Amazon launches Echo Input in India, perfect companion for the Mi Soundbar

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Jan 17, 2019

Xiaomi‘s Mi Soundbar was announced in India last week and early reviews have praised its balance of price and audio quality. Now Amazon has announced its Alexa-powered Echo Input is now available in India and we think it is a smart addition for anyone planning to get the Mi Soundbar.

The Echo Input is a device that turns any speaker or sound system into a smart one powered by Alexa. It was announced last year and is already available for purchase in countries like the US. Now, Amazon has announced its availability in India.

All you have to do is connect the Echo Input to your speaker either via Bluetooth or AUX and you can ask it questions about the weather or your schedule, ask it to play music, or even use it to control Alexa-supported smart devices.

The Mi Soundbar has an AUX port and also has Bluetooth, so you can connect it to the Echo Input in any way you prefer. The Echo Input has four far-field microphones, a mute button, an action button, an LED, a 3.5mm audio port and a Micro-USB port for power.

Amazon is selling the Echo Input for INR 2,999 (~$42). That is more than half the price of the Mi Soundbar which sells for INR 4,999 (~$70). However, you will be hard-pressed to find a smart soundbar for under $100.

The Echo Input currently sells for half the price in the US now. Its original price is $34.99 but it is available for $19.99. It also comes in white and black variants. Sadly, only the black variant is available on Amazon India.

If Alexa isn’t your thing, you may want to begin praying Google announces something similar that is powered by the Google Assistant. The tech giant announced it will stop manufacturing the Chromecast Audio, so it might be working on something similar to the Echo Input.

(Source, Via)

Top Ten Semiconductors in the world has Samsung on top, Qualcomm in sixth

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 17, 2019

According to Jimmy Goodrich, vice president of global policy at the Semiconductor Industry Association, a trade group based in Washington DC, “Semiconductors are arguably humanity’s greatest achievement to date. They’re still central to everything that’s modern or electronic, whether you’re driving a car, or surfing the internet, or using a supercomputer-everything is ultimately based on a semiconductor and lots of them.” If you think this assertion isn’t correct, ask Chinese firm ZTE which almost went bankrupt when the US government imposed a ban which prevented the company from using US technology. Even though the biggest challenge was the use of Google’s Android OS, the company would have lost out entirely because a flagship phone without Qualcomm’s latest chipset isn’t really one.

The semiconductor industry continues to post some gains as the market experiences boom. Preliminary results released by Gartner show that worldwide semiconductor revenues totalled US$476.7 billion in 2018 which is 13.4% higher than the revenue in 2017. The Memory chips solidified its ranking as the largest semiconductor category as it reportedly accounted for 34.8% of total semiconductor revenues, an increase of 31% from 2017’s revenue.

In terms of ranking, Samsung maintained its lead of the market and even increased the gap solidifying its position as the No. 1 vendor. Samsung’s impressive revenue is tied to the DRAM market, an analyst at Garner disclosed. He went on to state that despite building on the growth established in 2017, Samsung’s overall gains due to its memory chips accounted for half the 2017 growth rate.

Gartner’s report also reveals that the top-4 vendors in 2017 retained their ranking in 2018. This means Intel still remains the second largest semiconductor manufacturer. Intel’s semiconductor revenue is said to have grown by 12.2% compared with 2017, driven by a combination of unit and average selling price (ASP) growth. At the third position is SK Hynix, while Micron Technology is in the fourth position. Qualcomm moved from the fifth largest chipmaker in 2017 to the sixth position in 2018 while Broadcom moved a step up. The rest of the top 10 comprises Texas Instruments, Toshiba, Western Digital and NXP. However, Gartner projects the current rankings may see significant change this year due to expectations that memory market conditions will weaken in 2019 in the face of rising US/China tensions.

(source)

Huawei MRD-AL00 appears on TENAA, sports single rear camera

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 17, 2019

Huawei seems to have a new entry-level smartphone on the way. The phone which has the model number MRD-AL00 was spotted on TENAA’s website. However, there are no specs yet.

The Huawei MRD-AL00 is a pretty entry-level device going by its design and if we had to take a guess, we would say this is another Android Go phone. It has an 18:9 display with a single camera positioned in the middle of the top bezel while the chin is home to the manufacturer’s name.

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On the back, the Huawei MRD-AL00 also has a single rear camera. The sensor is positioned on the left of the phone and has an LED flash below it. There is also Huawei’s branding at the bottom. The phone has its volume and power buttons on the right and a 3.5mm audio jack at the top.

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Helio P22-powered Lenovo L38083 seen on Geekbench running Android Pie might be Lenovo K6

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 17, 2019

A new mid-range Lenovo phone has been spotted on Geekbench. The phone was benchmarked earlier today as the “Lenovo Lenovo L38083” and it runs the latest version of Android.

The Lenovo L38083 runs Android 9 Pie and packs 4GB of RAM. It is powered by MediaTek’s MT6762V processor which is also known as the Helio P22. The 12nm octa-core processor is clocked at 2.0GHz and comes with a PowerVR GPU. It is the same processor that powers Xiaomi’s Redmi 6.

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Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 survives JerryRigEverything’s durability tests in an impressive way

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 17, 2019

Xiaomi redesigned its full-screen Mi Mix 3 flagship, utilising a sliding design that ensures the bezels around the display are at the barest minimum. Although the slider technology at play has been shown to be different from the ones on slider phones of yore, there are still concerns about its durability. Our posts on a slider test video from China still receives engagements from curious fans who want to get some assurance before breaking the bank to get the device. Well, if you need some convincing about the durability of the Mi Mix 3, Zack Nelson of JerryRigEverything has come to the rescue.

The YouTube recently posted a video of the Mix 3 undergoing the extreme torture tests that he has gained notoriety for carrying out. Thankfully, the Mix 3 seems to hold its own well in the scratch, bend, and burn tests that were carried out. Of particular interest is the resistance of the glass to scratch. The ceramic back is also pretty resistant to scratch compared to metal or glass panels. Even the earpiece is sown to be made of metal and so won’t get damaged easily when scratched with sharp metal.

The only snag about the slider isn’t related to its performance or sturdiness but the small gap between the two parts which could allow specks of dirt and sand get in easily. Talking about the bend test, the Mi Mix 3 survives in style. Even though it bends a little but it doesn’t snap like other slider phones such as the OPPO Find X. This could be as a result of the tough ceramic body it packs.

(source)

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

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 17, 2019

Samsung‘s upcoming Galaxy S10 series will be its first phones to come with an in-display fingerprint scanner. While it sure is exciting news, a new report says you might have to sacrifice protection if you want to use the feature.

According to Armadillotek, a US-based phone accessory maker, the in-display fingerprint scanners of the Galaxy S10 phones do not work with a screen protector.

We have tested our cases on real #GalaxyS10 phones. The in-screen fingerprint does not support screen protector. So our vanguard will have no built in screen protector

— Armadillotek (@armadillotek) January 16, 2019

Armadillotek has a rugged case called the Vanguard series which comes with a built-in screen protector. However, based on the new development, they have announced the case will not come with a built-in screen protector even though the listing on their site says so.

We believe Samsung is aware of this already and might come up with its own screen protector that doesn’t prevent the in-display fingerprint scanner from working. However, bear in mind that this is just speculation and you may have to use the phone without a screen protector if you want to use the fingerprint sensor.

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OPPO R19 and Vivo X25 tipped to feature pop-up cameras, notch-less displays

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 17, 2019

OPPO’s R series and Vivo’s X lineup have been consistently providing higher screen space with each generation. A fresh leak has revealed that the upcoming OPPO R smartphone and the next Vivo X phone will be equipped with pop-up camera. This will allow these companies to provide more screen space on their upcoming smartphones.

Based on the information gathered from an accessory factory, a leakster from China has claimed that the upcoming OPPO R series which could be the OPPO R19 and R19 Pro will be featuring a pop-up camera towards the center on the top-edge. Its rear camera is also expected to be present at the center on the back panel. The placement of the rear camera seems to match with the case images of the R19 that had surfaced in the previous month.

He added that the next generation Vivo X phone which could be the Vivo X25 smartphone will be featuring a pop-up camera system at the top-right corner. Its rear camera will be also placed on the back panel.

Read More: Vivo V11 Pro successor to reportedly launch in India next month

The incorporation of pop-up camera mechanism on the OPPO Find X and the lift-up camera setup on the Vivo NEX have allowed them to sport notch-less screens. Now that the OPPO R19 and Vivo X25 are speculated to come with pop-up cameras, these phones could be featuring notch-less displays to provide users with nearly 95-percent screen-to-body ratio. Rumors have it that the R19 could be fueled by Helio P80 SoC. These phones may go official by the end of the first quarter of the year. Hence, more details on these devices are expected to surface in the coming weeks.

(source)

Photo shows the Galaxy S10 Plus in public with pill-shaped Infinity-O display

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 17, 2019

The launch of the Samsung Galaxy S10 series is a little more than a month away. As the day gets closer, we expect more leaks to keep pouring in. Today’s leak is a live photo of the Galaxy S10 Plus which was spotted in public.

The image is reported to have been shared by a Samsung employee but has now been taken down. Thankfully, someone managed to save it before the original post was deleted.

The picture isn’t high-res thanks to the zoom level before the photo was taken but we can still make out a key feature of the phone – its dual front-facing cameras.

The Galaxy S10 Plus will come with an Infinity-O display (or Infinity-Pill since it is shaped like a pill) that will house two front-facing cameras. The hole in the display is positioned at the top right corner on the same line the notification icons are. Judging from the image, the hole doesn’t seem intrusive but it clearly can’t be ignored if you are watching a video in full-screen.

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Vivo V11 Pro successor to reportedly launch in India next month

By

Jeet

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Jan 17, 2019

Vivo is reportedly gearing up to launch a new smartphone — the successor of the Vivo V11 Pro — in the Indian market by the end of February. The report also cites industry sources suggesting that the phone will come with three to four industry-first features, however, it’s not yet what those features will be.

The report also indicates that the upcoming smartphone from Vivo will be priced between Rs. 20,000 ($281) and Rs. 30,000 ($422) but there’s a high possibility that the phone will be priced a bit higher than the Vivo V11 Pro which was launched for Rs. 25,990 ($365).

Given that the Vivo V11 Pro was available for purchase in the Indian market through both online as well as offline channels, it’s safe to assume that the upcoming device will also be sold in a similar fashion. To recall, the V11 Pro made its way to the Indian market about four months ago.

To remind you of the phone’s specifications, the Vivo V11 Pro features a 6.41-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with waterdrop notch on top and minimal bezels surrounding the screen which the company calls “Halo FullView” display. It offers 2340 x 1080 pixels screen resolution, 402ppi pixel density, 19.5:9 aspect ratio and about 91.27 percent screen-to-body ratio.

Under the hood, the device is powered by the capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 AIE octa-core processor clocked at 2.2GHz, along with Adreno 512 graphics processor. It packs 6GB RAM and comes with 64GB of internal storage in India compared to the 128GB onboard storage in the Vivo V11.

The phone also has a dedicated microSD card slot, so that you can expand the storage up to 256GB. Coming to the front-facing snapper, the smaller notch on top of the display houses a 24-megapixel camera sensor with f/2.0 aperture, HDR support, and AI Selfie Lighting. The front camera also comes with Infrared Face Access, enabling you to unlock the device with facial recognition even in low-light conditions.

The handset comes with a dual-camera module on the top-left corner with sensors placed vertically. It features a 12-megapixel primary camera sensor and a 5-megapixel secondary lens with dual-pixel technology. It also comes with artificial intelligence based scene recognition, AI Backlight HDR, and AI assistant for portrait shots.

It features an in-display fingerprint sensor, a first for the Vivo’s V-series. The company has used the fourth-generation fingerprint sensor, which is claimed to be 50 percent faster than previous generations. The phone is running on Android 8.1 Oreo operating system with the company’s highly customized FunTouch OS 4.5.

It also has Game Mode 4.0 that provides an immersive gaming experience. The device supports the standard set of connectivity options, which includes Dual SIM, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi b/g/n/ac dual-band, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS with A-GPS / GLONASS, and a micro USB port. The phone is fuelled by a 3,400mAh battery which comes with Dual Engine Fast Charging and 9-layer of protection.

(Source)

Huawei CEO says the company will fight any request for data from Beijing, heaps praise on Trump

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 17, 2019

Huawei seems to have changed strategy in its bid to whittle down rising mistrust over the integrity of the company’s security in the face of the control Beijing is perceived to wield over Chinese companies. Before now, the company has always insisted that it poses no risk to users’ data but Richard Yu, Huawei CEO of its consumer division, gained notoriety for his public outbursts about the US government treatment of the company. It may not be a coincidence that we hardly hear from Mr Yu and the company’s latest statement wasn’t from him but from Huawei’s highest executive who doesn’t seem to share the same exact same sentiment.

Huawei’s founder and CEO, Ren Zhengfei, granted a rare interview to the international media, aided by a translator, where he defended his company’s independence from Beijing’s control. However, quite surprising in Mr Ren’s praise of US President Trump, considering the frosty relationship China has had with the US government since Mr Trump assumed office, of which Huawei got caught in the middle. The Huawei CEO labelled Trump a “great president” according to the what his translator conveyed. He also extolled Trump’s bold moves that would be conducive for the development of industries in the US.

We doubt if Mr Trump thinks the same of the Huawei exec as Huawei came under suspicion as a result of Zhengfei’s history as a former soldier and a current member of the Communist Party. He’s adamant, though, that his political leaning has nothing to do with the way the company runs its business. The CEO assured that Huawei will always side with its customers when it comes to cybersecurity and privacy. He equally disclosed that there is currently no Chinese law that requires adding backdoors to software or hardware and neither has Huawei or himself received any request to provide customer data.

He did not rule out the possibility of the Chinese government making such obnoxious request someday since there are laws that require companies to cooperate and comply with such requests. However, Zhengfei disclosed that he is prepared to fight against any such request to hand over user data, should that day come. In Communist China, we don’t see Huawei winning such fight but chances of the Chinese government making such open request that will hurt the country’s investments overseas are very low.

Huawei has seen its efforts in developing 5G infrastructure scuttled in some countries like the US, Japan , New Zealand and Australia. As such, Zhengfei admits the year will be a tough one for his company. Nonetheless, he expressed confidence that Huawei’s fate would be similar to ZTE which nearly went under after major sanctions from the US.

(source)

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

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 17, 2019

Within the next two months, Xiaomi will be launching the Mi MIX 3 5G flagship phone and Redmi Note 7 Pro phones in China. Another rumored phone from the company is Redmi Go Android Go smartphone. Previous reports haven’t revealed any details on Redmi Go phone. Today, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China (CMIIT) has approved three Xiaomi models such as M1903F2A, M1092F1A and M1092F1T. It is speculated that these could be Redmi Go and Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 5G or Redmi Note 7 Pro.

The M190F1A and M1902F1T are variants of a single phone which could either be the Redmi Note 7 Pro or Mi MIX 3 5G or any other upcoming Xiaomi phone. The M1903F2A could be the Redmi Go smartphone because a similar model number of M1903CGCX was certified by IMDA authority of Singapore in December last year.

The above speculations are just calculated guess based on the rumored phones that Xiaomi may debut in the near future. The M1902XXX models could end up as Xiaomi Mi 9 models. Hence, it is advisable to digest the report with a grain of salt and wait for newer reports to confirm on the identities of M1903F2A, M1902F1A and M1902F1T.

The Redmi Note 7 that was unveiled in the previous week featured a waterdrop notch, Snapdragon 660 chipset, 48-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GM1 + 5-megapixel dual camera and 4,000mAh battery. Redmi has already confirmed that the Redmi Note 7 Pro will be swapping the Samsung GM1 sensor with 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor. Rumors are rife that the Redmi Note 7 Pro would be fueled by the more powerful Snapdragon 675 chipset.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi 9 new concept render shows nearly bezel-less display with a waterdrop notch

Xiaomi will be holding a media event on Feb. 24, just a day ahead of Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019. Rumors are rife that the Snapdragon 855 chipset powered Mi MIX 3 5G phone will be officially announced at the Feb. 24 press event.

(via)

Google Pixel 3 Lite review video leaks well ahead of Q2 launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 17, 2019

Recent rumors have revealed that Google Pixel 3 Lite and Pixel 3 XL Lite are the two upcoming phones from the company. Multiple leaks have revealed the specifications, features and images of the Lite version of the Pixel 3 duo. Yesterday, Russian tech blogger Andro News shared a review video of the phone on YouTube to reveal what to expect from it.

Google Pixel 3 Lite Design

The Pixel 3 Lite is a cheaper edition of the Pixel 3. Even though the Pixel 3 Lite resembles the Pixel 3, the Lite variant comes with a polycarbonate instead of metal and glass and it is packed with weaker specs.

Google Pixel 3, 3 XL, Pixel 2 and 2 XL do not feature 3.5mm audio jack. The Pixel 3 Xl Lite hands-on video reveals that it features a 3.5mm audio jack and a microphone. There is a bright colored power button along with a volume rocker on the right edge. The SIM card slot is available on the left edge.

The rear panel of the Pixel 3 Lite sports a two-tone design. A fingerprint scanner and a single camera which lacks autofocus sensor are present on the rear shell of the device. The Pixel 3 has dual selfie snappers, but the Lite has only single camera on the front. There is a single speaker and a USB-C port on the bottom edge of the device. The Pixel 3 Lite has a compact appeal which makes it easier to operate with single hand.

Google Pixel 3 Lite Specifications

The Pixel 3 Lite (codenamed as Sargo) will be equipped with a 5.56-inch display that supports 18:9 aspect ratio and full HD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels along with a pixel density of 434 ppi. The Android 9.0 Pie OS will come preinstalled on the smartphone.

The Snapdragon 670 SoC with 4 GB of RAM will be driving the Pixel 3 Lite. It has an inbuilt storage of 32 GB. The internal storage of the device is small, but Google will be providing unlimited cloud storage for the buyers of Pixel 3 Lite.

For photography, it features OIS enabled single camera of 12.2-megapixel with f/1.8 aperture. As far as image quality is concerned, the source claims that the Pixel 3 Lite can shoot same quality images as the Pixel 3. At the front is a selfie camera of 8-megapixel. It is packed with a 2,915mAh battery.

Google is also expected to debut the bigger Pixel 3 XL Lite along with the Pixel 3 Lite. However, the source did not share any information on the XL Lite variant. As far as the launch of the Pixel 3 Lite is concerned, Google may hold a launch it after the Google I/O 2019 event which is usually held in May.

(source)

Oppo Find X running on Android Pie operating system appears on Geekbench

By

Jeet

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Jan 17, 2019

Last year, Oppo launched its flagship smartphone Oppo Find X with a unique mechanical sliding design. When launched, the phone was running Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own ColorOS 5.1.

Now, the smartphone has surfaced online on benchmarking platform Geekbench running Android 9 Pie-based ColorOS 6.0. This suggests that the Android Pie roll out for the Oppo Find X should happen soon. However, the benchmark results are much lower compared to the average Find X scores, so it seems that it is currently under development and needs more optimization.

A couple of months ago, Oppo announced the ColorOS 6.0 based on Android 9 Pie operating system. The newer version is designed for full-screen devices and in terms of the user interface, the company has opted for a gradient color scheme.

It also comes with performance improvements. Oppo says a new feature called AI application quick freeze prevents apps from being shut down in the background. Further, the company says that the AI system studies the user’s app usage patterns for about 15 days and knows which apps should be frozen or not. With this new feature, Oppo claims overall power consumption should reduce by 7 percent.

The company has already announced that the Android Pie-based ColorOS 6.0 will begin rolling out to smartphones this year but Oppo has not yet revealed which devices will be the first in receiving the new update.

The Oppo Find X comes with a 6.5-inch Full-HD+ OLED display with 19.5:9 aspect ratio and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor along with 8GB RAM and up to 256GB internal storage. The phone comes with a motorized sliding mechanism, which equips both — front as well as rear cameras.

The device comes equipped with a dual camera setup that consists of a 16-megapixel + 20-megapixel sensors on the back with OIS and AI features. The front-facing camera sensor is of 25-megapixel for taking selfies. It is powered by a 3,730mAh battery, which supports Oppo’s custom VOOC fast charging technology.

(Via)

Buy The Tronsmart Encore Spunky TWS Buds And I7S TWS Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds At Reduced Prices On GeekBuying [Coupons Inside]

By

Vinay Patel

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Jan 17, 2019

GeekBuying launched the ‘TWS Earbuds Sale,’ giving music lovers an unmissable opportunity to get their hands on top-branded earphones and speaker at unbeatable prices.

The Chinese online store is offering avid gamers something to cheer about as well. The recently kicked-off promo has been split into multiple categories including Best Offers, Earphones & Speakers and Gaming Accessories.

While each of the aforesaid section is loaded with a wide selection of items that you can buy without emptying your pocket, we’ll take a gander at the Tronsmart Encore Spunky TWS Buds and the I7S TWS wireless Bluetooth earbuds.

Tronsmart Encore Spunky TWS Buds

Encore Spunky TWS Buds are irresistible headphones that boast a true wireless setup, allowing the users to pair and connect it via Bluetooth. These headphones ensure a stable connection, paired with improved range, thanks to the latest connectivity option it features.

The Encore Spunky Buds are safe from accidental splashes and wear as they carry an IPX5 water resistance rating. You can even wear them during rain without worrying about causing any sort of damage to the headphones.

Moreover, these eye-catching headphones feature an ergonomic design which is ideal for a longer duration of wearing. It is capable of delivering high fidelity audio that lets you enjoy your favorite music on-the-go like never before.

The Encore Spunky TWS Buds usually sells for $67.87, but much to the delight of cost-conscious buyers, Tronsmart is now offering it at a lowered price of only $35.99 on GeekBuying. This is a 47 percent drop in the device’s original asking price.

On top of that, you can use coupon code GIZ_AUDIO1 to get an extra $15 off. In other words, you can bring the already lowered retail price of the Encore Spunky TWS Buds further down to only $30.99 simply by applying the coupon before placing your order.

You can follow this link to avail the discount. Note that the promo is slated to end in just one day.

Get 47% Off On Tronsmart Encore Spunky TWS Buds

I7S TWS Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds

In order to ensure you can enjoy your music wirelessly with low pressures on your ears, the I7S resorts to using the true wireless technology and adopts a compact and lightweight design that will grab your attention. It comes with an intelligent charging box that provides effortless fast charging.

Moreover, the I7S TWS wireless Bluetooth earbuds enable two people to enjoy the same music simultaneously without the hassles of earphone wire. The I7S is designed to ensure that they stay in your ears even during your strenuous exercises.
The white color version of the I7S Bluetooth earbuds normally carries a $9.99 price tag, but you can now buy them for only $8.99 on GeekBuying. This is a 10 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price.

The black-tinted I7S too retails for $9.99, but thanks to a 20 percent drop its selling price, it can now be yours for just $7.99 on GeekBuying. But if that doesn’t impress you much, you can apply coupon code GIZ_LNFTQGGK and get an extra $1 off at checkout.

This brings your grand total down to only $7.99. Note that the coupon will only be valid for the white color version of the I7S TWS Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds. You can follow this link to grab the discount before the promo ends.

Get 10% Off On I7S TWS Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds

Check Out GeekBuying’s TWS Earbuds Sale

Xiaomi Mi 9 new concept render shows nearly bezel-less display with a waterdrop notch

By

Jeet

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Jan 17, 2019

Xiaomi is currently gearing up to launch its new flagship smartphone — Xiaomi Mi 9 which has already been leaked multiple times. While we have already seen a concept render of the smartphone, a new concept render has emerged online.

The new concept renders shows the Mi 9 smartphone with a virtually bezel-less display. All the four sides have very thin bezels, including the bottom chin which usually has a slightly thicker chin because of the display components.

The render shows that the device features a waterdrop notch on top of the display, offering higher screen-to-body ratio. According to the previous leaks, the phone will feature a 6.4-inch full-screen display with 2K screen resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio.

As reported earlier, on the back side, there’s a triple-camera setup along with an LED flash. The camera module is placed in the top-left corner and sensors are aligned vertically. As per the reports, the phone consists of a 48-megapixel primary Sony IMX586 sensor, 18-megapixel secondary sensor, and an 8-megapixel tertiary sensor.

There’s no fingerprint sensor on the back panel, which is in line with the previous leak that indicated that the Mi 9 flagship smartphone will come with an in-display fingerprint sensor. The company could use its newly improved fingerprint sensor technology that it recently announced. It will also support 3D facial recognition to unlock the device.

Under the hood, the phone will be powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 855 octa-core 7nm chipset but it’s confirmed that the phone won’t be featuring X50 LTE modem that offers 5G connectivity. Instead, the SD855 will come equipped with the X24 LTE modem.

The phone is expected to have up to 10GB RAM and 512GB of internal storage. While the phone’s 3,500mAh battery is said to support 32W fast charging technology, reports indicate that the Mi 9 won’t carry support for wireless charging. The phone is expected to come with IP68 certification indicating resistance from water and dust particles.

The Xiaomi Mi 9 is speculated to carry a price tag of 2,999 Yuan (approximately $436) for the base model that includes 6GB of RAM and 128GB of inbuilt storage. Although the company has not yet announced the launch date, reports indicate that the Mi 9 will be launched in March or it could be showcased at MWC 2019.

(Via)

Get The OnePlus 6 And Huawei Honor 8X Smartphones At Lowered Prices On Banggood [Coupons Inside]

By

Vinay Patel

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Jan 17, 2019

Banggood continues to uphold its reputation for offering the best bang for your buck by doling out noteworthy discounts on a wide selection of electronic items from time to time.
Keeping in line with that, the Chinese online store is now offering two feature-laden smartphones including the OnePlus and the Huawei Honor 8X smartphones at unbeatable prices. We’ll shed light on the aforesaid discounts and even show how you can save more money during the checkout process.

OnePlus 6 (6GB RAM+64G ROM)

Even about a year after hitting the store shelves, the OnePlus 6 hasn’t stopped garnering popularity among smartphone lovers. That’s hardly surprising given that it boasts an impressive array of features and high-end specifications.

On the downside, the phone doesn’t come cheap. In fact, it will normally set you back $609.99 on both online as well as offline stores, but that’s about to change.
In a bid to make the OnePlus 6 available to cost-conscious buyers, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer is now offering this well-received smartphone at a lowered price of just $452.86 on Banggood. This is a 26 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price.

On top of that, you can use coupon code 1BGOP61 and get an extra $60.87 off. In other words, you can bring the already lowered retail price of the OnePlus 6 smartphone further down to only $391.99 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon before placing your order.

You can visit this link to avail the discount, which will be valid for the black color version of the smartphone for a limited period of time.

Get 26% Off On OnePlus 6 Smartphone

Huawei Honor 8X (4GB RAM+128GB ROM)

Huawei took the wraps off its Honor 8X smartphone in September last year. While the phone is expected to sweep Huawei fans off their feet with its top-notch specs and performance, it has now gone up for pre-order on Banggood.

You can now pre-order the blue or black color versions of the Huawei Honor 8X smartphone if you are willing to shell out $259.99. Huawei fans who have restlessly been waiting to get their hands on this feature-rich handset without spending a lot of money don’t need to get disappointed.

You can save $15 simply by applying coupon code 1BG8XG4 before you proceed to check out. Banggood users can reduce the original asking price of the global version of the Honor 8X reduces to only $244.99 with the help of the aforesaid coupon.

The Honor 8X is an irresistible smartphone that comes with an extra large 6.5 inch TFT LCD (IPS) display with a screen resolution of 2340×1080 pixels. The phone packs a powerful HUAWEI Kirin 710 Octa-core processor, under the hood.

You can visit this link to check out the rest of the specifications and grab the discount before the coupon code expires.

Pre-Order Huawei Honor 8X Smartphone

MediaTek denies report that suggested that it had terminated partnership with Xiaomi

By

Jeet

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Jan 17, 2019

MediaTek, the Taiwan-based chipset manufacturer, has today officially released a statement saying that the rumors related to the company terminating its partnership with Xiaomi are not true.

The development comes after reports emerging online which suggested that MediaTek has terminated its partnership with Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi and will no longer provide its mobile chipsets. Debunking that, MediaTek said that their relationship is good and the partnership is going on smoothly as usual and there’s no suspension of supply.

Currently, there are two Xiaomi smartphones that are powered by MediaTek’s chipsets — Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Xiaomi Redmi 6A. While the Redmi 6 is powered by Helio P22 chipset manufactured using a 12nm process, the Redmi 6A is powered by Helio A22 processor.

MediaTek’s chipsets are mostly used to power low-end and mid-range smartphones and the company has not yet launched a high-end chipset that could power flagship smartphones. In December 2018, the company reported consolidated revenue of 21.387 billion Taiwan dollars, representing an increase of 14.66 percent.

The company’s consolidated revenue in the four quarter of 2018 was 60.891 billion Taiwan dollars, which represents a decline of 9.2 percent. According to data released by China Science and Technology Institute, China’s smartphone shipments fell by 15.5 percent, and annual shipments fell to 390 million units.

Like many other technology companies, MediaTek is also involved in patent litigation. AMD has reportedly filed a lawsuit against MediaTek among others and alleged two patent infringements related to GPU/APU technology and is looking for cash compensation.

Pre-Order Ulefone Armor 6 Smartphone For Just $359.99 On GeekBuying And Win A Free Gift!

By

Vinay Patel

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Jan 17, 2019

Designed for adventure junkies who fancy staying in touch with friends and family even during their adventurous outdoor activities, the Ulefone Armor 6 is deemed as the world’s top indestructible rugged smartphone.

Before we divulge more details about the Armor 6, it might interest you to know that this hotly-anticipated rugged smartphone has gone up for pre-order carrying a heavily discounted price tag on GeekBuying. On top of that, the handset comes with a free gift.

While you’d normally associate a steep price tag with a top-branded, brawny smartphone, the Ulefone Armor 6 can now be yours for a dropped price of only $359.99 on GeekBuying. Aside from this noteworthy reduction in the phone’s original asking price of $487.99, there’s more for you to cheer about.

You can get an Ulefone UF002 wireless charger absolutely free with the package B black version of the Armor 6. Alternatively, you can go just for the black, red or package C red options of the smartphone. It is worth noting that the free wireless charger is only available with the package B black and package C red options.

An absolute bargain at this price, the Armor 6 sports a mammoth 6.2-inch FHD+ display with 2246×1080 pixels resolution. The phone packs a powerful Helio P60 Octa Core 2.0GHz processor, and an ARM Mali-G72-MP3 700MHz GPU, under the hood.

It ships with 6GB of RAM and offers 128GB of expandable onboard storage capacity for you to save your favorite content. On the photography front, the Armor 6 houses a 16.0MP(SW21.0MP) + 8.0MP(SW13.0MP) dual camera module on the back and an 8.0MP(SW13.0MP) front shooter for selfies and video chatting.

This dual-SIM smartphone runs System: Android 8.1 Oreo OS and draws its juices from a 5000mAh Li-ion battery that delivers about 2-3 days of standby time. Moreover, it features multiple sensors including the G-sensor, P-sensor, L-sensor, E-compass, gyroscope, fingerprint sensor, NFC, UV sensor, and baroceptor.

You can follow this link to avail the aforesaid discount and check out more details about the Ulefone Armor 6 smartphone. Note that the phone will start shipping in four days.

Get A Big Discount On Ulefone Armor 6 Smartphone

Check Out GeekBuying’s Ulefone Armor 6 Flash Sale

LG G8 ThinQ may offer 7-inch screen space with second display attachment

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 17, 2019

LG is expected to announce the LG G8 ThinQ flagship phone at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) tech expo in the coming month. Fresh information coming from CNet and South Korean publication Naver reveals that the G8 ThinQ may carry support for attachment of secondary display.

The LG G8 ThinQ is now expected to adorn a look like the ZTE Axon M smartphone which came with dual displays. The G8 won’t be featuring dual displays, but it will offer an option to add a second screen through a special case. It won’t be a foldable device, but it will just provide an option to provide more display space by adding a second screen.

The LG G8 ThinQ as well as the secondary screen will be equipped with slim side bezels which will ensure there is minimal gap between the two displays when they are attached. With both screens attached, it is expected to appear like a single device with a large 7-inch display. Moreover, the handset will be featuring support for “touchless” input that will make it possible to operate it with hand gestures.

Read More: LG V40 ThinQ India launch set on 20th January, will be available exclusively via Amazon

One should be aware of the fact that even though the phone with support for second display is being dubbed as LG G8 ThinQ, there is no official confirmation on the moniker yet. The South Korean company was rumored to launch a foldable phone at the upcoming MWC 2019 tech trade show. However, it appears that the alleged LG G8 ThinQ could be the phone that may have been confused for LG’s foldable phone. It is advisable to wait for further reports to confirm on the exact moniker of the LG phone with support for secondary screen.

CNet has also claimed that LG will be using the MWC 2019 platform to announce multiple phones. LG has been using the MWC tech expo to announce its G-series flagship. Hence, it is likely that the LG G8 ThinQ could be also unleashed at the upcoming tech trade show.

(source 1, 2)

Get Top-End Home Appliances At Considerably Lowered Prices On Banggood

By

Vinay Patel

-

Jan 17, 2019

Daily household chores can prove to be backbreaking once in a while. There’s no dearth of devices that can take care of these daunting tasks, but they aren’t easy on the pocketbook.

In a bid to make top-branded home appliances that come in handy in day to day life, Banggood is now doling out big discounts on highly useful items. The promo dubbed, ‘Home Appliance Festival’ features Derma DX700 vacuum cleaner, Xiaomi Sothing Mini Warmbaby portable warmer, Xiaomi Huohou multi-functional knife, Blitzwolf BW SDB0 Bluetooth soundbar for desktop and laptop PC and Xiaomi Mijia DFB01CM rice cooker.

The Deerma DX700 is an irresistible handheld vacuum cleaner that normally sells for $119.99, but thanks to a 42 percent reduction in its original asking price, you can now buy it for just $69.99 on Banggood. This promo will end on January 22nd.

The Sothing Mini Warmbaby portable warmer would normally set you back $46.89, but Xiaomi is now offering it at a dropped price of just $34.99 on Banggood for a limited period of time. You can extend this 25 percent discount by apply coupon code b0a761.
The aforesaid coupon helps you get an extra $11.66 off at checkout. In other words, you can bring the already lowered selling price of the item further down to just $23.33 simply by applying the coupon.

The Xiaomi Huohou multi-functional knife usually carries a $62.88 price tag, but it has now gone up for sale bearing a lowered price of just $35.88 on Banggood. Aside from grabbing this 43 percent discount, you can stand a chance to win KCASA KC-F14 ELPLORER New Waterproof Double Arc Lighter as a free gift along with this order.
The BW-SDB0 smart soundbar’s original selling price is $42.99, but much to the delight of those living on a tight budget, Blitzwolf is now offering this feature-rich mini soundbar at a considerably reduced price of $31.44 on Banggood.

On the downside, this 27 percent discount will only be valid for the first 200 pieces.

Likewise, you can grab a 10 percent discount on the Mijia DFB201CM small rice cooker, which normally sells for $68.88. Thanks to the above-mentioned discount, you can now buy it for only $62.33 on Bangood.

In addition to the aforesaid items, this promo features a slew of other equally useful items that you can buy without breaking the bank for a limited period of time. Note that a slew of new products is slated to go up for sale carrying reduced prices on January 17th.

You can click here to visit the promotion page and check out the rest of the products.

Check Out Banggood’s Home Appliance Festival