Pre-Order Ulefone Armor 3W Smartphone for Just $299.99 from Banggood [Get Free Shipping Over $19.99]

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Oct 8, 2019

Still riding high on the success of its last year’s Armor 3 and Armor 3T large battery rugged phones, Ulefone is all set to unveil their radically overhauled version dubbed the Armor 3W and Armor 3WT.

The Armor 3WT is the walkie-talkie version of the Armor 3W smartphone, which has gone up for pre-order bearing a considerably lowered price tag on Banggood. There are two variants of the Ulefone Armor 3W including the EU Version and the Other Area model, which is designed to work outside the European Union region.

Featuring 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage capacity, both variants usually retail for $383.89. Much to the delight of Ulefone fans, the two variants of the Armor 3W smartphone are now available for a lowered price of just $299.99 through Banggood.

In addition to getting this 22 percent discount, Banggood users can also avail free shipping on orders over $19.99. Available in orange, as well as black color options, the Ulefone Armor 3W is an irresistible smartphone that boasts an impressive array of features.

It sports a 5.7-inch FHD+ onecell display with 2160×1080 pixels resolution and Corning Gorilla 5 on top for added protection. Moreover, the rugged phone packs an MTK Helio P70 Octa-Core 64bit 2.1GHz processor along with a highly competent ARM Mali G72 MP3 900MHZ GPU, under the hood.

On the photography front, the Ulefone Armor 3W houses a 21MP camera with dual rear flash, touch focus and 1080P video recording at the back. Upfront, there’s an 8MP selfie camera that can also be used for video calling.

The phone runs the latest Android 9.0 Pie operating system and draws its juices from a robust 10300mAh built-in Li-Polymer battery. To check out the rest of the specifications and to place your order, simply follow this link. Note that the promo is slated to end on October 14th.

Honor 20 Lite (Youth Edition) hitting China soon with an affordable pricing

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 8, 2019

One confusing naming pattern that we usually encounter when writing on Lite versions is the reference to such versions as “Youth Edition”. That may be due to the translation so I guess we’ll just bear in mind that both names usually refer to the same phone.

That in mind, Honor’s president Zhao Ming has hinted that the Honor 20 Lite (a.k.a Youth Edition) will be launched in China soon. He said this on the Honor 20 series thread on Huawei’s Pollen club forum while responding to a female fan who craved for an affordable phone with a good camera and suitable for females. He also hinted that the smartphone will be affordable.

The Honor 20 Lite is expected to take over from the Honor 10 Lite which was launched around November last year. The device provided high value for your money as well as an amazing camera setup. The phone was a popular one among the youths which it targets.

It may interest you to know that the Honor 20 Lite is already official in Europe where it is available for GBP 249 (~$325, ~300 Euros). However, the device is expected to retain the Honor 10 Lite’s price in China which started at around 1399 yuan (~$195).

As for the specification, the Honor 20 Lite comes with a 6.21-inch waterdrop notch screen that offers full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and a screen-to-body ratio of 90 per cent. The device is powered by a Kirin 710 chipset paired with 4GB of RAM while there is 128GB of expandable storage. The handset packs a 3,400mAh battery that offers a talk time of 22 hours.

On the camera end, the rear shell of the phone sports a triple camera module; a 24-megapixel main sensor with f/1.8 aperture, a 120-degree 8-megapixel ultrawide lens and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The photography features available for the triple rear cameras include AI multi-scene recognition and super night scene mode. One of the main features of the Honor 20 Lite is the 32-megapixel selfie camera that comes with AI beautification features. The phone comes in Phantom Red, Phantom Blue and Midnight Blue colour variants.

(via)

Huawei may lose second spot to Apple in Q4 2019

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Oct 8, 2019

While things are starting to look down for Huawei, Apple is on the rise. The Cupertino company is all set to recapture second place from Huawei in the global smartphone vendor ranking in the fourth quarter of 2019, according to DigiTimes. The change in ranking is said to be a combined effect of strong sales of Apple’s iPhone 11 lineup and the impact of Huawei’s trade ban in the United States.

Despite being blacklisted by the U.S. government in middle of the second quarter this year, Huawei has managed to ship a respectable sixty million handsets, matching their last quarter performance. Unfortunately with the trade ban still looming over them, Huawei can expect to see an even bigger drop towards their overall sales in the last half of this year.

Gartner estimates that shipments could fall to about 50 million units in the third quarter, before bouncing back to 60 million units going into the holiday period. Sad times for the Chinese giants, but it’s still a respectable number and is more than enough to keep the company afloat for now.

Meanwhile on the Apple side of things, IDC claims Apple shipped 36 million iPhones in Q1 2019. Sales are said to have dropped to 34 million in the second quarter, with an expected slide to 30 million units in Q3 as people waited for Apple’s next-generation flagship devices, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max.

But with reports of higher-than-expected sales of its iPhone 11 lineup both domestically and abroad, Apple could see its handset shipments reach 70 million units in the fourth quarter, which would exceed the 60 million units Huawei is expected to ship in Q4 2019. They’re doing well enough to bail JDI from doom, so they’re probably doing great.

Things aren’t exactly looking too bright for the Chinese company, but it could be worse. Whether Huawei can bounce back from all this depends on how things pan out regarding the US ban, as well as how the company plays their cards from this point on.

(Source)

Official: OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition launching October 10

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 8, 2019

Yesterday, Pete Lau shared an image of the retail box of the OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition, hinting at the phone’s launch. Today, the official OnePlus Twitter account has confirmed that it will announce a product with McLaren on Thursday, October 10.

While the announcement, which was posted on Twitter, doesn’t expressly say that the phone is the OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition, one can already deduce that based on previous leaks.

McLaren and OnePlus, relentlessly pursuing perfection. See the embodiment of excellence on October 10, 4 PM BST. pic.twitter.com/NbhUoOe4JL

— OnePlus (@oneplus) October 8, 2019

The launch will begin at 4 PM British Standard Time and we expect the regular OnePlus 7T Pro will be unveiled alongside too. The OnePlus 7T should also be announced in the UK on the same day.

The OnePlus 7T McLaren Edition will come in a special box with McLaren branded accessories. The phone will have a 6.67-inch 2K+ curved display, a Snapdragon 855+ processor, 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. A 48MP + 16MP + 8MP triple camera setup will grace the back of the phone. It will also have a pop-up selfie camera. The phone will run Android 10 out of the box but we expect it to have some exclusive software features.

Just like last year’s OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition, the OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition will be the most expensive OnePlus phone released this year.

Oppo Reno Ace Rumor Roundup: All you need to know about the upcoming Flagship

By

Michele Ingelido

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Oct 8, 2019

In just two days, Oppo will finally release its first 2019 flagship smartphone after the Reno 10x zoom. It will still belong to the Reno series and its name will be Reno Ace. In terms of aesthetics, it will be less futuristic, but it will supposedly carry a more interesting price tag. Thanks to leaks surfaced in the last weeks, we know almost everything about the new flagship ahead of the launch. Here is all you need to know about its specifications, launch, availability, and price.

Oppo Reno Ace Specifications

Design

Oppo Reno Ace will boast a premium and elegant design, but it will not be aesthetically innovative like its siblings Reno and Reno 10x zoom. It will sport a classic bezel-less display with a thicker lower bezel and a waterdrop notch, a glass back available in gradient colors and an aluminum frame. Nothing more and nothing less than a typical high-end device. It will have a power button on the right side and two volume buttons on the left. The rear cover will house a quad camera module and a dual LED flash. There will be at least two color variants: Electroacoustic Violet and Interstellar Blue. According to Oppo’s VP Shen Yiren (implicit) declarations, Reno Ace will also be launched in a special GUNDAM edition.

Display

The Oppo Reno Ace will come with an exciting new feature borrowed from OnePlus 7 Pro: a 90 Hz refresh rate for the display, which will provide a smoother viewing experience and will be useful especially for gamers. There should even be a 135 Hz touch sampling rate for a more responsive touch screen. The display of the Oppo Reno Ace will sport a 6.5-inch diagonal and a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. It will be an AMOLED panel and it will integrate an in-display fingerprint scanner.

Hardware & Software

Oppo Reno Ace will be powered by the most powerful Qualcomm’s chipset: the Snapdragon 855+. It offers 15 percent better graphics performance compared with its predecessor Snapdragon 855 as well as a higher clock frequency: 2.96 GHz against 2.84 GHz. The SoC will be paired with up to 12 GB of RAM depending on the memory configuration and up to 256 GB of UFS 3.0 native storage. It will be possible to furtherly expand the internal storage through a micro SD. Given the current software development of the Chinese company, the Reno Ace may still be based on Android 9 Pie, customized by ColorOS 6.1. But the company is currently working hard to develop ColorOS 7 based on Android 10, so an update may hit the handset soon. The handset was recently spotted on TENAA, so you can learn more here.

Camera

As mentioned above, the rear camera department of the Oppo Reno Ace will include four sensors. The main sensor will be a Sony IMX586 with a 48 MP resolution, optical stabilization and an f/1.7 aperture, then there will be a 13 MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 focal aperture. The third sensor will be an 8 MP ultrawide lens with f/2.2 aperture, while the fourth and last one will be a 2 MP depth sensor. On the front side, there will be a 16 Megapixel snapper selfies carrying an f/2.0 aperture.

Battery

Oppo Reno Ace is expected to be equipped with a satisfying 4000 mAh battery which will support a very fast charging technology. We are talking about the Super VOOC flash charge with a power of 65W. Thanks to this technology that is one of the most advanced ones, the Oppo Reno Ace will fully charge in just around 25 minutes. The 65W fast charging technology would currently be the higher on the market, given that the fastest one is actually the 44W fast charging technology found on the Vivo NEX 3. Indeed, despite Vivo and Xiaomi already announced an astonishing 120W fast charging technology, it is still not in mass production.

Read More: OPPO Reno Ace 65W SuperVOOC fast charging confirmed

Oppo Reno Ace – Launch date, price, and availability

Oppo Reno Ace will be officially unveiled on October 10 in China. And it will probably remain exclusive for the Asian market since Europe will get the Realme X2 Pro which is a very similar flagship. Unfortunately, we do not have any info about pricing, but given its specifications, we believe it will carry a very interesting price tag, just like the Realme X2 Pro.

Apple reportedly bailout major parts supplier Japan Display with $200 million investment

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 8, 2019

Japan Display Incorporated (JDI) has been the major supplier of LCD panels to Apple. But the Silicon Valley company’s shift to OLED panel beginning with the iPhone X unsettled JDI’s finances. Although Apple still uses JDI’s LCD displays on the iPhone 11, the orders are short of what it used to be and just won’t be enough to prevent the company from going down. Perhaps, in a bid to prevent the Japanese display maker from closing down, Apple is said to have concluded plans to pump in much-needed cash.

Japan Display has disclosed that a major client intends to invest $200 million, double the amount it originally planned to invest in the Japanese company. This was hinted by the company’s CEO Minoru Kikuoka who expects the deal to be completed this month. Although the “major client” wasn’t named, sources with direct knowledge of the talks have said it is Apple. The CEO also disclosed that Hong Kong-based Oasis Management will also contribute $150-180 million.

JDI’s collapse would hamper Apple’s ability to deliver competitive pricing for its new iPhone 11 base model which comes $50 cheaper than last year’s base model – iPhone XR. The collapse may also force the Apple to turn to rival suppliers for liquid crystal displays (LCD) as well as increase its reliance on Samsung Display for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens as JDI isn’t even planning a transition to OLED manufacture just yet.

Redmi 8 unboxing video confirms Snapdragon 439 inside

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 8, 2019

The Redmi 8 will be unveiled tomorrow in India. The mid-range phone will succeed the Redmi 7 which was launched earlier this year. There are a number of new features such as a bigger battery and fast-charging technology included in the new phone. Just a day before its launch, an unboxing video has been posted on the web.

The unboxing video was uploaded on the YouTube channel SalimBaba Technical. The video shows the Redmi 8 will come in a white box that has a picture of the phone in the three colors it will be available in plastered on the front. The device is shown to have a waterdrop notch and dual cameras.

The Redmi 8 boasts a design different from its predecessors such as a slightly smaller display, Redmi branding on the chin, and dual cameras arranged vertically in the middle along with the fingerprint scanner.

The unit in the box is the Sapphire Blue variant with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. There will also be black and red variants too.

The sticker on the display lists some of the phone’s features such as a 5000mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 3.0 18W, a 6.22” HD+ Dot Drop Display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection, 12MP + 2MP AI dual camera, an 8MP selfie camera, and a Snapdragon 439 processor.

A sticker on the back of the phone reveals the phone has a triple card tray which allows you to use two nano-SIM cards and a MicroSD card at the same time. The Redmi 8 also comes with a USB Type-C port and a USB-C cable is included in the box. Along with a fingerprint scanner, the phone also has face unlock.

The “About Phone” menu shows the phone runs a global version of MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie. It has August’s security patch installed and its model number is stated as M1908C3IG.

The Redmi 8 should arrive in other markets too after it launches in India tomorrow.

(Source)

New Samsung Galaxy Fold gets an iFixit teardown, still abysmally unfixable and fragile

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Oct 8, 2019

Samsung has tried to fix the two most glaring design defects of the Galaxy Fold but, as iFixit has discovered its thorough teardown, it still is a fragile device. According to iFixit, some improvements have been made, but like they found with the first Galaxy Fold teardown (that Samsung tried to get rid off), it’s not a sturdy device by any means.

The Korean company has taried to address the two problems brought up by reviewers earlier this year. First: that people removed the outer screen layer thinking it was just a regular protective plastic. Second, the hinge gape that allowed dirt particles to come in and damage the display.

Dust and lint was also an enemy of the Galaxy Fold, but iFixit noted that there are now T-shaped plastic protectors to plug the gaps between the top and bottom of the display that appears when it’s folded. There are still gaps that flank the spine of the foldable phone, where dust could creep in, but this time it’s less likely to make a mess up in the display.

A whole lot of adhesive has been used to stick the phone together as well, and the ‘Advanced Polymer Protective Layer’ – read built-in screen protector – is still present and correct only it’s been better integrated into the Galaxy Fold to prevent people from thinking it’s a removable protector and thus wrecking the phone’s folding display.

Perhaps the most noticeable change is the added layer of metal to make the display more robust. According to iFixit, the extra layer is “like chainmail armor” placed between the backing plates and the screen. This addition should make the display more reinforced, even when it’s separated from the chassis.

Samsung Galaxy Fold Continuity — Samsung Galaxy Fold

There are plenty of warnings that you won’t expect in any flagship device nowadays, from touching the screen too hard to putting objects like credit cards inside to exposing it to dusty environments. But, as iFixIt has discovered, there is a good reason for all this. According to iFixit:-

“That said, this thing is still pretty fragile. We’ll have to see how it holds up in the real world, but for now, we can’t help but wonder: why weren’t these revisions a part of the first Fold? It took reviewers (and us) less than a week to figure out the phone’s weak points. Why ship something they must have known to be so easily breakable?”

That’s a reasonable question, especially as iFixit gave the Galaxy Fold a ‘repairability’ score of two out of ten, thanks to its glued-down parts and fragile main display. So while the Galaxy Fold has been greatly improved and it seems durable enough in certain aspects — like its folding capacity — some may want to wait for version 2.0.

(Source)

Chuwi UBook Pro is officially live on Indiegogo, starts at just $449!

By

Dimitris Economou

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Oct 8, 2019

It’s official! Chuwi’s latest 2in1 powerful tablet UBook Pro just went live on the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform at an amazing price. The top configuration that includes the Intel Core-m3 8100Y CPU, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD, type cover, and 2048 points active stylus costs just $499 and if you don’t need the keyboard and stylus, the price drops to just $449! Also, if you don’t need the extra power of the Core™ processor, there is a special version powered by Gemini Lake N4100 that costs just $399. Let’s see some more details about it.

The 12.3″ FHD IPS display with 3:2 aspect ratio brings larger workspace

Chuwi chose a fully-laminated 12.3″ FHD IPS panel with 3:2 aspect ratio that offers a vivid and vibrant experience to the user whether he’s working with pictures or watching videos. What’s more, the screen also supports up to 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity of the upgraded HiPen H5 active stylus that offers improved experience when righting or sketching.

Classic U shaped kickstand, lightweight and portable 2-in-1 tablet

Contrary to Surface Pro’s metal plate kickstand, the UBook Pro features a more light-weighted u-shaped kickstand which is more agile and convenient. The 9mm thin body and the low weight (780g) makes it very portable while the -up to- 145° turning kickstand makes it a decent sketch board for creativity or an efficient office tool when combined with the keyboard.

Intel’s 8th Gen Core™ m3-8100Y

The UBook Pro comes with the powerful Intel Core M3-8100Y processor that has an overall performance improvement of more than 50% over the previous gen. The processor is built with Intel’s advanced 14nm+ manufacturing process, it’s a dual-core/four threads chip and the highest frequency reaches up to 3.4 GHz. Combined with the highly-efficient UHD Graphics615, it can deal with multiple daily office work and even some moderate Adobe Photoshop editing.

With an excellent internal cooling design and Intel’s latest ULV processor, the UBook Pro is engineered with a fanless cooling system that keeps it extremely quiet even when running multiple software programs at the same time. Also, the large battery gives the tablet up to 8 hours of use on a single charge. Meanwhile the PD2.0 fast charging via USB-C port can fully charge the device in only 1.5hrs.

If this is what you’ve been waiting to grab a 2in1 device, you can back the Indiegogo campaign right away by visiting the campaign page to view the product and campaign information.

Poll of the Week: Is the Surface Duo an overrated device?

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 8, 2019

Last week, Microsoft held an event in New York where it announced a bunch of new products. Some of the products announced include the Surface Laptop which brought along a 15” version too, the Surface Pro 7, and the Surface Pro X. However, the highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Surface Neo dual-screen laptop and the Surface Duo dual-screen phone.

Both the Surface Neo and Surface Duo won’t be available until 2020 holidays but they have sparked a series of conversations. Our focus is on the Surface Duo which can be called a mini version of the Neo based on its size. However, it is much more than that.

The Surface Duo marks Microsoft’s re-entry into the smartphone business following its exit a few years ago. Apart from the design, another interesting feature of the device is that it runs Android. So not only is Microsoft back to making phones but Android phones and not a new OS for mobiles.

Coming to the poll, the public seems to be divided on their opinions about the Surface Duo. While some are really excited and can’t wait for it to launch, others are of the opinion that Microsoft is doing nothing new that has not been done before, and feel the device is probably overrated.

Yes, the Surface Duo is not the first smartphone with two displays and a foldable design. The ZTE Axon M which launched back in 2017 is still fresh in our minds and there were others before it.

While we have our own opinions on the Surface Duo, we want to know what you think? So take our poll and tell us if you think the Surface Duo is overrated or not. We will also like to read your opinions, so do drop a comment in the comment box.

[yop_poll id=7]

UMIDIGI F2 will amaze your friends with its colors and Holographic back cover

By

Dimitris Economou

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Oct 8, 2019

It took a lot of time for smartphone manufacturers to realize that colorful devices appeal to consumers. Even Apple that is considered to be the most design-driven company out there, insisted on Black and Silver colors for a long time until this year that a wide color palette was added to iPhones. But even now, monochromatic pastel colors are used in most cases. The new UMIDIGI F2 thinks otherwise and features the company’s all-new “Holographic Design” which is industry-leading craftsmanship that is not easy to find in the budget segment.

The 3D shimmering effect is achieved by using a depth layer containing millions of shimmering, microscopic prisms with curved textures, and on top of that, a 2.5D curved glass layer. Combined together, make the light virtually dance across the back of the phone as you move it around. Two colors are chosen: Phantom Blue and Midnight Black. The adjectives “Phantom” and “Midnight” are ideal to describe the gradient effect that evokes the appearance of a dynamic pattern or a twinkling night sky.

The clever design isn’t just restricted to color. UMIDIGI’s design innovations are hardly restricted to color. As you can see in the photo above, instead of using a notch or a pop-up camera the company went with the third solution by cutting a 4.5mm punch-hole into the top-left of the display to house the 32MP selfie camera. That, along with the side-placed fingerprint sensor results in a comfortable skinny phone with a nearly bezeless 6.53’” FHD+ display.

One the back, the quad-camera that hosts the 48MP main sensor along with the ultra-wide and macro cameras is laid out in an L-shape instead of the traditional I-shape—leaving more room inside for a 5150mAh big battery with NFC. What’s more, the phone comes with high-end specs like the Helio P70 SoC backed by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.1 fast storage as well as Android 10.

The phone will go on global sale next Monday on Aliexpress with its price being undisclosed for now. We expect it to be below $250, though. Also, judging from the fact that the Chinese manufacturer is celebrating its 8th Annual Sale, the promotional price should be a surprise. So you’d better add the F2 to your cart now at the UMIDIGI Official Store on Aliexpress in case you miss the deal.

Lastly, as always, the company is running a big giveaway to recruit 10 trial users that will help improve the user experience. You can check out the full specs of F2 and join the giveaway on their official website.

Meizu 16S Pro Plus appears on billboard teaser in China

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Oct 8, 2019

This year thus far, Meizu has yet to release a larger flagship device. We’ve seen the company release the 16s and 16s Pro, but both those devices have 6.2-inch displays that aren’t that large in the grand market of devices. That’s probably why we’re now beginning to see rumours and leaked ads about the company’s new device, the Meizu 16s Pro Plus.

Apparently a teaser billboard appeared recently in China essentially confirming the device’s existence. We can pretty much assume that specification-wise, it’ll be exactly the same as the previous Meizu 16s Pro outside of the larger display. We aren’t exactly sure if there will be any bigger changes, though we’re not expecting any huge changes.

Both smartphones use a vertical triple rear camera setup as well as a dream white colour. According to a recent teaser, the front is consistent with the Meizu 16s series. It uses a tri-bezeless full-screen design. It’s worth noting that as the size of the device increases, it usually means that the device can accommodate larger batteries and better hardware.

At present, the Meizu 16s Pro 6GB+128GB variant is priced at 2699 yuan, the 8GB+128GB variant priced at 2999 yuan and the 8GB+256GB version is priced at 3299 yuan. We can probably expect the 16s Pro Plus to fall in a similar price bracket, though the only confirmed colour so far is the white. We’re also expecting the Meizu 16T launch soon, so we could see a double launch.

(Source)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 series lands in Malaysia; pricing starts at RM599 ($143)

By

Jeet

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Oct 8, 2019

A couple of months ago, in August, Redmi launched its Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Pro smartphones in its home country China. A few weeks ago, the Redmi Note 8 Pro was made available in Europe. Today, the company has launched the Redmi Note 8 series in Malaysia.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 features a 6.53-inch IPS LCD display with waterdrop notch and supports Full HD+ screen resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, 90 percent screen-to-body ratio and Gorilla Glass 5 protection.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset, coupled with up to 4GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. It also comes with a dedicated microSD card slot, enabling users to further expand the phone’s storage capacity.

In the camera department, the device features a triple-camera setup on the back which consists of Sony IMX586 48-megapixel primary lens with f/1.79 aperture along with an 8-megapixel sensor, a 2-megapixel macro lens with 2cm focal length and a depth sensor of 2-megapixel. On its front, there’s a 13-megapixel selfie camera powered with AI beautification features.

The smartphone is running Android 9 Pie operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own MIUI 10 custom interface on top. The device is powered by a 4,000mAh battery which supports 18W fast charging through USB Type-C port.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro

On the other hand, the Redmi Note 8 Pro comes with the same 6.53-inch IPS LCD display with waterdrop notch offering Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, 91.4 percent screen-to-body ratio, and Gorilla Glass 5 panels for protection.

Unlike the standard model, the Pro variant comes powered by MediaTek Helio G90T chipset which is touted to be a gaming-centric SoC. The device is offered with 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB internal storage along with a dedicated microSD card slot for expanding storage.

Coming to the camera department, it’s the first smartphone from Xiaomi to feature a 64MP camera sensor. The quad camera setup on the device includes an f/1.7 aperture 64-megapixel ISOCELL Bright GW1 as primary lens, an ultrawide lens of 8-megapixel, a 2-megapixel macro lens with 2cm focal length and a depth sensor of 2-megapixel.

On the front side, the device comes equipped with a 20-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling. The phone runs Android 9 Pie operating system with the company’s own MIUI 10 on top. The device is powered by a 4,500mAh battery and comes with 18W fast charging support.

Pricing and Availability

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8:
- 3GB + 32GB: RM 599 (~$143)
- 4GB + 64GB: RM 799 (~$191)
- 4GB + 128GB: RM 899 (~$214)
- Colors: Space Black, Neptune Blue, Moonlight White

The company will start taking pre-order for the smartphone from today till 11th October. While the 4GB + 64GB will go on sale from 12th October, the other two models will be available for purchase from 18th October. Buyers will also get the Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic free with the smartphone, which costs RM 99 (~$24).

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro:
- 6GB + 64GB: RM 1,099 (~$262) / RM999 (~$238) (online exclusive)
- 6GB + 128GB: RM 1,199 (~$286)
- Colors: Ice Jade and Fritillaria White

Similar to the Redmi Note 8, the Pro variant will also be up for pre-order from 8th October till 11th October. Xiaomi has not revealed the availability dates but has confirmed that the buyers will get Black Shark Gaming Controller Left for free, which is worth RM 169 (~$40).

South Korea’s Seoul city will expand its free Wi-Fi network by 2022

By

Jeet

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Oct 8, 2019

South Korea’s Seoul city will be expanding its free Wi-Fi network service across the city to cover 100 percent public and residential areas, the city government has announced. The rollout of the free Wi-Fi service to cover the entire city is expected to be completed by 2022.

With an aim to provide free Wi-Fi access to the city’s residents and visitors, the city government has confirmed that the current free Wi-Fi service, which already covers 31 percent of the city, will be expanded to cover 100 percent of key public areas and residential areas by the year 2022.

The report reveals that the plan is to cover around 326 sq. km. of the city which includes areas that have been categorized as relevant to everyday life, such as parks, parking lots and recreational sites. Do note that places like individual households, schools, factories and warehouses are excluded from the plan.

The city is reportedly planning to set up 23,750 wireless access points by the end of year 2022, which represents triple the numbers than the current wireless access points which stands at 7,420.

The installation of new free wireless access points will begin with public venues such as bus stops and the public transportation system. It’s noteworthy that Seoul city first opened up its Wi-Fi network to the public in 2011 and has been increasing wireless access points across the city since then.

The idea of increasing free Wi-Fi coverage in the city is a part of the city’s 102.7 billion-won (approximately $859 million) plan to build a smart network that encompasses Wi-Fi and internet of things (IoT) technology. It is expected to enable various IoT services such as smart parking services and safety services for the elderly living alone.

Of the total budget mentioned, 47 percent of that will be used to expand the public Wi-Fi network while the remaining 52 percent will be flagged for building wired and wireless telecommunications infrastructure and developing IoT technology.

According to the estimate of the officials, when the plan is completed, it will cut annual mobile charges by 3.87 trillion won for around 6.12 million users who use 9.6GB of internet data on average each month.

(Source)

Banggood Launches the 2019 Xiaomi Ecological Chain Sale, Offering Up to 70% Off on Top-Branded Products

By

Vinay Patel

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Oct 8, 2019

Living up to its reputation for offering the best bang for your buck, Banggood has launched the 2019 Xiaomi Ecological Chain Sale.

As part of its latest promo, the Chinese online store is doling out up to a whopping 70 percent off on a wide range of products. Known for manufacturing products for Xiaomi’s huge fanbase, the ecological chain companies make speakers, drones, and various other high-end products.

The activity page will be featuring over 150 different brands such as Xiaomi and FIMI. Every week, Banggood will offer more than ten high-quality products from different brands that will have generic coupons so that users can get their hands on their favorite products without emptying their pockets.

Updated every fifteen days, the activity page is crammed with well-received products carrying lowered prices. To expedite and simplify the search process, these products have carefully been split into multiple categories. Let’s check them out.

The first section called 5-Star Recommendation is likely to sweep you off your feet as it features amazing products that you can buy without breaking the bank. For instance, the Dreame V9 Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner, which usually retails for $287.49 can now be yours for just $229.99, thanks to a 20 percent discount.

The Coupon Center section has been divided into Group 1 and Group 2 sub-categories, with each category comprising big coupon codes that you can use for discounts on various products from Yeelight, Aqara, Wowstick, Soocas, AMAZFIT, and FIMI. The Flash Deals section also gives you a chance to buy products from leading brands like FIMI, Yeelight, and AMAZFIT at lowered prices.

The following category called New Product features electronic items that have been added to Top 1 and Top 2 sub-categories. Each sub-category includes top-end electronic devices that usually cost a bomb, but are now available for reduced prices.

Brand conscious buyers can head straight to the Super Brand Collection section, wherein they can grab noteworthy discounts on RC drones, and parts, lighting accessories, smart wearables, and more. For instance, the international version of the AMAZFIT Verge smartwatch usually carries a steep price tag of $249.99, but it is now available for just $129.99 with free shipping on orders over $19.99.

The concluding section of the activity page dubbed More Hot Brand features products from 70mai, Aqara, deerma, Haylou, etc. More importantly, these products will be up for grabs for considerably lowered prices during the activity period.

To check out the offers and take full advantage of them, all you need to do is to follow this link without wasting time.

Banggood 2019 Xiaomi Ecological Chain Sale

Buy Teclast T30 Tablet for Just $199.99 from Gearbest [Free Gifts]

By

Vinay Patel

-

Oct 8, 2019

Primarily known for making PCs, Teclast also makes a slew of other products including power banks, USB flash, laptops, tablets, and 2-in-1. The latest product from the Chinese company is the Teclast T30 tablet.

To mark the global launch of the tablet, Teclast has launched a new promotion on Gearbest, giving its huge fanbase a chance to get their tech-greedy hands on the new tablet for a lowered price. Aside from the discount, there’s more for Teclast fans to cheer about. We will talk about it in just a bit.

Featuring a larger 4GB of RAM and an ample storage space in the form of 64GB of ROM, the Teclast T30 has gone up for bearing a lowered price of just $199.99, as part of its global launch on Gearbest. This is a 29 percent drop in the tablet’s original asking price of $281.40.

Other promo includes an add-on item worth $8.99 on orders over $20. As if that weren’t enough, you get Tablet Holster Protective Cover Case for Teclast T30 worth $9.99 as a free gift. To check out these offers and to take their full advantage, all you need to do is to follow this link.

The Teclast T30 packs a powerful MediaTek Helio P70 processor, which is the long-awaited successor to the Helio P60 SoC. This newfangled CPU consumes less power but offers a longer battery life.

Moreover, it has a highly competent ARM-MALI G72 MP3 GPU under the hood for a seamless 3D game playing experience. It runs the latest Android 9.0 Pie OS with AI intelligence to optimize and accelerate the machine’s performance.

It sports a full laminating process 10.1-inches HD IPS touch screen and adopts the 2.5D arc edge technology for a superior viewing experience. Housed in a robust, yet slim metal body, the Teclast T30 offers a comfortable grip and can be easily carried wherever you go.

The power-packed tablet draws its juices from a robust 8000mAh battery that allows you to watch 1080P movies online for eleven hours without requiring charging, provided you use it with the default brightness. Furthermore, you can effortlessly connect to the internet anytime and anywhere.

You can visit the promotion page and check out more details about the Teclast T30 tablet, and grab the time-limited offers. With over two hundred pieces sold at the time of writing, this promotion sale is slated to end in five days.

Global Launch Teclast T30 Tablet

New leak reveals Honor V30 series camera specs and price

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Oct 8, 2019

The Honor V30 and Honor V30 Pro are upcoming flagship phones from Huawei’s sub-brand, Honor. A few days ago, alleged specs of both phones were posted on Twitter. A new leak has surfaced today with some key differences and new details.

According to the source, the Honor V30 will indeed have a punch-hole LCD display while the V30 Pro will have an OLED display with a larger punch hole for dual cameras. The source says both phones are powered by the Kirin 990 5G.

Unlike the previous leak which said the Honor V30 has triple rear cameras, this new leak says the phone actually has a quad-camera setup on the back just like the Honor V30 Pro. However, the camera configuration is different for both phones.

The Honor V30 will have a 60MP primary camera paired with a 16MP super wide-angle lens, a 2MP 2.4 cm macro lens, and a ToF camera. Inside the hole in its screen is a 32MP selfie camera.

The Honor V30 Pro will also have a 60MP main rear camera but a 20MP super wide-angle lens, an 8MP telephoto lens, and a ToF camera. The main selfie camera is also a 32MP sensor but the configuration of the second camera is unknown.

The Honor V30 will draw power from a 4000mAh battery with support for 22.5W fast charging while the V30 Pro will have a 4200mAh battery with support for 40W fast charge and 15W wireless fast charge.

The source reports that the Honor V30 series will have a price tag not more than ¥3000 (~$420) and both phones are expected to be announced by the end of October.

(Via)

Google Pixel 4 camera samples boast of its exceptional Photography prowess

By

Sahil

-

Oct 8, 2019

Ever since their debut, Google Pixel smartphones have been touted as one of the best camera smartphones running on Android OS. However, with the launch of the Pixel 3 lineup in the year 2018, they have been deemed the best camera on any smartphone, regardless of the operating system.

However, with the latest iPhone 11 Pro that sports a triple camera setup, some believe that Apple once again started to take the lead pack from the Pixel 3. With that being said, Google is gearing for the launch of its latest Pixel 4 smartphone lineup which will be unveiled on the 15th of October. Ahead of their official announcement, full-resolution camera samples taken from the upcoming smartphones have surfaced that exhibit praiseworthy photography performance.

The first set of images boast of the selfie capturing capabilities of the Pixel 4. Surprisingly, both the images have a resolution of 4.5 MP which has a significantly lower resolution from the Pixel 3 that shot selfies in 8 MP resolution. Needless to say, the images produced still look remarkable.

The leak has also revealed some portrait-style images captured from Pixel 4’s dual rear camera, highlighting how much of a difference an additional sensor can make in comparison to just one sensor found on its predecessor. Right off the bat, bokeh effect around the subject in both the images look exceptional with proper subject recognition.

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The Golden retriever also appears in few more camera samples of the Pixel 4 which look very crisp. It is currently unknown whether these photo samples are captured with the ‘Motion Mode’ processing turned on that the upcoming devices were previously reported to have. The first image has a resolution of 12.2MP shot and it boasts of impressive dynamic range.

While not many samples of action shots are available, we do have access to Pixel 4’s improved Night Sight performance. These samples demonstrate the extraordinary capability of the smartphone to capture bold colours even in under-lit conditions.

Google Pixel smartphones are well regarded for their Nightscape mode, but with Pixel 4, the company has taken this a step further. Going by the samples, the upcoming smartphones would even be able to take shots of the stars and the Milky Way at night. Clearly, these shots look breathtaking for something captured on a smartphone that can slide in a jeans pocket.

Other samples of the Pixel 4 include macro shots, silhouette shots and an appetise boosting food shot.

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To wrap things up, all the images shared above look fantastic and Google might overdeliver in terms of photography with it latest smartphones. In order to obtain full specs, price and other features of Pixel 4, we will have to wait until its official launch which is set for the 15th of October, as previously mentioned.

(via)

Buy Tronsmart Spunky Beat Bluetooth TWS Earbuds for Just $24.99 from GeekBuying [Coupon]

By

Vinay Patel

-

Oct 8, 2019

It looks like music lovers are in for a treat! GeekBBuying’s recently launched Consumer Electronics Flash Sale offers up to 50 percent off on a wide range of products including phones, speakers, and other accessories.

Aside from that, the promotion gives you a chance to take advantage of big coupon codes for an extra discount at checkout. For instance, you can use a $2 OFF Coupon on orders over $20, a $5 OFF Coupon on orders over $70, and use a $10 OFF Coupon if your cart value exceeds $150.

From a music lover’s point of view, the promotion sale is offering a noteworthy discount on the Tronsmart Spunky Beat Bluetooth 5.0 TWS CVC 8.0 Earbuds, which has been placed under the Consumer Electronics category. We will check out more details about the discount and show how you can save more money at the time of checking out.

Tronsmart Spunky Beat Bluetooth TWS Earbuds

Powered by the latest Qualcomm QCC3020 chip, the Spunky Beat delivers a consistent and lossless audio streaming experience, paired with stable connectivity. Moreover, it packs custom graphene-coated drivers that produce detailed sound with deep bass, while aptX ensures distortion-free music.

The feature-rich Tronsmart Spunky Beat would normally set you back $47.99 on both online, as well as offline stores but you can buy it for a lowered price of only $24.99 from GeekBuying. Moreover, this 48 percent discount can be extended with the help of coupon code SPUNKYBEAT.

The coupon enables you to save $5 more by reducing the original asking price of the Tronsmart Spunky Beat Bluetooth TWS Earbuds to just $24.99 even before you place your order. An absolute steal at this price, the earbuds can be used separately with your device, allowing you to share your favorite music with your friends.

The device uses three decoding modes including aptX, AAC, and SBC, and adopts CVC 8.0 for background noise suppressing during calls. On top of that, it gives you voice activation ability with Siri or Google Assistant.

As if that weren’t enough, the Tronsmart Spunky Beat Bluetooth TWS Earbuds comes with an IPX5 rating that makes them invulnerable to sweat and accidental splashes. You can even wear them even in the rain.

You can follow this link to grab the discount and use the coupon before it expires. Since the promo is slated to end in 14 days, ensure you place your order without wasting time. There’s a $2 OFF New User Coupon available for those placing their order with GeekBuying for the first time.

Buy Tronsmart Spunky Beat Bluetooth TWS Earbuds

Consumer Electronics Flash Sale

OnePlus 7T tipped to get an Olive Green variant with 256GB of storage

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Oct 8, 2019

OnePlus has already officially unveiled the OnePlus 7T in India and the premium flagship device is available in just two colours – Glacier Blue and Frosted Silver. The OnePlus 7T series is expected to be launched in Europe on October 10. We expect the company to unveil a surprise by launching the OnePlus 7T Pro alongside the 7T. We are not 100% sure of that but another twist is that the company might add a third finish to the two colour options the 7T comes with.

According to a tip by the popular tipster, Ishan Agarwal OnePlus was working on an Olive Green variant of the OnePlus 7T. The new colour variant was supposed to have been released and will be available in 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage combo. However, the variant wasn’t released in India but may be released in Europe or China. It is also possible that OnePlus decided to scarp the variant.

Also, there was supposed to be another version of the OnePlus 7T! An 'Olive Green' colour in 8GB RAM + 256GB Storage variant. Wonder if it will be launched later OR it has been cancelled. Let's wait and watch. #OnePlus7T https://t.co/AOUvNXUaQn

— Ishan Agarwal (@ishanagarwal24) October 6, 2019

If OnePlus eventually released an Olive Green variant for the OnePlus flagship OP 7T, it will be the first time for a phone but not the first OnePlus device to get the Olive Green paint job. Earlier this year, the company launched the OnePlus Bullets Wireless headset with an Olive Green colour.

The OnePlus 7T is an interesting model even if it remains available in Glacier Blue and Frosted Silver only. A sleek design, powerful specs and decent pricing place it on top of the budget of many buyers who are shopping for a premium phone. As a reminder, the OP 7T packs a 6.5-inch Fluid AMOLED display complete with a 90Hz refresh rate and a waterdrop notch. Other features include a Snapdragon 855 chipset, Android 10, Warp Charge 30T, and a 3,800mAh battery.

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Oppo Reno Ace Specifications

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro

Pricing and Availability

UP NEXT: New leak reveals Honor V30 series camera specifications and pricing

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Editor’s Pick: OnePlus 7T tipped to get an Olive Green variant with 256GB of storage

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Tronsmart Spunky Beat Bluetooth TWS Earbuds

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