LG announces its new 2020 monitors including a 38-inch curved Ultrawide monitor

By

-

Dec 19, 2019

CES is still a month away but LG has already announced its 2020 range of monitors. We expect to see the products live at CES 2020. The products include an UltraWide display with Thunderbolt 3, new UltraGear gaming monitors, and the UltraFine Ergo display.

At the top of the pack is a new 38-inch UltraWide Curved UltraWide QHD+ monitor. This model features a resolution of 3840 x 1600 and a 1ms Nano IPS display with a 144Hz refresh rate. The UltraWide also covers 98% of the P3 color space and more. The resolution gives it a lower pixel density than LG’s existing 34-inch UltraWide with Thunderbolt 3.

The monitor’s Nano IPS display covers 98 percent of the DCI P3 color space for incredibly natural and realistic images. Certified as VESA DisplayHDR 600, this monitor delivers a truly dynamic HDR experience on its mammoth 38-inch display. Certified as VESA DisplayHDR 600, this monitor delivers a truly dynamic HDR experience on its mammoth 38-inch display.

Ior connectivity, the new UltraWide monitor packs two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, two USB ports, and Thunderbolt 3. There are no details on availability, but CES attendees will be able to get hands-on time at CES next month.” LG also has not yet released any images of the UltraWide.

In addition to the new UltraWide display with Thunderbolt 3, LG has unveiled a new 32-inch UltraFine “Ergo” display. With a 4K resolution, this display features what LG is calling an ergonomic and flexible design. As you can see in the image above, the UltraFine Ergo features a space-saving stand that clasps to your desk. LG explains:

The LG Ergo stand can extend outward or positioned close to the wall, moved up to eye-level or lowered to the desk. It can even swivel to face the opposite direction for convenient sharing of information with an office colleague. The Ergo a monitor can be positioned at the perfect height, distance and angle for far more comfortable and more sustainable user experience.

The 32-inch UltraFine Ergo features a 3840 x 2160 resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate and HDR10 support. There is one USB-C port alongside two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, and two USB ports.

Lastly, LG also unveiled three new UltraGear gaming monitors. These monitors feature large 1ms IPS displays and a 160Hz refresh rate. You can get more details from the official press release.

(source)

Upgraded Huawei Mate X with a better hinge & tougher screen coming to MWC 2020

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 19, 2019

Huawei has again hinted that it will release an improved version of its Mate X foldable smartphone next year. The foldable device will come with a better hinge, tougher screen, and faster processor. This was disclosed by Richard Yu, head of Huawei’s consumer business, who spoke to Frandroid during a trip to Huawei’s headquarters. The CEO also disclosed that Huawei intends to bring the current Mate X to Europe, seemingly in the first quarter of 2020.

The Mate X was released last month after a long wait and the device was put on sale in China for $2,400. The foldable phone comes with an out-folding design where half of the foldable’s screen can flip around back so that you have a screen on both sides when it’s folded closed. That design has made it one of the better options during the debut year of folding phones since others like Samsung’s Galaxy Fold have had much more prominent hinges that create gaps or creases in the design.

The folding phone trend is expected to expand next year, particularly with the arrival of Motorola’s new Razr. Other companies, like Samsung, are likely to release upgraded versions of their existing designs. We also expect Samsung to come out with something more durable than the fragile expensive units we saw this year.

(source)

Samsung SM-P610 / P615 Galaxy tablet with S Pen in works

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 19, 2019

Samsung is reportedly working on a new tablet that has a model number of SM-P610 / SM-P615. According to Sammobile, the tablet is expected to arrive with S Pen stylus. The tablet is at its early stages of development and it may take some time for it to release in the market.

The SM-P610 / P615 tablet does not seem to be the successor for the Galaxy Tab S6 which indicates that it won’t be packed with flagship specs. The Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) with S Pen (SM-P205) that was unveiled earlier this year was a budget offering. It had arrived with specs like 8-inch LCD display, Exynos 7904 chipset, 3 GB of RAM and 4,200mAh battery.

The publication claims that the SM-P615 will be LTE ready version of the SM-P610 tablet. It is expected to arrive in the market in 64 GB and 128 GB storage models.

Editor’s Pick:Purported Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 live shots appear with clamshell design

The SM-P610 model number seems like a successor for the 2014 model named Galaxy Note 10.1. It had a model number of SM-P600 / SM-P605. There is a possibility that the newly spotted SM-P610 / P615 could be a successor for the older Galaxy Note 10.1 Hence, the newly spotted SM-P610 / P615 could be a Note series tablet that house a large display of around 10 inches.

Samsung Galaxy A 8.0 (2019) with S Pen Specifications

The Galaxy A 8.0 (2019) tablet has 201.5 x 122.4 x 8.9mm dimensions. The 8-inch screen of the device offers an aspect ratio of 16:10. The Exynos 7904 SoC and 3 GB RAM powered tablet comes with an internal storage of 32 GB. The front side of the tablet features a 5-megapixel. Its rear shell is fitted with an 8-megapixel camera. The other features of the tablet include 3.5mm audio jack, USB-C port and S Pen slot. The device draws power from a 4,200mAh battery it runs on One UI based Android 9 Pie OS.

The Galaxy A 8.0 (2019) tablet was made official in July this year. Hence, there is a possibility that the company’s next tablet with S Pen and budget pricing may go official by the second quarter of 2020.

German govt holds off Huawei 5G decision till January 2020

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 19, 2019

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Conservatives along with the Democrats have decided to hold off on their decision on Germany’s 5G security concerns that decide Huawei’s future in the country till 2020. Merkel’s administration is under heightened pressure from multiple factions both domestic and foreign, to ban Huawei from supplying 5G equipment. While the domestic complaint is regarding the government’s unjust affinity towards Chinese technology suppliers, the US govt. wants its allies to boycott Huawei amidst concerns of national security.

The Social Democrat lawmakers backed an internal proposal on Tuesday, which if accepted by the govt. could result in Huawei being banned from conducting business on German soil. However, the lawmakers confirmed that their goal was to reach a decision together with Merkel’s government. “I think we will arrive at a decision by January once we have a decisive blueprint of our future course of action,” said Social Democrat Jens Zimmermann.

The Merkel administration finalized the rules regarding Germany’s 5G mobile network implementation back in October, which is being criticized for favoring Huawei. Merkel’s lawmakers have failed to find common ground regarding the issue. While Hawks oppose the Chancellor’s careful approach, Moderators eager to prevent a direct rivalry between two factions of the government suggest that stringent security measures should apply only to the core group.

Editor’s Pick: China threatens to retaliate should Germany Ban Huawei from supplying 5G equipment

The Moderates in their statement have specified that no single network company should be able to control more than 50% of the 5G equipment supply chain. The rules are more stringent towards non-EU suppliers. However, most German operators today use Huawei’s equipment and warn that banning the company would postpone 5G implementation by a few years apart from causing financial losses worth billions of dollars.

One of the primary factors for concern is whether the strict rules should apply solely to the core 5G suppliers or include peripheral parts. While the Social Democrats want constitutional supervision on both core component suppliers and parts vendors, the US government clearly states that Huawei equipment has back doors that enable the Chinese government to spy on other nations.

Both Huawei and the Chinese government have spoken out separately against the allegations in the past. While Huawei has vehemently denied the allegation, the Chinese government said that Huawei is under no legal obligation to spy on its foreign clients. The Trump administration banned Huawei from conducting business on American soil back in May 2019, raising questions over how long the Chinese tech giants can hold their lead in the market.

Xiaomi crowdfunds QBORN 360° Rotating Car Seat for kids aged 0-12 years old

By

Airyl Jaszly

-

Dec 19, 2019

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data, the correct use of child restraint systems can reduce the probability of infant death after a collision by 90%, and reduce infant mortality by 54% -80%. So Xiaomi has now crowdfunded the QBORN 360° Rotating Car Seat for kids aged 0-12 years, and it’s set at the price of 1399 yuan, or $200.

The QBORN 360° Rotating Car Seat has passed the rigorous 18kg backward impact test of the European Union, and can be reverse installed for toddlers of up to 4 years old. Compared to the traditional forward seat belt installation, reverse-mounted child safety seats can reduce the impact force from the front by at least 80%. This allows it to be used longer and improve the safety of the seat.

The seat is made up of a double-layer injection-molded shell, plus high-strength, impact-resistant high-end energy-absorbing cushioning material EPP, and an outer high-density sponge U-shaped pillow. Together, these form a four-layer defense system, dispersing pressure and providing comfort and support for your baby’s head and neck.

It also supports 360° interference-free one-button rotation. By pressing the front button, it can rotate freely in any direction. It’s more convenient and flexible in use, making it simpler to interact with the child in the seat. Overall, it’s certainly an interesting idea for a product, and the execution is quite impressive. For now, it’s only available via Xiaomi Youpin, so you’ll have to import one if you want to get it.

(Source)

Purported Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 live shots appear with clamshell design

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 19, 2019

At the Samsung Developers Conference (SDC) that was held in October, Samsung had showcased a new design for its upcoming foldable phone. Unlike the original Galaxy Fold that can be opened like a book to take advantage of its tablet mode, the upcoming foldable phone will be flaunting a clamshell design like the Motorola Razr foldable flip phone. Today, a Weibo user shared couple of leaked shots of the purported Galaxy Fold 2. As speculated, the phone sports a flip phone design.

The upcoming foldable phone from Samsung features an Infinity-O display that has rounded corners and it is surrounded by slightly thick bezels on all sides. The hinge that enables folding is present under the display of the device.

Opening the device reveals a tall aspect ratio display. The images show that the screen does not develop any creases while folding. A volume rocker can be found on the right side of the device. The phone can be running on Chinese edition of One UI.

1 of 5

Editor’s Pick: Samsung Chairman gets 18 months jail term for labor laws violation

The bottom edge of the alleged Galaxy Fold 2 features an external and a USB-C port. The device does not seem to feature a 3.5mm audio jack. The rear side of the phone features a horizontal dual camera setup along with an LED flash. Alongside it is a small secondary screen that displays the time and some notifications. There is no confirmation on whether the phone is equipped with an in-screen fingerprint scanner. The build quality of the phone suggests that it may not be a premium flagship. Hence, the device is likely to arrive with upper mid-range specs. However, there is no confirmation on it yet.

A South Korean publication had recently reported that the upcoming clamshell foldable phone from Samsung will be equipped with a 6.7-inch display. It had also claimed that it will be featuring a 1-inch external display. No other details of the phone are available at the moment. The report had claimed that the focus is on portability rather than convergence with tablets. The official name of the device is under the wraps. It is slated to go official in 2020. Reports have claimed that the South Korean company will announce the next generation Galaxy Fold alongside the Galaxy S11 series in February 2020. With the speculated launch drawing near, the rumor mill is expected to spill information on its specifications in the coming weeks.

(source|via)

OPPO A8 leaked renders reveal color variants and rear design

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 19, 2019

The OPPO A8 is one of the upcoming OPPO A-series phones that waiting in pipeline to go official. A leaked poster of the smartphone had recently appeared on Weibo to reveal its key features and color variants. Now, three new renders of the OPPO A8 phone has appeared to reveal its rear design.

OPPO A8 Renders

As it can be seen in the new images, the OPPO A8 will be arriving in China in colors like red, green and gradient white. The back panel of the phone features a fingerprint scanner. The upper-left corner of the rear shell which seem to be made out of polycarbonate material has a triple camera setup followed by an LED flash. The volume buttons can be seen on the left side of the device whereas a power button is found on the right edge.

The front side of the phone is not visible in the above images. The images of the smartphone that appeared on TENAA has revealed that it will be arriving with a waterdrop notch screen.

OPPO A8 Specifications

The OPPO A8 smartphone that has a model number of PDBM00 was recently spotted at TENAA with all its specifications. The smartphone is fitted with a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display that delivers HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and an aspect ratio of 20:9. The smartphone draws power from a 2.3GHz octa-core processor. The SoC is coupled with 4 GB of RAM. The native storage of the smartphone is 128 GB and it has a microSD card slot for additional storage.

For shooting selfies, it has a front camera of 8-megapixel. The rear side of the device has a triple camera setup that includes a 12-megapixel main lens, a 2-megapixel secondary lens and a third lens of 2-megapixel. The Android 9 Pie OS coupled with ColorOS will come preloaded on the device. The device is backed by a 4,230mAh battery. There is no confirmation on whether it will be equipped with rapid charging feature.

OPPO is silent on the existence of the OPPO A8 smartphone. Recent reports have revealed that the Chinese firm will also announce the OPPO A91 phone in the near future. The A91 has appeared in leaked renders and it has been also spotted on TENAA and Geekbench.

Realme X50 5G smartphone’s cooling solution teased by the company

By

Jeet

-

Dec 19, 2019

Ahead of the launch of Realme X50 5G smartphone in China, the company has been teasing some of the key features of the device. In the latest move, Realme has revealed details about the cooling solution used in the phone.

The company has shared a teaser poster on Weibo which reveals that the Realme X50 smartphone has a cooling system employed and showcases the phone’s heat dissipation ability, much needed for 5G devices.

Realme has revealed that the phone uses 8mm ultra-large diameter liquid-cooled copper tube, 410 cubic millimeters of ultra-large volume and with the liquid-cooled copper tube heat dissipation 3.0, it offers five-dimensional ice-cooled heat dissipation which covers 100 percent of the core heat source.

Recently, the company says that the Realme X50 5G will support dual-channel Wi-Fi and 5G for online connectivity at the same time, which can smartly increase the network speed under all scenarios. It further adds that the phone can be network accelerated and can make use of both 2.4GHz and 5GHz for Wi-Fi.

The company has also revealed that the smartphone will cover all the mainstream frequency bands for 5G connectivity, including n1, n41, n78, n79 and will support both SA and NSA dual-mode networking with 5G.

So far, the Chinese company has confirmed that the Realme X50 will come powered by the newly launched Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset. This is the same SoC that powers the Redmi K30 5G smartphone and will power the upcoming Oppo Reno3 Pro.

Rumors indicate that the phone will be equipped with a 6.44-inch AMOLED display. It could be coming with Sony IMX686 60-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad rear cameras and 32-megapixel + 8-megapixel dual front facing cameras.

The device could be backed by a 4,500mAh battery with VOOC 4.0 Flash Charge technology. The handset may come with up of 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. We expect Android 10-based custom ColorOS 7 running the smartphone.

As the phone is powered by a mid-range processor that it is integrated with a 5G modem, the handset is expected to arrive in China with an attractive price tag. The company is also set to launch the Realme X50 Lite (Youth Edition) along with the standard model. While the launch date is not yet known, a recent teaser hints at 5th January as the launch date.

Nokia 150 feature phone launched in China

By

Sean

-

Dec 19, 2019

Nokia, the smartphone manufacturer, was once the leading mobile brand in the world with its feature phones being a big hit in the global market. Since then, the industry has shifted towards smartphones that are a lot more powerful, but the company has still stuck to its roots. Now, Nokia 150, which is one such feature phone, has just been launched in China.

Specs & Features

The Nokia 150 arrives with a 2.4 inch display with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. For photography, it is equipped with a VGA camera that also supports LED flash. The handset also features multiple useful functions like FM Radio via the 3.5mm headphone jack, MP3 music support for music, and inclusion of a microSD card slot for expandable storage. Notably, the mobile is powered by a 1020mAh battery which is claimed to be capable of running the Nokia 150 for up to 31 days in a single full charge.

Design

On the front, users will not find a selfie camera or a QWERTY keypad; rather the old fashioned number dials with alphabets assigned to them and a Nokia branding on the top. Below the keyboard a mic can also be found for voice input. The rear of the device features a lone camera with an LED flash beside it and a speaker grill just below it. Nokia 150’s body is made from polycarbonate which is a clear indication of its extreme budget segment.

Price & Availability

Nokia 150 is currently available for pre sales on JD and carries a price tag of 199 Yuan or roughly 28 US Dollars. For color options, it is available in two variants either white or black.

OPPO A91 Geekbench listing and press renders appear; Launch seems imminent

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 19, 2019

The TENAA database has couple of unreleased OPPO phones. Among them there is a PCPM00 / PCPT00 phone that is expected to arrive in the market as OPPO A91. The handset has appeared on Geekbench benchmarking platform through which some of its key details have been revealed. In addition, couple of press renders of the phone have also surfaced to tease on its design.

OPPO A91 PCPM00 Geekbench Listing

The OPPO A91 PCPM00 smartphone has scored 1479 in the single-core test and 5733 in the multi-core test. The Android 9 Pie OS runs on the device. The SoC that powers the smartphone is MediaTek MT6771V/CT that has a base frequency of 1.99 GHz. The chipset is assisted by 8 GB of RAM. The TENAA listing of the phone had revealed that is processor offers clocking speeds of 2.1GHz. Hence, it can be assumed that the Helio P70 SoC is present under the hood of the OPPO PCPM00. It is advisable to wait for further reports to know the exact processor that powers the phone.

The TENAA listing reveals that the OPPO PCPM00 has a 6.4-inch AMOLED full HD+ display which is embedded with a fingerprint reader. Rumors have it that it features the same 3.0 technology in-display fingerprint sensor that is available on the Reno2. It offers 20:9 aspect ratio. The 4,025mAh battery fuels the OPPO A91 phone. It is equipped with up to 256 GB of native storage and a microSD card slot for more storage. The phone features a front camera of 16-megapixel. The backside of the device is fitted with a 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad camera setup.

Editor’s Pick: OPPO pushes IoT initiative, OPPO Smart Watch coming Q1 2020

OPPO A91 Renders

1 of 5

The OPPO A91 renders show it features a slim design as it measures only 7.9mm in thickness. The phone features a waterdrop notch enabled display. The rear side of the phone has a gradient appeal, but it is not clear whether it features a glass rear or a glossy polycarbonate back.

The renders show cases the gradient blue and black color editions of the OPPO A91. A leaked poster that was spotted recently had revealed that it will also come in Red. A The bottom side of the phone seems to feature a 3.5mm audio jack, a microphone, a USB-C port and an external speaker. The power button is placed on the right spine whereas the volume up and down buttons can be seen on the left edge.

(via)

Micron granted licenses to supply to Huawei, recovery in sight

By

Sean

-

Dec 19, 2019

On 18th December 2019, Micron Technology Inc stated that it is expecting a recovery after a “cyclical bottom” in the second quarter earlier this year. The primary reasons for its projected recovery in the arriving year are due to the company receiving all requested licenses to supply its products to its biggest client, Huawei.

Micron was facing stagnancy in its growth in the memory market from the beginning of the year. However, the main blow arrived when its largest customer got placed on the Entity List. Huawei, the smartphone manufacturer, was banned from the US Commerce Department in early 2019 which had led many US based companies to cut their business ties with it.

A few of those include Google with its Android OS platform, ARM with its chipset architecture and even Micron Technology for its memory-based chips. Initially, when the US Government imposed the ban on Huawei, many American companies had also been against the move since they had heavily relied on the Chinese tech giant.

Since Huawei is also one of the leading telecom companies that supply advanced 5G networking infrastructure; a few of the local telecom companies also suffered when the ban was imposed. All of this points to a domino effect that spans multiple corporations if a key player in the market gets affected.

Micron CEO — Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO of Micron Technology Inc

According to the Chief Executive of Micron, Sanjay Mehrotra, the company is expecting business to recover by the third quarter of 2020. The recovery is made possible by the licenses to work with Huawei being granted after the declining performance in Q2 2019. In June, Micron had also stated that it could legally ship some of its products to Huawei even during the ban was enforced. Although whether the company received the license when the US Government began granting them in November is still unknown.

(Via)

OPPO pushes IoT initiative, OPPO Smart Watch coming Q1 2020

By

Airyl Jaszly

-

Dec 19, 2019

At today’s OPPO developer conference, Liu Bo, VP of OPPO, announced that the company plans to launch an IoT initiative, as well as begin the HeyThings IoT protocol, HeyThings IoT service platform and audio interconnection protocol. He also revealed that the OPPO Smart Watch will launch soon, and it’s coming alongside their health platform.

Liu Bo says that OPPO’s vision in IoT is to start with daily life, and to over time build a multi-terminal, cross-scenario IoT ecosystem. This ecosystem will focus on all core categories of smart products, as well as cover four specific scenarios, those being personal, family, travel and office.

To this end, we’re seeing the first of these products launching soon, that being the upcoming OPPO Smart Watch. The device will arrive alongside OPPO’s upcoming health platform, and will serve as a launching pad for other OPPO related IoT products. It’ll be launching sometime in Q1 of 2020, which is a rough estimate, but not too far off.

We’ve known for a while now that the company is working on a smart watch. Maybe we can expect something at the Mobile World Congress phone show in the Spring? Whether it would use Google’s Wear OS or other software remains to be seen, but based on what we know now, it seems increasingly unlikely.

Liu also announced that OPPO will launch an IoT initiative soon. They want to begin the HeyThings IoT protocol, which can achieve multi-protocol compatibility, local connectivity and multi-brand interconnection. To that end, the company will open protocol documents, SDKs and modules to help gain faster development on IoT products.

There’s also the HeyThings IoT service platform, which includes product development, service customization and data operation. It’ll also be launched in the first quarter of 2020. Finally, we have the open audio interconnection protocol that enables the connection of third-party smart headphones and OPPO phones. The first batch of features will arrive in June 2020, including quick pairing and power display.

(Source)

OPPO Reno3 Pro 5G live shots reveal its magnificent design

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 19, 2019

The OPPO Reno3 5G and Reno3 Pro 5G smartphones are scheduled to go official on Dec. 26. Both phones are now up of reservations in China. The listings on OPPOShop.cn and JD feature the official renders of the four color editions of the Reno3 and Reno3 Pro handsets. In the past week, the Reno3 Pro has appeared in couple of live shots. Today, a Chinese tipster has shared new real-life images of the Reno3 Pro phone to reveal its amazing design.

The OPPO Reno3 Pro 5G has an impressive screen that curves towards its left and right edges. The size of the display is 6.5 inches and it offers 90Hz refresh rate. The AMOLED screen is integrated with an in-screen fingerprint reader. At its top-left corner is a small punch-hole for the 32-megapixel selfie camera. The phone promises a tall aspect ratio of 20:9 as it supports 1080 x 2400 pixels full HD+ resolution. As it can be seen, the display is surrounded by very slim bezels which indicates that it will offer a high screen-to-body ratio.

The left edge of the Reno3 Pro 5G features the volume button. Its right spine has a power button. The bottom edge of the phone has a USB-C port. The upper and lower edges of the Reno3 Pro are not visible in the images. However, reports have revealed that the smartphone lacks a 3.5mm audio jack.

1 of 6

Editor’s Pick: OPPO Reno S moniker confirmed through Indonesian certification

The back panel has a vertical camera strip at the upper-left corner of the Reno3 Pro. The ‘Ultra Steady’ text is imprinted inside the camera module. The Reno3 Pro will allow users to shoot highly stable videos. The TENAA listing of the phone has revealed that it includes a 48-megapixel main lens which is coupled with an 8-megapixel lens, a 13-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel. The Chinese manufacturer has confirmed that the Reno3 Pro come in four color variants like Blue Starry Night, Misty White, Sunrise Impression and Moon Night Black.

The OPPO Reno3 Pro 5G boots to ColorOS 7 based Android 10 OS. There is no microSD card slot on the device. The smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 765G mobile platform and 8 GB / 12 GB of RAM. The two RAM variants respectively come with 128 GB and 256 GB of storage. The phone houses a 4,025mAh battery that carries support for 30W VOOC 4.0 Flash Charge technology. the smartphone measures 159.4 x 72.4 x 7.7mm and it weighs 171 grams.

(source)

Redmi K20 Pro Premium Edition is available with 600 yuan discount in China

By

Jeet

-

Dec 19, 2019

A few months ago, in September this year, Redmi launched a premium version of its flagship smartphone Redmi K20 Pro, dubbed as Redmi K20 Pro Premium Edition. The 8GB RAM And 512GB storage model is priced at 2,999 yuan (~$428).

However, the company is currently selling the 8GB + 512GB model of the Redmi K20 Premium Edition at a discount of 600 yuan, bringing down the selling price of the smartphone to just 2,399 yuan, roughly $343.

Do note that this is not a permanent price cut. The company is offering this 600 yuan discount from today till 21st December in China. Further, the company is also offering 24 interest-free instalments on the purchase on this device.

The major difference in the standard Redmi K20 Pro and the Premium Edition is the chipset and memory options. This Premium Edition comes powered by Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC, coupled with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage.

It sports an extra-large 6.39-inch AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels for a superior visual experience. The phone comes with the latest 7th generation in-display fingerprint scanner for added protection.

The device features a triple camera setup on the back consisting of a 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 primary camera with Dual LED Flash, f/1.75 aperture, 0.8μm pixel size, 6P lens, an 8-megapixel secondary 1/4″ telephoto lens with 1.12μm pixel size, f/2.4 aperture, and a 13-megapixel 1/3″ 124.8° ultra-wide sensor, 1.12μm pixel size, f/2.4 aperture.

On the front side, the smartphone comes with a 20-megapixel camera sensor for taking selfies and video calling. Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS + GLONASS, NFC, and USB Type-C port.

It also features Hi-Fi audio for an enhanced audio experience. The phone runs MIUI 10 based on Android Pie and is powered by a 4,000mAh battery with 27W fast charging technology and the phone comes with 27W charger inside the box.

The Redmi K20 Pro Exclusive Edition is being offered in four color options — Carbon Black, Flame Red, Glacier Blue, and Water Honey. The discount is only applicable on the 8GB + 512GB model while the pricing of the 8GB + 128GB model remains unchanged.

Huawei VR Glass goes on sale in China today for 2,999 yuan ($428)

By

Jeet

-

Dec 19, 2019

A couple of months ago, Chinese tech giant Huawei had officially announced its much-awaited VR product in its home market — Huawei VR Glass. Today, the device will go on sale in China, carrying a price tag of 2,999 yuan which is roughly $428.

Coming to the product, as the name itself suggests, it is a virtual reality headset. The Huawei VR Glass has lens barrel thickness of 26.6mm which is almost one-third of that of Oculus Quest and HTC Vivo Pro. It weighs around 166 grams and the temples come with a foldable design and it has a distance adaptation of 55 to 71 mm.

Huawei has said that the glasses can be adjusted in the range of 0-degree to 700-degree myopia, 55mm to 71mm distance adaptive, comes with a breathable sunshade mask and is quite comfortable while wearing, even for a prolonged use.

The company says that the device is ergonomically designed to fit the face. It uses protein leather material which is soft and comfortable, the elastic mask magnetic suction is removable and the myopic groups do not need to wear additional glasses.

As for the specifications, the VR Glass offers screen resolution of 3200 x 1600 pixels with up to 1058PPI pixel desnity, 90-degree field-of-view, 70/90Hz refresh rate. It comes with 3D sound effects and provides IMAX giant screen-like experience.

The mirror leg of Huawei VR Glass comes with dual speakers that offer a wide sound field, built-in dual SmartPA, and supports 3D sound stereo. It can also be connected with Bluetooth headphones.

The company says that it will have access to 30,000 hours of VR video from the content resources, along with three major VR live broadcast platform and more than 100 virtual reality games.

Sony Xperia smartphone with SD765G SoC and 8GB RAM spotted on Geekbench

By

Jeet

-

Dec 19, 2019

Qualcomm recently launched its new Snapdragon 765G chipset aimed at mid-range devices that comes with support for 5G connectivity. While brands like Xiaomi (Redmi), Oppo, and Realme have already launched or announced their new 5G-powered phones backed by the same chpiset, it seems like Sony is also joining the list.

A new Sony Xperia smartphone has been spotted on benchmarking platform Geekbench, revealing some of the specs of the upcoming device. It lists that the smartphone in question is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC.

The phone, which is codenamed “K8220”, is also listed to pack 8GB of RAM and run Android 10 operating system out-of-the-box. While the phone’s model number falls under the category of flagship smartphones from Japan-based Sony, based on the previous track record, but it seems that the company is changing the strategy as the phone in question is a mid-range one.

The Geekbench listing of the upcoming Sony Xperia “K8220” smartphone reveals that the device managed to score 465 points on the single-core test and 1,757 points on multi-core test. Do note that these scores are based on Geekbench 5.0.3 benchmarking tool.

Coming to the Snapdragon 765G SoC, Xiaomi has already launched Redmi K30 5G smartphone powered this latest chipset from Qualcomm. Oppo is going to launch its Reno3 Pro smartphone with the same chipset and Realme has also confirmed that the upcoming Realme X50 5G will be powered by the Snapdragon 765G SoC.

It remains to be seen how Sony places this upcoming smartphone in the market, given that the devices powered by SD765G SoC are priced quite aggressively, a strategy which doesn’t resonate with Sony.

Meanwhile, another Sony smartphone has already been leaked — Sony Xperia 3, which will be the company’s flagship offering for the next year. The phone seems to be powered by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC, 12GB of RAM and is running Android 10 OS.

(Via)

Amazfit Sports Watch 3 Star Wars Edition goes on sale in China today for 1599 yuan ($228)

By

Jeet

-

Dec 19, 2019

A few days ago, Amazfit Sports Watch 3 Star Wars Edition was announced, making it the third variant of the wearable after the launch of standard version and Elite version. Today, the latest Star Wars edition of the Sports Watch 3 goes on sale in China.

The Amazfit Sports Watch 3 Star Wars Edition is priced at 1,599 yuan which roughly converts to $228. It comes with a unique samurai dial that automatically switch between day and night. It also features a custom red and white colored stainless steel bezel with a red and white strap.

There are also many references to Star Wars. The fluoro-rubber custom strap comes with one of Master Yoda’s quotes “Train You Must” inscribed on one side while the short strap says “Vader Is My Motivator”.

The smartwatch features a 1.34-inch 320×320 pixels JDI Full-Moon reflective low-power color display. The display is said to be specially designed for outdoor use and Huami says the stronger the light, the clearer the display.

The display is similar to the Elite edition with AF+AR coated sapphire glass and a titanium bezel and features quick-release fluoro-rubber straps. It packs BioTracker PPG, a high precision bio-tracking optical sensor independently developed by Huami, is designed to constantly monitor the wearer’s heart rate.

It also packs Sony GNSS chip, compatible with four different satellite positioning systems: GPS, GLONASS, Beidou and Galileo. Users can choose between a combination of GPS + GLONASS, GPS + Beidou, or GPS + Galileo depending on their location to ensure the utmost accuracy in global positioning.

As per the company, on default settings, the Amazfit Sports Watch 3 can last seven days without charging and up to 14 days if switched to ultra mode. While the Star Wars Edition is priced at 1,699 yuan (~$241), it is currently on sale for 1,599 yuan (~$228) and is limited to the Chinese market for now.

Xiaomi Youpin debuts on Indiegogo with WalkingPad R1 Pro & Oclean X

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 19, 2019

Xiaomi Youpin is the Chinese brand’s crowdfunding platform and home to several amazing products that are launched in China. Most times when we report about the launch of a new product on the platform, there are usually comments and sometimes we get emails from potential buyers trying to find out how to buy the products. Xiaomi is aware of this and has made a big move aimed at bringing the crowdfunding products to the international market. That it has done by launching the Xiaomi Youpin crowdfunding page on Indiegogo. What better product to kickstart what promises to be an eventful journey than the WalkingPad R1 Pro and Oclean X Sonic Toothbrush?

The WakingPad R1 Pro is an upgraded version of the WalkingPad Mini Walk smart treadmill that was first launched in May 2018. The product turned out to be a popular one in China and outside where it became available via third-party e-tailers like GearBest. The product was even used to scam many potential buyers of their money on fictitious retail websites.

This model is developed with running and walking modes, unlike its predecessors which support just walking mode. WalkingPad R1 Pro is 90% space-saving than the traditional treadmill and can be easily folded and stored with the help of double folding design and smooth-rolling wheels. The WalkingPad was also reshaped with the addition of a balancing handle and extending the deck for a better running experience.

The portable treadmill is available on Indiegogo for $429 with free shipping. Do note that the prices are displayed in Hongkong Dollars.

The Oclean X Sonic Toothbrush is yet another impressive product that was hugely successful when it was launched for crowdfunding in China. It is on offer for $55, also with free shipping. The Indiegogo crowdfunding exercise will end in a couple of hours so you may want to hasten up on this one.

As a reminder, the Oclean X has as its biggest feature the oval-shaped coloured touchscreen display. From the display, you can view the time, weather, choose brushing mode, check dental health information, brushing feedbacks and so on, so that brushing teeth become more scientific, effective and simple. The touch experience is very user-friendly and responsive.

The smart touch screen electric toothbrush brings a more intuitive information display and interactive experience such that you don’t have to go through a smartphone app to monitor the brushing pattern but it can be viewed directly on the screen. The toothbrush also comes with Bluetooth 4.0 support and is compatible with phones running Android 4.4 or iOS 8.0 and higher. Thus, it can also be paired to a smartphone in case you need to view the parameter on a larger screen. On the mobile app, you can also view more details as the blind zones are divided into 8 zones. The Oclean X has a built-in 6-axis gyroscope which can collect up to 1500 real-time brushing data every minute. It monitors the slight changes of brushing gestures, locates the brushing blind zone, and gives scientific feedback results.

Huawei P40 and Huawei P40 Pro renders show rectangle camera housing is the new trend

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Dec 19, 2019

Huawei’s P-series should launch earlier than other flagships since it usually comes with the same Kirin processor powering the Mate flagships of the preceding year. There is no chipset delaying it unlike most of its competitors that have to wait for Qualcomm’s new flagship processor to be available. This should give Huawei an upper hand when it comes to sales. However, their phones usually come later. For example, the P30 series launched after the Galaxy S10 series this year. Next year will be no different seeing as Huawei’s CEO has confirmed that the 2020 P-series will be announced at the end of March in Paris, France.

Next year’s models should arrive as the Huawei P40 and Huawei P40 Pro, and a new leak by Steve Hemmerstoffer a.k.a. OnLeaks gives us an early look at their design.

The leaker who has posted renders of multiple 2020 smartphones including the Galaxy S11 series has collaborated with 91Mobiles for the new leak. The style for the renders are similar to what we saw with the Pixel 4 this year – black images of the phones against a black background. The thing about this type of render is that there are uncertainties with the design.

Huawei P40

According to the images, Huawei is adopting the same style it used this year for the Huawei P30 series – a flat display for the standard model and a curved display for the Pro.

The Huawei P40’s screen is put at between 6.1” and 6.2” and should, of course, be an AMOLED display panel. The renders do not show if it has a notch or punch hole neither is there any mention of a pop-up selfie camera. Notwithstanding, a punch-hole seems like the more plausible choice.

There is a USB Type-C port at the bottom of the Huawei P40 along with a speaker griller on the right and a SIM tray on the left. The power button and volume rocker are on the right side of the metal frame. Unfortunately, the P40 ditches the audio jack.

On the rear, the Huawei P40 joins the Galaxy S11 series with its rectangular camera housing design. It has been reported that there are four cameras inside, one more than that of the P30. The camera housing protrudes from the rest of the glass body. Save for the cameras, the back of the phone is bare.

Huawei P40 Pro

The Huawei P40 Pro is more sophisticated with its design. It has a curved display like its predecessor but the way the glass and frame fuse together at the corners is unlike any smartphone we have come across. The display is said to be 6.5-inches in size with a QHD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a screen-to-body ratio of 98%.

The curved sides are not as steep as that of the Mate 30 Pro, so we still have physical buttons for the volume and power keys. Just like the standard model, it too has its USB type-C port flanked at the bottom by the SIM tray and speaker griller and also has no audio jack.

The Huawei P40 Pro has a similar rear design as the standard variant but it is expected to feature more sensors. The primary camera has been reported to be the 64MP Sony IMX686 sensor paired with a 12MP periscope telephoto camera, a 20MP ultrawide angle camera, a macro camera, and a ToF sensor.

There are rumors it will ship with a 5500mAh battery with support for 50W SuperCharge wired charging. It should also come with a faster wireless charging technology.

Both phones should come with the Kirin 990 5G chipset but Huawei may decide to use the Kirin 990 + Balong 5000 modem for the standard P40 while the chip with the integrated modem will power the Pro model. They will also run Android 10 based on EMUI 10 out of the box but without Google Mobile Services.

(Sources: 1, 2)

Vivo X30 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro vs Oppo Reno Ace: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Dec 18, 2019

Vivo X30 Pro is official as the world’s first phone with the world’s first chipset sporting an integrated 5G modem. Besides this revolution, the handset is also camera-centric and it sports an amazing camera setup. With the X30 Pro, Vivo launched a very performing device without an expensive price, unlike most of the best flagships out there. That is why we decided to compare it with other flagship killers which are catalyzing the public’s attention in the Asian market. Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro and Oppo Reno Ace are the perfect candidates for this comparison, at least in regard to the Chinese market.

Vivo X30 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro vs Oppo Reno Ace

	Vivo X30 Pro	Oppo Reno Ace	Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	158.5 x 74.1 x 8.8 mm, 198.5 g	161 x 75.7 x 8.7 mm, 200 grams	157.8 x 74.2 x 9.7 mm, 208 g
DISPLAY	6.44 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED	6.5 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), AMOLED	6.47 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), AMOLED
PROCESSOR	Samsung Exynos 980, octa-core 2.2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, octa-core 2.96 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, octa-core 2.2 GHz
MEMORY	8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB	8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB	6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 9 Pie, Funtouch OS	Android 9 Pie, ColorOS	Android 10, MIUI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Quad 64 + 13 + 32 + 8 MP, f/1.8, f/3.0, f/2.0 and f/2.2 32 MP f/2.4 front camera	Quad 48 + 13 + 8 + 2 MP, f/1.7, f/2.4, f/2.2 and f/2.4 Single 16 MP f/2.0 front camera	Penta 108 + 12 + 5 + 20 + 2 MP, f/1.7, f/2.0, f/2.0, f/2.2 and f/2.4 32 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY	4350 mAh, fast charging 33W	4000 mAh, fast charging 65W	5260 mAh, fast charging 30W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot

Design

Vivo X30 Pro is a device with a more advanced design, or at least it has that trending punch-hole display everyone is looking for. Thanks to a front camera placed in a hole inside the display, the phone does not need a notch to provide a high screen-to-body ratio. Both its rivals come with a notch, but this does not mean that they do not offer an amazing design. The Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro is very attractive with its edge-to-edge curved display, while the Oppo Reno Ace has a suggestive glass back. But Vivo X30 Pro is definitely more stylish, at least in my opinion.

Display

Despite it does not have a trendy punch-hole screen, Oppo Reno Ace wins the display comparison because it sports a better panel. It has a very accurate image reproduction thanks to the HDR technology and the full DCI P3 coverage. Further, it provides a 90 Hz refresh rate for smoother user experience. Oppo Reno Ace has the best display, but its rivals still come with awesome panels. The Vivo X30 Pro and the Mi CC9 Pro have a higher brightness as well as the HDR support, but they lack the 90 Hz refresh rate, just like the Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro.

Hardware/Software

Here Oppo Reno Ace takes another gold medal. Thanks to its Snapdragon 855+ chipset, it is one of the most performing smartphones out there. The SoC is paired with up to 12 GB of RAM and UFS 3.0 native storage up to 256 GB. There are only a few smartphones in the whole market that can compete with the Oppo Reno Ace. Right after, we got the Vivo X30 Pro with its Exynos 980. It is a high-end chipset which sits in the middle between Snapdragon 855+ and the Snapdragon 730G found on the Xiaomi Mi Cc9 Pro. Further, while Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro has just 6 GB of RAM, Vivo X30 Pro offers up to 12 GB of RAM. Note that Oppo Reno Ace and Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro do not support 5G, while Vivo X30 Pro is the only which does. In each case, you get a highly-customized version of Android 9 Pie out of the box.

Camera

On the camera side, Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro is definitely more impressive with its 108 MP main sensor and it is one of the best camera phones you can actually get in the Android world. But even the Vivo X30 Pro is awesome at taking photos thanks to its OIS-enabled 64 MP sensor, a 32 MP portrait lens and even a 60x zoom. Oppo Reno Ace is less convincing, but it is still a pretty nice camera phone.

Battery

There is no story: Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro’s battery makes it last a lot longer on a single charge. Right after there is Vivo X30 Pro with a 4350 mAh battery, while Oppo Reno Ace has just 4000 mAh but supports a much faster charging technology with a max power of 65W (the fastest charging technology in the market).

Price

Vivo X30 Pro carries a €510/$567 starting price, Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro costs less than €360/$400, and Oppo Reno Ace starts from about €494/$549. There is not a clear winner on every side: you should go for the Oppo Reno Ace if you are more interested in performance and display, while if you need high-end performance, 5G and a great camera Vivo X30 Pro is better. Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro has a midrange chipset, but it offers the best camera and the biggest battery. Which one would you pick?

Read More: OPPO RENO Ace Gundam review: not just Gundam, but 90Hz display & 65W fast-charge

Vivo X30 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro vs Oppo Reno Ace: PRO and CONS

Vivo X30 Pro

PROS

5G integrated modem
Amazing zoom
Punch-hole design
Big battery

CONS

Nothing particular

Oppo Reno Ace

PROS

Best performance
Amazing display
Fastest charging
Dual speakers

CONS

Less impressive cameras

Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro

PROS

Amazing cameras
Bigger battery
Good design and build quality

CONS

Lower-end chipset

EDITOR’S PICK: First Samples from the 108MP Mi Mix Alpha is here & we are not impressed!

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Youpin debuts on Indiegogo with WalkingPad R1 Pro & Oclean X

EDITOR’S PICK: First Samples from the 108MP Mi Mix Alpha is here & we are not impressed!

UP NEXT: OPPO Reno3 and Reno3 Pro 5G pricing leak and Geekbench listing

Editor’s Pick:Purported Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 live shots appear with clamshell design

Samsung Galaxy A 8.0 (2019) with S Pen Specifications

UP NEXT: Samsung offers attractive discounts on S10, Note 10 and A-series to celebrate 10 years of Galaxy lineup

Editor’s Pick: China threatens to retaliate should Germany Ban Huawei from supplying 5G equipment

UP NEXT: U.S. Envoy clashes with German Minister over Huawei’s involvement in Germany’s 5G development

EDITOR’S PICK: Xiaomi Youpin debuts on Indiegogo with WalkingPad R1 Pro & Oclean X

UP NEXT: OPPO pushes IoT initiative, OPPO Smart Watch coming Q1 2020

Editor’s Pick: Samsung Chairman gets 18 months jail term for labor laws violation

UP NEXT: Samsung offers attractive discounts on S10, Note 10 and A-series to celebrate 10 years of Galaxy lineup

OPPO A8 Renders

OPPO A8 Specifications

EDITOR’S PICK: Micron granted licenses to supply to Huawei, recovery in sight

UP NEXT: OPPO A91 Geekbench listing and press renders appear; Launch seems imminent

Specs & Features

Editor’s Pick: Nokia 2.3 launched in India for Rs. 8,199 (~$116)

Design

Price & Availability

UP NEXT: Micron granted licenses to supply to Huawei, recovery in sight

OPPO A91 PCPM00 Geekbench Listing

Editor’s Pick: OPPO pushes IoT initiative, OPPO Smart Watch coming Q1 2020

OPPO A91 Renders

UP NEXT: OPPO Reno3 Pro 5G live shots reveal its magnificent design

Editor’s Pick: Redmi K20 Pro Premium Edition is available with 600 yuan discount in China

UP NEXT: Huawei P40 and Huawei P40 Pro renders show rectangle camera housing is the new trend

EDITOR’S PICK: Realme Buds Air First Look: The Cheaper AirPods Have Landed

UP NEXT: OPPO Reno3 Pro 5G live shots reveal its magnificent design

UP NEXT: OPPO Enco Free wireless earbuds and 5G CPE T1 unveiled in Malaysia

EDITOR’S PICK: Redmi K30 5G smartphone 6GB + 64GB model costs 1,746 yuan (~$249) to make

UP NEXT: Amazfit Sports Watch 3 Star Wars Edition goes on sale in China today for 1599 yuan ($228)

EDITOR’S PICK: Realme Buds Air First Look: The Cheaper AirPods Have Landed

UP NEXT: Huawei P Smart Pro smartphone debuts with notch-less display and 48-megapixel triple rear cameras

EDITOR’S PICK: Sony invents 2×2 On-Chip Lens Solution (OCL) for less blurry photos

UP NEXT: Huawei P40 and Huawei P40 Pro renders show rectangle camera housing is the new trend

EDITOR’S PICK: Huawei P40 and Huawei P40 Pro renders show rectangle camera housing is the new trend

UP NEXT: Huawei P Smart Pro debuts with notch-less display and 48-megapixel triple cameras

EDITOR’S PICK: First Samples from the 108MP Mi Mix Alpha is here & we are not impressed!

UP NEXT: Huawei P Smart Pro debuts with notch-less display and 48-megapixel triple cameras

Huawei P40

EDITOR’S PICK: Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G is DxOMark’s new camera king

UP NEXT: Huawei narrows gap with Samsung to 3.6 percent despite US ban

Vivo X30 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro vs Oppo Reno Ace

Design

Display

Hardware/Software

Camera

Battery

Price

Vivo X30 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro vs Oppo Reno Ace: PRO and CONS