iPhone XI 360-degree renders reveal triple cameras and design

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Apr 26, 2019

Rumors have it that the successor of the Apple iPhone XS could be called iPhone XI. Fresh renders of the upcoming iPhone XI have been released by @OnLeaks in collaboration with an Indian publication. The renders reveal that it could be the first triple camera smartphone from the company.

The Apple iPhone XI renders reveal that it features a huge bump for the square-shaped camera module placed on the top-left corner of its back panel. The camera module houses three camera sensors and a large-sized LED flash. The arrangement of the camera sensors is quite weird, and the huge bump makes it look uglier. There is no information available on the configurations of the camera sensors of the iPhone XI.

The publication claims that these are the final CAD renders of the iPhone XI. Like the predecessor model, the iPhone XI is expected to come equipped with a 5.8-inch. The front view of the phone reveals that the Cupertino company will not be reducing the size of the notch on 2019 iPhones. However, it is speculated that the iPhone XI and the other upcoming iPhones will be coming with slightly reduced notch and bezels. The notch of the iPhone XI seems to be equipped with complex sensors required Face ID.

The smartphone has a new and unique back made out of single piece of glass. The handset measures 143.9 x 71.4 x 7.8mm. The thickness of the device increases to 9mm at the camera bump. The renders further reveal that Apple has slightly repositioned the rear microphone on the iPhone XI. There is a slight change in the mute button too. It now looks like the mute button found on iPad devices. The handset is equipped with a Lightning port and there is no 3.5mm audio jack on it.

Read More: Apple iPhone sales in the first quarter paled against Huawei, claims industry report

In September, Apple is expected to announce the successors for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR. The iPhone XI Max may sport the same design as the iPhone XI. Both phones may also feature similar technical specs, but the iPhone XI Max will be arriving with a larger display and a bigger battery.

(source)

OPPO PCEM00 / PCET00 rebranded Oppo F11 bags TENNA approval

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 26, 2019

OPPO has a new PCEM00 / PCET00 smartphone certified by the TENAA telecom authority in China. The entire specifications and images of the phone matches with the Oppo F11 smartphone that was unveiled in the previous month in some Asian markets. The PCEM00 / PCET00 smartphone could be arriving with a different moniker in China.

OPPO PCEM00 / PCET00 Design

The OPPO PCEM00 / PCET00 smartphone is equipped with a waterdrop-like notch display that promises a high screen-to-body ratio. The bezels surrounding the screen are not clearly visible in the TENAA images of PCEM00 / PCET00 phone.

The rear shell of the smartphone seems to be of polycarbonate material. The top half of the rear panel has a vertical dual camera setup. Below it is the dual-tone LED flash and a fingerprint reader. The TENAA listing reveals that it will be only coming in a single color of Black in China. The smartphone measures 162 x 76.1 x 8.3mm and it weighs 190 grams.

OPPO PCEM00 / PCET00 Specifications

The PCEM00 / PCET00 smartphone sports a big display of 6.5 inches that delivers full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The handset includes a 3,910mAh battery. The Chinese authority has only mentioned the minimum capacity of the battery. The Oppo F11 has a 4,020mAh typical capacity battery.

The OPPO PCEM00 / PCET00 is fueled by 2.1 GHz octa-core processor. Considering the fact that it is Oppo F11 for China, the handset could be featuring the Helio P70 SoC. It features 6 GB of RAM and an internal storage of 128 GB. There is a microSD card on the device for extra storage.

The smartphone is loaded with Android 9 Pie OS and it could be arriving the latest ColorOS 6.0 UI. Its dual camera setup will feature a 48-megapixel main sensor that will be coupled with a depth sensor of 5-megapixel. The small notch on the frontside of the phone houses a 16-megapixel selfie shooter.

Read More: OPPO A9 gets listed on official site, priced at ¥1799 (~$268)

OPPO has never launched an F-series smartphone in China. Hence, there is a possibility that the PCEM00 / PCET00 smartphone could end up with a different name in the home country.

(source 1, 2)

Buy UMIDIGI F1 Play and UMIDIGI S3 Pro Phablets at Unbeatable Prices on Gearbest

By

Vinay Patel

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Apr 26, 2019

Following the success of it’s One Series, UMIDIGI launched a brand new phablet dubbed, the UMIDIGI F1 Play in March this year.

Touted as a reasonable lead smartphone, the device is available in two versions including one that works for those living in EU-28 countries and the other which can be used by people living outside EU-28 countries. More importantly, you can get your hand on the aforesaid versions without breaking the bank.

The Chinese Mobile Phone firm has teamed-up with Gearbest to offer the aforesaid versions of the recently unveiled phablet at unbeatable prices. So without wasting more time, let’s delve straight into the details.

UMIDIGI F1 Play Android 9.0 4G Phablet – European Union

The UMIDIGI F1 Play European Union version is ideal for people living in EU-28 countries. You can choose between black and red color versions of the phablet for reduced prices of $199.99 and $239.99, respectively.

This is a 26 percent drop in the black color version of the phablet that normally sells for $269.14. Likewise, the red-tinted UMIDIGI F1 Play European Union which retails for $269.14 now carries an 11 percent discount.

UMIDIGI F1 Play Android 9.0 4G Phablet – Other Area

UMIDIGI fans who are located outside EU-28 countries can go for this version of the F1 Play phablet which is designed for other areas. Just like the European Union version, this model is also up for grabs in black as well as red color versions.The black color version would normally set you back $269.14, but you can buy it for just $239.99 on Gearbest, thanks to an 11 discount. The red color version, on the other hand, sells for $269.14, but it is now available for a heavily discounted price of just $199.99. This is a 26 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price.

On the downside, the aforesaid discounts will only be valid for a limited period of time. Moreover, there were only a few remaining of the European Union and Non-European Union models remaining for this promo. You can follow this link and grab the discount before the promo ends.

Get 26% Off on UMIDIGI F1 Play Android 9.0 4G Phablet

Gearbest is also offering the UMIDIGI S3 Pro 4G phablet at lowered prices. Housed in a durable aerospace-grade aluminum alloy frame, the UMIDIGI S3 Pro sports an eye-catching four-sided curved ceramic back plate. Even months after hitting the store shelves, this highly-appealing device continues to garner huge popularity among UMIDIGI fans.

The S3 Pro was launched in December last year and it comes in European Union and Non-European Union versions. While the European Union version is for users living in EU-28 countries, the Non-European Union model is designed for those living outside EU-28 countries.

UMIDIGI S3 Pro 4G Phablet – European Union Version

Available in black color version, the UMIDIGI S3 Pro European Union Version would normally set you back $390.17, but you can buy it for just $289.99 on Gearbest. This is a 26 percent drop in the device’s original asking price.

With only 48 pieces remaining, this promo is slated to end in just three days. You can visit this link to grab the discount before the promo wraps up!

UMIDIGI S3 Pro 4G Phablet – Other Area

The black-tinted UMIDIGI S3 Pro model that works outside EU-28 countries normally carries a $390.17 price tag. Much to the relief of cost-conscious buyers, this version is now available for a slashed price of just $289.99 on Gearbest.It is worth mentioning here that there were only 48 pieces remaining for this promo, which is slated to end in three days. You can visit this link to check out more details about the UMIDIGI S3 Pro phablet and avail the discounts.

Get 26% Off on UMIDIGI S3 Pro 4G Phablet

Vivo U1 price in India could be Rs. 6,490, claims report

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 26, 2019

Vivo had launched the Vivo U1 as its first U-series phone in China in February. According to 91mobiles, an anonymous executive has revealed that Vivo will be soon bringing new U-series of smartphone in India. It states that India may receive the Vivo U1 with an enticing starting price of Rs. 6,490 (~$92) only.

The report suggests that Vivo will be releasing at least two U-series phones in India. The first one could be the Vivo U1 handset while the other one could be an Android Go phone. By releasing these phones, the company will be rivaling other smartphones in the sub-Rs. 10,000 category. The publication has further stated that the Vivo U1 will be arriving in two variants and they will be respectively priced at Rs. 6,490 (~$92) and Rs. 8,490 (~$122). There is no information on the specifications of the Vivo Android Go smartphone.

Vivo U1 Specifications

The Vivo U1 features a 6.2-inch HaloView IPS LCD display that offers HD+ resolution of 720 x 1520 pixels. It offers a tall aspect ratio of 19:9. The Snapdragon 439 SoC powers the smartphone with up to 3 GB of RAM. It comes in 32 GB and 64 GB native storage choices. A microSD card slot is available on the device for more storage.

The Vivo U1 has a vertical dual camera positioned at the top-left corner of its polycarbonate back panel. It features an f/2.0 aperture primary sensor of 13-megapixel that is assisted an f/2.4 aperture 2-megapixel depth sensor. For capturing selfie shots, the smartphone possesses an f/2.0 aperture 8-megapixel front-facing camera. The smartphone comes with a 4,030mAh battery. The FunTouch OS 9 UI based Android 9 Pie OS comes preloaded on the device.

Vivo U1 Price

The Vivo U1 is available in China in two models such as 3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage, 3 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage. They are respectively priced at 799 Yuan (~Rs. 8,326; ~$118), 999 Yuan (~Rs. 10,411; ~$148) and 1,199 Yuan (~Rs. 12,479; ~$176). Its available in colors like Starry Night Black, Aurora Red and Aurora Blue.

(source)

iTeknic BH002 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones Review: A solid and dependable headset

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Updated Apr 29, 2019

Wireless headphones have become daily drivers for many, deployed at the workplace, while on the move or while relaxing at home. With improvements in technology, it is now possible to go up to 24 hours with a headset on continuous playback or to get one with fast charging technology. The iTeknic BH002 is one of such headphones that deploy modern technology to enable you enjoy your favourites playlists for hours unending. The iTeknic BH002 is also an active noise cancelling headphone. Let’s take you through our review of the BH002.

DESIGN – iTeknic BH002 ANC headphones

Headphones are usually bulky especially when there is a need to use them while on the move. The iTeknic BH002 comes with a design style that makes it easy to stuff it into a small bag and even into the pocket. It has a compact size with a foldable design. The headband is adjustable while the ear cups can be rotated up to 90 degrees. This rotation makes it possible to fold the headset such that it occupies minimal space. The gadget even ships with a solid and portable carry bag. The body is made of plastic with a matte black finish. The plastic is very durable and won’t break even if your head rests on them while sleeping. I’ve actually gone to bed while using the headset and no damage was done.

The cushion on the ear cups are very comfy, you won’t get any pains even if it is used for a long period of time. There is even an extra cushion at the earpiece which helps to remove exterior sound and amplify the sound output from within the headphone. The headband also has a cushion which makes it comfortable to leave it resting on your head for long. The headband is also adjustable at the right and left sides to fit the head size of the user.

Inside the box

iTeknic over-the-ear headphones
Micro-USB charger
Carrying case
Audio jack (for wired listening)
User manual (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese)

iTeknic BH002 Features

The iTeknic BH002 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless headset comes with Bluetooth 5.0 and equally has a 3.5mm audio jack. This means that you can use the gadget on the wired and wireless mode. The noise cancellation function can work well both in wire and wireless mode. Each of the headsets has 1.75-inch/44mm audio drivers which allow the headset to stream high-resolution audio with deep, powerful bass. There is also a built-in cVc 6.0 microphone which ensures crisp, clear calls without ambient noise. One interesting aspect of this headset is the powerful battery it packs. The battery can deliver 15-20 hours of continuous playback. Even when you run out of battery power, you won’t have to wait for long before you can resume using the headphone. Just 5-8 minutes of charging can give you 3-4 hours of playback at full blast. The headset can attain a full charge in 45 minutes to 1 hour time. The quick charge feature has come in handy severally when I am in the middle of an interesting movie and the battery goes down. Of course, that usually happens when I use for days without charging. They can also be plugged directly into an audio jack on your smartphone for wired performance. When I tried that out, there wasn’t any noticeable difference in sound quality. But then, using a wired connection can be inconveniencing. However, in the wire mode, the headphone draws its power from the device it is plugged into. In that case, you have unlimited access to play songs without fear of running out of battery power.

Performance

A headphone without a good audio output can’t be called one. For audio quality, we won’t compare the BH002 to Bose headphones but it holds its own in that aspect. The sound is pretty loud and clear. The bass is fairly deep but it could get better. But then, for its price, the iTeknic headphones will give you good value for your bucks, every penny of it.

The Active Noise Cancellation button is on the right ear cup. It can be turned on and off as the user wishes. When it is turned on, there is an obvious difference in the sound output. It actively filters out sound from the surrounding. While you may still be able to hear the surrounding sounds, when it is turned on, the music can be listened to with some level of clarity, drowning ambient sounds around the user.

In Summary

The iTeknic BH002 Active Noise Cancelling headset is a solid headphone that is convenient to wear and easy to move about with. Another positive is the fast charging feature which ensures you can get extended use with just a couple of minutes charge. A full charge keeps you running all day long.

iTeknic noise-cancelling headphones are available on Amazon for just $65.99. That is a pretty fair price if you consider the features the headphone offers.

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Vivo V1730GA full specifications appear on TENAA

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 26, 2019

The Vivo V1730GA is an upcoming budget-friendly smartphone from Vivo. The smartphone has been approved by the TENAA telecom authority of China through which its entire specifications have been leaked ahead of its launch. Unfortunately, there is no information on the final product name of the Vivo V1730GA smartphone.

Vivo V1730GA Design

The images of the Vivo V1730GA reveals that it does not feature a waterdrop-type notch display like the recently released Vivo phones. It features a slightly wider notch that houses an earpiece and a front-facing camera.

The back panel of the Vivo V1730GA has a vertically arranged dual camera sensors at the top-left corner followed by an LED flash. A fingerprint reader is also available on the rear shell of the device that seems to be made out of plastic. The handset is expected to release in three color choices in China such as Champagne Gold, Rose Gold and Matte Black. In terms of design, the smartphone bears resemblance with the Vivo V9 phone from 2018. The dimensions of the Vivo V1730GA are 154.81 x 75.03 x 7.89mm and it weigh 149.29 grams.

Vivo V1730GA Specifications

The Vivo V1730GA features a 6.26-inch display that produces full HD+ resolution of 2280 x 1080 pixels. The smartphone delivers an aspect ratio of 19:9. It receives power to perform from an octa-core processor that clocks at 1.95 GHz.

The TENAA listing suggests that the Vivo V1730GA smartphone will be releasing in 4 GB and 6 GB RAM editions in China. Both models may feature 64 GB of native storage. The smartphone will support additional storage by means of a microSD card slot.

Read More: Vivo Y17 launched in India with 6.35-inch display, Helio P35 SoC; Priced INR 17990 (~$260)

The Vivo V1730GA smartphone boots to Android 9 Pie OS which could be overlaid with the latest edition of FunTouch OS UI. It features a frontal shooter of 16-megapixel. The dual camera setup of the phone features a main sensor of 13-megapixel and a secondary sensor of 2-megapixel. The smartphone is backed by a 3,180mAh battery. TENAA only mentions the minimum capacity of the battery. Hence, its typical capacity could be slightly higher.

(source)

Pre-Order Topjoy Falcon 8-Inch Tiny Laptop for Just $559.99 from GeekBuying [Coupon]

By

Vinay Patel

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Apr 26, 2019

Looking for a tiny laptop that doesn’t disappoint in terms of performance? You might want to give the Topjoy Falcon 8-inch Tiny Laptop a test drive.

Aside from being loaded with awe-inspiring features and top-end specifications, the Topjoy Falcon 8-inch Tiny Laptop won’t burn a hole in your pocket like traditional laptops either. We’ll talk about that in just a bit.

Topjoy has teamed-up with GeekBuying in order to make its Falcon 8-Inch Tiny Laptop available to cost-conscious at a lowered price. Aside from shedding light on the aforesaid discount, we will show how you can save a considerable amount of more money at the time of checking out.

The Topjoy Falcon 8-Inch Tiny Laptop would normally set you back a pretty penny, but you can now pre-order this feature-laden laptop for a lowered price of only $569.99 from GeekBuying. This is a significant reduction in the device’s original asking price of $799.99.

But if that doesn’t impress you much, you can use coupon code OJCQVTJQ to get an extra $140 off. In other words, you can bring the already lowered retail price of the laptop further down to just $559.99 simply by applying the coupon at checkout.

An absolute steal at this price, the Topjoy Falcon 8-Inch Tiny Laptop offers the following features:

8-inch Multi-Touch, Support Touch Screen with 1920×1200 pixels resolution
Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Quad Core, 1.10GHz~2.7GHz processor
8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD (expandable up to 128GB via SD card)
Windows 10 home OS
2900mAh Non-removable Li-Po battery
Touch-type handwriting pen

You can follow this link to take full advantage of the discount and use the coupon before it expires.

Pre-Order Topjoy Falcon 8-Inch Tiny Laptop, Coupon Code OJCQVTJQ

Check Out 2019 Teclast Fan Festival on GeekBuying

Honor 20 Pro render reveals quad cameras and gradient rear

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 26, 2019

Last week, a render of the Honor 20 Pro smartphone had surfaced to reveal its rear design. The smartphone had appeared in Teal color with gradient finish. Today, a new gradient color that offers a mix of white and pink has been leaked by ichangezone Weibo user. The render once again confirms the presence of quad cameras on the device.

As it can be seen in the new render below, the Honor 20 Pro seems to be sporting a curved glass back. The smartphone appears white towards the left and right edges and its light pink in the center. The Honor branding is present at the bottom-left corner. At the top-left corner is a camera setup and an LED flash module alongside it.

There is no fingerprint reader on the rear shell of the Honor 20 Pro. The reason behind it is that it will come equipped with an in-display fingerprint reader. The rear design of the phone resembles a bit with the Huawei P30 Pro. Rumors have it that the Honor 20 Pro will be a cheaper edition of the P30 Pro handset.

The quad camera setup of the Honor 20 Pro includes a squarish lens at the top. It seems to be a periscope-style lens that will bring higher zoom capabilities on the device. The second lens in the vertical camera system of the Honor 20 Pro could be a super wide-angle lens. The P30 Pro also features the same lens. The third one could be a 3D ToF (Time of Flight) lens. The 40-megapixel Sony IMX600 primary sensor seems to be the last lens in the quad camera of the smartphone. The Huawei P30 Pro also features the same main sensor.

Recent reports have revealed that the Honor 20 Pro will feature a 6.5-inch waterdrop notched AMOLED display that will full HD+ resolution. The Kirin 980 SoC is expected to power the smartphone along with 8 GB of RAM. It could be packed with a battery of around 4,000mAh capacity. The handset will carry support for rapid charging. For shooting selfies, the smartphone is expected to feature a 32-megapixel selfie snapper.

The Honor 20 series will be globally unveiled on May 21. It is speculated that the Chinese firm may first launch the Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro first in China before unveiling them outside of home market.

(source)

LG will reportedly halt mobile phones production in its Korea plant this year

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Apr 26, 2019

Korean tech giant LG Electronics may well have finally decided to divest slightly from its phone business. LG’s mobile phone division raked in a yearly revenue of just $7.08 billion in 2018, incurring liabilities in excess of $700 million covering the cost of operations. The South Korea company will reportedly suspend manufacturing of its mobile phones in Korea.

According to a report by Yonhap News Agency, the phones will instead, be produced in its existing plant in Vietnam. The report cited an unnamed source to have disclosed that LG ‘s decision to transfer its handset production to Vietnam was to help turn around the faltering smartphones division.

LG Electronics declined to comment on the report but it looks very likely LG is trimming down its mobile phone business. The business has been experiencing annual downturns for the past seven quarters. LG presently has production bases for smartphones in South Korea, China, Vietnam, Brazil and India. We can’t say why the Korean plant was being shut but the factory mainly manufactures high-end model. This accounts for just 10% to 20% of the firm’s total smartphone output. It is possible the Vietnam plant can combine the production of the flagship models to other mid-range and budget models.

(via)

New Nokia 8110 4G update brings WhatsApp and Facebook support to global users

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Apr 25, 2019

The Nokia 8110 4G, the 2018 resurrection of the 90s phone, is receiving a new update that brings support for WhatsApp and Facebook.

The update arrives as V15.00.17.03 on the phone which runs KaiOS and it is pretty small at 38MB. With the new update, owners of the phone will be able to download Whatsapp and Facebook from the KaiStore and stay in touch with friends and family. The update is rolling out globally, so you may want to check your phone to see if it has arrived.

The Nokia 8110 4G is one of the feature phones running KaiOS, which is a forked version of Firefox OS. Google invested $22 million in the company last year. With this, a number of Google’s own products such as Maps, Assistant, Search and YouTube are now integrated into the operating system. However, there are reports that Google is also working on its own “touchless” too.

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Honor 20 Moschino Edition coming, as renders of customised carry bag leak

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Apr 25, 2019

There are indications that the upcoming Honor 20 will get a Moschino edition. Recall that Honor first teamed up with popular Italian fashion house Moschino to release a special Moschino edition of the Honor View 20. That model which was introduced in January this year, one month after the Honor View 20 went official, and it was an instant hit. That may have spurred both firms to continue the partnership with the impending Honor 20.

The arrangement of the model will be similar to that of the Honor View 20. That includes a Moschino-themes UI pre-installed. The device will also come with a customised phone case. In addition, the Honor 20 Moschino Edition will have some modification done on the rear design as envisioned by the fashion house. The customisation would also extend to the phone box and there will even be a small carry bag which can be used to carry the phone around. The images of the carry bag leaked online (pictured) and it even shows a part of the phone, confirming the existence of a red paint job on one of the variants. The Honor 20 Moschino was available in Red and Blue, so this model may likely get a similar treatment.

The Honor 20 will get a Pro variant but it isn’t confirmed if the customized Moschino edition would be based on the Honor 20 or Honor 20 Pro. The device will be getting some bit of more exposure, though, as Moschino has reportedly agreed to showcase the special edition model during its Fashion Week runway shows later this year and to also display the smartphone inside its physical stores.

(source)

Lu Weibing reveals Redmi SD855 flagship will be the king of price/performance ratio

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Apr 25, 2019

Redmi’s GM Lu Weibing recently hinted that the much-touted Redmi flagship would be released soon. Even though no date has been announced, the launch may likely be very soon. Now, Redmi’s GM has given us some details of the device and an idea of its pricing.

Lu Weibing tips the SD855-powered model to be the king of cost-efficient phones, meaning the price will be lower than all the Snapdragon 855 phones that have been released. He even promised that the price will be a shocker. Among the other features, the Redmi GM disclosed that the device whose name is still unknown will have stronger performance, longer battery life, better camera, and higher screen ratio.

The GM thinks it is a model worth waiting for and we may have to agree with that if, with such an array of features, the device ends up coming with a price tag that won’t put a hole in our pocket. Lu Weibing had earlier disclosed that the flagship will also have NFC, a narrow chin and will retain the 3.5mm audio jack.

(source)

Leak: Huawei P Smart Z is Huawei’s first pop-up selfie camera phone

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Updated Apr 28, 2019

More manufacturers are joining the Vivo pop-up selfie camera train. The latest passenger to come aboard is Huawei with its upcoming P Smart Z whose renders have been leaked.

The Huawei P Smart Z will have a full-screen display with only a small bezel at the bottom. The top and side bezels have been shaved off and the selfie camera now has a new home. The phone’s front-facing camera will slide out from the left side of the frame in a similar fashion to the Vivo NEX.

On the back, the Huawei P Smart Z will have dual rear cameras. The sensors are on the left alongside an LED flash, and there is a fingerprint scanner in the middle. The back of the phone has curved sides for a more comfortable grip. The power button and volume rocker are on the right side frame of the device.

The P Smart Z will have a 6.59-inch 1080 x 2340 display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, according to the source. The Kirin 710 processor will be the chipset of choice under the hood along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. It will also have support for storage expansion (512GB max.). The selfie camera is a 16MP f/2.0 sensor and the rear is home to another 16MP f/1.8 camera with a 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor. The phone will pack a 4,000mAh battery to match its large display and run EMUI 9 based on Android Pie.

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Oppo Reno, Reno 10x zoom and Reno 5G launched for the global market

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Apr 25, 2019

Chinese tech giant OPPO has launched the Reno models for the global market. The models will soon be available to buy in Europe. The Reno was first unveiled in China a couple of weeks back bearing a 10X zoom version.

The OPPO Reno models comprise of the Reno, Reno 10X Zoom edition and now a Reno 5G. The OPPO Reno 10X Zoom Edition elicits more excitement and the 5G version also bundles the 10X zoom edition features. While the standard edition is powered by a Snapdragon 710 chipset, the Reno 10x zoom edition packs a Snapdragon 855 chipset. Both models look very similar but there are some few differences in their designs. The 10x zoom edition packs a 6.65-inch AMOLED display while the standard model has a smaller 6.4-inch display. Both displays are near bezel-less, devoid of any form of screen notch. The Reno models use a similar 16MP shark fin-shaped pop-up camera design for the selfies. The locations of the power button on the right and the volume rockers on the left side of the display are consistent on both models. Further, both the standard and 10X zoom edition of the Reno come with USB-C ports and the SIM card slot is located on the left side of the USB-C port while there is a speaker grill on the right.

The back panel is where you will find most of the significant differences between the two models. The major highlight of the 10x zoom model is the 10X hybrid zoom technology which it features. It packs three rear cameras; a 48MP high-definition main camera + 13 MP periscope telephoto lens + 8 MP super wide-angle lens. At the same time, the device uses dual optical image stabilization (OIS), triple focus, and can take a true and clear 10x zoom photo without a tripod. The model will only be available in 8GB RAM + 256GB storage option.

On its part, the standard Reno comes with a dual camera setup as it lacks the 10x zoom feature. OPPO Reno standard edition features OIS-assisted 48MP + 5MP dual camera module on its rear aspect. This version comes in 6GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB variant. Both phones have in-display fingerprint readers, stereo speakers and VOOC 3.0 charging, however, only the Reno 10x zoom offers Dolby Audio and a slightly larger battery. The vanilla Reno does get a 3.5mm headphone jack, which the premium model lacks.

OPPO Reno 5G

OPPO also announced that it has partnered with Swisscom (Switzerland), EE (UK), SingTel (Singapore), Telstra and Optus (Australia) to launch the Reno 5G version globally. The Reno 5G is based on the flagship 10X zoom edition and may grab the crown as the first 5G phone to be available in Europe. Swisscom launched its 5G network in Zurich just two weeks ago. EE will trial its 5G network at the Glastonbury Festival scheduled to hold in late June.

As for the pricing, the standard Reno will start at €500 and will be available on May 10 in France, The Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Poland. The 10X Zoom edition is priced at €800 and will be available in early June. The Oppo Reno 5G will adopt a slightly higher €900 price tag and will go on sale in May. The Reno 10X zoom and Reno 5G come with International Warranty Service covering repairs in any country where OPPO as an official sales channel.

(source)

New official teaser confirms OnePlus 7 Pro has triple rear cameras

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Apr 25, 2019

OnePlus has released a new teaser that confirms a key feature of its upcoming flagship, the OnePlus 7 Pro.

The new teaser is a 10-second that was shared on Twitter a short while ago. The caption for the video confirms the name of the device is indeed the OnePlus 7 Pro. There is even an official hashtag – #OnePlus7Pro.

Bells and whistles make noise. We make phones. #OnePlus7Pro https://t.co/ViZaz53XXk pic.twitter.com/wIHg7fd7U4

— OnePlus (@oneplus) April 25, 2019

The video shows a 2-dimensional drawing of the OnePlus 7 Pro and it reveals the phone will have three rear cameras arranged vertically and positioned in the middle. The familiar OnePlus logo sits below the sensors.

The specs for the cameras already leaked a few days ago. The OnePlus 7 Pro will have a 48MP primary camera paired with an 8MP f/2.4 telephoto lens and a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle lens.

The video also states the launch is scheduled for May 14 in New York. It will begin at 11 AM EDT (3 PM GMT/8:30 PM IST) and will also be live-streamed on the official YouTube Channel. OnePlus is running a competition and selected winners will win a trip to New York. You can find out more details here.

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Meizu 16s vs Xiaomi Mi 9 vs Lenovo Z6 Pro: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Apr 25, 2019

Despite the disappointing results obtained in the global market during the last years and the complaints regarding its software support, Meizu is trying once again to succeed in the flagships segment with the new Meizu 16s. A device with a lot of high-end specifications to offer, which will be sold at a quite affordable price. However, it won’t be easy for Meizu to reach its goal, as there are several other affordable flagships in the market. Among the most quoted ones at the moment, there are Xiaomi Mi 9 and Lenovo Z6 Pro. So let’s compare them with the Meizu 16s in order to understand if the new Meizu’s flagship can stand a chance against these flagship-killers.

Meizu 16s vs Xiaomi Mi 9 vs Lenovo Z6 Pro

	Meizu 16s	Xiaomi Mi 9	Lenovo Z6 Pro
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	151.9 x 73.4 x 7.6 mm, 165 g	157.5 x 74.7 x 7.6 mm, 173 g	157.5 x 74.6 x 8.7 mm, 185 g
DISPLAY	6.2 inches, 1080 x 2232p (Full HD+), AMOLED	6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED	6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.84 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.84 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.8 GHz
MEMORY	6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB	6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB	6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB, micro SD slot
SOFTWARE	Android 9 Pie, Flyme OS	Android 9 Pie, MIUI	Android 9 Pie, ZUI 11
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Dual 48 + 20 MP, f/1.7 and f/2.6 20 MP f/2.2 front camera	Triple 48 + 16 + 12 MP, f/1.8, f/2.2 and f/2.2 20 MP f/2.0 front camera	Quad 48 + 16 + 8 + 2 MP, f/1.8, f/2.2 and f/2.4 and f/1.8 32 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY	3600 mAh, fast charging 24W with mCharge	3300 mAh, fast charging with Quick Charge 4+, wireless charging	4000 mAh, fast charging 27W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot

Design

Meizu is being quite anti-conformist in the last years when it comes to flagships smartphones designs. For the Meizu 16s, the company decided once again not to embrace the notch philosophy, but it still managed to release a device with extremely thin bezels around the display. Further, it was realized with the COF bonding technique and the design curves at an angle of 0.5 degrees, it is very slim and it was engineered to guarantee the best ergonomics. That is why this device surely deserves an award for the originality and the care for the aesthetics. But this does not mean that Xiaomi Mi 9 and Lenovo Z6 Pro are not beautiful devices, with their stunning gradient glass backs and their slim bezels.

Display

It does not matter which device you choose, you will get a high-end and pretty nice display, despite not any of these devices offers a display that can be considered at the same level as the most expensive flagships. All come with a Full HD+ Super AMOLED display and an in-display fingerprint reader, but judging from the specs on the paper, Xiaomi Mi 9 and Lenovo Z6 Pro should be better. Due to the fact that they are HDR10-compliant and they have high DCI-P3 coverage, they should be able to show more brilliant colors.

Hardware/Software

When it comes to the hardware, Lenovo Z6 Pro is the winner, but only for a slight margin. Indeed, all of them come with the Snapdragon 855 chipset, so you would not notice a huge difference in speed and reactivity. But Lenovo Z6 Pro has more RAM and more internal storage in its highest-end variant. It is equipped with up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of internal storage, which you can furtherly expand with a micro SD. The second place goes to Meizu 16s which comes with up to 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. Note that both Meizu 16s and Xiaomi Mi 9 lack the micro SD slot.

Camera

Cameras are definitely among the strongest points of these handsets. They are equipped with different setups, but each of them is impressive. Meizu 16s comes with optical stabilization and a very bright aperture, Xiaomi Mi 9 lacks optical stabilization but it has a triple camera including an ultrawide lens, while Lenovo Z6 Pro, which is the most interesting at a first glance, comes with a quad camera including a TOF 3D sensor and an ultrawide lens. It is still too early to establish which one clicks better photos as two out of three devices have just been announced, so you will have to wait a bit to know our opinion about their cameras.

Battery

Lenovo Z6 Pro has a way bigger battery with a capacity of 4000 mAh, so it will most likely last a lot more than Xiaomi Mi 9 and Meizu 16s in most of the scenarios. And it even comes with the fastest charging technology, so despite its big capacity, it will charge faster.

Price

All of these devices come with very interesting prices: Lenovo Z6 Pro starts from just €400/$445, Meizu 16s costs €420/$468 and Xiaomi Mi 9 carries a €450/$500 price tag. Overall, Lenovo Z6 Pro looks like the most complete device due to its bigger battery, better memory configurations, and a very nice camera department.

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

Meizu 16s vs Xiaomi Mi 9 vs Lenovo Z6 Pro: PRO and CONS

Lenovo Z6 Pro

PROS

Faster charging technology
Great hardware
Big battery
Affordable price

CONS

Nothing particular

Xiaomi Mi 9

PROS

Wireless charging
Great build quality
Good cameras
Affordable price

CONS

No micro SD
Smaller battery

Meizu 16s

PROS

OIS
Six-LED flash
Charges quickly
Original design

CONS

Costlier

Buy Top Variants of Huawei P30 Pro Global Version for Unbeatable Prices from Giztop

By

Vinay Patel

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Apr 25, 2019

Huawei’s latest flagship smartphone dubbed the Huawei P30 Pro has already gone up for sale in multiple regions. The device has successfully passed through numerous physical tests, confirming its superior build quality.

The global version of the P30 Pro smartphone with 8GB RAM, 256GB ROM comes in black and twilight color versions. Both models have gone up for sale on Giztop.

The black-tinted model that ships with 8GB of RAM and offers 256GB of internal capacity will set you back $999.

Alternatively, you can go for the twilight color version of the phone which also features 8GB of RAM and a hearty 256GB of onboard storage capacity if you are willing to shell out an extra $50. In other words, the aforesaid model can be yours for $1,049.The global version of the Huawei P30 Pro offers the following features:

47-inch FHD+ curved OLED screen
In-screen fingerprint sensor
Kirin 980 7nm Soc Octa-core 2.6 GHz processor
Mali G76 720MHz GPU
8GB RAM, 256GB/512GB ROM
IP68 rating
Leica Quad Rear Camera: 40MP+20MP+8MP+a ToF sensor
32MP front shooter
4200mAh battery with 40W Super Charge, and 15W fast wireless charging
EMUI 9.1 base on Android 9.0 Pie OS

You can visit this link to check out more details and order your favorite Huawei P30 Pro Global Version model from Giztop.

Buy Huawei P30 Pro Global Version from Giztop

Meizu M16S Hands On: No Notch, Just the good old Bezels!

By

Joel Joseph

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Apr 25, 2019

Lately, smartphone manufacturers are attacking the bezels around the display like it’s the enemy to kill. Everyone wants to get rid of anything apart from the display on the phone’s front. We have smartphones that hide the front camera inside its body via a pop-up motor. There are even patents which show off an in-display camera design (coming soon), that lies beneath the display. For those looking for a less expensive option, there’s the notch, and I think we all will agree that waterdrop seems to be the most preferred one. Then came the punch hole camera, that reserves a small dot on the display, usually on one corner, so that it doesn’t hinder your experience.

Meizu’s take on the issue of bezels is a bit unique. With the Meizu 16th model, the company paved the way for a design that embraces the bezels (our 16th hands-on here!) around the display. The new Meizu 16S takes the same design to another level by adding a larger display, surrounded by even thinner bezels. The bezels on the top and the bottom are slimmer, with the chin measuring just 4.2mm. The top bezel is pretty slim as well, despite housing the front camera. This was made possible by using the 20MP Samsung 3T2 selfie sensor, which is the world’s smallest front facing camera.

The display is now 6.2-inches in size, in a relatively similar form factor as its predecessor (151.9 x 73.4 x 7.6mm). The phone might not be as light as the previous model, but at 165 grams, it’s still pretty easy to hold. Not to mention the 0.5° angle arc design that makes it comfortable to hold, even with one hand. The increase in thickness from 7.3mm on the Meizu 16th to 7.6mm in the 16S model is justified because of a significant increase in battery capacity. The new model houses a larger 3600mAh battery on board, which is a solid 20% increase.

We got the pearl white model in for review and it looks enticing. The back has what Meizu calls a plasma finish that gives it a premium look. However, we are even more excited to see how that Carbon Black variant with carbon fiber texture will look in our hands on. We’ll try to get that variant for review, but for now, we are playing around with this Pear White model.

Meizu 16S camera — The Meizu 16S has a slight camera bulge

The dual rear camera module consists of a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor and a 20MP IMX250 sensor. There’s four-axis OIS to ensure the shots come out steady. The AI scene recognition will try to match the right settings for the perfect shot, depending on the environment.

The power and volume buttons are on the right while the left side remains clean. This is because the SIM card slot goes down below, alongside the speaker and USB-C port.

Inside, the Meizu 16S is powered by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor with 6GB /8GB RAM and 128GB / 256GB storage options. Adreno 640 GPU works together with Meizu’s Hyper Gaming tech offering a smooth and lag-free gaming experience. Further, mEngine 3.0 also provides an immersive experience with games like BuildTopia.

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

Finally, Meizu has ensured that the phone supports NFC. There are stereo speakers for a rich audio experience. Unfortunately, in the pursuit of adding a bigger battery, Meizu had to kill the headphone jack. So, you will have to use its Type-C port for your wired audio needs.

We will review the Meizu 16S in the coming days. So expect a full detailed analysis of the phone soon. Meanwhile, you can check out our review of the Meizu 16th launched last year.

Check out our Meizu 16S hands-on gallery down below.

Meizu 16S hands on

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Nubia Red Magic 3 benchmarked on Master Lu, confirms 12GB RAM variant

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Apr 25, 2019

The Nubia Red Magic 3 will be unveiled on Sunday, April 28. The phone will pack some interesting features including a 90Hz display. Ahead of the launch, the device has been benchmarked on Master Lu and the result reveals some key details.

The Red Magic 3 will have the model number NX629J. It will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 flagship processor clocked at 2.84GHz. There are reports of a 12GB RAM variant and the benchmark result confirms that. The other variant will have 8GB of RAM.

The device has a CPU score of 174,283 points and a GPU score of 191,043 points. Its memory score is 58,699 points and its storage score is 48,922 points with a read speed of 836M/s and a write speed of 257M/s.

The Red Magic 3’s overall score is 472,947, far ahead of the Xiaomi Black Shark 2 which has a total score of 404,809 points and the Vivo iQOO which has a score of 384,718 points.

Continue

Realme 3 Pro to Go Up for Sale on Flipkart Starting April 29 [Exclusive Launch Offers & Giveaway]

By

Vinay Patel

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Apr 25, 2019

Chinese manufacturer Realme announced the long-awaited Realme 3 Pro earlier this month. Much to the delight of Realme fans, the device is slated to go up for sale bearing a lowered price starting April 29th on Flipkart. The sale will kick-off at 12 noon (IST).

The Flipkart Realme 3 Pro sale brings exclusive launch offers, wherein the 4GB RAM+64GB ROM model which usually sells for 15,999 INR can be yours for a dropped price of just 13,999. This noteworthy 12 percent off will be valid for the Nitro Blue color version of the phone.

The next model that ships with 6GB of RAM and offers 64GB of internal storage capacity would normally set you back 17,999 INR, but you can buy it for just 15,999 INR from Flipkart. This 11 percent drop will be valid for the Nitro Blue color version.

Likewise, you can avail a 12 percent off on the Carbon Grey tinted, 4GB RAM+64GB ROM model which usually retails for 15,999 INR. Thanks to the aforesaid discount, you can get your hands on this variant for a lowered price of just 13,999 INR.

The slightly larger 6GB RAM+128GB ROM model comes in Nitro Blue and Carbon Grey versions, bearing a 19,999 INR price tag. Flipkart is doling out a noteworthy 15 percent discount on this variant, bringing its retail price down to just 16,999 INR.

Moreover, the Indian e-commerce company is offering 3 and 6 months no-cost EMI, and a flat 1,000 INR off with HDFC Bank debit/credit cards.

An absolute steal at this price, the Realme 3 Pro offers the following features:

0 cm (6.3 inch) FHD+ Display
Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 Octa Core 2.2 GHz AIE Processor
16MP + 5MP | 25MP Front Camera
4045mAh Battery
VOOC Flash Charge 3.0
Dual Nano SIM Slot and Memory Card Slot

You can head straight to this link to activate the ‘Notify Me’ button so that you do not end up missing this amazing opportunity to buy the Realme 3 Pro for a lowered price.

Grab Exclusive Launch Offers on Realme 3 Pro on Flipkart

Giveaway – Win a Realme 3 Pro Smartphone