Earlier today, Honor President Zhao Ming posted a photo of the Honor offices over on Weibo. Through this, we get our very first look at the latest version of the Honor Magicbook, and it has some extremely thin bezels this time around! Along with that, we’ve got another look at the Honor 9X, and also a possible look at an Honor TV!
First, let’s take a closer look at the brand new Honor Magicbook since it’s there are plenty of details to make out here. First off, we’ve got some new extremely thin bezels around the device’s display. There’s also no front camera in sight, which probably means we’ll be seeing Honor’s laptop pop-up camera make a grand return. As for specs, we can probably expect the Intel i5-8265U with an NVIDIA MX250 GPU, with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD.
Next up, there’s the Honor 9X that’s sitting on the table next to the Magicbook. We’ve already heard a lot about the Honor 9X, so the picture doesn’t really reveal all that much other than the twilight colour scheme. The Honor 9X is set to launch on the 23rd of July, and it’ll have some pretty hefty specs. You can find a full rundown of the specs over here.
Last but not least, we’ve got the blocked out and inconspicuous TV sitting in the corner. The fact that it’s blocked by a sticker could simply mean that it’s got sensitive information on it, but there’s also a chance it’s concealing a possible new Honor TV! While there’s nothing concrete about it, seeing an Honor TV could be really interesting in the future.
Banggood lives up to its reputation for offering the best bang for your buck by coming up with amazing promotions and offering unmissable deals from time to time. Keeping in line with that, the Chinese online store has launched the July Big Promotion.
Just like the rest of Banggood’s previously launched promos, the July Big Promotion features a wide selection of items that have carefully been added to specific categories such as Top Sale, Flash Deals, Limit Time Discounts, Coupons and Shopping Map. More importantly, you can avail noteworthy discounts on these products.
For the sake of an instance, you can grab a 23 percent off on the Eachine E013 Micro FPV RC Drone Quadcopter, which normally sells for $68.99. Thanks to the aforesaid discount, you can now buy it for just $59.99, under the Top Sale section of the activity page.
The Flash Deals category is also teeming with a slew heavily discounted items. You can get a 17 percent off on the Raitool LB-01 Mini Lathe Beads Machine Wood Working DIY Lathe Polishing Drill Rotary Tool DC 24V, and 13 percent discount on URUAV 2-3S HV 1.5A Lipo Battery Charger Compatible for Xiaomi FIMI A3 RC Quadcopter, under this section.
The next section dubbed Limit Time Discounts has been further split into four sub-categories including Hardware Tools, Toys And Hobbies, Electronics, and Mobile Phone Accessories. You can check out the sub-categories for amazing products carrying reduced prices.
Each item added under the Coupon category has been assigned a specific coupon that you can use to avail significant discounts during the checkout process. You can head straight to this link in order to visit the event page before the promo wraps up.
Alternatively, you can click here to check out the Banggood $0.01 Snatch activity page. You can get your tech greedy hands on a myriad of high-end electronic items including the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, the Viomi Smart 11 Sensor Robot Vacuum Cleaner without emptying your pocket.
As if that weren’t enough, the event gives you a chance to avail bigger discounts in the form of Group Buy. In other words, you stand a chance of saving more money when you buy a product as a group. You can visit this link to check out more details.
Recently, Trump had announced that the US-based companies will be allowed to continue doing business with the Chinese giant Huawei as long as the products do not threaten the national security of the United States.
Now, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has confirmed that the U.S. government is now all set to issue licenses to the companies that are seeking to sell American-made products to China’s Huawei where there’s no threat to the national security. However, he has not revealed which products will pass muster.
As said, the decision to allow companies to do business with the world’s leading telecommunications equipment maker Huawei comes after Trump’s comments during the G20 summit.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump had signed an executive order to place China-based Huawei on the Commerce Department’s so-called Entity List in May over national security concerns. This move effectively banned American companies from doing any kind of business with Huawei.
While the decision to allow US companies to do business with Huawei was welcomed by American chipmakers, many industry and government officials were confused. Speaking at an annual department conference in Washington, Wilbur Ross affirmed that the company would remain on the Entity List.
This means that licenses would likely be denied and that the new policy would not change the scope of items requiring licenses. However, he also said there would be some approvals. He said: “To implement the president’s G20 summit directive two weeks ago, Commerce will issue licenses where there is no threat to U.S. national security. Within those confines, we will try to make sure that we don’t just transfer revenue from the U.S. to foreign firms.”
After Huawei was banned by the U.S., the semiconductor industry lobbied the government for carve-outs to sell nonsensitive items that Huawei could easily buy abroad. They argued that a blanket ban would harm American companies.
Many believe that the ban on Huawei is not related to any concerns about national security but to have an upper hand in the US-China trade war. If it was just about U.S. national security, it would not have launched a lobbying effort to persuade U.S. allies to keep Huawei out of next-generation 5G telecommunications infrastructure.
The Xiaomi Mi CC9 was made available to the public earlier this month. Here are top online stores where you can buy multiple variants of the recently unveiled phone at unbeatable prices.
Giztop
Three variants of the Xiaomi Mi CC9 including the 6GB RAM+64GB ROM, 6GB RAM+128GB ROM, and the 8GB RAM+256GB ROM have gone up for sale through Giztop. The 6GB RAM+64GB ROM model is available for $309. This variant comes in black and dark blue color options.
The slightly larger model that ships with 6GB of RAM and offers 128GB of internal storage capacity is also available in black and dark blue color options; however, you’d need to shell out $40 for this variant. In other words, this variant will set you back $$349.
Alternatively, you can go for the 8GB RAM+256GB ROM model that carries a slightly steep $459 price tag. This variant is only available in pink color option. You can follow this link to place your order.
The 6GB RAM+128GB ROM Chinese and English version of the Xiaomi Mi CC9 4G smartphone has gone up for sale bearing a $459.99 price tag on GearVita. This model comes in two eye-catching color options including blue and gray.
You can use coupon code ROMCC9128G for an extra $140 off. The aforesaid coupon helps you bring the original asking price of the phone down to just $319.99 during the checkout process. You can follow this link to use the coupon before it expires.
You can pre-order the 6GB RAM+64GB ROM Xiaomi Mi CC9 variant from Banggood if you are willing to shell out $402.59 for the blue, as well as the black color options. The white-tinted model, on the other hand, carries a $422.59 price tag.
You can click here to visit the promotion page and pre-order your favorite color option of the Xiaomi Mi CC9 smartphone.
If you fancy having more RAM and internal storage capacity on your Xiaomi Mi CC9 smartphone, you can go for the 6GB RAM+128GB ROM model. This variant comes in three color options including blue, white and black.
While the blue and black color options carry a $439.19 price tag, the white color option is available for $469.19. You can earn 469 BG points. You can head straight to this link and pre-order the blue, white or black color option of the phone from Banggood.
You can avail a noteworthy 15 percent off on the 6GB RAM+64GB ROM Xiaomi Mi CC9 variant on Banggood. While this variant would usually set you back $411.99, you can now pre-order it for only $349.99.
On top of that, you can use coupon code 3E4FDTRZ and save $24 more. As a result, the original selling price of the phone reduces to just $325.99 even before you place your order. You can click here to visit the promotion page and grab the discount. Note that the phone is expected to ship in eleven days.
Featuring 6GB of RAM along with 128GB of onboard storage capacity, this Xiaomi Mi CC9 variant usually retails for $456.99, but you can pre-order it for a dropped price of only $385.99 from GeekBuying. This is a 16 percent drop in the phone’s original asking price.
In order to take full advantage of this discount, all you need to do is to follow this link without wasting time. It is worth mentioning here that the Xiaomi Mi CC9 is slated to ship in eleven days.
Touted as one of China’s best online stores for electronic items, Gearbest is doling out a significant 21 percent off on the 6GB RAM+64GB ROM Xiaomi Mi CC9 variant, which normally sells for $517.78. Thanks to the aforesaid discount, you can buy it for just $409.99.
The above-mentioned Xiaomi Mi CC9 variant comes in black, blueberry blue and crystal cream color options. You can visit this link and check out more details about the phablet and avail the discount before the promo ends in twenty days.
The other Xiaomi Mi CC9 model that has 6GB of RAM, paired with 128GB of internal storage capacity is available in blueberry blue, crystal cream, and black color options. While you’d normally end up shelling out $562.10 for this variant, Gearbest is offering it for just $449.99.
With one unit already sold, this promotion sale will come to an end in just three days. You can visit this link and grab the discount before the promo wraps up. The Xiaomi Mi CC9 is an irresistible smartphone that offers the following features:
39 inch AMOLED display with 2340 x 1080 pixels resolution
Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 Octa-core processor
Adreno 616 GPU
48MP+8MP+2MP cameras at the back
32MP AI front camera
6GB/8GB LPDDR4X RAM
64GB/128GB/256GB UFS2.1 Storage
MIUI 10 based on Android 9.0 (Pie) OS
4030mAh battery with 18W fast charging, and QC 4 quick charge
DHgate is a well-established online retailer that from time to time, offers great deals on various products. Right now, DHgate is running a promotion on many Xiaomi products but we are here to talk about the robotic vacuum cleaners that are on offer and include two models from Roborock, another popular vacuum cleaner brand. After all, Roborock is partnering with Xiaomi to make some of its products.
Being among the top products of the company, both S50 and S55 are starting from $393,73 during the promotion, an incredible price considering the features provided. We are talking about this year’s models (hence number 2 in the title) and they can sweep as well as mop your house while they can be controlled vis the Smart Mi Robot Wireless app. All this happens with the noise staying below 55db. You can get it here. Keep in mind that if the product price is over $299, you can get a $25 off coupon from the promotion page to further reduce the price to $368,76.
Xiaomi Robotic Vacuum Cleaners
As for the products that carry the Xiaomi brand, three vacuum cleaners are available: Mijia Vacuum Cleaner 1S, Mi Robot Vacuum Cleaner, and Vacuum Cleaner 3 Lite. The Mijia Vacuum Cleaner 1S costs $321.88, the Mi Robot Vaccum Cleaner comes at $259, and the Vacuum Cleaner 3 Lite costs just $162.87. As you can easily tell, the Cleaner 3 Lite is ideal for those who want to try such a device for the first time. The prices are already discounted so there’s no need to use a coupon but if the price is over $79, then you can use the $10 coupon that you can get in the promotion page.
In addition to the Robotic Vacuum Cleaners, the cordless handheld Xiaomi Vacuum Cleaner JIMMY JV51 is also available and costs $197,61 and also gets a $10 off coupon to reduce the price even more.
DHgate also offers even lower prices for wholesalers. So, below you can check out the wholesale price for some of the above-mentioned models. Coupons are valid for wholesale purchases as well.
Oukitel Y4800 is was announced back in May and is the first member of the new “Young Series” (Y stands for Young). The device comes with a Samsung 48MP AI camera and the powerful mid-range SoC Helio P70 together with Young OS based on Android 9 Pie. The Global 1st presale will be held from July 22nd to July 29th offering early buyers $50 off the retail price of $249.99. Of course, the killer feature is the 48MP camera, so let’s take a look at the test conducted by Oukitel Lab between the Y4800 and Redmi Note 7.
The Y4800 sorts the Samsung GM1 48MP sensor with f/1.8 aperture. That’s 4 times higher than the mainstream 12MP sensors. When in 48MP mode, the single pixel is 0.8µm which allows you to take wonderful photos with better resolution. As always, the MP count don’t matter a lot if the sensor itself is small in size and for that reason, Samsung made it big enough to take advantage as more light as possible. The sensor size of the GM1 48MP sensor reaches to 1/2 inch, 56% larger than normal 1/2.8inch sensors. Also, 48MP mean large resolution and that becomes handy when cropping or zooming in photos. The front camera also adopts a Samsung 16MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture.
No one will claim that a $250 phone shoots better photos than a $1K flagship but the difference between these two isn’t that big. The Oukitel Y4800 takes comparatively good photos with the rear camera. No matter the exposure, white balance, or sharpness, Y4800 handles quite good. The color is improved to be brighter to a certain degree, and due to the 1/2 inch large sensor size, the dynamic range is excellent.
As for the rest of the specs, there is a 6.3″ FHD+ waterdrop display and the Helio P70 SoC is backed by 6GB of RAM plus 128GB of storage. This combination is unprecedented in this price category and that makes the Y4800 unbeatable. Also, there is a 4000mAh battery that the Young OS takes perfect advantage of, resulting in excellent battery performance. If you are looking for a long standby smartphone with a good camera, go ahead and add it to your wishlist before the presale starts to be informed when it goes live.
While the midrange segment is the best-selling segment in the smartphones market, the most famous manufacturers are actually not giving the same weight to entry-level phones. Still, we think there is a sufficient amount of low-end device for every basic user with a low budget. If you want to get an entry-level phone right now, three of the best alternatives are Honor Play 8,Redmi 7A and Realme C2. In my opinion, two of them are definitely in the podium of the best value for money phones under €100. That is why this comparison, which will let you meet the best among these devices in our personal opinion, was all but easy to write.
Huawei Honor Play 8 vs Xiaomi Redmi 7A vs Oppo Realme C2
Dual 13 +2 MP f/2.2 and f/2.4
5 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY
3020 mAh
4000 mAh, fast charging 10W
4000 mAh
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Dual SIM slot
Dual SIM slot
Dual SIM slot
Design
The design is one of the weakest points when it comes to cheap phones. Under €100, you almost always get a cheap polycarbonate body. And that is exactly the case with this trio. Redmi 7A has definitely too thick bezels around the display, so it is not recommended if you want stunning aesthetics. But it has an awesome build quality and it is splash resistant. With their waterdrop displays and slimmer bezels, Realme C2 and Honor Play 8 are more beautiful with the latter being the most compact and lightweight one.
Display
Classic IPS displays with a pretty small size and an HD+ resolution, in each case. The quality of the display is not the key feature of these devices, despite they still offer a sufficient level of detail. So do not judge them basing on the display, just choose the display size which mostly fits your needs. Realme C2 has a wider panel, so if you love multimedia, navigation or productivity it may be better for you.
Specs & Software
The Mediatek Helio P22 chipset on board of the Realme C2 and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 found on the Redmi 7A have pretty similar performances, while the Helio A22 of the Honor Play 8 is inferior under every point of view. I personally prefer the Snapdragon 439 due to its more interesting Adreno GPU, but differences are very marginal. In each case, you get Android 9 Pie out of the box and pretty nice software optimization, so you should not worry so much about performance if you are a basic user. All of these devices have a dual SIM slot and a micro SD dedicated slot (you can use both dual SIM and micro SD at the same time). Note that Honor Play 8 is the only with Bluetooth 5.0 (the latest Bluetooth standard).
Camera
If you are seeking the best camera quality, Honor Play 8 should be the best in low light scenarios due to its bright focal aperture which helps to capture more detail with less digital noise. On the other hand, Realme C2 is also nice because it has an additional depth sensor on the back and it makes a better bokeh effect. Forget to get a camera phone if you are going to buy one of these phones, but for emergency shots, they are not so disappointing.
Battery
The big disadvantage of the Honor Play 8 is the presence of an average 3000 mAh battery, while its opponents have much bigger 4000 and 4230 mAh battery, respectively. The Realme C2 has the longest battery life and it can last up to three days if you do not stress it so much. Right after, there is Redmi 7A which even supports fast charging in its version for the Chinese market (the power is 10W).
Price
The main reason why it makes sense to buy these devices is obviously their incredibly affordable price. Realme C2 starts from just €78, Xiaomi Redmi 7A costs €100/$112 in its base variant, and Honor Play 8 carries a €107/$120 price tag. At the end of the day, Realme C2 looks like the most complete device with its wider display, a huge battery, a dual camera, great performances, and a very nice design. I would not go for the Honor Play 8 due to its smaller battery, but note that it comes with a pretty interesting rear camera.
Just a week before the Amazfit GTR launches, Mobvoi will be announcing a new smartwatch under its Ticwatch line. The new Ticwatch smartwatch, according to teasers we have seen will be a hybrid smartwatch.
A teaser video shows the watch has a circular dial with a tachymeter scale etched around it. There are two buttons on the right side and underneath the watch is a set of four pogo pins which we are sure are for charging. It also has a heart rate sensor too.
We believe the Mobvoi watch is a hybrid smartwatch much like the Withings Steel HR Sport. If you look closely, you will see that there is a small screen inside the main dial that will display info such as your heart rate, notifications, steps taken, and calories burned. It should also show details such as battery capacity.
Mobvoi has also confirmed some of the watch’s features on its official website. It will be able to track your fitness and health data including swimming activities, display notifications, monitor your heart rate precisely, and will have better battery life.
More details about the watch will be available when it launches tomorrow.
Apart from launching the Realme X smartphone on July 15 in India, Realme will be also soon unveiling another phone called Realme 3i. It is speculated to be positioned between the entry-level Realme C2 and mid-range Realme 3 smartphone. A new Realme smartphone that has a model number of RMX1827 has appeared on Geekbench. Since it is powered with a processor that is weaker than the chipset that fuels the Realme 3, it could be the Realme 3i phone.
The RMX1827 Geekbench listing has revealed that it is fueled by MediaTek MT6771VW octa-core processor. It is nothing but the Helio P60 chipset. The SoC is assisted by 4 GB of RAM. The handset is loaded with Android 9 Pie OS. In the single-core test, it scored 1420 points and it has recorded 5070 points in the multi-core test.
The Realme 3 is fueled by MediaTek Helio P70 chipset. Since the RMX1827 is equipped with a comparatively weaker processor, it could be the upcoming Realme 3i. Nothing else is known on the other specs of the smartphone. The smartphone will be exclusively available for purchase through Flipkart. A microsite for the phone that is available on Flipkart contains minimum details on the smartphone such as waterdrop notch, big battery, decent camera and stylish design.
The Realme 3 has starting price of Rs. 8,999 (~$131). Hence, it appears that the Realme 3i could be priced around Rs. 7,999 (~$116). Probably, the phone may borrow some of its specs from the Realme 3 phone.
The Realme 3 has a 6.2-inch display with waterdrop notch. It supports HD+ resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The Helio P70 SoC with up to 4 GB of RAM powers the smartphone. It comes with up to 64 GB of storage. For additional storage, the handset has a microSD card slot.
The smartphone is equipped with 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual camera setup. It has a front-facing camera of 13-megapixel. The handset includes a 4,230mAh battery that carries support for 10W fast charging.
iPhone storage has been a sad story in the past as Apple insisted on releasing 16GB and 32GB versions until recently. This resulted in many users facing problems with full storage messages popping up every now and then. This would be easy to solve with a microSD card but Apple never provided the required slot. Ok, what about a USB stick? Yeah, that you could use to transfer… photos as iOS lacks a file manager. Well, this is what the OLALA 32GB flash drive is here to solve.
The OLALA flash drive features a dual interface to use with a PC and iPhone. On one end there is a classic male USB port while the other end is a male Lightning port. You can easily add contents from your PC and then connect it to your iPhone and see this content with the help of the “iDisk me” app provided by the manufacturer. You can even use the flash drive to record videos as all you have to do is press the Camera button in the “iDisk me” app!
The OLALA 32GB flash drive for iPhone is now available on Amazon US with 70% off that brings the price down to just $10.19! All you have to do is visit the product page and use coupon 1OLALA70 during checkout. The offer ends on Sunday, July 14th.
The Xiaomi Mi 9 will soon receive some new features that will improve the user experience according to info from the official WeChat account. Some of these new features launched with the Xiaomi CC9 series such as Mimoji and the Sky Replacement feature in the gallery app, while others are entirely new. Below are the nine features coming to the flagship:
Panoramic selfie timer mode: this uses a stitching algorithm to take panoramic selfies with undistorted edges. It will come in handy when taking a group photo.
Always on Display Spiral Clock: the Mi 9 uses an AMOLED display and supports Always on Display. Xiaomi has added new AOD features since the phone launched and now it has announced a new clock will be available. The clock has a spiral waveform and is a delight to look at.
3D Smart Gesture: the Mi 9 will support what is called 3D gestures similar to Motorola‘s “Chop Twice for Flashlight“ or “Twist for Quick Capture” Moto Actions. As shown in the gif below, you will be able to launch the camera app or the music app by drawing gestures in the air using the phone.
Mimoji: The Xiaomi CC9e and Xiaomi CC9 saw the return of Xiaomi’s Mimoji feature. It has been revealed that the upgraded feature will also be coming to the Mi 9. Users will be able to create avatars of themselves, take photos, and even record videos.
Sky Replacement Filter: this also launched with the CC9 and CC9e and allows you to change the sky in your photos to any from the preset ones. There is a clear sky filter, sunset sky filter, rainbow sky filter to name a few,
NFC Bus Card support for more cities: the Mi 9 will increase its NFC Bus Card support to 256 cities across China and also increase support for 17 bus cards.
Xiao Ai Garbage Classification: To help keep the environment clean, Xiaomi’s Xiao Ai assistant will get a new feature that will allow it to be able to answer questions related to proper waste disposal.
Increased frame rate: The Mi 9 will support an increased frame rate of 60fps and improved graphics for games like PUBG.
Android Q: The Mi 9 will also get Android Q beta. Xiaomi already began recruiting testers last week and says the closed beta version may be released this week.
US semiconductor giant Qualcomm has announced a new chipset targeted at entry-level smartphone. The Snapdragon 215 is a significant upgrade over the Snapdragon 212 as it now has a 64-bit CPU, a faster GPU and support for dual cameras.
The new chipset is built on the old 28nm node just like the SDM 212. The difference is in the cores. The new CPU features four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.3GHz, unlike the SD 212 chipset which had four Cortex-A7 cores. According to ARM, the Cortex-A53 cores are 50% faster than the four A7 cores inside the old chipset. Being 64-bit is the bigger upgrade, however, as it should massively improve compatibility with new versions of Android, considering that 32-bit Snapdragon 212-powered models like the Nokia 2 couldn’t make it past Android Oreo.
Snapdragon 212-powered Nokia 2
The new chipset also features the Adreno 308 GPU which is the same GPU on the Snapdragon 425 chipset. Qualcomm claims the GPU delivers a modest 28% boost over the Adreno 304 GPU on the SD212.
In addition, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 comes with a dual ISP, the first Snapdragon 200-series model to have such. The dual ISP significantly improves camera support. The Snapdragon 215 can handle one 13MP camera or two 8MP modules, so phones can have a tele cam or a depth sensor. Further, the chipset also supports an upgraded 1080p video recording. The SD212 only supports a single 8MP sensor and 720p video recording.
However, the new processor supports a maximum display resolution of 720p. The aspect ratio isn’t restricted to 16:9 like the SD212 but also includes 19:9 aspect ratio support. There is also some improvement in connectivity with the inclusion of Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 4.2. NFC is also upgraded making the chipset to have support for Android Pay. Other improvements include; dual VoLTE and EVS Voice calls (“Ultra HD Voice Calls”), yet again the first 200-series model to have such.
On a negative note, the new chipset is listed to support only Quick Charge 1.0 which is a maximum 10W charging power whereas the SD 212 supports QC 2.0 (up to 18W). However, this tone down could be as a result of the several upgrades.
Xiaomi has launched the Mi Business Casual Backpack 2 in China. As the name suggests, this is the second model under the iteration. As for the price, it will sell for 199 yuan ($29).
The Mi Business Casual Backpack 2 is different from the first-gen model in that it has two separate compartments. The main compartment faces the back and can hold a 15.-inch laptop while the outer part can hold small size stuff like magazines. Both compartments can open up to 180 degrees. The entire capacity is also bumped up from 21L to 26L.
The Mi Business Casual Backpack 2 is made of a dark grey 650D oxford cloth. The fabrics are treated with 4 levels of water repellent to provide all-weather protection for the contents of the bag. The backpack measures 325x180x445mm and weigh 0.93Kg, which is about 13% lighter than the 1st generation business backpack. In addition, the backpack is specially designed with a lighter sandwich mesh backing for quick cooling and coolness. The backpack has an arc design which fits the back to reduce shoulder pressure.
The top is provided with a magnetic opening and closing carrying case for passports, boarding passes, bills, etc. Just like its predecessor, it also comes with a portable cart strap that fits the suitcase.
In a post dated yesterday, Xiaomi India revealed it is recruiting 50 fans to join the Mi TV 4A Android 9 Pie Early Access Program. The supported Mi TV 4A models are the 2018 Mi TV 4A 32” and Mi TV 4A 43”.
The update has been long overdue for the TVs which launched with Android TV Marshmallow but Xiaomi explained there are multiple reasons for the delay. One is the chance of a soft brick when updating the ROM (especially one based on Marshmallow) and there is a power cut. Another reason is the Amlogic support issue; a lot of work had to be done to ensure the chipsets supports Android Nougat and above.
Xiaomi also explained that they decided to skip the update to Android Oreo and focus on Android Pie builds instead. This would mean waiting for the Android 9-based images which arrived much later and therefore delayed when the update would be available. However, the advantage is that Mi TV owners will be one of the first in the country to run Android 9 Pie as other manufacturers are releasing new models based on Android 8 Oreo.
If you own either of the two TVs and want to join the early access program, you are required to fill this form. You are also required to have a Telegram account, Mi ID, and state why you want to join the Early Access Program.
The Realme brand last month unveiled the Realme X Spider-Man Edition in China and the device is billed to go on sale in India on July 15. The customised edition has now gone on sale in China via Realme’s official website. The Realme X Spider-Man edition is offered for a modest 1,799 yuan ($260). For a customized phone with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, this is a steal. Sadly, we doubt if it will be this cheap outside China. We’ll find out about that when the device is released for the Indian market.
Talking of customization, the Realme X Spider-Man Edition doesn’t have any hardware change in terms of design. However, the phone comes with a Spider-Man-themed UI as well as a red-coloured retail box. The retail box contains a sleek phone case with a Spider-Man logo. The outer jacket is red while the real retail box is white and has the Spider-man logo as well.
Apart from these few customized features, this custom edition seems to be the same as the standard model. As a reminder, the Realme X features a 6.53-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with 2340 × 1080 pixels screen resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The phone’s display offers a 91.2 percent screen-to-body ratio, thanks to the pop-up selfie camera design.
Under the hood, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 710 octa-core processor is powering the device, just like the Realme 3 Pro. It is coupled with Adreno 616 GPU and packs up to 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage. The device also comes with a 16MP pop-up selfie camera and dual 48MP+5MP rear cameras. There is also an on-screen fingerprint sensor as well as VOOC 3.0 fast charge support among other features.
It seems that Elephone is determined to make the Elephone U2 its best-selling device to date as after Aliexpress and Banggood, the company is now offering the pop-up camera mid-range flagship on Geekbuying with a promotional price until July 16th. The activity started today and it is exclusively for the 6GB/128GB version in Black and Gold. The final price is $249.99, unprecedented for this amount of RAM and storage.
Elephone U2 comes with a 103% Wide-Gamut, 500nit Brightness 6.26″ FHD+ full display with a 93,1% screen/body ratio thanks to the pop-up front camera and ultra-narrow bezels. The pop-up camera hosts 2 sensors with 16MP/2MP configuration while the rear camera is a triple setup with 16MP/5MP/2MP sensors and f/1.6 aperture with Super Night mode.
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Also, it is powered by Helio P70 SoC backed by 4GB/64GB or 6GB/128GB memory configuration. The battery capacity is 3250mAh and supports fast charging while there are face & side fingerprint sensors and comes with Android 9.0 Pie. Learn more on about the phone on the official website.
It’s not often we get to see a comprehensive list of Samsung‘s product lineup. That is why this latest leak by Cashkaro containing the company’s full 2019 product lineup is interesting. While we can’t be so sure of its authenticity, the accuracy of the products that have been released so far. The blog claims the source of the information is a highly placed one in the mobile phone industry. So let’s take a look at the details.
The list encompasses the smartphone, tablet, and wearable products lineup. For the tablet lineup, Samsung is expected to launch the Samsung Book 3, a premium tablet in the third quarter of 2019. Not much is known about Book 3 except that it will be a successor to the 12-inch Super AMOLED-packing Book 2 which was released in 2017. The Galaxy Tab S5 will also be released later this year, sometime in Q3. There are speculations the device will be released alongside the Galaxy Note 10 packing a Snapdragon 855 chipset.
Also in Q3 2019, Galaxy Tab Active 3 is listed for release as well as Galaxy Tab A models and a new Tab S5e.
for smartphones, the company has released the Galaxy S10 series and is expected to launch the Galaxy Note 10 series soon. The smartphone lineup is very elaborate and most of the Galaxy A and Galaxy M series models have already been announced. However, the Q3 2019 is laced with some interesting releases like the Galaxy Fold and Galaxy S10 5G.
Finally, for the wearables line up, Samsung is also set to launch a few products, one of which is the Galaxy Watch Active 2. Also, Samsung is expected to update the Gear Fit 2 Pro launched in 2017 with a new model bearing the same name but likely with some new features. The Galaxy Fit and Galaxy Fit e are also listed but those have been launched already.
The Amazfit GTR (Grand Tour Racing) will be unveiled in Beijing according to Huami. One of its main features will be its case which will be made from Titanium. Titanium is more durable than stainless steel and has excellent corrosion resistance.
With respect to its design, a silhouette of the watch shown in a teaser poster reveals it will have a circular dial and two buttons on the right. Huami also revealed on Weibo that the watch will have 24-day battery life.
The Amazfit GTR is already available on pre-order on Jingdong, Tmall, and Xiaomi’s official website. Those who pre-order get a ¥60 coupon which they have to use before July 31. There are no images of the watch on the listing which isn’t surprising but the page does say the watch will go on sale the same day it launches.
In early June, Huami revealed its plans to launch over 10 smartwatches in the coming months and it seems set to keep to its words. Counting the GTR will bring the number to 5 which means we should expect at least 5 more watches before the end of the year.
Foldable displays are far from taking over the world but with what we have seen with respect to real devices, we have barely scratched the surface when it comes to designs. Last week, we saw a Google patent for a phone with several displays and a design similar to a book. Today, it is IBM’s turn to show us another unusual device – a smartwatch with multiple displays that can unfold into a phone or a tablet.
According to LetsGoDigital who discovered the patent titled “Variable Display Size For an Electronic Display Device”, IBM filed the application back in 2016 but didn’t get it approved until last month.
The patent says the electronic device is designed to operate in one or more display configurations with varying screen sizes. In the default mode, it is a smartwatch with a significantly thick case. This case houses secondary displays stacked in layers behind the main display. These secondary displays can then be extended from the housing and positioned adjacent to the main display.
The patent says each display measures 3” x 2”. When you switch to the second configuration, the display size becomes 6” x 4” which means three more displays are added in the second configuration. A third configuration brings the dimension to 12” x 8” which is really big for a tablet. However, based on the patent images shown above, the third configuration will actually be 6” x 8” as only the width seems to have doubled.
LetsGoDigital has made 3D renders of the device which provide an idea of what it may look like as a final product. Though we are pretty sure the device will never be used in the positions shown as there is no way the strap can support the weight of the extended displays. It will definitely have to lay down flat when needed to be used as a phone or tablet.
Honor just unveiled an ultra-affordable smartphone dubbed the Honor Play 8 today in China. The smartphone is essentially a rebranded Honor 8S that had released in April in Russia. The company has launched it in the home market in association with D.Phone. The smartphone is available for purchase across all major retailers in China, such as Suning, Vmall and JD to name a few.
Honor Play 8 Specifications and Features
The Honor Play 8 smartphone gets a 5.71-inch HD+ LCD display with an aspect ratio of 19:9. There is a waterdrop notch on top of the screen and thick bezels on three sides. The device is powered by a Helio A22 SoC and is available with 3GB of RAM with 32GB of built-in storage. It storage can be further extended up to 512GB by means of a microSD card.
The single 13-megapixel camera on the rear has an aperture of f/1.8 and it carries supports HDR. While the front camera is a 5-megapixel unit with an aperture of f/2.2. The Honor Play 8 misses out on a fingerprint sensor, but uses the front camera for face unlock.
The phone is powered by a 3,020 mAh battery and runs on Android 9.0 Pie OS that is customized with EMUI 9.0. It has two dedicated SIM slots with dual 4G. The device sadly misses out on fast charging. But that is understandable at its price point. There is anti-slip faux leather coating on the plastic rear of the Honor Play 8.
Honor Play 8 Price and Availability
The Honor Play 8 is available for buying in China at a very competitive price tag of 599 Yuan (~$120). It is available in two color variants, namely black and blue. The same phone is selling as Honor 8S in Russia and as Huawei Y5 (2019) in Europe.
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