Top-Branded Smart Watches Go Up For Sale Carrying Slashed Prices On Leading Online Stores

Check Out Banggood’s Xmas Promotion For Feature Phone

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Dec 24, 2018

Despite the skyrocketing popularity of smartphones, there’s no dearth of feature phones that earlier became an instant hit with those who fancied staying in touch with friends and family while on the go.

Staying true to its reputation for offering the best bang for your buck, Banggood is making a wide selection of feature phones available to the public for considerably lowered prices as part of its latest promo. Dubbed as ‘Xmas Promotion For Feature Phone,’ the recently kicked off promo offers up to a 50 percent off on all sorts of feature phones.

The promo includes the DBEIF D2016, Xiaomi QIN 4G, Anica T8 and a slew of other feature phones that you can now buy for lowered prices on Banggood. In a bid to simplify the search process, the promotion sale has been split into multiple categories.

For instance, there is a ‘Rugged Phone’ section that is crammed with a slew of sturdy smartphones. You can find the SERVO H6, MAFAM V9+, GOFLY 6800, ioutdoor F2 along with numerous other phones that are ideal for adventure junkies who prefer using a reliable phone during their adventurous outdoor activities.

Likewise, the ‘Mini Card Phone’ section includes handsets that are compact, yet are nothing short of awe-inspiring. More importantly, all phones included in this category carry considerably lowered price tags.

Much to the delight of those who like using flip phones, Banggood is offering a myriad of eye-catching flip feature phones that you can buy without emptying your pockets. Keeping in line with that, the ‘Flip Phone’ category has been crammed with numerous flip phones that are likely to sweep tech buffs off their feet.

You can click here to visit the promotion page and take full advantage of the discounts.

Get Netac N600S 720GB And 1TB Capacity SSD For Unbeatable Prices On GeekBuying [Coupons Inside]

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Dec 24, 2018

Looking for cost-effective SSD (solid state drives) from top brands? You have come to the right place.
GeekBuying is giving its users a chance to get their hands on top-branded SSDs without emptying their pockets. In addition to shedding more light on these discounts, we will show how you can save a considerable amount of extra money at checkout.

Netac N600S 720GB SSD

It is no secret that Netac is a highly reliable brand when it comes to solid-state drives that are ideal for professional use. The N600S uses wear leveling algorithm to extend the SSD life circle and it has NANDXtend Error Correction that enhances the data read and write performance.

The 720GB version of the Netac N600S would normally set you back a pretty penny, but you can now buy it for only $69.99 on GeekBuying. This is a significant 42 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price of $119.99.
On top of that, you can use coupon code GIZ_YFIBORTM to save an extra $31 and reduce the retail price of the Netac N600S to only $66.99 at checkout. You can head straight to this link to avail the discount since the promo will be valid only for two days.

[Package A] Netac N600S 720GB + Yvonne HD213 SATA To USB 3.0 External Hard Drive Enclosure Case

The Netac N600S adopts the SLC virtual cache technology in a bid to enhance the data transmission speed. Moreover, it uses wear equalization technology to balance the number of flash wipe, while extending the service life.

On top of that, it supports TRIM instruction, SMART as well as Dev-Sleep mode. The Netac N600S doesn’t feature sensitive machine parts and is capable of operating without making any sort of sound. The device is also vibration resistance.

The Netac N600S 720GB SSD with Yvonne HD213 external hard drive enclosure case usually sells for $139.99. Much to the delight of cost-conscious buyers, GeekBuying is now offering this package comprising the Netac N600S and Yvonne HD213 for a dropped price of just $74.99.
Moreover, you can use coupon code GIZ_FOMWKIBF and get an extra $33 off before placing your order. In other words, you can extend the 46 percent discount and bring the package’s original selling price further down to $71.99 with the help of the coupon.

You can visit this link to grab the discount. Note that the promotion sale will end in just one day.

Netac N600S 1TB SSD

You can go for the larger variant of the Netac N600S that offers a 1TB storage capacity. This variant offers maximum reading speed of up to 500MB/S and an equally impressive max writing speed of up to 400MB/S. As compared to other mechanical hard disks, the Netac N600S offers a 20 percent faster loading speed.

The Netac N600S 1TB SSD usually carries a steep price tag, but you can now buy it for only $119.99 on GeekBuying. This is a significant 40 percent drop in the device’s original asking price of $199.99. But there’s more for you to cheer about.

You can apply coupon code GIZ_RTBLRPOB and get an extra $47 before you proceed to check out. The above-mentioned coupon reduces the selling price of the Netac N600S 1TB SSD to only $114.99.

If you are interested in taking advantage of this discount, all you need to do is to follow this link. It is worth noting that the promo will end in just one day.

[Package B] Netac N600S 1TB SSD + Yvonne HD213 SATA To USB 3.0 External Hard Drive Enclosure Case

The 1TB version of the Netac N600S SSD has gone up for sale along with the Yvonne HD213 HDD enclosure case bearing a heavily discounted price tag of only $124.99 on GeekBuying. This is a 43 percent decrease in the package’s original selling price of $219.99.

Moreover, you can apply coupon code GIZ_OYLOYCWX and save an extra $50 during the check out process. The coupon helps to reduce the package’s already lowered retail price to just $119.99. You can visit this link to grab the discount before the promotion ends today.

Here’s Your Chance To Win A DOOGEE Smartphone And Other Lucky Prizes On GeekBuying [Coupons Inside]

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Check Out GeekBuying’s Doogee Xmas Sale

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Dec 24, 2018

If you have restlessly been waiting to get your hands on a DOOGEE branded smartphone without emptying your pocket, now’s your chance.

DOOGEE has teamed up with GeekBuying in a bid to offer some of its select smartphones for unbeatable prices. Dubbed as ‘Doogee Xmas Sale,’ this promo has been split into Holiday Specials, Top Selling Smartphones and More Deals categories in order to expedite the search process.

You can win the DOOGEE S60, S70, a secret gift, a metal ring holder along with other discounts simply by playing the ‘Wheel of Luck.’ In order to win, you need to ensure you are logged into your DOOGEE account and then click the ‘Go’ button, which is located in the center of the wheel.

It is imperative for you to bear in mind that each account has only chance to play. Users who run out of Lucky Draw turns can win more turns by making a purchase. Each user is eligible to win ten extra chances to play.

Note that lucky draw will be available from 16:00, 12.13 – 16:00, 12.25 (UTC+8). Users who win a free gift need to redeem it by December 29th. In order to win extra chances, users have to place orders between 16:00, 12.13 -16:00, 12.25(UTC+8).

You can find the DOOGEE S60 and the DOOGEE S70 smartphones carrying heavily discounted price tags under the ‘Holiday Specials’ section. In addition to taking full advantage of the discounts, we’ll show how you can save a considerable amount of extra money at checkout.

DOOGEE S60 Smartphone

Even over a year after hitting the store shelves, the S60 continues to garner huge popularity among smartphone lovers. Housed in a sturdy metal rugged body, the S60 sports an eye-catching 5.2-inches IPS FHD display with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution.

The S60 is powered by an MTK Helio P25 64bit Octa-core 64-bit 2.5GHz processor and it packs a competent ARM Mali T880 graphics processing unit, under the hood. This model of the phone comes with 6GB of RAM and offers 64GB of onboard storage capacity giving you enough space to save your favorite content.
The DOOGEE S60 would normally set you back $342.99, but you can now buy it for just $239.99 on GeekBuying. On top of that, you can use coupon code GIZ_YUYWSJSR to get an extra $63 off at the time of checking out.

In other words, you can bring your already lowered grand total further down to only $235.99 simply by using the aforesaid coupon. Regrettably, the promo was on the verge of wrapping up at the time of writing. You can visit this link to avail the discount before the promo ends.

DOOGEE S80 Smartphone

Marketed as a professional walkie-talkie rugged phone, the S80 boasts an impressive array of features that make it a great choice for adventure junkies who fancy staying in touch with friends during their adventurous outdoor activities. Launched in September this year, the S80 is an irresistible smartphone that sports a 5.99-inch capacitive screen, FHD+ (2160×1080 pixels) display.

The DOOGEE S80 packs a powerful MTK Helio P23 64bit Octa-core 64-bit 2.5GHz processor along with an ARM Mali G71 MP2 770MHz GPU, under the hood. The dual-SIM phone ships with 6GB of RAM and features 64GB of internal storage capacity.
While its features completely justify the $446.99 price tag it usually carries, you can now buy the S80 for a lowered price of only $399.99 on GeekBuying. Moreover, you can extend this 11 percent discount by applying coupon code GIZ_DBDIZRAN during the checkout process.

The above-mentioned coupon helps you save an extra $20 by reducing the already lowered retail price of the DOOGEE S80 smartphone to just $379.99. You can visit this link to check out more details about the S80 smartphone and grab the discount before the promo comes to an end.

Huawei to announce power bank with support for 40W SuperCharge

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Dec 24, 2018

Huawei’s 40W SuperCharge technology might be coming to a mobile power bank soon according to a new leak. The info comes from ChargerLab, the same source that revealed that Huawei plans to unveil a new 20W SuperCharge protocol in 2019.

According to info revealed to them from someone in the supply chain, Huawei will release a 10,000mAh capacity power bank with support for its 40W SuperCharge fast charging protocol.

We received a leak from supplychain that Huawei is releasing a 40W SuperCharge Protocol(SCP) 10000mAh powerbank. It's able to charge Huawei Mate 20 Pro and Honor Magic 2 at maximum power of 40W and also backward comptaible with 22.5W SCP fast charging of other Huawei phones.

— ChargerLAB (@chargerlab) December 23, 2018

The said power bank will be able to charge the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and the Honor Magic 2 at 40W. It will also be able to charge other Huawei/Honor devices that support 22.5W fast charging thanks to the power bank’s backward compatibility.

There is no info on when the power bank will launch or how much it will cost. Huawei already has a couple of power banks that have support for different charging protocols.

(Source, Via)

ASUS Zenfone 4 running Android 9 Pie seen on Geekbench

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Dec 23, 2018

When ASUS announced the Zenfone 4 in October last year, the phone shipped with Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box. ASUS did release an update for Android Oreo for the phone but it seems it isn’t done yet with the phone.

A Zenfone 4 running Android 9 Pie has been seen on Geekbench which means the phone may be getting a second major OS upgrade soon. The variant is the one powered by a Snapdragon 660 processor and not the Snapdragon 630 but we expect the update to be available to both variants.

Huawei’s next flagship mobile processor is called the Kirin 985, may power the Huawei P30 series

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Dec 23, 2018

Huawei‘s most powerful mobile processor is the Kirin 980. It first appeared in the Mate 20 and the Mate 20 Pro and we expect it to be the flagship chipset powering Huawei and Honor branded flagship phones for the next nine months or so. But a new info hints Huawei may release a successor earlier than usual.

According to Mishal Rahman, the editor at XDA Developers, Huawei’s next chipset will be called Kirin 985. Seeing the name of the processor and comparing it to older Huawei mobile SoCs with names that end with “5”, there is a high probability the Kirin 985 is a slightly upgraded version of the Kirin 980.

Other than the name, I don't know much else about it.

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) December 21, 2018

The last time Huawei released a slightly upgraded version of its main chipset was in 2016 and that was the Kirin 955 which powered the Huawei P9. Its predecessor, the Kirin 950 was released back in 2015 and appeared in the Mate 8. The major difference between both is that the Kirin 955 is clocked at 2.5GHz while the Kirin 950 is clocked at 2.3GHz. Every other thing down to the GPU is the same in both processors.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 MIUI 10 update stable edition now available

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Dec 23, 2018

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 users in India can now rejoice since the company has released the stable MIUI 10 update. The Chinese manufacturer is yet to release an official statement on it. However, some of the Redmi Note 3 users have took to the Mi Forums to confirm that they have received the MIUI 10 update.

The MIUI 10.1.1.0.MHOMIFI over-the-air (OTA) update that has been released for Redmi Note 3 is based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow which has been the last major Android version update. The MIUI 10 update also includes Android security month update for July. The update weighs 261 MB.

The MIUI 10.1 update is being made available in phases. Users can manually check for the arrival of the update by checking system updates in Settings. The update brings along revamped Settings menu along with enhancements for camera, updater and recorder.

Through the Chinese edition of the official forum site, Xiaomi has confirmed that the upcoming MIUI 10.2 update will be the last major software update for Xiaomi Mi 5 and Redmi Note 3 Pro (same as Redmi Note 3 for India). However, there is no official confirmation on whether the company will be releasing the MIUI 10.2 update for Redmi Note 3 in India.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi Play live shot and unboxing video leaked

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and Mi 5 were handsets were launched in 2016. Since the company is known for providing software updates for as long as four years, the sudden announcement of withdrawing software support has not been received well by Mi fans.

The Redmi Note 3 was a very well-received mid-range phone from the company. It featured 5.5-inch FHD+ display, Snapdragon 650 chipset, up to 3 GB RAM, 16-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front camera and 4,050mAh battery. The Xiaomi Mi 5 was a flagship phone powered by Snapdragon 820. The handset had encountered lukewarm response in India.

Redmi Note 5/Pro running Android Pie appears on Geekbench alongside another with a sdm660 SoC

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Dec 23, 2018

The Redmi Note 5 Pro launched with Android 7.1.2 Nougat out of the box and later got an upgrade to Android 8.1 Oreo about six months ago. Its latest major update brought MIUI 10 but still based on Android Oreo to it. It appears its next major update will be to Android 9 Pie.

We found a couple of Redmi Note 5/Redmi Note 5 Pro phones running Android 9 on Geekbench today. This can only mean Xiaomi is working on an update that brings Android Pie to the phone. When it eventually arrives, it will be the second major Android OS update for the phone which isn’t a common occurrence for Xiaomi phones.

[envira-gallery id=”229014″]

The Redmi Note 5/Redmi Note 5 Pro running Android Pie wasn’t the only thing we found on Geekbench today. We also saw a version of the Redmi Note 5 Pro with a Snapdragon 660 processor. The Redmi Note 5 comes with a Snapdragon 636 processor and even its successor, the Redmi Note 6 Pro is powered by the same processor, so this version with an SDM660 chipset is a first of its kind.

10.or G2 appears on Geekbench with a more powerful processor and more RAM

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Dec 23, 2018

Last year, a new smartphone manufacturer entered into the Indian phone market. 10.or or Tenor is actually a Chinese company but its phones are currently only available in India. Its first phone, the 10.or G which was announced last year may soon get a successor as a phone benchmarked as the 10.or G2 has been spotted on Geekbench.

The Geekbench result shows that the 10.or G2 will be a mid-range smartphone like its predecessor. The 10.or G2 was benchmarked yesterday and the result says it has a Snapdragon 660 processor. Unfortunately, that info is incorrect.

The first thing that gives it away as not being the Snapdragon 660 is the base frequency which is lower than that of other SDM660-powered phones. The core scores are also lower. The 10.or G2 is actually powered by a Snapdragon 636 processor which is actually a reasonable upgrade over the 10.or G’s Snapdragon 626.

This isn’t the first time Geekbench has incorrectly identified the chipset in a phone. Another phone incorrectly benchmarked as having a Snapdragon 660 processor instead of a Snapdragon 636 processor is the HTC U12 Life. See the benchmark result below.

The benchmark result also reveals it runs Android 8.1 oreo. Not the latest but seeing as the 10.or G launched with Android 7.1 Nougat and is upgradeable to Android 8.0 Oreo, we want to believe an update to Android Pie will be made for the 10.or G2 when it is announced. The RAM has also been upped to 6GB. There is a chance there will be a 4GB RAM version and maybe even a 3GB RAM version.

New render shows the Huawei P30 Pro’s four rear cameras, has 10x optical zoom

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Dec 23, 2018

In a few days, we will enter a new year. This year has been quite an interesting one with so many trends and records set. 2019 is expected to also bring some interesting changes and trends to the mobile industry. One of the anticipated phones in 2019 is Huawei‘s P-series flagships which will include the Huawei P30 and the Huawei P30 Pro. A render has surfaced online said to be of the Huawei P30 Pro and it shows the phone’s design and features, key one being the quad cameras on its back.

The Huawei P20 Pro was the first triple camera phone in the world. Its successor will add an extra sensor when it launches next year but it won’t be the world’s first phone with four rear cameras as that title belongs o the Samsung Galaxy A9/A9s. The non-pro version of the P30 will come with three rear cameras, one more than that of the Huawei P20.

According to XDA Developers, only three of the four cameras on the Huawei P30 Pro can be used for taking pictures. The fourth is a ToF (time of flight) camera that will be used for 3D face scanning and modeling. However, one of the Huawei P30 Pro’s sensors is a telephoto lens with 10x optical zoom. The Huawei P30 will make do with a telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom.

The render shows the four cameras are arranged vertically. Three of the sensors are in a single housing with a LED flash and laser focus module between the first lens and the other lenses. The fourth lens is in a separate housing but on the same vertical line as the others. As Huawei has done in the past, it is also working with Leica as the camera manufacturer’s name can be seen inscribed on the back.

The Huawei P30 Pro ditches the rectangular notch for the water-drop notch which Huawei’s sub-brand, Honor, has termed Dewdrop Notch Display. The switch to a display with a smaller notch means the screen-to-body ratio will be higher. The phone is shown in the render with a gradient finish.

Google Pixel 3 DxOMark score puts it behind the Mi MIX 3 and HTC U12 Plus

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Dec 23, 2018

Just a few days ago, DxOMark released the score and full review of the OnePlus 6T. It has now been followed by that of the Google Pixel 3: one of the very few flagships with a single rear camera that bests several others with multiple sensors. Impressive as the camera of the Pixel 3 is, DxOMark says there are still a handful of phones out there with a better camera(s).

The Pixel 3 was given a DxOMark score of 101 which makes it the highest-rated single camera Android phone by DxOMark. The iPhone XR is the other single camera phone that has the same score. The review praised the phone’s bokeh popularly known as portrait mode. It also commended its zoom prowess which is really impressive even though it doesn’t have a telephoto lens.

DxOMark did mention the Pixel 3’s super amazing Night Sight feature but it didn’t influence the score as they only test smartphones using their default camera settings. Nevertheless, the phone does a great job at color accuracy and detail preservation.

With respect to video recording, DxOMark also scores the Pixel 3 high, 98 points overall. The only other phone with that video score is the Huawei P20 Pro. The Pixel 3’s overall video score is as a result of its performance in exposure and contrast, color accuracy, autofocus, and stabilization. DxOMark says it tops almost every other phone in noise reduction.

Xiaomi Mi Play live shot and unboxing video leaked

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Dec 23, 2018

Multiple reports are now spilling information on the Xiaomi Mi Play handset. A tipster from China has shared a live shot of the actual Xiaomi Mi Play handset. Another image that seems have to taken from a live unboxing vide of the smartphone has also surfaced on Weibo.

In the above below, the Xiaomi Mi Play can be seen sporting a small u-shaped waterdrop notch. The plastic layer on the handset reveals the key features of the smartphone which includes 5.84-inch waterdrop notch display, gradient body, AI powered rear-mounted dual camera setup with a large pixel size of 1.2micron and 2.3 GHz octa-core processor.

Leaked slides that reportedly belong to the launch event of Xiaomi Mi Play has revealed that it is powered by annual flagship Helio chipset from MediaTek. Hence, it is being speculated that it could be featuring the newly announced Helio P90 SoC.

Following is an unboxing video of the Xiaomi Mi Play that has surfaced on the Chinese microblogging site. The blurry video only manages to reveal that the Mi Play handset features a thick chin while its side bezels are not very thin. The handset can be seen in Bright Black.

Earlier today, the official images of the Dream Blue and Gold Dawn gradient color variants of the Mi Play handset were released Xiaomi President Lin Bin. Speaking of Bin, he has also shared another image (shown below) through his Weibo to confirm on the key features of the smartphone.

Through Weibo, Bin has expressed that size of mobile phones are getting bigger and bigger and it is inconvenient to operate such phones with one hand. The Xiaomi Mi Play features a 5.84-inch display, but the size of the smartphone is equivalent to 5-inch smartphones from few years ago. It is pocket-friendly smartphone that can be easily operated with hand. The display supports full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2280 pixels and a pixel density of 432 ppi. The screen is coupled with features like 1500:1 contrast ratio, sunlight legibility, night screen mode and eye protection mode.

Read More: Xiaomi launches its mobile payments solution Mi Pay in India

The Xiaomi Mi Play will be unveiled tomorrow in China. It is expected to carry a price tag of 1,699 Yuan (~$246). However, there is no confirmation on whether the pricing belongs to the 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage or 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage variants of the Mi Play.

(source 1, 2)

Xiaomi Mi Play leaked slides reveal price, specs including MediaTek flagship chipset

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Dec 23, 2018

Almost all the information on the specifications of the Xiaomi Mi Play smartphone that is scheduled to go official on Dec. 24 have surfaced in the recent reports. However, none of the reports have confirmed on the exact name chipset that powers the Mi Play. Some have speculated that it could be featuring the MediaTek Helio 90 chipset whereas some have claimed that it could be featuring the unannounced Snapdragon 730 chipset. Leaked photos of what appears like launch slides of the Xiaomi Mi Play handset have been shared a Weibo user. The leaked slides reveal the pricing and key features including the chipset.

The first slide reveals that the Xiaomi Mi Play is powered by MediaTek’s annual flagship chipset. The 64 GB and 128 GB storage editions of the Mi Play feature 6 GB of RAM. The handset is fitted with a 5.84-inch waterdrop notch screen. It features 3,000mAh battery to keep the lights on. The leaked slide also claims that the phone will be available free internet access for the entire year. The smartphone is priced at 1,699 Yuan (~$246) in China and by paying 99 Yuan (~$14), its users can avail 12 months accident insurance.

The second slide also states that the Mi Play that carries a price tag of 1,699 Yuan (~$246) is driven by MediaTek Helio flagship chipset. There is no confirmation on whether the pricing belongs to the base model featuring 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage or the higher model with 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage.

The above slide again reveals that the smartphone will be available in color gradient choices. Xiaomi President Lin Bin has already shared official images of the Dream Blue and Dawn Gold gradient color models. The rear side of the phone is equipped with AI enabled 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup.

Read More: Xiaomi launches its mobile payments solution Mi Pay in India

The third image has the contents that are mentioned in the first slide. So, what could be the MediaTek Helio annual flagship chipset that powers the Xiaomi Mi Play handset? Could it be the newly announced Helio P90 chipset? The Helio P90 includes two Cortex A75 cores working at 2.2 GHz and six Cortex A55 clocking at 2 GHz. The SoC includes PowerVR GM 9446 graphics and support for Google AR Core. Further leaks appearing before the launch of the Mi Play are expected to confirm on the exact moniker of its chipset.

(source|via)

Samsung Galaxy A10 with in-display fingerprint scanner and Snapdragon 845 tipped

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Dec 23, 2018

Samsung has adopted new strategy of bringing flagship-like feature on its mid-range Galaxy A lineup. The Snapdragon 660 powered Galaxy A9 (2018) was introduced as the world’s smartphone with rear-mounted quad cameras in October. The Snapdragon 710 driven Galaxy A8s smartphone that was launched recently in China comes with the new innovative Infinity-O display that features a hole in the screen for the front-facing camera. Previous leaks have suggested that the Galaxy A10 is an upcoming smartphone from Samsung. A popular Chinese tipster has claimed that it will be equipped with an in-screen fingerprint scanner.

Multiple leaks have revealed that the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus that are rumored to go official will be featuring an under-display fingerprint sensor which is more accurate that than the optical in-screen fingerprint reader that are available on the recently released Vivo, OPPO, OnePlus, Huawei and Xiaomi phones. Rumors have it the Galaxy A10 could be featuring an optical under-display fingerprint sensor. There is a possibility that the Galaxy A10 may launch ahead of the Galaxy S10 series in Monday.

The specifications of the rumored Galaxy A10 are under the wraps. The only thing that is known about the handset is that it may come equipped with Snapdragon 845 chipset. The higher versions of the Galaxy A9 (2018) and Galaxy A8s handsets have 8 GB of RAM. Hence, there is a possibility that the Galaxy A10 may feature up to 8 GB of RAM. There is a possibility that the South Korean company may launch the Galaxy A10 smartphone by the end of January 2019.

In related news, the Galaxy A8s pre-orders have begun in China with a price tag of 2,999 Yuan (~$434) for its 6 GB RAM edition. The official sales of the smartphone will begin on Dec. 31. I t can be availed in colors like Allen silver, Aurora Black and Elf Blue. The price tag of 8 GB RAM variant of the phone is still a mystery. In January, the smartphone is expected to be made available outside of China.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi Play official images reveal design and gradient colors

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Dec 23, 2018

Xiaomi Mi Play is launching tomorrow in China. It will be the first phone from the company to arrive with a waterdrop notch screen. The appearance of the smartphone has been already exposed through its TENAA listing and also through recent teasers on Weibo. Just a day ahead of its launch, Xiaomi President Lin Bin has shared official images of the smartphone to reveal its gradient color appeal.

A recent leak had revealed that the Xiaomi Mi Play would be coming in colors like Black, Dream Blue and Dawn Gold. The new images shared by Lin Bin reveals that the Dream Blue and Dawn Gold will be gradient colors.

The new images only reveal the rear design of the Xiaomi Mi Play. The rear glass seems to reflect different hues when light reflects on it. The top-left corner of the smartphone’s rear features a vertical dual camera setup followed by an LED flash. A fingerprint reader is also placed on the back shell of the device. One of the images show the presence of a 3.5mm audio jack on the top edge of the Xiaomi Mi Play.

The Xiaomi Mi Play has the selfie camera placed inside the front notch. The handset features a thicker chin while bezels on the left and right sides of the screen are slim.

The Mi Play smartphone is expected to house a 5.84-inch display that supports full HD+ resolution. It is fueled by an unknown octa-core processor that clocks at 2.3 GHz. The handset is packed with a 2,900mAh battery. It features a 12-megapixel as a primary sensor in its dual camera setup. It is equipped with a selfie shooter of 8-megapixel.

The Xiaomi Mi Play is rumored to hit the market in variants such as 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage, 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage. At present, there is no information available on the pricing of these variants. Rumors have it that the same phone could be made available as Xiaomi Redmi 7 Pro in some other markets. In China, the Mi Play is expected to come with 10 GB of free data.

Huawei Nova 4 vs Honor Magic 2 vs Huawei Mate 20: Specs Comparison

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Michele Ingelido

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Dec 22, 2018

Huawei is one of the companies releasing the highest amount of flagships in a year. Only in the second half of 2018, the company unveiled the Huawei Mate 20 series, the innovative Honor Magic 2 and its first phone with an in-display camera Huawei Nova 4. If we exclude the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, the other flagship released come with a very nice price tag and they can be more or less considered affordable flagships. But which is the perfect one for you? Here is a comparison between Mate 20, Nova 4, and Honor Magic 2.

Huawei Nova 4 vs Huawei Honor Magic 2 vs Huawei Mate 20

	Huawei Nova 4	Huawei Honor Magic 2	Huawei Mate 20
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	157 x 75.1 x 7.8 mm, 172 g	157.3 x 75.1 x 8.3 mm, 206 g	158.2 x 77.2 x 8.3 mm, 188 g
DISPLAY	6.4 inches, 1080 x 2310p (Full HD+), IPS LCD	6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), AMOLED	6.53 inches, 1080 x 2244p (Full HD+), IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 970, octa-core 2.4 GHz	Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 980, octa-core 2.6 GHz	Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 980, octa-core 2.6 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	4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – nano memory card slot
SOFTWARE	Android 9 Pie, EMUI	Android 9 Pie, EMUI	Android 9 Pie, EMUI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Triple 48 + 16 + 2 MP, f/1.8 and f/2.2 and f/2.4 25 MP f/2.0 front camera	Triple 16 + 16 + 24 MP, f/1.8, f/2.2 and f/1.8 Triple 16 + 16 + 24 MP f/2.0, f/2.4 and f/2.4 front camera	Triple 12 + 16 + 8 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.2 + f/2.4 24 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY	3750 mAh, fast charging 18W	3500 mAh, fast charging with Magic Charge	4000 mAh, fast charging 4.5V / 5A
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot, slider design	Dual SIM slot, splashproof (IP53)

Design

If you want the most impressive design, you should make a choice between Huawei Nova 4 and Honor Magic 2 by basing on your tastes. Alongside the Galaxy A8s by Samsung, the former is the first phone with an in-display camera hole, while the second is a phone with a slider design which reaches almost 100 percent of screen-to-body ratio without a notch, neither a hole. Huawei Mate 20 is the classic device with a waterdrop notch already seen several times, but it is the only splash resistant and dust resistant phone of the trio.

Display

Besides having an innovative design, Honor Magic 2 is also equipped with the most interesting display. It has no bezels, notches or holes, the Super AMOLED technology, full DCI-P3 coverage, and an in-display fingerprint reader. Huawei Mate 20 is almost at the same level, it even adds the HDR10 technology for better color reproduction, but it has just an IPS panel. However, it should be the most resistant one with its Gorilla Glass protection. Huawei Nova 4 has an inferior IPS panel.

Hardware/Software

If you need the fastest device and the most suitable for multi-tasking, Honor Magic 2 comes with the best hardware configuration. It has the most powerful processor by Huawei and 8 GB of RAM in the most powerful variant. Further, you can get up to 256 GB of internal storage, but unlike Huawei Mate 20 and Huawei Nova 4, it is not expandable. Huawei Mate 20 has a Kirin 980 as well, but it comes with just 6 GB of RAM in the costlier variant. Huawei Nova 4 is the worst one as it comes with the Kirin 970 chipset.

Camera

Currently, Huawei Nova 4 is equipped with the best camera department ever, at least on the paper. It sports the latest Sony sensor with a 48 MP resolution embedded in triple camera setup. It should provide the highest level of detail, a low loss of detail with zoom and good performances in low light conditions. At the second place there is Honor Magic 2 with six cameras in total: three on the front and three on the back, but Huawei Mate 20 is not far away with its rear triple camera and a pretty nice 24 MP selfie snapper.

Battery

When it comes to battery life, Honor Magic 2 and Huawei Nova 4 can not do anything against Huawei Mate 20 and its huge 4000 mAh unit. It can last for a full day on a single charge without any problem. On the other hand, thanks to the Magic Charge technology, Honor Magic 2 is one of the phones with the fastest charging. But Huawei Nova 4 should last more than Magic 2 with its slightly bigger unit.

Price

If you want Huawei Mate 20, you are willing to pay about €640 on the global market, Honor Magic 2 costs €550 in China and Huawei Nova 4 is available for €500 in China. There is not a definitive winner in this comparison. I would personally go for the Huawei Mate 20 because of its more balanced specs, great performance, bigger battery, better build quality, stereo speakers, and expandable storage, but you might like Huawei Nova 4 if you want an amazing camera or Honor Magic 2 if you like futuristic designs and innovative features.

Read More: Huawei unveils Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro: Kirin 980, triple rear cameras and more

Huawei Nova 4 vs Honor Magic 2 vs Huawei Mate 20: PRO and CONS

Huawei Nova 4

PROS

High screen-to-body ratio
Big battery
Good price
Amazing cameras

CONS

Worse hardware side

Honor Magic 2

PROS

Slider design
In-display fingerprint reader
Outstanding hardware
Six good cameras

CONS

Smaller battery

Huawei Mate 20

PROS

Bigger screen
Bigger battery
Awesome hardware
Stereo speakers

CONS

Expensive

Blackview BV5500, a fashionable rugged outdoor smartphone leaks

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 22, 2018

Blackview is undoubtedly one of the fastest-growing rugged outdoor smartphone brand globally for 2018. The firm’s “BV” series is one with a strong history wit most of their flagship models belonging to the series. There is a new addition to the lineup, the BV5500 which deviates from the rugged design style of other popular models like the BV9000, 8000, 70000 etc.

Blackview BV5500 will try to win some hearts with its sleek design and pretty aesthetic surface texture. The design is a breath of fresh air in a crowded rugged smartphone market and it will be a great entry point if you’re new to the Android platform. That is because the most-outstanding aspect with it will surely be the pricing.

The differentiation starts in the design. Like Xiaomi’s Black Shark unique back cover touch design, Blackview BV5500’s best-selling points are of course its toughness and the unique design. It has a thinner ergonomic frame to make its grip more comfortable and easier to hold, while slimming it down compared to similar devices. For hardware, the BV5500 packs a 5.5-inch screen with 18:9 aspect ratio. There is a Corning Gorilla 3 protection on top, giving it some toughness. Its overall design is very small, and there is no shortage of fashion. In this way, it will also be loved by young men and women, not just outdoor workers. The aluminium frame is curved at the edges, making the device feel great to hold.

Here’s everything we’ve heard about the Blackview BV5500 so far through its IP68, IP69K and MIL-STD-810G certification. The device will pack a 13MP dual Sony rear cameras and will be powered by a 4400mAh battery and it runs Android 8.1 Oreo OS. There is no information on the processor and memory options just yet. We’ll keep you posted when more details emerge. But bear in mind that a device that may likely emerge as the world’s cheapest rugged smartphone is on the way. There is no date yet for the BV5500 release. Keep a tab on Blackview’s website to get information on the BV5500 or other Blackview products.

Xiaomi launches its mobile payments solution Mi Pay in India

By

Jeet

-

Dec 22, 2018

Xiaomi, the China-based smartphone manufacturer, which is currently dominating the Indian smartphone market, has launched its mobile payment solution in the country — Mi Pay. This makes India the first country outside the company’s home market to get the Mi Pay service.

While the Chinese version of Mi Pay uses Near Field Communication (NFC) to process payments, this isn’t the case in the Indian version. Mi Pay in India supports payments through leading credit and debit cards, internet banking, and Unified Payment Interface (UPI) which can supports QR code-based payments.

Xiaomi’s mobile payment service in India has been cleared by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for large group usage. The service allows users to pay bills, including phone bills, electricity bills, and water bills as well as do mobile and DTH recharges.

However, the service is currently in Beta stage and will be available to beta users in “soon.” The company has not revealed when the stable version will release. Those who are interested in using Mi Pay during beta stage can sign up for the same from here. As per the company, the advantage of Xiaomi with Mi Pay in India is the deep integration of the service with MIUI, company’s own mobile operating system based on Android.

It will be interesting to see how Xiaomi’s payment service fares in the Indian market as there are many online payments service providers trying to get a lead. Two of the biggest services include Google Pay and Paytm. Popular messaging app WhatsApp is also testing its own payment service in India.

However, it seems that finding an audience for Mi Pay will be comparatively easy for Xiaomi given that it currently dominates the Indian smartphone market and has millions of users.

(Source)

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