Redmi Note 7, Note 7 Pro, Redmi Go prices, variants and key specs leaked

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Feb 26, 2019

Xiaomi has already confirmed that it will be launching the Redmi Note 7 smartphone in India on Feb. 28. It is speculated that the company will be announcing multiple devices on the same day. A new leak reveals that the Chinese manufacturer will be launching the Redmi Note 7 Pro, Redmi Go and Mi Sports Bluetooth Headset Youth Edition in India alongside the Redmi Note 7 on Thursday.

Redmi Note 7 Price, Variants and Key Specs

The leak states that Redmi Note 7 will be available in two models in India such as 3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage. These models could be respectively priced at 9,999 and Rs. 11,999. The Redmi Note 7 for India could be different from the same phone that was launched in China in January.

According to the leak, the Redmi Note 7 for India will be powered by Snapdragon 636. It’s the same SoC that powers the Redmi Note 6 Pro and Redmi Note 5 Pro smartphones in the country. Also, it will be equipped with f/2.2 aperture Sony IMX486 12-megapixel main sensor on the rear and a front-facing camera of OV13855 13-megapixel. Through another leak it has been revealed that it will be available in Black, Blue and Red colors in the country.

Redmi Note 7 Pro Price, Variants and Key Specs

It appears that China’s Redmi Note 7 will be releasing in India as Redmi Note 7 Pro since the leak states that the Pro variant will be equipped with Snapdragon 660, Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM1 48-megapixel primary sensor for dual rear cameras and OV13855 13-megapixel frontal camera.

The Redmi Note 7 Pro is expected to debut in two models such as 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage. These variants will be respectively priced at Rs. 13,999 and Rs. 16,999. Through another leak it has been known that the Redmi Note 7 Pro will be hitting India in Black, Gradient Blue and Gradient Red colors.

Redmi Go Price, Variants and Key Specs

Redmi Go Android Go Oreo phone powered by the modest Snapdragon 425 will be also debuting this Thursday in India. Its other key specs include 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of native storage, f/2.0 aperture 8-megapixel rear camera and f/2.2 aperture 5-megapixel front camera. It is expected to be available with a price tag of Rs. 3,499 in India for the first three months.

Read More:Redmi Note 7 Pro teased with Honor V20; Key specs confirmed

Xiaomi is also rumored to sell the Mi Sports Bluetooth Headset Youth Edition in India with a price tag of Rs. 1,499.

It is advisable to digest the report with a grain of salt as there is no concrete evidence to support the above leak.

(source)

Redmi Note 7 Pro press renders and TENAA images ahead of February 28 launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 26, 2019

The Redmi Note 7 Pro is expected to go official in this week in China. The smartphone has surfaced on the database of China’s TENAA authority with minimum specs. Good thing is that the listing also has the images of the phone. Also, reliable tipster Ishan Agarwal has shared the press renders of the smartphone. He has claimed that the Redmi Note 7 Pro will be debuting alongside the Redmi Note 7 handset in India on Feb. 28.

Redmi Note 7 Pro TENAA

The Redmi Note 7 Pro that has a model number of M1901F7BE has appeared with its images on TENAA. The images reveal that the Pro model resembles with the regular Redmi Note 7 from its front and rear sides.

The glass rear of the phone has a gradient finish with a dual camera setup and a fingerprint scanner placed on it. On its frontside is a waterdrop notch enabled display. The 159.2 x 75.2 x 8.1mm dimensions of the Redmi Note 7 Pro is also exactly same as the Redmi Note 7. It is fitted with a 6.3-inch display and its packed with a 4,000mAh battery. The TENAA listing of the Redmi Note 7 Pro is yet to be populated with its full specs.

Recent reports have revealed that the Redmi Note 7 Pro heading to China will have Sony IM586 48-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup, 6 GB of RAM, Snapdragon 675 and 128 GB of storage.

Redmi Note7 and Redmi Note 7 Pro for India

The two renders shown below respectively belong to the Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 7 Pro smartphones that are heading to India. The tipster who has shared the new renders claims that the Redmi Note 7 and its Pro sibling will be made official on Feb. 28.

He has claimed that the Redmi Note 7 will come in models such as 3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage. It will be available in Black, Blue and Red colors. On the other side, the Redmi Note 7 Pro with 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage will be coming to India in colors like Black, Gradient Blue and Gradient Red.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi 9 disassembled: Let’s see how it looks from Inside!

One noticeable difference between the Redmi Note 7 and Note 7 Pro is that former has AI Camera text mentioned near the rear cameras wile the same words are not available on the Pro model. It is speculated that China’s Redmi Note 7 with Samsung GM1 48-megapixel sensor may end up as Redmi Note 7 Pro for India. Also, the Redmi Note 7 for India could be packed with weaker camera specs.

Buy Teclast F7 Plus And Teclast F15 Laptops At Heavily Discounted Prices On GeekBuying [Coupons]

By

Vinay Patel

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Feb 26, 2019

Teclast has teamed up with GeekBuying to launch a new promo, wherein the Chinese digital brand is offering its well-received laptops and tablets at lowered prices.

Dubbed as ‘Teclast F7 Plus,’ the recently kicked-off promo features two sections including Teclast F7 Plus and More Tablets.

We’ll take a gander at the discounts currently available on the Teclast F7 Plus Laptop and Teclast F15 Laptop. Aside from that, we’ll show how you can save more money at checkout using coupons.

Teclast F7 Plus Laptop

If you are in the market for a cost-effective laptop that’s slim, lightweight and doesn’t compromise on quality, the F7 Plus might just fill the bill.

Capable of delivering a powerful performance, F7 Plus is a great choice for your daily use. It features a 14.0-inch IPS display with 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution.
It is powered by an Intel Gemini Lake N4100 Quad Core 1.1GHz, up to 2.4GHz processor and it packs a competent Intel UHD Graphics 600 GPU for uninterrupted casual gaming and photo editing experience.

The 8GB RAM, 128GB ROM variant of the F7 Plus laptop would normally set you back $434.99, but you can now buy it for just $339.99.

Moreover, you can extend this 22 percent discount by applying coupon code GIZ_YFXHALMW.

The aforesaid coupon helps you get an extra $40 off. In other words, you can bring the already reduced retail price of the F7 Plus laptop further down to just $329.99 by using the above-mentioned coupon at checkout.

You can follow this link in order to grab this discount and use the coupon before it expires. Note that the promo is slated to end in just two days.

Get 22% Off On Teclast F7 Plus Laptop

Teclast F15 Laptop

Marketed as a ‘Thinner And Bigger’ laptop from Teclast, the F15 adopts Intel Speed Shift technology, allowing the system to acquire Core frequency in short order.

It sports a 15.6 inch IPS screen with 1920×1080 pixels resolution. The device runs Microsoft Windows 10 OS and is backed by a 41800mWh battery.

Under the hood, the F15 laptop packs a powerful Intel Celeron N4100, Quad Core processor along with an Intel UHD Graphics 600 GPU for stable performance.
The F15 ships with 8GB of RAM and offers a hearty 256GB of internal storage capacity for you to save your favorite videos, photos, and other multimedia content.

While a top-branded laptop offering comparable features would normally set you back a pretty penny, the Teclast F15 can now be yours for a dropped price of just $399.99 on GeekBuying.

This is a noteworthy 23 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price of $518.99. But there’s more for you to cheer about.

Aside from taking advantage of the aforesaid discount, you can use coupon code GIZ_SABVTEFB and save $24 more at checkout.

The coupon helps you to reduce the retail price of the F15 laptop to only $395.99 before you place your order. On the downside, this promo will come to an end in just two days.

You can visit this link to avail the discount. It is worth noting that the coupon is likely to expire soon.

Get 23% Off On Teclast F15 Laptop Laptop

Check Out Teclast F7 Plus Promo On GeekBuying

Get Great Discounts On Top-End Tech Products On AliExpress

By

Vinay Patel

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Feb 26, 2019

Tech buffs, rejoice! If you’ve restlessly been waiting for tech products prices to fall, we got good news for you.

AliExpress has launched a flash sale on a wide selection of tech products. The Alibaba-owned online retail service is also offering faster shipping as part of its latest promo.

In order to simplify and expedite the search process, the recently kicked-off promotion has been split into multiple categories including You may like, Consumer Electronics, Phone, Tablets & Accessories etc.

More importantly, each category is brimming with tech products that usually cost a bomb, but are currently available at lowered prices.

The ‘You may like’ category miscellaneous electronic items like smartphones, microSD cards, wireless gaming mouse, and smartwatch.

Each item included in the aforesaid section carries heavily discounted prices.

For example, you can avail a noteworthy 23 percent discount on the Vkworld S8 smartphone that usually retails for $189.99.
As a result, you can now buy the black and blue color versions of the feature-laden smartphone at a considerably reduced price of just $146.29 on the promotion page.

Likewise, the Consumer Electronics category features a myriad of products that would normally set you back a pretty penny, but are currently available at unbeatable prices.

The above-mention category comprises wireless gamepad for Android phone/PC/PS3/TV Box Joystick 2.4, LOKMAT smartwatch, Langsdom F8 Wireless Earphone Sports TWS True Wireless Earbuds and lots more.

Smartphone lovers that have been waiting with bated breath to get their tech greedy hands on top-branded smartphones without spending a lot of money, can head straight to the ‘Phones, Tablets & Accessories’ category.

Under this section, you can purchase top-branded mobile devices and various accessories without breaking the bank.

The ‘Computer & Office’ category, on the other hand, is rife with various computer accessories such as graphics cards, flash drives for smartphone/tablet/ PC, and wireless keyboards just to name a few.

Each product has been associated with specific discounts so that you can purchase them at lowered prices.

Similarly, the rest of the tech products included in the Security & Protection and Automobiles sections also carry significant discounts that you can avail for a limited period of time.

You can visit the promotion page by clicking here and take full advantage of the discounts before the promotion comes to an end.

Check Out The ‘Flash Sale On Tech+Faster Shipping’ Promo

Here’s what Apple’s foldable iPhone, dubbed iPhone X Fold unofficially, could look like

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 25, 2019

Foldable smartphones seem to be the trend that would dominate this year in the mobile phone industry. The innovative design style has for long been a hot topic in the rumour mills, with several patent filings spotted online. Last year, a relatively unknown Chinese phone maker Royole showcased the Flexpai which is the first practical foldable phone to be unveiled. The phone is still some distance from going commercial but since then, several other OEMs have revealed their own designs such as Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO. Last week, Samsung unveiled its own foldable phone dubbed Galaxy Fold and over the weekend, Huawei did the same thing with the Mate X. Lenovo may soon join the train.

As with all trend in the industry, other OEMs are expected to join the bandwagon especially when that design turns out to be popular. We saw that with the notch screen design which became a hot trending design after Apple released the iPhone X. This time around, Apple isn’t pioneering the foldable phone design but we expect the US company to catch up with the trend soon.

In case you are trying to picture what a foldable iPhone will look like, the guys at tech website, Foldable New have published a concept render of the iPhone X foldable phone. The concept design is actually the brainchild of Dutch industrial designer Roy Gilsing who created the design at the request of Foldable News. The phone was named iPhone X Fold employing Samsung’s naming pattern, ala Galaxy Fold. Just like the Galaxy Fold, the iPhone X Fold comes with two screens, an outer display with 1:3 aspect ratio and a wider display with a 2:3 aspect ratio. When it is folded, we must admit the concept looks nothing like an iPhone but like the regular Android phone. But when it is unfolded, you get a tablet which looks like an iPad. The device can also be folded partially to turn it into a mini-notebook with a touchscreen keyboard.

It is doubtful if Apple will release a foldable phone with this sort of design. We still don’t know how Apple’s foldable iPhone will look like. Apple already has several foldable phone design patents in its kitty so it is a question of when rather than if the Cupertino-based company will release a foldable phone.

(source)

Qualcomm announces its next-gen 5G modem-integrated processor!

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 25, 2019

The 5G race is just gathering pace gradually but US chipmaker Qualcomm isn’t planning to let off some steam in its bid to outpace its competitors. The fabless chip manufacturer is already unveiling its third chipset for 5G technology which will deliver ultra-fast network. Just like Qualcomm, Samsung is also striving to retain its position as the world’s number one phone maker. And one way it plans to retain its position is through innovation and adoption of the latest technology. Thus, it is no surprise that Samsung is gearing to use the chipset in future Galaxy S devices.

Qualcomm has got other 5G processors but this is the first chipset that integrates its 5G modem technology with the Snapdragon applications processor that powers all the processes on smartphones. The Snapdragon X50 5G chip integrated with the latest Snapdragon855 processor and the recently unveiled Snapdragon X55 modem are standalone modems that worked alongside the main computing processor. The new 5G chip operates in a different way. In a press release, Qualcomm’s president Cristiano Amon, “The integration of our breakthrough 5G multimode modem and application processing technologies into a single SoC is a major step in making 5G more widely available across regions and tiers.”

Apart from Huawei devices, all 5G phones that are expected to be released this year will likely run on Qualcomm’s SoC. This makes this integrated 5G processor a major breakthrough for the company. Rivals like Intel which supplies Apple modems and MediaTek are not expected to have 5G chips in phones until next year. So, there’s ample time for Qualcomm to advance its technology before rolling out this improved chipset next year. The integration of the 5G modem with the application processor helps reduce power consumption and the amount of space the chips take up in a device, letting phones be even sleeker than before or pack in even larger batteries.

Qualcomm’s president disclosed that Samsung will be the first company to work with Qualcomm on its integrated 5G chip. This position was reportedly corroborated by June Hee Lee, the head of Samsung’s technology strategy team.

(via)

Samsung Galaxy Fold vs Huawei Mate X: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Feb 25, 2019

There are no more doubts about the fact that 5G and foldable phones are the most important innovations of 2019 regarding the mobile sector. On February 20, Samsung officially unveiled its first foldable phone, the Galaxy Fold, and just 4 days after, at MWC 2019, Huawei unveiled its Huawei Mate X, another revolutionary device with a foldable screen. They will be the first 5G foldable devices to hit the global market, and they will not be for everyone because of their very high prices. But which company created the best foldable phone out there and which one should you eventually choose? This comparison will help you find out.

Samsung Galaxy Fold vs Huawei Mate X

	Samsung Galaxy Fold	Huawei Mate X
THICKNESS	Max 17 mm	11 mm when folded, 5.4 mm thinnest part when unfolded
DISPLAY	Main display: 7.3 inches, 1536 x 2152p (Full HD+), 414 ppi, 16:10 ratio, Dynamic AMOLED External display: 4.6 inches HD+, 21:9 ratio, Super AMOLED	8 inches, 2480 x 2200p (Quad HD+), AMOLED When folded two displays: 6.6 inches, 19:5 ratio + 6.38 inches, 25:9 ratio
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.8 GHz	Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 980, octa-core 2.6 GHz
MEMORY	12 GB RAM, 512 GB	8 GB RAM, 512 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 9 Pie	Android 9 Pie
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
CAMERA	Triple 12 + 12 MP + 16 MP f/1.5-2.4 and f/2.4 and f/2.2 Dual 10 + 8 MP f/2.2 + f/1.9 front camera	Leica triple camera with main sensor + telephoto + ultrawide lens, also usable as a front camera
BATTERY	4380 mAh Fast charging 18W	4500 mAh, Fast Charging 55W with Huawei SuperCharge
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Foldable display, secondary external display, 5G	Foldable display, 5G support

Design

Despite being both foldable phones, these devices opt for very different solutions for their foldable displays, and that affects their build quality and resistance. While Samsung Galaxy Fold has its foldable display internally and it sports a smaller secondary display on the external side, Huawei Mate X comes with just one panel placed externally, which divides into two different displays (one on the front and one on the back, similarly to Vivo NEX Dual Display) when folded. This second approach makes Huawei Mate X potentially more fragile, especially on the hinge, while the foldable display of the Galaxy Fold is always protected when folded. On the other hand, Huawei Mate X seems to come with a thinner body, even though less compact due to the bigger screen. Which form factor do you prefer?

Display

Judging from the specs on the paper, Samsung Galaxy Fold should offer a foldable display with a higher viewing quality. It has the Dynamic AMOLED technology that should deliver a more accurate color reproduction. Further, it has a useful external display that is small (just 4.6 inches) and has the HD+ resolution: it should allow saving a lot of energy. On the other hand, Huawei Mate X comes with bigger displays both when folded and unfolded, and it may be better for productivity and advanced users.

Specs & Software

If we look at performances, then Samsung Galaxy Fold offers something more. Indeed, it boasts a more powerful Snapdragon 855 chipset paired with 12 GB of RAM, while Huawei Mate X has the Kirin 980 SoC with just 8 GB of RAM. Samsung Galaxy Fold should be faster and much better at multi-tasking. On the other hand, Huawei Mate X has a better 5G connectivity. Indeed, its Balong 5000 modem reaches speeds up to 4.6 Gbps, while the Snapdragon X50 found on phones equipped with Snapdragon 855 reaches up to 2.3 Gbps.

Camera

Unfortunately, we still do not know the complete camera specifications of the Huawei Mate X, neither we had the chance to test how good it clicks photos. So, at the moment, we cannot make a camera comparison between these devices. We can only tell you that Samsung Galaxy Fold has the same triple camera setup as the Galaxy S10+, that is amazing, and Huawei Mate X has a Leica triple camera. If the triple camera found on the Mate X will be the same as the Mate 20 Pro, it will be a very hard fight and it will not be easy to pick a winner.

Read More: Huawei Mate X: Worlds’s fastest, thinnest, and most expensive 5G foldable phone

Battery

Huawei Mate X has a slightly bigger battery (4500 mAh vs 4380 mAh), but this does not necessarily mean that it will last more than Samsung Galaxy Fold on a single charge. Note that usually, Samsung optimizes its batteries very well, so nothing can be said until we test both the phones. However, we can tell you that if you only use the external display of the Galaxy Fold, you should be able to achieve a longer battery life due to its low consumptions, thanks to its smaller size and low resolution. Huawei Mate X can charge a lot faster thanks to its 55W fast charging technology.

Price

Samsung Galaxy Fold will hit the shelves on April 26 with a price tag of $1980 that will translate into €2000 in the European market. Huawei Mate X will be available starting from mid-2019 and it will cost around $2600, €2299 in the European market. We still do not have all the info about the specifications of these phones and we had no chance to try them, so we can not establish a winner of this comparison right now. If you prefer a bigger and more comfortable display, as well as the fastest connectivity, then you should go for the Huawei Mate X, while if you prefer a potentially more resistant device with higher performances, then Samsung Galaxy Fold may be a slightly better choice.

Samsung Galaxy Fold vs Huawei Mate X: PRO and CONS

Huawei Mate X

PRO

Bigger displays
Faster 5G connectivity
Bigger battery
Faster charging technology

CONS

Potentially more fragile

Samsung Galaxy Fold

PRO

Two different panels
More affordable price
Potentially better display
Better performance

CONS

Smaller display

Check out Huawei Mate X foldable phone in hands on pictures

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Feb 25, 2019

Despite the repeated anti-Huawei campaign by the U.S government, the company has continued to prove that its growth is hinged on innovation. The was made explicit with the launch of the Mate X foldable phone yesterday. The Huawei Mate X comes with a spectacular design which embodies what we think a foldable device should look like. Unlike the Galaxy Fold, the Mate X folds up to 180 degrees apart without any visible gap.

On the design aspect, the Mate X is said to utilise a design which Huawei calls Falcon Wing with up to 1000 components inside that ensures a seamless performance. It has a thickness of 5.4 mm in the unfolded state which is thinner than the Apple iPad Pro 2018. When it is folded, it still is thin with a thickness of just 11 mm. The device weighs 295 grams.

In order to keep the design thin, the phone doesn’t have the 3.5mm audio jack but it has a USB Type-C port. The phone also packs a side-mounted fingerprint scanner that doubles as the power button. At the side also, is a triple camera setup with the Leica badge.

A quick reminder of the specs. The Mate X has a large 8-inch screen with a resolution of 2480 x 2200 pixels and an 8:7.1 aspect ratio when unfolded with pretty thin bezels and no notch or “cliff” like the Samsung Galaxy Fold. When folded, It becomes a dual display phone – one side is a 6.6-inch (2480 x 1148) 19.5:9 display while the other is a 6.38-inch (2480 x 892) 25:9 display. The device is powered by the Hisilicon Kirin 980 chipset with Balong 5000 modem to power the 5G. The chipset is paired with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It dual nano SIM slots but only one of them supports 5G.

The main camera is a 40MP wide-angle lens, the second one is a 16MP ultra-wide angle lens, and the third lens is an 8MP telephoto lens. The device packs a 4500mA battery capacity and one interesting thing is the 55W SuperCharge fast charging technology it packs. On the software angle, the Huawei Mate X runs EMUI 9.1.1 based on Android 9 Pie.

(source)

ZTE Blade V10 launches with a 32MP selfie camera

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 25, 2019

The Axon 10 Pro might be the star of today’s announcement but ZTE also announced a mid-range phone – the Blade V10. The Blade V10 also rocks a pretty large display with a waterdrop notch.

The Blade V10 has a 6.3-inch FHD+ display with a waterdrop notch at the top that houses a 32MP camera. Yes, you get a 32MP sensor for selfies just like on Vivo’s V15 Pro. There is a bit of bezel at the bottom of the display.

The phone is powered by the Helio P70 processor clocked at 2.1GHz. There will be two variants – 3GB RAM + 32GB and 4GB RAM + 64GB. On the back of the ZTE Blade V10 are a 16MP + 5MP dual camera setup and a fingerprint scanner.

The phone packs a 3,100mAh battery and has a USB type-c port for connectivity. It also runs Android 9 Pie.

Continue

ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G powered by Snapdragon 855 SoC revealed at MWC 2019

By

Jeet

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Feb 25, 2019

As expected, ZTE has today launched its flagship smartphone — ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G — which is also the company’s first smartphone to support 5G connectivity. The phone was announced at the Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona, along with the ZTE Blade V10.

Ths ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G features an edge-to-edge display with a waterdrop notch on the top that houses the front-facing snapper. Under the hood, the smartphone will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 octa-core chipset which is manufactured using the 7nm process. It will be coupled with Snapdragon X50 modem to enable the 5G connectivity on the device.

According to the company, the device will have peak download speeds of up to 2Gbps. The upcoming 5G rollout should offer compatible smartphones a speedier connection and more consistent connection than 4G LTE.

In the camera department, the handset will come with triple rear camera sensors along with a number of AI-powered features, including scene recognition. On the flip side, there will be a 20-megapixel front-facing snapper for taking selfies and video calling. Like most other flagship devices, this one too comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor.

However, the company has not revealed more details related to the smartphone. Thus, there’s no information available about Axon 10 Pro 5G’s screen size, RAM, internal storage and connectivity options. We’ll have to wait for at least a few more weeks to know more about the ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G.

With the announcement of Axon 10 Pro 5G smartphone, ZTE now joins the list of other 5G smartphones, which includes LG V50 ThinQ, Huawei Mate X, Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, and Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 5G, among others.

Watch how the Mate X unfolds into an 8-inch tablet during King of Glory gameplay!

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 25, 2019

Huawei yesterday unveiled the Mate X foldable phone which happens to be the best foldable device that we have seen so far. The phone also happens to be the first 5G phone by Huawei and the first foldable 5G phone. Huawei has shared a video of the Mate X in use with Tencent’s King of Glory running on the screen.

The demo video shows the phone in action while folded and after a while, it was unfolded. Worthy of note is the full-view display the device affords users even when folded. It is also interesting to note the smooth transformation from the folded screen to the unfolded view which almost doubles the viewable screen. Also, there wasn’t any noticeable lag in the game when the screen is unfolded. The character and scenes are also correspondingly larger.

The folded screen is 6.6 inches with a resolution of 2480×1148 pixels, and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. This is no different from the normal smartphone but when it is unfolded, you get 8 inches of screen size and a resolution of 2480×2200 as well as a screen ratio of 8:7.1, which is close to square shape. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait till the middle of 2019 to be able to buy the phone.

(source)

Samsung Galaxy A30 and Galaxy A50 launch with Infinity-U displays

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 25, 2019

Samsung has announced the first set of its 2019 A-series line-up today. The Galaxy A30 and Galaxy A50 bring interesting features to the mid-range category.

Galaxy A50

The Galaxy A50 has a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED 1080 x 2340 display. Samsung didn’t say if there is any protection in front but the rear is covered in 3D Glasstic. We believe this is glass covered with plastic for extra strength. The A50 has support for on-screen fingerprint unlocking.

The A50 is powered by an octa-core processor with 4 cores clocked at 2.3GHz and the other 4 cores clocked at 1.7GHz. This is the Exynos 9610 and it is paired with 4GB/6GB of RAM. Depending on the variant you pick, you get 64GB or 128GB of expandable storage (512GB max.).

The A50 prides itself as a camera-centric phone. It has a 25MP selfie camera with an F/2.0 aperture which has Selfie Focus to blur your portrait selfies. The rear has a triple camera setup – a 25MP f/1.7 camera paired with a 5MP f/2.2 depth sensor and an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide sensor. There are AI features including Scene Optimizer and Flaw Detection. It also has Bixby Vision – Samsung’s version of Google Lens.

The Galaxy A50 has a 4,000mAh battery with support for fast charging. It is available in Black, White, Blue, and Coral.

Galaxy A30

The Galaxy A30 has the same Infinity-U 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display. The resolution remains unchanged. 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 Galaxy A30 has the same 4,000mAh battery and also supports fast charging.

Continue

OnePlus 5G Smartphone showcased at MWC ’19 with Cloud Gaming demo

By

Joel Joseph

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Feb 25, 2019

OnePlus may not have a major announcement at MWC 2019, but it isn’t simply going to sit around while other smartphones companies have all the fun. So, the company did show us something at the event — OnePlus’ first 5G smartphone showcased at the Qualcomm booth. Unfortunately, the phone was enclosed in a protective glass box, and its design was hidden as well. Basically, all we can take from this booth is that a 5G OnePlus smartphone exists.

The company did allow attendees to play Ace Combat 7 on the phone (via Xbox Wireless controller). So, you couldn’t actually take out the phone for the gameplay. However, what’s interesting is that the phone didn’t have the complete game installed. Instead, players were streaming the game from the cloud via 5G. The phone was also displaying a live stream of shoutouts from fans. You can send your personal message from their ‘Hello to 5G’ page here.

We also know that this prototype OnePlus 5G phone has Snapdragon 855 inside with Qualcomm’s X50 5G modem. Previously, OnePlus CEO had also mentioned that there would be a 4G LTE version of the model for the US markets. He also confirmed that the 5G phone won’t initially launch in the US. The first release would be in Europe and the UK with Elisa and EE as telecom partners.

What’s interesting is that OnePlus reportedly has a closed-door ‘Reimagine the Future’ event at MWC 2019 on February 26. Invitees could get a glimpse of this 5G phone, most likely to be called as the OnePlus 7 at launch. Nothing’s concrete about the event, but, we could get more details soon.

Alcatel launches three budgets smartphones at MWC — Alcatel 3, 3L, and 1S

By

Jeet

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Feb 25, 2019

At its event at Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona, Spain, TCL-owned Alcatel has announced a slew of smartphones — Alcatel 3, Alcatel 3L, and Alcatel 1S. All three smartphones will be available for purchase from Q2 2019.

Alcatel 3 comes with a 5.9-inch HD+ display offering 1560 x 720 pixels screen resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 439 octa-core processor, coupled with 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of internal storage.

For photography, the device comes with a dual camera setup, offering a 13-megapixel primary sensor and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor. On the front side, it is equipped with an 8-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling.

The camera offers features like portrait-like shots, post-shot refocus, AI Imaging Scene Detection, Google Lens, among others. It also comes with Alcatel’s Face Key provides security and instant access with a scan of your face. There’s also a fingerprint sensor on the back that gives an extra layer of protection and launches customizable apps with a tap.

Connectivity options include Dual SIM, 4G, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, FM Radio, NFC, and micro-USB port. The phone runs Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box and is powered by a 3500mAh battery.

As for the pricing, the Alcatel 3 is priced at €159 EUR for the 3GB RAM model while the 4GB RAM model costs €189 EUR. It will be available in Gradient Black Blue and Gradient Blue Purple colors.

Another smartphone announced by the company is Alcatel 3L which features the same 5.9-inch HD+ display offering 1560 x 720 pixels screen resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 429 processor along with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.

Apart from the change is processor and memory configuration, everything else in the Alcatel 3L remains the same as the Alcatel 3, including camera, software, and battery. It is priced at €139 EUR and will come in Anthracite black and Metallic blue colors from Q2 2019.

The Alcatel 1S boasts a 5.5-inch HD+ FullView display with 1440 x 720 pixels screen resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the device is powered by Spreadtrum SC9863 octa-core processor coupled with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage and support for expandable storage.

In the camera department, it comes with dual camera setup — 13MP primary sensor and a 2MP secondary sensor with real-time bokeh and AI Scene Detection support. It has a 5MP front-facing snapper and also supports Face Unlock feature.

The phone comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and runs Android 9 Pie operating system out-of-the-box. It features the usual set of connectivity options with a micro-USB port and is fuelled by a 3060mAh battery.

The Alcatel 1S has a starting price of €109 and will be available for purchase from Q2 2019 in four color options — Black, Blue, Rose, and Gold brushed metal finish.

HTC 5G Hub launches to provide 5G support on 20 devices at once

By

Simranpal Singh

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Feb 25, 2019

Irrespective of going through a bad phase in the mobile device market, the Taiwanese manufacturer is actively working on 5G devices. Recently at MWC 2019, HTC has launched a new 5G Hub tablet device which will act as a 5G modem. The new 5G technology is in its initial stages of deployment, and even compatible devices have just started appearing in the market. The HTC 5G hub is the latest to join the 5G compatible devices list.

HTC 5G Hub Specs

The HTC 5G Hub is a tablet device which carries a 5-inch display and runs on Android. It can act as a router to give blazing fast 5G speeds to connected devices. The device itself is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset coupled with X50 modem. Its modem is capable of offering download speeds of 2.3 Gbps. The Hub runs on Android 9 Pie and UI is specially designed to act as a hub. As of now, it’s unclear that it has Play Store access or not. It comes with 4GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage. There’s an ethernet port also to connect any device via it.

Further, it will allow devices to download movies, watch 4K videos and play online games concurrently. To keep running for longer times, the HTC 5G Hub carries a 7660 battery. It can efficiently work continuously for a day if you’re using it at optimum levels with two-three devices connected. Although, it’s unclear on how much battery backup time it can give, as there’s no real-world 5G network available to test it.

Moreover, the device can act as a charger for your phone too. There are multiple claims regarding the device from the company side. First, it will provide 5G connectivity across 4G compatible devices. Secondly, the company claims that it is “at the forefront of cloud-based virtual reality (VR) technology, because “users will be able to stream VR content from the cloud to a VIVE Focus headset via the HTC 5G Hub.”

Read More: LG V50 ThinQ 5G phone with Snapdragon 855 and five cameras is official

Currently, it will be available exclusively from Sprint stores in the United States. Further, HTC has plans to sell it in European nations such as Germany, Switzerland, Finland and others. The telecom providers such as Telstra Three UK, Deutsche Telekom, Sunrise and Elise would be partnering with HTC to launch it in respective markets.

It will be made available by Q2 2019.

(Source)

Sony Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus bring CinemaWide displays and dual cameras to MWC 2019

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 25, 2019

Sony has announced two new mid-range smartphones at MWC 2019. They are the Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus and they come with Sony’s new 21:9 aspect ratio display called CinemaWide.

Design

Both phones share the same design although the Xperia 10 Plus is bigger. Sony has shaved off the bezels on all the sides save for the forehead.

The side-mounted fingerprint scanner which a number of manufacturers have now adopted is available on both phones. Dual cameras sit on the rear in a black housing and in the middle of the device.

Xperia 10 Specs

The Xperia 10 has a 6.0-inch FHD+ display. It is powered by the Snapdragon 630 paired with 3GB of RAM. There is 64GB of onboard storage and you can add up to an additional 512GB via a MicroSD card slot.

The selfie camera is an 8MP f/2.0 sensor with support for screen flash. The rear cameras include a 13MP wide-angle sensor and a 5MP f/2.4 sensor. The phone can record in 4K, supports 5X digital zoom, 120fps slow-motion recording, portrait mode, and 21:9 video recording.

There is a 2,870mAh battery under the hood with support for fast charging. It also has NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, and Hi-Res audio. It runs Android 9 pie out of the box.

Xperia 10 Plus Specs

The Xperia 10 Plus has a larger 6.5-inch FHD+ screen with Gorilla Glass 5. It swaps the Snapdragon 630 for the Snapdragon 636 which is paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage.

Its rear cameras include a 12MP f/1.75 wide-angle sensor and an 8MP f/2.4 sensor. It has the same camera features of the Xperia 10 and adds 2x optical zoom. The front-facing camera is the same 8MP sensor.

Its battery is a bit bigger at 3,000mAh with support for USB Power Delivery. Connectivity features are the same. It will be available in single SIM and dual SIM variants and also runs Android 9 Pie out of the box.

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Qualcomm Quick Charge to embrace wireless chargers now

By

Simranpal Singh

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Feb 25, 2019

Qualcomm has introduced Quick Charge on almost every supported mobile devices. They are providing high speed charging solutions for smartphones from the past few years. Qualcomm Quick Charge has been evolved a lot in the past some years. The latest iteration aka Quick Charge 4 can charge 50% device in just 15 minutes. Now, Qualcomm is set to embrace the wireless chargers with Quick Charge technology.

At an event here at MWC 2019, Qualcomm made some announcements related to 5G, AR, VR, IoT, and Mobile. Among them, Qualcomm mentioned about the wireless Quick Charge technology, which will allow compliant wireless chargers and devices to get benefits of Quick Charge wireless technology. The new technology will eventually debut the era of fast and seamless wireless chargers. Even, the manufacturers are inevitably going to benefit from it as most of the smartphones come with Qualcomm Quick Charge support.

Already, Quick Charge 4 supports 18W charge and Qualcomm 4+ 27 W. Now, the upcoming version is promising 32W rapid fast charging support. It will benefit almost every manufacturer who is looking for ways to improve wireless charging across their devices. Qualcomm’s announcement of upcoming fast wireless charging would have provided a sign of relief to manufacturers.

Already devices like, Google Pixel 3, Huawei Mate 20, Razer Phone 2 supports fast wireless charging of 10W-15W. Even though, Xiaomi’s new Mi 9 has just launched with the support for 20W non-Qi wireless charging.

Speaking at the event, Qualcomm said that that they want the manufacturers to support Quick Charge following Qi compatibility. The chipset maker is expanding compliance program to ensure that Quick Charge supported products meet Qualcomm’s standards along with Qi Wireless charging also.

Read More: Xiaomi phones dominate list of phones with Quick Charge 4+ support

As of now, Qualcomm didn’t provide detail about the charging speeds or any technical numbers to guess the level of wireless Quick charge technology. Although, featuring both the Qualcomm Quick Charge and Qi wireless charging standards, Xaomi has announced wireless charging pad couple of days ago. These pads will be sold with the Xiaomi Mi 9.

(Via)

Sony starts Fresh with its Xperia 1 Flagship with 21:9 Cinematic 4K OLED Display & Triple Cameras

By

Joel Joseph

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Feb 25, 2019

Sony was once known for its innovative Xperia flagships. However, over the past few years, the company’s charm has waned, all thanks to its safe design and standard specifications. But this year, at MWC, the company is looking forward to getting back our attention, with the brand new Xperia 1. Yes, as the name suggests, this is a brand new flagship series from the company, backed by a really tall design. Ideally, it should be the successor of the Xperia XZ3, but considering the name, it looks like the company wants to start afresh.

So what’s so fresh about the Xperia 1?

First, it is the world’s first 4K OLED HDR smartphone. Sony isn’t new to 4K displays. Their XZ Premium series have had 4K displays, but they were all LCD. This one’s a 4K OLED HDR display. Plus, the display isn’t the usual 16:9 or 18:9 or even 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The company has decided to take things to the next level by using an extremely tall 21:9 cinematic aspect ratio. This would make the Xperia 1 quite unique in its design. It would be significantly taller and thinner than existing smartphones in the market. The display supports 10-bit colors and professional ITU-R BT.2020 color space.

RELATED: Xiaomi Mi 9 Transparent Edition in Pictures! Check them out!

Despite its taller than usual stance, there are some practical advantages of such a design. First of all, you can see more content on the screen while reading or browsing. This would amount to less scrolling. Further, you can multitask with ease and even pin apps on top as you’ll still have plenty of real estate down at the bottom. And of course, given the 21:9 aspect ratio, movies will be a treat to watch, provided you get them in the same format.

But such a tall screen will also have a few disadvantages. For example, if you have small hands, it would be extremely hard to navigate with just one hand. Sony does have a one hand mode for your rescue but considering its size, you might end up using this feature all the time. Another thing, it would be really hard to fit your phone in your pocket. A 6.5-inch display isn’t huge by today’s standards, but Xperia 1 is not just tall because of its 21:9 aspect ratio. It has a significant bezel (notch haters may rejoice) on the top that adds to its size. So, it’s not going to be your everyday smartphone that fits snugly in your jeans pocket.

Coming to the specs, you get the new Snapdragon 855 processor with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. You have a side mounted fingerprint (so no in-display sensor like recent flagships), 3300mAh battery and a water-resistant body. Yes, the battery isn’t very large, especially considering the 4K OLED screen on board. So, battery life is one area where the phone might take a hit, but let’s wait for some real world tests.

The camera setup is set to match today’s flagship standard – three 12MP lenses featuring one 26mm wide angle setup (OIS), one 52mm telephoto setup (OIS), along with one 16mm superwide lens. Low light photography should be stellar, thanks to its 1.4μm dual photodiode image sensor, f/1.6 aperture, and RAW noise reduction. The Xperia 1 is also the first smartphone to feature Eye Autofocus, a feature borrowed from the company’s Alpha mirrorless camera series. It also supports 10fps continuous burst shooting.

RELATED: LG V50 with Penta Camera Setup and SD855 Official!

While 21:9 content might not be easily available right now, Sony says that it’s working with makers of games like Fortnite and Asphalt Racing to support its tall display size. However, standard video content from other platforms like YouTube would still have black bars on the sides.

Sony has given a late Spring release for the Xperia 1 flagship in Black, Purple, Gray, and White colors. No word on its pricing yet but considering Sony’s history and policy, don’t expect it to come cheap.

Alongside the Xperia 1, two other models were also announced at MWC 2019 with 21:9 display — the Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus, both featuring LCD displays.

Vivo iQOO smartphone lands on TENAA as Vivo V1824A/BA, bares all specs

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Feb 25, 2019

Vivo has a new sub-brand called iQOO and it will launch its first phone on March 1. Ahead of the release, the device has appeared on TENAA’s database after getting certified.

The phone appears on TENAA as the Vivo V1824A and V1824BA. It has a 6.41-inch AMOLED display with a 1080 x 2340 resolution. It is powered by a 2.84GHz processor – the Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform.

The iQOO phone has 6GB/8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. There is also a 12GB RAM version with 256GB of storage. It doesn’t have support for storage expansion. It has a triple rear camera setup – 13MP + 12MP + 2MP. There is a 12MP camera in front for selfies.

Vivo will ship the phone with Android 9 Pie. It will also have an in-display fingerprint scanner for authentication. The iQOO phone has a 3,920mAh battery with support for fast charging. According to previous reports, it will support 44W fast charging.

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Microsoft announces HoloLens 2, more improvements but still really expensive

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Feb 25, 2019

The HoloLens is Microsoft‘s own Mixed Reality (MR) headset and yesterday, it got a successor. The HoloLens 2 brings a number of new features including design changes but it still maintains its target market – industry professionals, and not the average consumers.

The HoloLens 2 comes nearly three years after its predecessor. It has a wider field of view – more than double according to Microsoft, but you still get 47 pixels per degree of sight. It has a ToF depth sensor that tracks your hands’ motions. It does this with the help of algorithms. Microsoft says the change from the HoloLens to the HoloLens 2 is like switching from a 720p TV to a 2K TV for each eye.

The HoloLens 2 has tiny cameras that scan your retinas for Windows Hello authentication. They also adjust the image based on the interpupillary distance between your eyes. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 850 Compute Platform for better battery life.

The headset is also more comfortable now. The main components have been moved to the back for better balance and there is a dial for adjusting the tightness. It also works better with glasses and the visor can be lifted up, so you don’t have to take it off just to quickly talk to someone or take a short break.

Microsoft is selling the HoloLens for $3500 and its target market is professionals that don’t sit at a desk to use a PC such as construction engineers and doctors. Companies will be able to customize the HoloLens 2 before purchase. Microsoft showed off a version for Trimble, a company that is involved in several areas including construction. This version of the HoloLens 2 was built into a safety helmet for use outdoors.

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