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Xiaomi updates Pocophone F1 with night mode and 960fps support

A long-awaited update is finally rolling out on the Xiaomi Pocophone F1. After getting TWRP support, the affordable flagship from the first Xiaomi’s sub-brand is receiving a new MIUI 10 stable update which brings the number of version to v10.2.2.0. This update was long-awaited because it brings two important improvements to the camera. The first is the support to 960 fps super slow motion video recording which joins the 120 and 240 fps modes that were already available, while the second is a new night mode.

While the first feature will improve slow motion videos, the second will reduce the amount of digital noise in the dark and it will also improve the exposition by stitching 8 photos with different exposure levels. It is a completely new feature that was never tested on the Xiaomi Pocophone F1, so it will be interesting to discover how well it works.

The update includes the security patch for the month of December, not the last one but still a great thing for an affordable device. Previously, Xiaomi also hinted that the phone would get the support to 4K video recording at 60 fps, but the mode did not arrive with this update, so users will be forced to wait for the next one that should start rolling out in February. The update weighs 311 MB and it is rolling out via OTA, did you get it on your Xiaomi Pocophone F1?

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Redmi Note 7 6+128GB version emerge as fans favorite, may debut soon for 1599 yuan (~$235)

This afternoon, Xiaomi‘s founder and CEO, Lei Jun started a survey aimed at determining the memory configuration of the Redmi Note 7 that fans would want to be launched. The survey was carried out on Weibo and as at the time of reporting, over 20,000 persons have responded to the survey. The survey aims to find out which of the memory configurations fans would go for among five options of 3GB+32GB storage, 4GB+ 64 GB storage, 6GB + 64GB storage, 4GB+128GB and 6GB+128GB.redmi note 7

The Redmi Note 7 was launched and made available in three memory configuration of 3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage, 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage. However, the survey had the 4GB+128GB and 6GB+128GB options as a new addition. A recent TENAA certification shows the company may be planning to release the 4GB+128GB variant of the Redmi Note 7 soon. However, the 6GB + 128GB storage variant turned out to be the favourite option among the majority of the respondents.

Read Also: Redmi Note 7 Teardown video: Here’s what you can find inside the flagship killer

Out of the total number of respondents, 54.3% prefer the 6GB+128GB variant with a slightly higher 1599 yuan ($235) price tag. While 23.9% of the respondents went for the 6GB+64GB variant for 1399 yuan ($206) despite having the same price with the 4GB + 128GB variant which 12.8% went for. The 3GB + 32GB variant had the least vote which is an indication that it may soon disappear from the mid-range segment. The fans favourite Redmi Note 7 6GB + 128GB variant may likely be released by Xiaomi in the near future, perhaps after the Spring festival. Recall that the company released a 6GB+128GB variant of the Redmi Note 5 four months after the initial launch.

(source)

New Xiaomi’s Mi Store in Paris is the biggest in Europe

The last year was probably the most important for Xiaomi’s global expansion. The Chinese company which managed to get in top 4 world’s best smartphones brands kept expanding a lot in the Old Continent and in just a year it obtained a strong presence in Europe. Now, the company just opened its biggest Mi Store in Europe. The new store opens at the Champs-Elysees street in Paris at 1 PM local time today.

Even though currently the weather is not the most propitious in the city, a consistent amount of people has been lining in front of the store hours before the opening, waiting for having the chance to touch some of the best Xiaomi products in the biggest European Mi Store. In case you do not know, this is the second Mi Store opened in Paris. The Mi Store opened in Paris will sell smartphones but also many other hi-tech products from the company. There will be headphones, Yi cameras, and smart home products as well. Xiaomi also launched some interesting promotions on its French online store for everyone who can not be in Paris in this period.

The promotions only regard the smartphone section: the phablet Mi Max 3 is available for €220 with a discount of €50, Pocophone F1 can be purchased for just €320 with a €40 discount and even the flagship Xiaomi Mi 8 is discounted at €430 with €50 in Mi vouchers as a gift for the purchase. We can see how the store looks like thanks to some photo published on Twitter. In the photos, you can clearly notice the presence of several phones in the store, such as the affordable flagship Xiaomi Pocophone F1, the Redmi Note 6 Pro mid-ranger and Xiaomi Mi 8, as well as other products such as the Mi Laser Projector and headphones.

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Lenovo Z5s update offers ability to sync with a Xiaomi account, in addition to iCloud

The Lenovo Group Vice president, Chang Cheng, has announced that the newly launched Lenovo Z5S will get its first ZUI update soon. He hinted that the update has been in the works for quite a while now and it is close to being released. The Lenovo exec also shared the changelog of the update showing some of the features it would bring to the device.Lenovo

Topmost on the list of features the update will bring is the ability to sync iCloud and Xiaomi account contacts. Lenovo has been able to attain interconnectivity between Android and iOS as early as on the ZUK Z2 released back in May 2016. As a result of that, users can synchronise their contacts, calendars, tasks, etc. on Apple’s iCloud. So, this isn’t much of a new feature. However, the interesting part is the support for Xiaomi account that the update will bring. This is a new high for Lenovo as it will possibly allow users of the Z5s to now synchronise their phones with Mi cloud especially if they are switching over from a Xiaomi phone. Thus, you don’t have to lose your contacts if you’re swapping phones.

Lenovo Z5s ZUI update changelog (Chinese)

Read More: Lenovo Z5s launched with waterdrop notch screen, triple cameras, Snapdragon 710 and 1,398 Yuan (~$202) pricing

The changelog also shows the update will bring optimization to the alarm clock display details, improve weather app, add weather warning reminders and also optimize the sound adjustment experience. The update will also add other features like Quick switch, vibration to the control centre, among others. Mr Chang did not provide a time frame for the release of the new update.

(source)

Huawei Mate 20X promo camera photos turn out to be from a Nikon DSLR, apologies tendered

Despite the tremendous advancement in smartphone camera technology, OEMs are sometimes still caught promoting their mobile phones with fake camera sample. Huawei, Samsung, Xiaomi have at several times been caught promoting their phones with fake samples captured under the shutter of a DSLR camera. Curiously, the company’s P20 Pro flagship still ranks as the best phone in terms of camera, according to DXOMark. The Chinese tech giant has once again been caught up in a “DSLR mess” as recent camera samples promoting the Mate 20X were discovered to be fake. In this case, Huawei wasn’t directly responsible for the gaffe as it was made by a photographer for Jiguo.com, a free trial and shopping guide platform for tech gadgets.Huawei Mate 20X

Apparently, the Mate 20X was taken to the Arctic region to test the camera prowess under the beautiful scenery. The photographer then sent back the samples but it seems they were not properly labelled. Thus, two samples that were not captured by the Mate 20X were shared alongside the actual samples. The two samples were captured using the Nikon DSLR camera. The official responsible for the error has since apologized while the samples captured by the Nikon DSLR have been removed. You can check out the actual samples from below and they are indeed stunning. With this quality, Huawei doesn’t really need the aid of a DSLR to convince us that indeed, the Mate 20X camera is powerful!

Huawei Mate 20 X camera samples

Read Also: Get Your Hands On Top Huawei-Branded Smartphones For Lowered Prices On AliExpress

However, this incident brings to memory, Huawei’s infamous DSLR deceitful camera sample used in promoting the Huawei P9. Sometime around July 2016 when Huawei was promoting its P9 flagship, the company shared a photo on its Google+ page which was purportedly captured by the P9’s dual rear shutters. The photo was indeed stunning just like these ones, with crisp clear details downright impressive for a smartphone camera. Unfortunately, it turned out the shot wasn’t taken by a smartphone camera but was actually from the all-powerful Canon EOS 5D Mark III shutter. The DSLR camera was worth $4500 back then. Well, it seems Huawei took that embarrassing incident as a challenge to develop a smartphone camera with DSLR-like quality. The Mate 20X may not be on the same level with a DSLR camera, but the company is edging closer to that standard employing an innovative camera and AI technology.

(source)

Huawei Mate 20XHuawei Mate 20 X camera samples

Samsung Galaxy M20, M10 price and release date leaked

Samsung will be taking on the likes of the Xiaomi, OPPO and Vivo in India and other developing markets with the introduction of the Galaxy M series of smartphones on Jan. 28. Recent reports have revealed plenty of information on the specs, features and design of the Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20 that are expected to go official later this month. Now, the pricing and release date of the Galaxy M10 and M20 phones have been leaked through industry sources.

Industry sources have conveyed to Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) that the Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20 phones that are aimed towards the millennials will be available for purchase from March 5. The leaked date is more than a month away from Jan. 28 launch date. These phones will be available for buying through Samsung’s online shop and Amazon India.

The Galaxy M10 will carry a starting price of Rs. 7,990 and the Galax M20 will begin at Rs. 10,990. The pricing leak suggests that the Galaxy M10 and M20 will be rivaling with some of the popular entry-level and mid-range phones such as Redmi 6, Realme 2, Redmi Note 6 Pro and ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1.

Galaxy M20 Specifications

The Samsung Galaxy M20 will be featuring 6.3-inch IPS LCD Infinity-V display with support for full HD+ resolution. The Exynos 7904 chipset is expected to power the smartphone. It may come in 3 GB RMA + 32 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage models.

The Android 8.1 Oreo OS will come preinstalled on the Galaxy M20. It will be the first ever handset from Samsung to come packed with 5,000mAh battery. For photography, it may feature 13-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera. The smartphone will feature USB-C port which will bring support for fast charging.

Samsung Galaxy M20 render featured

Galaxy M10 Specifications

Previous reports have revealed that the Samsung Galaxy M10 will be an entry-level smartphone that will feature 6.2-inch IPS LCD panel with Infinity-V notch and HD+ resolution support. The Exynos 7872 chipset will be powering the 2 GB RAM + 16 GB storage and 3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage variants of the Galaxy M10.

The Galaxy M10 will be arriving with Android 8.1 Oreo OS onboard. The handset will receive power from 3,400mAh battery. The rear side of the phone will have 13-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup. For snapping selfies, it will be equipped with a 5-megapixel frontal shooter.

Redmi Note 7 with 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage likely to debut soon with 1,399 Yuan (~$206) price

The Redmi Note 7 smartphone was introduced in the previous week in three models such as 3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage, 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage. These models are respectively priced at 999 Yuan (~$147), 1,199 Yuan (~$177) and, 1,399 Yuan (~$206). It appears that Redmi will be soon launching a new variant for the smartphone since Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has started a survey to know which is the most popular Redmi Note 7 variant. The poll also includes two unreleased models such as 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage. The survey has revealed that the 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage is the most popular, but it seems that the 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage may go official soon since it has been approved by TENAA telecom authority in China.

Redmi Note 7 variants voting_
In the above poll, the 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage model has received more than 54 percent vote. If the model will be released in the future, it will be priced at 1,599 Yuan (~$236). The model that comes second in popularity is 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage that is priced at 1,399 Yuan (~$206). It has received over 24 percent vote. The third popular is the unannounced 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage with 12.5 percent. The least popular edition is the 3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage model that has receive only 1.2 percent vote.

The popularity of the 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage model suggests that Redmi may consider releasing the variant at some time in the future. The below shown screenshot shows that the TENAA has already certified 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage edition for the Redmi Note 7. Probably this variant may go official within this month.

Redmi Note 7 4 GB RAM + 128 GB Storage

The first sale of the Redmi Note 7 was conducted on Jan. 15 and its second sale happened at 10 AM (local time) in China earlier today. The smartphone was sold out in both the sales. The next round of sale will be carried out at 10 AM (local time) on Jan. 22. Redmi will be debuting the Redmi Note 7 Pro in the coming. Apart from 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor, it is speculated to be powered by the new Snapdragon 675. There is a possibility that the handset could be made available with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage.

(source)

Realme is reportedly considering to launch its own App Store

Realme, a new smartphone brand launched last year after splitting from Oppo, has already made its mark in the budget smartphone segment in India — one of the biggest smartphone markets globally. The company has even expanded to six other geographies — Malaysia, Vietnam, the Phillippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Egypt.

Recently, the company also started its own community where users can ask questions and the experts answer their queries. It also allows users to suggest features which the company could include in their upcoming software builds.

In the community, some users have been asking for a dedicated app store for Realme users and the company responded to that by saying that it is considering to launch its own app store. When launched, the app store will work as an alternative to the Google Play Store for users to download apps and games.

Realme new logo

Many smartphone manufacturers already have their own app stores, including Huawei and Samsung. While Huawei has an app store called AppGallery which is also available for Honor users, Samsung has an app store named Galaxy Apps.

So far, the company has launched five smartphones — Realme 1, 2, 2 Pro, C1, and U1. It also entered the mobile accessories business with the launch of earphones and mobile covers. Most recently, the company launched its first lifestyle products — Realme Tech Backup, which went on sale for the first time on 7th January.

Realme has established itself in the budget smartphone segment in less than a year’s time through its online-only strategy. Now, the company is looking to expand its footprints and has already entered the offline market in India. The company is planning to enter 150 cities this year and will also launch its experience stores across the country.

 

Read More: After online success, Realme goes offline; reveals it has sold over 4 million smartphones so far

 

Meanwhile, the company is reportedly working on its upcoming smartphone — Realme 3 which is expected to launch by the end of March this year. As per the reports, a smartphone with a 48-megapixel camera sensor is also in works but it’s not yet confirmed if its the Realme 3 or a different model.

(Via)

Moto G7, G7 Plus, G7 Play, G7 Power press renders and prices leaked

Motorola is expected to announce the Moto G7 series in the next month through an unveil event in Brazil. Recent reports have revealed that the Moto G7 series will include four smartphones such as Moto G7, Moto G7 Plus, Moto G7 Power and Moto G7 Play. MySmartPrice has shared fresh renders of these phones. The publication has also revealed the European pricing of the Moto G7 Play and Moto G7 Power smartphones.

Moto G7 Play and G7 Power Renders and Price

The Moto G7 Play and Moto G7 Power are rumored to be respectively at 149 euros (~$169) and 209 euros (~$238) in Europe. The Moto G7 is expected to arrive in colors like Gold and Blue whereas the Moto G7 Power may come in Black and Lilac options.

 

Moto G7 Play (Gold). Moto G7 Power (Black) and Moto G7 Play (Blue)
Moto G7 Play (Gold). Moto G7 Power (Black) and Moto G7 Play (Blue)

As far as their designs are concerned, both handsets will be equipped with wider notched enabled screens and a thick bottom bezel which includes Motorola brand name. The Moto G7 Play has a single camera on its rear and so does the Moto G7 Power model. They are also equipped with rear-mounted fingerprint readers. The G7 Play could be fueled by Snapdragon 632 whereas the G7 Power may come with Snapdragon 625 and a behemoth battery of 5,000mAh capacity with rapid charging support.

Moto G7 and Moto G7 Plus Renders and Price

The pricing of the G7 and G7 Plus are still under the wraps. However, it can be speculated that the G7 may cost around 249 euros (~$283) and the G7 Plus may be priced at 299 euros (~$340).  In Europe, the G7 may come in Black and White color variants and the G7 Plus could be available in Red and Blue colors.

Moto G7 Black and White
Moto G7 Black and White
Moto G7 Plus Red and Blue
Moto G7 Plus Red and Blue

Both the G7 and G7 Plus phones will be sporting trendy waterdrop notched display designs to offer higher screen-to-body ratio. The chin of both the models are quite thick and they feature the brand name of the company. The rear view of the G7 and G7 Plus reveals that they are equipped with dual rear cameras and a fingerprint reader. Both smartphones are rumored to be powered by Snapdragon 660 chipset.

(source)

LG reveals Android 9 Pie update release schedule for G7 ThinQ, V40 and others

LG, the South Korea-based smartphone manufacturer, has been testing Android 9 Pie update for the LG G7 ThinQ smartphone since last month. The company had revealed that the final update will be released in 2019 but had not revealed the exact timeframe.

Now, the company has posted the Android 9 Pie update release schedule on its website, revealing that the LG G7 ThinQ will receive final Android Pie update in the first quarter of this year, i.e. by the end of March 2019.

Along with this, the company has also revealed that the Android Pie for the LG V40 and other LG V-series smartphone users will start rolling out in the second quarter of this year. Later, the company will release Android Pie for other smartphones, including G6, Q8, V20, among others.

LG G7 ThinQ

Since the beta version of the update was available to the G7 ThinQ users in South Korea only, the final build will be first released in South Korea. However, soon after the update rolls out in the company’s home market, it won’t take much time for the global rollout.

The Android 9.0 Pie, which was available in beta phase since March last year, comes with a number of improvements, including new personalization features, battery-saving optimizations, and tools that help tracking time users spend on the phone.

It also addresses the latest trends in smartphone designs with revamped navigational controls. It introduces a new gesture-based navigation system. There are also a number of other gesture-based shortcuts. It is also said to be the most personalized version of Android yet.

To remind you of the phone’s specifications, the LG G7 ThinQ comes with a 6.1-inch IPS LCD display with 3120 x 1440 pixels screen resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The device is HDR10 compliant with 100% DCI-P3 coverage.

 

Read More: LG G8 ThinQ 360-degree renders leak reveals the upcoming smartphone’s design and key details

 

Under the hood, the device is powered by the Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 845 chipset paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. For photography, there’s a dual 16MP+16MP camera at the back and an 8MP front-facing shooter. It runs Android 8.0 Oreo out-of-the-box and is powered by a 3,000mAh battery.

(Via)

Giveaway – Win a Self-Balancing Electric Scooter

Gizmochina along with BESTEK is conducting 1 unit Self-Balancing Electric Scooter as giveaway gift to a lucky reader. You just have to follow the giveaway page on bestekmall to win this amazing gift.

If you want win free Electric Scooter, you need to fill out the form first, and then follow the steps. One prize is limited to one person, 20 winners in total. 10 winners will get electric scooters, the left 10 will get $10 amazon gift cards each.

The Self-Balancing Electric Scooter has a beautiful and fashionable appearance, and it is very convenient for you to use in daily life. It is popular that a lot of university students use it on the campus. Equipped with premium-quality original Samsung battery that the capacity is up to 44000mAh, the Self-Balancing Electric Scooter is durable for you to use. With the fast charging, it just needs 2.5 hours of charge to be fully charged. People whose weight is between 20kg to 120kg can use the electric scooter. Self-balancing electric scooter, also known by hoverboard, has different functions which can go forward and backward, steer up barriers and stop immediately controlled by dynamic equilibrium.

You can click here to get more information about the giveaway and the Self-Balancing Electric Scooter.

How to entry this giveaway? Just follow these steps via Gleam widget:

  1. Registrate on BESTEKMALL.
  2. Share this giveaway contest on Facebook, Twitter and Reddit;

Terms & Conditions:

1. The giveaway is an international giveaway.
2. We are not responsible for lost shipments.
3. We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur.
4. We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
5. The prize will be shipped in a month when the giveaway end.

Just follow the steps mentioned in the Gleam widget to participate in the giveaway.

Once again, good luck.

Google acquires Fossil Group’s smartwatch technology for $40 million

Google has acquired the smartwatch technology unit of Fossil Group for a sum worth $40 million. The company gets Fossil’s intellectual property related to a smartwatch technology that’s currently under development.

Along with that intellectual property, Fossil Group’s Research & Development (R&D) team which was working on the smartwatch technology, will now join Google to work on a ‘new product’ that will soon launch in the market.

Fossil Smartwatch

This deal is a step forward for Google to create its own branded smartwatches to compete against the likes of Apple and Fitbit among others, which are currently leading the wearable technology space.

According to Greg McKelvey, EVP and chief strategy and digital officer of the Fossil Group, this deal is seen as a transaction, rather than an acquisition. In the statement, he said: “We’ve built an advanced technology that has the potential to improve upon our existing platform of smartwatches. Together with Google, our innovation partner, we’ll continue to unlock growth in wearables.”

Commenting on this deal, Stacey Burr, a vice president at Google Wear OS division, said:

The addition of Fossil Group’s technology and team to Google demonstrates our commitment to the wearables industry by enabling a diverse portfolio of smartwatches and supporting the ever-evolving needs of the vitality-seeking, on-the-go consumer.

Wearables, built for wellness, simplicity, personalization, and helpfulness, have the opportunity to improve lives by bringing users the information and insights they need quickly, at a glance.

Fossil Group had entered the smartwatch market in 2015 with the acquisition of Misfit for $260 million. Misfit is a tech platform that makes smart watches and wearable fitness products and was founded by former Microsoft researcher Sonny Vu, Sridhar Iyengar, and former Apple chief executive officer John Sculley.

 

Read More: Google Pixel 4 likely to feature bezel-less design and dual front speakers, reveals new patent filings

 

According to the data from research firm IDC, the global shipments of wearable devices will hit 125.3 million units in 2018, up 8.5 percent from 2017, and that the market will grow 11 percent through 2022.

(Source)

Apple iPhone and Samsung phone sales expected to slump further this year

American multinational investment bank and financial services company JP Morgan is predicting that the smartphone industry will come under severe strain this year and that the high-end smartphone segment will be most affected. This segment is dominated by Apple and Samsung and they will take the biggest hit if the market analysis pans out as predicted.iPhone XS, XS Max and XR Pricing

In a note sighted by AppleInsider, JP Morgan wrote; “We expect iPhone unit[s] to decline by double digits y/y [year-over-year] in 2019, due to prolonged replacement cycles and lacklustre demand in China.” Shipments for the last quarter of 2018 from China are estimated to be lower than that of the same period last year by 20%. In addition, the entire mobile phone industry is predicted to get a reduction of between 4.8 and 5.5% in shipments this year. This is a tad higher than the 2.9 to 3.3% loss YoY recorded in 2018. The phone industry isn’t expected to rebound until 2020 when 5G phones would have been in full swing thus prompting people to upgrade for faster internet speeds. Even at that, the industry’s growth rate is now forecast at 0.9% instead of 1.9%.

Read Also: Samsung Galaxy S10 series In-display fingerprint scanner won’t work with a screen protector

Samsung’s own shipment is expected to drop in the low single digits in 2019. The Korean firm has to its advantage, the flexibility to compete in both the high-end as well as in the low- and mid-range phone segments. The company will, however, have to sacrifice profit margins in the process. The rise of Chinese phone makers like OPPO, Vivo and Xiaomi which offer smartphones with improved quality at way lesser prices than iPhones or Samsung models isn’t helping matters.

(source)

Vivo Apex 2019 bezel-less smartphone to be unveiled in China on 24th January

Vivo had showcased its Vivo Apex concept smartphone with a full-screen display at Mobile World Congress (MWC) last year, which had around 98 percent screen-to-body ratio. The company later launched its Vivo NEX and most recently Vivo NEX Dual experimental smartphones.

Now, the Chinese company is all set to launch yet another experimental smartphone — Vivo Apex 2019. The company teased the launch of a new smartphone on 24th January in China and now the poster shared by the company confirms that the device launching on January 24th is indeed the Vivo Apex 2019.

Vivo Apex 2019 Launch Teaser

The caption on the image roughly translates to: “A year ago, Vivo APEX portrayed a new world of full screens. A year later, #vivo APEX 2019# evolved again, using technology to wake up to the future. See you on January 24.”

According to the reports, the smartphone is codenamed “The Waterdrop” and is revealed to come with a curved design without any kind of notches, bezels or physical buttons. The phone could come with pressure-sensitive and gesture-based navigation. As for the memory configuration, the phone could come with 8GB RAM but there’s a possibility that the company could also announce 10GB RAM or 12GB RAM variant as well.

Further, the smartphone is also expected to come with sixth-generation in-display fingerprint sensor with a larger area and improved sensor, similar to what Xiaomi and Oppo unveiled earlier this week. We are expecting the device to be powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 855 octa-core processor manufactured using 7nm process.

While the company has not yet confirmed this, we are expecting the Chinese company to showcase the Vivo Apex 2019 smartphone at the upcoming Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona, Spain which will kick-off on 25th February.

 

 

For Vivo Apex showcased last year, the company had adopted pop-up front-facing camera design for bezel-less display. To see what the company has adopted this time to offer higher screen-to-body ratio, we’ll have to wait until 24th January when Vivo officially announces the smartphone.

(Source)

ZTE with China Unicom Makes Its First 5G Phone Call in Shenzhen

ZTE has announced that it has successfully completed its first 5G phone call in partnership with the Guangdong brand of China Unicom. The test was carried out in Shenzhen, which is one of the first 5G pilot cities of China Unicom.

The 5G phone call was made using prototype ZTE 5G smartphones. Apart from successfully making the call, other services like WeChat group video call, online video, and web browsing were completed.

5G network

“The test has verified several 5G key technologies such as Massive MIMO, 5G NR, NSA dual connectivity, FlexE transport technology and 5G Common Core. This achievement has made Shenzhen field of China Unicom become the world’s first commercial test field to make the first call in the NSA mode and it is in compliance with the 3GPP Rel-15. “ ZTE notes in its press release.

 

RELATED: Xiaomi confirms February 24 MWC event, likely for Mi Mix 3 5G edition

 

Last Sunday, China Mobile along with Huawei successfully conducted a 5G broadcast test in Shenzhen. The CCTV Spring Festival Gala, a special program that’s broadcasted during the Chinese New Year in the country will be streamed over a 5G network in 4K.

Both Huawei and ZTE are leading 5G technology companies, however, their plans for global rollout are currently being threatened. Countries like Australia, Japan, and the US have already banned or are considering banning the use of their equipment citing security concerns.

 

(Source)

Buy The 480GB Kingston A400 SSD For Only $79.99 On GeekBuying [Coupon Inside]

Solid-state drives (SSD) are primarily designed to boost the overall responsiveness of your system.
While top-branded computer accessories like an SSD usually carry steep price tags, you can avail up to a whopping 70 percent off a wide selection of Netac, Tronsmart, Kingston and COLORFUL-branded computers peripherals on GeekBuying. Dubbed as ‘New Brands Sale,’ this promo is split into ‘Brands’ and ‘New Arrivals’ categories.

Known as one of China’s best online stores for top-notch electronic items, GeekBuying is also offering the Kingston A400 480GB SSD at an unbeatable price. Aside from the aforesaid discount, there’s a way you can save more money during the checkout process, but we’ll talk about it in a bit.

The California-based SSD drives manufacturer has teamed up with GeekBuying to offer the 480GB capacity version of its A400 SSD for a heavily discounted price of just $99.99. This is a significant 17 percent drop in the device’s original asking price of $119.99.


On top of that, you can extend this discount by applying coupon code GIZ_QATEWKFW at the time of checking out. By applying the aforesaid coupon, you can get an extra $20 off.

In other words, you can bring the already lowered retail price of the Kingston A400 (480GB) further down to only $79.99. You can visit this link to grab the discount before the promo ends and use the coupon while it is still valid.

Unlike mechanical hard drives, the A400 enhances the boot and loading times of your system. This enables you to perform multiple activities with experiencing lag or any other sort of interruption. This SSD packs the latest gen controller, making it 10x faster than a regular hard drive.

It adopts a 7mm super slim design that makes it a great choice for a slew of systems including the light and then notebooks.

 

Production accident delays Redmi Note 7 deliveries, company apologizes

Redmi Note 7, the first smartphone from the Redmi brand after it split from the parent company Xiaomi to operate as an independent brand, seems to have been well received in China. In its first sale last week, the company revealed that all the units sold out within 8 minutes and 36 seconds.

The second flash sale of the Redmi Note 7 in China took place today and just like the previous sale, all the units in the second sale sold out within minutes. On JD.com alone, over 410,000 people registered to get their hands on the Redmi Note 7.

However, the company’s executives revealed through Weibo that the company faced the problem of delayed deliveries because of an accident in the production line. However, the company reaffirmed that the issue has been resolved and the deliveries will be made within the specified time of seven days.

Redmi Note 7-featured

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 features a 6.3-inch Full HD+ display with 2340 x 1080 pixels screen resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The display carries support for 450-nits brightness, 1,500:1 contrast ratio, sun legibility, and eye protection mode.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 octa-core chipset with 3GB/4GB/6GB RAM and 32GB/64GB internal storage. It also comes with a dedicated microSD card slot allowing users to expand the storage capacity.

The company has focused on offering a premium photography experience with this budget smartphone. The device comes with an f/1.8 aperture 48-megapixel primary sensor and a 5-megapixel secondary camera with artificial intelligence technology.

On the front side, there’s a 13-megapixel camera housed in the display notch. It is also equipped with features like AI Smart Beauty and AI face unlock. The Redmi Note 7 is equipped with a 3.5mm audio jack and features an infrared blaster which makes it possible to use it as a remote control. A fingerprint scanner resides of the backside of the smartphone.

 

Read More: Redmi Go, Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 5G or Redmi Note 7 Pro seems to have received CMIIT approval

 

As for the software, the smartphone is running Android 9 Pie-based MIUI 10 out-of-the-box. The phone is powered by a 4,000mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 4.0 fast charging technology. With an 18W fast charger, the phone can be fully charged in just 1 hour and 43 minutes.

Buy Chuwi Lapbook SE Laptop At A Dropped Price Of Just $269.49 On AliExpress

Chuwi made its long-awaited laptop dubbed, Lapbook SE available to the public last year in August.


It boasts an impressive array of features that we’d expect a top-branded laptop to carry. On the downside, the Lapbook SE doesn’t come cheap. In fact, the Chuwi-branded laptop will set you back a pretty penny on an online as well as offline store.

In order to enable cost-conscious buyers to get their hands on the Lapbook SE, the Shenzhen-based tech company is now offering the coveted laptop for a lowered price on AliExpress. The Chinese online retail service owned by Alibaba is having its winter liquidation, wherein it will be doling out a noteworthy 23 percent discount on the Chuwi Lapbook SE laptop.

As a result, those living on a tight budget will be able to buy the Lapbook SE for a dropped price of only $269.49 on AliExpress for a limited period of time. This discount will be valid for the variant offering 4GB of RAM with 64GB of onboard storage capacity.
Aside from taking advantage of the aforesaid discount, new users will qualify to get an extra $3. Meanwhile, others spending $199 on AliExpress will be able to use a $6 off coupon.

An absolute steal at this price, the Chuwi Lapbook SE sports a 13.3-inch display with a high resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:9. Under the hood, it packs a powerful Intel Gemini-Lake, N4100 14nm processor along with Intel UHD Graphics 600 Gen9 12EU, 700MHz GPU for an immersive experience.

Housed in a sturdy metal body, the dimensions of the Lapbook SE are 317 X 215 X 15.9 (H) mm and it weighs in at just 1.8kg, making it an extremely easy-to-carry laptop. Furthermore, it runs Microsoft Windows 10 OS and is backed by a robust 5000mAh battery.

You can head straight to this link in order to check out the rest of the specifications of the Lapbook SE laptop and grab the discount. It is worth noting that the laptop will go back to its original retail price as soon as the winter liquidation period wraps up.

 

Google Pixel 4 likely to feature bezel-less design and dual front speakers, reveals patent filings

Compared to Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL phones from 2017, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL offered larger screen space. The Pixel 3 came with an 18:9 display whereas the Pixel 3 XL sported a notched screen. Freshly approved patents by Google suggest that it could be working on a bezel-less design for the Pixel 4 smartphone that is likely to go official in Q4 this year.

According to 91mobiles, the new patent for a Google phone had appeared on the database of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) few days ago. The schematics of the Google phone that has surfaced through WIPO listing that its rear side will continue to sport a dual-tone design. The upper portion that could be made out of glass continues to feature a single camera like the predecessor Pixel phone models. The remaining portion of the rear shell could be metallic. A fingerprint scanner is also available on the backside of the phone.

The frontside of the phone is shown as blank which suggests that it could be featuring a bezel-less display. Hence, the placement of the selfie camera could not be confirmed through the images filed in the patent. The power key and volume rocker are the on the right side of the phone. A SIM card slot is available on the left side of the phone. There is a USB-C port on the bottom side of the device. It lacks support for 3.5mm audio jack.

Another Google patent that mainly concentrates on the smartphone’s display has also been spotted at WIPO. The images reveal that the Google Pixel phone will be featuring reduced bezels around the display. The upper and lower bezels are very slim, but they still manage to house the two front-firing speakers. The upper bezel is so slim that it could not be confirmed whether it will be housing a selfie camera.

If Google make use of the above shown designs for the Pixel 4, its rear appearance will be almost same as the predecessor model. However, the major change in the design of the phone will be front as it may feature a bezel-less display

(via 1, 2)

Buy ZiYouJiGuang T18 Smart Electric Moped Bicycle For Just $469.99 On GeekBuying [Coupon Inside]

Looking for a cost-effect and more ecological means of transportation? GeekBuying’s got your back!
There’s no dearth of electric scooters in the market today, but regrettably, there aren’t too many options for those living on a tight budget. In a bid to make a high-end e-bike available to cost-conscious buyers, GeekBuying is now offering the ZiYouJiGuang T18 smart electric moped bicycle at a lowered price.

We’ll shed more light on the ZiYouJiGuang T18 and the aforesaid discount in a bit and show how you can save a considerable amount of extra money during the check out process. So without wasting any time, let’s delve straight into the details.

Just like most of the top-branded e-bikes available in the market today, the ZiYouJiGuang T18 doesn’t come cheap. In fact, it will set you back $799.99 on both online as well as offline stores.
Much to the delight of those who aren’t willing to shell out that kind of money on an e-bike, the ZiYouJiGuang T18 has now gone up for sale bearing a heavily discounted price tag of $479.99 on GeekBuying. This is a significant 40 percent drop in the e-bike’s original asking price.

But if that doesn’t impress you much, you can use coupon code GIZ_GKB031S to get an extra $30 off. In other words, you can bring the already lowered selling price of the ZiYouJiGuang T18 electric scooter further down to just $469.99 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon before placing your order.
An absolute bargain at this price, the ZiYouJiGuang T18 is an irresistible electric moped. It is powered by a 250W motor that delivers a max speed of 25Km/h. Moreover, it is backed by a robust 36V-6AH power lithium battery that lasts over 40-50km of electric moped mileage on a single charge.

You can know more about the ZiYouJiGuang T18 and grab the discount available on this feature-rich electric moped bicycle by following this link. Note that the discount will only be valid for six days.