to reports from a venture debt firm named InnoVen Capital.

Furthermore, 128 startups in India also got publicly listed which attracted a record number of international investors in 2019. This is indicative of the Southeast Asian country’s strong growth which is on a steady climb. To paint a broader picture, Indian startups only raised about 550 million US Dollars at the start of the decade back in 2010.

Initially, these startups were more inclined towards western trends, in which they provided e-commerce solutions and ideas to the market. Now, they are highly diversified and take on all sorts of fields tackling anything under the Sun. Reportedly, there a 150 educational and learning app startups, 160 fintech startups, 82 ride hailing services (Similar to Uber), 42 insurance firms, and a lot more.

(Via)

OnePlus rolls out Android 10 updates for OnePlus 6 and 6T for the third time

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Dec 30, 2019

Back in November 2019, OnePlus started rolling out Android 10 OS updates for the OnePlus 6 and 6T smartphones. The update brought the major OS update alongside a new gesture navigation system, a number of software related improvements and features.

Historically, OnePlus has managed to stay ahead with the update schedules in comparison to other major smartphone manufacturers. However, it does not always translate to a smooth transition. For example, OnePlus 7 and 7T were the first to receive Android 10 but were riddled with bugs and issues, which were fixed shortly after with hotfixes.

After the current generation of flagship series, OnePlus 6 and 6T (the flagship from 2018) from last year was the next in line for the update. The initial roll out was back in November 2019 but also suffered from bugs and was rolled back due to customer complaints. Thus, it led to the second release which was in December but that too was not polished enough. So, third times the charm as the company is again making its latest attempt of the same.

OxygenOS OTA OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T featured — OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T OxygenOS OTA Updates

OnePlus’ quick and appropriate response is a good indicator of the company’s flexibility and adaptability. In a market where only a few devices won’t receive the latest Android even after Android 11 (R) is announced, quick responsiveness is a rare thing. But rather than a rapid update schedule, a functional update is likely to be more of a priority for most users.

Changelog for OnePlus 6 and 6T Updates:

System

Updated system to Android 10
Brand new UI for Android 10
Fixed the automatic reboot issue
Added the notch area display option in the Settings (Settings > Display > Notch display > Hide the notch area)
Fixed the issue with lock screen appearing even after unlocking the device with the password
Fixed the issue with Navigation bar after upgrade
Fixed the Digital wellbeing option missing in the settings
Updated Android security patch to 2019.11
Full Screen Gestures
Added inward swipes from the left or right edge of the screen to go back
Added a bottom navigation bar to allow switching left or right for recent apps

Cubot X20 Pro is an incredible value phone with iPhone 11 looks

By

Dimitris Economou

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Dec 30, 2019

The smartphone market is dominated by big companies like Apple, Samsung, and Huawei that offer some great flagships with remarkable features but also a very high price tag. However, there are other manufacturers that offer great value for money phones like the Cubot X20 Pro, one of the most VFM smartphones out there that costs around $150 but features similar performance as much more expensive devices. Let’s see its pros and cons below.

Pros

Triple camera that produces great photos
Vivid FHD display with beautiful colors
Stock Android 9.0
Great value for money

Cons

No Headphone Jack
No fingerprint reader
No Wireless Charging

Cubot X20 Pro Build Quality

The display is one of the reasons that make the X20 Pro the best VFM phone. It’s an IPS 6.3″ FHD+ display with rich colors and 409ppi. Also, besides the high resolution, it has a clean design with just a tiny notch, unlike the huge iPhone notch. This allows for a higher screen/body ratio as well.

Cameras

The camera design is a clear copy of the iPhone 11 Pro and Google Pixel 4 but that’s ok as most manufacturers copy each other in this department. The important thing is whether the performance of the camera is adequate or not. And the Cubot X20 Pro delivers more than its price suggests with a 12MP sensor and an 8MP ultra-wide sensor. The third sensor is a 20MP one that is used for portrait shots with bokeh effect.

The sensors work great both in bright and low-light conditions while you can adjust the depth of field both before and after the shot. What’s more, there’s a 13MP front shooter that is good for selfies and video calls. And speaking of video, the X20 Pro can shoot 4K video with OIS meaning that no more shaky videos.

Performance and UX

Coming preloaded with Android 9 Pie, the phone’s performance is fluid and smooth. There is no lag or any custom skins applied, just stock Android. This way, Cubot is able to get the maximum performance out of the hardware and offer quick software updates. The phone comes with Helio P60 SoC which is a worthy counterpart to the Snapdragon 660, a popular choice among mid-range phones. As said before, it supports 4K video recording and also offers Face Unlock.

To boost the SoC, the X20 Pro comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. This ensures that you never run out of space to store your apps and games or RAM to run them. No matter what game you want to play and what video you want to run, the processor and RAM will do their job well. The storage is expandable up to 256GB more while in terms of performance, the device ranks among the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 and the Asus Zenfone Max Pro.

Battery Life

Usually, the weak link in smartphones is battery life. Technology has evolved so much in every other aspect in the mobile industry apart from batteries. The most expensive phones out there like Google’s Pixel series feature mediocre battery life at best. Also, the obsession for more and more thin devices leaves little space for a big battery. However, the Cubot X20 Pro has a 4000mAh capacity battery that will definitely take you through the day even with heavy use.

Of course, it’s not just a matter of capacity. Software optimization is also very important and the Stock Android 9 Pie in X20 Pro does a good job in power management. There is no battery-hogging bloatware. Add to that the Fast Charging implemented by Cubot and you can charge for half an hour to get a full day of light use. Sounds like a good and small investment, doesn’t it?

Samsung to showcase SelfieType, a new way of typing with front cameras at CES 2020

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Dec 30, 2019

On 30th December 2019, Samsung announced that it will be showcasing a wide variety of projects it has been working on from its C-Lab incubation program at CES 2020. One of which includes the very unique and interesting SelfieType project.

According to reports, the SelfieType project uses an AI algorithm and a front facing camera to perform as a virtual keyboard. In other words, it essentially allows users to type off screen just by using finger movements. On Samsung’s official website, it states that “SelfieType requires no additional hardware and it is highly adaptable to various mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops.”

Samsung SelfieType CES 2020 — Samsung to unveil SelfieType at CES 2020

The statement indicates that the feature could possibly also work on smartphones, tablets, and laptops from other companies since the front camera is the integral component of the project. So, it is likely that once the project completed and ready for commercial distribution, Samsung might sell this feature to other smartphone manufacturers.

The ability to cast virtual keyboards on real world surfaces has been popular in recent years and is becoming increasingly more feasible. Lenovo’s Smart Cast that followed a similar concept. However, Samsung’s SelfieType requires no additional hardware or projection of a keyboard. Thus, the algorithm needs to be sound lest it leads to inaccurate input or false readings from the users.

Additionally, a few of the other projects the South Korean tech giant is expected to unveil include Hyer smart highlighter; it functions similar to Google Lens but with a highlighter rather than a smartphone camera. Furthermore, the company will also showcase a window-shaped device that delivers artificial sunlight, with an ultraviolet sensor and monitoring tool. Lastly, it is also speculated that Samsung will announce the Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note 10 Lite at CES 2020.

(Via)

LG Gram Laptop crowned as one of the Best Laptops of 2019 by Consumer Reports

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 30, 2019

Consumer Reports recently selected the best laptops by classifying notebook PCs into five size groups –- 10- to 11-inch, 12- to 13-inch, 14-inch, 15- to 16-inch, and 17- to 18-inch. The evaluation was carried out based on data such as users’ brand trust and satisfaction in addition to the results of rigorous product tests.

The LG Gram 14 was selected as the best product in the 14-inch product group. The evaluation team said that the LG Gram weighs about 2.2 pounds (about 997 grams) and is lighter than other notebooks of the same size. As a result, the LG Gram scored the highest points in terms of portability, one of the three evaluation items that also included ergonomics and performance.

The evaluation team also noted that the LG Gram delivers a powerful performance with the Intel Core i7 processor, storage space of 512 GB and 8 GB memories. The battery also delivers up to 15 hours of onscreen time

In addition, the LG Gram 17-inch model that was launched in December 2018 was selected as an alternative to Acer’s Nitro 5 model considered the best product in the 17- to 18-inch group.

In the 10- to 11-inch group, Consumer Reports also named Microsoft’s Surface Go the best product in the category. Overall, Apple’s laptops yielded the best results with MacBook Air ranking first in the 12- to 13-inch group and MacBook Pro beating other 15- to 16-inch laptops.

(source)

The Xiaomi Watch COLOR has an impressive battery life

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Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 30, 2019

Little is known about the specification and features of the Xiaomi Watch COLOR but more details are beginning to surface. The first is a live photo of the watch shared by the general manager of Xiaomi Ecological Chain, Qu Heng.

Qu Heng’s photo not only gives us a good look at the watch but he also reveals an important detail about it – the battery life. But first, let us talk about the design.

The Xiaomi Watch Color has a black case with a pretty thin bezel. Judging from the image, the screen should be no less than 1.39-inches in size. There are two buttons on the right side of the bezel just like we have seen on some other smartwatches.

The display shows a quick settings menu that includes a shortcut for torch mode which is practically the screen turning white and bright so you can use it to see. It also has a shortcut to turn on and off the lift-to-wake feature, another shortcut for adjusting the brightness and one for activating night mode. If you also zoom in on the image, you can see the Xiaomi Watch Color uses a quick-release strap.

As you can see, the watch’s battery level is 65% which actually doesn’t say anything. However, according to Qu Heng, that is the battery life of the watch after a week of use. Impressive, right? While we don’t know the usage pattern, we presume the Xiaomi Watch COLOR should be able to last more than 2 weeks on a single charge.

We still await the release of the spec sheet to know the battery capacity and if it trumps that of the Amazfit GTR which has a 410mAh battery and lasts up to 74 days in basic watch mode.

(Source)

Nokia 2720 flip phone and Nokia 800 Tough mobile goes on sale in China

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Dec 30, 2019

Earlier this month, we had reported on an announcement that stated the release of the Nokia 2720 flip phone and Nokia 800 Tough mobile phones in China. Now, the company has officially launched both devices in the country.

Nokia 2720

Nokia 2720 is a classic flip phone with a retro clamshell design philosophy. One of its key highlighting features is its dual displays on the handset. Its primary screen is a 2.8 inch QVGA display while the secondary screen is a small 1.3 inch display on the outside. The latter is useful in notifying users about incoming and also view messages.

It is equipped with KaiOS 2.5.2 operating system alongside a 2 megapixel camera, a T9 physical keyboard and is powered by a 1,500mAh battery. According to official reports, the Nokia 2720 can last up to 28 days in a single full charge. Notably, it also supports GPS and GLONASS, includes Google Maps and also provides Kai App Store.

Nokia 800

The Nokia 800 is a Tough rugged mobile phone which is built for use in harsh environments. It features IP68 dust and waterproofing and is capable of being submerged in water for up to thirty minutes in a depth of about 1.5 meters. The device can even handle a fall from 1.8 metres on a solid concrete floor without breaking.

Since it is rated for harsh environments, the Nokia 800 is operable in temperatures of about -22 degree Celsius and up to 55 degree Celsius. The handset also supports 4G networking and its battery can last for almost 43 days on a single full charge. For photography, it even has a 2 megapixel camera with a single LED flash.

Availability

The rugged Nokia 800 is officially priced at 899 Yuan or roughly 128 US Dollars while the Nokia 2720 flip phone is offered for 599 Yuan or about 85 US Dollars. Both smartphones are officially available for purchase as of today (30th December 2019). Notably, unlike the former, the latter arrives in multiple color options as well that include red, black and gray.

ZTE Axon 10s Pro TENAA certified; Images and key specs revealed

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Dec 30, 2019

Earlier this month, ZTE Global Business Head and Senior Vice President Xu Feng had confirmed that ZTE will be showcasing the Axon 10s Pro 5G flagship at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 in February. The smartphone will be arriving as the successor of the Axon 10 Pro 5G that was unveiled earlier this year. The company has revealed the design of the phone by sharing its press renders. The Chines firm has also confirmed its key specifications. Today, a new ZTE phone that has a model number of ZTE A2020 SP has received from the TENAA telecom authority of China. The listing currently carries the preliminary specs and images of the Axon 10s Pro 5G.

The Axon 10s Pro 5G TENAA listing reveals that its dimensions are 159.2 x 73.4 x 7.9mm. The device is equipped with a 6.47-inch display. The phone could be supporting full HD+ resolution. The handset is backed a minimum capacity battery of 3,900mAh. The TENAA listing of the phone will be updated soon with full specifications in the near future.

The Axon 10s Pro 5G images that have appeared on TENAA reveals it has a dual-edge curved display with a waterdrop notch. The screen of the phone is integrated with a fingerprint sensor. The smartphone has a triple camera system on its back. A third camera is placed separately from the upper two lenses. An LED flash follows the camera setup. The right edge of the smartphone has a volume rocker and a power button.

Editor’s Pick: ZTE to return to mainstream market with 10 5G smartphones in 2020

ZTE has already confirmed that the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform is present under the hood of the Axon 10s Pro 5G. The SoC is coupled with LPDDR5 RAM. The phone is equipped with UFS 3.0 storage. The device carries support for Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. The MiFavor 10 based Android 1O OS will come preloaded on the Axon 10s Pro 5G. The glass-bodied smartphone has a slim profile of 7.9mm and it weighs 175 grams. The smartphone will come in two color editions such as Black and Metallic Luster.

Now that the ZTE Axon 10s Pro 5G smartphone has appeared with preliminary specs on TENAA, it may go official in China soon. There is a possibility that the Axon 10s Pro 5G could be the first Snapdragon 865 SoC powered phone to go official in China.

Amazfit GTR gets price cut following launch of Xiaomi Watch COLOR

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 30, 2019

The Xiaomi Watch COLOR announced today has got lots of folks excited including me. While it looks nothing like the Apple Watch, it does look like a lot of other watches with a circular dial. Extra points for hiding in plain sight.

Xiaomi is yet to announce the price of the watch as well as its features and specifications. However, following the launch of the Xiaomi Watch COLOR, Huami has announced a price reduction for the Amazfit GTR.

The 47mm version of the smartwatch which sold for ¥999 (~$143) when it was launched back in July will now be sold for ¥769 (~$110). The 42mm version which had a launch price of ¥799 (~$114) at launch will now be sold for ¥589 (~$84). At this new price, the 42mm GTR is now cheaper than the Amazfit GTS which is currently sold for ¥799 (~$114).

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Huami says the watches will be available at the new prices starting January 1 on JD.com, Xiaomi Youpin, and the Huami online store.

The 47mm Amazfit GTR has a 1.39-inch 454 x 454 AMOLED display while the 42mm version has a 1.2-inch 390 x 390 AMOLED screen. Both have Gorilla Glass 3 protection and an oleophobic coating. The watches connect via Bluetooth 5.0, have NFC, GPS+GLONASS and a BioTracker PPG sensor for advanced heart-rate monitoring. It can track 12 physical activities including outdoor running, treadmill running, walking, outdoor and indoor cycling, elliptical training, climbing, skiing, and swimming.

The Amazfit GTR is not only a watch for tracking your physical activities. It can also control music playback, inform you about the weather, notify you of alerts and calls from your phone. It also has a sedentary reminder, a compass, and a find my phone feature.

The 42mm version packs a 195mAh battery (lasts up to 12 days) and uses a 20mm strap that can be easily replaced while the 47mm version has a 410mAh battery (lasts up to 24 days) and uses a 22mm strap. Both watches are water-resistant up to 5ATM.

Huami has also announced a Lite version of the 47mm GTR that is sold for €99 on Gearbest. It has 8 sport modes instead of 12, does not have GPS, and comes with a silicone strap rather than a leather one.

Gree Electronics patents a foldable smartphone

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