Coolpad may soon launch a new upper mid-range smartphone called the N10 Pro. A banner for the phone was seen on the manufacturer’s official website giving us an early look at the device as well as some of its key specs.
The Coolpad N10 PRO will have a waterdrop notch with thin bezels on the sides and top, and a thicker one at the bottom of the display. We also get to see what the rear looks like.
There is a vertically arranged triple camera setup on the left side of the device. The cameras share the same housing with the LED flash and are covered in a single piece of glass. Coolpad isn’t joining the in-display fingerprint bandwagon as there is a fingerprint scanner on the back of the device. The image also shows us the phone will come in green and red color variants and both will have a red-painted power button.
With respect to specs, Coolpad will ship the N10 Pro with a Snapdragon 710 processor and it will draw power from a 4000mAh battery. The rest of the specs are still unknown but we are pretty excited about the phone. The Cool N10 Pro should also run COOL UI 9 based on Android Pie out of the box like the Cool 9.
There is no info yet on when the phone will be available and how much it will cost but we expect Coolpad to price it competitively as the upper mid-range market is pretty saturated already. There is the Realme X Lite and the OPPO K3 which are both powered by the same Snapdragon 710 processor and start at ¥1199 (~$174) and ¥1599 (~$230) respectively. Both phones also have special features of their own, so the Coolpad N10 Pro better come prepared.
Coolpad has a new entry-level device that is now available for pre-order on JD.com. The phone, which is called the Cool 9, shares a similar design to the Cool 3 which launched in India back in February.
The Cool 9 has a 5.71-inch display with a 1520 x 720 resolution and a waterdrop notch. Coolpad says the phone has a 90.3% screen to body ratio and a 19:9 aspect ratio. It is powered by the Helio A22 processor and has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage with support for expansion.
There is a 5MP camera in front for selfies and a 13MP + 0.3MP dual camera combo on the rear. The Cool 9 has dual SIM support (nano-only), LTE support, an audio jack, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, and Face Unlock. It packs a 3000mAh battery that charges via a MicroUSB port. The phone runs COOL UI 9.0 based on Android 9.0.
The Cool 9 has an 8-layer plated finish. It is available in Aurora, Satin Red, and Dragon Glass Black. However, JD.com has only the Aurora variant and an entirely different color called Star Blue available for pre-order. The phone is priced at ¥599 (~$87).
On March 1, Vivo announced the iQOO (I Quest On and On) gaming smartphone. The iQOO is the first phone under the new gaming smartphone line. Today, the Vice President of the brand announced they have sold 1 million units as at yesterday, June 1.
With competitors such as the Black Shark 2 and Nubia Red Magic 3 which launched in March and April respectively, 1 million units is a milestone for the new Vivo line. With the iQOO expected to launch in India later this month, that figure is bound to go up.
The iQOO gaming smartphone has a 6.41-inch AMOLED display with a fingerprint scanner underneath. There is a Snapdragon 855 processor under the hood and it is paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The phone has triple cameras on the back which includes a 12MP primary camera, a 13MP ultrawide angle camera, and a 2MP depth sensor camera. Nestled within the notch in the display is a 12MP camera.
Like some gaming smartphones, the iQOO has a LED strip on its back. The LED is programmed to light up when the user achieves a milestone in a game. There are also touch-sensitive buttons built into the right side of the frame which mimic shoulder buttons on a gamepad. Another feature of the iQOO gaming smartphone is Multi-Turbo which is a combination of AI turbo (seamless and automatic switching between LTE and Wi-Fi while gaming); Cooling Turbo (kicks in the phone’s liquid cooling system when the CPU’s temperature rises); Game Turbo; and Center Turbo.
The iQOO has a 4000mAh battery with support for 22.5W fast charging on the base model and 44W fast charging on the other models. There is also NFC, Jovi Assistant on board, and Android Pie pre-installed.
The phone starts at ¥2998 (~$434) and maxes out at ¥4298 (~$622). You should be able to get it cheaper on 618 (June 18) – China’s biggest mid-year shopping festival.
With no certainty with respect to how long its current troubles will last, reports have surfaced about Huawei cutting down the production of new devices.
Foxconn, which is the production partner for several phone manufacturers, is said to have stopped several Huawei production lines according to a report by the South China Morning Post. The reason for this is because Huawei has reduced its orders as it doesn’t know how its future will turn out due to the US blacklist.
This not only affects Huawei greatly but also Foxconn as the production giant employed thousands of workers at the beginning of the year to meet Huawei’s production demand.
Huawei is also reconsidering its set goals, one of which is to overtake Samsung and take the crown of the world’s top phone manufacturer. President of Honor, Huawei’s subsidiary, Zhao Ming disclosed at a press conference in Shanghai on Friday that they are rethinking their goal of overtaking Samsung in 2020. When asked about its 2020 goal, the chief executive officer said: “As the new situation has emerged, it is too early to say whether we are able to achieve the goal”.
With Huawei and its subsidiary cut off from doing business with its American business partners, the Chinese giant will not be able to continue its growth spurt.
The Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro launched last month in London but there is still no date for when they will be available for purchase. Both phones also launched in China just a few days ago. The Honor 20 is already available for purchase in its home country while the Pro version will go on sale on June 18.
In the span of two years, the appearance of phones has changed a lot. Thick bezels have been dropped for thin ones. The top bezel has even been replaced with notches (all sorts) or punch holes in some cases while others have adopted a slider design or the use of pop-up/flip cameras. It appears the next step in this design evolution is the in-display camera. A few manufacturers have already patented their own take and Xiaomi is the latest manufacturer to do so.
A diagram from a Xiaomi patent has surfaced online and it shows a device with an in-display selfie camera. The patent which was applied for back in November 2018 shows there is a camera behind the screen as well as a light sensor. A rough translation of the patent description says there is a secondary display under the main display. The light sensor works with both screens in a way that the camera can become visible at required times or invisible when not in use. It is a bit hard to explain since the description isn’t in English.
The Z series from Motorola has always been the most important flagship line-up of the U.S. giant controlled by Lenovo, but that is not the case this year. A few days ago, Motorola announced the Moto Z4 and this time it is just a mid-ranger. After that, the company said that there will be no Moto Z4 Force, neither a Moto Z4 Play. So goodbye flagship from the Z series, it seems. The only thing left now is to understand if the new Moto Z4 has a high value for money and, in order to let you know, we will compare it with two best-buys of the actual market: the new Meizu 16Xs and the best-selling Redmi Note 7 Pro by Xiaomi’s sub-brand.
Motorola Moto Z4 vs Meizu 16Xs vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro
Motorola Moto Z4
Meizu 16Xs
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
158 x 75 x 7.4 mm, 165 grams
152 x 74.4 x 8.3 mm, 165 grams
159.2 x 75.2 x 8.1 mm, 186 grams
DISPLAY
6.4 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, OLED
6.2 inches, 1080 x 2232p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, Super AMOLED
Triple 48 +8 + 5 MP f/1.7 and f/2.2 and f/1.9
16 MP f/2.2 front camera
Dual 48 + 5 MP f/1.7 and f/2.4
13 MP front camera
BATTERY
3600 mAh, fast charging 15W
4000 mAh, fast charging 24W
4000 mAh, Fast Charging with Quick Charge 4
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Hybrid Dual SIM slot, MotoMods
Dual SIM slot
Hybrid Dual SIM slot
Design
Motorola Moto Z4 wins the build quality awards as it comes with the most solid and premium materials. It has a glass back as well as an aluminum frame, and it is splash and dust resistant as proved by the P2i certification, despite it is not waterproof. It even supports MotoMods: you can stick additional modules on its back thanks to the pins on the lower part of the back cover, including a MotoMod which enables the 5G connectivity! While its build quality is simply amazing, we can not say the same about its look. The glass back of Meizu 16Xs and Redmi Note 7 Pro look a lot more attractive, at least according to my tastes. Meizu 16Xs has also a cleaner back because it features an in-display fingerprint reader, that is why it is my favorite one. Which one do you prefer?
Display
While Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro is equipped with a traditional IPS display, Motorola Moto Z4 and Meizu 16Xs come with much better OLED screens. They provide more brilliant colors and deeper blacks, so I prefer them. Meizu 16Xs has an in-display fingerprint reader but it also comes with a smaller screen, while Motorola Moto Z4 has a bigger panel, a waterdrop notch to reduce the upper bezel and an in-display fingerprint reader as well. Given that both are Full HD OLED displays there are only marginal differences when it comes to display quality.
Specs & Software
The chipset is the component which made us go for this comparison. All of these devices are powered by a Snapdragon 675 SoC by Qualcomm which delivers upper-midrange performances similar to the ones offered by the Snapdragon 710 (slightly better CPU but worse GPU, tough). Motorola Moto Z4 comes with a stock Android version based on Android Pie, but it has only 4 GB of RAM, while Meizu 16Xs and Redmi Note 7 Pro are equipped with up to 6 GB of RAM.
Camera
Motorola Moto Z4 has just a single camera on its rear side, but it may give us several surprises and it may be the best camera phone of the trio despite its rivals come with triple cameras. Its rear sensor has a very bright f/1.7 aperture as well as OIS, unlike its rivals. Most of Motorola phones come with very nice cameras, even in the midrange segment. So we have high expectations for the Moto Z4. It even comes with the best front camera on the paper: a 25 MP snapper with an f/2.0 focal aperture. And you can enhance the camera performances with several MotoMods.
Battery
The battery capacity is the weak point of the Moto Z4 as it comes with just 3600 mAh of capacity, but thanks to the battery pack MotoMod, it can provide the longest battery life. However, MotoMods are sold separately, so if we exclude the additional battery pack, Meizu 16Xs and Redmi Note 7 Pro should come with a way longer battery life. Given its OLED display, Meizu 16Xs might last more on a single charge, but it remains to be seen.
Price
Redmi Note 7 Pro costs €200/$223 in its base variant, Meizu 16Xs starts from €220/$246 and Moto Z4 costs €500/$556. The Moto Z4 is definitely the best and most interesting phone, but Meizu 16Xs has the highest value for money with its OLED display, big battery, in-display fingerprint reader and great cameras.
The Redmi K20 Pro was launched on Tuesday, May 28; with the first sale scheduled for 10 AM today. By 11:45 AM, Redmi had sold 200,000 units according to a poster it shared on Weibo. That is a lot of phones to sell in under 2 hours!
We have no idea how many units were available for purchase during the first sale but the phone is now out of stock. Fret not! Xiaomi says the next sale is on Tuesday, June 4, and is already accepting the next batch of pre-orders.
The Redmi K20 Pro is priced at ¥2499 (~$362) for the base model which has 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. A 128GB version with the same RAM is priced at ¥2599 (~$376). There is also an 8GB RAM + 128GB version priced at ¥2799 (~$405) and an 8GB + 256GB version priced at ¥2999 (~$434). For ¥20 more, you can pick up a 27W fast charger or pay ¥199 more for the Redmi Suitcase or ¥219 for the suitcase and charger bundle.
The Redmi K20 Pro has a 6.39-inch AMOLED screen with an FHD+ resolution. It has an in-display fingerprint scanner and is covered with Gorilla Glass 6. The phone has no notch and neither has it got a hole punch. However, it does have a motorized 20MP pop-up selfie camera. There is also a 48MP + 13MP + 8MP triple camera setup on the back of the phone. Other features are a Snapdragon 855 processor, a USB-C port, a 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, Hi-Res Audio, and a 4,000mAh battery.
The non-pro model called the Redmi K20 will have its first sale on June 10.
Xiaomi is rolling out a stable Android Pie update to two of its phones. The Redmi 6 Pro and Redmi Note 5 Pro are the two devices getting a slice of pie now. Back in January, Xiaomi began recruiting beta testers for both phones. It is now done with the beta stage and has begun pushing out a stable update.
The update is already rolling out to users in India. It arrives as MIUI 10.3.2.0.PDMMIXM for the Redmi 6 Pro and comes with May’s security patch. The update also brings support for using face unlock for app lock. There is also Dual VoLTE support and Dark Mode bundled with the update along with lots of bug fixes.
Image source: Fonerena.com
The Redmi Note 5 Pro also gets May’s security patch and the update is also 1.6GB in size like that of the Redmi 6 Pro.
Both the Redmi 6 Pro and Redmi Note 5 Pro were launched last year. The former is known as the Mi A2 Lite in other markets and already got updated to Android Pie back in November. While the Redmi 6 ran Android Oreo out of the box, the Redmi Note 5 Pro launched with Android Nougat. Both have now received an update to Android Pie. There is a high chance this will be the last major OS update for the Redmi Note 5 Pro. However, it should still get MIUI updates.
There is still a bit of waiting before Apple announces its next-generation iPhones. Just like last year, we are getting three iPhones this year – the iPhone XI, the iPhone XI Max, and the affordable iPhone XIR. Yeah! We agree Apple should ditch the roman numerals.
iPhone XI 3D CAD
We already know what all three phones will look like, thanks to 3D CAD images from the trusted leaker – Steve Hemmerstoffer a.k.a. OnLeaks. The main change will be on the rear where all three devices will sport a hideous square-shaped camera housing. The iPhone XI and iPhone XI Max will both add an extra camera for a triple camera setup. The iPhone XIR will also get an extra sensor for a dual camera setup.
If you don’t like the design, there is nothing you can do as we have gotten our hands on live images of the phones’ cases and they confirm Apple will indeed be going with the design.
From L-R: iPhone XIR, iPhone XI, and iPhone XI Max cases
The images which were provided by an industry source show the cases for all three phones. Other than the size, there isn’t any difference between the phone cases.
The cases have a kevlar-like appearance and should provide a good grip. The square-shaped camera cut-out is at the top left corner. There is a power button on the right while the volume rocker and a cut-out for the sleep key are on the left. The bottom is home to cut-outs for the charging port, the speaker, and the microphone.
[envira-gallery id=”256815″]
As is the tradition with most iPhones, the new iPhones will most likely arrive in September which means we still have over three months of waiting. We believe some folks may decide to skip this year’s new models because of the design and hope Apple adopts a better design for 2020’s models.
Primarily known for manufacturing top-end smartphones, Xiaomi offers a wide range of topnotch accessories as well. The Chinese electronics giant makes air purifiers, fitness bands, power banks, and even backpacks.
Xiaomi backpacks are quite popular among business person, students and those who are always on the go. Here are the top five Xiaomi-branded backpacks that you can buy without spending a lot of money.
Xiaomi Urevo 13L College School Leisure Backpack 15.6-inch Laptop Bag
Made using 100 percent polyester fiber material, the lightweight Urevo 13L College School Leisure Backpack from Xiaomi is highly comfortable to carry. This folding backpack is anti-wrinkle, soft and ventilated so that you can carry it while traveling, and outdoor sports.
It provides 13L ample capacity for you to carry your Notebook computer and a slew of other items such as umbrella, water bottle, mini Pad, power banks, mobile phones, keys, etc. Bearing a $49.99 price tag, the Xiaomi Urevo Leisure Backpack comes in red, white and yellow color options.
You can use coupon code ROMUrevoBag and save $20. In other words, you can reduce the original asking price of the backpack to just $29.99 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon during checkout.
You can follow this link to take advantage of the coupon and place your order.
Original Xiaomi 14 inch Urban Style Polyester Leisure Backpack
The deep gray color version of the Xiaomi 14 inch Urban Style Polyester Leisure Backpack has gone up for sale carrying a $54.29 price tag on Gearbest. Those spending over $35 can use a $3 off coupon, while those spending more than $65 can take advantage of a $10 off coupon.
Aside from that, if your cart value exceeds $20, you can get an add-on item for just $0.01. In order to check out more details about the promo, all you need to do is to follow this link without wasting time.
Known for offering the best bang for your buck, Banggood is doling out a noteworthy 16 percent discount on the 90FUN Trendsetter Chic Outdoor Travel Shoulder Backpack, which usually retails for $67.99. Thanks to the aforesaid discount, you can now buy it for just $57.84.
Sporting a trapezoid barrel design, the 90FUN Trendsetter Chic Outdoor Travel Shoulder Backpack is quite a bargain at this price. It offers large capacity and big size can hold a 14-inch laptop. You can visit this link to check out more details about the backpack and avail the discount before the promo ends.
Xiaomi Classic Business Backpack School Backpack Camping Hiking Shoulder Backpack
The Xiaomi Classic Business Backpack is made using 1260D high densityoxford cloth material, making it highly durable and waterproof. It offers high space utilization rate, thanks to its three layers of independent space design.
Moreover, the large size Xiaomi Classic Business Backpack is capable of storing 15 Inches of computer, Xiaomi Plate, and Ipad. Banggood is now offering this feature-rich backpack for a reduced price of just $84.25, while it usually retails for $85.79.
Aside from that, you can get free shipping if your order exceeds $19.99. You can follow this link and avail the discount and stand a chance of getting free shipping.
Sporting an elegant, and stylish design, the Xiaomi 90 Minutes Fashion City Backpack comes in two appealing color versions including black and red. Its original asking price is $79.99, but GeekBuying users can buy it for just $66.99.
This is a 16 percent reduction in the backpack’s retail price. The Xiaomi 90 Minutes Fashion City Backpack has front hidden bag so that you can conveniently place anything inside it. There’s an independent warehouse placed on the left side, where you can keep your umbrella and other items.
You can click here to visit the promotion page and check out more details about the Xiaomi 90 Minutes Fashion City Backpack and grab the discount. Note that the promo is slated to end in just one day.
Electric scooters allude to motor-driven vehicles that usually have two wheels. Primarily designed for a short predictable commute, electric scooters aren’t necessarily easy on the pocketbook.
Much to the delight of those looking for a top-end e-bike that doesn’t cost a bomb, GeekBuying has launched the ‘Kugoo Scooter Activity.’ The activity features two categories including ‘KUGOO S1’ and ‘Trending Items,’ which are crammed with well-received electric scooters bearing lowered prices.
The ‘Trending Items’ section features a wide selection of e-bikes that you can buy without burning a hole in your pocket. We will be checking out the noteworthy discounts you can avail on the KUGOO S1 and Megawheels S1-1 electric scooters.
KUGOO S1 Folding Electric Scooter
The KUGOO S1 is quieter and more efficient as compared to a regular motorbike. Equipped with 8-inch solid rear anti-skid tires and 3-speed running modes, the S1 is designed to run smoothly on all types of road surface conditions.
While you’d normally end up shelling out $699.99 on the KUGOO S1, you can now get your hands on the feature-laden electric scooter for a lowered price of only $339.99 from GeekBuying. Moreover, you can use coupon code KUGOOS1 to extend this discount.
The coupon helps you save $160 more by reducing the retail price of the KUGOO S1 to just $329.99. You can head straight to this link to avail the discount, which will be valid for the white, black and pink color versions of the e-bike for five days.
This electric kick scooter from Megawheels is built using aircraft-grade aluminum alloy. The Megawheels S1-1 draws its juices from a robust 4.0Ah, 18650 battery and is backed by a 250W, reaching a max speed of 23km/h.
The easy-to-carry Megawheels S1-1 would normally set you back $299.99 on both online as well as offline stores, but you can now buy it for a reduced price of just $199.99 from GeekBuying. This is a noteworthy 33 percent reduction in the folding e-bike’s original selling price.
Moreover, you can choose between two appealing color options including red and green. You can follow this link to avail the discount before the promo comes to an end in five days.
The Xiaomi Redmi K20 has been floating around the rumor mill for quite some time and has been subject to all sorts of speculations and leaks. Here are top online stores where Xiaomi fans can get their hands on the long-awaited device.
Giztop
Multiple storage and color options of the Redmi K20 have gone up for pre-order on Giztop. The 6GB RAM+128GB ROM model comes in Carbon Fibre Black, Ice Blue, and Red, bearing a $379 price tag. The smaller 6GB RAM+64GB ROM variant will set you back $349. It is available in Ice Blue, Red and Carbon Black color versions.
Alternatively, you can go for the 8GB RAM+256GB ROM model which comes in three eye-catching color versions including Carbon Fiber Black, Red, and Ice Blue. This model carries a slightly steeper $459 price tag.
You can head straight to this link in order to check out more details about the Xiaomi Redmi K20 and pre-order your favorite model without wasting time. Note that the estimated delivery is set for early June.
The black-tinted global version of the Xiaomi Mi 9T smartphone (Redmi K20) with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage capacity has gone up for sale bearing a $459.99 on GearVita. You can use coupon code ROM9T64B and get an extra $78.99 off.
In other words, you can bring the retail price of the Mi 9T smartphone down to only $381 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon at the time of checking out. You can pre-order the blue color version of the device which is available for $459.99.
You can follow this link to take advantage of the coupon, which is slated to expire soon.
The Xiaomi Redmi K20 variant that ships with 6GB of RAM and offers 64GB of onboard storage capacity for you to save your favorite multimedia content usually retails for $562.85 on both online as well as offline stores. You can buy this model for a reduced price of just $439.99 from Gearbest.
Aside from this noteworthy 22 percent discount, Gearbest users spending $20 or more will get an add-on item for just $0.01. You can visit this link to avail the discount, which will be valid for the red color version of the phablet for a limited period of time.
You can pre-order the 6GB RAM+64GB ROM variant of the Redmi K20 smartphone without emptying your pocket. The popular variant is currently up for pre-order for a reduced price of just $422.99 on GeekBuying.
This is a significant drop in the device’s original asking price of $487.99. You can visit this link to avail the discount, which is currently available for the black color version of the phone.
TrendForce has released the 2019 global TV brand shipment report specifically for the first quarter (Q1) 2019. According to the report, the number of global TV shipments in the first quarter of 2019 was 49.87 million units, a decrease of 24.6% Quarter on Quarter and an annual (YoY) increase of 0.5%.
In terms of shipment, except for the first and second spots that are occupied by South Korean brands LG and Samsung, the third to sixth names are all Chinese brands. This shows that Chinese brands can use their cost-effective pricing advantage to actively increase their market shares.
Samsung still ranks as the number one TV brand globally with an estimated shipment of 9.42 million units in the first quarter. But Samsung’s market share continues to shrink with a Quarter on Quarter and Year on Year drop of 21.2% and 5.8% respectively. LG Electronic’s first-quarter shipment decline by 22.6% while annually it dropped 7.1% when compared to the same time last year.
Of all the top 5 brands, TCL is the only one that had a positive Q1 result. The company shipped an estimated 5.69 million smart TVs in the first quarter of this year, effectively shrinking the gap with second-placed LG Electronics to less than 1 million units. The firm’s shipment grew by a massive 43.1% YoY and 9% QoQ.
Chinese traditional TV brands Hisense and Skyworth shipped 3.03 million and 2.35 million units in the first quarter, ranking fourth and sixth respectively. Xiaomi is at the fifth spot with a shipping estimate of 2.85 million units in the first quarter. It is instructive to note that Xiaomi’s shipments grew 93.9%, YoY but declined by 9.% QoQ. According to the report, unlike traditional Chinese TV brands to deepen the supply chain to reduce costs, Xiaomi only focuses on product development, sales channels and Xiaomi fans’ business model, and outsources production to reduce the burden of operation and cost. Although Xiaomi succeeded in opening a new business model with the internet ecosystem, last year, Xiaomi’s foundry partners mainly used TCL. This year, it strengthened its OEM cooperation with BOE for the supply of TV panels.
Samsung earlier this year launched Marvel superhero-themed cases for the flagship Galaxy S10 models. The launch back then coincided with the release of Avengers: Endgame. The Korean tech giant has now Now though the Korean company has expanded the custom cases to its mid-range models. The Samsung Galaxy A40, A50, and A70 have now got Marvel superhero-themed cases.
The Marvel superhero-themed cases include one for Spiderman, Captain America, Iron Man and Avengers. The customised cases are presently available at several third-party online retailers but Samsung is yet to officially announce them. However, Samsung Philippines has announced the Marvel superhero-themed cases for the Galaxy A50 only. Dutch-retailer Coolblue has all four models for the Galaxy A50 and A70. While Amazon Germany lists all the four models Galaxy A40.
The customised cases come with a price tag of €29.90 which is pretty expensive for a case. But then, these are official customizations and so, aren’t expected to come cheap considering Samsung also has to pay royalty fees to Marvel.
US fabless chipmaker Qualcomm has showcased a new Snapdragon XR Smart Viewer reference design that will provide an easier way for hardware companies to manufacture lightweight augmented reality glasses. The tech giant made the announcement on the heels of the Augmented World Expo (AWE) event that would be held in Santa Clara, California. The company will also be exhibiting a prototype product at its stand during the expo.
The design will make AR glasses to also double as smart viewers for AR content that is stored on a smartphone. The lightweight glasses come with high-resolution displays and has sensors that can track movement, hands, and eyes. But the glasses are connected via a wire to a smartphone or a computing puck as there are very little to no processing is happening inside the glasses. The processing takes place in a device that is connected to the glasses, according to Hugo Swart, head of XR at Qualcomm.
The Qualcomm exec also added that there were benefits to distributing the load on what is carried in the body and what is worn on the head. “So you can put a smaller Snapdragon chip on the headset to do 6DoF tracking and eye tracking and 3D reconstruction and movement and hand tracking,” he said.
He also disclosed that the reference design is built with the help of GoerTek and will enable a lot of manufacturers of smart glasses to jump into space with AR and a VR smart viewers.
The Snapdragon Smart Viewer Reference Design features six-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) movement for room scale XR experiences. With two dedicated 6DoF cameras for body tracking, users can walk around without the need for external motion sensors. It also has full support for hand tracking and gesture trackings such as tap, zoom, pinch, and scroll features, which could be used for interactions with virtual objects. There is also eye tracking.
To reduce power consumption using foveated rendering, Qualcomm worked with eye-tracking firm Tobii to have integrated eye tracking. This provides superior intuitive interfaces and enables gaze direction for fast interactions within the virtual environment.
The glasses also feature a display panel, built with JDI, to enable consumers to be immersed in their favorite content by supporting smooth experiences with 72KHz refresh rate and 2K resolution per eye. It works for both AR and virtual reality.
The reference design also supports standalone mode, where, in addition to tethering the headset via USB-C to a host device, the Snapdragon Smart Viewer Reference Design also delivers high-quality experiences in a mode where all the computing is done directly on the device.
Motorola recently launched the Moto Z4 and fans of the brand are eager to see other models that are supposed to be part of the Z4 series. Sadly, we won’t be seeing any other iteration of the Moto Z4. Motorola has confirmed on Twitter that the Z4 is the only Moto Z device that will be available this year.
Hi Raffi. We will not be announcing additional moto z devices this year.
The company was responding to a fan who wanted to know if the Z4 Force will be coming. The brand then tweeted that there won’t be an additional Moto Z devices this year. Thus, the Z4 Force or Z4 Play won’t be coming. Quite sad. Last year’s model had the Z3 Play but no Z3 Force. The Z2 Force from 2017 was the last model launched.
Since this is coming from Motorola US, it is possible the Z4 Play will be launched in other markets but not in the US. That is just a wild guess, though. One thing we can pick from this is that Motorola is treading carefully now, apparently in order to get effective sales. It seems to be sticking to the low-end and mid-range markets, ditching the high-end market, at least for now. Market data shows the company isn’t doing too badly after emerging from a turbulent financial downturn.
At the recent Computex 2019, Intel announced a number of products but one that stood out is the 10nm CPUs nicknamed Ice Lake. The processor features the Sunnycove microarchitecture and is ready to ship immediately.
The 10th generation processors come with a number of big changes from its predecessors, one of which is big architectural improvements. The new processor is the biggest update Intel has made in its processors since 2015. There is also a brand new integrated GPU (Gen 11 graphics).
The fact sheet provided shows major improvements in power efficiency as well, for those who are more concerned about the battery. The specs show up to 16-hour battery life laptops can be expected in the next wave which potentially makes all-day computing very much a possibility. The chipset also comes with WiFi6 and 5G, making the next wave of notebooks and ultrabooks that would utilize the processor to hold lots of promises.
Xiaomi‘s partner Oclean has officially revealed via its Weibo page that the Oclean X will be released next week. The electric toothbrush is touted to be the first in the world to have a touchscreen.
As to what exactly the touchscreen display does, the real pictures of the device also appeared online showing that the display is actually a Mi Band 3-styled wearable without the rubber straps. The design of the toothbrush includes a housing for the device. Also, the retail box and user manual of the electric toothbrush also appeared online revealing some details.
The manual shows that the Oclean X will have a maximum vibrating speed of up to 40,000 rpm. It will also have 32 levels of intensity which can be adjusted during brushing. This is pretty impressive because, on current models like the Oclean Air, you only get two levels of intensity. The sonic toothbrush also supports monitoring of the brushing pattern of blind areas in the mouth. The touchscreen also displays brushing information and oral health information without the need for a mobile app.
The device will be cheaper than its contemporaries like the Philip HX9954/52 with a frequency of 31,000 beats per minute and costs 2,199 yuan. Even at that, you’ll need the mobile phone app and Bluetooth connectivity to be able to brush the blind areas. Thus, the touchscreen display gives this model an edge.
Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ last week appeared in a Cardinal Red colour that is a brighter shade than the Burgundy Red we saw the Galaxy S9/S9+ in. The new colour variant is now listed on a Swiss retailer’s website with a price tag of CHF899 ($895/€803). The listing also reveals that this new version will be only available with 128GB storage.
Apart from the new paint job, the hardware will remain the same as other color variants of this smartphone. In addition, the Galaxy S10+ will also be hitting stores in Cardinal Red, and the variant was also spotted on Samsung Switzerland website as part of a cashback offer. According to the schedule, successful orders for both models will ship next month (June).
Announcing a new color variant of its flagships is now a tradition Samsung has adopted for a while now. It is a smart marketing move and a good way to reinvigorate interest in the phones. We expect the variant to roll out soon in select markets.
Latest research data released by market research firm IDC shows that Apple continues its dominance of the wearable market. However, the gap continues to shrink as Samsung and Huawei rapidly mount pressure on the US giant with impressive shipments.
According to the report, Samsung and Huawei have boosted their figures by a significantly higher degree than Apple during Q1, 2019 in the wearable market. Embattled Chinese giant Huawei dominated the industry in terms of growth and was able to triple its sales and thus, double its market share compared to Q1 2018. Huawei recorded a massive growth of 282.2%, shipping an estimated 5 million units of wearable devices globally. On the other and, Apple shipped 12.8 million and Xiaomi 6.6 million units. Samsung shipped an estimated 4.3 million units and Fitbit completed the top 5 with a total shipment of 2.9 million wearables.
All five wearable device manufacturers recorded year-on-year growth, shipping a grand total of 49.6 million unit shipments, which is up 55.2% from the same period last year. Fitbit reported the lowest surge of the top five vendors which is 35.7%, while Apple’s growth rate was 49.5%.
Apple Inc has seen a decline in its market share in smartphones as well, especially in markets like China and India. Where Huawei has toppled it from the second spot, while Samsung still retains the number one spot with the lead getting narrow by the day.
According to a statement by Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC Mobile Device Trackers; “The elimination of headphone jacks and the increased usage of smart assistants both inside and outside the home have been driving factors in the growth of ear-worn wearables.” He added, “Looking ahead, this will become an increasingly important category as a major platform and device makers use ear-worn devices as an on-ramp to entice consumers into an ecosystem of wearable devices that complement the smartphone but also offer the ability to leave the phone behind when necessary.”
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