Honor Magic 2 sold out in China the same day it went on sale

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Nov 8, 2018

The Kirin 980 chipset that powers the Huawei Mate 20 series of flagship phones and the Honor Magic 2 is a smaller 7nm chipset compared to the 10nm Kirin 970 SoC. To be precise, the Kirin 980 is 30 percent smaller than its predecessor. A die shot of the new chipset has been surfaced to reveal the placement of its different components.

The HiSilicon Kirin 980 SoC measures only 74.13mm2. The top-left corner of the SoC features Mali G76MP10 graphics. It promises 50 percent better performance than the predecessor Mali-G72 MP12 available on the Kirin 970. The Kirin 980 is the first SoC from HiSilicon to adopt new DynamicIQ technology by ARM which makes it possible to build chipsets with versatile designs.

The quad-core Cortex A76 CPUs arranged in two pairs are attached the DynamicIQ Shared Unit (DSU). The offer different processing speeds of up to 2.6 GHz and 1.92 GHz. Each core of both the pairs are equipped with 512KB private L2 caches. On the either sides of the DSU is the quad-core Cortex A55 that can function at up to 1.8 GHz. The 4MB L3 cache is also attached to the DSU. The above image also shows the placement of the LPDDR4X RAM controllers. The Kirin 980 is the first SoC to feature 2,133Mhz memory.

The above image was shared by Chiprebel and the different components on it were labelled by AnandTech. What’s interesting about the layout is that the dual-core NPU unit for handling AI tasks cannot be seen. It should be present on the chip, but its position could not be identified. According to Huawei, the NPU unit of the Kirin 980 is two times faster than that of Kirin 970.

Read More: Huawei Mate 20 Pro iFixit Teardown marks it poor for repairability

The recently unveiled smartphones such as Mate 20, Mate 20 Pro, Mate 20 X, Mate 20 RS Porsche Design and Honor Magic 2 are all powered by the Kirin 980. The performance of the Kirin 980 powered Mate 20 series phones is such that the top 3 positions of the on the list of AnTuTu’s best performing Android smartphones for October is led by Mate 20, Mate 20 Pro and Mate 20 X.

(source 1, 2)

Ulefone Armor 3T Walkie-Talkie rugged phone crowd funding achieves 538%

By

Simranpal Singh

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Nov 8, 2018

Ulefone is preparing another fantastic device, which is quite useful for some users. Ulefone Armor 3T Walkie Talkie is a rugged phone and carries military grade certifications. The world’s first rugged walkie-talkie smartphone has got a lot of appreciation in terms of funding at the crowdfunding platform, Indiegogo.com. It has achieved over 538% of crowdfunding, as its usefulness has been recognized by the folks.

Another reason behind its popularity is its ruggedness which is certified by different certifications. It carries IP68/IP69K protection and military standard MIL-STD-810G certifications. It can handle 2 hours of immersion in 2-meter deep water or 24 hours of submission in 1 meter of concrete.

Regarding specs, Ulefone Armor 3T is powered by Helio P23 octa-core processor coupled with 4GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage. It carries NFC, Google Pay, fingerprint sensor and face unlock. In-camera department, there’s a 21-megapixel rear camera and a 13-megapixel camera on the front side. In order to sustain for a longer time on a single charge, Ulefone has added a large 10300 mAh battery.

It is a revolutionary phone with interchangeable intercom supporting 1W/2W hardware of frequency 400-470 MHz. It’s a true offline feature and need not have any online connection for it to work. Although, for better sound, Ulefone has added dual front speakers for clear and loud sound. It can handle the pressure of upto 57kPa for 4 hours.

Further, there are many professional sensors like compass, bubble level, Pic hanging, Height measurement, Heart rate sensor, Pressure, plumb bob, magnifier and many more.

Read More: Ulefone Armor 3 gets it first hand-on (video)

It will run on Android 8.1 Oreo and supports all the major features in standard Android phones. The specs are similar to the Ulefone Armor 3 but it does not any carry walkie-talkie function. Those, who are not interested in the walkie-talkie feature of Armor 3T, can grab the predecessor, Armor 3 at the price of $259 from banggood.

Ulefone Armor 3T is for those, who often go outside for adventure and have chances of breaking their phones. It is the best bet if you’re looking for a rugged phone that too with some good specs and at a reasonable price.

The Bakeey M30 Smart Watch Goes Up For Pre-Order Carrying A Dropped Price Of $13.99 On Banggood

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Get A 65% Off On Bakeey M30 Smart Watch

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Nov 8, 2018

Touted as the long-awaited big-screen pressure smart bracelet from Bakeey, the M30 is a multi-functional, intelligent smartwatch that has now gone up for pre-order bearing a heavily discounted price on Banggood.

We’ll not shed light on the aforesaid discount that you can avail on the M30 but also divulge more details about the awe-inspiring features that makes it an irresistible smartwatch. So without further ado, let’s delve straight into the details.

The Bakeey M30 would normally set you back a pretty penny on online and offline stores, but you can now buy it at a lowered price on the Chinese online store that guarantees the best bang for your buck. This is a significant 65% reduction in the device’s original selling price of $39.99.

The Bakeey M30 is a feature-rich smartwatch that sports an easily readable 1.3 inches screen with 240×240 pixels resolution. It is housed in a robust body made using high-quality bottom shell ABS+PC material and its top cover is made using tempered glass.
Moreover, the smartwatch is backed by a robust 180mAh battery that delivers 10 days of battery life with normal use and 60 days of standby. The M30 is rated IP67, which means you can wear the smartwatch even while washing hand without worrying about inflicting any sort of damage to it.

The Bakeey M30 smartwatch is compatible with Android 4.4 (or above) and iOS 8.5 (or above). It has numerous multi-sport modes including walking, running, riding, swimming, climbing, bicycling and lots more.

Aside from that, it has a blood pressure monitor, blood oxygen monitor, sleep monitor, and pedometer as well. The M30 lets you reject an incoming call without using the smartphone and even it features a call and message reminder.

On the downside, the discount will only be valid for the remaining 92 pieces of the black, blue, red and purple color version of the Bakeey M30 smartwatch. So if you’re interested in taking advantage of the discount, it is imperative that you follow this link without wasting time.

Download Banggood App To Get A 10% Off App Coupon

Xiaomi’s Pocophone F1 is now available for purchase in the UK through Amazon

By

Jeet

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Nov 8, 2018

Xiaomi‘s sub-brand Pocophone launched its first smartphone a couple of months back, named Pocophone F1. The phone carries top of the line specifications but comes with an affordable price tag.

After launching the smartphone in India, Indonesia, and Hong Kong, the Pocophone F1 is now officially available in the UK through Amazon. The company made the announcement of the phone’s availability in the UK through Twitter.

In the UK, the phone comes in two variants — 6GB RAM with 64GB internal storage and 6GB RAM with 128GB internal storage. While the 64GB storage model is priced at £329.99 (approximately $433), the 128GB storage model costs £349, roughly $459.

To recall the specifications, Pocophone F1 flaunts a 6.18-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD display with 2246 x 1080 pixels screen resolution and 18.7:9 aspect ratio. It is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass on top. The display offers up to 500-nits brightness and a high contrast ratio of 1500:1.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm‘s flagship Snapdragon 845 processor and comes with LiquidCool technology. The company says that the copper heat sink above the chipset helps in dissipating the heat and allows the phone to transfer heat at a faster rate of 300 percent.

In the camera department, the handset comes with a 12-megapixel Sony IMX363 sensor with a massive pixel size of 1.4micron coupled with a 5-megapixel secondary sensor on the back panel. It is equipped with features like Dual Pixel Autofocus, real-time AI photography and dual-LED flash. On the front side, there’s a 20-megapixel selfie camera powered with AI for capturing enhanced selfie shots.

The phone runs on a modified MIUI, based on MIUI 9.6 with the new POCO Launcher on top. The customized MIUI that is based on Android 8.1 Oreo operating system. There’s also an IR scanner that enables Face Unlock feature.

The Pocophone F1 does have the important Band 20 support, which means that it has full 4G coverage across the UK with no connectivity issues. The device is powered by a 4,000mAh battery that also carries support for Quick Charge 4.0 fast charging technology.

(Source)

Samsung to launch notch display phones; U, V and O shaped designs revealed

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Nov 8, 2018

Except for Samsung, most of the smartphone manufacturers have launched notched display smartphones. It seemed that the company stay away from launching such phones. However, through the Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) 2018 event that was used to showcase the Infinity Flex Display for its first foldable phone, the company also confirmed that it will be launch phones with U-shaped and V-shaped notches. Moreover, the company also revealed a new display that features a camera hole in the display.

The Infinity-U and Infinity-V notch designs look similar to the phones with waterdrop notch display manufactured by OPPO, Vivo, Huawei and Honor. The only differentiating factor between the Infinity-U and Infinity-V is the shape of the notch. The Infinity-U has a U-type notch whereas the Infinity-V has a V-type notch. Apart from the differences in the notch shape, both displays may appear identical.

The Infinity-O display does not feature a notch, but it comes with a hole at the top-left corner of the display. It will be housing the selfie camera. Since the O-shaped cutout is positioned weirdly, people may have second thoughts before buying phones with such a design. The upcoming Galaxy S10 is expected to arrive with an in-display camera hole design. However, rumors surrounding it had claimed that the hole would be placed at the center position at the topside of the screen.

The other display design that was showcased at the SDC 2018 was dubbed as “New Infinity.” It could be similar to the Infinity Display design found on the recent Samsung phones, but may offer a taller aspect ratio.

Read More: Samsung Infinity Flex Display and One UI showcased at SDC 2018

Lastly, the Infinity Flex Display is reserved for Samsung’s first foldable phone that is most likely to go official in the coming year. It can fold vertically and when opened, it can allow users to use the device as a 7.3-inch tablet.

What’s your opinion on the new display designs that the company will use on its future phones? Share us your thoughts by posting your comments below.

(via)

Oppo’s VOOC fast charging is being used in over 100 million devices worldwide

By

Jeet

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Nov 8, 2018

Fast charging has quickly become one of the must-have features on a smartphone. Basically, fast charging increases the current sent to the battery to fill up its capacity or get charged quicker.

Different companies have adopted different standards for fast charging. While some companies have their own proprietary technology for fast charging that can be used with specific cables and chargers, some use universal standard.

Oppo, the Chinese smartphone brand has its own proprietary fast charging technology named VOOC Flash Charge. There are three versions of the same — VOOC, VOOC Mini, and Super VOOC. Further, Oppo has also announced that it has developed a new 15W Wireless Flash Charging. Now, the company has revealed that more than 100 million devices worldwide are using the company’s VOOC flash charging technology.

VOOC Flash Charge uses a low-voltage and high-current charging solution and claims to provide 2 hours of talk time when the phone is charged for only 5 minutes. VOOC Mini, on the other hand, has been optimized to have smaller adaptors.

The company recently launched an upgraded VOOC named SuperVOOC which is used in the company’s flagship devices. As per the company, SuperVOOC has maximum charging power of around 50W, charging the phone in just 35 minutes.

The VOOC flash charge technology was first introduced in the Oppo Find 7 and is currently being used in over 23 smartphones from Oppo. The company has also licensed this technology to other smartphone brands.

Oppo has internally licensed VOOC technology to OnePlus, which is another smartphone brand from its parent company BBK Electronics. OnePlus is marketing the fast charging technology as Dash Charge but has recently removed that branding as is simply calling it fast charging.

Buy Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite 4G Phablet At A Dropped Price Of Just $168.99 On GearBest [Coupon Inside]

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Get 24% Off On Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite Global Version 4G Phablet

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Nov 8, 2018

Much to the delight of Mi fans, Xiaomi launched its Mi A2 Lite smartphone earlier this year. As expected, the long-awaited phone became an instant hit among those who fancy using a big-screen mobile device for watching videos and playing popular games.
The Mi A2 Lite smartphone would set you back a pretty penny on online and offline shops but if you aren’t willing to pay that steep of a price for a phablet, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll divulge details about a noteworthy discount that you can avail on the coveted phone and also show how you can save more money during the check out process.

Following in the footsteps of top-branded phablets that carry steep price tags, the Mi A2 Lite would usually burn a hole in your pocket. However, you can now get your hands on the coveted device at a considerably lowered price of just $179.99 on one of China’s best online electronics stores, GearBest.

In the case that you’re wondering if there’s a way to save extra money, we got good news for you. In order to bring your already reduced grand total further down to just $168.99, all you need to do is to apply coupon code GBMPA2L before you click on the ‘Proceed to Checkout’ button.

In other words, you can get an additional $11 off simply by using the aforesaid coupon at the time of checking out.
An absolute bargain at this price, the Mi A2 Lite phablet sports a 5.84-inches IPS, LCD, FHD+ (1080 x 2280p) display with 19:9 aspect ratio. It features a notch with minimal bezels and is housed in a metal frame for a premium appearance. There’s more for you to cheer about.

Although the phablet is powered by the older Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 Octa Core 2.0GHz processor, the Mi A2 Lite gets a long battery life when paired with a robust 4000mAh battery. This global version of the phablet comes with 4GB of RAM and offers 64GB of internal storage (expandable up to 256GB).

Moreover, the Mi A2 Lite houses a 12.0MP + 5.0MP dual camera module on the back and a 5.0MP camera for selfies and face-to-face video chatting on the front. On top of that, it has numerous useful sensors such as a proximity sensor, accelerometer, e-compass, fingerprint sensor, ambient light sensor, gravity sensor, and infrared.

On the downside, the Flash Sale price will only be valid for 1 day. Moreover, there were only 200 pieces of the phablet’s gold color version remaining at the time of writing. Alternatively, you can get a 24% off on the remaining 20 pieces of device’s black color model, which is now available at a lowered price of just $179.99 on GearBest.

You can head straight to this link to avail the discount if the remaining pieces get sold out.

Check Out GearBest Exclusive Brand Sale

Samsung Infinity Flex Display and One UI showcased at SDC 2018

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Nov 8, 2018

Samsung has finally unleashed its first foldable phone at the Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) 2018. The actual name of the device was not disclosed at the event, but Samsung revealed that its bendable phone will be featuring Infinity Flex Display. The folding mechanism of the Infinity Flex Display will allow consumers to use it as a tablet as well as a smartphone. Samsung also confirmed that the One UI, a customized version of the Experience UI will come preinstalled on its foldable smartphone.

Since it wasn’t the dedicated launch event for the Infinity Flex, the South Korean tech giant did not showcase the actual device at SDC 2018. So, instead of revealing the Infinity Flex, the company revealed its bendable OLED panel. The OLED panel can fold vertically and when it is opened, it offers a larger 7.3-inch viewing area.

When folded, the external screen of the Infinity Flex will offer a regular smartphone-like experience that will allow users to use all the apps without opening the device in tablet mode. When the device is unfolded, the One UI can smartly remember the apps that are already opened, and they seamlessly transform for the tablet mode. The One UI has been developed by Samsung in collaboration with Google and Android developers. The One UI has a very simple appeal and all the important functions are placed at the bottom of the screen which makes it easier to operate the device with single hand. The One UI can keep three apps open simultaneously.

The company is reportedly planning to begin the mass production of this device from this month. Since there are technical difficulties in building Infinity Flex Display, it may not be easy to mass produce the foldable phone. The Infinity Flex Display is not made out of glass, but it features an advanced composite polymer that not only offers flexibility, but also durability.

Read More: Samsung’s second Android Go phone, the Galaxy J4 Core leaks, packs a larger screen

The foldable phone will be opened and closed umpteen number of times by the user that may damage the folding mechanism and internal components. Hence, Samsung is using a foldable adhesive to secure all the innards to the flexible display. The South Korean company has reduced the thickness of the Flex panel by 45 percent by using a new polarizer, cover layer and substrates. This will allow Samsung’s first foldable phone to sport to a thin profile. Lastly, the South Korean company did not announce any details on the launch of the foldable Galaxy phone.

Get Up To 40% Off On Top-Branded Tablets, Laptops And Other Workplace Tools On AliExpress

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Get Great Discounts On Household Tools And Various Other Electronic Items

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Nov 8, 2018

If you’ve been waiting for electronics and household tools prices to drop, we got good news for you. AliExpress is doling out up to a considerable 40% off on a slew of computer and office related items that come in handy at a workplace.

Dubbed as ‘The Best Workplace Tools,’ the promo has been split into various sections so that buyers can easily find what they are looking for. You can avail considerable discounts on a 10 Inch tablet, ALLDOCUBE M5, and the iwork 10 Pro tablet PC as well.

You can find high-end computer accessories like the SSD SATA3 hard disk drive, Seagate 2TB Desktop HDD, the Xiaomi Notebook Pro and lots more under ‘THE BESTSELLERS’ category. More importantly, all items featured in this section are available for considerably lowered prices.

The ‘TOP STORES’ section features the Kingston Oriental Store, Top-living Arts & Crafts Store, EGLOBAL Official Store, ANYCUBIC Official Store and official stores for other popular brands like Xiaomi and CHUWI. Aside from offering their products at a lowered price, select stores are giving buyers a specific coupon that they can use to get an extra discount.

For the sake of an instance, you can now buy the CHUWI Hi10 Air tablet for only $190.12 in this section. Note that the laptop usually sells for 276.30 on online and offline stores.

You can extend this 15% discount even further by using a specific coupon code and get an additional $3 off during the check out process. It is worth noting that a few of these stores including Xiaomi Gshopper Store and Mi Digital Store aren’t offering additional discounts in the form of coupons.

The ‘TABLETS & LAPTOPS’ section is crammed with high-end tablets and laptops from top manufacturers like Xiaomi, Jumper, CHUWI and Teclast just to name a few. Each manufacturer is offering some of their well-received product at a heavily discounted price in this category.

Likewise, you can save a considerable amount of money on computer peripherals, computer components, storage devices, various accessories for networking, tablets, and laptops etc. In order to ensure you do not end up missing this chance, all you need to do is to click here and visit the promotion page.

Buy Top-Branded Electronics And Other Items At Discounted Price On GeekBuying[Coupon Code]

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Nov 8, 2018

GeekBuying is offering buyers an opportunity to save a considerable amount of money on electronics and a slew of other items as part of its latest Flash Sale. So without wasting time, let us check out what the Chinese online store has to offer in terms of discounts.

Oneplus 6T Smartphone

OnePlus’ flagship smartphone dubbed the OnePlus 6T is garnering huge popularity among smartphone lovers after hitting the store shelves earlier this month. While the phone would usually set you back a pretty penny, you can now buy it for just $579.99 after the coupon: OJDAMUWH on GeekBuying.

This is a noteworthy 27% reduction in the handset’s original asking price of $812.99. Regrettably, the promo was on the verge of wrapping up at the time of writing. You can follow this link to check out more details about the well-received smartphone and receive the discount before the promo ends.

Coolboy X9 Handheld Game Console

Avid gamers, rejoice! The Coolboy X9 that sports an eye-catching 5.0 inch HD display with 1080×720 pixels resolution, 8GB of RAM and features 400 classic games can now be yours at a reduced price of just $34.89 on GeekBuying.

This handheld game player from Coolboy would usually set you back a pretty penny, but the console maker is now offering a considerable 27% reduction in the black-tinted X9 handheld game console’s original asking price of $47.99. You can follow this link to avail the discount before the promo comes to an end.
Alternatively, you can get an 8% off on the blue color version of the X9 handheld game console which sells for $47.99 without the discount, but can now be yours for just $43.99. Likewise, you can get a 6% off on the white color version of the game console as well.

To ensure you do not end up missing this chance to buy the Coolboy X9 at a considerably lowered price, all you need to do is follow this link.

Aluminum Alloy Converter Type-C to USB / HDMI / Type-C

If you’re in the market for a reversible type-C connector that doesn’t cost a bomb, you might want to take a look at this aluminum alloy converter that has now gone up for sale bearing a discounted price. While it usually sells for $31.99, you can now buy this item for just $11.11 on GeekBuying.
You can head straight to this link in order to receive this significant 65% discount on this type-C connector that supports video output resolution up to 4K at 30Hz and can be plugged without orientation. Note that the promo is slated to end shortly.

SW-BE80 80cc 2-stroke Bicycle Motorized Kit

The SW-BE80 doesn’t require a battery to draw its juices and doesn’t make a lot of noise either. With subdued vibration, this motor kit is capable of reaching a speed of up to 56km/h.

Moreover, it features a rubber hose that connects the fuel tank and carburetor, which is favorable for engine performance. This bicycle motorized kit is currently up for grabs at a reduced price of just $85.99 on GeekBuying for a limited period of time.
To take advantage of this 28% drop in the device’s original selling price of $119.99, you can follow this link. It is worth noting that the promo is scheduled to end in a short time.

Teclast F6 Pro Notebook

Equipped with newfangled Fingerprints Identification that can lock and unlock your laptop with your fingerprints, the F6 Pro is quite an irresistible notebook. It runs Microsoft Windows 10 OS and packs a powerful Intel Core M3-7Y30, Dual Core processor with an Intel HD Graphics 615 GPU, under the hood.

While you’d normally associate a steep price tag with a laptop offering comparable features, the F6 Pro notebook can be yours if you’re willing to shell out just $419.99 on GeekBuying. Teclast is offering a significant 38% reduction in the laptop’s steep retail price of $680.69.

Thankfully, the promo will be valid for 4 days. You can visit this link to grab the discount.

VORKE V2 Pro Mini PC

The market is rife with high-end mini PCs that are likely to burn a hole in your pocket. If you’re living on a tight budget and aren’t willing to spend a lot of money on a mini PC, you might want to take a gander at the VORKE V2 Pro which is currently available at a slashed price on GeekBuying.
Equipped with an Intel 8th Gen Core i5-8250U CPU and UHD Graphics 620 GPU under the hood, the V2 Pro mini PC offers 8GB of DDR4 RAM (upgradeable to 16GB) with128GB M.2 SATA SSD. It gives users the choice to run the Linux distributions to Windows 10, Chrome OS and has Ubuntu16.04 pre-installed.

This feature-rich mini PC normally carries a $510.50, but you can now buy it for just $379.99 on GeekBuying, thanks to a 26% discount Vorke is offering on its well-received mini PC. You can head straight to this link if you’re interested in receiving the discount before the promo comes to an end.

Buy OnePlus 6T Smartphone For Only $529 On oppomart [Coupon Inside]

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Get $20 Off On OnePlus 6T Smartphone On oppomart

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Nov 8, 2018

Looking for a top-branded smartphone that sports a big screen, and is loaded with exceptional features but doesn’t cost a bomb? You’ve come to the right place.

OnePlus made the long-awaited OnePlus 6 successor dubbed the OnePlus 6T available to the public earlier this month. Following in the footsteps of its well-received precursor, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer’s latest flagship became an instant hit despite carrying a steep price tag.

In a bid to extend the smartphone’s demand among those living on a tight budget, OnePlus is now offering cost-conscious buyers a chance to save a considerable amount of money on the OnePlus 6T’s original asking price. Before we shed light on how you can avail this discount, let us take a look at the phone’s mean features.

The OnePlus 6T sports a mammoth 6.41 inches Optic AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display with 1080 x 2340 pixels resolution. It is housed in a sturdy aluminum frame and has a Corning Gorilla Glass 6 on top for added protection. The phone also features an in-display fingerprint unlock.
Under the hood, the OnePlus 6T packs a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor along with an Adreno 630 GPU for an unmatched graphics and gaming experience. It comes with 6GB/8GB LPDDR4X RAM and offers 128GB/256GB UFS 2.1 2-LANE onboard storage to save your favorite content.

On the photography front, the OnePlus 6T smartphone houses 20MP+16MP Sony camera sensors with an F1.7 aperture on the back and a 16MP front shooter for selfies and face-to-face video chatting. Moreover, the phone runs on Oxygen OS based Android 9.0 Pie and is backed by a 3700 mAh battery.

While you’d normally associate a steep price tag with a top-branded smartphone offering comparable features, you can buy the OnePlus 6T for $549 on the company’s official online store, oppomart. Those who aren’t willing to spend that kind of money on a handset can use coupon code OP6T20 to save $20 before proceeding to checkout.

In other words, you can bring your grand total down to just $529 simply by using the aforesaid coupon during the checkout process. Regrettably, the aforesaid coupon will only be valid until December 31st.

You can head straight to this link to avail the discount and check out more details about the irresistible OnePlus 6T smartphone.

ARCore APK teardown reveals Google working on two mid-range phones

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Nov 7, 2018

Google is reported to be working on a mid-range phone codenamed Bonito. The phone is said to be powered by a Snapdragon 710 processor and is scheduled to launch in the first half of 2019. A new discovery has revealed there might be a second phone that is codenamed Sargo.

The discovery was made in the latest version of Google’s ARCore application. As it has become the norm, a teardown of the latest ARCore app usually reveals new devices that have gained ARCore support. Once in a while, it also reveals an unreleased device or in this case, devices.

A teardown of the latest version by AndroidPolice contains two codenames that can’t be linked to any known device. The codenames are Bonito and Sargo.

The name Bonito was first revealed to be the codename of Google’s mid-range Pixel by Roland Quandt months ago. However, this is the first time we have come across the name Sargo. Since the codenames Google uses for its devices are taken from fishes, there are speculations that Sargo is also a Google device. Google search both fishes and you will find out Sargo is smaller than Bonito.

So we can assume Bonito is sort of like the XL device while Sargo is the non-XL device. Sargo could also be a different device entirely that is indeed smaller than Bonito but not related to it in any way. These are all just speculations by the way, so take with a pinch of salt.

Samsung’s second Android Go phone, the Galaxy J4 Core leaks, packs a larger screen

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Nov 7, 2018

The Galaxy J2 Core is the first Samsung phone on the Android Go platform. Unlike other Android Go phones, the J2 Core runs Samsung’s Experience UI instead of stock Android. A new leak has revealed that Samsung will launch a second Android Go Phone called the Galaxy J4 Core and it has been spotted on a Brazillian online store ahead of its official release.

The Galaxy J4 Core (SM-J410G) has a much bigger screen than the J2 Core, as it adds an extra inch to its size. The 6.0” screen is an infinity display with an unusual 1480 x 720 resolution, it is not HD+ (1520 x 720) but it is higher than HD and better than the J2 Core’s 960 x 54 resolution.

The processor is a 1.4GHz quad-core chipset, so it’s probably the same Exynos 7570 inside the J2 Core. There is 1GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage (256GB max.). An 8MP f/2.2 camera is on the rear and a 5MP camera is in front for selfies. The Galaxy J4 Core has camera modes like panorama, pro mode, timelapse and even AR Emoji according to the online store.

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Xiaomi Black Shark Helo global debut on November 9 seems likely

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Nov 7, 2018

In October, Xiaomi’s sub-brand Black Shark had launched the Black Shark Helo gaming phone as the world’s first phone with 10 GB of RAM. The smartphone is available for purchase in China, but there is no information available on its international availability. An email has been sent out by the company to its early supporters to hint that the brand will be internationally introduced on Nov. 9 possibly by announcing the Black Shark Helo smartphone.

Just before the launch of the Black Shark Helo phone, the global edition of the company’s website had gone live and it carried texts like “Sharks Approaching” and “Unleashing Soon.” It was then speculated that company may internationally announce the successor of the original Black Shark phone. The email that has been sent to early supporters states that the company will be launching “something big” on Nov. 9. It is likely that the Chinese manufacturer may introduce the global edition of the Black Shark Helo smartphone.

The Black Shark Helo phone features a 6.01-inch display that supports Full HD+ resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio. The Snapdragon 845 chipset fuels the smartphone. It is equipped with 12-megapixel + 20-megapixel dual camera setup and a selfie shooter of 20-megapixel. The handset receives power from 4,000mAh capacity battery that supports 18W fast charging.

Read More: Pre-Order Xiaomi Black Shark Helo Smartphone For Just $639.99 On GeekBuying [Coupon Inside]

The 6 GB RAM + 128 GB, 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage variants of the Black Shark Helo are respectively priced at 3,199 Yuan (~$462), 3,499 Yuan (~$505) and 4,199 Yuan (~$607). It comes in single color option of Black.

(via)

Firmware reveals Mi MIX 3’s night scene coming to Mi 8 Pro

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Nov 7, 2018

The Mi MIX 3 has a camera mode called Night Scene which allows users to take HDR photos at night that appear super bright even if lighting is poor. It is their own version of Huawei’s Night Mode. Xiaomi did confirm that the feature will be made available to its older flagships and it appears the Mi 8 Pro is first in line to get it.

According to AnTuTu, they found the feature has been added to the phone’s internal firmware. The discovery was shared on their official Weibo account and they believe it will arrive with the next beta update and then later be released along with a stable update.

The Night Scene mode takes several photos at different exposures and combines them into a single image that is bright and with as less noise as possible. The camera is able to do it by combining 8 different technologies including HDR, AIS, 4-axis OIS, and multi-frame noise reduction.

Moto G7 seen at FCC, launch might be earlier than usual

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Nov 7, 2018

The Moto G7 might be arriving earlier than usual. The phone has been seen on the FCC’s website which has led us to believe that it might arrive early compared to the Moto G6.

The FCC certification doesn’t reveal key details save for the model number which is XT1965-2. There are no specifications or images attached too. However, we already know what the phone will look like thanks to leaked images and renders.

The Moto G7 will come with a mew MaxVision display (if they still want to call it that). The new display will have a waterdrop notch where the front-camera will be positioned. There will still be a bit of bezel at the bottom and at the top and the speaker will be a slit between the top bezel and the metal frame.

The Moto G7 will pack dual rear cameras and a dual LED flash in a redesigned circular housing. Beneath the camera setup is a fingerprint scanner with a Motorola logo. The Moto G7 will keep the audio jack and have a USB type-c port.

Oppo RX17 Pro vs OnePlus 6T vs Xiaomi Mi Mix 3: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Nov 7, 2018

If you have particular needs when you look for a smartphone, you can find devices which perfectly fit your needs even without being the most expensive ones, especially thanks to Chinese smartphones. Oppo RX17 Pro, OnePlus 6T and Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 are three of them: the first has flagship-like camera performance, while the second and the third are excellent phones with top-end hardware even though they cost a half of the most expensive flagships. If you are available to face some compromises, let’s see if these devices are suitable for you and which one should you choose with a specs comparison.

Oppo RX17 Pro vs OnePlus 6T vs Xiaomi Mi Mix 3

	Oppo RX17 Pro	OnePlus 6T	Xiaomi Mi Mix 3
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	157.6 x 74.6x 7.9 mm, 183 g	157.5 x 74.8 x 8.2 mm, 185 g	157.9 x 74.7 x 8.5 mm, 218 g
DISPLAY	6.4 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), AMOLED	6.41 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Optic AMOLED	6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, octa-core 2.8 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	6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 10 GB RAM, 512 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 8.1 Oreo, Color OS	Android 9 Pie, Oxygen OS	Android 9 Pie, MIUI 10
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	Dual 16 + 20 MP, f/1.7 and f/1.7, OIS 16 MP f/2.0 front camera	Dual 12 + 12 MP, f/1.8 OIS Dual 24 + 2 MP front camera
BATTERY	3700 mAh, fast charging with Super VOOC Flash Charge	3700 mAh, fast charging with Dash Charge	3200 mAh, fast charging with Quick Charge 4.0+, wireless charging
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot, pop up cameras

Design

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 is one of the first phones with a slider design which allowed the presence of a screen-to-body ratio close to 100 percent while getting rid of the annoying notch. Its front camera and sensors are placed on a slider which you can manually open and close depending on your needs. Further, it has a wonderful ceramic back and a 7000-series aluminum frame, so it has the best look as well as the best materials and builds quality.

Display

Display quality is very good on each of these devices, even though they do not have flagship-level displays. Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 has the most satisfying screen with the HDR technology making colors richer, as well as the highest screen-to-body ratio and no notch. Then there is OnePlus 6T with its great DCI-P3 coverage.

Hardware/Software

When it comes to hardware, it is currently a draw between OnePlus 6T and Xiaomi Mi Mix 3, which are two of the most performing smartphones in the actual market. While they have the same Snapdragon 845 SoC, note that Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 comes with up to 10 GB of RAM, while OnePlus 6T offers up to 8 GB of RAM. Oppo RX17 Pro is at a lower level due to its lower-end Snapdragon 710 chipset.

Camera

While OnePlus 6T and Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 have the best hardware, Oppo RX17 Pro and Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 have the most interesting camera departments with the first featuring a triple rear camera and the second having a dual front camera. I liked the Oppo RX17 Pro more because it has a variable aperture and it can adapt in a better way to every light condition.

Battery

OnePlus 6T and Oppo RX17 Pro have the biggest batteries with a capacity of 3700 mAh, and they will surely offer a very similar battery life. For now, it is a draw as we have to personally test their software optimizations to see which one lasts more in every scenario. Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 has an above-average 3200 mAh battery, so it can not compete with its opponents.

Price

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 is definitely the device with the best value for money and it wins the comparison. You can get it for about €500/$574, while OnePlus 6T costs €559/$559 and Oppo RX17 Pro hitten Europe with a (crazy) price tag of €599/$687.

Read More: OnePlus 6T Pricing In China vs Other Regions

Oppo RX17 Pro vs OnePlus 6T vs Xiaomi Mi Mix 3: PRO and CONS

Oppo RX17 Pro

PROS

Amazing camera
Great design
Big battery
micro SD slot

CONS

Worse hardware

OnePlus 6T

PROS

Big battery
Amazing hardware
Good cameras
Gorilla Glass 6

CONS

No micro SD
No notification LED

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3

PROS

Full borderless design
In-display fingerprint reader
Outstanding hardware
Awesome camera
Affordable price

CONS

Smaller battery
No micro SD

Xiaomi’s Lei Jun: I didn’t vote in favor for the company’s IPO, plans to release 5G Phones in March-April 2019

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 7, 2018

Xiaomi‘s CEO Lei Jun recently granted an interview as reported by Chinese blog CNBeta. The tech chief spoke on several issues ranging from the company’s recent IPO offer to its plans for next year, including 5G technology. As you would recall, Xiaomi submitted an IPO application at the Hong Kong stock exchange in May this year. The company was subsequently listed in July. This came just 8 years after the company first opened shop.

Lei Jun has now revealed that the decision to get listed wasn’t his, neither was he in support of it, ab initio. The CEO disclosed that the idea of an IPO was mooted after the company’s Board of Directors conducted an evaluation at the end of last year and came up with an argument that Xiaomi is ripe for an IPO. Lei Jun disclosed that he and two other executives were not in favour of going public and that would be better done in two or three years time. Apart from Lei Jun, Wang Chuan, Xiaomi’s co-founder and senior vice president, also voted against an IPO. Wang Chuan had earlier revealed in an interview that the reason for not voting is that Xiaomi is not short of money. He also believed the company will face several pressures after the listing such as investors, stock prices etc.

Lei Jun did not leave anyone in doubt by throwing his weight behind the listing, stating that this year is indeed a time for listing. He believes the company has greater prospects for the future. That is manifesting in the shipping estimates so far, as released by the company. Xiaomi announced that its smartphone shipments had exceeded 100 million units bat the end of October which shows this year’s target may likely be completed ahead of schedule. Lei Jun acknowledged the 100million shipment is a milestone but that the company is already thinking of maintaining the raid growth next year.

Speaking on the company’s plans for the future, Lei Jun mentioned two aspects that the firm is focusing on; quality/user experience and globalization. Lei Jun hinted that Xiaomi presently has entered 80 countries and stands among the top five in 25 of these countries while aiming for the top three.

Lei Jun also spoke on 5G and Internet of Things (IoT). He revealed that the company will release 5G mobile phones in Europe between March and April next year. This he viewed as an important opportunity for the company, obviously to be among the first to adopt the next generation technology. Lei Jun equally hinted that as at the end of Q2 2018, Xiaomi’s IoT platform has connected 115 million devices. The company’s Xiao AI speakers rank second in the Chinese market among smart speakers. The CEO had earlier disclosed it had cultivated 20 to 30 mobile internet companies in India alone. Finally, Lei Jun stated that he is most concerned about the revolution in battery technology which will help solve the problem of charging smartphones. Lei Jun believes if button batteries could be developed to last for one or two years, it would be a revolution that would replace rechargeable batteries on devices.

(source)

Smartisan announces humidifiers, tripod, Level 8 suitcases, and smart speaker

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Nov 7, 2018

At its event yesterday in Chengdu, Smartisan announced a bunch of new products including a new color variant for its Smartisan R1 flagship. Among the products it announced are humidifiers, suitcases, a tripod, and a smart speaker.

Smartisan Humidifiers

Smartisan announced two new humidifiers at the event. One is a portable version that can be placed on a table or mantelpiece while the other is a much bigger one that is placed on the floor. Both humidifiers have a water tank with 4L and 9L capacities respectively. They also have an antibacterial box that lasts up to 12 months before replacement and an X-90 evaporating core that can be washed and reused for up to 2 years.

Both humidifiers can be paired with Smartisan’s smart app which will enable users to control the humidifiers, check humidity level and set working conditions.

The portable version is priced at ¥999 (~$145) and the bigger version has a price tag of ¥1999 (~$289).

Smartisan LEVEL 8 Suitcase

The Level 8 Suitcase comes in two variants – regular version with a polycarbonate body and a business version with a magnesium alloy body.

The regular version is made of Bayer’s Makrolon polycarbonate. It has YKK zippers, a TSA lock, a 4-level adjustable aluminum alloy lever, and 360° wheels. The briefcase has a 38L capacity and weighs 3.5 kilograms. It is priced at ¥299 (~$43) and is available in black.

The business version is covered in grade 6 aluminum on the outside and grade 5 aluminum on the inside. It has a front door compartment, a bunch of removable compartments for packing various items. There is also a 20000mAh built-in power bank with USB-C, lightning, and Micro-USB connectors and support for 18W fast charging.

The business version has a 36L capacity and comes in two variants. There is the standard version that doesn’t have the front door compartment and only has two TSA locks. There is the ultimate version that has the front door compartment for holding important documents and even a 14-inch laptop. It also has three TSA locks.

The standard business version is available in two color variants – a silver model priced at ¥999 (~$145) and a dark gray variant priced at ¥1199 (~$173). Both are available for pre-order already. The ultimate version will be available next year and will be sold for ¥1999 (~$289).

Smartisan David and Shire D1 Smart Speaker

Smartisan also announced a smart speaker at the event. The David and Shire D1 smart speaker is shaped like a flask. It has a two-tone design – an upper part made of metal with a mirror finish and a lower part covered in fabric.

There are media playback controls on top of the speaker. It also has a built-in assistant and owners will be able to switch between two voices (male and female). Smartisan says the speaker can stream up to 17 million songs from an online music library.

The David and Shire D1 smart speaker is priced at ¥899 (~$130).