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Xiaomi files patent for a phone bearing a weird-looking inverted notch

Smartphone notch gained wild popularity in 2017 after the release of the iPhone X. Since then, we have seen various phone display designs with the notch adopting various dimensions, the most common being the waterdrop design. But nothing prepared us for the notch design Xiaomi has just reportedly patented, a smartphone with an awkward inverted notch design.

The sketch released shows the notch is designed in such a way that it extends upwards from the phone just like a centrally placed dual pop-up camera or better still, like an inverted notch. The inverted notch houses the in-ear speaker and dual front camera setup. We can’t fathom exactly why Xiaomi would want to design such a phone but it could be an easy way of trimming the bezels around the display. However, the design doesn’t look like one that will catch on like wildfire more especially as it alters the symmetrical design phones have always maintained. But then, you never know. We may likely not find it anytime soon, though, as patent applications don’t really indicate what a company is planning on the short term.

Read Also: Redmi needs to learn a lot from Huawei says Lu Weibing

Xiaomi also filed a patent for a slider design with triple selfie camera sensors. The design looks exactly like that of the Mi Mix 3 except for the triple cameras.

(via)

Honor lost a prototype smartphone and is offering $5600 to whoever returns it

Before a smartphone gets officially announced for the general public, the device typically goes through a series of testing. At one stage, the company lends the pre-production unit of the smartphone to its employees for testing.

Honor, a sub-brand of Chinese giant Huawei, has been doing the same for its upcoming Honor 20 lineup. Now, as per the reports, a testing unit or prototype lent to one of its employees has gone missing in Germany.

Honor Prototype Smartphone Lost

The company’s employee in the marketing department, Moritz Scheidl was traveling to Dusseldorf to visit his family over the Easter Holidays. The phone, as per the claims from Scheidl, was tucked away inside his backpack throughout the journey. But as he arrived back home and went to pull out the device to charge it, he realized it was gone.

So, it’s unclear if the smartphone simply fell off or was stolen. Whatever it is, the company is offering a €5000 ($5,611) reward to whoever retrieves the phone. According to the company, the smartphone was covered with a gray protective case that obscures the cameras and the rear design.

As the company announced this development and the rewards, some of the users of social media have started accusing the company of getting involved in cheap publicity stunts ahead of the phone’s launch. However, the company claims that it’s not a publicity stunt.

Read More: Honor 8C Phantom Blue edition coming on April 23 for 899 Yuan (~$133)

Honor has already announced that it will be launching its Honor 20 smartphone series on 21st May at a launch event in London. The company is expected to launch three phones — Honor 20, 20 Pro, and Honor 20 Lite. It has already launched the Honor 20i smartphone in the Chinese market.

(Source)

OnePlus 7 Pro price hinted; May cost around 5,000 Yuan (~$745)

OnePlus will be holding OnePlus 7 series launch event on May 14 in multiple locations like China, India, the U.K and the U.S. The OnePlus 7 series is speculated to include three smartphones namely, OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7 Pro 5G. Recent reports have revealed that the OnePlus 7 Pro will be the most advanced smartphone from the company. Hence, it is speculated to arrive with a costlier price tag. OnePlus co-founder and CEO Pete Lau has hinted that it could be priced around 5,000 Yuan (~$745).

On Weibo, a user asked whether 5,000 Yuan would be enough to buy the OnePlus 7 Pro. In reply (shown in second image), Lau responded by saying that it would be just enough.

In a recent interview, Pete Lau had shared some vital information on the OnePlus 7 Pro smartphone. He had claimed that it will be arriving with a significant display upgrade and it will be also available in 5G version. He said that compared to predecessor models, OnePlus has made threefold investments on the display this year.

The OnePlus 7 Pro is rumored to house a 6.7-inch S-AMOLED display that is curved towards the left and right edges. It will support quad HD+ resolution of 1440 x 3120 pixels along with a refresh rate of 90 Hz. The major upgrade in the display department suggests that the handset will be introduced in the market with an expensive price tag. Hence, there is a possibility that the OnePlus 7 Pro could be priced around 5,000 Yuan (~$745).

OnePlus 7 Pro Specifications (Rumored)

The Snapdragon 855 mobile platform will be fueling the OnePlus 7 Pro smartphone. It is rumored to release in the market in three variants such as 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage.

Oneplus 7 Pro
Alleged OnePlus 7 Pro hands-on image

The OnePlus 7 Pro is expected to arrive with pop-up selfie camera of 16-megapixel with f/2.0 aperture. The triple camera setup of the smartphone is expected to include a 48-megapixel primary sensor with f/1.6 aperture, OIS and EIS; a telephoto lens of 8-megapixel with f/2.4 aperture that will offer 3x optical zoom and a 117-degree 16-megapixel ultra wide-angle lens. It is likely to feature a 4,000mAh battery that will be equipped with support for 30W Warp Charge fast charging technology. The smartphone also features an in-display fingerprint reader.

(via)

Buy Teclast-Branded Tablets, Laptops and Accessories at Lowered Prices

Touted as one of China’s oldest manufacturers of tablets, Teclast has collaborated with the country’s leading online stores including Gearbest, Banggood, and GeekBuying to launch unmissable sales.

Teclast Fan Festival on Gearbest

Loaded with special offers and fun games, this ‘Teclast Fan Festival’ promotion offers an unmissable chance to buy top-end products from Teclast at lowered prices. For the sake of an instance, the Teclast F15 Notebook that usually retails for $565.07, can now be yours for a reduced price of just $397.99.

The rest of the products including Teclast T10 Tablet PC, Teclast A10S Tablet PC, and more have been added to the rest of the categories i.e. Top Sellers. Tablet PCs, Cellphone Accessories, and Tablet PCs Accessories. You can click here to visit the promotion page and avail the discounts.

 

Teclast Fan Festival on Banggood

As part of the ‘Teclast Fan Festival’ promotion, Banggood is giving its loyal users a chance to get their hands on top-end tablets, laptops and a slew of other Teclast-branded items without emptying their pockets.

In a bid to simplify and expedite the search process, the promotion page has been split into multiple categories including Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Hot Tablets, Top Laptops, and Teclast Style. Each of the aforesaid sections features well-received products carrying lowered prices.

For example, the ‘Hot Tablet’ section includes the Teclast M20 Tablet that would normally set you back 17,593.76 INR but is currently available for an unbeatable price of just 15,461.24 INR. This is a noteworthy 12 percent drop in the device’s original asking price.

Moreover, the promotion page features coupons that can be used to get significant discounts. Aside from that, you can avail a 10 percent discount if you place your order using the Banggood app. You can click here to check out the promotion page and take advantage of the discounts.

 

2019 Teclast Fan Festival on GeekBuying

GeekBuying has launched the ‘2019 Teclast Fan Festival,’ doling out great discounts on new and trendy products from Teclast. All products have been separated into two categories — Trending Items, and Accessories so that users can find exactly what they’re looking for without breaking a sweat.

The ‘Trending Items’ section features the Teclast F15 Laptop, Teclast F6 Pro Notebook, Teclast F6 Laptop and a slew of other items that usually carry steep price tags. Much to the relief of cost-conscious buyers, products included under the aforesaid sections are now available at reduced prices.

For example, the Teclast F6 Pro Notebook usually retails for $680.69 but is currently up for grabs bearing a reduced price of just $419.99. This significant 38 percent discount will be valid for the silver color version of the laptop for a limited period of time.

Similarly, all items added to the ‘Accessories’ category carry noteworthy discounts. You can buy Teclast TL-P10C Type-C USB Cable Charging Data Cable, Tempered Glass Protective Film For Teclast T8 8.4 Inch Tablet PC, Teclast NLU 16GB Mini USB Flash Drive Pen Drive For PC and other useful items without breaking the bank.

You can visit this link to check out the rest of the products available at lowered prices and to place your order before the promotion sale comes to an end.

Redmi Snapdragon 855 / 730 Phone with notch-less display spotted with Lu Weibing

The Snapdragon 855 SoC powered Meizu 16s smartphone was announced yesterday with a starting price of 3,198 Yuan (~$475). Soon after the launch of the Meizu 16s, Xiaomi Group VP and Redmi General Manager Lu Weibing took to Weibo to say that the Redmi’s Snapdragon 855 powered smartphone is worth waiting for. Also, he was recently spotted with a mysterious Redmi phone that features a notch-less display. It is being speculated that it could be the upcoming Redmi SD855 phone. There is a possibility that it could very well be the Redmi SD730 phone that had recently appeared in leaked images.

Redmi SD855 or SD730 PhoneA Weibo user had snapped a photo of Lu Weibing at a cinema hall. As it can be seen in the image above, Weibing can be seen holding a mysterious Redmi phone with notch-less display. The smartphone undoubtedly offers higher screen-to-body ratio than the Redmi Note 7 Pro that features a waterdrop-style notched display. This phone seems to be equipped with a pop-up selfie camera.

Redmi SD855 or SD730 Phone-

While the rumor mill is speculating that it could be the Redmi SD855 smartphone, there are chances that it could be the rumored Redmi SD730 phone. The leaked information that had surfaced last week had revealed that the Redmi SD730 smartphone features a notch-less display, a pop-up selfie camera, a 3.5mm audio jack, a 4,000mAh battery and 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 13-megapixel triple camera unit. It is advisable to wait for further reports to confirm the identity of the notch-less display phone from Redmi.

Lu Weibing Redmi SD855 Strengths

Coming back to Redmi SD855 smartphone, Weibing has claimed through Weibo that it will deliver stronger performance, longer battery life, better camera experience and high screen-to-body ratio. Also, he has added that the Redmi SD855 phone will be arriving with a shocking price tag. The base model of the Meizu 16s costs 3,198 Yuan (~$475). The Lenovo Z5 Pro GT is currently the cheapest SD855 phone since it carries a staring price of 2,698 Yuan (~$401).

It is likely that the Redmi SD855 phone could shock smartphone enthusiasts by arriving with a staring price of around 2,000 Yuan (~$297). Rumors have it that the same phone may hit the international markets as Poco F2.

(source 1, 2)

OPPO A9 official images leaked; Arriving with 48MP dual camera and 4,020mAh battery

OPPO is reportedly planning to introduce a new A-series smartphone with 48-megapixel dual camera in China. The handset is rumored to hit the Chinese markets with OPPO A9 moniker. Some of the key specs of the phone have surfaced along with its three color variants.

OPPO A9 Leaked Renders

The renders of the OPPO A9 reveal that it will be sporting a rear design that is quite similar to the recently announce OPPO Reno and Reno 10x Zoom smartphones. The rear shell of the phone features a vertical dual camera setup and a fingerprint scanner. On the front is a waterdrop-style notched display. The smartphone is expected to land in China in colors like Ice Jade White, Mica Green and Fluorite Purple.

The dual camera setup of the smartphone is expected to house a 48-megapixel primary sensor. The handset will be packed with a decent battery of 4,020mAh capacity. There is no confirmation on whether the device will be equipped with rapid charging technology.

OPPO A9 leaked image - White

There is no information available on the processor that will be fueling the OPPO A9. It is speculated that the smartphone will be available in a single version that includes 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of native storage. The ColorOS 6.0 based Android 9 Pie OS will come preloaded on the device. The other specs of the phone are currently under the wraps.

OPPO A9 Could be Rebranded Version of OPPO F11

The Oppo A9 could be a rebranded version of OPPO F11 for the Chinese market. If it is true, the OPPO A9 could be equipped with a 6.53-inch IPS LCD display that produces 1080p resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The MediaTek Helio P70 SoC will be powering the handset. The other sensor in its dual camera setup could be of 5-megapixel. It may feature a selfie camera of 16-megapixel. The F11 carries support for 20W VOOC 3.0 flash charging. It remains to be seen whether the upcoming A9 phone also carries support for it.

OPPO A9 leaked image - Green

The OPPO A9 may go official in China on April 30. As far as pricing is concerned, the handset may cost around 1,699 Yuan (~$252).

Meizu launches POP 2 earbuds, EP63 Noise Cancelling Headphones and more

It has become a tradition for manufacturers to announce a slate of accessories when they unveil a new flagship. Meizu is no different. Alongside the Meizu 16s, it also announced the Meizu POP 2 wireless earbuds, the Meizu EP63 Noise Canceling Headphones, a Hi-Fi DAC, Meizu Urban Backpack, and the J-belt.

Meizu POP 2

Meizu POP 2

The Meizu POP launched on April 22 last year. A year later, Meizu has followed it up with a second-generation model. We reviewed the original, and other than the limited battery life and occasional lags, there were no other issues.

The Meizu POP 2 keeps the design of the original. It comes in white and has a blue halo ring of light on the outside. The case also seems to have remained unchanged. However, Meizu has made some changes on the inside.

The Meizu POP 2 earbuds weigh less at 5.4 grams each. They also have smaller batteries 55mAh as against the original’s 85mAh but even though the battery capacity has been reduced, the battery life has more than doubled. The POP 2 lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge, up from its predecessor’s 3 hours! The POP 2 is able to have a better battery life even with a smaller battery capacity as a result of the switch to Bluetooth 5.0 LE which requires less power than Bluetooth 4.2. One of the advantages of Bluetooth 5.0 is that audio devices also make use of Low Energy.

Meizu POP 2

You don’t only get more battery life from the earbuds but also from the case whose battery capacity has also been cut down by half to 350mAh from 700mAh. Meizu says users will get an additional 16 hours with the case. The case charges via a USB Type-C port but there is no mention of wireless charging support.

The earbuds use a graphene diaphragm for better audio. They can also be used to receive calls and also call up the voice assistant.

The best part of the POP 2 is its price as its launch price is lesser than the original. The POP 2 is priced at ¥399 (~$59), ¥100 (~$15) lesser than the original. It is already available for purchase on the official website, on Tmall, and on JD.com. Those who purchase the Meizu 16s alongside the POP 2 will get ¥50 ($7) off the price of the earbuds.

Meizu EP63NC featured

Meizu EP63NC Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones

The EP63NC is Meizu’s first wireless active noise canceling headphones. It has a neckband design and has a built-in AMS intelligent noise reduction chip. Meizu says it also supports aptX-HD.

The EP63NC has a battery capacity of 175mAh and a playback time of 11 hours. A 15-minute charge will provide up to 3 hours of listening time. The headphones connect via Bluetooth 5.0 and like the POP 2, has an IPX5 rating. It also works with the voice assistant.

Meizu EP63NC

The EP63NC Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones comes in black and has a retail price of ¥499 (~$74). It will be available for purchase on May 1 on Meizu’s official website, JD.com, Suning, and Tmall.

 

Meizu Hi-Fi DAC headphone adapter

Meizu Hi-Fi DAC Headphone Adapter

If you still love wired headphones, Meizu has got something for you too. The Meizu Hi-Fi DAC Headphone Adapter connects to the USB Type-C port of your device and allows you to listen to Hi-Fi audio using your current wired headphones. It has a built-in Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC for 32bit/384KHz audio. The DAC also has an impedance of up to 600Ω. It weighs just 4 grams and works with Android, Windows, and MacOS.

The Hi-Fi DAC has a price tag of ¥169 (~$25) and will be available on April 28 on the online website and on Tmall. Those who purchase it alongside the Meizu 16s will be able to purchase it for ¥99 (~$15).

 

Meizu Urban Backpack

Meizu Urban Backpack

Xiaomi makes backpacks, OnePlus makes backpacks, even Honor makes backpacks. Meizu also joined the backpack train back in 2016 and now it is back with a new model.

The new Meizu Urban Backpack has a 650D Oxford fabric on the outside with a water-resistant coating. It comes in gray and black variants with a design that hides all the seams. The interior is made from 100% polyester fiber. There are multiple compartments including dedicated ones for your computer (15.6”) and tablet. There is also a compartment on the outside for your phone or a snack that is hidden from passersby.

Meizu Urban Backpack

The backpack has an ergonomic design with a weight distribution system that removes strain on your spine, spleen, and waist. The shoulders have a mesh design for ventilation and a thickness of 10mm.

The Meizu Urban Backpack weighs 986 grams and measures 43.5 x 32 x 15 centimeters. It is priced at ¥169 (~$25).

 

Meizu J-Belt

J-Belt

The J-belt is the most expensive product after the Meizu 16s itself that Meizu launched today and probably the most ridiculous. It is a knitted belt (mKnit process) inspired/designed by Meizu founder, J. Wong. It is woven from 100% cotton and has a hand-polished stainless steel buckle.

READ MORE: Meizu applies for a pop-up camera smartphone design patent in China

Samsung might be working on two more foldable smartphones

Samsung earlier expressed delight at the level of interest the latest Galaxy Fold is courting, despite a few snags with the display. The response is likely to spur the tech giant to continue to work on new foldable phone designs. According to reports from South Korea, as covered by The Bell, Samsung is working on two more foldable smartphones. The models are code-named “Type G” and “Type S,” and they are reported to be two larger variants of the delayed Galaxy Fold.

The details include that the Type G will reportedly feature an 8-inch display when unfolded and two sides that fold in to form the letter “G.” The Type S reportedly features a larger 13-inch display when unfolded and is somewhat shaped like the letter “S.” The Type S sketch was first spotted back in November 2018 when Samsung filed a patent for it. So we have an idea of what the design will look like as shown in the image above.  That of the Type G is unknown.

Read Also: Samsung officially announces the postponement of Galaxy Fold release

The report didn’t disclose when the Type G and S will be released but we don’t expect them anytime soon. Samsung may likely not release any other model this year since the Fold is yet to even hit the market. Moreso, with the issues encountered with the Fold, Samsung wouldn’t be in a hurry to push out more foldable phones.

(source)

New Lenovo Gaming laptops with 9th-gen Intel Core i9 processors unveiled

Lenovo today held an event in China where it unveiled the flagship Z6 Pro. The company also announced three new gaming laptop models. Lenovo’s PC business has been the aspect sustaining the brand and so, it is no surprise the lineup is getting refreshed. The new Lenovo Legion Y9000K, Y7000P, and Y7000 were all announced and it must be stated that the models were first unveiled at CES 2019but with Core i7 SoC.

Perhaps the most spectacular feature is the latest 9th-gen Intel Core i9 processor they all pack. The 15-inch laptops are also equipped with the new generation of NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards and buyers get to chose between the RTX and GTX. Zhang Hua, vice president of Lenovo Group and general manager of consumer business in Lenovo China disclosed that the Lenovo Legion notebook has three unique features namely; Dual-Direct GFX dual-mode enhanced display, TSI frost blade cooling system, and Fn+Q one-button beast mode. The TSI frost blade cooling system has a heat pipe with a diameter of up to 8mm. This has led to an increase in the heat transfer area by 78% and a reduction in the irregular fan cover noise by 10%.

The Beast mode is activated using the Fn+Q button. The Beast mode, when activated let the fan spin at full-speed in order to quickly dissipate heat from the system. This leads to stabilization of the hardware temperature, ensuring the stability of the game operation. Beast mode also turns off power consumption limits, increases CPU power and clock speed, gains more computing performance, and increases game speed. Furthermore, the laptops feature a full-size keyboard with a white backlight.

There is no word yet on the pricing and availability of the Lenovo Legion Y7000 gaming laptops.

(source)

Meizu 16s arrives with slimmer bezels, better cameras, and a bigger battery

The Meizu 16s was unveiled at an event in China today. This is Meizu’s first flagship phone for the year. While it might look like a slight upgrade in terms of design over the Meizu 16th from last year, don’t be deceived. The Meizu 16s is bigger, better and more powerful.

Meizu 16s featured

Meizu 16s Design

The 16s was designed by Meizu‘s founder, Jack Wong. The phone has been crafted to fit snugly into your palm as a result of its arc design which curves at an angle of 0.5°. Its ultra-slim body also makes it more comfortable to hold.

The bezels are thinner now with the chin measuring 4.2mm. The 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display which uses a COF bonding technique and has curved corners allows for a screen-to-body ratio of 91.53%. The display has a VDE Blue-light certified protection which blocks up to 33% of harmful blue light. The display also supports DC dimming.

Just like the Meizu 16th, the 16s has an in-display fingerprint scanner supplied by Goodix. Meizu says the fingerprint scanner underwent debugging over 45,000 times and is now 100% faster. It also works better with wet hands and supports AliPay, WeChat Pay, and Google Pay.

Meizu 16s Specs

The Meizu 16s comes with a Snapdragon 855 processor and pairs it with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of UFS 2.1 storage. The 256GB version will be exclusive to China and all variants do not support storage expansion.

The phone has dual rear cameras which occupy a new position on the back. The primary sensor is a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor with an f/1.7 aperture and 4-axis OIS. As a result of the sensor’s Quad Bayer array, the Meizu 16s can take impressive low-light images. The secondary camera is a 20MP Sony IMX350 sensor with an f/2.6 aperture. There are a bunch of camera features such as Dual Super Night Scene, Portrait Bokeh Mode, and AI scene recognition.

Meizu 16s Cameras

The front camera has also been improved. The 20MP Samsung 3T2 selfie camera which launched this year features the world’s smallest front-facing lens. The Meizu 16s is actually the first phone in the world to use the sensor. It has front-facing HDR+ thanks to Meizu’s multi-frame composition algorithm. It also has Meizu’s ArcSoft algorithm for clean and sharp selfie photos. There is support for face unlock which is pretty fast, unlocking in just 0.2s.

Meizu 16s Camera sample
Meizu 16s Camera sample

The Snapdragon 855’s Adreno 640 GPU works with Meizu’s Hyper Gaming technology for smooth and lag-free mobile gaming. There is also mEngine 3.0 which provides an immersive gaming experience when playing games like BuildTopia.

Another key upgrade of the Meizu 16s is its bigger battery capacity. The battery capacity has been raised from 3010mAh in the Meizu 16th to 3600mAh. That increase in battery capacity results in a slight increase in the phone’s thickness from 7.3mm to 7.6mm. Even at that, the Meizu 16s is still thinner than the Galaxy S10 and the Xiaomi Mi 9 which pack smaller batteries.

The Meizu 16s has NFC with payment support. It also has stereo speakers for surround sound audio.

[envira-gallery id=”249398″]

The Meizu 16s comes in three colors. You can choose the classy Carbon Black variant which has a carbon fiber texture under its nano-scale coating, or the Pearl White variant that has a plasma polish finish. There is also the Phantom Blue variant which is inspired by the Strait of Mozambique.

READ MORE: Meizu applies for a pop-up camera smartphone design patent in China

Confirmed: OnePlus 7 Pro will officially launch on May 14

After a couple of days of teasers, OnePlus has officially confirmed that its new flagship model, the OnePlus 7 Pro will meet us on May 14. The company has already started to send out media invites for the event to be held in London, New York, Bangalore, and Beijing. It’s interesting to note that the first three cities have events running almost simultaneously, with the Bangalore event getting a 15-minute head start. However, Chinese users will have to wait for a couple of days more, as the Beijing event is on May 16.

The schedule of events is as follows: 

  • London, United Kingdom 
    Time: 4 PM BST, May 14 
  • New York, United States
    Time: 11 AM EDT, May 14 
  • Bengaluru, India 
    Time: 8:15 PM IST, May 14
  • Beijing, China 
    Time: 2 PM CST, May 16 
OnePlus 7 launch invite
OnePlus 7 launch invite

As usual, OnePlus will be selling tickets to the launch events worldwide. Sales for the Early Bird tickets in Europe is already underway (£16), while for the New York City Launch Event, the Early Bird ticket sales ($20) kick off on April 25.  We have seen these tickets sell off within hours, so if you are interested, make sure to hurry up with your purchase. After the Early Bird tickets are sold out, you will have to choose between a Standard and Plus One ticket. As for the India OnePlus event, the company is yet to reveal when the ticket sales kick off. Pricing is mentioned as Rs. 999 on the official website.

OnePlus notes that attendees of the event will be among the first to experience their latest devices and a range of interactive activities and demo areas. Not to mention the usual goodies that they give out to everyone at the event.

The launch event will be live streamed via YouTube and its social media channels.

OnePlus 7 3D render
OnePlus 7 3D render by onleaks

This year OnePlus is expected to announce at least two different models in the OnePlus 7 series. There’s a Pro version with a Quad HD+ display and 90Hz refresh rate, a pop-up camera, and advanced internals to take on the big players in the market like the Huawei P30 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus.

OnePlus has been edging close to breaking the affordability barrier in the past few years. It’s clear that the ‘Pro’ version will be way more expensive than any OnePlus model released in the market. For those looking for something more affordable, there should be the OnePlus 7 standard edition with slightly inferior internals.

Expect more details in the coming weeks.

 

Leak confirms Nubia Red Magic 3 will have a 90Hz display and a built-in fan

The Red Magic 3 is an upcoming gaming smartphone from Nubia. The phone will take on the Black Shark 2 gaming phone and a new leak confirms a feature that puts it ahead of the Black Shark 2.

Nubia Red Magic 3

There have been reports the Red Magic 3 will have a display with a high refresh rate. A leak has revealed that Nubia’s upcoming gaming phone has a 90Hz display. Most phones have a refresh rate of 60Hz, so this is a big deal.

Roland Quandt took to Twitter to share a screenshot from the phone which shows a dialog box that allows you to set the screen’s refresh rate. There are three options – auto, 60FPS, and 90FPS. This is proof that the phone will have a 90Hz display.

The good thing is that you will be able to set it to 60FPS, 90FPS or auto which means the phone will automatically switch between 60FPS and 90FPS depending on the app in use. However, that isn’t the only thing the screenshot actually reveals.

If you look at the backdrop for the dialog box, you can see the menu options for the Game Center. The screen refresh rate settings is under the “Basic” menu but before it, is another menu that says “Fan”.

Back in March, a Nubia patent was published and it revealed the manufacturer had designed a phone with a built-in fan. Nubia’s CEO also revealed towards the end of March that the Red Magic 3 will have a hybrid cooling system that combines liquid and air cooling.

Seeing as the image above shows there is a menu for a fan, it means the Red Magic 3 will indeed feature a built-in cooling fan just like a computer. Roland Quandt adds in his tweet that the fan of the Red Magic 3 can be heard spinning when turned on.

READ MORE: Nubia partners with 1MORE, launches ¥799 (~$119) Nubia Pods truly wireless earbuds

Oppo Reno, Reno 10X Zoom Edition launching in India by June End

After launching the new Oppo Reno series in China, now the company is aiming to expand its availability across other countries. According to a report from 91mobiles, Oppo Reno and Oppo Reno 10X Zoom Edition are surfacing in India by June end.

oppo renoThe pricing and exact launch details of both the device in India are still missing. Reno is Oppo’s sub-brand as like of Redmi to Xiaomi. Both the Oppo Reno and Reno 10X Zoom edition are the maiden devices of Reno brand, and currently retailing in China for the starting price of 2999 Yuan (~$447). However, they will be launching Oppo Reno in Europe on April 24 for the expected starting price of EUR 499 and EUR 779 for 10X Zoom Edition.

The Oppo Renox Zoom Edition features a 6.6 inch OLED notch-less full HD+ display. The device is powered by Snapdragon 855 SoC and is available in different storage variants:  6GB RAM + 128GB storage, 6GB RAM + 256GB storage and 8GB RAM + 256GB. There’s an in-screen fingerprint sensor, 4065 mAh battery with VOOC fast charging and runs on Android 9.0 Pie.

A triple camera module featuring a 48 megapixel, 13 megapixel and an 8-megapixel camera is present on teh rear side with 10x hybrid zoom. On the front, a 16-megapixel sensor is present for selfies.

Read More: Oppo Reno 10x zoom vs Huawei P30 Pro: Specs Comparison

On the other hand, Oppo Reno is powered by Snapdragon 710 processor, 6.4-inch display, a dual camera with 48-megapixel + 5-megapixel sensors and 3764 mAh battery.

(via)

 

The Best Home Appliances You Can Buy at Lowered Prices

It is imperative to ensure a safe, clean and tidy environment, especially where are kids in the house. While the market is rife with all sorts of smart home appliances that can handle this daunting task, these devices aren’t easy on the pocketbook.

If you’ve restlessly been waiting for smart home devices prices to drop, now’s the time. In collaboration with JIMMY and Xiaoda, Chinese online store Gearbest is offering the VW302 – 1 Cordless Window Glass Vacuum Cleaner and Household Induction Water Economizer at reduced prices.

JIMMY VW302 – 1 Cordless Window Glass Vacuum Cleaner

Made using a high-quality plastic material, the JIMMY VW302-1 is a powerful, yet lightweight vacuum cleaner that can be used to clean windows thoroughly. It is backed by a robust 2000mAh battery that delivers over 20 minutes of battery life after a full charge.

The feature-rich JIMMY VW302 – 1 would normally set you back $60.32, but Gearbest users can now buy it for a dropped price of just $53.99. This 10 percent discount will be valid for 100 white-tinted pieces before the promo ends in ten days.

You can follow this link to avail the discount and check out more details about the JIMMY VW302 – 1 Cordless Window Glass Vacuum Cleaner.

 

Xiaoda Household Induction Water Economizer

When you wash dishes, vegetables or fruits, it is hard to avoid bacteria or greasiness and that’s exactly where the Xiaoda Household Induction Water Economizer comes into the picture. The device employs infrared sensors in a bid to avoid cross-infection and the need to turn the faucet on and off manually.

The Xiaoda Household Induction Water Economizer usually retails for $23.69, but you can now buy this highly advantageous product for a reduced price of just $21.99 on Gearbest. This is a noteworthy 7 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price.

With just 200 pieces remaining, this promo is slated to end in just two days. Note that the discount is specifically valid for the white color version of the Xiaoda Household Induction Water Economizer. You can follow this link to grab the discount.

Get that summer body with the new Mijia Walking Treadmill, Mi Scales 2, and Mijia 1X DC Inverter Fan

Xiaomi had an event today where it unveiled a number of products for homes. While the Mi Mural TV might be the most outstanding product of all, Xiaomi’s other products want you to get off your sofa and get that summer body. The Chiese giant also announced the Mijia Walking Treadmill, two new Mi Scales, and a new Mijia 1X DC Inverter Fan.

Mijia Walking Treadmill featured

Mijia Walking Treadmill

Xiaomi has a bunch of treadmills but this new one by Mijia is actually not for running but for walking. Like a lot of its treadmills, this has a minimalist design and can be folded to be stowed away under your bed or living room sofa.

The treadmill has a silver and gray finish with bright orange wheels. There is a large LED display that shows how long you have been walking and the speed too. There is a handheld remote with a lanyard for increasing and reducing the speed. If you don’t want to use the remote, the treadmill can also sense how fast you are walking and automatically increase or decrease the speed, thanks to the intelligent sensor under the belt.

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The Mijia Walking Treadmill also works with the XiaoAI assistant. You can control the speed using your phone or speaker. There is also an app that records your activity. Another neat feature is its pairing mode with your smart TV. You don’t have to take your eyes off the TV screen to see how long you’ve been walking or the calories you’ve burned as the info will be displayed at the top right corner of the screen.

The Mijia Walking Treadmill is priced at ¥1799 (~$268) and will go on sale on April 26 on the Youpin store.

 

Mijia 1X DC Inverter Fan

Mijia 1X DC Inverter Fan

The job of the Mijia 1X DC Inverter Fan is to keep you cool while you burn off those calories. The Mijia 1X is a successor to last year’s DC Inverter Fan. The design doesn’t seem to have changed. It still comes in white, has its controls on the head, and uses a 7-leaf blade design. It also works with the XiaoAI assistant.

There are some new features. The swing angle has been increased to 140°, the noise level has dropped from 31.5db to 26.6db, and its rated power has dropped from 20W to 15W. You can also tilt the head between 0 to 39°. The Mijia 1X is lighter at 2.8kg and measures 950 x 343 x 330 mm.

It is priced at ¥299 (~$45) and is already available for purchase on the Youpin online store.

 

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Mi Body Composition Scale 2 and Mi Scale 2

Xiaomi has also announced second-generation models of the Mi Scale and Mi Body Composition Scale, so you can track your progress as you work towards that summer body.

Both scales come in white just like their predecessors with tempered glass tops and LED displays. They feature high-accuracy sensors that can detect as little as a 50-gram change in your body weight. The scales also support storing the details of up to 16 users and will automatically detect which user is on the scale. Visitors can also use them but the scales won’t store their details. The new scales connect via Bluetooth 5.0 and still work with the Mijia App.

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The Mi Body Composition Scale 2 not only records your weight but also does a breakdown of other stats like your BMI, visceral fat, body fat, water intake, muscle mass, basal metabolism, body type, and bone mass. You can also use the Mi Body Composition Scale 2 for a one-leg balance test

READ MORE: Xiaomi crowdfunds the pricey Cosbeauty IPL Photon Hair Removal device

Samsung Galaxy View 2 renders leaked; Arriving with 17.5-inch massive display and hinged stand

In October 2015, Samsung had launched the Galaxy View tablet. It came with a massive display of 18.4 inches and a built-in kickstand. The SM-T27A tablet that was certified by Bluetooth SIG and Wi-Fi Alliance bodies in September 2018 was believed to be Galaxy View 2 tablet. However, Samsung has still not announced the device. Fresh renders of the Galaxy View 2 along with the key specs have surfaced today which indicates that its arrival could be close at hand.

Samsung Galaxy VIew 2

Samsung Galaxy VIew 2

The new leak reveals that the Galaxy View 2 will be arriving with a slight smaller display of 17.5 inches. Like the predecessor model, the View 2 will carry support for 1080p resolution. The new device seems to be sporting slightly reduced bezels than its predecessor.

Instead of a kickstand found on the original model, the upcoming Galaxy View 2 features a revamped hinged stand. This allows the tablet to be used in 30-degree tent mode. There is a big circular cutout on the stand which is probably present to conveniently hold and move the device.

Samsung Galaxy VIew 2

Samsung Galaxy VIew 2

The Galaxy View 2 tablet is rumored to be powered by Exynos 7885 chipset and 3 GB of RAM. There is no information available on the other specs of the tablet. The SM-T927A model number suggests that the device will be available through AT&T in the U.S. The massive tablet could be also available in a Wi-Fi only version.

(source)

Lenovo Z6 Pro Camera Review: Comprehensive and Amazing

 

Last year, Lenovo published Lenovo Z5 Pro GT powered by Snapdragon 855. And recently, Lenovo Z6 Pro has been released, which is also powered by Snapdragon 855, and it will be the strong competitor in the flagship market. Lenovo Z6 Pro comes with 32MP front-facing AI camera, and four rear camera modules which are 48MP main camera, 16MP wide-angle lens, 8MP telephoto lens and 2MP night lens. The handset can take all scenes through the multi-lens combination.

Let’s take a look at the samples of Lenovo Z6 Pro rear camera.

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The default camera mode of Lenovo Z6 Pro is 12MP, and the 48MP camera mode need to be manually turned on. I take the daylight samples below by 48MP camera mode, and take the lowlight samples below by 12MP camera mode. The Lenovo Z6 Pro also has the best quality choice can process the photo more elaborative.

Through the performance of Lenovo Z6 Pro, we can see that the photo’s style is inclined to restore the real. Thanks to the 48MP main camera rendering, the handset has higher resolution and keeps more details of the pictures.

In the image of Warcraft character below, the sharpness is noticeably higher, and the details of the character are rendered well.

What’s more, Lenovo Z6 Pro comes with a 125 degree wide-angle lens, which has a super macro with 2.39cm focusing distance.

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The combination of telephoto, wide-angle and macro is the popular camera module among many phone manufacturers. Therefore, it’s easy for Lenovo Z6 Pro to realize the multi-scene composition and increases the coverage of the photo scene.

The Lenovo Z6 Pro comes with a night lens with single pixel size of 2.9 micron. At present, the single pixel size of most commonly used sensors is between 1 to 2 microns. The 2.9 micron size is larger, so the night shot images of Lenovo Z6 Pro will be brighter.

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Let’s look at the selfies samples.

The selfie samples of the Lenovo Z6 Pro looks natural, and there is no noticeable color shading. The front-facing camera supports portrait mode and built-in five beauty effects.

In addition, when you take photos by rear camera, Lenovo Z6 Pro carries support AI beauty.

Compared with the selfies effects of other smartphone, there is room for improvement of Lenovo Z6 Pro. I deem that it can increase the variety of AI beauty effects.

Lenovo Z6 Pro comes with HYPER VIDEO, which combines hardware and software to realize the video features of super sports, macro, wide-angle and so on.

The realization of this feature is based on the four different kinds of lenses, which can shoot video in different styles.

What’s more, the official claims that, thanks to the advantage of four cameras, Lenovo Z6 Pro will have dual scene vlog feature in the future.

The camera of Lenovo Z6 Pro is amazing because of the four different kinds of cameras. I’m a big fan of tour, so the Lenovo Z6 Pro is my pick. But the camera algorithm of the handset needs to be improved.

Redmi needs to learn a lot from Huawei says Lu Weibing

After operating under Xiaomi for years, Redmi is now an Independent brand, and Lu Weibing is appointed as the General Manager of the company. Since then he’s quite active on Weibo, teasing new products and even answering users’ queries. In a similar conversation, Lu Weibing replied thoughtfully to a question about Xiaomi’s closest rival? The difficulties encountered by Xiaomi in competing with the Huawei?

lei weibing

Lu Weibing admitted that Xiaomi is popularly known for its price/performance ratio. Besides marketing, equal importance should be given to R&D and promotion of the product in the right direction. He said Huawei’s enriched 32 years of history is making the journey difficult for 9-year-old Xiaomi. Though, Xiaomi is deliberately working, improving and learning from Huawei.

Xiaomi’s General manager believes that Xiaomi needs Huawei as much as the world needs it. Every company serves different users based on its values and products. Despite the diversification across the globe, companies should work to benefit end users.

Overall, it is impossible for a company like Xiaomi to fulfil every users’ needs. Due to limited resources and availability, as of now, Xiaomi is aiming to facilitate a limited set of users. The company aims to diversify its product portfolio by learning from Huawei in the coming times.

Huawei shipped more than 59 million smartphones in the Q1 2019, and Xiaomi also advanced in comparison with Q4 2018. However, in the number of sales, Xiaomi lags way behind the Huawei.

Moreover, Redmi is expected to launch the cheapest Snapdragon 855 powered device – Redmi SD855. It is expected to feature high-end specification including 6GB RAM, triple camera module and Android 9.0 Pie on board.

(via)

Latest update breaks the Nokia 9 PureView’s fingerprint sensor, opened by a pack of bubble gum

One of the major complaints of the Nokia 9 PureView is its unreliable fingerprint scanner. Last week, HMD Global Oy finally released an update that is said to fix the issue with the scanner. While some reported things have improved, the update appears to have broken that of another user. The phone practically unlocks using anything.

The affected owner who goes by @decodedpixel on Twitter shared a video showing the issue with the Nokia 9’s in-display fingerprint scanner. The phone was unlocked with an unregistered fingerprint and even a packet of bubble gum! He even adds that he was able to unlock it with a coin and leather gloves too.

The issue didn’t go away even after re-enrolling a new fingerprint. There is no statement yet from HMD Global on the issue.

One thing we did notice is that there is a glass screen protector on the device. While screen protectors do interfere with the performance of in-display fingerprint scanners, it shouldn’t actually be unlocked by anything but require multiple attempts to be unlocked by the right fingerprint.

READ MORE: Nokia TA-1184 phone codenamed “Wasp” passes FCC, packs 6.1” screen

Xiaomi outs Mi Mural TV with a 65-inch Super Thin Wallpaper style design

LG’s Wallpaper TV seems to have a new competitor in town as Xiaomi has just unveiled its premium Mi Mural TV with a beautiful 65-inch custom Samsung display panel. The highlight of the new TV model is its super thin form factor that sticks to the wall like a painting. True to its design, Xiaomi is also offering a bunch of artworks in 22 genres and from 45 artists to be showcased on its new TV.

Xiaomi Mural TV 01

The Xiaomi Mi Mural TV has an overall thickness of just 13.9mm with a flat back design. This helps it stay flush to the wall, like a wall painting. Clearly, Xiaomi is looking to attract people who are fans of Samsung’s Frame and LG’s Wallpaper TVs.

 Mi Mural TV thickness

Xiaomi managed to achieve this design by incorporating its power supply in the lower host. So, the speakers, motherboard, and even the power supply unit is integrated in the host at the bottom. The TV just houses a 65-inch custom Samsung 4K screen, which ensures its super thin form factor. Further, the frame gets a hint of blue enhancing the overall aesthetics.

Xiaomi Mural TV MiPort line

The screen and the host are connected by a new MiPort line developed by the company. Xiaomi reports that this one line houses 30 cables inside, including its high-power supply and high-resolution video signal wire. If you are looking for specific figures, then note that this MiPort line supports 18Gbps HD signal transmission and 400W high power supply.

Traditional tv setup (L) vs Mi Mural TV (R)
Traditional tv setup (L) vs Mi Mural TV (R)

The host features an Amlogic quad-core 65-bit processor clocked at 1.8GHz with Mali-T830MP2 GPU. There’s 2GB +32GB of memory on board. It supports 2.4G/5G Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 4.2, 3x HDMI ports and 2 x USB ports. It also features a six-channel Soundbar and subwoofer that support Dobly and DTS-HD dual decoding.

 Mi Mural TV 02

Apart from showing off classic works of art on the TV, you can even showcase your family portraits, photographs, etc as a slideshow. It’s similar to what we have seen on LG and Samsung’s slideshow mode.

 Mi Mural TV Smart Home features

This Mi TV is also in line with the company’s recent AIOT initiative and in this regard transforms into a smart home control center. So, you can remotely view and control all of your smart home connected devices on the large screen with ease. Further, the TV is basically a XiaoAI assistant as well and comes with far-field voice recognition support. This enables almost all of the features of the XiaoAi assistant like asking questions, controlling smart home features etc, with just voice commands. Finally, Xiaomi has teamed up with Tencent Cloud for making and receiving video calls through the TV on its large screen.

 

 

The Xiaomi Mi Mural TV is priced at 6999 Yuan ($1042) and comes with free installation. Pre-orders start at 6PM in China today.

 Mi Mural TV 03