Xiaomi explains why the Redmi Note 7 series did not have on-screen fingerprint sensor

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Mar 31, 2019

Redmi’s Vp Lu Weibin on Sunday sought the opinions of fans on Weibo about the feature they would like to see get improved on the Redmi Note 7 series. Surprisingly, most of the comments were specific about one thing, and that is the lack of an on-screen fingerprint sensor on the device.

Lu Weibing then responded, stating reasons why we may not see on-screen fingerprint sensors on the Redmi models any time soon. The reason is that the device uses an LCD display and under-screen sensors can only be included on AMOLED screens. He also explained that due to the thin build of the model, it was not feasible to put a side-mounted fingerprint sensor since the surface area would be small and so, the failure rate could be high.

Thus, the rear-mounted sensor may likely stick around for some time. That is, of course, until on-screen fingerprint technology for LCD displays are developed. Perhaps, Redmi may decide to use AMOLED panels on its high-end models. That may also lead to the inclusion of on-screen fingerprint sensors. XIaomi is said to be working on a Snapdragon 855-powered Redmi flagship and of course, that wouldn’t be using an LCD screen.

Buy Links: Get Redmi Note 7 on GearBest, Banggood, Giztop, Geekbuying, GearVita

Get Redmi Note 7 Pro on Giztop, GearBest, Banggood, Geekbuying

(source)

Samsung releases the second update in two weeks for the Galaxy S8 ushering improved camera stability

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 31, 2019

The Galaxy S8 may have gotten two successors but that has stopped Samsung from pushing regular updates to its 2017 flagship model. The Korean giant has just rolled out a fresh update for the global version of the Galaxy S8 with the model number SM-G950F).

The official changelog shows that the update brings improvement in the phone’s camera stability and a ‘security patch update’. The security patch isn’t strictly the March security patch as that has already been made available earlier this month, precisely on March 18. That makes this update the second one the company would be pushing to the Galaxy S8 with a space of two weeks. The OTA may take a while before reaching all users so if you are yet to receive the update on your S8, expect it to hit soon.

Samsung Galaxy S8 was updated to Android 9.0 Pie only last month. That may explain the frequent updates. The update brings onboard the new, fully redesigned One UI custom overlay, making the S8 look and feel almost like an S10 in terms of the software. The Galaxy S8 launched with Android Nougat and last year, it got the Oreo update. This is the second major update for the model and likely the final. Samsung will now likely deliver only security patches for another year before resting the device from any form of updates.

(source, via)

Snapdragon 855-powered Galaxy Tab S5 found in Galaxy Fold’s code

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Mar 31, 2019

Samsung has already released three new tablets this year – there is the gorgeous and impressively thin Galaxy Tab S5e, the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019), and the 8” Galaxy Tab A (2019) with S Pen. However, none of these are flagship tablets which isn’t surprising. The Galaxy Tab S5 is expected to be the flagship tablet for 2019 and it seems it will come with the Snapdragon 855 like the Galaxy S10 series.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e LTE Tablet — Galaxy Tab S5e

In the past, the Galaxy Tab S flagship tablets usually have an older flagship processor different from the one in the flagship Galaxy S/Note series smartphones released in the same year. For example, the Galaxy Tab S4 released last year is powered by the Snapdragon 835 processor and not the Snapdragon 845 found in the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note9.

This year’s Galaxy Tab S5 will most likely come with the Snapdragon 855 based on findings carried out by XDA-Developers. The evidence was found in the defconfig file of the Galaxy Fold. The file contains a list of Samsung devices powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855.

The list includes the Galaxy S10 series, the Galaxy Fold, a 5G modem for Verizon and a device which is listed as D2Q which is believed to be the Galaxy Note 10. Alongside all these devices is another listed as GTS5L. This is believed to be the Galaxy Tab S5 as its predecessors – the Galaxy Tab S3 and Galaxy Tab S4 have the codenames GTS3L and GTS4L respectively.

Seeing as the defconfig file is for all Samsung Snapdragon 855 devices, then the Galaxy Tab S5 will come with the chipset too. The other specs are unknown and that isn’t surprising as there is still about 6 months before it launches. That is if Samsung follows the Tab S4’s release date.

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Huawei edges Lenovo to lead BrandZ’s Top 50 Chinese brand ranking

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 31, 2019

Popular brand building platform BrandZ has released its top 50 ranking of the most valuable brands from China which are competing on the global scene. The report shows a 15% increase YoY on the brand power index of Chinese brands. The report shows Huawei recorded the strongest performance in the overseas market in the past two years and that the company’s brand value (Brand Power) increased by 22% compared to 2018. With a score of 1862 points, Huawei toppled Lenovo which had 164 points lesser than Huawei and which was last year’s overall best brand.

Regarding the performance of Huawei, BrandZ stated that Huawei is the number one brand in terms of brand power this year due to its successes in the domestic and overseas markets. Huawei leads both in terms of brands and products. Basically, Huawei’s dominance in several markets outside China is undisputable especially compared to other Chinese phone brands.

The list also contains several smartphone brands, though, which is an indication that the Chinese smartphone companies are soaring on the international scene. There is Xiaomi in number 4 which is a good thing for the company and then, OnePlus at number 9. OnePlus is popular outside China even more than Xiaomi but this ranking could be a pointer to the rising profile of the Mi brand. OPPO also made it into the top 20 brands, sitting at number 19.

However, the top ten brands include Alibaba, Xiaomi, ByteDance, Hisense, Haier, Air China, OnePlus, and Anker. Other top technology brands are: DJI (13th), TCL (18th), OPPO (19th), Tencent (20th), Vivo (27th), Honor (28th), Gree (No. 29), ZTE (No. 30), Netease (No. 32), UnionPay (No. 33), Meizu (No. 36), Jingdong (No. 40), BYD (No. 44), and Midea (No. 49).

(source)

Unboxing pictures reveal the Xiaomi Mi 9 Transparent Edition comes with a 27W fast charger

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Mar 31, 2019

The Xiaomi Mi 9 Transparent Edition can be called the successor to last year’s Mi 8 Explorer Edition. Just like the Mi 8 EE, the Mi 9 Transparent Edition has a see-through glass back that shows the “internals” of the phone. The phone which went on sale this month is already shipping to owners. Below are unboxing photos which of the phone and it has an important surprise.

When the Mi 9 launched, a review by Gsmarena revealed the phone ships with an 18W charger and not a 27W charger which the phone supports. If you want the 27W charger, you will have to purchase the 20W wireless charger bundle which includes the 27W charger and the 20W wireless charging pad.

For the Mi 9 Transparent Edition, unboxing photos shared by ITHome shows the phone ships with the 27W charger, so you don’t need to spend extra to get it. However, you still have to buy the 20W wireless charger separately. The 27W charger supports 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 12V/2.25A, and 20V/1.35A power ratings.

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Apart from the difference in design, the Mi 9 Transparent Edition has 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It also has an 8GB RAM + 256GB version which won’t be available for purchase until April. Another major difference is the primary camera. The 48MP sensor on the Mi 9 Transparent Edition has an f/1.47 aperture while the regular Mi 9’s 48MP sensor has an f/1.8 aperture. The rest of the specs are the same.

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AT&T achieves over 1Gbps data speed with its 5G network, the first U.S. carrier to do so

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 31, 2019

US carrier AT&T has launched its real 5G service in 12 markets and it can be accessed only by invitation. The 5G service requires the use of the Netgear Nighthawk 5G mobile hotspot that was launched a couple of months back. The speed of the 5G network was initially slightly faster than those achieved by the fake 5G network known as 5G evolution. However, AT&T on Saturday announced that it has been able to achieve a 5G mobile speed that surpasses 1Gbps. This makes the company the first U.S. carrier ever to achieve such.

The is a milestone for the company which is the country’s second-largest wireless provider, behind Verizon. AT&T says a two-hour HD movie can be downloaded in 20 seconds at that speed. Isn’t that just amazing? Just this last December, AT&T’s 5G service had a download speed of 194.88Mbps, which is about one fifth as fast as the 1Gbps speed that the service recently was clocked at. At that time, the carrier’s 5G Evolution service, which is actually enhanced 4G LTE, had a download speed of 187.44Mbps. But an upgrade to its 5G network allowed AT&T to use a four-carrier aggregation of 100MHz carriers to increase the data capacity of its network, thus allowing it to reach faster speeds.

Speaking on this monumental achievement, Igal Elbaz, SVP Wireless Technology, AT&T stated; “Today, we were the first carrier in the U.S. to reach mobile 5G speeds surpassing 1 gigabit per second. We reached this milestone on our live 5G network in multiple cities using a commercial device, the NETGEAR Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot…this is all part of our plan. We will continue to test and roll out the latest 5G technologies to our customers and they will continue to be the first to experience the latest and greatest versions of 5G.”

(source)

Samsung Galaxy A30 now available to buy in the US with a 30-day warranty

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 31, 2019

Samsung announced the Galaxy A30 last month, just days after the flagship Galaxy S10 series was unveiled. The Galaxy A30 was launched alongside the Galaxy A50. The A30 is now available to buy in the US from the popular retailer, Newegg. This is not an official listing as Samsung won’t be launching the models in the US. In fact, the US isn’t one of the target markets for the affordable Galaxy A series. However, Newegg offers buyers a 30-day warranty which means buyers can return the product within that period if they are not satisfied with the smartphone.

The Samsung Galaxy A30 is unlocked but won’t work on all US mobile operators. Specifically, the phone is compatible with GSM/LTE carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile (including their prepaid brands), but not with CDMA/LTE carriers like Verizon and Sprint. As for the pricing, Newegg offers the A30 for $229.99 which is an attractive price tag for such a device. The device is also available on Amazon but with no warranty. You can also snag the sleek model on eBay for a slightly cheaper price tag.

The Galaxy A30 features an Infinity-U 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. It also features the same 3D Glasstic design as the A50. The Exynos 7904 powers it and you get 3GB or 4GB of RAM paired with 32GB or 64GB of internal storage. A MicroSD card slot will allow you to add extra storage. It has a 16MP f/1.7 primary camera on the back that is paired with a 5MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle lens. The selfie camera is a 16MP f/2.2 sensor. There is a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner along with support for Face Unlock. The device also crams an impressive 4,000mAh battery with support for fast charging under its hood.

(via)

Nintendo is reportedly working on a gaming phone that can be linked with Switch

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 31, 2019

Nintendo may have got plans in the works to do what Sony failed to do. As a gaming giant, Sony was unable to transform its successes with the PlayStation to success with its smartphone division even with the rising profile of mobile gaming phones. Rather, Sony’s smartphone division continues to decline. Nintendo is said to be considering an entry into the gaming phone market. A render said to be that of the gaming giant’s first gaming phone was also shared but we believed that is fake.

The company’s plans in this regard are still unclear but it is said that it is considering hosting an exclusive IP for mobile games. The company is also considering making it possible to link the Nintendo Switch with phones among others. It could also harness its vast catalogue of games to give it an edge.

The number of mobile gaming phone brands in the market is gradually increasing by the day. Presently, there is the Razer phone, Xiaomi Black Sharp brand, ASUS ROG phone, Nubia’s Red Magic brand and of late Vivo’s iQOO. All the brands, except Razer, has a long span experience in manufacturing smartphones before venturing into gaming phones. With no pedigree in phone manufacture whatsoever, it is left to be seen how Nintendo aims to break into the market.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi 9 MIUI 10 stable version update brings feature that allows for water drop notch shape switch

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 31, 2019

Xiaomi’s latest flagship, the Mi 9 has reportedly received a new update adding a couple of new features. The Mi 9 runs on the latest MIUI 10 based on Android 9.0 Pie and the update ushers in the MIUI V10.2.16.0.PFACNXM stable version. The major feature which the update brings in an optimisation of the water drop notch that sits on top of the display, housing the selfie camera.

From the update log shared by Xiaomi, the new version adds a feature that when enabled would make the shape of the water drop notch to become dynamic. That is, the shape will change to different patterns. Unfortunately, no detail was given on how this is going to work. But it was specified that the feature can be turned on and off as the user desires. The new update also brings fixes to several issues that affect system security and stability. It also fixes the problem of overlapping call times and notification icons during a call.

The Mi 9 is still relatively new as it was only launched last month. The water drop notch on the Mi 9 isn’t really looking like an actual water droplet but is U shaped. Perhaps, the update will bring more interesting looking notch shapes. Since the model isn’t yet in the hands of many interested buyers, the feature won’t get many users right now but it sounds interesting. We expect the device would have this update on units that are yet to leave the factory.

(source)

One of the 20 Xiaomi’s April 1 products revealed – it’s a smart formaldehyde monitor

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 31, 2019

Xiaomi recently disclosed that it would be holding an event on April 1 where it would unveil a record twenty new smart home products. The products will all be made available to buy on April 9 when the company holds the Mi Fan festival. One of the products that would hit the stands on that day has just been revealed. The product is the Honeywell Formaldehyde monitor.

The prelaunch poster that was shared shows the product will come with a white outer casing. The design keeps up with the minimalistic pattern of Xiaomi’s ecological chain products. The front is pure black with the middle part housing a screen. The formaldehyde monitor comes with an accuracy of up to 2 decimal places. The product is manufactured by Honeywell which is a well-established industrial company and is listed on the Fortune 100. Honeywell’s business concerns across the globe include aerospace products and services, building, home and industrial control technology, turbochargers and speciality materials.

The Honeywell Formaldehyde detector/monitor will be a useful product for homeowners. Formaldehyde is likely to be present in most newly renovated homes. Mild formaldehyde poisoning can cause skin irritation, headache and dizziness. Inhalation of high concentrations of formaldehyde can induce respiratory diseases such as asthma, which is extremely harmful to pregnant women and fetuses. Thus, if the indoor formaldehyde value can be accurately measured, it will be beneficial both psychologically and physiologically.

(source)

OnePlus releases poster teasing April 1 event; OnePlus 6T Red variant coming?

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 31, 2019

OnePlus has released a poster that hints at an event that would be held on April 1, which is tomorrow. The poster doesn’t contain too much details of what the company will be launching on that day. But it contains a few clues of the likely product that would meet with us. The poster contains a packaging box apparently for a OnePlus phone but the box is partially covered with red satin material.

The poster is an all-red affair as even the OnePlus logo on the box is coloured in red and for the date, while the text is basically black, the number 1 is red. Thus, it is obvious that the product that would be unveiled, which is likely a smartphone, will be RED! That leaves us with the idea of a red variant for the OnePlus 6T. For the past two iterations of OnePlus smartphones, the company eventually did release a red variant. The OnePlus 5T had a Lava Red version while the OnePlus 6 had a more simply-named Red variant. The OnePlus 6T was expected to have a red variant and those expectations may soon be met.

The OnePlus 6 Red variant was a popular product and so, we expect the 6T to also be popular. OnePlus is expected to launch the next-gen OnePlus 7 in a couple of months from now and ordinarily, some fans may want to wait for the OP7. But then, it would be difficult to pass up the chance to own the sleek OP6T in red.

(source)

Alleged Redmi SD855 flagship phone spotted in same frame with Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 31, 2019

Lu Weibing who is leading Redmi brand has already confirmed that the company will be releasing a Snapdragon 855 powered Redmi phone. When fans were pestering him on the arrival of SD855 Redmi phone, he said that it is still too early to talk about it and the company is currently focused on the sales of Redmi 7 and Redmi Note 7 Pro. A fresh photo of Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun is doing rounds on Weibo. A Chinese tipster has claimed that a smartphone shown in the background could be the forthcoming Redmi 855 powered flagship phone.

In the below image, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun can be seen holding a smartphone with waterdrop notch screen. In the back ground, two smartphones can be seen kept on the table. It is being said that the smartphone with red colored edges is a full screen smartphone with a notch-less display. Probably, the smartphone could be equipped with a pop-up camera. It also seems to be equipped with a 3.5mm audio jack.

There is no concrete evidence to prove that the smartphone shown in the background is really the Redmi 855 flagship phone. Even the upcoming Xiaomi Mi MIX 4 is expected to arrive with a notch-less display. Hence, it is advisable to wait for further leaks to get a better view of the Redmi 855 flagship phone.

(source|via)

Unannounced Nest Hub Max listed on Google’s website with a camera-bearing 10-inch HD screen

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 31, 2019

Google abruptly pulled a listing from its website for a device known a Nest Hub Max. The device suddenly appeared on Google’s official website with the key specifications laid out and not long after, it was pulled down. But not before eagle-eyed netizens have collected screenshots of the listing page.

From the images, we can grab that the Google Nest Hub Max will come with a 10-inch HD display with a built-in Nest Cam for motion and sound alerts. Thus, the device can be used to monitor the home while you are away and you get security alerts when motion or sound is detected. We expect there’ll be a benchmark as to the minimum sound level after which the alert will be sent. The device will also come with stereo speakers and can be used to make video calls to friends and family through Google Duo in conjunction with the camera.

The listing didn’t actually feature the actual image of the device so, we strongly believe the listing was meant to be a teaser. The design may likely be similar to the Google Home Hub but with a bigger size. The Home Hub has a 7-inch screen as against 10 inches on the Nest Hub Max. The device is expected to be released this year but since this is the first time the device is popping into the scene, we’ll have to wait for the company to confirm if it really plans to unveil it soon

(via)

Huawei reveals it has no plans for an IPO at the moment so as to focus on future technology

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 31, 2019

Huawei is one of the financially strong tech company globally and apparently, the company isn’t in need of any financial backing going by recent statements from the company’s CEO. Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei’s consumer Business at the IT Leaders Summit held today in Shenzen, China, disclosed why the company isn’t going public anytime soon and that is because it is investing in the future. He hinted that a public listing would make the company shift its focus to short term profits for investors.

Richard Yu also stated that basic research was a very important factor for the core competitiveness of enterprises and countries. Huawei has invested heavily in Research and Development (R&D) over the years and we see the result in the innovative technology that accompanies its smartphones.

Earlier in the week at Huawei’s 2018 Annual Report press conference, Guo Ping, the rotating chairman of Huawei, also talked about the issue of an IPO. He pointed out that Huawei has no listing plan yet. He also stressed that going public will not solve the problem of the US government. Huawei is said to be a 100% private enterprise held by employees. The company implemented the employee stock ownership plan through the trade unions with the total number of participants put at 96,768. The participants were said to be employees of the company only and no government parastatal or institutions held Huawei’s equity. That would need a lot of convincing for parties like the US government to believe. The company is in profitable ways, though, going by its recent financial report.

(source)

Galaxy A30 red variant is launching on April 2 in India

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 31, 2019

When Samsung had announced the Galaxy A30 smartphone in India earlier this month, it had claimed that the phone will be releasing in three colors like Black, Blue and Red. The South Korean company had readily made the Black and Blue editions soon after its announcement. However, the Red model is yet to hit the Indian market. Fresh information reveals that the Galaxy A30 Red version will be available for purchase from April 2.

A dedicated landing page of Indian retailer site Flipkart suggests that it will be soon selling the Galaxy A30 Red model. My Smart Price has claimed that the Red variant is listed on Reliance Digital website with a price tag of Rs. 16,990. At the time of writing this post, the Galaxy A30 was only seen in Black and Blue options on Reliance Digital. Since Galaxy A-series phones are sold through online and offline channels, the Red edition of the Galaxy A30 could be soon made available offline.

Samsung Galaxy A30 Specifications

The Galaxy A30 has an AMOLED display with Infinity-U design. It supports full HD+ resolution. The Exynos 7904 SoC with 4 GB of RAM will be powering the handset. For storage, it is equipped internal storage of 64 GB and it also features a microSD card slot. There is a 4,000mAh battery inside the phone. Samsung has included 15W rapid charging support for it.

Read More:Samsung Galaxy S10 5G release date, price and variants for South Korea confirmed

The Android 9 Pie OS with One UI skin runs on the Galaxy A30. It has a front-facing camera of 16-megapixel. On its rear is a 16-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup and a fingerprint reader.

(via)

Xiaomi Mi 9 White color variant leaks but it may not be released anytime soon

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 31, 2019

A new white colour variant for the Mi 9 flagship has been spotted on China’s microblogging website Weibo. The live photo of the variant was shared by a user who apparently had the opportunity to meet with the device. The white variant looks beautiful and would have been a hot-selling model if not that it may never be released. According to Xiaomi’s product director Wang Teng Thomas, the white variant is a pre-production model which was later cancelled. The Xiomi exec hinted that the company has no plans to introduce any new colour to the Mi 9 anytime soon. Too bad we may never see this variant enter the market but it looks cool with a holographic finish. The Mi 9 is presently available in holographic blue, purple, deep space gray and a transparent version. The three colour option are available in the 6GB+128GB, 8GB+128GB storage variants. The transparent version has 8GB+256GB and 12GB+256GB storage options.

The Xiaomi Mi 9 features a 6.39-inch 2340 x 1080 AMOLED display with a waterdrop notch that houses a 20MP selfie camera. The display panel is supplied by Samsung and is protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass 6. Under the hood, it runs a Snapdragon 855 processor. The Mi 9 is Xiaomi’s first triple camera phone. The first camera with the holographic ring around it is actually the telephoto lens – a 12MP Samsung ISOCELL S5K3M5 sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and 2x optical zoom. The main sensor is a 48MP Sony IMX586 f/1.75 sensor with a 6P lens. There is also a 16MP Sony IMX481 f/2.2 sensor for taking wide-angle photos and macro shots. Other features include an in-display fingerprint scanner, NFC, a dedicated AI button, Bluetooth 5.0 dual-frequency GPS for better positioning, an infrared port, and a USB Type-C port.

Xiaomi is holding a launch event on April 1 and the Mi 9 Roy Wang variant is expected to drop but who knows, Xiaomi might spring a surprise with the white variant. The Mi 9 is already available via Mi Home stores for physical purchase in China.

(source)

Honor Magic 2 gets price cut, now starts at ¥3499 (~$520)

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Mar 31, 2019

It has been nearly six months since the Honor Magic 2 hit the market. The phone which has a slider mechanism and six cameras comes in four variants including a 3D version. It had a starting price of ¥3799 (~$566) when it was launched but Honor has now announced a price cut for all the variants.

The starting price for the Honor Magic 2 is now ¥3499 (~$521) which gets you 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The 8GB RAM version which has the same amount of storage will sell for ¥3999 (~$596) while the 8GB RAM + 256GB version will sell for ¥4499 (~$670) instead of ¥4799 (~$715). The 3D version which launched earlier this month for ¥5799 (~$864) will now sell for ¥5499 (~$819).

The price cut is said to be for a limited time and you can grab any of the models on Vmall.com at the new prices.

The Honor Magic 2 packs a 6.39-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Hidden behind the slider is a 16MP primary camera paired with two 2MP depth sensors with an f/2.4 aperture. The back is also home to a triple camera setup – a 16MP f/1.8 primary sensor, another 16MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture, and a 24MP sensor with a monochrome lens and an f/1.8 aperture.

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Unreleased phone teased by Android senior VP could be Google Pixel 3a or 3a XL

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 31, 2019

Multiple reports have claimed that Google will be soon launching Pixel 3a series smartphones as mid-range versions of the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL smartphones from last year. Early reports had claimed that cheaper editions of the Pixel 3 series will be unveiled as Pixel 3 Lite and Pixel 3 XL Lite. However, newer reports have stated that they will be respectively hitting the market as Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL. Google Senior Vice President of Android, Hiroshi Lockheimer has recently tweeted about an unreleased phone. He claimed that he had snapped some photos using it but has refrained from sharing them. Probably, he could be testing the Pixel 3a or Pixel 3a XL in real-life scenarios which in turn suggests that the arrival of the Pixel 3a series may not be far away.

Recent reports have revealed that the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL will resemble with Pixel 3 in terms of design. The Pixel series of smartphones are made out of glass and metal. However, the Pixel 3a series will be sporting polycarbonate chassis. Also, they are likely to lack support for water and dust resistance.

The Pixel 3a and 3a XL are rumored to respectively feature 5.6-inch and 6-inch OLED displays that will support full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2220 pixels. These phones could be respectively powered by Snapdragon 670 and Snapdragon 710 chipsets. These phones may feature 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of native storage. They are unlikely to arrive with microSD card slot.

Read More: Motorola One Vision spotted on Google’s ARCore website, launching soon?

The Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are rumored to borrow the 12-megapixel rear cameras available on the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL smartphones. These phones are expected to feature 3.5mm audio jacks that are unavailable on the Pixel 3 series. The Pixel 3a may house a 3,000mAh battery. There is no information on the battery capacity of the Pixel 3a XL. Some of the other features of the Pixel 3a phones include squeezable for using Active Edge to launch Google Assistant, Titan M security chip and eSIM.

The Pixel 3a and 3a XL are rumored to be arrive in colors like black, white and iris (bluish violet). The Pixel 3a may cost 450 euros whereas the larger Pixel 3a XL will be priced higher.

(via)

Xiaomi crowdfunds a safe thermostatic shower with six water outlet modes

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 31, 2019

Xiaomi has released a new product under the Youpin crowdfunding platform. The product is a safe thermostatic shower with six different water outlet modes. The device also comes with a temperature controller having a 1 °C precision. The product is a German Red Dot award 2018 winner for its innovative design. It is expected to start shipping on May 9 and its crowdfunding price is 799 yuan ($119).

The device dubbed Dabai Safe Thermostatic shower is equipped with VERNET thermostatic valve core imported from France. The valve can accurately and quickly adjust the mixing ratio of hot and cold water regardless of the water volume or sudden changes in the water volume. The whole process maintains a constant temperature of 40C, and so, you won’t need to adjust the cold and hot water knobs manually. You won’t have to be afraid of sudden changes in water temperature. If the device suddenly encounters very hot water, it immediately cuts off the water supply in order to maintain the temperature at 40 degrees.

The shower head is made of 304 stainless steel which won’t rust easily for a long time under humid conditions that are prevalent in the home. It is not easy to rust in a humid environment for a long time. The hose adopts all-round explosion-proof design, and it effectively isolates the temperature difference between cold and heat. The anti-winding design of the connection end is 360° rotation.

(source)

Nokia 8.1 price slashed by Rs. 2,000 in India

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 31, 2019

In December, HMD Global had launched the Nokia 8.1 with a price tag of Rs. 26,999 (~$388). Within few months after its launch, the smartphone is now available with a discount of Rs. 2,000 (~$29) on Flipkart.

With the new price cut, the Nokia 8.1 is now selling with a reduced price of Rs. 24,999 (~$360) on Flipkart. This model comes with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of native storage. The Finnish firm is also selling the 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage edition of the Nokia 8.1 with a price tag of Rs. 29,999 (~$432). The price cut is only available on the 4 GB RAM variant of the smartphone. Axis Bank credit card users can avail the smartphone with an additional discount of 5 percent. Unlike other phones on the retailer site, the 4 GB RAM edition of the Nokia 8.1 is not available through exchange offer.

Nokia 8.1 Specifications and Features

In 2018, HMD global had launched a couple of phones with wider notch display and the Nokia 8.1. The display of the phone supports full HD+ resolution and an aspect ratio of 19:9.

The Snapdragon 710 powers the smartphone. The 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage version of the phone is exclusively available in India. The glass rear of the phone features a 12-megapixel + 13-megapixel dual camera system. For capturing selfies, it possesses a 20-megapixel selfie snapper.

It is an Android One device that runs on the latest Android 9 Pie OS. The 3,500 mAh battery of the phone carries support for fast charging technology.

Would you be interested in buying the Nokia 8.1 after the new price cut? Share us your b posting your comments below.