GeekBuying’s 2018 Christmas Sale Kicks Off With Up To A Whopping 70% Off, Freebies And Big Coupons!

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Dec 5, 2018

GeekBuying is leaving no stone unturned in a bid to ensure you get the biggest discounts and lots more this Christmas. Keeping in line with that, the Chinese online store kicked off its latest promotion dubbed ‘Christmas Sale.’

The aforesaid promo has been split into multiple categories that comprise a wide selection of heavily discounted items. On top of that, GeekBuying is giving you an opportunity to grab freebies if your cart total exceeds $70.

The ‘Freebies’ section features several items that you can add to your shopping cart. After adding your free gift to your cart, all you need to do is to apply coupon code XMASGIFT at the time of checking out. Note that the aforesaid coupon will only be valid for the first 500 orders.

PIPO N1 Tablet PC

If you’re in the market for a cost-effective tablet PC that can multitask without any sort of interruption, you might want to take a gander at the PIPO N1. This feature-laden tablet PC packs a powerful MTK8735 Quad-Core, 1.3GHz processor with Mali-T720 GPU under the hood for improved performance than its predecessor.

This 2GB RAM + 32GB ROM variant of the PIPO N1 tablet PC would normally set you back a pretty penny on online and offline stores, but you can now buy it for just $139.99 on GeekBuying. This is a 26% drop in the device’s original selling price of $188.99.
Moreover, you can apply coupon code GIZ_XSAYTWVC to bring your already lowered grand total further down to just $124.99 at the time of checking out. In other words, you can save an extra $15 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon. Regrettably, the promo is slated to end soon. You can visit this link to grab the discount.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air Enhanced Edition

Xiaomi’s well-received Mi Note Air has gone up for sale bearing a heavily discounted price tag of just $859.99 on GeekBuying. Moreover, buyers can extend this 11% discount by using coupon code GIZ_YAENUULU while placing their order.

The coupon helps you get an extra $30.99 by reducing your grand total to just $829. An absolute bargain at this price, the Mi Notebook Air boasts an impressive array of features including a new fingerprints Identification that locks and unlocks your laptop using your unique fingerprint.
It is powered by Intel Core i5-8250U, Quad Core, 3.4GHz max processor and it packs an NVIDIA GeForce MX150 GPU, under the hood. The device ships with 8GB of DDR4 RAM and offers a hearty 256GB of onboard storage for you to save your favorite content.

You can head straight to this link to check out the full specification and take advantage of the discount before the Mi Notebook Air goes back to its steep retail price of $967.99.

SHRC H1G 1080P 2.4G WiFi FPV GPS RC Drone

If you’re a drone enthusiast looking for a powerful drone that doesn’t a cost a bomb, we got good news for you. The SHRC H1G usually carries a $113.99 price tag, but as part of its latest promo, GeekBuying is offering this feature rich drone at an unbeatable price of only $99.99.

If this 12% discount doesn’t impress you much, you can use coupon code GIZ_DZKMWFMA to save $13 more without breaking much of a sweat. The above-mentioned coupon brings your order value down to just $89.99 before you place your order.
The SHRC H1G is quite an irresistible RC drone that houses a WiFI 1080P HD camera that facilitates HD image transmission, allowing you to capture amazing scenery even at a greater distance. Moreover, it comes with useful modes like Altitude Hold and Headless Mode that enhances your overall experience.

On the downside, the promo was on the verge of wrapping up at the time of writing. You can follow this link to grab the discount before the promo ends.

Netac N500S SATA3 SSD (480GB)

Netac is a popular and reliable brand when it comes to flash storages. The N500S is one of the brand’s latest solid state drives that you can now buy for a considerably lowered price of just $99.99 on GeekBuying. This is a 17% reduction in the device’s retail price of $119.99.

Aside from getting this discount, you can apply coupon code GIZ_DKPOLZKR to reduce your grand total to only $84.99 at the time of checking out. The coupon lets you save an extra $15; however, it will be valid only for a limited period of time.

In order to ensure you do not end up missing this opportunity to buy the Netac N500S SATA3 SSD at a lowered price, all you need to do is to follow this link without wasting time.

Get Your Christmas Freebies And Lots More

Get Top-Branded Outdoor Products At Unbeatable Prices On GeekBuying [Coupons]

By

Vinay Patel

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Dec 5, 2018

Adventure junkies, rejoice! GeekBuying is doling out big discounts on select items that come in handy during your adventurous outdoor activities.

SUNCORE 10×40 Monocular Telescope

Featuring an adjustable eyepiece cover that people who wear glasses you can raise up to get a better view, the 10×40 is an irresistible monocular telescope. It comes with FMC multi-layer coating that ensures enhanced light transmittance, keeping enlargement rate between 7-12 times.

SUNCORE telescopes usually sell for $39.99, but you can now buy it for just $26.99 on GeekBuying. You can extend this 33% discount further by applying coupon code GIZ_GKB019S.

The aforesaid coupon helps you save an extra $13 by bringing your already lowered cart total further down to just $13.99 at the time of checking out. You can head straight to this link to grab the discount before the promo wraps up.

Virtoba Elite X Action Camera

This tiny camera adopts several state-of-the-art technologies. It packs a powerful iCatch SPCA6330M chipset and draws its juices from two 1050mAh batteries.

The Virtoba Elite X houses a GC4603 image sensor and sports an eye-catching 2.0 Inch LCD touchscreen along with an impressive array of other features that produce superior images and videos. Moreover, it offers a 170-degree ultra-wide view angle to capture clearer and better images.
While you’d normally associate a steep price tag with a feature-laden camera, the Virtoba Elite X can now be yours if you’re willing to shell out just $29.99 on GeekBuying. This is a significant 57% reduction in the black color version of the camera and it will be valid for 3 days.

On top of that, you can use coupon code GIZ_GKB020S to get an extra $25 off before proceeding to checkout. In other words, you can reduce your grand total to only $24.99 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon. You can visit this link to grab the discount before the promotion comes to an end.

XY-021 WiFi FPV RC Drone

Looking for a cost-effective drone that’s loaded with awe-inspiring features? You might want to take a gander at the XY-021 WiFi FPV RC drone that has gone up for sale carrying a heavily discounted price tag of $42.99 on GeekBuying.

This is a significant 19% discount on the feature-laden that usually sells for $52.99. Aside from taking advantage of the aforesaid discount, you can use coupon code GIZ_INGCCCSJ and save $8 more before heading to the checkout page.
The coupon helps you bring your cart total down to only $39.99. On the downside, the promo will be valid only for 6 days and the coupon is likely to lapse soon too. You can visit this link in order to avail the discount without wasting time.

Xiaomi Qicycle EF1 Smart Bicycle Foldable Parking Rack

Backed by a robust 18650 lithium-ion battery pack with an impressive capacity of 208.8Wh, the QICYCLE EF1 is designed to cover the cycling distance of up to 45km at of 100pct electric power. The parking rack for this Xiaomi-branded smart folding bike would normally set you back $49.99, but you can now buy it for only $35.99 on GeekBuying.
If this 28% discount doesn’t impress you much, you can use coupon code GIZ_VNMCHFFF and get an extra $12 off before you click the ‘Place Your Order’ button. The coupon brings your already modest cart total down to just $23.99.

You can follow this link to get the Qicycle EF1 smart bicycle foldable parking rack at the lowered price before the promotion ends.

HTC U12 Life gets an upgraded 6GB+128GB version in Taiwan for NT$11,900 (~$387)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 4, 2018

Taiwanese phone manufacturer HTC has over the years built a reputation for itself in terms of the sleek, premium designs of its phones. However, the company has continued to struggle to grab a share of the highly competitive smartphone market. The flagship HTC U12+ was an headline-grabbing model but that isn’t enough to guarantee a successful outing. The company also launched the U12 Life to cater to the mid-range segment. Although the performance has not been spectacular, HTC has added some juice to the device with the addition of 6GB RAM+128GB storage variant of the midrange device.

The HTC u12 Life was only made available in 4GB RAM and 64GB storage version when it was first launched at IFA 2018. The new variant is announced in partnership with Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET). The launch is aiming to ramp up its smartphone sales during the year-end shopping season and also to target the mid-range market. The new 6GB RAM variant will go on sale for NT$11,900 (US$387). The price is no doubt, interesting but that won’t guarantee the device sell so many units. At present, the market competition continues to intensify and most OEMs have similar models with attractive features and even prices.

As a reminder, HTC U12 Life is equipped with a notch-less 6-inch LTPS LCD display with an FHD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels and 18:9 aspect ratio. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 636 SoC. The device is preloaded with Android 8.1 Oreo that is customized with the company’s Sense interface. The smartphone is also fueled by 3,600mAh battery. It comes with a 16MP+5MP dual camera setup at the rear and a 13MP selfie shooter. Other features such as dual-SIM support, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, NFC, a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and GPS are also onboard the device.

(source)

Huawei Enjoy 9 makes its way to TENAA with a 6.26” screen and a 3900mAh battery

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 4, 2018

Images and specs of the Huawei Enjoy 9 leaked a few days ago. The less-powerful version of the Enjoy 9 Plus has now surfaced on TENAA and its specs match those that leaked earlier.

The Enjoy 9 (DUB-TL00 and DUB-AL00) packs a 6.26-inch 1520 x 720 (HD+) display. It is powered by a 1.8GHz octa-core processor said to be the Snapdragon 450. It will come in 3GB RAM and 4GB RAM variants with 32GB and 64GB of storage respectively. It also has a MicroSD card slot for up to 512GB of extra storage.

[envira-gallery id=”226081″]

The phone has dual cameras on its rear in a 13MP and 2MP configuration while an 8MP camera sits in front. It runs Android 8.1 Oreo and packs a 3900mAh battery (~4,000mAh). TENAA doesn’t mention a fingerprint scanner and included images don’t show it has one.

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Huawei sets 200 million shipments for 2019, Xiaomi settles for 160 million

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 4, 2018

The year is almost at an end and we expect some manufacturers to start bragging about meeting and surpassing their sales targets for the year and announcing the targets for next year. Some media sources have reported on the sales targets for two of China’s top brands – Huawei and Xiaomi.

According to the unnamed sources, Xiaomi and Huawei are set to increase their sales targets by up to 20%. Xiaomi already reached its target of 100 million shipments for the year but the source says it has set a target of 160 million for 2019 which is more than a 20% increase.

Huawei, on the other hand, is increasing its target to 200 million shipments next year. The source also says OPPO and Vivo will be going for a modest 10% increase for the forthcoming year.

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Photographer calls out Samsung for using her stock photo as the Galaxy A8 Star camera sample

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 4, 2018

One of the key marketing features most buyers look out for on a new smartphone is usually the camera prowess of the model. Phone manufacturers are very much aware of this and that could be the reason why a number of the major OEMs have been caught passing off enhanced photos as camera samples shot with their smartphone’s camera. Interestingly, even tech giants Samsung and Huawei have at one time or the other been embroiled in this sort of controversy. Right now, Samsung is looked in one of such deception as the company has been called out by a photographer for passing off her stock photo as the Galaxy A8 Star’s camera sample.

The controversial photograph was initially captured by Dunja Djudjic and is a selfie portrait of herself. In all fairness, Samsung may have acquired the photo legally since it was up for sale on Getty. However, the photo was then photoshopped and even transported to a new background. The photograph was then posted on Samsung Hong Kong Galaxy A8 Star landing page creating the impression that it was shot with A8 Star’s camera even though it was not categorically stated as such.

Photoshopped ohoto passed off as Galaxy A8 Star

There is no doubt the image is deceptive with one showing a clear background and the second one promoting the camera’s Bokeh capability. Whereas in reality, the original photo was captured with a DSLR camera. We recall Huawei’s controversial P9 camera sample which turned out to have been captured by a DSLR camera. With such scenario, it is just appropriate that we take these camera samples that usually accompany new phones with a pinch of salt. That doesn’t in anyway downplay the fact that smartphone cameras are getting better by the day.

(source, via)

Sony Xperia XZ4 key specifications leaked well ahead of launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 4, 2018

The Sony Xperia XZ3 is expected to be succeeded by Xperia XZ4 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 in February 2019. The 360-degree renders of the Xperia XZ4 had surfaced in the previous month. Today, reliable tipster from China has shared the key specifications of the upcoming Sony flagship phone well ahead of its launch.

Sony Xperia XZ4 Specifications

The upcoming Sony Xperia XZ4 is expected to offer an aspect ratio of 21:9 through its massive display of 6.55 inches. The display of the XZ4 could be supplied by LG.

The Xperia XZ4 could be one of the first smartphones to be fueled by the 7nm Snapdragon 855 chipset. The SoC is rumored to be coupled with 6 GB of LPDDRX RAM. It may arrive in 64 GB and 256 GB storage choices.

A super wide-angle lens will be available on the frontside of the Xperia XZ4 for capturing selfie shots. The backside of the XZ4 is rumored to be equipped with a triple camera module. It will include 1/2.3 inch main sensor that will be enabled with support for Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). Accurate details on the camera specs are not yet available. The presence of triple rear cameras suggests that the Sony Xperia XZ4 will deliver superior photography experience.

Read More: Sharp Aquos R2 Compact vs Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact vs Google Pixel 3: Compact Phone Comparison

The Xperia XZ4 renders had revealed it will be lacking a 3.5mm headphone jack. However, fresh information shared by the Chinese tipster reveals that it will be featuring a 3.5mm audio jack. The handset may sport glass and metal combination build like the Xperia XZ3. The XZ4 is expected to sport a slim profile of 8mm. Also, it is rumored to arrive with a side-mounted fingerprint reader.

(source)

OPPO R17 Pro and OPPO R17 launched in India; Specifications, features and pricing

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 4, 2018

By announcing the OPPO R17 Pro and OPPO R17 today, OPPO has launched its first ever R-series phones in India. Both smartphones are the first smartphones to come equipped with Gorilla Glass 6 protection. These phones are also blessed with other impressive features such as in-display fingerprint scanner and fast charging technology.

OPPO R17 Pro Specifications and Features

The glass-bodied OPPO R17 Pro that features a metallic frame around its edges is fitted with a 6.4-inch AMOLED display. The waterdrop notch screen offers an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The display of the R17 Pro is equipped with an under-screen fingerprint reader. Its dimensions are 157.6 x 74.6 x 7.9mm and it weighs 183 grams.

The Snapdragon 710 chipset powers the OPPO R17 Pro along with 8 GB of RAM. The native storage of the phone is 128 GB and it has a microSD card slot for additional storage through the second SIM slot. The Android 8.1 Oreo OS customized with ColorOS 5.2 is available on the device. The R17 Pro is backed by 3,700mAh battery that carries support for 50W fast charging through SuperVOOC Flash Charge technology.

The small notch at the frontside of the OPPO R17 Pro is the home for f/2.0 aperture 25-megapixel ultrawide camera. The back panel of the smartphone features vertically arranged triple camera unit.

The small notch at the frontside of the OPPO R17 Pro is the home for f/2.0 aperture 25-megapixel ultrawide camera. The back panel of the smartphone features vertically arranged triple camera unit. The third sensor is a ToF (Time of Flight) camera that can used for accurately map objects at up to 3 meters. The triple camera system includes a 12-megapixel main sensor with variable aperture ranging from f/1.5 to f/2.4 and a 20-megapixel secondary sensor with f/2.6 aperture. The smartphone lacks support for 3.5mm audio jack. The other features of the phone include dual-SIM slot, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS and USB-C.

OPPO R17 Specifications and Features

The OPPO R17 has the same display as the Pro variant. The display of the phone also features an in-screen fingerprint reader. It is fueled by Snapdragon 670 chipset and 8 GB of RAM. For photography, it features 16-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual rear camera and 25-megapixel selfie shooter.

Read More: Oppo R17 Pro vs Honor Magic 2 vs Meizu 16 Plus: Fastest Charging Phones Comparison

It is also loaded with Android 8.1 Oreo OS along with ColorOS 5.2 UI. Instead of the USB-C port, it features a microUSB 2.0 port. It is also fitted with a 3.5mm audio jack. The 3,500mAh battery of the OPPO R17 supports 5V/4A VOOC flash charging.

OPPO R17 Pro and OPPO R17 Price and Availability

The OPPO R17 Pro has landed in India with a price tag of Rs. 45,990 It can be availed in colors like Radiant Mist and Emerald Green. The pre-orders of the R17 Pro have started on Amazon India, OPPO’s online stores and partnered offline stores across India. The sales of the phone will begin on Dec. 7.

The OPPO R17 is priced at Rs. 34,990 and its four color editions are Streamer Blue, Neon Purple, Fog Gradient and Foggy Gold. The Chinese manufacturer is yet to share information on its availability.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus front panels confirm pill-shaped hole-in-display for dual selfie cameras

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 4, 2018

It is no news that Samsung‘s next Galaxy S phones will have a hole in their displays. A new leak has confirmed that the holes will differ in the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10 Plus.

[envira-gallery id=”226036″]

The leak is an image of the front display panel of the Galaxy S10 Plus and it shows the display will have not one circular hole but two holes joined together to form a pill-shaped cut-out in the display. The two holes will each be home to a camera which means the Galaxy S10 Plus will have dual front-facing cameras.

The pill-shaped hole is located at the top right corner of the display. The bezels are pretty thin and there is a slit at the top for the speaker. There is also a render of what the phone might look like. There is also a concept image that shows the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10 Plus.

When you find that almost all mobile phones are designed this way in 2019, you don't think this is a strange design. Samsung is only the first to do so, just like people's attitude toward the iPhone's Notch. pic.twitter.com/WbZv0BM5rM

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) December 4, 2018

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Oppo R17 Pro vs Honor Magic 2 vs Meizu 16 Plus: Fastest Charging Phones Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Dec 4, 2018

Getting an affordable phone which provides the highest performance or a high-end camera quality is always very hard, even in 2018. But there are three phones which we can define champions of quality-price ratio: Oppo R17 Pro, Honor Magic 2 and Meizu 16 Plus. They are outstanding and they are able to boast flagship-level performances as well as incredibly fast charging times. Here is a complete specs comparison.

Oppo R17 Pro vs Honor Magic 2 vs Meizu 16 Plus

	Oppo R17 Pro	Honor Magic 2	Meizu 16 Plus
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	157.6 x 74.6x 7.9 mm, 183 g	157.3 x 75.1 x 8.3 mm, 206 g	160.4 x 78.2 x 7.3 mm, 182 g
DISPLAY	6.4 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), AMOLED	6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), AMOLED	6.5 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz	Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 980, octa-core 2.6 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, octa-core 2.8 GHz
MEMORY	8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot	6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD slot	6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 8.1 Oreo, Color OS	Android 9 Pie, EMUI	Android 8.0 Oreo, Flyme OS
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Triple 12 + 20 MP + TOF 3D camera, f/1.5-2.4 and f/2.6 25 MP f/2.0 front camera	Triple 16 + 16 + 24 MP, f/1.7, f/2.2 and f/1.8 Triple 16 + 2 + 2 MP f/2.0, f/2.4 and f/2.4 front camera	Dual 12 + 20 MP, f/1.8 and f/2.6 20 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY	3700 mAh, fast charging with Super VOOC Flash Charge	3500 mAh, fast charging with Magic Charge 40W	3500 mAh, fast charging with mCharge 4.0
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot

Design

Honor Magic 2 has the most innovative and surprising design of 2018. It is a slider phone: in order to reach a screen-to-body ratio close to 100 percent without a notch, Huawei decided to put the front cameras and sensors on a slider which the user can manually open and close. There is an under-display fingerprint scanner as well, so the back side looks almost totally clean too. Oppo R17 Pro has a stunning design as well with its waterdrop notch and gradient colors, but Honor Magic 2 is definitely one step forward.

Display

The display is the weakest point of Oppo R17 Pro, Honor Magic 2 and Meizu 16 Plus, as they all feature a midrange-class panel. The one providing the best display quality is Honor Magic 2 with the AMOLED technology, 100 percent of DCI-P3 coverage and almost no bezels. But note that Oppo R17 Pro has the most resistant one because it is protected by Gorilla Glass 6. At last, Meizu 16 Plus has the widest panel and it does not feature a notch, so it is perfect for you if you want a comfortable device for productivity.

Hardware & Software

Huawei Honor Magic 2 has a more powerful chipset: a Kirin 980 running at a max frequency of 2.6 GHz. It is very impressive when it comes to speed and multi-tasking performance. It is followed by Meizu 16 Plus and its Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, while Oppo R17 Pro has just an upper-midrange SoC: the Snapdragon 710. Honor Magic 2 comes with Android Pie out of the box, while Oppo R17 Pro and Meizu 16 Plus are still based on Oreo.

Camera

The most surprising rear camera is undoubtedly the one found on the Oppo R17 Pro. It sports a triple camera setup with variable aperture just like the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus and Note 9, in order to adapt in a much better way to every light condition. On the other hand, Honor Magic 2 has a definitely more interesting front setup as it features a triple camera on the front with two depth sensors.

Battery

Oppo R17 Pro has one of the most interesting battery sides in the market, not only because it has a big lithium unit with a 3700 mAh capacity, but also because it is the last-generation smartphone with the fastest charging times. It takes just 30 minutes to charge it up to 92 percent. Honor Magic 2 and Meizu 16 Plus are among the fastest as well as they reach 82 percent and 60 percent respectively (in 30 minutes of charge). But they have a smaller battery and they last less time on a single charge.

Price

Oppo R17 Pro debuted in the global market under the name RX17 Pro with a price tag of €600, Honor Magic 2 was launched with a €550 price tag in China and Meizu 16 Plus carries a €480 starting price in China. Even though it does not have a flagship chipset, I would prefer Oppo R17 Pro to the Meizu 16 Plus because of its amazing camera and its quick charging times. But overall, I would personally pick Honor Magic 2 to award its innovation, good camera setup and performance, as well as its very balanced specifications.

Read More: Oppo R17 Pro charges 92% in just 30 minutes, competed against 59 mobile phones

Oppo R17 Pro vs Honor Magic 2 vs Meizu 16 Plus: PRO and CONS

Oppo R17 Pro

PROS

Amazing camera
Great design
Big battery
Gorilla Glass 6

CONS

Expensive

Honor Magic 2

PROS

Slider design
Amazing performance
Good cameras
Nice display
Android Pie

CONS

Nothing particular

Meizu 16 Plus

PROS

Great performance
Good cameras
More affordable price
Wide display

CONS

No micro SD

AnTuTu compares Snapdragon 855 with other flagship mobile SoCs

By

Andrew

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Dec 4, 2018

Qualcomm’s mobile CPUs are held in high regard in the mobile smartphone segment and each year dozens upon dozens of flagship use the SoCs from the US-based chip maker. We’re a few hours away from the unveiling of Qualcomm’s next-gen CPU – the Snapdragon 855, and AnTuTu has just revealed some juicy scores with the Galaxy S10 Plus toting the said CPU. Earlier today, quite a lot of info got out before launch as an online portal published its report of the upcoming CPU prematurely. But let’s take a look at those official scores quickly.

Currently, all other chip makers that make mobile CPUs have already rolled out their next-gen CPUs. Samsung released the Exynos 9820, Huawei announced the HiSilicon Kirin 980 SoC a while back and these two have been pitted against Qualcomm’s latest 7nm beast. As you can see the image, the results speak for itself. When the Snapdragon 855 releases tomorrow, it will be the strongest chipset around. The device being tested on the benchmark here is none other than the Galaxy S10+ and it records a score of 343,051. This is close to a previously leaked benchmark involving the same CPU that resulted in an all-time high score of above 360,000. The Exynos 9820 which is also based on the 7nm process and boasts a dedicated AI core recorded a score of 325,067. Lastly, the Kirin 980 from the house of Huawei comes third with 309,425 score. Obviously, the Snapdragon 845 is the last on the list with the lowest score.

RELATED: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 details leaked ahead of the official announcement

It was previously thought that the unannounced CPU would be named Snapdragon 8150. However, it is now clear that SM8150 is its internal name. Aside from flaunting its own dedicated NPU, the System-on-Chip will also support Multi-Gigabit 5G connectivity.

(Source)

Vivo NEX 2 appears in a new poster, flaunts triple rear cameras and dual displays

By

Simranpal Singh

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Dec 4, 2018

Vivo is on the final stage to announce the NEX 2 with triple rear cameras and dual displays. It has already leaked in various rumours and leaks, flaunting its most of specs and features. As like yesterday, today also Vivo has teased its upcoming Nex 2 device teasing its features. As per official announcement, the Chinese company will announce the Vivo Nex 2 on December 11th.

As per new poster, we can see dual displays on the device, one on the front and another on the rear side. On the back, there’s a triple camera module with an LED flash. Apart from these, we can see the roundness around the edges and premium finish to the Nex 2 design. Also, there’s a circular module on the upper back panel of the device, probably looking like an LED circle.

Already, in various leaks and rumours, we have got to know about the upcoming device but still many things are still unknown. Though as per the certifications, it will be powered with Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and will have an option of 10 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage.

It will feature dual massive screen-to-body AMOLED screen on the front and the rear sides. As like of its predecessor, it will feature an under-display fingerprint scanner along with modified FunTouch OS. Vivo Nex 2 dual screen may not feature front camera as its rear cameras and multiple displays will solve the purpose of selfies and video calling with ease.

Read More: Registration open for Vivo NEX 2, will bring a new OS experience

Looking at the teasers of Vivo Nex 2, the device appears to be quite productive. Its dual displays and triple rear cameras have opened doors for many potential features. The new device might give another chance to Vivo to gain some good sales as like of Vivo Nex. Now it’s upto Vivo how they make the dual display more productive and churn some more profits out of it.

Do you have any idea to productively use the dual display device?

(Via)

OPPO’s Realme C1 launching December 5 in the Philippines via Lazada

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 4, 2018

OPPO’s Realme brand unveiled the Realme C1 during the launch of the Realme 2 Pro in India last month. The device is an entry-level model and has been released in Indonesia apart from India. So, it is no surprise that the company is now set to unveil the device in the Philippines. According to details released by popular retailer Lazada, the Realme C1 will be launched exclusively on its platform on December 5.

The device will be launched with a starting price tag of PHP5,490 ($105)and this is for a device with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage which is the only variant available. This price is slightly higher than the price it was launched bearing in India and Indonesia (less than $100) and this slight increase is attributed to the poor performance of the Indian currency. The Realme C1 price will later berth at PHP5,990 ($113) after the opening sales.

The Realme C1 shares a couple of features with the Realme 2, including the chipset and the 6.2-inch notched screen. The difference comes from the memory, and a front-facing camera – the C1 has 2 GB RAM and 16 GB storage, while the selfie shooter is 5 MP. It also lacks a fingerprint scanner and has a plain back panel. The flash sale is scheduled to begin at 12noon tomorrow and buyers will get the option of choosing between the Black and the Blue colour variants. There are also several perks to encourage buyers like a 12-month warranty, free 15-day return, and instalment payment options.

(source)

MIUI 10.1 stable update brings Android Pie, 960fps slow motion to Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer Edition

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 4, 2018

Xiaomi promised that it would update more of its phones o Android Pie this month and it has kept its promise. The Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer have begun receiving a new stable update that brings Android Pie along with some other features.

The update comes as MIUI 10.1 and weighs in at 2.1GB. The key change is the upgrade to Android Pie but it also brings the Mi MIX 3‘s 960fps slow-motion recording and Night Mode camera features to both devices. The changelog also says there are a number of bug fixes including screen flickering and screen blackouts.

The update is rolling out to the Chinese variants of these phones for now. A global stable version will definitely be announced in future.

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Vivo NEX crosses 2 million sales in just 6 months

By

Simranpal Singh

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Dec 4, 2018

Remember Vivo Nex which was launched a few months ago as a first on-screen fingerprint device for the global market with a pop up camera? Well, it has achieved a milestone of 2 million sales in a span of just six months. Today, Vivo vice president, Hu Baishan revealed the sale figures and estimated sales worth 8 billion yuan in the last six months.

Unlike the other fullscreen smartphones in the market, Vivo took a different approach and added a front camera on the top with a slider like technology. Its on-screen fingerprint sensor has allowed it to maintain 91.24% body-screen-ratio. The high-end Vivo Nex device carries a 6.59-inch touchscreen display having a resolution of 1080 x 2316 pixels. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 on board with 6/8 GB RAM coupled with Adreno 616 GPU.

The new sales milestone has once again proved that people still look for innovative devices. If companies are first to cross the innovative barrier, then they will surely benefit from the initial market burst. Vivo Nex series also proved the same, as it was the first device to give us a look on a full-view display having an on-screen fingerprint scanner.

Additionally, the stats have appeared just a day before the launch of its successor, Vivo Nex dual screen version in Shanghai. It will come with dual displays and a fingerprint on-screen sensor. Vivo is also making its camera experience more immersive with the introduction of triple cameras.

Read More: Vivo NEX Dual Screen with 10 GB RAM tipped to launch on December 11

As an overview, Vivo Nex is available with a 6.59-inch touchscreen having a resolution of 1080×2316 pixels. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and comes with different RAM versions of 6/8GB. Further, Vivo Nex is powered by a 4000 mAh non-removable battery. It measures 162.00 x 77.00 x 7.98 (height x width x thickness) and weighs 199.00 grams.

In connectivity, it features Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, USB OTG, USB Type-C, 3G and 4G. In terms of sensors, there’s a compass, magnetometer, proximity sensor, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, and gyroscope.

Let’s see what the new Vivo Nex dual display device brings to the table. Are you waiting for it?

UMIDIGI One Max Hands-on video appears: Looks impressive!

By

Simranpal Singh

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Dec 4, 2018

UMIDIGI recently launched its UMIDIGI One Max with a bunch of extraordinary features. It carries various advancements than its predecessor, Umidigi One Pro. Moreover, it is the first Umidigi phone which carries 6.3-inch waterdrop full view display. The new useful yet elegant device has now appeared in an early hands-on video, allowing us to peek into its design and let us know some more details about it.

Umidigi One Max’s full-screen display with an aspect ratio of 19:9 and 91.5% screen ratio is making it look more useful and beautiful. The display also gives it an immersive video watching and gaming experience. Even though, it’s a high-end Helio P23 SoC with 4GB LPDDR4X RAM makes the experience even more richer by giving the smooth gaming experience.

It always feels good to get hands-on such a beautiful device that too with gradient colour option. Besides giving the full view experience with its powerful hardware, One Max also carries a big 4150 mAh battery powerhouse to sustain heavy gaming usage. Even though, Umidigi has added the ability to charge the massive battery with 18W fast charging and 15W wireless charging. Overall, you need not to worry about its battery life, and your experience won’t be affected due to sudden power drops.

Umidigi One Max carries a dual 12 megapixel + 5-megapixel shooter on the rear side, giving you the excellent bokeh effect and many other enriched features. There’s another 16-megapixel selfie camera which provides you with a clearer yet beautiful selfies. It will also help you to experience better video calls.

Umidigi One Max side fingerprint sensor makes it more comfortable to use without hotching your fingers on the front or the rear side. Umidigi has placed the fingerprint at such a place that your fingers get the hold on it naturally.

Read More: UMIDIGI One Max first impressions: Beautiful waterdrop display and twilight color (video)

It carries Android 8.1 Oreo on board, making the experience smoother and enriched with additional features.

This new feature enriched Umidigi One Max will be yours for the pre-order price of $179.9 from December 10. Umidigi is even pouring in more efforts to maintain the users’ experience. The Chinese company is recruiting ten trial users, and you can enter the giveaway on their official website.

(Source)

Qualcomm Could Re-open Negotiations with NXP, says a Senior Analyst

By

Andrew

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Dec 4, 2018

Popular US-based mobile chip maker Qualcomm could still reconsider a move to buy NXP after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s statement at the G20 Summit that the matter could be revisited, suggests an analyst for TrendForce based out of Taipei. Qualcomm gave up all hopes for the deal recently when China blocked the move amidst escalating tensions between the US-China Trade war back in July this year. The saga started back in October 2016 when Qualcomm made a successful $38 billion bid for the semiconductor maker. However, in the months that followed, unforeseen issues such as shareholder backing arose prolonging the deal to be completed successfully. In July 2018, the deal finally fell apart when China disapproved the deal. Since Qualcomm has significant ties with Chinese OEMs, the chip maker had no choice but to agree with China’s decision.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 — Qualcomm chip with logo

Now, Yao, senior analyst at TrendForce says that Qualcomm could be forced to reconsider the move even after backing out because of unimpressive mobile chip sales this year. Most big smartphone markets like the US, China, and India are almost fully saturated and the world number one chip maker will be forced to look into new avenues for the coming decade. Unlike smartphones, the automotive chip industry has a huge amount of untapped potential. With NXP being the biggest supplier to the industry, Qualcomm could be forced to reopen the deal amidst a grim outlook for the mobile chip industry in the coming months.

A recent study by Allied Market Research forecasted the autonomous vehicle industry could grow to US$54.23 billion by 2019 and potentially to US$556.67 billion by 2026 with a 40 percent compound annual growth rate. On the other hand, the global smartphone shipments shrunk by 6 percent Y-o-Y in the Q3, 2018.

(Via)

OnePlus announces its first Research and Development facility in India

By

Jeet

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Dec 4, 2018

China-based smartphone maker OnePlus has announced its plans to open its first Research and Development (R&D) facility in India, which will be located at Hyderabad.

According to the company, the said facility will play a critical role in the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning software for its products as well as drive local innovations.

Vikas Agarwal, who is heading OnePlus India, had earlier revealed the company’s plan to set up a dedicated R&D team in the country that will focus on India-specific developments, alongside plans to open its second global headquarters in the country.

OnePlus said that it chose Hyderabad for the R&D facility because the city offers a sizeable talent pool, especially in the area of emerging technologies. Hyderabad is also one of their fastest growing markets in the country.

The company also announced that it will soon initiate campus hiring program at a number of universities including the IIT Delhi, and IIT Mumbai this year. While discussing the company’s plans in India, Pete Lau, Founder and CEO, OnePlus, said:

In three years, we plan to grow the new R&D center in Hyderabad into our biggest globally. We plan to re-focus our R&D efforts on a large scale and drive innovations in India for the global product, especially on the software side with a special emphasis on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

OnePlus said it is committed to long-term growth in India, and with the commencement of operations at the new R&D center, it is seeking to integrate and dive deeper into the ‘Make in India’ strategy.

India is currently one of the biggest markets for OnePlus. According to IDC report, OnePlus held a 37 percent share in the Indian market for Q3 2018, outperforming majors brands like Apple and Samsung.

HTC Taiwan will let you customize the U12+ before buying

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 4, 2018

HTC Taiwan has announced a limited time program that will let new buyers of the HTC U12+ customize their phones. There is a dedicated page where you can create custom templates or use pre-designed ones by HTC.

The HTC U12+ comes in Translucent Blue, Ceramic Black, and Flame Red but the customizable version is Translucent Black. So not only do you get to customize the phone but the color of the phone itself is different from the other variants.

Customizing your phone is easy. Just click on the version you want to buy (64GB or 128GB) and you get taken to the customization page. There are lots of stickers, shapes, and templates to choose from. You can also add custom texts if that’s what you prefer. Once you are done, make payment and your phone will be shipped to you in two weeks.

The customized HTC U12+ sells for a tiny bit more than the regular variants. The 64GB version is priced at NT$24,200 (~$790) as against the NT$23,900 (~$780) price of the non-customized version while the 128GB version is NT$25,200 (~$823), NT$300 (~$10) more than the regular version. So you are literally paying $10 more for a new color variant custom-made for you or a loved one. Do note that the program runs until December 31, 2018.

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Huawei Nova 4 posters teaser in-display camera design ahead of December 17 launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 4, 2018

Yesterday, Huawei confirmed that it will be launching the Nova 4 smartphone on Dec. 17 in Changsha, China. The smartphone will be sporting an in-display camera design. Today, Huawei’s different channels on Shenzhen Satellite TV, Hunan Satellite TV, Palm Reader, Weibo TV, Souho News and Youko have carried Nova 4 posters to tease its design.

Huawei had launched the Nova 3 smartphone with dual front-facing cameras placed inside the large-sized display notch. The smartphone offers around 84 percent screen-to-body ratio. The in-screen camera design of the upcoming Nova 4 suggests that it will deliver more than 90 percent screen-to-body ratio. It is speculated that the smartphone could be equipped with an impressive front-facing camera.

[envira-gallery id=”225959″]

The specifications of the Huawei Nova 4 are still under the wraps. There is no confirmation on whether the Kirin 710 chipset or Kirin 980 SoC will be present under the hood of the device. On the basis of the predecessor model, it can be guessed that the Nova 4 will come with up to 6 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of native storage. The Android 9 Pie OS flavored EMUI 9.0 is expected to be available preinstalled on the device.

Read More: Huawei Mate 20 Pro is now available for purchase in India, costs Rs. 69,990 ($998)

The smartphone will be arriving to rival with Samsung Galaxy A8s that is confirmed to go official with Infinity-O display design on Dec. 10. The Snapdragon 710 chipset powered smartphone will also feature an in-screen camera. The handset will be also blessed with triple rear cameras. Hence, it is being speculated that the Nova 4 could be also arriving with triple camera system. On Dec. 6, Lenovo will be announcing the Lenovo Z5s. Instead of camera cutout at the top-left corner, it will be featuring it at the center at the notification bar area.

(via)