Russia’s Yandex launches its first phone with its own voice assistant

By

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Dec 6, 2018

Google may be the most popular search engine in the world but in some countries, it takes the back seat. For example, in Russia, the popular search engine is Yandex. The latest news is that Yandex has launched its first smartphone, the Yandex Telephone and it comes with its own voice assistant pronounced Alissa (sounds familiar?) but translates to Alice.

When it comes to specs, the Yandex Telephone can’t hold a candle to Google’s new Pixel smartphones. It has a 5.65-inch FHD+ LCD display, a Snapdragon 63. processor and 4GB of RAM. Built-in storage is 64GB and a hybrid dual SIM slot will let you use a MicroSD card for adding up to an extra 128GB.

On its rear is a 16MP + 5MP dual camera combo and a fingerprint scanner while the front is home to a 5MP camera with its own LED flash for brighter selfies.

The Yandex Telephone has an audio jack on top and Qualcomm Aqstic™ on board for better audio quality. There is NFC for contactless payment and it works with Yandex.Money, the search engine’s version of Google Pay.

The phone has a 3,050mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 3.0, a USB-C port and dual-SIM dual LTE support,

Another main feature of the phone is its own voice assistant, Alissa/Alice which can do a lot of stuff such as identify songs, set reminders and alarms, give directions, make calls, and tell you about the weather etc.. You can also chat with it and play games with it if you are bored.

Yandex also says the phone has unlimited photo and video storage backup just like the Pixels. There are also some bunch of official cases made from different materials including silicone and fabric and a protective film to cover the screen.

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ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M2, Max M2 now official in Russia; Pricing and Specifications Revealed

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 6, 2018

ASUS will be announcing the ZenFone Max Pro M2 and ZenFone Max M2 in certain markets like India and Indonesia on Dec. 11. However, both the phones have gone official in Russia since they have been found listed on the Russian edition of the company’s website. The official listings of the phone have not only revealed their specs, but also their pricing.

The ASUS ZenFone Max M2 has a 6.3-inch IPS LCD screen that offers 19:9 aspect ratio. The notched screen offers HD+ resolution of 1520 x 720 pixels. The Snapdragon 632 chipsets the phone. It includes 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of native storage. It is equipped with a dedicated microSD card slot. For photography, there is an 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel vertical dual camera setup on the rear and a front-facing camera of 13-megapixel. The handset features a 4,000mAh battery.

The ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M2 has the same-sized notched display as the Max M2, but it carries support for Full HD+ resolution of 2280 x 1080 pixels. It features a smaller than the M2 handset. The Snapdragon 660 chipset powers the phone along with 4 GB of RAM. It has a native storage of 64 GB. A dual camera setup featuring 12-megapixel and 5-megapixel sensors are available on the backside of the Max Pro M2. It is also equipped with a 13-megapixel selfie snapper. Its packed with a massive 5,000mAh battery.

Read More: ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M2 confirmed to launch in India on December 11 as Flipkart exclusive

Both phones are loaded with stock version of Android 8.1 Oreo OS. The Taiwanese company has already confirmed that the ZenFone Max Pro M2 will be the first mid-range phone to feature Gorilla Glass 6 protection. As it can be seen in the above renders, the ZenFone Max M2 has a metal unibody whereas the Max Pro M2 has a glass rear.

A third party Russian retailer is offering the ZenFone Max Pro M2 in 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage versions. The official online store will begin the pre-orders of the Max Pro M2 from Dec. 12. It will be priced at RUB 17,990 (~$270) for the base model. The ZenFone Max M2 costs RUB 12,990 ($195) in Russia. These handsets are respectively available in Black and Blue colors in the country.

(source 1, 2, 3, 4|via)

Buy Top Xiaomi-Branded Smartphones At Unbeatable Prices On Banggood [Coupons Inside]

By

Vinay Patel

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Dec 6, 2018

If you’ve restlessly been waiting to get your tech-greedy hands on smartphones that boasts an impressive array of features and top-end specs, you’ve come to the right place.

Known for offering the best bang for your buck, Banggood is now doling out big discounts on select mobile devices that have garnered huge popularity among Xiaomi fans and tech buffs after hitting the store shelves.

We’ll not only divulge more details about the discounts but also show how you can save extra money during the checkout process.

Xiaomi Redmi 6A Global Version (2GB RAM+16GB ROM)

Xiaomi made the long-awaited Redmi 6A smartphone available to the public in June this year. Following in the footsteps of its well-received predecessors, the handset became an instant hit among smartphone lovers.

Taking its popularity into consideration, Xiaomi is now offering the Redmi 6A smartphone for a considerably lowered price of $105.99 on Banggood. This is a 19% drop in the device’s original asking price of $129.99 and you can even extend further by using coupon code 12BGR6A1.
The aforesaid coupon helps you bring your already lowered grand total further down to just $94.33 before you proceed to check out. In other words, the coupon helps you get an extra $11.66 off without breaking much of a sweat.

You can avail this discount on the black and gold color versions of the Redmi 6A smartphone by heading straight to this link before the promo ends.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Global Version (6GB RAM+128GB ROM)

After floating around the rumor mill and making several appearances online in the form of leaks, the Mi 8 was finally launched earlier this year. While the phone is loaded with awe-inspiring features and packs top-end specifications, it doesn’t come cheap.

In fact, the global version of the Xiaomi Mi 8 smartphone would normally set you back $648.99 on online or offline stores. If you have been waiting to buy this Xiaomi-branded smartphone without emptying your pockets, it might interest you to know that the Mi 8 is now up for sale carrying a dropped price tag of $428.28 on Banggood.

This is a 34% reduction in the black color version of Mi 8 smartphone’s original selling price. Alternatively, you can go for the blue color version of the smartphone if you’re willing to shell out $438.28. Note that the blue-tinted Mi 8 smartphone usually sells for $658.99.

Aside from taking full advantage of this discount, you can use coupon code 12BGM8CL to get an extra $38.55 off on the phone’s already lowered retail price. As a result, you end up paying just $389.73 for this power-packed Mi 8 smartphone from Xiaomi.

You can follow this link in order to ensure you do not miss this opportunity to buy the well-received black and blue color versions of the Xiaomi Mi 8 smartphone at unbeatable prices.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro Global Version (8GB RAM+128GB ROM)

The Mi 8 Pro was launched in September this year and grabbed everyone’s attention with its expansive screen and high screen to body ratio. While the smartphone’s impressive features completely justify the steep price tag it carries, you can now get your hands on the Mi 8 Pro for only $599.99 on Banggood.

This is a significant 27% decrease in the phone’s original asking price of $816.31. But if that doesn’t impress you much, you can use coupon code BGM8PG to save a considerable amount of extra money before placing your order.

The above-mentioned coupon helps you get your already reduced cart total further down to just $509.99. As a result, you end up getting an extra $90 off on this feature-laden smartphone’s retail price.

You can head straight to this link to check out the full specifications of the Mi 8 Pro and grab the discount, which is currently valid for the phone’s transparent black color version before the promo wraps up. Note that the coupon is also likely to expire soon.

Get 19% Off On Xiaomi Redmi 6A Smartphone

Get 34% Off On Xiaomi Mi 8 Smartphone

Get 27% Off On Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro Smartphone

Get The Vivo V11 4G Phablet For A Lowered Price Of Just $449.99 On GearBest

By

Vinay Patel

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Dec 6, 2018

While big-screen mobile devices continue to garner huge popularity among those who fancy watching their favorite videos and playing popular games in full-screen mode, these devices don’t come cheap.
Capable of breathing new life into your videos and photos with its extra large 6.41 inches Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display, bearing a screen resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, the Vivo V11 was launched earlier this year.

Aside from sporting a bigger display than most mobile devices available in the market today, the V11 boasts an impressive array of other features that make it an irresistible phablet. Before we divulge more details about the phablet’s high-end specs and features, it might interest you to know that the V11 has gone up for sale carrying a heavily discounted price tag on GearBest.

While the Vivo V11 phablet would normally set you back a pretty penny on online as well as offline stores, you can now buy it for just $449.99 on the popular Chinese online electronics store. This is a significant 18% reduction in the device’s original asking price of $547.44.
An absolute bargain at this price, the V11 packs a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor along with a highly competent Adreno 512 GPU, under the hood. It ships with 6GB of RAM and offers a hearty 128GB of onboard storage that can be expanded further up to 256GB so that you can save your favorite content without worrying about running out of space.

On the photography front, the V11 houses a 12.0MP+5.0MP dual camera setup on the back and a 25.0MP selfies shooter with useful features like Face Beauty, Face Detection, and Panorama Shot. It runs Funtouch OS 4.5-based Android 8.1 Oreo operating system and is backed by a built-in 3400mAh battery.

The dual-SIM phablet comes with numerous sensors including E-compass, Fingerprint Sensor (under display), Gravity Sensor, Light Sensor, and Gyroscope. Moreover, you can get the aforesaid discount on the phablet’s popular blueberry blue color version.

If the Vivo V11 4G phablet has stirred your interest, all you need to do is to follow this link without wasting time since the promo is slated to end soon.

Get 18% Off On Vivo V11 4G Phablet

Get Up To 30% Off On Top Tech And Win Christmas Gifts

Get Up To 68% Off On Exclusive Brands And $5 Off Over $50

Get Up To 63% Off On Top-Branded Cameras And Camera Accessories On Banggood

By

Vinay Patel

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Dec 6, 2018

Looking for the best gift for someone who loves photography this Christmas? Banggood’s got your back!

As part of its latest ‘Christmas Photography and Camera Accessories Sale’ promo, the Chinese online store is giving users an opportunity to get up to 63% off on a wide selection of high-end cameras and various accessories. So without further ado, let’s check out the details.

The promo has been split into multiple categories so that users can easily find what they’re looking for. The ‘Digital Cameras’ section is brimming top-branded digital cameras that would be great gifts for professional photographers as well as kids.

More importantly, the cameras featured in the aforesaid section are up for grabs carrying unbeatable prices. For instance, there’s a 23% off on the Pink Blue 5MP F3.1 Mini Children Kids 16MB Memory 2.0 TFT Screen Camcorder DV Camera that normally sells for S$20.88.
Thanks to the discount, you can now buy this compact camera for a lowered price of just $15.99. It is worth noting though that the discount will only be valid on the pink and blue color versions of the camera until December 13th.

If you are an adventure junky who fancies capturing the memorable moments during your adventurous outdoor activities, you might want to take a gander at the ‘Sports Camera & Accessories’ section. Not only is this section brimming with amazing cameras and accessories, but these items are also available for heavily discounted prices.

Likewise, the ‘Camera Accessories’ category is brimming with creative and useful gadgets for photography lovers. All items included in this section carry noteworthy discounts that you can take advantage of for a limited period of time.

The ‘Flash & Accessories,’ ‘Lenses&Accessories,’ and the ‘Studio Equipments’ are all packed with essential accessories for shooting superior videos and capturing amazing photos with your camera.

If you prefer using your mobile phone for videos and photos, you can head straight to the ‘Mobile Phone Photography’ section where you can find various accessories that can be used to take better photos and videos using a mobile phone.

You can click here to visit the promotion page and grab these amazing discounts without wasting time.

Check Out Banggood’s Christmas Photography & Camera Accessories Sale

Meizu CEO Jack Wong says hole-in display is not really the best solution

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 5, 2018

Meizu’s president Jack Wong has been a strong critique of the different display designs OEMs have severally adopted to help trim off the bezels on top of their phone’s display. J. Wong who is also known as Huang Zhang is an ardent fan of symmetrical design on smartphones. So, it shouldn’t surprise you that he has at one time criticized the notch design and even the waterdrop notch that recently featured on the OnePlus 6T and a couple of other smartphones.

Recently, Samsung and Huawei were reported to be working on a hole-in display design for their next-gen flagship models. The Meizu founder has shared is thought once again on the design style which will soon go official on the Galaxy A8s and the Huawei Nova 4. A fan had shared the render of a Meizu phone with the hole-in display design, having the camera sensor inserted on the same plane with the status bar. The render also shows the device packs an in-display fingerprint sensor. Huang Zhang was quick to respond, pointing out that the size of the sensor and the dark spot will be bigger than the size of the icons on the status bar. So, it can’t look that cool in real life. Huang Zhang still reiterated his earlier opinion that trimming the bezels on the chin and then inserting the camera on the top bezels with both ends symmetrical, still is the best option at the moment.

This is the design style Meizu utilized on the Meizu 16th and from all indications, the company will retain this design on the Meizu 16s series expected to be launched in May next year. As Meizu’s 2019 flagship, the Meizu 16s series may be equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 mobile platform. The platform is equipped with the fourth-generation multi-core AI engine which provides a highly intuitive machine-backed AI experience. Compared with the previous generation Snapdragon 845, the Snapdragon 855 AI performance will be increased by 3 times.

(source)

Nokia 8.1 launched globally in the UAE with Snapdragon 710, Two days Battery life & more

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 5, 2018

HMD Global’s much-anticipated event was held today in the Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Finnish company was expected to launch the Nokia 3.1 Plus, 5.1 Plus and Nokia 8.1 for the global market. Surprisingly, the event was devoted exclusively to Nokia 8.1 as no mention of the duo of Nokia 3.1 Plus and 5.1 Plus was made during the event. The Nokia 8.1 has been officially unveiled and just as expected, it is the global version of the Nokia X7 which was announced in China not too long ago.

The Nokia 8.1 strives to fit in as a successor of the Nokia 7 Plus. The device comes with a premium design and a very decent hardware, including the latest Android 9.0 Pie software. It features a metallic body forged from a series-6000 magnesium alloy frame wrapped with glass panels on both the front and rear end w-th a copper rim. This gives the device a premium look. The Nokia 8.1 utilises the latest display technology which HMD calls Pureview display technology. It is actually a 6.18-inch IPS LCD screen with a notch at the top and an 18.7:9 aspect ratio. The display features an FHD+ resolution of 2246 x 1080 pixels and an impressive 86.5-percent screen ratio. The Nokia 8.1’s display also comes with a 96-percent NTSC color gamut, DCI-P3 color gamut, HDR video playback, 1500:1 contrast ratio and 500nits of brightness.

The device is powered by the latest 10nm based Snapdragon 710 chipset paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage. The memory options could be expanded to include the 6GB RAM variant in other markets. The device is dropping under the Android One program and runs Android 9.0 Pie out of the box. Perhaps, the most outstanding feature on the device is the photography capabilities. The device packs a dual camera setup at the rear. The main sensor is a 12MP Sony IMX363 sensor paired with aa 13MP depth sensor. The rear camera comes with features such as Optical Image Stabilization, Electronic Image Stabilization, dual PDAF, AI scene detection and optimization for low-light photography. Up at the front, housed on the notch alongside an earpiece and other sensors, is a large 20MP selfie shooter.

The Nokia 8.1 packs a 3500mAh battery which Nokia claims can deliver up to two days of battery power. You also get a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, Quik Charge 3.0, dual-SIM support, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, USB-C and 3.5mm audio jack.

Pricing and Availability

The new Nokia 8.1 will be available in three colours; Blue Silver, Steel Copper and Iron Steel. The device is announced with a retail price of 399 Euros and will go on sale in the UAE on December 15 and other parts of the Middle East on December 20. However, it is now open for pre-order for the Middle East market. The device is also billed to enter other markets like India in no distant time.

Ulefone Power 5S 13000 mAh battery proves itself in a life test

By

Simranpal Singh

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Dec 5, 2018

Ulefone recently launched a smartphone with massive 13000 mAh battery for full throttle usage throughout 2-3 days. In a recently posted video of its battery life test, Ulefone has managed to score pretty well in terms of usage and its impact on battery life. In the video below, you can have a look at the different tests that the company performed to showcase its 13000 mAh battery life usage.

At the beginning of the video, you can see a full half an hour session for 4G online music streaming via its external speakers. Later, a 30 minutes video playing is done, in a combined effort. Overall, the smartphone dropped only 8% maintaining 92% battery life after using it for 90 minutes. As touted by the company, Ulefone A5 can sustain a week-long battery life with moderate usage.

Additionally, Ulefone Power 5s powered by an octa-core processor and is coupled with 4GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage. It features a 6.0-inch display with an aspect ratio of 18:9. In the camera department, Ulefone Power 5S packs a dual camera module of 21 megapixels + 5-megapixel shooters on the rear side while another dual shooter of 13 megapixels and 5 megapixels has made its appearance on the front side for selfies and better video calls.

In connectivity, it carries WiFi, Bluetooth, WiFi, face unlock and fingerprint ID. It runs on the Android 8.1 Oreo and includes a Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope. Its battery can charge other devices also as it supports reverse charging. In order to fasten up the charging process of this huge 13000 mAh battery, Ulefone has added 5V/5A fast charging technique. It helps the user to save a lot of time in charging up 13000 mAh battery.

Read More: The fashionable Ulefone S10 Pro begins pre-sale at just $69.99

You can own it from Aliexpress for the price of $204-$229. In reality, do you need this much huge battery in our device?

Meizu C9 vs Nokia 3.1 vs Xiaomi Redmi 6A: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Dec 5, 2018

Meizu just unveiled a brand new entry-level smartphone in India. Its name is Meizu C9 and for the first week, you can get it for just $50. It belongs to the lowest price range, so it is a perfect rival of the other cheapest devices out there. Here, we compared it with two devices we believe to be the best low-end handsets currently available: Nokia 3.1 and Xiaomi Redmi 6A, in order to see if it is worth getting a unit of the C9 or not.

Meizu C9 vs Nokia 3.1 vs Xiaomi Redmi 6A

	Meizu C9	Nokia 3.1	Xiaomi Redmi 6A
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	146.2 x 71.2 x 9.7 mm, 150 grams	146.3 x 68.7 x 8.7 mm, 138 grams	147.5 x 71.5 x 8.3 mm, 145 grams
DISPLAY	5.45 inches, 720 x 1440p (HD+), 295 ppi, 18:9 ratio, IGZO IPS LCD	5.2 inches, 720 x 1440p (HD+), 310 ppi, 18:9 ratio, IPS LCD	5.45 inches, 720 x 1440 pixels, 295 ppi, 18:9 ratio, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Unisoc SC9832E, quad-core 1.3 GHz	MediaTek MT6750, octa-core 1.5 GHz	MediaTek Helio A22, quad-core 2 GHz
MEMORY	2 GB RAM, 16 GB – micro SD slot	2 GB RAM, 16 GB – 3 GB RAM, 32 GB – micro SD slot	2 GB RAM, 16 GB – 3 GB RAM, 32 GB, micro SD dedicated slot
SOFTWARE	Android 8.0 Oreo, Flyme OS	Android 8.0 Oreo, Android One	Android 8.1 Oreo, MIUI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS
CAMERA	13 MP f/2.2 8 MP f/2.2 front camera	13 MP f/2.0 8 MP f/2.0 front camera	13 MP f/2.2 5 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY	3000 mAh	2900 mAh	3000 mAh
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot

Design

Meizu C9 has the cleanest and most interesting design, with narrower bezels around the display, but Nokia 3.1 is the most compact phone. All of these handsets are made of polycarbonate and do not feature a premium design, so you should make a choice based on your tastes. Xiaomi Redmi 6A is similar to full metal unibody phones and some may like it, but it is just plastic. On the other hand, it has the thinnest body with just 8.3 mm.

Display

Thanks to the IGZO technology, Meizu C9 can provide a better display quality which results in a high brightness, a fast response and less energy consumption. Nokia 3.1 has a smaller display which makes the phone more compact and easy to use with just one hand, and it is also the only one to feature the Gorilla Glass protection by Corning making it more resistant. Xiaomi Redmi 6A’s display has really nothing special, it is just a sufficient IPS entry-level panel.

Specs & Software

When it comes to hardware, the champion is definitely Xiaomi Redmi 6A because it is equipped with a more powerful SoC. We are talking about the Helio A22 by MediaTek running at a max frequency of 2 GHz and realized with a 12 nm production process. Further, Xiaomi Redmi 6A has a dedicated micro SD slot. Nokia 3.1 comes with a sufficient MediaTek SoC, while Meizu C9 has the new Unisoc SC9832E which does not seem so convincing with its 1.3 GHz. Note that while Xiaomi Redmi 6A and Meizu C9 have custom user interfaces (MIUI and Flyme OS), Nokia 3.1 comes with the stock Android One updated in a faster and more constant way directly by Google.

Camera

The most impressive camera department is the one on board of the Nokia 3.1. It features a rear 13 MP sensor with a f/2.0 and an 8 MP front camera with exactly the same aperture as well as the HDR technology. It is able to shoot better photos and selfies, but it still remains an entry-level camera phone. At the second place, we put Meizu C9 because of its pretty nice front camera for a device sold at just €60. The worst one seems to be the Xiaomi Redmi 6A because of its average selfie camera.

Battery

All of these devices provide more or less the same battery capacity and they can reach one day with a moderate use thanks to their well-optimized energy consumptions. We still did not test the Meizu C9, but the results obtained by Nokia 3.1 convinced us slightly less because it does not last very long in some scenarios. Usually, Xiaomi optimizes its phones better in terms of consumption, but we still have to see how Meizu C9 performs.

Price

After the first week, Meizu C9 will cost about €90, while Nokia 3.1 are available at prices of €90 and €150. The phone with the best value for money is currently the Xiaomi Redmi 6A, I would pick it for its good performance, its micro SD dedicated slot, and its long-lasting battery. But if you want a stock and bloatware-free operating system which gets faster updates, Nokia 3.1 is better. Even if it does not have the best hardware, the stock Android experience on a small and entry-level might make the difference for some users.

Read More: Meizu C9 launched with 18:9 HD+ display, 13MP Camera and Rs. 5,999 (~85) pricing

Meizu C9 vs Nokia 3.1 vs Xiaomi Redmi 6A: PROs and CONS

Meizu C9

PROs

Better display
Very affordable price
Good battery
Nice design

CONS

Limited availability

Nokia 3.1

PROs

Compact design
Android One
Better connectivity
Better camera

CONS

Higher price

Xiaomi Redmi 6A

PROs

Affordable
Micro SD dedicated slot
More supported software
Great performance

CONS

Potentially worse cameras

Xiaomi leads wearable market in Q3 as growth hits double digits, all thanks to new products

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 5, 2018

Latest data released by IDC indicates that the global shipments of wearable devices reached 32 million units in the third quarter of 2018, up 21.7% from the previous year. The data shows that the astronomical rise in shipments YoY is due to a sporadic increase in the number of new wearable devices OEMs introduced during the quarter. Specifically, new products from the likes of Fitbit, Garmin, and Huawei were shown to have helped the basic wearables category return to growth during the quarter.

The data also showed that growing demand in markets like Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) was another driving factor and this accounted for more than half of all shipments. The growth in these markets was up to 21.4% higher than the previous year, according to IDC. The US market transitioning from one driven by new users to one that relies on replacement devices and upgrades and so, the market declines 0.4% Year on Year.

In the third quarter under review, Xiaomi grabbed the top position, thanks to the success of the Mi Band 3 and its significant expansion beyond its home country of China. Though typically China accounts for well over 80% of Xiaomi’s shipment volume, this quarter that share fell to 61% as the company managed to grow its presence in other markets such as India, Europe, and Middle East and Africa.

Closely following, is Apple which managed to launch its Series 4 Watch, its first watch approved for medical use, towards the end of the quarter. The new design and sizes along with the latest version of Watch OS were welcome changes although the latest series only accounted for less than 20% of all Apple Watch shipments. The reduced price on the still affable Series 3 accounted for the majority of Apple’s shipments during the quarter.

On the third spot is Fitbit whose latest devices, including the Versa, Charge 3, and the Ace, helped the company slow its decline compared to previous quarters. The success of the Versa catapulted the company back into reckoning as the second largest smartwatch vendor. IDC expects this to continue in the near term. Furthermore, Huawei edged Samsung to maintain its number four position worldwide but the majority of the firm’s wearable devices were sold in China. On the other hand, the Honor sub-brand introduced a new set of earphones that tracks heart rate during workouts.

The fifth spot is occupied by Samsung which stretched its lead past other contenders. Samsung’s product arsenal isn’t too broad and it relies on the Gear S3 and Fear Fit wristbands to drive sales volumes. The company also launched its next-generation smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch, marking the first time that a wearable device moved away from its traditional “Gear” moniker to the “Galaxy” sub-brand, alongside its smartphones and tablets.

(source)

Korea’s 3D Avatar Creator App Zepeto is Currently Trending in China

By

Andrew

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Dec 5, 2018

A relatively lesser known 3D avatar app from Korea, Zepeto, recently became a hot trend in some regions of Asia and even in the US. Following that, the app is also now getting a lot of attention in China. According to Tech Node, the hashtag #玩zepeto停不下来# (“can’t stop playing Zepeto”) is being hit hundreds of millions of times on Weibo. Moreover, Baidu searches for the term “Zepeto” have grown exponentially in the last few days. The app has no Chinese version and the recent surge in popularity is also causing trouble for the platform servers, said Zepeto’s official Weibo account.

Zepeto was previously in the news after suspicions and rumors that it was tracking user location. The 3D avatar creator developed by Snow Corporation lets users make 3D avatars of themselves allowing them to meet randomly or through chat rooms and even take virtual selfies. Avatars can be given many different facial features and can be dressed in all sorts of attire. The app itself is free, but like many others, serves ads to keep itself sustainable.

The Korean version isn’t quite Chinese-friendly but it is still in trend right now. After the new surge in popularity, Snow Corporation has agreed to launch a China-specific app called Zaizai by the end of this year. After that happens, Chinese users with the global version will be given the option to migrate to the new app. Zepeto’s creator, Snow Corporation is also behind popular messaging app Line that is used widely in certain Asian countries.

(via)

Honor to launch new phone with hole-in display on January 22; might be Honor View 20

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Dec 5, 2018

Huawei is set to announce the Nova 4, its first phone with a hole in its display on December 17. Its sub-brand, Honor, has now announced it will launch its own about a month later in Paris, France.

According to AndroidHeadlines, Honor has confirmed that it will hold a global product launch on January 22 in France. It also revealed the phone will be powered by the Kirin 980 processor, the same chipset inside the Magic 2.

The poster for the event shows the silhouette of the upper part of a phone with a camera hole in the top left corner. The poster also has the tagline “See The Unseen”.

Honor already confirmed that it is working on successors to the Honor V10 (View 10) and Honor 10, so there is a high chance it is one of these devices. The Honor View 20 should launch this month but Honor confirmed it is being delayed. We believe that delay has led to it being pushed to January.

Continue

OnePlus 6T McLaren Editon Pre-Registrations Now Live in India

By

Andrew

-

Dec 5, 2018

Soon after OnePlus introduced the Thunder Purple variant of the OnePlus 6T, the Chinese smartphone maker announced that it would be releasing a special OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition. The handset is the result of a collaboration between OnePlus and popular automotive maker McLaren. The OnePlus announcement follows OPPO’s recent move to release a special Lamborghini Editon Find X as well as Huawei’s Porsche Editon Mate devices being released for a few years. Now, pre-registration for the handset has kicked off in India and potential buyers can visit Amazon India to get notified about future updates regarding the upcoming device.

The OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition is arriving in India on December 12 when the company also celebrates its fifth-anniversary ‘Salute to Speed’ event will be held at Richardson and Cruddas Limited and passes for the venue can be purchased from OnePlus at a cost or Rs 799 via Oneplus.in starting December 6 at 10 am IST. The special edition OnePlus 6T will go on sale the very same day in the country and those present at launch will be able to get hands-on at the experience zones set up at the venue.

The brand will also be making the special edition debut in China on December 14. As for what extra the special edition will offer, it should come with a new paint job like previous OnePlus special edition phones. It is also expected to house 10GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. This also warrants an expensive price tag and there could likely be McLaren branded accessories as well with the device. Head over to the source link below to register for the device.

(source, via)

Kirin 980 devices head the list of AnTuTu’s top 10 devices for November

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 5, 2018

November ended a few days ago and as it has become a norm, AnTuTu has released the list of its top 10 most powerful devices (Android) for the month. And just like the list for October, the Kirin 980-powered phones are at the top of the list.

The Mate 20 is at the top of the list with 309,425 points though it is lower than its score in October. Second on the list is the Mate 20 X with 304,087 points. In October’s list, the Mate 20 Pro was second but it has now been overtaken by the Mate 20 X. The Honor Magic 2 grabs the fourth spot with 300,886 making it the fourth Kirin 980-powered device on the list.

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Xiaomi President hints 48MP camera smartphone launch in January; Could it be the Xiaomi Mi 9?

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 5, 2018

The Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 smartphone was announced in October. However, well ahead of its launch, Xiaomi President Lin Bin had shared a full-frontal image of the phone to reveal the full screen display and slider design of the phone. Over an hour ago, Bin shared a teaser image of a new smartphone that will be released in January. What’s astonishing about the mysterious phone is that it is equipped with a 48-megapixel camera.

It is too early to guess on the identity of the mysterious smartphone that has been shown in the image below. The back panel of the phone appears made out of glass. The “48MP Camera” text seems to be present below a vertical camera setup.

It is unclear whether the phone features triple or dual cameras. There is a dual-tone LED flash for the 48-megapixel camera. The volume buttons placed on the left edge of the phone are also visible in the image.

The mysterious Xiaomi phone could be featuring either the Sony IMX586 48-megapixel sensor that was announced in July this year or the Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM1 48-megapixel sensor that was announced in October. Sony has reportedly begun shipping the samples of IMX586 in September whereas the South Korean company has commenced the mass production of ISOCELL GM1. Compared to its rival, Xiaomi has been a bit inferior in the camera department. It seems that the Chinese manufacturer is all set to raise competition bar high in the camera department by releasing a 48-megapixel camera smartphone.

Read More: Huawei sets 200 million shipments for 2019, Xiaomi settles for 160 million

The next major phone that Xiaomi is expected to unleash in the coming year is the 5G version of Mi MIX 3. The Chinese manufacturer has already confirmed that it will be arriving in Q1 2019. The 48-megapixel camera phone shown in the above image does not seem to be the Mi MIX 3 5G since it won’t be a major upgrade over the Mi MIX 3.

Could it be the Xiaomi Mi 9 or an entirely new smartphone from the company? There is a possibility that this phone could be featuring the newly announced Snapdragon 855 chipset and 10 GB of RAM. It is advisable to wait for further reports to confirm on the identity of the smartphone.

(source)

New live photos show the Huawei Nova 4’s triple rear cameras

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 5, 2018

The Huawei Nova 4 will launch in roughly two weeks as one of the first phones to adopt the hole-in-display technology. The phone has appeared in public but we only got to see its front. New photos have now appeared online that not only show us the phone’s rear but also a closer look at its display.

From the photos, one can tell the Nova 4 is pretty big even with the shaved off bezels. It is also a bit wider than the average phone. The display practically stretches to the top part of the phone’s frame but on the bottom, there is still a bit of bezel. Sadly, none of the photos show the phone during media playback so we can see if the area where the camera is gets blacked out.

The photos reveal the Huawei Nova 4 will come in a gradient finish similar to the Iris Purple color variant of the Nova 3 though there is more of blue than purple in this case. We also get to see the phone’s triple camera setup which is the same design as that of the Huawei P20 Pro.

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The display is said to be LCD so it is no surprise that the fingerprint scanner is on the rear of the phone. There is no photo of the ports but there is definitely a USB-C port and very likely an audio jack on the device.

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Huami’s Amazfit Verge smartwatch debuts in the US, brings Voice Assistance and more

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 5, 2018

When the Amazfit Verge was announced in China a couple of months back with features such as voice assistance, we had wondered how Huami intends to adapt the smartwatch features for the global market considering most of the features were tailored to suit Chinese users. Apparently, the Xiaomi-backed company has been busy working on localization of the device. Indeed, the Amazfit Verge has been launched in the US and is now available to pre-order on the company’s official US online store with a $159.99 price tag. This a tard higher than the 799 yuan (~$116) price tag it was launched packing in China. The device will ship for the first time on December 18.

The Amazfit Verge packs a 1.3-inch circular display with a diameter of 43mm. This is similar in size with the higher variant of Samsung’s latest Galaxy Watch. Well, except that the Amazfit Verge is made from reinforced plastic, giving it a sporty outlook rather than the looks of a traditional watch which Samsung’s models adapt. The Verge is equipped with an AMOLED display with a resolution of 360x360pixels as well as Gorilla Glass 3 on top. Huami says there is a coating on top of the screen which prevents fingerprint smudges from accumulating on the screen during use. The smartwatch is equipped with a silicone strap that can be removed in the same manner as those of the Amazfit Pace and Stratos. More importantly, it is lightweight, weighing just 46 grams. The build is IP68 certified but you still can’t take the watch swimming or when going under the shower.

The device comes with support for 11 different sports mode including Golfing, Riding, Running, hiking, Gym training, Soccer and Boat riding. It also has GPS+GLONASS support. In addition, the smartwatch is equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0+BLE. Sadly, there is no LTE connectivity but we believe that could come on subsequent versions. The watch is powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz processor with 512MB RAM and 4 GB ROM. Along with the usual sensors, there are additional geomagnetic, and air pressure sensors on board. Also onboard, is a 390mAh battery which Huami claims can last up to 5 days, depending on the usage.

The icing on the cake is definitely the voice assistance technology with smart home integration. the Verge is focused on the Internet of Things (IoT), smart home controls, voice assistant and with NFC for contactless payment. The smartwatch will also come with Amazon Alexa support at the end of the year.

Poco F1 new update to bring super low-light mode, 960fps slow-motion video shooting

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 5, 2018

Xiaomi’s sub-brand Pocophone has released the MIUI 10.8.12.4 beta update for the users of Poco F1. It includes two major camera features such as super slow-motion video shooting mode support and super low-light photography.

The Xiaomi Poco F1 already supports slow-motion video shooting at 120fps and 240fps. The MIUI 10.8.12.4 beta update brings super slow-motion video shooting at 960 fps.

Also, for improved low-light photography experience, the beta update includes Super low-light mode. This feature is all about taking at capturing 8 photos with different exposures and combining them into a single brightly-lit image. The other improvement that is included in the new beta update is structural revamp for the Apps category in Settings.

Only those Poco F1 users who have enrolled in the beta testing program will be able to install and try the new features that are available through the latest software update. The size of the update is 184 MB. Now that the new camera features have been released for Poco F1 beta testers, it is very likely that Xiaomi may make it available for general users in the near future after ironing out any bugs.

Xiaomi is yet to release some promised features of such as support for 4K video shooting at 60fps and Widevine F1 support for viewing streaming content from Amazon Prime Videos and Netflix. Hopefully, the company will release it for the Poco F1 users before the end of 2018.

Read More: Poco F1 price to be discounted by up to Rs. 5,000 from December 6

The Poco F1 is the cheapest Snapdragon 845 SoC powered smartphone. The handset features a notched IPS LCD display of 6.18 inches which carries support for Full HD+ resolution. It come with up to 8 GB of RAM and an inbuilt storage of up to 256 GB. The MUI 10 update has been already rolled out for the smartphone.

The Poco F1 features 12-megapixe + 5-megapixel dual camera setup on its rear. The notch of the phone houses a 20-megapixel selfie camera and IR sensor for face recognition in dim-light conditions. The other features of the Poco F1 include microSD through hybrid SIM slot and rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. In India, it is selling with an amazingly low starting price of Rs. 20,999 (~$298) for the base model.

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Meizu M6T with 5.7-inch HD+ display and dual rear cameras launched in India for Rs. 7,999 ($113)

By

Jeet

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Dec 5, 2018

Along with the Meizu 16th and Meizu C9 entry-level smartphone, the company has also launched another budget smartphone in the Indian market — Meizu M6T. It comes in two color options — Black and Red for a price tag of Rs. 7,999 which roughly converts to $113. The phone comes with Reliance Jio cashback offer worth Rs. 2,200 and 50GB additional 4G data.

The smartphone features a 5.7-inch HD+ display with 1440 x 720 pixels screen resolution, 2.5D curved glass screen, and 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the device is powered by a 1.5GHz Octa-Core 64-bit MediaTek MT6750 processor, coupled with Mali T860 GPU.

It packs 3GB RAM and comes with 32GB internal storage. There’s also a microSD card slot, allowing users to further expand the phone’s storage capacity up to 128GB. The phone has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor for added security.

As for the camera, it comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera with Sony IMX278 RGBW sensor, LED flash, along with a 2-megapixel secondary rear camera to capture depth information for portrait shots. On the front side, it is equipped with an 8-megapixel front-facing snapper for taking selfies and video calling.

Connectivity options on the Meizu M6T include Dual SIM, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.1 LE, and GPS + GLONASS. The smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with Flyme OS and is powered by a 3,000mAh battery.

Meizu 16th with 6-inch FHD+ display and SD845 SoC launched in India for Rs. 39,999 ($567)

By

Jeet

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Dec 5, 2018

As expected, Meizu has today made a re-entry in the Indian market with the launch its Meizu 16th, Meizu M6T, and Meizu C9 smartphones. The Meizu 16th carries a price tag of Rs. 39,999 which roughly converts to $567. It will be available for purchase in India exclusive through Amazon from today in two color options — Midnight Black and Moonlight White.

The Meizu 16th was originally launched in China back in August. The phone features a 6-inch Full HD+ display offering 1080 × 2160 pixels screen resolution, 18:9 aspect ratio and 91.18 percent screen-to-body ratio. Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 845 processor along with 8GB of RAM.

It also comes with a custom copper cooling tube. The phone features an in-display fingerprint sensor, which the company claims has a 99.12 percent high recognition rate that can unlock the phone in 0.25 seconds. The phone comes with 128GB of internal storage, without support for storage expansion.

Coming to the camera department, the smartphone comes with a 12-megapixel primary camera with Sony IMX380 sensor, 1.55μm pixel size, f/1.8 aperture along with a 20-megapixel secondary telephoto lens with Sony IMX350 sensor for portrait shots and lossless zoom. There’s even a 6-LED ring flash and four-axis Optical Image Stabilization. On the front side, there’s a 20-megapixel front facing camera with AI beauty recognition and Face unlock feature.

The Meizu 16th runs Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own Flyme OS on top. Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz) 2 x 2 MIMO, Bluetooth v5, GPS + GLONASS, and USB Type-C port. The phone is powered by a 3,010mAh battery with 24W mCharge flash charge that is claimed to charge the phone from 0 to 67 percent in 30 minutes.