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Nokia Smart TV leaked images reveal key features ahead of its launch

Earlier this month, we reported that India’s one of the largest online marketplace Flipkart has partnered with Nokia to launch Nokia-branded Smart TVs in the Indian market. This will be the fifth smartphone maker to enter the smart TVs market after Honor, Motorola, OnePlus, and Huawei.

Now, some of the key features about the upcoming Nokia Smart TV have been leaked online. The leaked images, first published by Digit.in, teases corner frame design from two angles. It is clearly visible that the TV has brushed metal finish top left corner and at the bottom top right, there’s “Sound by JBL” branding.

Nokia Smart TV Leak

Nokia Smart TV Leak

Flipkart has revealed that Nokia’s new offering will come with features like Minimal Harmonic Distortion and Clear Vocal Tones to ensure immersive sound experience. Further, Dolby Audio and DTS TruSurround will enable high-quality audio playback from the TV’s front speakers. The Nokia Smart TV will also be able to decode surround sound with the help of the DTS TruSurround.

Recently, the Nokia smart TV was spotted on the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) database which confirmed that there will be a 55-inch panel with 4K Ultra HD resolution. It is reported that the device will run Android 9-based proprietary OS and will come with access to the Google Play Store.

In India, the Nokia Smart TV will compete against the likes of Xiaomi’s Mi TV, OnePlus TV and the recently launched Motorola TV. It’s noteworthy that Motorola TVs are launched in India under a strategic partnership of the Lenovo-owned company with Flipkart, similar to this deal of Flipkart with Nokia.

(Source)

Redmi K30 smartphone confirmed to launch on December 10

After Redmi launched its flagship Redmi K20 and K20 Pro smartphones, the brand had confirmed that it has already started working on the Redmi K30 series smartphones. The company has even shared some of the key details about the upcoming device.

Recently, Xiaomi founder and CEO had revealed that the Redmi K30 smartphone will make its debut by the end of this year. Well, that is turning out to be true as Lu Weibing, General Manager of Redmi brand has officially announced the launch date.

The Redmi K30 smartphone is now confirmed to go official in the company’s home market China on 10th December. However, it is believed that the company will only launched the Redmi K30 smartphone while the K30 Pro will go official next year.

Redmi K30 Launch Date Poster

It’s noteworthy that the Redmi K30 will be the company’s first smartphone to come with support for dual-mode 5G which includes SA and NSA modes. So far, it is known that the phone will come with a punch-hole display.

The punch-hole cut-out on top of the display will be housing two front-facing camera sensors. Further, it has been revealed that the smartphone will come with support for 30W fast charging technology.

Apart form these features, nothing has been officially revealed related to the specifications of the upcoming Redmi K30 smartphone. However, leaks indicate that the phone will have a 6.66-inch display with a 1080 x 2400 pixels Full HD+ screen resolution. It is also expected to come with side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

Under the hood, the device could come powered by Qualcomm’s new 7xx-series processor with support for dual-mode 5G, coupled with Adreno 618 graphics processor. This is the same GPU that the company has used in Snapdragon 730 and Snapdragon 730G.

An image of the smartphone that recently got leaked reveals that the phone will have support for 120Hz refresh rate, which is totally unexpected as the company seems to be going a step ahead by adopting 120Hz instead of 90Hz but it could be for the Pro model.

We are expecting the smartphone to run Android 9 Pie operating system out-of-the-box along with the company’s new MIUI 11 custom user interface. To know more about the phone, including full specifications, pricing, and availability details, we’ll have to wait a couple of weeks for the official launch event to take place.

 

Vivo V17 vs Realme X2 vs Huawei Nova 5z: Specs Comparison

Three days ago, Vivo V17 went official, but it is nothing new. It is nothing more than a rebranded version of the Vivo S1 Pro announced days before. And just like its twin sibling, it has a lot of competition. Among the latest devices released with very similar specs and a very similar price to the Vivo V17, there are Realme X2 and Huawei Nova 5z. In this comparison, we will explain to you all the main differences between these three phones and what you should go for depending on your most common needs. Note that we are talking about mid-rangers focused on quality-price ratio suitable for average users, not about flagships and neither about entry-level devices.

 

Vivo V17 vs Oppo Realme X2 vs Huawei Nova 5z

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Vivo V17 Oppo Realme X2
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 158.3 x 75.3 x 8.4 mm, 190 grams 159.3 x 75.2 x 8.7 mm, 186.7 grams 158.7 x 75.2 x 8.6 mm, 182 grams
DISPLAY 6.3 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 409 ppi, IPS LCD 6.38 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 404 ppi, Super AMOLED 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, Super AMOLED
PROCESSOR Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, octa-core 2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, octa-core 2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, octa-core 2.2 GHz
MEMORY 3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB   – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD dedicated slot
SOFTWARE Android 9 Pie, MIUI Android 9 Pie, Funtouch OS Android 9 Pie, Color OS
CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS
CAMERA Quad 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4
13 MP f/2.0 front camera
Quad 48 + 8 + 2 +2 MP f/1.8, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4
32 MP f/2.0 front camera
Quad 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.3, f/2.4 and f/2.4
32 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY 4000 mAh, fast charging 18W 4500 mAh, fast charging 18W 4000 mAh, fast charging 30W with VOOC Flash Charge 4.0
ADDITIONAL FEATURES Dual SIM slot Dual SIM slot  Dual SIM slot

Design

Given the goodness of actual midrange smartphones, only a few people really need a flagship, even when it comes to the design. All of these devices are equipped with an elegant glass back, but my favorite one is the Huawei Nova 5z for two reasons. First, it has a punch-hole display: instead of a silly notch, it sports a single hole inside the display which integrates a front camera. Second, it is way more compact than both Realme X2 and Vivo S1 Pro. But unfortunately, it has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, while Realme X2 and Vivo V17 have an optical in-display fingerprint reader that is more comfortable.

 

Display

Huawei Nova 5z does not offer a bad image quality, but it has an IPS display and not everyone likes it. Both Vivo S1 Pro and Realme X2 come with a Super AMOLED display, so you may like them a lot more for their more vivid colors. On the Realme X2, you even get the Gorilla Glass 5 protection for the front panel.

 

Specs & Software

The most performing chipset is on board of the Realme X2 and it is the Snapdragon 730G, which means Realme X2 wins the hardware comparison. You can even find this device in a better memory configuration with up to 8 GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of internal storage and UFS 2.1 storage as well. Unlike Vivo V17 and Huawei Nova 5z, it even sports a dedicated micro SD slot (separated from the dual SIM slot, so that you can use both at the same time). In the second place, we got the Kirin 810 which, despite being made with a better production process (7 nm), does not reach the performance of the Snapdragon 730G. These devices have a customized Android 9 Pie version out of the box with three different user interfaces.

 

Camera

Realme X2 has the best hardware and it even wins the camera comparison. All feature a quad rear camera, but the Realme X2 is the only with a 64 MP main sensor providing a higher level of detail and better overall quality. When it comes to the front camera, all sport the same 32 MP sensor. Both Vivo V17 and Huawei Nova 5z have a 48 MP quad camera, so you get more or less the same photo quality with marginal differences depending on the software optimization.

 

Battery

Vivo V17 offers 500 mAh more of battery capacity, that is why it lasts more on a single charge. But Realme X2 charges faster with its 30W VOOC fast charging technology.

 

Price

Vivo V17 is sold at €290/$319, Realme X2 has a €299/$330 price, and Huawei Nova 5z costs about €227/$250. At the end of the day, Realme X2 looks slightly more convincing due to its better rear camera and higher-end hardware.

 

Vivo V17 vs Oppo Realme X2 vs Huawei Nova 5z: PROs and CONS

Vivo V17

PROs

  • Bigger battery
  • Original design
  • Great price
  • Nice display

CONS

  • Inferior SoC

 

Realme X2

PROs

  • Better chipset
  • Faster charging
  • Micro SD dedicated slot
  • Better cameras
  • Good display

CONS

  • Nothing particular

 

Huawei Nova 5z

PROs

  • Punch-hole display
  • Good design
  • Nice price
  • More compact

CONS

  • IPS display

Buy Lenovo X1 LDS Lidar Robot Vacuum Cleaner for Just $429.99 from Gearbest [Free Gifts+Free Product]

After a long tiring day at work, the last thing you want to think of is cleaning your room. While keeping your surroundings clean and tidy all the time is extremely important, it is quite a backbreaking task, especially if you are a working man or woman.

Lenovo X1 LDS Lidar Laser Navigation Wet and Dry Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Much to the relief of those who aren’t willing to spend a considerable amount of their day cleaning their homes, Lenovo has come with an amazing robot vacuum cleaner. Dubbed as the Lenovo X1 LDS Lidar, this robot can efficiently clean your kitchen, balcony, bedroom or any other area of the house you want without requiring a lot of your effort.

Gearbest Lenovo X1 LDS Lidar Robot Vacuum Cleaner

The X1 uses the LDS Lidar to determine the cleaning route, as well as its superior disentangling ability to ensure it never gets trapped. We will talk more about the feature-laden robot vacuum cleaner in just a bit, but before that, let us check out the Global Launch of the Lenovo X1 LDS Lidar Robot Vacuum Cleaner on Gearbest as it comprises a great discount, as well as gifts.

The Lenovo X1 understandable carries a steep price tag of $648.06 on both offline, as well as online stores. Much to the relief of those who aren’t willing to shell out that kind of money on a robot vacuum cleaner, Gearbest is offering it for a lowered price of just $429.99 as part of the device’s global launch promo.

In addition to getting the aforesaid discount, Gearbest users placing their orders during the activity period i.e. between November 25th to December 8th will be eligible for getting free gifts. The first 400 lucky buyers will receive the Smart AI TWS11B True Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 Earphone Mini Portable Touch Control Binaural Earbuds with Charging Dock worth $21.15 free with their orders.Lenovo X1 LDS Lidar Laser Navigation Wet and Dry Robot Vacuum Cleaner

On top of that, two lucky winners who buy the Lenovo X1 LDS Lidar between November 25th to November 30th will receive free products. The winners will be announced on December 1st on Gearbest’s official YouTube channel.

Made using ABS and other high-quality materials, the Lenovo X1 LDS Lidar is capable of performing several tasks such as mopping, suction, sweeping, sweeping suction, vacuuming, etc. It has three useful modes including sweeping & mopping mode, sweeping only mode, mopping only mode.

Even when the robot gets stuck under a piece of furniture, it can manage to get out without requiring your help. If it gets stuck more than once in the same area, it will instruct the user to set up the specific area as a restricted zone.

Furthermore, the Lenovo X1 is powered by Japan NIDEC brushless motor, which delivers the strongest suction up to 2200Pa, with a 20 percent higher cleaning efficiency. The robot easily solves the long-hair and if you have pets at home, it might interest you to know that Lenovo X1 can clear up cat or dog hair too.

Despite being so powerful, the Lenovo X1 is extremely quiet (55dB adjustable), and offer seven major noise reduction optimization for a quieter and cleaner environment. As if that wasn’t enough, the robot is also compatible with Amazon Alexa voice assistant, which means, you can simply talk to it instead of manually setting up all the controls.

You can check out more details about the Lenovo X1 by heading straight to this link. To make the most of the global launch promotion sale, you must place your order as soon as possible.

Sony’s ultimate goal is to catch up with DSLRs – Official

Sony Corporation recently held a press conference in China. During the event, the head of Sony’s imaging and sensing solutions business had cause to throw some light into the company’s operations. He also detailed the innovation journey and future of Sony Image Sensing innovative technology.which has made tremendous progress over the years.

Sony admitted that the rapid growth in demand for multi-camera and large-size chips in the mobile phone market (especially in the Chinese market) exceeded its expectations. In response to this growth, the Japanese company has ramped up production.

In addition, the company is also working to improvements to its new image sensors in aspects such as HDR, low light, autofocus and high-speed focus. The company hints that the ultimate goal is to catch up with SLR in terms of quality. That is a tall order considering the level of quality SLR cameras are capable of capturing. The company says it will deploy large-size chips and will also gradually apply polarized sensing technology for industrial applications and new technology in surveillance, TOF and automotive sensing to mobile phone chips. The Sony exec also added; “Sony Group has a wealth of business, sensors are used in professional camera products, micro-cameras, cars, robots and other products. Our chips have to fulfil many technical demands. This is an advantage over competitors, and we will continue to deploy this.”

The imaging giant also plans to deploy fusing tech to achieve new tweaks such as HDR + background blur, to make the principal objects super sharp while the background is blurred. There is also HDR+ autofocus and AF Pixel autofocus pixel technology which allows each pixel to quickly focus in dark conditions

To buttress the importance of the camera business, Sony Corporation Semiconductor (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. President Kimura Shin disclosed that during the 2019 financial year, Sony Semiconductor is expected to achieve 1.04 trillion yen in sales with image sensors contributing a massive 890 billion yen. 80% of this revenue is said to come from mobile image sensors with China undoubtedly ranking as the company’s largest market.

 

(source)

Amazon Launches the Fab Phones Fest Offering up To 40% Off on Latest and Best Smartphones

If you have been waiting with bated breath for smartphone prices to drop, now’s the time! Amazon has launched a new promotion sale, wherein consumers can avail of up to a whopping 40 percent off on the latest and best smartphones from leading manufacturers.

OnePlus 7T

Dubbed as the Fab Phones Fest, the latest Amazon promo features a slew unmissable offers such as no-cost EMI, exchange offer, and total damage protection. On top of that, consumers using Axis Bank Debit/Credit Card will be eligible for up to 1,500 INR instant discount.

To simplify and expedite the phone selection process for you, Amazon has carefully added all handsets and mobile phone accessories under specific categories. The promotion page features Top deals on mobiles & accessories section, which is further divided into All Available, Upcoming, and Missed sub-categories.

Amazon Fab Phones Fest

You can check out the Deal of the Day under the All Available sub-category. At the time of writing, the Honor 20 with 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage space was up for grabs bearing a reduced price of just 22,999 INR as the Deal of the Day. Without this 36 percent discount, you’d end up shelling out 35,999 on the aforesaid Honor 20 variant.

To make sure you do not end missing out great discounts and offers on top-branded smartphones, activate the Notify Me button on the promotion page. As part of the Limited Price Offer, Amazon is currently offering the recently unveiled OnePlus 7T for a considerably lowered price of just 34,999 INR, while it usually sells for 37,999 INR.

OnePlus 7T

Likewise, you can grab great discounts on other equally popular handsets including the iPhone XR, Redmi Y3, Samsung Galaxy M30s, and the Vivio U10. Other coveted devices available on the promo page are the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, Samsung Galaxy M10s, along with the recently unveiled Nokia 6.2 for a lowered price of 13,999 INR, which translates to a 21 percent off on the device’s original selling price of 17,699 INR.Nokia 6.2

The Mobile Accessories section features 100 percent original wide selection of accessories such as cases, power banks, headsets, etc starting at just 99 INR. If you have been refraining yourself from purchasing a top-branded smartphone due to the steep price tags they usually carry, you might want to check out the Jaw-Dropping Offers  – Now or Never section.

The aforesaid section of the promotion page heavily discounted smartphones such as the OnePlus 7 Pro, Oppo F11 Pro, Samsung Galaxy M20, Mi A3 and many more. In addition to getting noteworthy discounts on these mobile phones, you can avail of other amazing offers associated with them.

For instance, the OnePlus 7 Pro not only carries a 19 percent discount, but it also has been assigned offers such as 6 months No Cost EMI. Similarly, the Oppo F11 Pro which usually retails for 28,990 INR has gone on sale for a reduced price of just 19,990 INR, which is a 33 percent reduction in the phone’s original asking price.

Aside from that, you can grab other offers such as 6 months No Cost EMI and an Extra 3,000 INR on exchange. You can get up to 60 percent off on handpicked mobile accessories such as headsets, and power banks. The section features accessories from popular brands like Realme, Xiaomi, Jabra and more.

Cost-conscious buyers can head straight to the next category which is called the Best Budget Smartphones. As the name suggests, the category is teeming with inexpensive mobile phones that don’t disappoint in terms of performance. For the sake of an instance, you can get the Redmi 7 smartphone for a reduced price of only 6,999 INR, which is a significant drop in the phone’s original asking price of 9,999 INR.Redmi Note 7

There’s up to 50 percent off on headsets from Xiaomi, realme, OnePlus and other popular brands. You can also get up to 70 percent discount on power banks manufactured by top brands like Xiaomi, Ambrane, Zinc and more. In addition to that, you can take full advantage of other limited period offers, wherein you can purchase the Honor 20 for only 22,999 INR, while it usually sells for 24,999 INR.

Alternatively, you can check out the Premium Smartphones category for those who do not want to settle for an average device. The above-mentioned category includes top-end smartphones such as the OnePlus 7 Pro, OnePlus 7T, iPhone 11 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy Note 9, and many more handsets that you can buy for lowered prices during the activity period.

You can visit the activity page by following this link. It is worth noting that the Amazon Fab Phones Fest will come to an end on November 29th.

WhatsApp Web finally gets support for Grouped Stickers

WhatsApp is continuously improving the usability of the Web version of the app. After bringing stability, the most used social messaging service is rolling out Grouped Stickers’ support for the WhatsApp Web version. Earlier, the functional of sending a couple of stickers in a single row was limited to the WhatsApp for Android or iOS. After continuous development for over the past some months, the feature is gradually rolling out for all the users on its web client.

WABetaInfo reported about the change via Twitter and asked the users to restart the WhatsApp Web session to get the new grouped stickers feature. However, the feature is currently rolling out in a staged manner to check any issue before the broader rollout. The users need to wait as it may take some hours to a few days to reach every user.

These Grouped Stickers allows the users to save some space on the message interface. It also appears to be more user-friendly while continuing a conversation.

whatsapp
Image Source: Gadgets 360

WhatsApp has always remained a hotspot for data thieves or hackers. The developers keep infusing new features and upgrading the old ones, to overcome the security issues. Despite such efforts, some loophole always remains in the system that helps the attackers to steal data. Similarly, WhatsApp reported about malicious MP4 video file security anomaly that was present on the messaging application for the past few months.

Additionally, WhatsApp recently received support for fingerprint unlock, self-destructing messages, and others.

(via)

Google Nest Mini lands in India with a INR 4,499 price tag

Google announced a successor to the Google Home Mini at its Made By Google event in October. However, rather than arriving as the Google Home Mini 2, it launched as the Nest Mini. It even looks the same as its predecessor.

Google Nest Mini white

The smart speaker has now arrived in India more than a month later with a price tag of INR 4,499 (~$63). It is already available for purchase on Flipkart in Chalk and Charcoal. Sorry, no Coral and Sky.

The Google Store India website says it is also available on Reliance Digital and Croma but we couldn’t find it on both online stores.

The Nest Mini has 40% stronger bass than its predecessor, better voice recognition, and capacitive buttons that light up when the speaker senses you are close. There is also a hole at the back of the speaker in case you want to mount it on a wall rather than have it sit on a surface.

Just like the Home Mini, the Nest Mini can also control your compatible smart home appliances and lights. You can stream songs and podcasts from the internet and also listen to weather reports and the news.

(Via)

MediaTek announces partnership with Intel to bring 5G to laptops

MediaTek has today announced a major partnership with Intel. The partnership will see both companies work together to bring 5G support on Intel-powered laptops. MediaTek’s 5G modem is under development and the chipmaker is working with partners to manufacture the solution.

Intel is a leading brand in computing and this partnership is a pointer to MediaTek’s expertise in designing 5G technology for global markets. The capabilities 5G-powered PCs have to offer are limitless. Consumers will be able to browse, stream and play online game faster on their PCs. MediaTek’s President Joe Chen also expects the partnership to see both firms innovate with 5G in ways that have not yet been imagined.

PC manufacturing giants Dell and HP are the first OEMs’ that will release products under this new partnership. We can expect to see MediaTek’s 5G solution make it onto Windows laptops in early 2021.

MediaTek is expected to officially announce the 5G chipset as well as that for smartphones on November 26. But some details include that the Intel-powered laptops will be integrated with MediaTek’s Helio M70 5G modem. The 5G modem was announced back in May.

(via)

Vivo V17 India launch tipped by second week of December with Rs. 22,000 (~$306) price

The Vivo V17 smartphone was discreetly made official in Russia over the weekend. 91mobiles has got exclusive confirmation from Vivo that the V17 may launch in India as early as the first or second week of December. The highlights of the device include 48-megapixel quad cameras, Snapdragon 665 and 4,500mAh battery.

According to the publication, Vivo plans to initiate the Vivo V17’s product training in India by Nov. 29, which will continue till Dec. 8. In all probability, the V17 is expected to launch in India by the first or second week of the coming month. It is expected to carry a price tag of Rs. 22,000 (~$306). No official statement has arrived yet.

Vivo V17 Specifications and Features

The Vivo V17 flaunts a 6.38-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. The smartphone draws power from Snapdragon 665 SoC with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of native storage, which is further expandable up to 256GB with a microSD card. The device features an in-screen fingerprint scanner for additional security.

In terms of optics, the device features a diamond-shaped quad-camera setup at the rear, comprising of a 48-megapixel Samsung GM1 primary sensor with an aperture rating of f/1.8. The device further features an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens with an aperture rating of f/2.2, 2-megapixel macro lens with an aperture rating of f/2.4 and a 2-megapixel depth sensor with an aperture rating of f/2.4. The selfie camera uses a 32-megapixel sensor that is housed within the waterdrop notch on the display.

The Vivo V17 draws power from a 4,500 mAh battery with support for fast charging and runs on Android 9.0 Pie-based Funtouch OS 9.2. Connectivity options include dual-SIM 4G LTE, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS, Wi-Fi, Micro USB, and OTG. The smartphone measures 159.25 x 75.19 x 8.68 mm and weighs 186.70 grams.

Vivo V17 Price and Availability

In Russia, the Vivo V17 has arrived in two colors such as Cloud Blue and Fog Blue. The device is priced at 22,990 RUB (~$359).

In the past week, Vivo launched the Vivo S1 Pro in Southeast Asia markets. The device was rebranded as the Vivo V17 for Russia. Recent reports further suggest that the Chinese firm plans to sell the same smartphone as Vivo Y9s in China.

 

 

(source)

OPPO Reno & Reno Ace models are getting ColorOS 7 beta update in China today

A couple of days back, we reported that OPPO Reno & Reno Ace Early Adopters program had kicked off in China. Today, those who signed up for the early adopter program are getting the first ColorOS 7 update. Devices from the Reno & Reno Ace series are receiving the update today.

OPPO Reno Ace Gundam edition featured
OPPO Reno Ace Gundam edition hands-on

OPPO Reno, Reno 10X Zoom edition, Reno Barcelona Edition, Reno Ace, and Reno Ace Gundam Edition (make sure to check out our hands-on with the Gundam edition here!) have started receiving the new ColorOS 7 beta update. Note that this update will roll out only to those users who have signed up for the early adopter program. Other OPPO models will get the ColorOS 7 update in the coming weeks. You can check out the update schedule here.

Earlier today, CEO Madhav Sheth also revealed the ColorOS 7 update schedule based on Android 10 for Realme devices. Given that Realme phones will run on a slightly customized ColorOS 7 version, the timelines are a bit delayed. The update will kick off from Q1 2020. The Realme 3 Pro and Realme XT will be the first to get the Android 10 update in January 2020. The Realme X and Realme 5 Pro will join the Android 10 party in February while the Realme X2 Pro is scheduled to get its own OTA update in March. Expect more details on ColorOS 7 India and international release schedule at tomorrow’s special event.

 

(Via)

Apple expected to sell over 100 million units of the 2020 5G iPhones: DigiTimes

Apple launched the iPhone 11 series in September 2019. However, reports about 2020 iPhones are already making rounds on the internet. 5G is going to be the hottest feature on the next-generation iPhone models and according to the latest DigiTimes report, support for the new generation technology will further drive iPhone sales in the market.

iphone 11
iPhone 11

According to DigiTimes’ supply chain sources from Taiwan, Apple is expecting to sell over 100 million 5G iPhone models in 2020. This would be a substantial rise from the 70-80 million shipments expected of the current generation iPhone 11 series. While Apple is yet to officially confirm 5G on its next-generation iPhones, Qualcomm’s executive had hinted at an investor conference call that 2020 iPhones could come with this new generation technology.

5G iPhones in 2020 could do well in a market like China. It’s no secret that China is going to be one of the biggest iPhone markets in the world. There are already a bunch of 5G smartphones from companies like Huawei and Xiaomi and a number of other manufacturers are going to release their 5G models in the coming weeks. So despite the popularity outside of China, the lack of 5G in the current generation iPhones could be a major drawback for iPhones this year. But if 2020 iPhones support 5G, Apple could get a huge boost in the Chinese market next year, helping its overall sales.

 

 

(Source)

MateBook D comes with Windows 10 pre-installed as Microsoft gets License to trade with Huawei

Huawei announced the new MateBook D series of notebooks alongside the new MatePad Pro and Sound X speakers earlier today in China. The MateBook D came with Windows 10 pre-installed, which might have surprised a lot of readers. So it turns out that the U.S. commerce department has recently approved some licenses to trade with Huawei, including the one requested by Microsoft.

Huawei Share

The Redmond giant revealed in a statement to Bloomberg a couple of days back that it has been granted a license to “export mass-market software” to Huawei. While the company didn’t elaborate on the term ‘mass-market’, we now know that it includes Microsoft’s Windows 10 platform.

Prior to this, Huawei pre-installed Deepin Linux on its MateBook models as a replacement to Windows 10. The telecommunications giant wasn’t allowed to use Windows 10 on its MateBook models ever since it was added to the U.S. government’s Entity List. So it was selling cheaper versions of its MateBook laptops running Deepin Linux onboard. Despite the advantages of having a Linux setup, Windows as a platform doesn’t have viable replacements. So getting the supply for Windows 10 back on its notebook models should come as a huge reprieve for the company.

The U.S. commerce department reportedly got around 290 requests for a license to trade with Huawei last week. Unfortunately, only a handful of these requests are expected to be approved. We have no word on which other companies have been granted licenses apart from Microsoft.

Huawei's global flagship store in Shenzhen
Huawei’s global flagship store in Shenzhen

To recall, Microsoft’s President Brad Smith, was vocal about how the U.S. ban on Huawei was both unfair and un-American. Microsoft had reportedly approached the Trump administration to talk about the ban but would often get vague replies like, “Well, if you knew what we knew, you would agree with us”.

Microsoft’s license to trade with Huawei is a step forward. However, the company’s struggle is far from over. There are still companies like Google who are barred from selling its software to the Chinese giant. And Google is very important for Huawei, who is currently the world’s second-largest smartphone manufacturer. In fact, it could have even surpassed Samsung by this year-end to become world number one. But without Google services onboard, Huawei smartphones are essentially Dead on Arrival (DOA) in the international markets.

So it’s extremely important for Huawei to get access to Google services as soon as possible. Unfortunately, given the current situation, we don’t know if that’ll happen anytime in the near future.

 

(Source)

 

 

Motorola Razr 2 may feature touch sensors on its sides

The Motorola Razr 2019 was announced nearly two weeks ago in the USA. The phone is a modern version of the popular Razr V3 launched in 2004 before the Android-era. This modern version is not only way more powerful, it also comes with a flexible display that folds vertically. Technically, it is a foldable phone with a clamshell design.

While the phone will not go on sale until January, there is a chance Motorola will already be hard at work by then developing a successor. This successor may arrive as the Razr 2, and a recently published patent gives us an early look at its design and some of its features.

Motorola Razr 2 patent render

The patent titled ”Cumulative Sensor in a Foldable Device” was filed at the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the World Intellectual Property Office in May 2018 and was approved on November 21, 2019.

 

The patent description mentions that there are sensors on the sides of the device – four on each side (two above the fold line and two below) for a total of eight sensors. It states that the sensors serve as virtual buttons that can be used to operate the device when the phone is folded on unfolded.

 

Their functions vary depending on if the phone is open or closed. The patent says the sensors can perform thirteen functions when the device is unfolded and seven functions when folded, for a total of twenty. We already know the title reads Cumulative Sensor in a Foldable Device. Motorola says this is when the device is folded and two sensors come in contact with each other it becomes a cumulative or combined sensor. When this happens, the sensor performs a different function.

The sensors also recognize different gestures including taps and swipes.

The description says the display may wrap around the edges which explains why there are sensors on the sides similar to what Huawei did with the Huawei Mate 30 Pro’s waterfall screen. The patent also says the device may even wrap around the wrist and that the hinge structure may even be designed to receive touch input from the user (probably like a trackpad).

The Motorola Razr 2019 has a front-mounted fingerprint scanner. That may change with its successor as the patent says the device may have an in-display fingerprint scanner.

There is no confirmation that Motorola is working on a successor and even if it is, we don’t expect it to launch anytime soon.

(Sources: 1, 2)

Huawei 5G Mobile WiFi pre-order is live; starts at ¥1699 (~$242)

Last month, Huawei announced the 5G Mobile WiFi Pro, a 5G modem that allows you to connect your non-5G devices to a 5G network. When it was announced, Huawei didn’t reveal the price. Thankfully, a pre-order listing on Vmall now includes the price.

5G Mobile WiFi and 5G Mobile WiFi Pro

The standard edition of the 5G Mobile WiFi has a price tag of ¥1699 (~$242) while the pro version called the 5G Mobile WiFi Pro is ¥2199 (~$313).

The portable 5G modems support NSA and SA 5G networks and will offer connection speeds of up to 1.56Gbps and internet speeds of up to 867Mbps. Both modems have a Balong 5000 5G modem and they double as power banks too.

The standard edition has a 4000mAh battery and support for 18W fast charge while the Pro version has an 8000mAh battery with support for 40W input fast charging, 22.5W output wired charging, and 15W reverse wireless charging.

The pre-order page doesn’t say when it will begin shipping next month but you are required to pay a deposit of ¥100 (~$14).

 

Xiaomi set to launch the MIJIA Rice Cooker C1 under crowdfunding for 129 yuan (~$18)

Xiaomi’s MIJIA IH Rice Cooker was the first product the company released under the MIJIA smart home brand back in 2016. Since then, several models of different sizes have been released. The product has become a popular one in China and even Japan. A new model has been added to the lot and it is the MIJIA Rice Cooker C1. MIJIA Rice Cooker C1

The new rice cooker keeps up with the minimalist design that the rice cooker models are known. However, it has a compact 3L capacity and presents with 24 cooking modes. The rice cooker isn’t only suited for cooking rice as it comes with 8 built-in cooking functions, including cooking, hot water, hot rice, cake, porridge and soup. The design also can keep food hot for up to 24 hours. Additionally, it has a 650W power rating and the firepower can be adjusted to suit the different cooking modes. MIJIA Rice Cooker C1

The rice cooker has a retail price of 149 yuan ($21), but under crowdfunding, it is priced at 129 yuan ($18). The crowdfunding exercise will kick off on November 27.

 MIJIA Rice Cooker C1

Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Pro Launching in India Soon with 108MP Penta Camera Setup

Xiaomi’s India Head, Manu Kumar Jain has officially confirmed the Mi Note 10 Pro is arriving in India soon. The device had been rumored for an imminent launch in the past which has now finally been confirmed through official channels. Manu’s official Twitter account also had elaborate tweets teasing the device’s 108MP penta camera setup.

The Chinese tech giant is India’s most popular smartphone brand, ahead of Samsung, Oppo, and Vivo. Often times, its releases are basically rebranded versions of previously launched handsets that are sold in China or other countries. This holds true with the Mi Note 10 essentially being the Mi CC9 Pro.

Xiaomi’s Mi Note 10 is already receiving acclaim for its camera capabilities which has seen it claim the top spot of DxOMark ratings for smartphone photography. With an overall score of 121, Mi Note 10 beats the likes of iPhone 11 Pro, Galaxy Note 10+, and Google Pixel 4.

Xiaomi
Xiaomi CC9 Pro DxOMark

It is currently unknown as to what configuration will be offered for the Indian launch. However, going by the smartphones European launch, the Mi Note 10 Pro is expected to arrive with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

Mi Note 10 Malaysia

The pricing is a bit harder to estimate considering the phone launched for 649 EUR (or 43,000 INR or 5000 yuan) in Europe. However, the CC9 Pro launched in China for just 2,799 CNY or 28,000 INR. Furthermore, it is still uncertain if the Indian version of the device features the 7P lens or the 8 element lens. Notably, considering Xiaomi is the leading smartphone brand in India, with its success credited to the mid-range smartphones, it might be possible to see a price point between the two extremes.

 

(Source)

Buy Beelink Gemini T45 Mini PC for a Lowered Price from GeekBuying [Coupons]

We are just days away from the most-awaited shopping event of the year dubbed, Black Friday Sale, which is slated to kick off on November 29th this year.

Beelink Gemini T45

While online shoppers continue waiting with bated breath for the sale, GeekBuying is making sure they have something to cheer about during this waiting time. Keeping in line with that, the popular e-tailer has launched a new promotion sale, offering $60 off on deal prices.

The promotion page features a wide selection of products across multiple categories such as Phone, Laptop & Computer, Smart Home & Personal Care, Consumer Electronics, Outdoor, RC Drones & Toys. Today, we would be checking the discounts you can get on Beelink Gemini T45 mini PC and even show how you can save more money at checkout.

Beelink Gemini T45 Mini PC [8GB RAM+512GB SSD]

There’s a 17 percent off on the Beelink Gemini T45 Mini PC, which normally retails for $289.99 on online, as well as offline stores. Thanks to the aforesaid discount, you can now get your hands on the Gemini T45 for a lowered price of just $239.99.

Beelink Gemini T45 Intel Apollo Lake j4205 Windows 10 4K Mini PC 8GB DDR3 128GB SSD 2.4G 5G WiFi Bluetooth HDMI*2

Moreover, you can extend this discount with the help of coupon code 42CEBDIH. The coupon helps you save $24 more by reducing the original asking price of the mini PC to only $215.99 during the checkout process. You can follow this link to place your order.

Beelink Gemini T45 Mini PC [8GB RAM+128GB SSD]

Equipped with 8GB of DDR3 RAM and 128GB of SSD storage space, this Beelink Gemini T45 mini model usually carries a $268.99 price tag, but as part of its latest promo, GeekBuying is giving you a chance to purchase it for a lowered price of just $185.99. This is a noteworthy 31 percent reduction in the mini PC’s original selling price.

On top of that, you can apply coupon code 42CERPNN for an extra $16 off. In other words, you can bring the already lowered asking price of the Gemini T45 mini PC further down to only $169.99 with the help of the above-mentioned coupon.Beelink Gemini T45 Mini PC

Powered by an Intel Apollo Lake Pentium J4205 desktop microprocessor, the Beelink Gemini T45 is an absolute steal at this price. It packs an Intel HD Graphic 505 GPU under the hood and adopts a negative pressure cooling design inside for enhanced heat dissipation.

The Beelink Gemini T45 ships with 8GB of DDR4 RAM and offers a heart 128GB/512GB mSATA SSD storage capacity. To know more about the mini PC and to place your order before the promo ends, simply follow this link.

Don’t forget to take advantage of the 2% OFF New User Coupon if this is your first order with GeekBuying.

 

Huawei MatePad Pro vs Apple iPad Pro: Specs Comparison

 

If you’re looking for a tablet that can double as a laptop, two of the best options are the iPad Pro and freshly-announced Huawei MatePad Pro. Both devices sport super-slim bezels, support for a pen, and a keyboard accessory that you may need for typing.

The Huawei MatePad Pro is the newer of the two devices, though you might be wondering how it stands up to the latest iPad Pro. In this guide, we’ll compare design, performance, and portability, and help you choose the right one for you.

Design

In terms of design, both iPad Pro and MatePad Pro are super slim and pack a large immersive display. There are some notable differences, however. First off, the bezels on the MatePad Pro are just barely slimmer all the way around on the top, left, right, and bottom sides of the device.

The iPad Pro is no slouch however, and you’d struggle to find anyone who would describe its bezels as chunky. Both feature very similar designs, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. They’re both sleekly designed, and it’d be hard to find someone who’d complain about either design.

Display

The Huawei MatePad Pro comes with an 10.8-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels and DCI-P3 color gamut. With 4.9mm slim bezels around the display, the MatePad Pro promises a screen-to-body ratio of 90 percent. It features a punch-hole for the front camera as well.

 

The iPad Pro 12.9 has a 2,732 x 2,048 (264 PPI) LCD display with Apple’s ‘Liquid Retina’ LCD tech, which is nearly as sharp and colorful as a typical OLED display. Colours pop out very well and blacks, while not as deep as OLED displays, are still very good. In terms of specifications, both displays are very similar.

Connectivity

Next, there is a need to address connectivity, which is also different between the two tablets. On the iPad Pro, there is a single USB-C port, as well as a keyboard connector port and a nano SIM Slot. On the the MatePad Pro are Bluetooth and a single USB-C port. The MatePad Pro only has a sim slot and GPS on the LTE model however.

Both products lack a headphone jack, which means you’ll need to buy a dongle or use a newer pair of headphones.

Performance

In terms of performance, there’s quite a bit difference between the iPad Pro and the MatePad Pro. For the MatePad Pro, Huawei resorted to using their tried and trusted Kirin 990 SoC, which makes a lot of sense for them. The iPad Pro, meanwhile, sports a custom ARM-based Apple SoC, named the Apple A12 bionic.

Along with the Kirin 990, the MatePad pro also sports upto 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. There is a nanoSD card slot onboard for expanding its storage, which is simply excellent, and it’s something the Apple simply doesn’t offer.

Now onto the iPad Pro. It sports the A12 Bionic processor. This has eight cores and also an embedded M12 co-processor, and it’s already well know for being one of the fast mobile processors around. The processor has been proven to be able to run editing programs and games like Civilization VI with no issues. No matter what you download from the app store, the iPad Pro will run it at breakneck speeds.

Software

Quite obviously, the iPad Pro is limited to apps in the App Store, as it is powered by iPadOS. We’d usually list this as a con, but the Huawei MatePad Pro may have it worse. Considering Huawei’s current position, the MatePad Pro, despite running Android 10, does not have GMS, which means all apps will come from Huawei’s App Gallery, limiting choices.

That said, it’s not all completely bad. There is a multi-screen collaborative feature on the MatePad Pro that allow users to clone the phone’s interface on its screen. This feature can be used to transfer files between the devices conveniently. The cloned phone on the MatePad Pro can be also used to answer phone calls and send/receive text messages. By connecting the optional keyboard, the tablet’s interface will switch to computer mode to offers users with a friendly desktop PC experience.

Battery

Now, for battery life. With the iPad Pro, Apple promises up to 10 hours of battery life, though we were able to push our iPad Pro through several days with a few hours usage at a time. The iPad Pro also supports fast charging, with the optional 30-watt USB-C Power Adapter.

Next, the Huawei MatePad Pro is equipped with a huge 7,250mAh battery that support 40W rapid charging. However, the device ships with 20W fast charger. There is also support for 15W wireless charging and 7.5W reverse wireless charging on the MatePad Pro.

Accessories

Huawei’s M-Pencil boasts a 10-hour battery life that can be wirelessly charged to full within an hour. The gadget features magnetic absorption and a sensitivity of 4096 which translates to an overall smooth and accurate writing experience. The stylus can be charged wirelessly by simply attaching to the device.

Perhaps the biggest upside to the M-Pencil however is that it’s essentially free with any MatePad Pro purchase. As a standalone purchase, the M-Pencil costs 699 yuan, or $99. That’s significantly less than the $129 Apple Pencil, which is functionally about the exact same as the Huawei alternative.

Finally, both 2-in-1’s sport an option for a keyboard cover. Apple’s Smart Keyboard comes in at the cost of $170. It’s fairly comfortable and has a lot of key travel, as we found in our review. However, there’s no touchpad on board. That holds it back from being a true laptop replacement. It also doubles as a stand, propping up the screen to up to two angles.

Feature-wise, the Huawei MatePad Pro is almost exactly the same as the iPad Pro’s. It features a similar keyboard layout, as well as the same stand prop on the back. Huawei MatePad Pro’s keyboard cover however is that it’s free with any purchase of the MatePad Pro. On its own, it’s 499 yuan or $71, significantly cheaper than Apple’s offering.

Pricing

For the Huawei MatePad Pro, the Wi-Fi only 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage edition is priced at 4,999 Yuan (~$711) and its LTE enabled 8 GB RAM + 512 GB storage edition costs 5,999 Yuan (~$853). For the iPad Pro, prices begin at $799 for 11-inch model and $999 for the 12.9-inch model. The LTE iPad Pros cost $150 more than their base models.

Conclusion

Both these devices are excellent for what they are, but there are some pretty big distinctions to be made between them. The Huawei MatePad Pro is more affordable, comes with a slew of extra accessories and features equally excellent specs all around.

Where the Apple iPad Pro takes the upper hand however is in the OS and software. Huawei’s version of Android 10 is heavily gimped compared to standard Android, and it’s not really even close between it and Apple’s iPad OS. iPad OS isn’t as good as MacOS, but it’s one of the best productivity UIs for touch devices.

If you’re looking for a good deal when it comes to pricing, the Huawei MatePad Pro is probably the better option, but for sheer productivity we feel that the iPad Pro is still the better choice.

Huawei sues French critics who suggested company’s China state ties

Huawei has become a topic of discussion related to the national security risk and such discussions have sparked after the U.S. government put the Chinese giant on Entity List, effectively banning the company in the United States.

The reason behind the ban given was the national security risk without providing any type of proof to back that claim. Now it seems that Huawei is in no mood to tolerate such talks and is trying to curb the spread of such talks.

Huawei

In an unprecedented move, China-based Huawei Technologies has filed three defamation claims in Paris over comments made during television programs by a French researcher, a broadcast journalist and a telecommunications sector expert. However, it’s not yet clear if the prosecutor will accept the claim and launch a formal investigation.

This was reported by La Lettre A, an online investigative newsletter and the company has also confirmed that it has filed such claims with French law enforcement authorities in March this year.

The development comes at a time when Huawei, the world’s leading telecommunications gear maker, is seeking to bid for a piece of the future 5G network in Europe’s second-largest economy and in countries like Germany.

In a statement, Huawei said that its claims “concern only statements that Huawei is a company controlled by the Chinese State and the Chinese Communist Party, led by a former member of the ‘counter-intelligence’ and using its technological expertise in telecom networks to commit acts of espionage against the Western world.” The company has also added that “these statements are false.”

Huawei is now resorting to legal measures as national security agencies in Europe and the US have signaled concerns over the potential risks of using the company’s equipment. It has also sued the U.S. government for barring its equipment from certain networks, a legal riposte to American accusations that it aids China in espionage.

(Source)