ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G is now up for reservations in China for 4,999 yuan ($726)

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Jul 23, 2019

Huawei has officially confirmed that it will be launching the Mate 20 X 5G edition as its first 5G phone for China on July 26. Huawei Consumer Business CEO and Managing Director has confirmed that the smartphone will be available for purchase starting from next month.

The Huawei Mate 20 X 5G features slightly different specs compared to the 4G LTE Mate 20 X smartphone. The 5G smartphone features Balong 5000 5G modem for 5G connectivity. It features a smaller battery of 4,200mAh capacity but carries faster charging rate of 40W. Also, it will come with dual SIM support with one SIM connecting to 5G networks and the other one limited to 4G networks.

As of this writing, there is no information on the pricing and exact release date of Mate 20 X 5G for China. Also, there is no official information available on the variants of the smartphone that will be arriving in China. The Chinese manufacturer will be holding an unveil event for the smartphone on July 26 at 2:30 PM.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei has signed over 50 contracts for 5G and 28 of those are from Europe

The other specifications of the 5G version is same as its regular edition. It comes with a 7.2-inch OLED display with a waterdrop notch that offers full HD+ resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The EMUI 9.1 based Android 9 Pie OS runs on the device. The TENAA agency has certified 6 GB, 8 GB and 12 GB RAM editions and 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB storage versions of the smartphone.

The front notch of the Mate 20 X has a 24-megapixel selfie camera. The rear side of the phone has a square-shaped camera module that includes an LED flash and three camera sensors such as a 40-megapixel lens with f/1.8 aperture, an8-megapixel telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture and a 20-megapixel ultrawide lens with f/2.2 aperture. A fingerprint scanner is found on the backside of the phone. The handset features an IP53 rated dustproof and splash-proof chassis.

UP NEXT: Honor 9X Pro price, specifications leaked through China Telecom listing

Xiaomi is giving out 1000 shares to all employees after making it to Fortune 500 list

By

Jeet

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Jul 23, 2019

China-based Xiaomi Corporation recently made it to the Fortune’s Global 500 list for the first time. The company is ranked at 468th position with a revenue of $26,443.50 million and a net profit of $2,049.10 million in the previous fiscal year.

The Chinese company also revealed that it is ranked at 7th position in the Internet Services and Retailing category. Also, Xiaomi is the youngest company in the Fortune Global 500 list for the year 2019.

Xiaomi Logo

In an open letter talking about this achievement, Lei Jun, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Xiaomi, appreciated the efforts of the employees and announced that there’s a special gift for each of its 20,538 co-workers and members of the key external teams.

The company said that as a token of appreciation, each of those members will receive 1,000 shares of Xiaomi stocks. Of those 1,000 shares, 500 shares serve to celebrate the Global 500 achievement, while the remaining 500 are gifted to the family and loved ones of each coworker and partner for their support along the way.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi-backed Redmi shares more details about its upcoming smartphone featuring a 64-megapixel camera sensor

Commenting about this achievement, Xiaomi’s Lei Jun said: “This honor does not mark the end of our pursuit, but simply a new beginning. We remain committed to making amazing and highly innovative products at honest prices, as our philosophy states, in an effort to let our Mi Fans, users and investors enjoy a better life.”

Xiaomi started operations in April 2010 as an internet company with smartphones and smart hardware connected by an Internet of Things (IoT) platform at its core. In just 9 years, the company has been named as one of the Fortune Global 500 companies. The company was also named in Fortune’s China 500 list for the first time in June, securing the 53rd rank in the list.

Buy DJI Osmo Pocket Gimbal PTZ Camera, Coupon Code GBDJI299

Up Next: According to IDC Analyst, Xiaomi could kill the POCO brand after launching just one smartphone

Buy Osmo Pocket PTZ Camera and Xiaomi Mijia SJYT01FM Gimbal Stabilizer for Lowered Prices [Coupons]

By

Vinay Patel

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Jul 23, 2019

With mobile phone photography garnering huge popularity, leading manufacturers have shifted their focus on enhancing the cameras on their smartphones. Whether you are a selfie addict or fancy using your phone’s camera for capturing memorable moments, a gimbal stabilizer is an important accessory mobile phone photography.

A gimbal for phone can be described as a stabilization system that gives users the independence of handheld shooting while avoiding camera vibration or shake. The market is brimming with steeply-priced gimbals for mobile phones, but if you aren’t willing to spend a lot of money on this essential accessory, we got your back!

Here are two feature-laden mobile phone gimbals that have gone up for sale carrying heavily discounted price tags. Aside from shedding light on the discounts, we will show how you can save a considerable amount of money at the time of checking out.

DJI Osmo Pocket Gimbal PTZ Camera

Marketed as the most compact 3-axis mechanical stabilization pan-tilt camera from DJI, the Osmo Pocket PTZ Camera is extremely lightweight and portable. It comes with a separate screen for easy shooting, making the recording process more fun, yet simple.

The black-tinted DJI Osmo Pocket Gimbal PTZ Camera isn’t easy on the pocketbook. It would normally set you back $539.80 on both online as well as offline stores. Much to the relief of cost-conscious buyers, Gearbest is now offering it for a dropped price of just $399.

You can even extend this 26 percent discount with the help of coupon code GBDJI299. The coupon helps you get an extra $99.01 off by reducing the retail price of the DJI Osmo Pocket Gimbal PTZ Camera to just $299.99 during the checkout process.

To take advantage of the coupon, all you need to do is to follow this link without wasting time. Note that the coupon will only be valid for the first five pieces only.

Xiaomi Mijia SJYT01FM Gimbal Stabilizer

Compatible with the phones of 56 – 86mm, and sports cameras within 200g, the Mijia SJYT01FM gimbal stabilizer allows you to effortlessly switch between different modes. It is backed by a 5000mAh large capacity battery that delivers battery life of up to 16 hours.

The Xiaomi Mijia SJYT01FM Gimbal Stabilizer normally carries a $119.99 price tag, but GearVita is giving its loyal users a chance to buy it for a lowered price of $85.99. This is a noteworthy 28 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price.

On top of that, you can use coupon code GVSJYT01FM to save $8 more. In other words, you can reduce the retail price of the Xiaomi Mijia SJYT01FM Gimbal Stabilizer to just $77.99 simply by applying the above-mentioned at the time of checking out.

You can follow this link to avail the discount before the promo ends and use the coupon before it expires.

Buy Xiaomi Mijia SJYT01FM Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer 3 Axis, Coupon Code GVSJYT01FM

Redmi shares details about its upcoming 64 MP camera smartphone

By

Jeet

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Jul 23, 2019

At a time when the smartphones with a 48-megapixel camera sensor have become popular, smartphone manufacturers are now going to step forward and have started working on smartphones having a 64-megapixels camera sensor.

Yesterday, Xiaomi-backed Redmi shared a camera sample of a smartphone that features a 64 MP snapper and announced that the mobile industry has officially entered the era of a 64 MP camera phones.

It is believed that the Redmi’s first smartphone with a 64 MP sensor provides images with a resolution of 9248 x 6936 pixels and about 20MB in size. The screenshot of the phone’s view-frame reveals that “64MP” mode as well as other modes such as photo, video, portrait, night scene, panorama, video, among others.

Now, the company has officially revealed more details about the upcoming smartphone. It confirmed that smartphone will come with four camera sensors where the primary snapper will be of 64-megapixels. It also added that a single image will be of around 20MB in size and the resolution will be well over 8K TVs and could probably the highest ever for a smartphone ever made.

While the company has not confirmed this, it is believed that the Redmi smartphone will come with Samsung ISOCELL Bright GW1 64MP sensor which comes with pixel-merging Tetracell technology and remosaic algorithm that offers 16MP images in low-light environments where four pixels are merged to work as one to increase light sensitivity.

Editor’s Pick: US-based Apple is reportedly close to buying Intel’s Modem Business for $1 billion

It also comes with the company’s proprietary ISOCELL Plus technology that reduces light leakage. It supports real-time high dynamic range (HDR) of up to 100-decibels (dB) that provides richer hues. The sensor is equipped with a Dual Conversion Gain (DCG) that converts the received light into an electric signal. This allows the sensor to optimize its full well capacity (FWC), utilizing the collected light more efficiently especially in bright environments.

Apart from Xiaomi’s Redmi, other smartphone brands which are reportedly working on a 64 MP camera smartphone includes Realme and Samsung. Realme CEO had shared the camera samples of this upcoming smartphone last month, confirming that the company is indeed working on such a device.

Up Next: Nokia 6.2 specifications and pricing details leaked online ahead of rumored August launch

Huawei Nova 5i Pro’s low-light selfie camera samples appear

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Jul 23, 2019

Recently, a new Huawei phone with a model number of SPN-AL00 / SPN-TL00 was spotted with full specifications and images on the database of China’s TENAA telecom authority. Rumors surrounding it have dubbed the smartphone as the upcoming Huawei Mate 30 Lite. The same phone is expected to make its way to European market with Nova 5i Pro moniker. Yesterday, a couple of leaked shots of the smartphone had surfaced to reveal its design in full glory. Today, a well-known Chinese celebrity has shared selfie shots of Nova 5i Pro to reveal its low-light selfie shooting prowess.

Chinese actress Guan Xiaotong has shared some selfie samples that are snapped using the Nova 5i Pro smartphone. The impressive clarity in selfie images that were captured in dim-light conditions show that the phone could be equipped with some sort of night scene optimization feature. This could be the reason why the phone was able to capture not only the subject but also the background with good clarity. It is already known through the TENAA listing of the Mate 30 Lite that it is equipped with a front-facing camera of 32-megapixel.

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Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi could kill the POCO brand says IDC Analyst

Huawei Nova 5i Pro Specifications

The Huawei Nova 5i Pro could be featuring identical specs as the Mate 30 Lite handset. Through the TENAA listing of the Mate 30 Lite, it has been found that it is equipped with a 6.26-inch IPS LCD display with a punch-hole at the top-left corner. The rear side of the phone features a quad camera setup that includes a main sensor of 48-megapixel, an 8-megapixel lens, a 2-megapixel snapper and another 2-megapixel lens. A fingerprint scanner is also found on the rear side of the smartphone.

The Mate 30 Lite is expected to come with 6 GB and 8 GB RAM options. These RAM variants may respectively feature 128 GB and 256 GB of native storage. It will be having a microSD card slot for additional storage. The smartphone will be housing a 4,000mAh battery that may carry support for 20W fast charging. The EMUI 9 based Android 9 Pie OS will come preloaded on the device. The handset may arrive in colors like Magic Night Black, Aurora and Emerald Green. The smartphone measures 156.1 x 73.9 x 8.3mm and it weighs 178 grams.

Banggood Big Sale For Laptop & Office

UP NEXT: Honor 9X Pro price, specifications leaked through China Telecom listing

Get Up to a Whopping 80% Off on Laptops and Office Supplies on Banggood

By

Vinay Patel

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Jul 23, 2019

Touted as a personal computer that can easily sit in a person’s lap, a laptop is lighter, smaller, and thinner as compared to a regular desktop PC. A great choice for mobile uses, top-end laptops boasts an array of impressive capabilities that outperform desktops.

Chuwi AeroBook

On the downside, these portable alternatives to desktop computers and smartphones aren’t easy on the pocketbook. A feature-laden laptop would normally set you back a pretty penny, but Banggod is bent on changing that.

The Chinese online store known for offering the best bang for your buck has launched the Big Sale For Laptop & Office in a bid to make top-branded laptops available to the cost-conscious buyers. As part of this recently kicked-off promo, Banggood will be doling out a whopping 80 percent off on laptops and a slew of other popular products.

The promotion page is crammed with high-end electronic items that have carefully been added to specific categories to simplify the search process. More importantly, you can grab noteworthy discounts on the aforesaid items that normally cost a bomb.

The Star Product section features the Wemax One Pro Laser Projector, an Adjustable Rotating Lift Chair, a Mini Desktop PC, and a Xiaomi RedmiBook laptop. Each product has been assigned a coupon code that you can use to save money at checkout.

For instance, the Xiaomi RedmiBook Laptop usually retails for $1,099.99, but it is currently available for a lowered price of only $1,023.99, under the Star Product category. You can extend this 7 percent discount by applying coupon code BGBA003 to bring the already reduced retail price further down to just $599.99.

RedmiBook 14

The next category called Hot Sale with various electronic items that normally carry steep price tags, but are currently up for grabs bearing reduced prices. Aside from carrying heavily discounted price stickers, select items have been assigned coupon codes that help you save a considerable amount of money during the checkout process.

Likewise, the New Arrival section is brimming with well-received products that cost-conscious buyers normally refrain by buying due to the steep price tags they carry. Much to the relief of those living on a tight budget, these items are now available for considerably lowered prices.

For example, the 2019 Xiaomi Laptop Pro gaming notebook with 8G RAM+256G SSD usually retails for $1,299.99, but you can now buy it for just $1,177.59. Aside from taking advantage of this 9 percent discount, you can get free shipping if your cart value exceeds $19.99.

You can avail up to a whopping 80 percent off on a wide range of products under the next section dubbed, Up to 80% Off. The section features interesting items such as a 13-inch Men Felt Laptop Sleeve Notebook Bag, a 12 Inch LCD Update Multifunction Writing Tablet, a UNIC P1 Plus WIFI Wireless Pocket DLP Mini Projector and more.

The concluding category called the Cannes Exclusive Coupon is also teeming with equally striking products that you can get your hands on without emptying your pocket. To check out the discounts available on all the products and use the coupons before they expire, visit the promotion page by clicking here.

Xiaomi could kill the POCO brand says IDC Analyst

By

Joel Joseph

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Jul 23, 2019

Xiaomi’s POCO brand garnered a very strong fan following ever since the launch of its first phone, the Pocophone F1, back in August 2018. However, we haven’t really heard much about POCO in the past few months and there have been rumors floating around that Xiaomi could kill off this brand. Now, an IDC analyst reveals that scrapping the POCO lineup could be in the cards after the release of the affordable Redmi K series in India.

Xiaomi Pocophone F1 — POCO’s first model F1 was a hit in India

POCO had established a very unique segment in the smartphone industry. The POCO F1 featured the flagship Snapdragon 845 processor at a never before seen sub-$300 segment. However, this year, Redmi seems to be keen to take over this market segment with the launch of the new Redmi K20 series. Given that the K series also focuses on bringing the latest Snapdragon flagship processor to the affordable market, it could be said that the new lineup replaces POCO in its market segment.

“Poco was launched to give high-end chosen few specs at mid-range prices, with clear compromises on design language. It was launched as an upgrade option for large Xiaomi base without breaking bank required to buy a flagship phone. It saw a mixed response really,” said Navkendar Singh, research director at IDC India to The Economic Times.

“But now, with this aggressive pricing of K series by Xiaomi with its absolute flagship specs, hardware, and design, the reason for the existence of Poco as a brand is in doubt,” he added.

Jai Mani, head of POCO, recently quit the company. This further adds fuel to this speculation. However, Xiaomi continues to deny this and a recent reply from the Xiaomi spokesperson said: “nothing changes because of an executive leaving and work will go on as planned”.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi crowdfunds a wireless floor cleaner that sweeps, mops and vacuums

Honor 9X Pro price, specifications leaked through China Telecom listing

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Jul 23, 2019

The Honor 9X and Honor 9X Pro smartphones will be made official today at 2:30 PM (local time) in China. Ahead of the launch, a listing Honor 9X Pro at China Telecom’s store has been spotted by ITHome. The listing has revealed the pricing and entire specifications of the smartphone.

Honor 9X Pro Price and Release Date

According to the Tianyi store listing of China Telecom, the Honor 9X Pro that has a model number of HLK-AL00 will be available in two models in China such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. The listing reveals that the latter will be priced at 2,999 Yuan. The publication did not reveal the pricing of the 128 GB storage model of the Honor 9X Pro.

It will be available in colors like Magic Night Black, Phantom Blue and Phantom Violet. The listing says that the Honor 9X Pro will be releasing in the Chinese market on July 25. The images of the phone available on the listing shows the marvelous X-shaped pattern on its Phantom Blue color edition.

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Editor’s Pick: Huawei Mate 30 Lite (Nova 5i Pro), Honor 9X and 9X Pro images appear on TENAA

Honor 9X Pro Specifications

The Honor 9X Pro has a 6.59-inch IPS LCD display with a notch-less design. It carries support for full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. The Kirin 810 chipset will be fueling the smartphone. It will be running on EMUI 9.1.1 based Android 9 Pie OS. The Honor 9X Pro features a 4,000mAh battery that carries support for fast charging through USB-C.

For snapping selfies, the Honor 9X Pro will provide users with a pop-up selfie camera of 16-megapixel. The listing states that the Honor 9X Pro will feature 48-megapixel + 16-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera system on its rear. The other features of the smartphone include microSD card slot, 3.5mm audio jack and side-mounted fingerprint reader. The handset measures 163.1 x 77.2 x 8.8mm and it weighs 206 grams.

Apart from launching the Honor 9X series of smartphones today, Honor is also expected to announce Honor Band 5, Honor MagicBook Pro and Honor TV through the same unveil event.

UP NEXT: Honor 9X new features revealed by the company ahead of its launch tomorrow

Apple is said to be close to buying Intel’s Modem Business for $1 billion

By

Joel Joseph

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Jul 23, 2019

Apple is said to be in the advanced stages of making a deal with Intel for its modem business, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. This report comes a couple of months after Qualcomm and Apple announced a truce to ensure steady supply of its modems for the upcoming iPhones.

Apple iPhone Xs — Last year’s iPhone use Intel’s modems

The deal is said to cover Intel’s portfolio of patents and staff in its modem business valued at $1 billion. An official announcement is expected sometime in the next week when the deal could be finalized. Buying off Intel’s modem business would be crucial for the iPhone maker as it would speed up plans for its inhouse modem development. The company has been looking to setup a similar department to its inhouse chip development team for its modem business. This would ensure it’s capable of developing and using inhouse modem chips for future iPhone models. The company has already hired engineers and executives, some of whom are from Intel for this purpose.

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Getting access to Intel’s talent and patents in the modem business would give a solid boost to its inhouse modem development plans. This is particularly important in the next couple of years where 5G will become an important cellular network technology for smartphones.

Intel 5G modem — The Intel XMM 8160 5G modem
(Source: Intel Corporation)

As for Intel, this would be a very good opportunity to shed off a loss-making business unit. After Apple and Qualcomm made a deal back in April, Intel was quick to announce its departure from the modem business for smartphones. This wasn’t surprising given Apple was the semiconductor giant’s biggest customer and it didn’t make sense to continue running the business without the iPhone maker. To recall, Intel was the sole third-party modem provider for last year’s iPhone models.

If this deal goes through, expect an official announcement from both the companies in the coming weeks.

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Nokia 6.2 specifications and price leaked ahead of rumored August launch

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Jul 23, 2019

Leaked information that had surfaced yesterday had claimed that HMD Global will be holding a big unveil event in August to announce Nokia 6.2 and Nokia 7.2 smartphones. Unfortunately, the leak did not reveal any information on the specifications of these smartphones. Citing information from MobilesReview, Chinese publication ITHome revealed key details has shared key information on the specifications of the Nokia 6.2 smartphone.

HMD Global’s Nokia 6 lineup of midrange phones have good reception from the audience. The Nokia 6 was unveiled at the beginning of year 2017. It was replaced by Nokia 6.1 at the start of 2018. Hence, Nokia fans have been eagerly waiting for the arrival of the Nokia 6.2 since the beginning of this year. Fresh details indicate that the Nokia 6.2 will go official along with Nokia 7.2 in August. It is speculated that the Finnish firm will hold an unveil event in China to launch both smartphones.

Editor’s Pick: Throwback Tech Thursday: Engaging the Legendary Nokia N-Gage!

Nokia 6.2 Specifications (Rumored)

In April, HMD Global had launched the Nokia X71 as its first smartphone with punch-hole display design. The Nokia 6.2 is said to be a smaller edition of the Nokia X71 with a similar design. It is speculated that the Nokia 6.2 will come equipped with a full HD+ resolution supporting 6-inch AMOLED display with a punch-hole for the front-facing camera. The Snapdragon 660 could be present under the hood of the Nokia 6.2 smartphone. The SoC could be supported by up to 6 GB of RAM.

The Nokia 6.2 may sport a vertical triple camera setup with ZEISS lenses. It may include a primary lens of 20-megapixel, an ultrawide shooter of 8-megapixel and a depth sensor of 5-megapixel. The configuration of the front camera of the smartphone is not available yet.

The Nokia 6.2 could be equipped with a 3,300mAh battery. The smartphone will boot to Android 9 Pie OS. It goes without saying that it will be an Android One smartphone. It will come with an internal storage of 64 GB.

Nokia 6.2 Price (Rumored)

In China, the 4 GB RAM base model of the Nokia 6.2 may carry a price tag of 1,199 Yuan (~$174). The higher model with 6 GB of RAM may cost 1,499 Yuan (~$217). There is no information available on the color variants of the smartphone.

UP NEXT: Nokia 7.2 case renders matches leaked Nokia TA-1198

Vivo S1 August 7 launch date for India confirmed

By

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Jul 23, 2019

In the previous week, Vivo India had released the first teaser of the company’s upcoming S-series smartphone for India. Through a video commercial, the company has confirmed that its forthcoming S-series phone will be called Vivo S1. The company has also confirmed to the media that it will be holding a launch event on Aug. 7 to announce the Vivo S1 smartphone.

The above shown “block the date” poster only confirms that Vivo India will launch its first S-series smartphone in India on Aug. 7. A new television commercial that is now available on the YouTube channel of Vivo India confirms that the company will be launching the Vivo S1 smartphone with 32-megapixel selfie camera and stylish design in the country. The TV ad features Bollywood celebrity Sara Ali Khan.

The TV ad also reveals that the Vivo S1 will be arriving in two colors. The first one is gradient color that offers a mix of white, blue and pink. It could be called Sky Blue. The other color variant of the Vivo S1 that has a darker appeal features an impressive diamond-cut design. It could be called Dark Blue.

Rumors surrounding the Indian launch of the Vivo S1 have revealed that its base model featuring 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage will be priced at Rs. 17,990. The pricing of the rumored higher edition with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage is not known yet. Vivo India is speculated to begin the pre-orders of the Vivo S1 in early August and its first sale may take place on Aug. 15.

Editor’s Pick: Vivo stops production of V15 series in India, rumored to be discontinued

Vivo S1 Specifications

The Vivo S1 houses a waterdrop notch enabled AMOLED display of 6.39 inches. It produces full HD+ resolution and is equipped with an in-display fingerprint scanner. The MediaTek Helio P65 octa-core processor is at the helm of the device. The smartphone is backed by a 4,500mAh battery that carries support for 18W dual-engine fast charging.

The Android 9 Pie OS on the Vivo S1 is customized with company’s FunTouch OS 9 UI. Apart from the selfie snapper of 32-megapixel, the smartphone is fitted with a 16-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera setup on its rear. The specifications of the Vivo S1 smartphone are known because it has already debuted in Indonesia recently.

UP NEXT: Vivo Z5 official renders released ahead of July 31 launch

ASUS Zenfone 6 gets another camera-focused update

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jul 22, 2019

ASUS has released another update for the Zenfone 6 and the release note says the focus is on making the camera experience better.

The Zenfone 6 has dual rear cameras that rotate thanks to an electrical motor. One of the few tricks of the Flip Camera, as ASUS has termed the rear camera design, is that you can rotate the cameras to any angle between when it is in its default position and when it completes the 180° movement and is facing you. The new update improves stability when you rotate the camera. Below is the full change-log:

Improved Camera Rotation Stability.
Add Mobile Manager & Cleanup Launcher Shortcut.
EIS Optimized for video recording.
Optimized supernight mode texture and noise reducing.
Removed the evening color cast in supernight mode.
Fixed the flip mechanism on panorama mode.
General system & app stability improved.
Increased touch sound on/off toggle.
Optimized power consumption.
Optimized Translation Strings.
Rearranged the position of “Retract camera” to 1st page at quick settings.
Improved Call Quality.

The update doesn’t mention a security patch, so if you were expecting that, you will be disappointed.

The update changes the version number to 16.1220.1906.167. ASUS says the update is rolling out in batches based on serial numbers, so it may take a while before the OTA reaches everyone.

(Source, Via: 1, 2)

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Zhiyun Crane M2 Launched with multi-device support, compact build and priced at $274

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jul 22, 2019

When it comes to handheld gimbals, Chinese manufacturer Zhiyun has carved a niche for itself. The company has a wide array of handheld gimbals under its arsenal. In its bid to make things more affordable and simpler, the company has launched a compact, multi-device compatible handheld gimbal dubbed Zhiyun Crane M2.

The Zhiyun Crane M2 comes with a smaller size than most of its competitors. The device weighs just 1.1 lbs (500g) and has a dimension of 267 x 69 x 138mm. Despite the compact size, the gimbal can carry compact cameras, light mirrorless cameras, mobile phones, and action cameras with a maximum payload of 1.58 lbs (720 g).

To use the gimbal with the different gadgets would require a dedicated accessory for each device. The gimbal has a new quick-release plate which makes it much easier to remove the camera from the stabilizer and remount it again.

It also comes with enhanced camera control via Wi-fi and Bluetooth as well as new stabilizing modes. There is a bright OLED display which avails users of the gimbal mode, Bluetooth and Wi-fi status, battery level and other important parameters. Also worthy of note is that the gadget comes with up to 7 hours of battery life.

The device is now available for pre-order for just $269.

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Asus ROG Phone 2 vs Xiaomi Black Shark 2 vs Red Magic 3: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jul 22, 2019

The newly-announced ROG Phone II by Asus is already defined as the best gaming phone so far. The presence of the best Qualcomm’s chipset out there and its incredibly advanced gaming-centric features left no doubts. But when it comes to mobile devices, it is not all about specifications and neither about performances. There is also value for money, just to make an example. That is the reason why we think it is worth comparing the so-called “best gaming phone ever” with the other recent gaming phones from its concurrence. And in case you do not know, the latest gaming smartphones with a gaming-centric design released before the ROG Phone II are Xiaomi Black Shark 2 and Nubia Red Magic 3. Here we will show you the differences between these handsets as well as their strong and weak points.

Asus ROG Phone 2 vs Xiaomi Black Shark 2 vs Nubia Red Magic 3

	Nubia Red Magic 3	Asus ROG Phone II	Xiaomi Black Shark 2
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	N/D	171 x 77.6 x 9.5 mm, 240 grams	163.6 x 75 x 8.8 mm, 205 grams
DISPLAY	6.65 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 330 ppi, Super AMOLED	6.59 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD), 391 ppi, AMOLED	6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, AMOLED
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.8 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.96 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.8 GHz
MEMORY	6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB	12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB	6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 9 Pie, Nubia Red Magic OS	Android 9 Pie, ROG UI	Android 9 Pie
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ad, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	48 MP f/1.8 16 MP front camera	Dual 48 + 13 MP f/1.8 and f/2.4 24 MP f/2.2 front camera	Dual 48 + 12 MP f/1.8 and f/2.2 20 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY	5000 mAh, Fast Charging 27W	6000 mAh, Fast Charging 30W with Quick Charge 4+	4000 mAh, Fast Charging 27W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	RGB strip, additional rear and side keys, pins for accessories, cooling fan, Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot, Air Triggers, reverse charging, support to external accessories	Dual SIM slot

Design

All these phones come with a very original and gaming-centric design, so which one you should choose is up to your tastes. I prefer the Asus ROG Phone II due to its better materials (rear glass and aluminum frame) and its Air Triggers that means essentially pressure-sensitive rear keys with haptic feedback. Nubia Red Magic 3 offers rear physical keys as well and with its RGB strip, it even shows very attractive design. But both Red Magic 3 and Xiaomi Black Shark have a full metal unibody design instead of glass + metal body.

Display

The 120 Hz refresh ratio, the incredibly high color accuracy with 108 percent DCI-P3 coverage and HDR10 standard, as well as 240 Hz touch sensing technology, would make me choose the Asus ROG Phone II again when it comes to the display. There is no challenge: it has a superior panel under every point of view. And the phone is even equipped with stereo speakers and four microphones so that you can have the best gaming experience even in multiplayer sessions. Xiaomi Black Shark 2 and Nubia Red Magic 3 have a similar color accuracy but they differ when it comes to refresh ratio: while Xiaomi Black Shark 2 has a 60 Hz refresh ratio and 240 Hz touch sensing, Red Magic 3 has a standard touch sensing but 90 Hz refresh ratio. In my opinion, a higher refresh rate is more important than higher-touch sensing, so I prefer the Red Magic 3.

Specs & Software

While both Xiaomi Black Shark 2 and Nubia Red Magic 3 are powered by the Snapdragon 855 chipset, Asus ROG Phone 2 boasts the Snapdragon 855 Plus: an overclocked variant with better GPU performance. The Snapdragon 855+ promises a 15 percent increase for GPU speed and it has a higher 2.96 GHz compared to 2.84 GHz of the vanilla Snapdragon 855. Further, Asus ROG Phone 2 has 512 GB of internal storage in its higher-end version, while the most expensive configuration of the Xiaomi Black Shark 2 and the Nubia Red Magic 3 have a 256 GB storage. With the Asus ROG Phone 2 you can even switch between a stock Android user interface and the customized, gaming-centric ROG UI. So it wins even when it comes to the software.

Camera

Despite according to the specs on the paper, it is very close to Xiaomi Black Shark 2, we believe that Asus ROG Phone 2 will be the winner even when it comes to the rear department. Thanks to the laser autofocus system, focusing should be better. And the secondary ultrawide sensor will be more useful than the telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom found on the Xiaomi Black Shark 2. Nubia Red Magic 3 has just a single camera and it is all but a camera phone. Even the selfie camera seems better on the Asus ROG Phone 2 with its high 24 MP resolution.

Battery

Coming to the battery, it is again a victory for the Asus ROG Phone 2 which is the last-gen flagship with the biggest battery out there: 6000 mAh. This battery guarantees 7 hours of PUBG non-stop playing and it even supports reverse charging.

Price

In my opinion, there is not any aspect in which Asus ROG Phone 2 loses this comparison. It is a clear winner, except when it comes to price. We still do not know how much it will cost, but it is unlikely that it will be priced below €1000/$1120. Xiaomi Black Shark 2 and Nubia Red Magic 3 have €450/$505 and €500/$560 price tags respectively and I think the latter offers a higher value for money.

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Asus ROG Phone 2 vs Xiaomi Black Shark 2 vs Nubia Red Magic 3: PROs and CONS

Nubia Red Magic 3

PROs

Great hardware + cooling system
Rear and side physical keys
Pins for accessories
Bigger battery with fast charging
90 Hz display
Affordable

CONS

Single rear camera

Xiaomi Black Shark 2

PROs

Affordable price
Good cameras
Stereo speakers
Big battery with fast charging

CONS

Nothing particular

Asus ROG Phone II

PROs

Best display
Biggest battery
Air Triggers
Reverse charging
Best performance

CONS

Expensive

Nubia’s Snapdragon 855+ phone rumored to launch as Red Magic 3S

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jul 22, 2019

Today, ASUS announced the ROG Phone 2 – the first smartphone powered by the new Snapdragon 855+ processor. It has been reported it won’t go on sale until September but we will confirm after the launch in China tomorrow. Nubia also teased that it will launch a Snapdragon 855+ smartphone. The teaser poster even has “Red Magic 3” written on it but new info has surfaced, revealing the official name of the device.

According to a tweet by Sudhanshu Ambhore (Sudhanshu1414), Nubia’s Snapdragon 855+ smartphone will launch as the Red Magic 3S. This makes for a good name and even seems better than adding the “Plus” suffix if the only thing that will be changing will be the processor. Devices with “Plus” in their names usually denote that it is a bigger version of the standard variant.

The upcoming Snapdragon 855 Plus phone from Nubia is the Nubia Red Magic 3S. pic.twitter.com/Ee0vVZc6NQ

— Sudhanshu Ambhore (@Sudhanshu1414) July 22, 2019

The info is unconfirmed, so we advise you to take it with a pinch of salt. However, it doesn’t sound far-fetched. We also can’t confirm if Nubia won’t be changing anything else from the standard variant. We presume the Red Magic 3S may also get a special color variant unavailable for the standard edition.

Nubia is yet to announce a release date. We hope it is near and we hope when it launches, we don’t have to wait until September before it is available for purchase.

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Apple Watch saves UK man’s life by promptly detecting low heart rate

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jul 22, 2019

Earlier this year, the Apple Watch was in the spotlight for a good reason. The fall detector feature was said to have saved a man’s life when he fell hard while in the bathroom and became unconscious. Here is yet another interesting story of how the features-packed Apple Watch came to the rescue of a man. This time around, the heart rate monitor did the job.

Paul Hutton and the lifesaving Apple Watch

The story goes that 48-year-old Paul Hutton, a technology writer in England received a warning that his heart rate is too low, thus prompting him to visit the ER. Usually, the most common feature is the ability to detect when a heart rate is too high. But two years ago, Apple included the ability to scan and detect low heart rates which save the man’s life. While at rest, the normal heart rate is between 60bpm and 100bpm. However, Paul’s smartwatch alerted him that his heart rate was dropping to 40bpm at rest. At the hospital, the doctor’s removed caffeine from his diet but that didn’t have any effect as the watch continued detecting a low heart rate.

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When that didn’t work, Hutton was referred to a specialist who diagnosed him with ventricular bigeminy. This is an irregular heartbeat that comes after a regular heartbeat and prevents blood from being pumped out effectively. A cardiac ablation surgery was performed on him. In clear terms, it is a procedure that burns small areas of the heart in order to destroy the tissue in the muscular organ that is causing the problem. Hutton has since recovered from the surgery, for which he was sedated but fully awake.

Yet again, the Apple Watch has proven that the difference between life and death could be the smartwatch. Apart from heart rate, the latest Apple Watch Series 4 also comes with an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor that checks for abnormal heart rhythms like Atrial fibrillation (AFib). This can lead to blood clots, stroke and heart failure and other issues. This feature has also been adopted by other smartwatch makers like Samsung, Huami etc. The Amazfit Verge 2 has an ECG version while the Galaxy Watch Active 2 is tipped to launch with the feature.

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OnePlus hints all the OnePlus 7 Pro’s cameras will get Nightscape mode soon

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jul 22, 2019

OnePlus first showcased the Nightscape mode on the OnePlus 6Tlast year. The feature got some improvement on the OnePlus 7 Pro. Nightscape is OnePlus’ implementation of night mode features for the phone’s camera. It makes use of machine learning engine to improve the photos taken in the dark by identifying scenes and delivering more lifelike and sharp images.

Night mode is, no doubt, one of the most important camera feature around today. It combines multiple images and other processing techniques to deliver better low-light shots. On the OnePlus 7 Pro, Nightscape mode is only available on the main 48MP rear camera out of the triple rear camera setup. However, that may soon change as a OnePlus executive has reportedly hinted that the Nightscape feature will be available with the other camera sensors in the future.

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GSMArena quotes Zake Zhang, OnePlus image product manager to have disclosed that “We are working on bringing the Nightscape feature to the other cameras in a future update.” This is laudable since some rival brands like Huawei’s telephoto and ultra-wide cameras can use night mode from any of the cameras. However, the pictures captured from the other sensors may not be as clear as the one captured by the main camera due to the main camera’s superior low-light prowess.

We can’t say if the update will allow users to use the Nightscape mode with the selfie camera. The Google Pixel models have night mode enabled for the selfie camera as well as the rear cameras.

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