Lenovo Z6 vs Xiaomi Mi 9T vs Honor 20 Lite: Specs Comparison

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Jul 8, 2019

Chinese smartphone manufacturers are famous for offering great Value for Money devices that cost much less than big brand models and offer just as much. Ulefone is one of them and their devices just got even more interesting since the company is holding a promotion on its official store on Aliexpress until July 12th. Ulefone picked some of its best-selling devices to promote coming from the Armor series, Power series, and entry-level S series.

Ulefone Armor 6E

The device comes with the Helio P70 SoC instead of P60 that is kinda outdated. The CPU frequency is raised from 2.0GHz to 2.1GHz, and the AI processing capability is also greatly improved. Also, it packs 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, enough for everyday use. In addition, the IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810G have become a standard in Ulefone phones and Armor 6E is no exception. It offers a 6.2″ FHD+ notch display with Gorilla Glass 5 on top while there is a dual rear camera with 16MP/2MP configuration, an 8MP front selfie shooter, 5000mAh battery with Qi 10W wireless charging, USB Type-C port, face and fingerprint unlock, OTG, NFC with Google Pay, global frequency bands, and stock Android 9 Pie. What’s more, it comes with an extra 4G band (Band 66) to make it even more appealing in North America. The price during the activity is once again $199.99. Get it here.

Ulefone Armor 6

The world’s top indestructible rugged phone of 2019 is equipped with an Helio P60 AI processor paired 6GB RAM plus 128GB internal storage. The phone comes with a 6.2-inch notch screen. It is also equipped with a 21MP+13MP dual rear camera and 13MP front camera. Further, the Armor 6 packs a big 5000mAh big battery with support for wireless charging. The device also supports fingerprint recognition and face unlock, supports global frequency bands and NFC, Google Pay, It runs Android 8.1 out of the OS. It’s discounted price is $289.9 and comes with the same certifications as Armor 6E. It is available here.

Ulefone Power 6

Ulefone Power series is also quite popular among the users for its large battery and solid hardware and Ulefone Power 6 is a new addition to this lineup. It packs 6350mAh big battery with 5V/3A fast charge and besides the battery, the device also comes with a large 6.3″ waterdrop display as well as 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. There is a dual rear camera with 16MP/2MP sensors and a front 16MP one that supports Face unlock combined with Fingerprint unlock for ultimate protection. Lastly, there is GPS, Glonass, Beidou, and Galileo navigation system, global network support, NFC, and Android 9 Pie. You can grab yours for just $159.99.

Ulefone Note 7

The super-budget, entry-level 3G smartphone Ulefone Note 7 is also present at an incredibly low price. It sells for just $49.99 and this price will get you a 6.1″ waterdrop display, a triple rear camera with 8MP/2MP/2MP sensors as well as a 5MP front shooter. It is powered by the MT6580 quad-core SoC backed by 1GB or RAM and 16GB of storage that may seem few but it runs on the lightweight Android 8.1 Go Edition. There is also a 3500mAh battery and there are 3 individual card slots, 2 for the SIM card and 1 for the microSD card.

Ulefone S10 Pro

lastly, the entry-level S10 Pro is also on sale for $69.99. It features a 5.7″ notch display and gets the MT6739 quad-core SoC under the hood accompanied by 2GB RAM plus 16GB of storage. There’s also a 3350mAh battery, 16MP/5MP dual rear camera, 8MP selfie shooter, face unlock and fingerprint sensor, and Android 8.1 Oreo.

The whole event will be ongoing until July 12th so you have plenty of time left to visit the Ulefone Store and choose what suits you best.

Elephone U2 Giveaway comes to an end, winners will be announced tomorrow

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Jul 8, 2019

All good stuff come to an end and so is the Giveaway for the Elephone U2 that the Chinese manufacturer has been running for quite some time. The lucky winner will receive the new pop-up camera mid-range flagship from Elephone and the results will be announced on the company’s official page on Facebook.

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.

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 Pie. Visit the official website to learn more about the device.

UMIDIGI Holiday Sale offers $60 off on its flagships on Amazon Prime Day

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Jul 8, 2019

Amazon Prime Day is scheduled to start on July 15th and UMIDIGI is going to hold the UMIDIGI Holiday Sale starting on that day with great discounts together with its new smartwatch Uwatch2 open sale. The promotion is going to run in different countries with the biggest discount being the $60 off for the S3 Pro that will cost just $239.99.

The S3 Pro is the first half of 2019 flagship of UMIDIGI and also the world’s first ceramic phone featuring the 48MP Sony IMX586 camera. Having already received several software updates, it now comes with some high-end flagship phone camera features like super night mode and AI scene detection. The upcoming discount will make it very competitive in the sub-$250 category. In addition, other UMIDIGI phones like the F1 Play and A3 Pro will also receive big discounts on Amazon stores.

Apart from the Amazon Prime Day deals, UMIDIGI will also offer great deals on its official store on Aliexpress from July 15th to 17th. The UMIDIGI A5 Pro with its ultra wide-angle triple camera will cost just $95.37 while the UMIDIGI Power with 5150mAh battery and slim design will come at $129.99. In addition, the company’s new smartwatch, Uwatch2, will kick-off at $24.99 on June 15th.

Lastly, starting today until July 14th, the company is running a Facebook exclusive giveaway where three winners will get UMIDIGI S3 Pro, A5 Pro, and Power respectively for free. You can learn the latest news for UMIDIGI and join the giveaway on its Facebook page.

Blackview BV9600 upgraded version released with affordable price and great specs (video)

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Jul 8, 2019

Smartphones are an essential accessory for almost everyone nowadays but those who work in more intense environments like construction, usually seek something that can withstand bumps, drops, and even water. Blackview is a traditional rugged smartphone manufacturer and their latest release is an upgraded version of BV9600 that features all the necessary rugged specs one would need. The BV9600 inherits most of the BV9600 Pro’s legacy while having a more affordable price. Their design is the same but how do they compare in terms of performance? Let’s see.

The BV9600 is powered by MediaTek 6771 (Helio P70) octa-core SoC, the successor of P60 and gathers class-leading hardware to provide an even better experience for users. It brings longer battery life, fast, fluid and fun gaming, a more sustainable, higher performance in extremely harsh environments.

In addition, the Blackview BV9600 comes with IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810G certification so its waterproof, dustproof and drop-proof while its performance is no weaker than the BV9600 Pro. The Helio P70 brings AI evaluation for clearer low-light pictures to the table making outdoors photography exciting with better low light performance.

Even more important is the fact that it comes with the latest Android version as Chinese manufacturers have been greatly accused in the past for not receiving software updates or coming with older OS versions. Android 9 Pie harnesses the power of artificial intelligence, it’s smarter, faster, and adapts to you according to how you use your phone and learning your preferences as you go. What’s more, despite the fact that it is a rugged phone, it sports a modern FullView Display with 19:9 aspect ratio, ultra-narrow bezels, and AMOLED panel.

Coming to the battery, outdoor workers or enthusiasts will have no problem at all since the BV9600 comes with a 5580mAh battery capacity that delivers up to 600h of standby time. Lastly, there are 4GB of RAM backing the CPU as well as 64GB of storage. This is less than the Pro version but the price is significantly lower as well. The storage is expandable nonetheless. All in all, BV9600 is an excellent choice for those looking for a cost-effective phone that doesn’t compromise on quality.

iPod Touch Evaluation 2019 Seventh-Generation

By

Sana Khan

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Jul 8, 2019

Back in 2016, Apple got rid of the 3.5mm interface for the first time starting with the iPhone 7. Aside from that, the Cupertino giant dumped the digital headphone jack, wireless headset, as well as the true wireless headset. Leaving no trace on the phone or tablet, the 3.5mm interface slowly became a thing of the past.

There are no prizes for guessing that music lovers with serious, retro feelings couldn’t bear the elimination of the 3.5mm interface as they were left with no choice but to go for Android players. Much to their relief, Apple did not dump the iPod product line but quietly updated it after four years i.e. in 2019 in the form of the seventh generation iPod touch. Let’s check out if the newfangled iPod fills the bill.

The entire contents of the seventh-generation iPod touch package are only the main body, headphones, data cable and manual.

WHEN THE STRONGEST IPOD WAS DEVELOPED

The 3.5mm interface is without an iota of doubt the most important part of the product. Whether it is a niche brand with a moving iron headset, or a recently launched IE500 PRO such as Sennheiser, the 3.5mm jack is standard. In other words, a playback device needs to be compatible with it.

In the iPhone 7 era, the company added the Lightning to 3.5mm converter as part of evolution without charging extra for it. A slew of other Android playback devices ended up adopting this feature later. It can be recalled that reports of the Meizu Hi-Fi USB-C getting replaced by the 3.5mm decoding amp were doing the rounds online not too long ago.

The advantages the 3.5mm interface on the 7th generation iPod touch are simply undeniable. This equipment is certainly clear of any encumbrances when it comes to traditional music players.

The iPod touch supports AAC-LC, HE-AAC, HE-AAC v2, Protected AAC, MP3, Linear PCM, Apple Fidelity Compression, FLAC, Dolby Digital (AC-3).), Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) and Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+) in multiple formats.

It is worth noting that apple music members who are willing to shell out just 100 yuan in order to make a package can take care of multiple problems.

Following 12 major versions of the upgrade, Apple has finally completed its own ecological chain. Based on subscription services and app store, members are free to choose services such as QQ Music, and Netease Cloud Music. Students who fancy asking for more are eligible for acquiring a 2.8MHz DSD, 96k/24bit audio source via Sony’s selected Hi-Res streaming media music app. You can rely on a third-party app such as foobar2000 in order to play your personalized collection of lossless audio formats.

The performance of the A10 Fusion processor has undergone a radical overhaul after a whopping 12 upgrades, making it good enough to handle all the primary audio sources. The iPod touch can be described as an iPhone without a call function. In addition to offering calling and texting functions, there’s negligible difference between the iPhone and the iPod touch.

For the sake of an instance, the audio is re-enhanced by the third-party amp, and the amp is externally connected through the Lightning interface, eventually pushing a higher-impedance earphone.

On top of that, iPod touch supports Bluetooth 4.1, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac wireless communication, HomePod, AirPods or third-party Bluetooth speakers, true wireless headphones, can be compatible with iPod touch.

BATTERY LIFE

The seventh-generation iPod touch offers no improvements in terms of battery life, retaining the previous level. It offers an impressive pure music playback of up to forty hours, while pure video playback is up to an equally imposing eight hours.

POCKET-FRIENDLY

Sporting an easily readable 4-inches screen, the seventh generation iPod touch weighs in at just 88 grams (with battery), making it an easy-to-carry device that fits into the pockets, unlike any iPhone. It is a good choice to replace the iPhone as a music player for workout or jogging.

Powered by a competent A10 Fusion processor, the iPod touch offers a high 1136×640 screen resolution on the 4-inches screen. When tested, heavy games such as Akira’s Ark and King’s Glory were playable without any sort of lag.

Those who fancy playing their favorite games on big-screen mobile devices, the 4-inch screen might seem a bit too small. To make things more challenging, the screen is encompassed by a traditional thick border design, creating a noteworthy gap with the existing mainstream borderless design.

While the A10 Fusion is good enough to run most games at 1136×640 resolution, it is highly recommended to go for a bigger screen if you are a student who prefers superior mobile gaming experience.

Giving you something to cheer about, the 7th generation iPod touch delivers 3 times faster graphics performance than its predecessor, while the rear-mounted 8MP camera enables you to achieve seamless gaming experience and an uninterrupted AR application. This is unachievable with the previous version of the iPod touch.

Eliminating the communication task, the entertainment and auxiliary nature made seventh-generation iPod touch even better. It can be used as a shared remote control at home so that you can stay in touch with your loved ones or monitor your home using Siri, HomePod, or smart home. As if that weren’t enough, you can bundle it with a myriad of older devices for a longer duration.

Essentially, the iPod touch can be used in the living room, in the bedroom, or in a fixed location for a longer period of time, without being upset in situations like forgetting to carry the iPhone.

Xiaomi’s eco-chain company Aqara launches 10 new Zigbee 3.0 Smart home products

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Jed John Ikoba

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Jul 8, 2019

Xiaomi’s ecological chain company gained popularity through its chain of inter-connected smart home products. The last that was launched is the Aqara Smart Camera G2 (Gateway edition) that was launched in March this year. The company also has a number of products like the Smart Door Lock, Smart window blind etc. The products are all connected to the Aqara gateway as well as the MIJIA gateway.

Apparently, Aqara is planning to carve an identity for itself as it just launched ten (10) new smart home products in one fell swoop. The products which all support the Zigbee 3.0 IoT protocol will go on sale on Aqara service stores in mid-August. The 10 new products are: Aqara Gateway M2, Aqara Human Body Sensor T1, Aqara Door and Window Sensor T1, Aqara Temperature and Humidity Sensor T1, Aqara Smart Wall Switch T1, Aqara Water Immersion Sensor T1, Aqara Light Sensor T1, Aqara Wireless Switch T1, Aqara smart socket T1, and Aqara wireless switch T1 (wall-mounted).

All he products are compatible with previous generations of Aqara gateway but these models do not support the Mijia gateway. That is why we think the company is trying to create its own brand identity free from Xiaomi’s. Zigbee gateway is regarded as a better option than WIFi and Bluetooth connectivity. The Zigbee standard uses low data rates, low power consumption on small packet devices. Compared to Wi-Fi mode, Zigbee offers higher security, lower power consumption, and the ability to connect up to 65,000 devices.

UP NEXT: Hisense U9e launches as the world’s first “dual-image” TV

Xiaomi launches an LED makeup mirror with illumination 95% as bright as daylight

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jul 8, 2019

Xiaomi has launched a wide array of product that cuts across various aspects ranging from smartphones to smart home products and other accessories. The company has added yet another product to its arsenal and it is an LED-packing makeup mirror. The mirror is manufactured by the Shenzhen Yue Life Smart Home Co., Ltd. which also provides after-sales service.

There are a couple of makeup mirrors in the market and Xiaomi even has a few on its shelf. But this model comes with touchscreen control and the LED is said to provide brightness up to 95% similar to daylight.

The Xiaomi LED Makeup mirror packs a 6.7-inch high-definition silver-plated mirror with high reflection performance. The mirror provides a clearer, brighter and true reflection with no color cast or distortion. It is surrounded by LED lamp beads that are designed with three brightness levels; low, medium and high. The innovation in this model is that the brightness level is adjusted via a touch-sensitive switch on the mirror. The LED lamp beads are durable and energy-saving and don’t need to be replaced. The soft light doesn’t hurt the eyes and meets different makeup and skin care needs.

The mirror’s LED lamp beads are powered by a 2000mAh battery which is rechargeable. The charging cable is on the base and to avoid unnecessary obstruction. The base is detachable so as to make it easy to carry around. The device also comes with a magnetic detachable concave mirror which provides up to 3x magnification of objects.

The mirror is priced at 149 yuan ($21) but there is no word on availability.

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Pixel 4 XL CAD renders: no notch, no punch holes, five cameras

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Jul 8, 2019

Nearly a month after CAD renders and an official render posted by Google itself of the Pixel 4 surfaced, we get our first look at its bigger brother, the Pixel 4 XL. Thanks to OnLeaks again (and of course his partnership with Pricebaba) we now know that the bigger Pixel 4 will have no notch, no punch hole display, nor a pop-up selfie camera.

The Pixel 4 renders didn’t show us what the front of the phone will look like but those of the Pixel 4 XL does. While there isn’t an ugly notch like that of the Pixel 3 XL, the top bezel is thick. Google is not aiming for symmetry as the chin is significantly thinner. We presume there will be outrage with respect to the design this year too.

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The thick top bezel is home to dual cameras, sensors, and a slit for the earpiece. Since the chin is thinner, you don’t get stereo front-facing speakers. The display itself is said to be 6.25-inches in size and it sure is AMOLED. We also think there is a fingerprint scanner behind the panel as there isn’t one on the back or on the sides. The Pixel 4 XL may also support secure face unlock similar to Face ID as OnLeaks says there is a hollow part on the right side of the display for unknown parts.

[envira-gallery id=”263039″]

On the back, we get the same squircle camera module. It houses three cameras, a microphone and an LED flash. The second camera is believed to be a telephoto lens but the third is still unknown. The back is covered in glass and has a single color this time. The Google “G” logo sits close to the bottom.

The bottom of the phone is home to two slits which are both believed to be for stereo speakers. There is also a USB Type-C port in the middle. The power button and volume rocker are on the right. No audio jack which isn’t a surprise as Google removed it since the Pixel 2.

The Pixel 4 XL is expected to come with a Snapdragon 855 processor, 6GB of RAM, and run Android Q out of the box. It should arrive in October which is still three months away.

What do you think of the Pixel 4 XL? Will Google also confirm this leak?

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Huawei’s HongMeng OS could launch on August 9 at HDC

By

Joel Joseph

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Jul 8, 2019

Huawei has scheduled its largest ever Global developers conference in China on August 9 and it looks like the company will use the platform to announce its new HongMeng operating system. The news comes from China’s ifeng.com who seem to be sure that the new OS will meet us at the event.

This news doesn’t come as a complete surprise as the company’s head of consumer business, Richard Yu, had mentioned back in May to the CNBC that it’s new OS could be ready by fall in China this year. The Huawei Global Developer Conference is an important event for the Chinese smartphone giant, especially this year, with over 1,500 partners and 5,000 global developers are expected to attend the event. While this event is held every year, this time, it’s special because of its sheer size as well as the increased attention from global media on Huawei. Any OS needs a solid ecosystem of apps in order to be successful and what better platform than the Global Developers Conference to talk about its new HongMeng OS. Considering these circumstances, it’s very likely that Huawei will talk about its new OS at the event this year.

Huawei’s new OS is not just built to run on smartphones. According to Richard Yu, the OS is “open to mobile phones, computers, tablets, TVs, cars, and smart wearable devices,” and will be compatible with all Android apps and web applications. Further, he added that “if the Android app is recompiled, running performance is improved by more than 60%.”

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These comments give us a fair idea as to what to expect from its HongMeng OS. It’s likely going to be a forked version of Android with support for all Android apps and services. Further, unlike the Android that we see today, which usually limited to smartphones and tablets, HongMeng OS could power a wide variety of gadgets including smartwatches, TVs, and cars. It looks like the OS was built from the ground up for smart devices.

We’ll likely hear more about the HongMeng OS in the coming days. The Huawei Global Developers Conference (HDC) will be held in Songshan Lake, Dongguan from August 9 to August 11. So, you better mark your calendars.

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OnePlus 7 Mirror Blue edition to go on sale in India on July 15

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jul 8, 2019

In May 2019, the OnePlus 7 smartphone was launched in India back as an Amazon Exclusive. The smartphone is currently available in two color variants, namely Mirror Grey and Red. While the lower-spec variant with 6GB of RAM is available only in grey, the high-end version with 8GB of RAM is available in both grey and red.

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer has just announced a new color scheme for the smartphone, which goes live on July 15 during the Amazon Prime Day sale. A dedicated page with a ‘Notify Me’ button for the OnePlus 7 Mirror Blue edition has now gone live on Amazon India.

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OnePlus 7 Mirror Blue Launch and Price

Describing the new color tone, OnePlus India in a Press Release said, “The OnePlus 7 Mirror Blue replicates the calmness of the deep blue ocean. To achieve the final tone, the phone has been put through a bi-dimensional double layer coating, which radiates a surreal glow as the light flows over it.”

The OnePlus 7 Mirror Blue goes on sale at 12AM IST on July 15, exclusively for Amazon Prime customers in India. The blue color scheme is available with 6 GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage and it is priced at Rs. 32,999 (~$482).

As part of the Amazon Prime Day offer, HDFC Bank Credit and Debit card holders get a flat Rs. 1,750 (~$26) cashback on the OnePlus 7. The new color variant of the OnePlus 7 will be available at retail stores from July 20. On the Amazon Prime Day sale, the OnePlus 7 Pro will be available with Rs. 3,500 (~$51) instant cashback for HDFC bank card users.

OnePlus 7 Specifications and Features

The OnePlus 7 features a 6.41-inch Optic AMOLED display with full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340-pixels. The smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC with Adreno 640 GPU. It is available in two variants, with 6GB of RAM + 128GB of built-in storage and 8GB of RAM + 256GB of internal storage.

The smartphone features a dual-camera setup at the rear. The primary unit is a 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor with an aperture rating of f/1.7 with optical image stabilization, phase detection auto focus and electronic image stabilization. The secondary unit on the setup is a 5-megapixel sensor with an aperture rating of f/2.4 for depth effect. The selfie camera uses a 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 sensor. The smartphone has a dual-tone LED flash at the rear.

The OnePlus 7 supports dual 4G VOLTE SIM cards, Bluetooth v5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, NFC, USB Type-C (v3.1 Gen 1), and GPS/ A-GPS. Like its predecessor, it misses out on a headphone jack. It draws power from a 3,700 mAh battery with 20W Warp Charge support while the rear glass panel is Gorilla Glass 6-certified for additional protection.

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Hisense U9e launches as the world’s first “dual-image” TV

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Jul 8, 2019

Today, Hisense launched the Hisense U9e which is the world’s first “dual-image” TV. No, the Hisense U9e doesn’t have dual displays neither does it show two video inputs at the same time. Technically, the TV actually has two display panels placed in front of each other – one color and one black and white – the result is an LCD TV with a contrast ratio ten times that of a standard LCD TV and a picture quality that rivals OLED and costs less.

The display technology was manufactured in partnership with BOE and is called BD Cell (we talked about it here). Hisense says it is proud the technology is fully Chinese.

As stated above, the display consists of two panels – a color panel which focuses on color control and the black and white panel which handles dimming, contrast, and details. There are also five chips inside the TV that efficiently control the backlight and images. Combined with the dual panels, the U9E has a contrast ratio of over 150,000, exceeding OLEDs; and a picture quality that is realistic.

The Hisense U9e is also said to exceed the peak brightness, color gamut, color accuracy and HDR certification requirements of OLED TVs.

The U9e will come in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch models. However, only the 65-inch model is available this year at a price of ¥17,999 (~$2616), making it even more expensive than Sony’s 65-inch LCD TV for 2019. The 55-inch and 75-inch models will be available next year. Hisense didn’t reveal when the 55-inch model will be available for purchase.

Hisense knows this is more expensive than your average TV but it says low-end and low-quality TVs negatively affect the TV industry. Right now, it is the first brand in China to offer high-end color TVs and has been developing these high-end displays for years. According to Wang Wei, a top executive “Hisense’s goal is to lead the high-end Chinese TV market”.

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Sony rumoured to be working on a foldable phone with a retractable rolling display

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jul 8, 2019

Chinese phone maker Royole was the first to unveil a working foldable phone, the Royole Flexpai but industry giants like Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi have taken the shine off the Flexpai with their own foldable models. Sony may soon join the growing list of OEMs that have got a foldable phone.

A tipster recently made this bit known via a recent tweet. According to the tipster who goes by the name Max J and Twitter handle @Samsung_News_, Sony is also working on its own foldable device. He also revealed that prototypes being built by the company are equipped with an LG Display, a camera with a 10x Zoom capability. The device will also pack a rather smallish 3220mAh battery. This battery size may have been included in a bid to keep the size small.

Sony is working on a competitor to the Galaxy Fold and Mate X.

The current prototypes feature:
3220mAh
SM7250 SoC
LG Display
Nautilus Design
10x Zoom Camera

The retail models may feature:
Snapdragon 855 Soc
Qualcomm X50 Modem

(Video via. @slashgear https://t.co/zZvRjt80Un) pic.twitter.com/mVyqRm1fxd

— Max J. (@Samsung_News_) July 6, 2019

In addition, the device is said to pack a Snapdragon 7250 SoC which is a mid-range chipset. This could be just for the test model as the foldable phone is expected to sport the Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform and the Snapdragon X50 5G modem when it is launched. This also presents the possibility that the device will support 5G connectivity.

EDITOR’S PICK: Throwback Tech Thursday: We Revisit Samsung’s Crazy 10X Optical Zoom Smartphone

Furthermore, Sony’s foldable phone is said to have a retractable roll-out display just like the Galaxy Fold (You can see Samsung’s rollable OLED prototype in the video below). We’ll have to watch out for the measures Sony is putting in place to prevent dust from causing any damage as was the case with the Galaxy Fold. This new product could also be yet anoter effort by Sony to break into the global smartphone market.

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Xiaomi CC9’s Sky Replacement feature comes to the Redmi K20 series

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Jul 8, 2019

Back in May, Xiaomi added a feature to MIUI beta called “Sky” that allowed you to change the sky in photos to any from a set of presets. Initially thought to be a future that will come with MIUI 11, the feature came bundled with the Xiaomi CC9e and Xiaomi CC9. Now, it has been revealed the feature is also available on the Redmi K20 series.

The announcement was made by Redmi GM, Lu Weibing, on Weibo today. If you own the Redmi K20 or Redmi K20 Pro, all you have to do is go to your gallery, select a photo with the sky in it and choose edit. Listed among the filters is one called “Sky”, scroll through them and choose the one that best fits. You should also be able to adjust the strength of the filter.

It is not clear if there is a new update for the phone or all you have to do is update your gallery app. Do let us know if you already have the feature and what you did to get it.

As shown in a demo video by XDA-Developers back when it was available in beta, the feature also works for downloaded images as long as the sky shows in the photo. So you should be able to alter your favorite wallpapers too.

We expect the feature will most likely roll out to more devices as time goes on.

(Source, Via)

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Live shots of upcoming Galaxy M30s’ rear shell reveal wider camera cutout

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jul 8, 2019

The Samsung Galaxy M30s is the next mid-range smartphone from the South Korean technology tech giant. According to 91mobiles, Samsung has begun conducting pre-production tests of the smartphone at their manufacturing facility in Noida. Live images of the back panel of the phone that have surfaced today have revealed that it will be sporting a single-tone glossy polycarbonate rear panel, with an oblong cut-out for the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and the dual-camera setup.

Based on the dimensions of the camera cut-out, the Samsung Galaxy M30s misses out on a triple-camera setup, and the unit is slightly wider and shorter than the Galaxy M30. At the bottom, there is a grille for the speaker, a USB Type-C port and an AUX port. The smartphone comes in at least three color variants, namely blue , black and white. The Samsung Galaxy M30s is expected to launch as early as August 2019. It is expected to be slotted between the Galaxy M30 and the Galaxy M40 in terms of pricing.

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Editor’s Pick:LG turns to China’s BOE for smartphone OLED displays as it falls behind Samsung

Samsung Galaxy M30s Specifications (Rumored)

According to initial speculations, the Samsung Galaxy M30s features an octa-core 1.74GHz Exynos 9610 chipset and has 4GB of RAM with up to 128GB of built-in storage. The device runs on the Android 9.0 Pie-based Samsung One UI custom OS.

The device is speculated to feature an Infinity V-display with a slightly better camera setup than the existing Galaxy M30 smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy M30s is rumored to be priced from Rs. 16,999 (~$248).

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Hisense D6 rugged phone with 5400mAh battery pops up on TENAA

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Jul 8, 2019

If you like rugged smartphones or have to use one because you are outdoors most of the time, then it should interest you that Hisense has a got a new one coming. The Hisense D6 as the phone is called not only has a rugged design but also packs a big battery to last you a while when away from a wall socket.

The Hisense D6 has a 5.99-inch 1080 x 2160 display. There is a slit for the speaker in the middle and on its left is a 16MP camera. The phone has a single rear camera which is a 12MP sensor and packs a fingerprint scanner on its back.

[envira-gallery id=”262982″]

TENAA says there is a 1.8GHz octa-core processor under the hood. The Hisense D6 will come with 3GB/4GB/6GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB/128GB of storage. It will also have a storage expansion slot for up to an extra 128GB of storage. Coming to the battery, the capacity is rated at 5400mAh and there is support for fast charging. Unfortunately, the phone runs Android 8.1 Oreo instead of Android 9 Pie.

The phone also packs more hardware buttons than your average phone too. On the right side of the phone is the power button and a red button while the left has an orange button and the volume rocker. What is above the power button doesn’t seem to be a button but the SIM tray judging from the hole beside it. The design of the Hisense D6 coupled with its big battery makes this phone heavy at 235 grams. It measures 167.8×81.3×12.3 millimeters and will come in black.

We have no information regarding when the Hisense D6 will arrive or if it will ever will. Its Snapdragon 675-powered U30 made an appearance at CES 2019 and was expected to launch at the Appliance and Electronics World Expo (AWE) in March. Up until this moment, the phone is still unavailable for purchase.

UP NEXT: Hisense F30S powered by Unisoc’s Tiger T310 SoC to launch soon

Xiaomi clarifies about Mi CC9e Snapdragon 665 AnTuTu scores

By

Jeet

-

Jul 8, 2019

Earlier this month, Xiaomi unveiled its all-new Mi CC9 series of smartphone, which includes Mi CC9 and Mi CC9e. The newly launched Mi CC9e is the first smartphone to be powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor.

However, in the benchmark tests through AnTuTu, it had been revealed that the test score of Snapdragon 665 was lower than that of the Snapdragon 660. Qualcomm’s SD665 is supposed to be the successor of the SD660 SoC. While both the processor are about the same in terms of CPU, the new Andreno 610 is slower than the Adreno 512.

Now, Wang Teng, Product Director of Xiaomi has responded to the concerns that the AnTuTu benchmark score of the Mi CC9e powered by SD665 SoC has been increased. He has clarified why this happened.

He said that Mi CC9e is the first smartphone to be powered by SD665 SoC and going from the product to the final stage, it took around two to four months during which the performance of the chipset has been improved and optimized.

Earlier, when the reports about Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 showing better performance than SD660 overnight because of tweaks started surfacing online, the company asked them to provide proof for the claims. However, the users who were claiming this declined to provide any proof for their claims.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei market share in Thailand grows to 20% in the first five months of 2019

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset, aka SM6125, was announced in April this year. It is an 11nm chipset made up of eight Kryo 260 cores in a 4+4 arrangement clocked at 2.0GHz. These are the same cores in the 14nm Snapdragon 636 processor but they are now on a smaller node which means better power efficiency.

The processor also puts AI at the forefront thanks to the Adreno 610 AIE GPU. The on-board third-generation AI is to work with the new Hexagon 686 DSP and Qualcomm Spectra 165 ISP for better low-light photography, better portraits, and better ways to interact with your environment.

The onboard AI engine also provides better security with support for 3D Face Unlock. Qualcomm claims the new AI features are 2x faster than that of the Snapdragon 660. It also supports Bluetooth 5.0 LPE, USB 3.1, up to 16MP dual cameras and a 48MP single camera, 4K at 30fps, and slow-motion recording up to 120fps at 1080p. Maximum display support is 2520 x 1080 (FHD+) and it comes with Quick Charge 3.0.

(Via)

Up Next: Purported Xiaomi Mi A3 (M1906F9SH) with 48 MP AI triple cameras gets certified by FCC

How to Install TWRP on Redmi K20 and Root with SuperSu?

By

Simranpal Singh

-

Jul 8, 2019

Redmi launched the Redmi K20 Pro in China last month carrying high-end specifications. Due to the device’s affordability and competitive specs, it is getting tremendous response from buyers. It has even received enough attention in a short period from the third-party developers. The users can now install TWRP and root the Redmi K20 Pro.

Redmi K20 series is now coming to some new markets after the initial launch in China. The Redmi K20 Pro carries top-notch Snapdragon 855 SoC that features single core at 2.84GHz, three cores at 2.42GHz and the remaining four cores at 1.8GHz. The device is available with 6/8GB RAM and 64/128/256 GB Internal storage. In optics, there’s a triple rear camera module with 48MP+8MP+13MP primary camera and a 20 MP front camera for selfies. The device carries a premium look and has a pop-up module housing a front selfie camera. The device carries a connectivity option such as Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v5.00, NFC, Infrared, USB Type-C, 3G, and 4G. The phone includes accelerometer, ambient light sensor, compass/magnetometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and fingerprint sensor.

Rooting the Redmi K20 Pro allows users to modify the system. It aids customizability on the device with the help of third-party recoveries, MODS and other tweaks. Before rooting, we need to install a custom recovery like TWRP to install external flashable files, SUperSU, Mods, etc. TWRP is easy to install and use custom recovery. It even facilitates the nandroid backup of your device easily and effectively. However, it will result in the loss of warranty.

Note: GizmoChina.com is not responsible for any damage to the device and data. Rooting also voids the warranty of your device.

Pre-requisites

Make sure you have unlocked the bootloader of Redmi K20 Pro.
Download ADB and Fastboot Drivers on PC.
Download TWRP recovery image.
Download Chainfire’s SuperSu
Backup important data on your PC or any external media.
You need a Laptop or PC.
Ensure to keep at least 50% battery.

Steps to install TWRP on Redmi K20 Pro

Follow the steps below carefully, as missing any step would result in damaging the phone.

Extract ADB tools in a folder.
Download TWRP and move it into the extracted TWRP folder.
Now, Enable Developer Mode option by heading to the Settings>About Phone>Build Number and tap it 7 times to enable developer option.
Enable USB Debugging mode by heading to the Settings>Develper Option>Enable Debugging mode.
Open command prompt in the extracted TWRP folder by pressing Shift + Right Click on the mouse.
Power off the device and then boot your device into the fastboot mode by pressing the power + volume up button simultaneously.
Connect your device with PC via USB cable.
Verify the device’s connectivity status by executing the command below:
```
adb devices
```
Type the command below to reboot into bootloader:
```
fastboot reboot bootloader
```
Once into the bootloader mode, flash the TWRP by the following command. (Note: Replace the TWRP.img with the name of recovery).
```
fastboot flash twrp.img
```
Once the installation is completed. You can type the command to reboot your device by typing:
```
fastboot reboot
```

You have successfully flashed TWRP recovery on your device. Now, proceed with the below steps to root Redmi K20 Pro.

Steps to Root Redmi K20 Pro with SuperSu

SuperSu is a zip file by chainfire which allows users to gain root access. To flash it on the Redmi K20 Pro, follow the procedure below:

Download the latest SuperSu zip on your Phone, and then move it to the rot of the device.
Power off the Redmi K20 and then hold volume up + power button simultaneously to boot into the recovery.
Once in the TWRP recovery, press ‘Install‘ and then browse the SuperSu file.
Now flash the SuperSu zip after swiping the slider below.
After flashing, reboot your device and enjoy.

We hope you have successfully rooted the Xiaomi Redmi K20. If you have any issue or problem while performing the procedure above, then let us know via comments below.

Up Next: Top 4 Online Stores Where You Can Buy Xiaomi Redmi K20 Smartphone at Unbeatable Prices [Coupon]

Huawei market share in Thailand grows to 20% in the first five months of 2019

By

Jeet

-

Jul 8, 2019

Huawei’s market share in many countries is declining because of the trade ban on the company by the United States. However, the company remains unscathed in Thailand, where the company’s share in the market grew.

The Chinese giant claims that its market share in Thailand grew to 20 percent in the first five months of 2019, compared to 15 percent last year. Also, Huawei is set to increase its Thai marketing budget by 30 percent this year.

The move to increase market budget is a key move for the company because the country is a strategic market in the region, according to Ingmar Wang, country director of Huawei Thailand’s consumer business group.

Also, the company will keep launching new products powered by the Android operating system as a first priority. It is noteworthy that the company has made its own mobile OS but is yet to set a timeline for the launch of its own HongMeng OS, which is said to be still in development.

Ever since the news of the ban on Huawei by the US broke, there have been many rumors about Huawei’s products but the company responded immediately to clarify. The company has confirmed that despite the ban, Huawei smartphones and tablets will keep functioning normally in all aspects, with continued support from Android.

Further, the company will continue to provide security updates and after-sale services to all existing Huawei smartphones and tablet products that have been sold, or that are still in stock in stores globally.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei Developer Conference To Be Held On August 9 this year, Could We See A Glimpse Of HongMeng OS?

The situation of Huawei with the United States is a bit confusing at this time as US President Donald Trump recently said that the ban on US firms supplying technology to Huawei would be lifted, but the US Commerce Department said the ban would remain.

Several distributors of Huawei, including Synnex, Jaymart, TG, Com7, and CSC, as well as two big operators (AIS and True), showed support for Huawei by announcing a warranty campaign. The special warranty of two years offers full refunds for new Huawei customers if the phone stops supporting Google and Facebook’s applications.

Mr. Wang, Country Director of Huawei Thailand’s consumer business group said that the company plans to invest 160 million baht in 5G testing projects in Thailand and 700 million baht in cloud services. Advanced Info Service and True Move H Universal Communication performed 5G network tests using the Huawei Mate 20 X 5G which will be launched in Thailand in the near future.

(Via)

Up Next: Honor claims to have shipped more than 15 million units of the Honor 8X series smartphone

Honor claims it shipped over 15 million units of the Honor 8X series

By

-

Jul 8, 2019

The Honor X series will be getting new members on July 23. The biggest change will be the new Kirin 810 processor which launched with the Huawei Nova 5. Ahead of the launch, Honor claims the Honor 8X series from last year as set a record with respect to toal units shipped.

Speaking at a Kirin 810 meeting, Vice President of Honor, Xiong Junmin, said that as at today, 8th of July, the total global shipments for the Honor 8X series has crossed 15 million units. Seeing as the Honor 8X and Honor 8X Max were released in September 2018, that means it took 9 months to get to that point.

Mr. Junmin added that the Honor 8X series was the best selling smartphone online for four months following its release. It also sold 10 million units in 173 days, the fastest for any Honor smartphone and was a best seller during this year’s 618 shopping festival.

The Honor 9X and Honor 9X Pro will be expected to set new records when they go on sale. Honor is banking on the Kirin 810 which it says cost a lot to develop. The Honor 9X series have been reported to have AMOLED displays, a first for the X line. Last week, it was revealed the 9X has a pop-up selfie camera, dual rear cameras, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It has also been reported that it will launch alongside an external gamepad that connects to its USB-C port.