Vivo NEX Dual Display with Snapdragon 710 and 8GB RAM seen on TENAA

By

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Dec 31, 2018

The Vivo NEX Dual Display launched this month as Vivo‘s first dual-display device and also its first 10GB RAM device. It appears the flagship will also have a less powerful variant based on two new TENAA listings.

The Vivo V1820A and Vivo V1820T appeared on TENAA’s database a few days ago. Their model numbers are different from that of the Vivo NEX Dual Display (V1821A and V1821T) but that isn’t the only difference. Apparently, they are models of a less powerful variant of the Vivo NEX Dual Display. The specs are the same for V1820A and Vivo V1820T, so we will list them as one device.

The new variant has two displays too – a 5.49-inch OLED screen with a 1080 x 1920 resolution and a 6.39 AMOLED screen with a 1080 x 2340 resolution. Instead of the Snapdragon 845 processor, there is a 2.2GHz octa-core chipset we believe is the Snapdragon 710 Mobile Platform and it is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of non-expandable storage.

Unlike the Vivo NEX Dual Display which has a 12MP + 2MP + TOF triple camera setup, this variant has a 12MP + 13MP + 2MP triple camera setup. It also has an in-display fingerprint scanner, runs Android 9 Pie and packs a 3425mAh battery.

The Vivo V1820 weighs 200.19 grams and measures 157.19 x 75.3 x 8.09 millimeters. When it launches, it will be available in only gold. Unfortunately, TENAA didn’t provide images along with the listings.

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Fitbit Charge 3 with OLED display and heart rate sensor launched in India for Rs. 13,990 ($200)

By

Jeet

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Dec 31, 2018

Back in August this year, Fitbit announced the Fitbit Charge 3 fitness tracker in India, which is the successor of the Charge 2. Now the company has finally launched the device in the Indian market for Rs. 13,990 which roughly converts to $200. It will be available for purchase from 1st January through Reliance Digital, Croma, Helios and other major retailers, both offline and online.

The Fitbit Charge 3 will be available in Black color with a graphite aluminum case or Blue Gray color with a rose gold aluminum case. Accessories for the fitness band, including bands in different materials, colors, and finishes, cost between Rs. 2,990 ($43) to Rs 4,490 ($645).

The company also announced that it will soon launch Fitbit Charge 3 Special Edition in the Indian market, which comes with an NFC chip that’s missing from the regular model.

The Fitbit Charge 3 comes with an aluminum body and is lighter than the Charge 2. It features a 40 percent larger OLED display, which is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Further, the display is now touch-enabled. It also comes with Connected GPT, continues heart rate monitoring, multi-sport tracking, sleep tracking, among others.

One of the major change in the usage of the fitness band is that with Charge 3, Fitbit has introduced goal-based exercise modes. This allows users to set a specific calorie burned, duration or distance goal for more than 15 exercise modes including swimming, running, yoga, among others.

It has got a heart rate sensor that helps users to accurately track their heartbeats, monitor sleep cycles, and understand users’ sleeping patterns. It also offers features like alarms, timer, weather, calendar, and smartphone notification alerts with quick reply option.

As for the battery life, the company claims the Fitbit Charge 3’s battery can easily last up to 7 days on a single charge. For compatibility, the fitness band can be paired with both iOS devices as well as Android devices.

Xiaomi CEO explains why he’s not using Mi MIX 3

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 31, 2018

At present, Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 is ranking on the sixth position in the list of best rated camera smartphones by DxOMark. It is ranking higher than the Huawei P20 and Google Pixel 3 in the list. Still, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun can be seen using his Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S on Weibo. When he was asked why he was not using Mi MIX 3, he replied that he is still testing the Mi MIX 2S.

On Weibo, Jun shared a post that Dec. 29 was the last working day of the company. He thanked employees for working harder even on the last day of the year. One Weibo user questioned Jun on why he wasn’t using the Mi MIX 3. He responded that the company is upgrading the camera experience on the Mi MIX 2S and he is assisting with the tests. Jun also said that the year “2019 is definitely worth looking forward!”

In October, Xiaomi had launched the Mi MIX 3 flagship phone that came with Night Mode camera feature for capturing rich photos in dim-light conditions. The same feature was brought to Mi MIX 2S handset through an update in November along with slow-motion video shooting.

The Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S features a pair of 12-megapixel sensors that includes a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens. The dual cameras carry support for 2x optical along with optical image stabilization. The primary Sony IMX363 lens offers a large pixel size of 1.4micron pixels for better photography experience in darker conditions. There is a noise reduction mechanism that helps in improving the image quality.

Read More: Xiaomi releases short video to review its year 2018

The Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S was launched in March this year as the company’s first Snapdragon 845 chipset powered smartphone in China. The handset comes with up to 8 GB of RAM and an inbuilt storage of 256 GB. There is a microSD card slot for more storage. The Mi MIX 2S is fitted with a 5.99-inch display that supports full HD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels and a tall aspect ratio of 18:9.

The 3,400mAh battery of the phone carries support for fast charging and wireless charging. It has a front-facing camera of 5-megapixel. The handset has been treated with Android 9 Pie OS flavored MIUI 10 update.

(source)

Xiaomi releases short video to review its year 2018

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 31, 2018

Recent reports have revealed that there has been a decline in smartphone shipments across the globe. However, Xiaomi is one of the companies along with Huawei, Apple, Samsung, Vivo and OPPO that have managed to decent results. On the last day of the year 2018, Xiaomi has released a short video to lookback on its achievement this year.

The video begins with the Xiaomi’s IPO event in Hong Kong in June. The company that was founded on April 6, 2010 issued its IPO in July for HK$17 per share. Hong Kong is one of the largest capital-raising centers in the world it also offers dual-class shares like the New York Stock exchange.

The video then showcases some of the smartphones, smart home products and technologies that it launched this year such as Mi 8, Mi MIX 3, Mi 8 Lite, wireless charging, vacuum cleaner, foldable electric bicycle and so on. Xiaomi has also cooperated with different brands including IKEA this year. The video also reminds Xiaomi’s promise of capping hardware income margin at 5 percent.

Read More: Honor V20 vs Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 vs Lenovo Z5 Pro GT: Specs Comparison

The year 2019 will be a bigger year for Xiaomi since it will be launching the Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 5G as its first 5G smartphone. The Mi 9 and Mi MIX 4 could be the company’s first smartphones to come equipped with triple rear cameras.

omi Speculations are rife that Xiaomi may also debut its first foldable smartphone in 2019. It is expected to sport a fold-out design and is rumored to carry a cheaper price tag. As far as the beginning of the year 2019 is concerned, Xiaomi’s President has confirmed that the company will be announcing a new smartphone with 48-megapixel in January. Rumors surrounding it claim that it could be a Redmi series flagship phone. Some reports have also claimed that it could be the Redmi Pro 2 smartphone.

The Chinese manufacturer is also expected to debut Redmi Go as its first Android Go device. The Redmi 7 Pro and Poco F2 are some of the other devices to look out for in 2019.

(source)

Huawei Y7 Pro 2019 with 6.26-inch display, SD450 SoC, and dual rear cameras announced

By

Jeet

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Dec 31, 2018

Huawei‘s new smartphone under its Y-series surfaced online as Huawei Y7 2019. However, the company has now officially launched the latest Y-series smartphone — Huawei Y7 Pro 2019. The phone’s specifications and features are similar to the Y7 2019 that was leaked a few days ago.

The Huawei Y7 Pro 2019 will be available in two color options — Aurora Blue and Black. The device is priced at 39,90,000 Vietnamese dongs, which roughly converts to $171 and is already available for purchase.

The smartphone features a 6.26-inch HD+ display with 1520 x 720 pixels screen resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 2.5D curved glass, and the trendy waterdrop notch that houses the front camera and other sensors. Under the hood, the handset is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 450 octa-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz, coupled with Adreno 506 GPU.

It packs 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. There’s also a microSD card slot which enables users to further expand the phone’s storage capacity up to 512GB. As for the camera, there’s am AI Dual Camera setup consisting of a 13-megapixel primary sensor and a 2-megapixel secondary sensor on the back panel of the phone, along with an LED flash.

On the front side, the device comes equipped with a 16-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling. Connectivity options on the device include Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, and GPS + GLONASS.

The phone is running Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s EMUI 8.2 custom interface. The smartphone is powered by a 4,000mAh battery but lacks support for fast charging technology. However, the company claims that the battery will last for two days on a single charge.

While the Huawei Y7 Pro 2019 is now available for purchase in Vietnam, the company has not revealed anything related to the phone’s availability in other regions. We’ll have to wait for the official announcement from the company to know about global availability.

(Source)

Nokia 9 PureView press render confirms design, five cameras and screen fingerprint sensor

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 31, 2018

In November, popular tipster @OnLeaks had shared realistic renders of the upcoming Nokia 9 PureView handset. Various case images and some leaked live shots of the front panel had tried to reveal the design of the upcoming flagship phone from Nokia. However, the elusive Nokia 9 PureView real appearance had always been under the wraps. Reliable tipster, Evan Blass has shared a press render of the smartphone that not only reveals the entire design, but also confirms the presence of an in-screen fingerprint scanner.

The Nokia 9 PureView that is codenamed as “Beholder” features a glass panel on the rear that seems to be curved towards the edges. The Android One text mentioned towards the bottom of the back panel reveals that like the other Nokia devices, the Nokia 9 PureView will be running on purest version of Android 9 Pie.

It goes without saying that the hexagonally arranged ZEISS branded penta-lens setup, LED flash and another sensor will be USP of the Nokia 9 PureView. Running along the edges of the handset is an aluminum frame. Rumors surrounding it claim that it won’t be featuring a 3.5mm audio jack.

Nokia 9 PureView "Beholder." HNY pic.twitter.com/x4Kh3anP46

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) December 31, 2018

The front view of the Nokia 9 PureView suggests that it could be equipped with an 18:9 aspect ratio screen like the Nokia 8 Sirocco. There is no information available on the resolution of the Nokia 9 PureView. The notch-less is very likely to support Quad HD+ resolution like the Nokia 8 Sirrocco. There is a selfie camera with Nokia brand name mentioned on the right side of the upper bezel. There are two other sensors on the left of the top bezel. One of them could be an IR sensor. The thick-sized bottom bezel of the phone is barren. The above image confirms that the Nokia 9 PureView will be the first ever smartphone from the company to feature an in-display fingerprint scanner.

Read More: Nokia 5.1 Plus gets Android Pie before year end

In terms of specs, the Nokia 9 PureView is rumored to be fueled by Snapdragon 845 chipset. The SoC could be supported by up to 6 GB of RAM. The handset may come with an inbuilt storage of 128 GB. It may house a 5.99-inch OLED display and it draw power from 4,150mAh battery. It could also be the first Nokia phone to support wireless charging.

The launch date of the Nokia 9 PureView is still a mystery. However, a recent report had revealed that the smartphone will be announced in the last week of January 2019.

Buy DOOGEE S80, S70 And S60 Smartphones For Unbeatable Prices On GeekBuying [Coupons Inside]

By

Vinay Patel

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Dec 31, 2018

Known for making some of the most versatile and sturdy smartphones, DOOGEE is a popular brand among adventure junkies who fancy staying in touch with friends and family during their adventurous outdoor activities.
If you are an adventure seeker looking for a low-cost, yet brawny smartphone you have come to the right place. Here are three well-built smartphones from DOOGEE that you can buy without emptying your pocket.

DOOGEE S80

The S80 was launched this year in September. The phone packs a powerful MTK Helio P23 64bit Octa-core 64-bit 2.5GHz processor along with an ARM Mali G71 MP2 770MHz GPU, under the hood. It ships with 6GB of RAM and offers 64GB of onboard storage capacity for you to save your favorite content.

The S80 would normally set you back $446.99 on both online as well as offline stores, but if you aren’t willing to spend that kind of money on a smartphone, GeekBuying’s got your back. The Chinese online store is doling out a noteworthy 11 percent discount on the handset’s original asking price.
As a result, you can now buy the S80 for a dropped price of just $399.99. On top of that, you can apply coupon code GIZ_DBDIZRAN if you are interested in saving a considerable amount of extra money at checkout.

The coupon helps you get an extra $20 off by reducing the phone’s already lowered grand total further down to only $379.99 at the time of checking out.

You can follow this link to grab the discount, which is valid for the black color version of the handset. Alternatively, you can get a 9 percent off on the orange color version of the phone.

DOOGEE S70

DOOGEE made the long-awaited S70 smartphone available to the public in August this year. Touted as world’s first rugged gaming smartphone, the S70 became an instant hit among those looking for exciting gaming adventures both indoors as well as outdoors.

The phone sports a 5.99-inch capacitive screen, FHD+ display with a screen resolution of 2160×1080 pixels. The S70 is powered by an MTK Helio P23 64bit Octa-core 64-bit 2.5GHz processor and it uses a competent ARM Mali G71 MP2 770MHz GPU for a superior gaming experience.
The phone comes with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage capacity so that you can download and play your favorite games and apps without worrying about running out of storage space. Furthermore, the phone houses a 12.0MP+5.0MP dual camera setup on the back and a 16.0MP front shooter for selfies and video chatting.

While you’d usually associate a steep price tag with a smartphone offering such amazing features, the DOOGEE S70 can be yours for an unbeatable price of just $336.99 on GeekBuying. This is a significant 13 percent drop in the phone’s original selling price of $388.99.

Aside from taking full advantage of the aforesaid discount, you can use coupon code GIZ_EPNKOTYH to get an extra $67 off. Thanks to the above-mentioned coupon, the phone’s retail price reduce to just $269.99 before you proceed to check out.

This discount will be valid for the black color version of the smartphone for a limited period of time. You can follow this link to avail the discount before the promo comes to an end.

DOOGEE S60

Even over a year after hitting the store shelves, the DOOGEE S60 continues to garner huge popularity among smartphone lovers. The phone has a 5.2inch capacitive screen, FHD display with 1920×1080 pixels screen resolution and is housed in a sturdy metal frame.

The S60 features an MTK Helio P25 64bit Octa-core 64-bit 2.5GHz processor along with an ARM Mali T880 graphics processing unit. The phone comes with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. On the photography front, it has a 21.0MP rear-mounted camera and an 8.0MP front shooter.
While the feature-laden DOOGEE S60 usually carries a $342.99 price tag, you can now buy it for just $239.99 on GeekBuying. If this 30% drop in the phone’s original selling price doesn’t impress you much, all you need to do is to use coupon code GIZ_YUYWSJSR before placing your order.

The aforesaid coupon reduces the phone’s selling price to only $235.99 and you end up getting an additional $63 off without breaking a sweat.

You can visit this link to grab this discount, which will be valid for the black color version of the smartphone for three days. Note that the silver-tinted S30, on the other hand, carries a 33% discount.

Get Top Variants Of The Huawei Honor V20 Smartphone For Lowered Prices On GeekBuying [Coupons]

By

Vinay Patel

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Dec 31, 2018

The rumor mill has been churning out all sorts of speculations around the Honor V20 smartphone. Huawei’s popular sub-brand Honor took the wraps off its long-awaited V20 smartphone in a launch event that was held in China recently.
If you have been waiting with bated breath to get your hands on the latest Honor branded smartphone without emptying your pocket, you have come to the right place. Huawei is offering two variants of the Honor V20 smartphone for considerably lowered prices on GeekBuying.

Aside from taking advantage of the aforesaid discount, we will show how you can save a considerable amount of extra money at checkout. So without further ado, let’s head straight to the details.

Huawei Honor V20 (6GB RAM+128GB ROM)

The Honor V20 is without an iota of doubt an irresistible smartphone that boasts an impressive array of features and top-end specifications. The aforesaid variant offers 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage with an Hisilicon Kirin 980 Octa Core processor and Mali-G76MP10720MHz GPU, under the hood.

While this model would normally set you back a pretty penny on both online and offline stores, you can now buy it for just $592.99 on GeekBuying. This is a noteworthy 14 percent reduction in this variant’s original asking price of $688.99.
On top of that, you can use coupon code GIZ_CYQCRNAT and get an extra $63 off at the time of checking out. In other words, you can reduce the phone’s already lowered retail price to just $529.99 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon code. You can follow this link to avail the discount before the promo comes to an end.

Huawei Honor V20 (8GB RAM+128GB ROM)

This model of the V20 smartphone ships with 8GB of RAM and offers a hearty 128GB of internal storage capacity for you to save your favorite content. While the variant usually carries a steep $808.99 price tag, it has now gone up for sale for just $686.99 on GeekBuying.

Moreover, you can extend this 15 percent discount by using coupon code GIZ_SBJVRNYD. The aforesaid coupon helps you save an extra $87 by bringing the phone’s original selling price further down to only $599.99 before you click the ‘Place Your Order’ button. You can visit this link to grab the discount before the promo wraps up.
An absolute bargain at this price, the Honor V20 sports a mammoth 6.4-inch TFT LCD IPS screen, FHD+ display with a screen resolution of 2310×1080 pixels. It houses a conventional fingerprint scanner along with 48MP+ 3D ToF sensor camera on the back.

Up front, there’s a 25MP (f/2.0) front shooter for selfies and video chatting. The Honor V20 runs MagicUI2.0.1 based Android 9.0 Pie OS and is backed by a robust 4000mAh battery that comes with 22.5W SuperCharge support.

Get 14% Off On Huawei Honor V20 Smartphone

Get 15% Off On Huawei Honor V20 Smartphone

Get High-End Chargers For Considerably Lowered Prices On GearBest

By

Vinay Patel

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Dec 31, 2018

GearBest has a reputation for offering the best electronic gadgets, mobile phones, chargers, earphones and a wide selection of other accessories at unbeatable prices, making it one of China’s best online electronics stores.
Staying true to its notoriety, GearBest is now offering feature-rich chargers for considerably lowered prices. So without further ado, let’s check out the details.

Gocomma Magic Array Wireless Charger

Made using high-quality ABS material, the Gocomma Magic Array Wireless Charger is a 1.5cm thin pad. As soon as you place any mobile phone that supports Qi wireless charging, the magic lamp will turn on and start charging right away.

The magic map features 244 LED beads array that flawlessly demonstrates magic energy flow. Aside from being a wireless charger, the Gocomma Magic Array is also an excellent animation toy. For the best experience, it is imperative for you to take the metal material phone case off while charging.

While a top-branded wireless charger offering comparable features would usually set you back a pretty penny, the Gocomma Magic Array wireless charger can now be yours if you are willing to spend just $36.99 on GearBest. This is a noteworthy 20 percent drop in the device’s original asking price of $46.

Regrettably, there were 100 pieces of the pink and only 94 pieces of the coffee color versions of the wireless charger remaining for this promo at the time of writing. You can follow this link to grab the aforesaid discount, which will be valid for the model that delivers an output power of 5W.

Get 20% Off On Gocomma Magic Array Wireless Charger

Utorch Q5 Multi-use USB Charging Holder

The Utorch multi-use USB charging holder features five USB charging ports. In other words, it is capable of charging five devices such as a mobile phone, MP3, MP4, camera, iPod and a slew of other electronic gadgets at the same time.

The five slots are placed on the base so that you can comfortably place your devices. Aside from that, the Utorch Q5 features a mushroom LED light with 6000K color temperature which calms your eyes. Moreover, this charging holder is ideal for home or office as it can be used as a reading lamp or a bedside lamp.
While the Utorch Q5 would normally set you back a pretty penny on both online and offline stores, you can now buy it for just $21.59 on GearBest. This is a noteworthy 28 percent drop in the device’s original asking price of $29.78.

You can visit this link to grab this discount, which will be valid for the remaining 286 pieces of the white-tinted Utorch Q5 USB charging holder for seven days.

Get 28% Off On Utorch Q5 Multi-use USB Charging Holder

Check Out GearBest’s 2018 New Year Lighting Flash Sale

Check Out GearBest’s Exclusive Brand Sale

Honor V20 vs Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 vs Lenovo Z5 Pro GT: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Dec 30, 2018

The second half of 2018 was the period of innovative smartphones in terms of design. Huawei released its first phone with a punch hole display, then its sub-brand announced Honor V20 which is the world’s third phone with an in-display camera. Xiaomi announced the Mi Mix 3, one of the first phones with a slider design, and Lenovo announced the Z5 Pro GT: the first phone with Snapdragon 855 and a slider design as well. Besides being innovative, these phones carry very attractive price tags, that is why they are currently among the most wanted ones. Here is a comparison between their specifications.

Huawei Honor V20 vs Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 vs Lenovo Z5 Pro GT

	Huawei Honor V20	Xiaomi Mi Mix 3	Lenovo Z5 Pro GT
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	156.9 x 75.4 x 8.1 mm, 180 g	157.9 x 74.7 x 8.5 mm, 218 g	155.1 x 73 x 9.3 mm, 210 grams
DISPLAY	6.4 inches, 1080 x 2310p (Full HD+), IPS LCD	6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED	6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
PROCESSOR	Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 980, octa-core 2.6 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, octa-core 2.8 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, octa-core 2.8 GHz
MEMORY	6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD dedicated slot	6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 10 GB RAM, 256 GB	8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 9 Pie, EMUI	Android 9 Pie, MIUI	Android 8.1 Oreo, ZUI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Dual 48 MP + TOF 3D Camera, f/1.8 25 MP f/2.0 front camera	Dual 12 + 12 MP, f/1.8 Dual 24 + 2 MP f/2.0 front camera	Dual 16 + 24 MP f/1.8 Dual 16 + 8 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY	4000 mAh, fast charging 22.5W	3200 mAh, fast charging with Quick Charge 4.0	3350 mAh, Fast Charging
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot, in-display camera	Dual SIM slot, slider design	Dual SIM slot, slider design

Design

It is all about tastes. While Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 and Lenovo Z5 Pro GT have a slider design in order to minimize bezels and guarantee a screen-to-body ratio close to 100 percent, Honor V20 comes with an in-display hole for the camera. My favorite one is the Huawei Honor V20, not only because of its punch hole display but also because of its reflective back cover changing colors and effects depending on the viewing angle. But Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 may attract you more due to its ceramic back and solid 7000 series aluminum frame.

Display

Honor V20 loses this comparison because it is equipped with a midrange IPS display carrying a Full HD+ resolution and an average color reproduction. Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 is the winner because it features the HDR technology to improve colors, it is a Super AMOLED panel and it is protected by Gorilla Glass. On the other hand, Lenovo Z5 Pro GT has a higher screen-to-body ratio, but on the paper its display seems inferior to Xiaomi Mi Mix 3.

Hardware/Software

The most powerful chipset in the Android market is currently the new Snapdragon 855 by Qualcomm and it is inside the Lenovo Z5 Pro GT. That is why it wins the hardware comparison. Further, it is the first and only phone to feature up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of internal storage at the same time. It is still not clear how an Android phone should use all that RAM at the same time, but it may still be useful in the future. With its Kirin 980 paired with 8 GB of RAM, Honor V20 takes the second place, but Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 is an excellent phone too when it comes to hardware. All the devices come with a custom user interface, but Lenovo Z5 Pro GT is the only one still based on Android Oreo.

Camera

We still had no chance to test the Honor V20, but on the paper, it comes with the most interesting camera setup, composed of the first sensor with a 48 MP resolution (by Sony) and a TOF 3D stereo camera for depth info. However, Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 has already proved to be an amazing camera phone in every light condition, so it will be a hard fight. The camera department of the Lenovo Z5 Pro GT should be its weakest point, so it probably can not compete with its rivals.

Battery

Honor V20 belongs to that small amount of Android flagship to sport a big battery. With 4000 mAh of capacity, it should be able to last a full day on a single charge, whatever you do with your phone. Lenovo Z5 Pro GT and Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 have a much smaller battery which lasts much less than Honor V20 and they provide just average battery life.

Price

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 is going to debut in the global market with a price tag of about €560/$640, Honor V20 was recently announced in China with a €460/$526 price and Lenovo Z5 Pro GT starts from €400/$457 in the Chinese market. The most complete device, in my opinion, is the Honor V20 because of its bigger battery and awesome cameras.

Read More: The Huawei Honor V20 Goes Up For Pre-Order On Giztop!

Huawei Honor V20 vs Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 vs Lenovo Z5 Pro GT: PRO and CONS

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3

PROS

Innovative design
Good cameras
Good price
Nice display

CONS

Smaller battery

Huawei Honor V20

PROS

Micro SD dedicated slot
Unique design
Great hardware
Bigger battery

CONS

Worse display

Lenovo Z5 Pro GT

PROS

Better performance
Good price
Micro SD dedicated slot
Nice display

CONS

Thicker

You will soon be able to officially purchase Xiaomi phones in Germany

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Dec 30, 2018

This year can be said to be Xiaomi‘s biggest in terms of expansion. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer made its entry into new markets with a number of them being in Europe. Just before rounding off the year, Xiaomi has now made its entry into Germany.

Actually, Xiaomi already entered into the German market back in November. It partnered with local distribution company Axdia, to sell some of its products such as fitness trackers, smartwatches, TV Boxes, and laser projectors. All these products have been specially customized for the German markets and are not just direct imports from China. They also come with German warranties.

However, if you want a smartphone, you would have to import it from China or buy from a European country where Xiaomi is officially present. That won’t be the case for long as Xiaomi seems to be working on officially selling its phones in the country soon.

According to Winfuture.de, Xiaomi seems to have started a new company in Germany called Shamrock Mobile. The only thing about Shamrock Mobile on the web is a page that says “Shamrock Mobile is coming”. However, if you check the page source, you will find the sentence “Shamrock Mobile powered by Xiaomi”. The new company uses a four-leaf clover as its logo.

Continue

Huawei’s annual revenue crosses $100 billion for the first time

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 30, 2018

Chinese tech giant Huawei has revealed that its revenue for 2018 has surpassed $100 billion, a first for the company. This is coming on the heels of disclosure that the company’s estimated phone shipments for the year have crossed 200 million units as projected. These achievements have been attained in the face of heightened global scrutiny of its activities especially by the US government and some of its ally.

According to Reuters, Guo Ping, the company rotating chairman during his New year’s address to the company’s employees said that the company’s revenue will hit $109 billion this year, which is a 21% increase from the previous year and it will be the maximum growth rate the company has recorded in two years. This year 2018 will also make it the first time the company will record $100 billion increase in revenue.

Right from 2012, Huawei technology has been purported to be a threat to US National Security, with claims that the company’s smartphones and other gadgets could send confidential information to the Chinese government. With the 5G technology rolling out next year, there are fears that many might make use of the company’s network infrastructure due to the progress the company has made in that aspect. More so, the company has secured more than 25 commercial 5G contracts to build the 5G network internationally. Huawei also is the largest producers of such equipment globally and is also the second highest ranked smartphone producers after Samsung. There were reports last week that US President Donald Trump will sign an executive order next year that will stop US companies from accessing Huawei’s Telecom equipment. With a fast-growing global tech market, US efforts may likely not stifle Huawei’s growth which is largely driven by innovation.

(source)

Google starts rolling out new Spam protection feature for Android phone users

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 30, 2018

After half a year development, spam protection in Android messages finally started rolling out earlier this month to some users. The feature is yet to be made available to everyone which means the change may be server-side and limited for the meantime. However, we may see a full rollout sometime soon.

When the update gets to any Android phone, a new notifications will pop-up on the device showing the new spam protection. This new “spam protection” feature will also appear in the “Advanced” section of the settings menu (Settings -> Advanced), allowing users to manually activate or deactivate it.

A formerly discovered section of Google’s support help site that went live prematurely, gave an explanation about how the new spam protection feature will function from a privacy perspective. Stating that when this setting feature is enabled, some information about messages that are received on the device will automatically be sent to Google. Howbeit, the content of the message will not be read; such as the phone number or the message body.

How this spam protection feature works is undefined, but possibly it observes the data statistically to examine similarities between spam messages so as to detect them. If you forward a spam report manually to Google it still submits the phone numbers of both the sender and the recipient including the message body. If you are so concerned about privacy implications that might emanate, and having Google to access your Information, you might literally not be needing this feature, presumably using a different app might save you the stress.

(source)

Apple’s iPhone XS Max records first report of explosion in the US

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 30, 2018

Several things can go south for the users of brand new phones including Apple‘s latest flagships; from a change of mind and wanting to return the expensive device, to series of different minor malfunction, various software woes and different accidental damages. But it’s so unusual for a three weeks old phone to spontaneously explode and almost causing body damage to the owner. That is the experience of an Ohio-based iPhone Xs Max owner who’s pone exploded.

Josh Hillard, based in Ohio reported how he escape the incident, safe and sound but traumatized. He stated that the Apple iPhone XS Max was kept in his back pocket when it began to release “a large amount of heat” including green and yellow smoke. He said he had to quickly leave the break room where his co-female workers were, to find a private place to take his shoes and clothes off. At this time, the explosion has transformed into a full-blown fire which fortunately was extinguished. Hillard said he was so unhappy “from the time of first noticing the fire and between removal of the pants and taking the phone out of my pocket and placing it outside.”

Hillard was however offered a new phone as a remedy to the exploded one, which he doesn’t regard as a better way of resolving the situation. Considering the situation of things, Hillard is said to be “contemplating legal action” for all the trauma he has encountered as a result of the explosion. Apple has begun an intense investigation to determine the cause of the incident. This is the first time iPhone XS Max is reported to have exploded and we hope it’ll be the last. Something similar recently occurred to the iPhone X, though, but the cause may likely be unrelated.

(source)

Essential Phone discontinued but Essential confirms it is working on another “mobile product”

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 29, 2018

The Essential phone from the Android co-founder Andy Rubin was launched last year with a lot of expectations. Those expectations were largely not met as the phone struggled for space in the market, but the company was able to deliver new Android OS updates on time. However, in the face of a stuttering sales, the company has now announced that it has sold out all units in stock and is discontinuing production of the Essential Phone 1.

The announcement is, however, laced with some cheering news as the company equally confirmed something that has been in the rumour mills for a while. That is, that it has got a second phone in the works. The statement actually labelled it “mobile product”. This second device might possibly be the leaked tiny phone that employs AI (artificial intelligence) to answer text messages and e-mails.

Here is the statement released by an Essential representative – “We are sold out of Essential Phone” on essential.com and won’t be adding any new inventory. We are now hard at work on our next mobile product and will continue to sell accessories and provide speedy software updates and customer support to our existing community.” So it looks like another Essential phone will soon be on sales despite the company putting itself up for sale. The company has promised to deliver fast software updates for the Essential phones and this may be one reason the company still has some loyal fans awaiting the release of the supposed “mobile product”.

(source)

ASUS pushes Android 9 Pie update to Zenfone 5z in Taiwan

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 29, 2018

Just a week after the Zenfone 5 got the Android Pie update, ASUS has begun rolling it out too to its 2018 flagship, the Zenfone 5z in Taiwan.

The update is 1GB in size and updates the software version of the phone to version 90.10.138.157. Other than bringing a slice of pie, the update also brings a new security patch but unfortunately, it’s November’s and not the latest. The changelog also says the speed of entering burst mode has been improved, Face Unlock is now faster and the performance of the headphone jack has also been improved.

If you don’t want to wait for the OTA, there is a page on XDA that has a link to the file and also explains how to manually install it.

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Sony launches the first fast USB-PD charger with intelligent power controller

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 29, 2018

Sony has newly introduced the first PD (powerful delivery) fast-charge charger for all USB-PD compatible devices. The charger has an intelligent power controller to maintain safe and reliable performance when used repeatedly. The charger with model number CP-ADRM2, features dual output port; the first USB-C port has the capacity of producing 5V/3.0A, 9V/3.0A, 12V/3.0A, and 15V/2.6A delivering up to 39W to compatible devices by safely increasing the voltage to the USB-C port. It produces 5 times the output compared to the normal charger. Meanwhile, the second USB-A port can deliver 7.5W 5V/1.5A. Combined they give an output of 46.5W power synchronously.

The charger uses a standard C7 (coupler-7) or figure 8 connector to plug into an extension outlet which differs with different markets. The AC adapter features a heat resistant design and 100V-200V compatibility to charge your device wherever you are in the world. The special treatment used on the matte surface helps to prevent scratches. Enabling it to be carried in the bag without the worries of wear and tear initiated by general use.

With the aid of the USB-PD technology, larger devices such as the notebook computers can be charged at the same speed with the specified AC adapter. It can also be useful in charging a wide range of smartphones, iPad, cameras, tablets and more using the conventional USB-A port with the micro or mini USB cables. The availability of this charger in the market is yet unknown, but it is currently available in Asia.

(source)

ColorOS 6 public beta released for OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 29, 2018

ColorOS 6 is the latest version of OPPO’s Android-based operating system. Announced last month, ColorOS 6 brings a redesigned user interface and new features. Today, OPPO has released its very first beta version and it is available for the OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition.

The announcement was made by the official ColorOS Weibo account. According to the post, ColorOS brings a new UI designed for bezel-less phones (read full-screen displays).

Owners of the OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition can now install the public beta by going to Settings > Software update. The update is being pushed out in batches so you may have to check multiple times.

The OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition is still yet to get the update to ColorOS 5.2, the latest stable version, so it is a big surprise that a more recent update albeit beta is already available.

There is no changelog yet, so we can’t list the features that are bundled with the update. We also cannot confirm if it is based on Android 9 Pie. If you own the OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition and have received the update, you can send the changelog to us.

The OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition was launched back in April of this year. It has a 6.28-inch FHD+ display with a 19:9 aspect ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on top. It has a Snapdragon 660 processor, 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage.

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Triple rear cameras and Snapdragon 855 listed as features of the Mi 9 and Mi MIX 4

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 29, 2018

Next year, Xiaomi is expected to release at least two new flagships. The two main ones are the Mi 9 and the Mi MIX 4 and details about some of their features have surfaced online.

The info comes from a research note from GF Securities of Hong Kong. According to the firm, Xiaomi will launch its first phone with triple rear cameras next year and it will be the Mi 9.

Seeing as the Mi 8 comes in multiple variants, we do not know if the Mi 9 will follow the same tradition and if it does which of them will have three cameras on its back. If there are indeed multiple variants of the phone, we believe the Pro version should at least have three cameras.

The Mi 9 won’t be the only phone with triple rear cameras as the research note says the Mi MIX 4 will also have three rear cameras, one of which will have an optical zoom lens that doesn’t increase the thickness of the device.

Other than having three rear cameras, both phones will also be powered by a Snapdragon 855 processor. Not like we expected any less. There are rumors the Mi MIX 4 may even have a foldable display but there is no confirmation yet.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Poco F2 Geekbench listing reveals CPU and RAM
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Samsung’s 2019 SmartTVs will bring support for input devices like mouse and keyboard

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 29, 2018

Today, Samsung announced a new feature for it 2019 TVs which will give users an advantage to control various devices like tablets, PCs and even their smartphones right from their TVs. The company states that the Remote Access will let people connect to different accessories such the mouse or keyboard to their TV, giving users the access to play games off their TV or broadcast web-based office service on a more larger screen.

It is, however, not clearly understood how this process or connection will work, since enough information is not available. But it seems users will have to install various apps on their devices to get them to connect to each other. Samsung revealed also that the Remote Access feature will function “anywhere in the world” because of their partnership and collaboration with the VMware and its virtual desktop infrastructure.

VMware, Inc. is a subsidiary of Dell Technologies that provides cloud computing and platform virtualization software and services. This technology enables people to be able to access a certain desktop that is saved on a centralized server. The scope is to allow people to access their desktop anywhere they are, and it will automatically reset once users are logged out. Also, this Samsung’s solutions could prove useful for people willing to play games on their TV without using an HDMI cable. Similarly, it’s handy for anyone who wants to do seminar presentations for groups. The Remote Access seems to cover the gap for Samsung’s long-term vision of blurring lines between different gadgets.

A case study is the Dex and the Dex Pad, which turns Samsung Galaxy phones into what essentially amounts to a desktop computer. Probably after Samsung launches its next set of TVs, we might hear more about the Remote Access technology.

(source)