Win A Massive $1111 Off Coupon And Avail A Slew Of Other Unmissable Discounts On GeekBuying

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Nov 7, 2018

If you’ve been waiting for considerable price drops on a wide selection of items, we got good news for you.

As part of its recently commenced 1111 Sale promotion, GeekBuying is now doling out massive discounts on various products. On top of that, the popular Chinese online store is offering cost-conscious a lot more to cheer about in the form of a chance of winning $1111 off coupons!

The guidelines to follow are quite simple. In order to win a sitewide $20 off coupon, all you need to do is to check into this promotion daily from November 1st to November 11th. One lucky participant will even qualify to win the aforesaid $1111 off coupon.

If you’re interested in ensuring that you do not miss out this chance to win a sitewide $11.11 off coupon, it is imperative for you to keep checking in from November 1st to November 9th. In other words, you need to check in at least 5 out of the 9 days to win this $11.11 off coupon.

These coupons will be applicable starting from November 10th from 16:00 and are slated to expire on November 12th 16:00 UTC+8. As if that weren’t enough to sweep buyers off their feet, GeekBuying is set to kick off the gift rain wherein buyers can win a chance to get a free gift.

Aside from that, you can save a considerable amount of extra money if your grand total exceeds a specific amount. For the sake of an instance, you can get $2 off for order value over $10, an extra $5 off on order value of more than $30 and even save an extra $50 if your order value surpasses $700. However, the coupons will only be valid for a limited number of pieces.

In the ‘Flash Deals’ category, you can buy a slew of electronics and other high-end items at considerably lowered prices. For example, the Mi Band 3 that usually sells for $28.99 can be yours at a dropped price of just $19.99.

Alternatively, you can share select products on Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus to avail noteworthy discounts on their original asking price. This category called ‘Share to Unlock’ features the Meiigoo S9 smartphone, One Netbook One Mix Yoga Pocket Laptop, and the Beelink Gemini X55 mini PC.

The ‘Top Picks’ section has further been divided into various sub-categories like Phones & Laptops, TV Boxes & Wearables, Outdoor & Home Gear and Fashion. More importantly, all items included in the above-mentioned categories are available at unbeatable prices.

In our next segment, you can get a whopping $100 off if your order value is more than $200. You can use coupon code 100OFF1111 to receive this extra discount on items included in this section only.

Similarly, you can use coupon code 50OFF1111 to get an extra $50 off if your order exceeds $200. However, the coupon will only be valid for items featured in the specific category.

If these great discounts have stirred your interest, you can click here to visit the promotion page and check out the rest of the products.

Get 50% Off, Free Shipping And Great Discounts On Top-Branded Items On CooliCool

By

Vinay Patel

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Nov 7, 2018

As part of its Double 11 Shopping Carnival, CooliCool is offering buyers a lot to cheer about in the form of big discounts and great deals. This recently kicked-off promo has been divided into various categories to help buyers find what they’re looking for without breaking much of a sweat.

The ‘Grab Half Price’ category features the AMIGOO R300 phablet, Pepsi P1S smartphone, LeEco LETV LE MAX 2 and the LUMIGON T3 phone bearing a noteworthy 50% discount. In other words, you can buy the aforesaid items at half price for a limited period of time in the aforesaid category.

The next category called ‘Cost-Effective, Never Stop Buying’ section features top-end devices including the ELEPHONE P8, BLUBOO S1, LeEco LeTV Le 2 X526 and the MEIIGOO NOTE 8. More importantly, you can avail great discounts on these mobile phones.

For instance, the BLUBOO S1 smartphone normally sells for $139.99, but you can buy it for just $94.99 in this category. This is a 32% reduction in the phone’s original asking price and it will be valid for the black color version of the phone.

Items that will be shipping from EU warehouses have been grouped together in the ‘No Taxes, Fast & Free Shipping’ category. The section includes big discounts on the Ulefone Power 2, Power 5, Bluboo S1, Elephone U and lots more. You can avail free shipping from Europe.
If you’ve restlessly been waiting for tablet PCs, smart wearables or home appliances prices to drop, you might want to take a look at the remaining categories that are brimming with items that would usually set you back a pretty penny but have now gone up for sale at unbeatable prices.

Aside from that, the popular Chinese online electronics store is offering great discounts on a slew of smart tools like the HAMTOD Wireless Charger, P3 Smart Fingerprint Padlock, P1 Fingerprint U Disk 32GB, and L1 Smart Fingerprint Padlock. You can click here to visit the promotion page and take advantage of these unmissable deals.

Check Out CooliCool Doube 11 Shopping Carnival

Xiaomi AirDots TWS Earphone Youth Version with Bluetooth 5.0 launched

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 6, 2018

The design of headphones have evolved over the years both in size, sound output and comfort to the user. We’ve seen a gradual shift from wired headphones to wireless devices which uses Bluetooth. Even among wireless earphones, there is a graduation towards Truly Wireless (TWS) headphones, different from wireless headphones. The simple explanation is that while the wireless headphones have a stretch of wire connecting the two earpieces, the TWS headphones do not have such. Each of the earbuds exists on its own, without any wire connecting the two. The way these works is that the Bluetooth signal is transmitted to the device to one of the earpieces (acting as the master), the master earpiece then transmits the signal to the other earpiece and you’re listening to your tunes. Xiaomi has now announced its first truly wireless earphone dubbed Xiaomi AirDots TWS earphone Youth version.

The device no doubt draws some inspiration from the Apple Airpods and even the name looks similar but the design is entirely different. Instead, the design is similar to the Mi Bluetooth Wireless Earbud which was released not too long ago. The Mi AirDots also doesn’t share price similarity with Apple’s as it comes in at just 199 yuan (~$28) which is a stark contrast from the $159 for the new Apple AirPods. For a far lesser amount, you’ll get a product which we can’t say is of the same quality as the Airpods but comes with a high-quality design, sound output and awesome battery life.

The Xiaomi Bluetooth Headset AirDots Youth Edition uses an upgraded Bluetooth 5.0 connection, which is more resistant to signal interference than the Bluetooth 4.2 standard used in commercially available true wireless Bluetooth headsets. As you should know, it enables a more stable Bluetooth connection. The problem of single-ear disconnection that frequently occurs in the Bluetooth 4.2 era is greatly reduced. It is extremely lightweight, weighing only 4.2g. It also comes with a bevelled ear design, which not only provides a firm wearing but also isolates noise. The device is said to offer up to 4 hours of continuous music playback or talk time. The pair can, however, last for up to 12 hours on standby.

The AirDots comes with several features that ensure the user is satisfied with the sound output and the user experience is designed to be seamless. If the pair or one of them is taken out of the charging box, it boots automatically and pairs with the previously connected device. Placing it inside the charging box automatically disconnects and switches it off. There are touch panels on both sides of the earphone, which is used to pause of playing, answer and reject the calls, etc. Yet again, Xiaomi has included its Xiao AI voice assistant on the model which means you’ll have to deal with some Chinese voice prompt during usage. The voice assistance is supposed to help Chinese speakers perform such tasks as sending an SMS or make a call by voice command.

Hot Topic: Xiaomi Necklace Bluetooth Earphone Youth Version launched for 169 yuan (~$25)

The Xiaomi AirDots TWS Bluetooth earphone will go on sale on November 11 (Double Eleven) in China for 199 yuan (~$28). The gadget will be available simultaneously on Xiaomi Mall, Xiaomi Youpin, Tmall, Jingdong, Suning and other platforms.

(source)

Latest Samsung W2019 poster confirms November 9 launch, reveals color variants

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 6, 2018

Samsung has an event on the 9th of November where it will unveil the W2019 clamshell smartphone. Samsung has released a poster for the event which will take place in China and it does more than just tell us the details of the launch.

The poster shows us the phone and the two color variants it will be available in which are Rose Gold and Platinum. The photo also shows the W2019 will have its SIM tray on the upper half of the phone and its power button on the lower half.

If you brighten the image, you should be able to see the outer 4.2-inch screen and the T9 keypad clearly. There is also a China Unicom logo on the image which means the phone will likely be exclusive to the carrier.

The Samsung W2019 will have two 4.2-inch displays, a Snapdragon 845 processor, and dual rear cameras. It will run Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box and have a 3,000mAh battery. Samsung has also double the number of cameras on the phone’s rear.

Continue

Nokia 9 PureView now rumored to launch in January 2019

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 6, 2018

Nokia fans are eagerly waiting for arrival of the Nokia 9 PureView flagship phone. However, a report that had surfaced two months ago had claimed that the smartphone’s arrival has been delayed until February 2019. However, fresh information that has surfaced today reveals that the company has decided to launch the Nokia 9 PureView smartphone on an earlier date. It is now expected to get official before the Mobile World Congress (MWC) tech expo that is annually held in February.

The source claims that it is because of the media hype that HMD Global has allegedly decided to prepone the arrival of the Nokia 9. The precise launch date of the smartphone is not available yet, but the new leak claims that the phone will be launching next year before the MWC 2019. So, there is a possibility that the Finnish firm may announce the Nokia 9 PureView phone in January or early February next year. The new leak does not contain any information on the specifications of the smartphone.

The 3D renders of the Nokia 9 PureView phone that had surfaced earlier today showcased its marvelous penta-lens camera setup. The five lenses are supported by a big-sized LED flash and a laser focus module.

The handset is rumored to feature a 5.99-inch screen that will carry support for Quad HD+ resolution and an aspect ratio of 18:9. It could be the first phone from the company to carry support for in-display fingerprint scanner. The handset does not feature a 3.5mm audio jack.

Read More: Nokia 9 PureView 3D renders show off penta-camera setup, missing audio jack

The Snapdragon 845 chipset is expected to fuel the Nokia 9 PureView smartphone. It may arrive in 6 GB or 8 GB RAM variants. The smartphone is also rumored to carry support for wireless charging. It will come preloaded with Android 9 Pie OS.

(source)

Xiaomi schedules an event in New York on December 8, Could Mi Mix 3 be Showcased?

By

Joel Joseph

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Nov 6, 2018

Xiaomi has very little presence in the US so far but it looks like the company is onto something. The company’s Operational Project Manager for North America, Aaron Yang, has shared a post on Reddit inviting users to an experience event in New York on December 8. This would be the first such event by the company in the North American market. The reddit post asks users (preferably living in the US) to fill out a form to show interest in participating in the event next month.

While Xiaomi has steadily advanced into new regions including Western Europe in recent times, the US has been a tricky market to crack. After seeing Huawei’s big setback with the Mate 10 Pro launch a few months back and then what happened with ZTE, Xiaomi is taking things real slow when it comes to its entry in the region. Note that there are a few products that are already sold in the US market, like the company’s Mi Box, 360-degree camera, and power bank. But these are ancillary products and not really the star performers for the company.

The New York event in December could be the real entry for Xiaomi in the North American market. The timing of this event is actually very interesting. If you remember, the WSJ had published back in March that the Chinese smartphone giant was planning to make its entry in the US as early as this year. Things did get hard for China based companies in the following months, so it was only natural that the launch plans were likely going to be scrapped or postponed for the time being. So, instead of a formal launch of its smartphones, Xiaomi could be testing the waters with this particular event.

READ MORE: Xiaomi attends OnePlus 6T India launch event but its for mischief. Find out how

Aaron didn’t reveal anything about the event. All we know is that the event is going to have the “latest and the greatest” Xiaomi products and its on December 8. No venue or timing details so far, but expect to hear more about it in the following weeks.

Now wouldn’t it be great if Xiaomi showcased the full screen slider Mi Mix 3 flagship in the US at the event?

What do you think?

Also, don’t forget to check out our Mi Mix 3 unboxing and first impressions from below!

(Source, Via)

Xiaomi Mi A2 gets new update but it doesn’t bring Android Pie

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 6, 2018

The Mi A2 is Xiaomi‘s second attempt at an Android One phone. It was announced back in July along with a less powerful version called the Mi A2 Lite. A new update has begun rolling out to the Mi A2 but it isn’t the one owners have been expecting.

The new update brings November’s security patch and weighs in at about 90MB. There are no additional fixes or new features which must be disappointing for owners.

What is more disappointing is that the update doesn’t bring Android Pie to the phone. Other Android One phones (read Nokia phones) have begun receiving the Android Pie update but all of Xiaomi’s three Android One phones including the Mi A1 are still running Android Oreo.

We still have less than two months before the end of the year, so there is a chance the update may arrive before the year runs out. However, we won’t be surprised if it is pushed to early next year.

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OPPO partners with Pokémon, launches Pikachu-themed SuperVOOC power bank & R17 Pro cases

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 6, 2018

OPPO‘s SuperVOOC is one of the fastest fast-charging technology available in a phone. The charging technology supplies 50W (10V 5A) of power, allowing you charge supported devices from empty to 40% in just 10 minutes. Up until today, you could only use SuperVOOC with the bundled wall adapter. For those who are regularly on the go, OPPO has announced the first SuperVOOC power bank.

The new power bank was unveiled at a SuperVOOC event where OPPO also announced that it has partnered with The Pokémon Company to make the famous pokémon, Pikachu, the SuperVOOC brand mascot.

To mark the partnership, the OPPO announced a Pikachu-branded SuperVOOC power bank. The power bank has a battery capacity of 10000mAh. There is a single output port and a USB-C input port for charging. It also has four LED dots to indicate the battery level.

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The SuperVOOC power bank uses a 3C battery which is combined with VFC fast charging algorithm for the SuperVOOC fast charging technology. The VFC charging algorithm is said to reduce the time taken during trickle charge. This increases the trickle charge speed by 200% which results in a 10% reduction in total charge time.

OPPO also announced Pikachu themed protective cases for the OPPO R17 Pro. The cases are priced at ¥199 (~$29) each while the power bank has a price tag of ¥349 (~$50). OPPO will ship the power bank and cases with Pikachu stickers and an NFC theme card. Scan the card and your phone’s theme should switch to a Pikachu one.

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Xiaomi launches a wall-mounted Mi Air purifier with voice assistance, touchscreen & more

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 6, 2018

The MIJIA sub-brand from Xiaomi is home to numerous smart home products, one of which is the Mi Air Purifier. This has been more popular than the water purifier, perhaps due to the ease at which we get in contact with air pollution due to urbanization and other reasons. The Chinese tech giant has, today, officially unveiled a new Mi Air Purifier which it claims has a wider reach and consumes less power.

The new Mi Air Purifier is said to come with the capability to eliminate more than 10 common indoor pollutants. It also comes with a wider coverage area of 105 square metres, making it suitable for use in areas with large spaces. The device also has low power consumption and this is closely related to having extremely low noise levels and, thus, can be used in any room in the house. The noise levels is pegged at just 20.4dB.

On the design, the new Mi Air Purifier looks very much like the Mi Air Purifier Pro, with a physical display at the front. The display is a touchscreen one which can be used to control the gadget. It also has the same rectangular shape but can be mounted on the wall. The smart home gadget is said to also come with three independent filtration layers to remove allergens, PM 2.5 particulate matter, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, dust and other pollutants in order to keep the air inside the room clean. The air purifier can filter as much as 300 cubic metres of air per hour. It uses electricity but the consumption is so low that you don’t have to bother about the electricity bills accumulating.

Apart from the touchscreen controls, the gadget can also be controlled via the Mi app. In addition, the Mi Air Purifier comes with Xiaomi’s Xiao AI voice assistant for voice prompt control. This will obviously be useful for Chinese speakers. Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier comes with a 2,499 Yuan ($361) price tag which is way cheaper than other brands in the same category.

(source)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro with SD636 SoC and four cameras launched in Indonesia

By

Jeet

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Nov 6, 2018

Xiaomi has today launched the Redmi Note 5 successor in Indonesia, dubbed Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro. The phone comes with four cameras and an all-new AI Portrait mode.

In terms of design, the phone comes with an aluminum unibody arc design with rounded corners. The upper and lower parts are made of plastic to provide a better antenna signal transmission. The phone still has a 3.5mm headphone jack but it still comes with a micro USB port instead of the new USB Type-C port.

Coming to the phone’s specifications, the Redmi Note 6 Pro features a 6.26-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD display with a 19:9 aspect ratio and a notch on top. Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 636 processor which uses the latest Kryo microarchitecture.

The phone comes in two models based on the memory configuration — 3GB RAM with 32GB of internal storage and 4GB RAM with 64GB of internal storage. As said, the smartphone comes with four cameras — dual camera setup on the front and a similar setup on the back.

There’s a 12-megapixel with Dual Pixel autofocus and f/1.9 aperture, and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor for depth sensing. It has EIS, AI Scene Detection that recognizes 27 scenes, all-new AI Portrait 2.0, adjustable bokeh level and six new bokeh effects, among others. On the front side, it comes equipped with a 20-megapixel and 2-megapixel dual camera sensors with AI Beautify, Portrait Mode, and Face Unlock feature.

The phone runs Android Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own MIUI custom interface on top. It comes with the usual set of connectivity options and is fuelled by a 4,000mAh battery with fast charging support, which the company claims can offer 12 days on standby.

As for the pricing, the 3GB RAM and 32GB storage model is priced at Rp. 2,899,000 (approximately $196) while the 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage variant is priced at Rp. 3,299,000 which roughly converts to $223.

The phone will be available in Indonesia in three color options — Black, Blue, and Rose Gold. It will go on sale from 11th November through Mi.com, Shopee, and Authorized Mi Store.

Huawei MediaPad M5 Youth Edition and Enjoy Tablet announced in China

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 6, 2018

This afternoon at Wuhan Research Institute in China, Huawei announced the 13-inch MateBook and two new tablets named Huawei MediaPad M5 Youth Edition and Enjoy Tablet. The former is packed with interesting specs and features whereas the latter is a low-end device.

Huawei MediaPad M5 Youth Edition Specifications, Features and Pricing

The MediaPad M5 Youth Edition features a 10.1-inch IPS LCD screen that produces Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. It is equipped with quad speakers tuned by Harmon Kardon and it carries support for Huawei Histen sound technology.

The device includes a massive 7,500mAh battery that is enabled with support for 18W fast charging. It takes 2.9 hours to charge the tablet. Once charged, it will allow users to watch continuous videos for 13 hours and 55 hours of music playback.

The device is powered by Kirin 659 chipset and 4 GB of RAM. There is an internal storage of 64 GB and it also features a microSD card slot. The tablet comes with its own version of stylus called M-Pen Lite. It delivers a real pen-like experience as it supports a pressure sensitivity of 2,048 points.

For photography, the tablet is equipped with a front-facing camera of 8-megapixel with f/2.0 aperture and another f/2.0 aperture 8-megapixel with autofocus is placed on its backside. The tablet is preinstalled with EMUI 8.0 flavored Android 8.0 Oreo OS. The connectivity features available on the slate include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS and USB-C. The home button of the MediaPad M5 Youth Edition is embedded with a fingerprint scanner. The device measures 243.4 x 162.2 x 7.7mm.

The Wi-Fi only edition of the MediaPad M5 Youth Edition is priced at 1,899 Yuan (~$275). The LTE model is priced at 2,099 Yuan (~$304). Huawei has started receiving pre-orders of the tablet. The device is available in Champagne Gold color only. The shipments of the tablet will begin on Nov. 11.

Read More: Huawei 13-inch MateBook announced with NFC connectivity and fingerprint scanner in China

Huawei Enjoy Tablet Specifications, Features and Pricing

The Huawei Enjoy Tablet also features a 10.1-inch display that supports Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The Kirin 659 chipset is present under the hood of this tablet. It comes with up to 4 GB of RAM and up to 64 GB of inbuilt storage. The tablet is preinstalled with EMUI 8.0 based Android 8.0 Oreo OS. For additional storage, it features a microSD card slot. There is no confirmation on the support for M-Pen stylus on this device.

The Huawei Enjoy Tablet is packed with a smaller battery of 5,100mAh capacity that supports 10W charging. At the frontside of the device is a 2-megapixel camera and a 5-megapixel shooter is present on its rear. For connectivity, it offers features like Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, microUSB 2.0, GPS and 3.5mm audio jack. It is also equipped with Huawei Histen sound technology. The dimensions of the Huawei Enjoy Tablet are 243 x 164 x 7.8mm.

The Wi-Fi only 4 GB RAM + 32 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage models of the Huawei Enjoy tablet are respectively priced at 1,299 (~$187) and 1,599 Yuan (~$231). The LTE variant with 4 GB RAM + 32 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage can are respectively priced at 1,599 Yuan (~$231) and 1,799 Yuan (~$231). Its color variants are Meteorite Black and Champagne Gold. The official sales of the Huawei Enjoy tablet will begin on Nov. 6.

What do you think about the specifications and pricing of the new tablets form Huawei? Share us your views by posting our comments below.

Apple AirPods 2 receives Bluetooth SIG Certification, could launch soon

By

Jeet

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Nov 6, 2018

Apple was expected to launch its AirPods 2 wireless earphones in October but that didn’t happen. But it seems that the launch of Apple AirPods 2 is now far away as they have reportedly passed through the mandatory Bluetooth SIG certification.

Listing for the new Apple AirPods on the Bluetooth SIG mentions the device using the model numbers A2031 and A2032. Further, the listing also reveals that the next-generation AirPods will come with support for Bluetooth 5.0.

Further, reports related to the device’s trademark filing hints that the upcoming next-generation AirPods will have much more to offer than just audio. There are reports indicated that Apple could introduce health and wellness features in the AirPods 2, including support for heart rate monitoring.

Last year, Apple won a patent for sports-oriented AirPods with biometrics and noise cancellation features. Recently, the company renewed trademark filings from Hong Kong and Europe indicating that Apple is updating the AirPods classifications to specifically include aspects like ‘wellness sensors’ and more.

The specific notion for the “‘General wellness instruments” under trademark filing for the new AirPods mentions following:

CLASS 10: GENERAL WELLNESS INSTRUMENTS, NAMELY, HEALTH, FITNESS, EXERCISE, AND WELLNESS SENSORS, MONITORS, SPEAKERS AND DISPLAYS FOR MEASURING, DISPLAYING, TRACKING, REPORTING, MONITORING, STORING, AND TRANSMITTING BIOMETRIC DATA, HEART RATE, BODY MOVEMENT, AND CALORIES BURNED.

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple AirPods could come with support for hands-free Siri access that allows buyers to easily summon the AI-driven virtual assistant. It could also come with the much demanded water resistance support. Some rumors indicate that Apple could also launch an optional wireless charging case for the AirPods that would be compatible with Apple AirPower charging mat.

Further, the upcoming Apple AirPods 2 is expected to come with improved battery backup, better range of operation, and improved audio quality. Rumours indicate that the new AirPods will be announced alongside the StudioPods, a premium over-the-ear headphones.

(Via)

Samsung files trademark application for Infinity Flex, Infinity-O, and Infinity-U

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 6, 2018

Most phone manufacturers have a name for their 18:9 (and similar) displays. LG calls its own FullVision Display, Huawei calls its own FullView Display, Motorola calls it MaxVision Display, and Samsung calls it Infinity Display. Samsung seems to have developed new versions of the Infinity Display judging from recent trademark application filings.

The applications were filed at the United States Patent and Trademark Office on October 30, 2018. The applications reveal Samsung wants to trademark the words Infinity Flex, Infinity-O, and Infinity-U.

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It is easy to tell that Infinity Flex is definitely the name of the display for its foldable smartphone. However, Infinity-O and Infinity-U are much harder to decode. If we were to take a guess we would say they Infinity-O is related to the display with a hole in it for a camera while the Infinity-U is related to the unbreakable display it developed a few months ago.

Samsung is supposed to announce details of its foldable phone this week and based on the above, we know the display will be called Infinity Flex. The phone itself is said to be called the Galaxy F. The announcement will enable app developers to get an idea of what the device looks like and how it works to enable them to begin to make apps for it.

Continue

Xiaomi Mi 6 gets a transparent version thanks to a third-party replacement panel

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 6, 2018

Xiaomi has always come out with impressive products that cut across the smartphone category as well as other smart home products. On the flagship phone end, the company launched the Mi 8 earlier this year and along with it comes an impressive transparent version. The Mi 8 Explorer Edition as it is called, turned out to be very popular among fans even though it was a limited version. This prompted the launch of the Mi 8 Pro with a translucent glass back version.

We have seen a couple of other transparent models both official and fan-made ones since the Mi 8 Explorer Edition was released. The design style hasn’t been as popular as the gradient hue that is sweeping through the industry presently. But it has got its own fair share of popularity and that explains why some fans have seldom attempted to transform their models with the replacement of the back panel with a translucent glass back. The Mi 6 has now got a transparent casing that is available to buy in China. The transparent casing was scooped up from a third-party manufacturer in Shenzhen, China for a small fee and it is something fans can DIY install at home. The transparent panel for the Mi 6 was first discovered by a reporter at Chinese tech blog IT168 who accidentally fell his phone and got the glass back broken.

The beauty of the Mi 8 Explorer Edition is majorly due to the fact that the translucent panel doesn’t show the real internals. However, the Mi 6 transparent version doesn’t get such a luxurious look. It basically involves removing the original glass back of the device and slapping the transparent glass panel that has been forged. However, if you still intend to use the original glass panel again, it is best done by an expert. Tools used for dismantling phones such as the suction cup, prying tool and glue will be needed. After the replacement, the translucent glass panel doesn’t look so bad but it’s not as beautiful as the Mi 8 Explorer. That because what we see is the original internAls of the Mi 6. WouLd you want to try this on your Mi 6 or perhaps want one for your Xiaomi model? It may soon be available to buy online via third-party retailers outside China. It may We’re not too excited about it, though but the design holds some prospect for the future.

Huawei 13-inch MateBook announced with NFC connectivity and fingerprint scanner in China

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 6, 2018

Today through an unveil event in China, Huawei announced the Media M5 Youth Edition tablet and the a 13-inch MateBook. The USP of this notebook is that it carries support for NFC connectivity.

Compared to the existing MateBook X Pro notebook that was announced in February, the 13-inch Matebook features a 13.3-inch touchscreen display that carries support for 2160 x1440 pixels and offers an impressive screen-to-body ratio of 88 percent. The left and right bezels of the laptop measures only 4.4mm. It carries support for an aspect ratio of 3:2, 100 percent sRGB color gamut and 300nits brightness.

The thickest portion of the 13-inch Matebook measures only 14.9 mm and it weighs 1.28 kg. The new laptop from Huawei is 6 percent smaller and lighter than the MateBook X Pro. It can be brought in colors like gray, silver and rose gold.

The USP of the 13-inch MateBook it is equipped NFC connectivity. The NFC recognition area is placed on the right-hand side palm rest. Users with NFC-enabled smartphone cane transfer files at up to 30MB per second by establishing connection between the two devices. It features a fingerprint scanner that is embedded under its power button.

The 13-inch MateBook comes in two variants driven by 8^th generation Intel Core i5-826U with UHD620 graphics and 8^th Core i5-8560U with NVIDIA MX150 graphics. Both variants feature 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of SSD storage and 42W battery. The laptop is also equipped with Shark Fin Fan 2.0 technology that includes dual-fan and dual heat pipe cooling module that works at 8,000 RPM. The left side of the device features a USB-C port and another a USB-C port and a 3.5mm audio jack can be found on the right side.

Read More: Huawei releases a special water proof case for Mate 20 Pro with underwater camera mode support

Huawei did not confirm on the pricing of the new 13-inch MateBook. The product is yet to appear on VMall. The Chinese manufacturer will begin the sales of the 13-inch MateBook in December. The notebook is expected to be priced lower than MateBook X Pro that carried a launch price of 7,988 Yuan (~$1,155) in China. The MateBook X Pro was made available in the U.S. in May. As far as the 13-inch MateBook is concerned, there is no information on its international availability.

Vivo Y95 pricing and specs leaked; Launch could be very near

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 6, 2018

It was recently reported that the Vivo Y95 phone could be available for buying in India starting from early November. Fresh information shared by 91 Mobiles citing details received from retail sources have revealed that the Vivo Y95 would be featuring a Halo (waterdrop) notch screen and it will be priced under Rs. 15,000 (~$205).

It is speculated that the Vivo Y95 could be arriving first in India since no other country has received it yet. The smartphone is tipped to feature a 6.22-inch IPS LCD screen with a smaller notch that houses the front-facing camera of 8-megapixel. The exact resolution of the screen is still under the wraps.

There is no information available on the SoC that will be powering the Vivo Y95. The unidentified SoC of the Y95 smartphone will be coupled with 4 GB of RAM. The handset will include an inbuilt storage of 64 GB. For photography, the back panel of the phone will be featuring 13-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera system. The handset will receive power from 3,260mAh battery. It is very likely to feature FunTouch OS based Android 8.1 Oreo. The handset is expected to carry a price tag of Rs. 14,990 (~$205).

Read More: Vivo X21s real images, full specs and pricing leaked ahead of launch

The Vivo V95 is expected to arrive as the successor of the Vivo Y83. In comparison to the Y95, the Y83 features a screen with a larger notch, single 13-megapixel rear camera, 3 GB of RAM and lower internal storage of 32 GB. The Y83 is priced at Rs. 13,990 (~$192).

The publication has not shared information on the launch date of the Vivo Y95 for India. However, since it is expected to debut in early November, it may take few more days for the phone to go official. The Vivo Y95 will slot itself between the recently unveiled Vivo Y93 and Vivo Y97 phones that are available for buying in China. Since the Y93 is powered by Snapdragon 439 SoC and Y97 has Helio P60 onboard, the Vivo 95 could be equipped with a mid-range like Helio P22 or A22.

(source)

Realme increases pricing for its Realme 2 and Realme C1 smartphones in India

By

Jeet

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Nov 6, 2018

We recently reported that Realme is planning to increase the price of its products after Diwali. However, in a surprising move, the company has now increased pricing of Realme 2 and Realme C1 smartphones on Flipkart just after the Big Diwali Sale ended on the e-commerce platform.

The company has increased the pricing of Realme C1 by Rs. 1,000 (approximately $14) while the pricing hike for the base model of Realme 2 is Rs. 500 (approx. $7). The Realme C1, which was launched for Rs. 6,999 will now be available for Rs. 7,999 while the Realme 2 will now cost Rs. 9,499 (approximately $130) for the 3GB RAM model.

The 4GB RAM model of the Realme 2 is still available at its original price of Rs. 10,990 (approximately $151). It’s not yet confirmed if the 4GB RAM model will get a price hike or not. On the other hand, the Realme 2 Pro is still available at its original price but we expect that it will too get a price hike after the Diwali festival.

Realme managed to grab an impressive market share in India’s budget smartphone segment, despite being a very young brand. This is quite impressive given the competition in the world’s one of the largest smartphone market. One of the reasons for the brand’s success is its highly competitive pricing. While the brand has hiked the pricing, the Realme phones still remain among the best options in their segment.

The company decided to take the route of price hike because of the tumbling rupee since the beginning of the year. Considering that most components are bought in US dollars from other countries and the import duties, the company’s margins take a hit, which probably is pretty low in such a competitive market.

While Realme has already increased the pricing of its products in India, Xiaomi is planning to do so. During Redmi 6 lineup launch in India a couple of months ago, Xiaomi hinted towards price hike and said that it’ll wait for a few months to see how INR performs against USD before taking such a move. Given that the Rupee is still falling, it seems that Xiaomi will soon increase the price of its products.

Meanwhile, there are reports about Realme planning to use Oppo’s VOOC fast charging technology in its upcoming phones. Given that Madhav Sheth, CEO of Realme India has already confirmed two or three Realme phones in India by March 2019, it’s speculated that the Realme 3 or 3 Pro could feature VOOC fast charging. It is also working on a first smartphone to be powered by MediaTek Helio P70 octa-core processor.

(Sources – 1, 2)

Nokia 9 PureView 3D renders show off penta-camera setup, missing audio jack

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 6, 2018

The Nokia 9 PureView has surfaced in leaked images ever since its existence was confirmed. The key feature in those images has been the penta-camera setup on its rear. For the first time, we get to see what the rest of the phone looks like thanks to OnLeaks and his 3D renders of the flagship.

Like all the other 3D renders released by OnLeaks, this is based on CAD renders, so this is practically what the phone should look like, although dimensions might be slightly off.

The Nokia 9 will be covered in glass on both sides and have a metal frame. The display, obviously, has an 18:9 aspect ratio with moderately-sized bezels. The top bezel is home to a camera, earpiece and a bunch of sensors while the chin is bare. The display is said to be 5.99-inches in size with a QHD+ resolution. It is also reported that there is a fingerprint scanner under the screen.

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On the back, the Nokia 9 PureView has a total of seven holes. Five of those holes are home to a different type of camera lens including telephoto and super-wide angle lenses. The remaining two house a LED flash and a laser focus module respectively.

The Nokia 9 PureView doesn’t have an audio jack which shouldn’t be surprising seeing as Nokia launched two wireless earphones over a month ago. There is a USB-C port which should also work for audio, so expect a Type-C to 3.5mm audio adapter to be bundled with the phone.

There is a speaker and a microphone flanking the USB-C port at the bottom while the top is home to a noise-canceling microphone. The power button and volume rocker are on the right side of the phone.

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Nokia X7 international version might have bagged Bluetooth SIG approval; May arrive as Nokia 8.1

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 6, 2018

In the previous month, HMD Global had introduced the Nokia X7 smartphone in China. The Finnish company could be working on the international launch of the smartphone. A new Nokia phone has been approved by Bluetooth SIG body. It is speculated that the international edition of the smartphone may have received from the Bluetooth certification authority.

A Nokia phone with model number TA-1136 has appeared on the website of Bluetooth SIG. This indicates that it could be the company could be gearing up to introduce a new phone before the end of this year. The TA-1136 Nokia phone carries support for Bluetooth 5.0. Chances of it being a low-end phone could be low, but one should be aware of the fact that the low-end Helio A22 and Helio P22 SoCs also support Bluetooth 5.0.

The Nokia X6 and Nokia X5 were introduced first in China, but later on their international variants were released. Hence, there is a possibility that the international edition of the Nokia X7 may debut soon. It may arrive in the market as Nokia 7.1 Plus.

Read More: Nokia 6.1 Plus Android 9 Pie OS update brings “Hide Notch” option

Contradictory rumors that had surfaced around two weeks ago had claimed that the Nokia X7 may release as Nokia 8.1 and not as Nokia 7.1 Plus in the international markets. It is speculated that HMD Global will release another phone before with the Mobile World Congress (MWC) annual tech expo event that is usually held in February. To support this claim, a Nokia device with Nokia 8.1 moniker was spotted on Geekbench in the recent past with specs like Snapdragon 710, 4 GB RAM and Android 9 Pie.

So, the Nokia TA-1136 phone that has been approved by Bluetooth SIG may arrive as Nokia 8.1 in international markets. The handset is likely to feature the same specs as Nokia X7v. Hence, it is expected to arrive with 6.18-inch IPS LCD notched screen with FHD+ resolution, Snapdragon 710, 4 GB / 6 GB of RAM, 64 GB and 128 GB of storage, 13-megapixel + 12-megapixel ZEISS branded dual camera setup, 20-megapixel front-facing camera and 3,500mAh battery.

(source|via)

Get ready for some official information about Samsung Foldable smartphone this week

By

Simranpal Singh

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Nov 6, 2018

Many rumors and leaks are making rounds on the web with different information about Samsung’s foldable device. Today, we have got some information directly from Samsung official who said that this week they would pass on some official details about its foldable smartphone. As per source, the Korean giant is doing so to give developers some details about the foldable display, so they can start working on related apps.

The new concept needs some feedback, and it will help developers to tweak their apps in accordance with the flexible display. Ultimately, there are different reasons behind unveiling the key features of Samsung Foldable smartphone before launch. It will also address significant concerns of the Korean giant about its upcoming foldable smartphone.

Samsung wants to fully secure the device before launching it in the market. The new device is a brand new concept, and it needs some verification before going public. Talking about this, an unnamed Samsung official said, “Unlike our flagship products, the foldable phone is a completely new concept in terms of design and user experience, which requires a different approach.”

Samsung is emphasizing on the app experience as they’re going to preview it for developers this week. The Korean giant is eager to know the initial comments about the newly designed flexible device. The official said, “Before we take it to the market, we want to share with developers what we’ve done so far and see what they think of it.”

It will allow users to perform complex tasks that are usually done on a tablet or laptop. The exact date is not given about the preview, but in upcoming days we expect some more details to surface.

On the other hand, Huawei is also readying a 5G compatible foldable device with the launch date expected in 2019. Similarly, LG is also in the race of flexible devices. Both the companies want to build a flexible phone which should be useful rather than just the design gimmick.

Read More: Samsung foldable phone will transform from tablet to phone, can fit in your pocket

Interestingly, detailed images are also expected to surface at the preview events of the Foldable device for the first time.

Additionally, Samsung might launch it in the first quarter of 2019 with a hefty price tag. Samsung wants to churn out some profit from the new product as they have tumbled 3X in mid-range products category across the globe this year.

Let’s wait and watch what happens next year. Are you looking for foldable smartphones?

(Via)