Xiaomi Mi 5 receiving MIUI 10 Global Stable update

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Sep 19, 2018

When Huawei announced the P20 series earlier this year, it also announced its own wireless earbuds, the Huawei FreeBuds, which look like knock-off Apple AirPods. A new leak has revealed that Huawei is planning a second gen-model called the FreeBuds 2 Pro that will most likely launch alongside the Mate 20 Pro.

The images of the FreeBuds 2 Pro show it will even look more like the Apple AirPods than its predecessor. Even the case has been redesigned as the earbuds now sit vertically when inserted. Design aside, the FreeBuds 2 Pro does have some very interesting tricks up its sleeves.

The original FreeBuds’ provided double the AirPods battery life. It lasted 3 hours on a single charge and 10 hours with the charging case. TheFreeBuds 2 Pro will also last 3 hours on a single charge with Hi-Res Wireless Audio but 20 hours with the charging case! That’s double that of the original. That’s not all.

The case will also support wireless charging alongside USB charging. A promotional image shows the FreeBuds 2 Pro charging wirelessly via its case. What if you don’t have a wireless charger? Simply place the case on your Mate 20 Pro and it will begin to charge. Neat, right? Charging using a cable will take 2 hours while wireless charging will take 3 hours.

The FreeBuds 2 Pro has been reported to have a “bone sensor” that captures the user’s voice via bone conduction technology. Combined with AI, the headphones will be able to distinguish between the voice of its owner and that of others. This is said to come in handy when using the Google Assistant.

Each earbud of the FreeBuds 2 Pro weighs 4.1 grams, is 43 mm long, and 18.6 mm wide. They have IR sensors that can tell when they are in your ears or have been removed so as to pause playback. They should also have the same or improved touch functions of the original FreeBuds such as double-tapping the left earbud to activate the assistant and double-tapping either earbuds to answer or reject calls.

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Our Meizu 16X Hands On Video is up! We are impressed

By

Joel Joseph

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Sep 19, 2018

Meizu just released its new SD710 powered Meizu 16X model in China today. We were lucky enough to get hands on with the device early on and now, we have our first impressions of the device. The phone has all the bells and whistles that you would expect from an upper mid-ranger and this includes a dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack. At the same time, the Meizu 16X doesn’t adopt the trending notch design. It has decided to follow its siblings from the 16th series, featuring a symmetric slim bezel design, which personally, I find to be quite beautiful.

One of the biggest highlights of the Meizu 16X is the presence of an in-screen fingerprint sensor. This is a feature that’s usually reserved for the top-end flagships. In fact, until recently, it wasn’t even mainstream on flagship phones, so its really good to see this tech being incorporated in an upper mid-ranger.

If you look at the specs, which includes the same camera setup as the Meizu 16, a SD710 processor with 6GB of RAM, in-screen fingerprint, and a refreshing symmetric design, the Meizu 16X doesn’t really look like a stripped down version of a flagship model. It can clearly stand on its own as a mid-range device. We even played some heavy games in our Meizu 16X hands on and the phone performed flawlessly without overheating. We also note out some differences between the new model and the flagship 16th series in the video.

RELATED: We benchmark the Meizu 16X on Antutu with SD710 inside

Overall, our first impressions of the Meizu 16X is quite positive. You can check out our Meizu 16X hands on in the video above. Our review should be up in a few days, so make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay updated!

Nokia is reportedly working on a gaming smartphone

By

Jeet

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Sep 19, 2018

We’ve already seen a few dedicated gaming smartphones launching in the market, and now it seems that we’re about to see another one. As per the reports, Nokia is all set to launch a new gaming smartphone, joining other manufacturers that include Razer, Asus, Xiaomi, Huawei, and ZTE.

Nokia Mobile India has posted a teaser on its social media channels, which reveals the Finnish company is working on a dedicated gaming smartphone. The video teaser shows a few gaming scenes, followed by a glowing outline of a phone.

Some believe that HMD Global could choose the Samsung route and announce a partnership with a major mobile gaming label to launch a gaming smartphone with an exclusive early access to the game. Samsung did the same thing with the Galaxy Note 9 by partnering with Epic Games for Fortnite.

Currently, no details are available related to the upcoming gaming smartphone. At this point in time, all we know is that Nokia is planning to launch a smartphone dedicated to the mobile gamers.

Meanwhile, it appears that HMD Global is working on a couple of other smartphones as well, including Nokia 9 and Nokia 7.1 Plus. A recent report reveals that the Nokia 7.1 Plus could feature a 5.9-inch Full HD+ display and pack Snapdragon 710 processor.

The Nokia 9, on the other hand, is reportedly coming with five camera sensors on the back panel, something that no smartphone company is offering right now. A recent report suggests that Nokia has shifted the launch of Nokia 9 to February next year.

(Via)

Xiaomi’s spokesman posts Mi 8 Lite unboxing photos, confirms it will get global release

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Sep 19, 2018

Earlier today, Xiaomi announced two new phones – the Mi 8 Lite and the Mi 8 Pro. The Mi 8 Lite is the least powerful model in the Mi 8 series and also the cheapest. For those wondering if it will be available outside China, we are happy to tell you it will.

Xiaomi’s global spokesperson, Donovan Sung, took to Twitter a short while ago to post unboxing photos of the Mi 8 Lite. The unboxing photos are for all the color variants and reveal they will all come with the same Twilight Gold box. But that isn’t all the tweet contained.

#Mi8Lite unboxing photos. Launching soon in our global markets across the world! ❤️#Xiaomi #Mi8 #unboxing pic.twitter.com/MIRQoIdUme

— Donovan Sung (@donovansung) September 19, 2018

Mr. Sung also revealed that the Mi 8 Lite will be launching soon across the globe. Yes, this stunning phone will not be a China-exclusive device though there is no info on which countries will be getting it yet. Once we get our hands on that, we’ll let you know.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite has a 6.26-inch 2560 x 1080 LCD display. It is powered by the Snapdragon 660 processor with 4GB/6GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of storage. It has a 24MP front-facing camera and 12MP + 5MP dual rear cameras. The Mi 8 Lite packs a 3350mAh battery with support for fast charging. It runs Android 8.1 Oreo with MIUI on top.

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Google Home Hub leaks, looks like a mashup of a tablet and the Google Home Max

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Sep 19, 2018

Last year, Lynky announced the first Google Assitant-powered smart home hub with a display. Yes, Lynky is the first, not Lenovo, to announce a smart display powered by the Google Assistant. Almost a year later, Google is expected to unveil its own smart display. Details of the device called the Google Home Hub have surfaced.

Starting with the design, the Google Home Hub looks like a mash-up of an Android tablet and the Google Home Max. Personally, I think Google could have come up with a better design if it tried.

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The display is 7-inches in size with thick bezels around it. The top bezel has a bunch of sensors but doesn’t seem to have a camera which is weird since the Lenovo Smart Display has a camera for video calling using Google Duo. There is a switch at the back of the Google Home Hub but that is for turning off the microphone.

The rear of the device looks like a large speaker and is covered in fabric. There sure are some speakers buried underneath that fabric but the design gives us concern about the audio performance. As shown in the images, the display practically covers the front leaving just a small bit of the base exposed.

Just like other Google Home devices, the Home Hub will only work when connected to a wall switch judging by the power cable at the back. The Home Hub will be powered by a 15W wall adapter according to the leaked specs.

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The Google Home Hub will display relevant information such as weather, traffic, date and time. It will also be able to show live views of connected security cameras via a voice command. If you link it up with your Google Photos account, it will also display your pictures.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite vs Mi 8 SE vs Mi A2: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Sep 19, 2018

Earlier today Xiaomi released its nth upper-midrange phone of this year: Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite. Given the high number of variants of the Mi 8 which are now in the market with similar names and the high amount of Xiaomi upper mid-rangers, we believe it is time to shed some light about the ones sold in the same price range as the new Mi 8 Lite. Here, you will find the main differences and similarities between Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite, Xiaomi Mi 8 SE and Xiaomi Mi A2. We will also suggest you which one you should eventually buy. Three handsets with high performance and similar specs at a modest price: who wins and which would be the most suitable for you? Let’s discover it together

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite vs Xiaomi Mi 8 SE vs Xiaomi Mi A2

	Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite	Xiaomi Mi 8 SE	Xiaomi Mi A2
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	156.4 x 75.8 x 7.5 mm, 169 grams	147.3 x 73.1 x 7.5 mm, 164 grams	158.7 x 75.4 x 7.3 mm, 166 grams
DISPLAY	6.26 inches, 1080 x 2280p (Full HD+), 19:9 ratio, 403 ppi, IPS LCD	5.88 inches, 1080 x 2244p (Full HD+), 423 ppi, 18.7:9 ratio, Super AMOLED	5.99 inches, 1080 x 2160 pixels, 403 ppi, 18:9 ratio, LTPS IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, octa-core 2.2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, octa-core 2.2 GHz
MEMORY	4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB	4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB	4 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 8.1 Oreo, MIUI	Android 8.1 Oreo, MIUI	Android 8.1 Oreo, Android One
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	Dual 12 + 5 MP f/1.9 24 MP front camera	Dual 12 + 5 MP f/1.9 20 MP f/2.0 front camera	Dual 12 + 20 MP f/1.8 20 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY	3350 mAh Fast Charging Quick Charge 3.0	3120 mAh Fast Charging Quick Charge 3.0	3000 mAh, Fast Charging Quick Charge 3.0
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot

Differences

Given that aesthetics are the first thing we can see while looking at a phone, let’s start with the design which is different for each device. Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite is definitely the most attractive one with its gradient hues. But you may also love the Mi 8 SE with its original square shape and its incredibly high screen-to-body ratio, as well as the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection for the display. Xiaomi Mi A2 is the only with a metal unibody design and it has just a midrange-level design.

Another important difference is in the displays: three different aspect ratios (19:9 for the Mi 8 Lite, 18.7:9 for the Mi 8 SE and 18:9 for the Mi A2) and three different sizes (6.26, 5.88 and 5.99 inches, respectively). Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is the most compact device due to its smaller display, high screen-to-body ratio, and smaller diagonal. It is also the one with the best viewing quality thanks to the Super AMOLED panel with HDR10 technology and DCI-P3 coverage. Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite and Mi A2 both have mid-end LCD panels.

Talking about the hardware, Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is the most powerful as it has a better SoC: the Snapdragon 710 by Qualcomm paired with up to 6 GB of RAM. Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite and Mi A2 have the same SoC and memory configurations, but Mi A2 is the only one of these devices to boast Android One, a stock version of the operating system supported by Google with faster updates.

Coming to camera quality, Xiaomi Mi A2 is definitely the most convincing one with its 12 + 20 MP dual camera on the rear and its bright f/1.8 aperture. It can capture stunning shots even when light conditions are not the best and it is one step forward to its opponents. Xiaomi Mi 8 SE and Mi 8 Lite have the same dual camera setup with 12 and 5 MP, f/1.9 and f/2.0 apertures. At last, there is a slight difference in battery capacities, with the Mi 8 Lite having the biggest one (3350 mAh), Mi 8 SE at the second place (3120 mAh) and Mi A2 with the smallest one (3000 mAh). One last difference: Mi 8 SE features an infrared face unlock system, while the others do not.

Similarities

First of all, these devices are similar in terms of hardware, because they all feature an upper-midrange hardware side. Even though the Mi 8 SE packs a higher-end processor, the difference should not be noticeable in everyday use. Each of these devices can be bought with the same memory configuration. All of them have the same display resolution and even though the sizes are slightly different, the level of detail is the same. The battery life is similar as well because their batteries are similar (but not the same) and so is the software optimization.

Further, all of them feature amazing front cameras with high resolutions for very detailed selfies (Mi A2 and Mi 8 SE have a smaller resolution than Mi 8 Lite but Mi A2 is the only with a front-facing LED flash). All the secondary sensors of these devices were thought to capture depth information. Other similarities which do not interest every handset regard the materials (glass back + aluminum frame for Mi 8 SE and Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite), same SoC (Mi 8 Lite and Mi A2), MIUI (Mi 8 Lite and Mi 8 SE), same rear and front cameras (Mi 8 Lite and Mi 8 SE) and similar prices (while you can get Mi A2 and Mi 8 Lite for less than $210, for Mi 8 SE you need more than $300).

Read More: Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite Official Pictures reveal the beautiful Gradient colors in all its glory

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite vs Xiaomi Mi 8 SE vs Xiaomi Mi A2: PROs and CONS

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite

PROs

Better design
Affordable price
Great front camera
Wide display
Bigger battery

CONS

Nothing particular

Xiaomi Mi 8 SE

PROs

Original design
More powerful hardware
Compact size
3D face unlock
Better display

CONS

Smaller display

Xiaomi Mi A2

PROs

Android One
Good price
No notch
Great rear cameras
Wide display

CONS

Smaller battery

Feast your eyes on the grandiose Meizu 16th Aurora Blue gradient colour variant

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Sep 19, 2018

Gradient hue is fast gaining ground among Chinese OEMs since Huawei released the P20 Pro with a variant having an aurora gradient back. This was soon followed by Lenovo on the Z5 and not too long ago OPPO launched the OPPO R17 with a variant having the gradient colour. Meizu also joined the pack with the launch of the Meizu 16th Aurora Blue gradient colour variant today. Here are some breathtaking pictures of the device released on the company’s official Weibo account.

The Aurora variant glitters based on how the light reflects on the elegant glass back. The gradient transmutes between a light and dark shade of Blue, hence it is called Aurora Blue. The pattern on the fine glass back of the device adds some more beauty to the already elegant Meizu 16th flagship.

The model retains the design features of the Meizu 16th which includes a vertically aligned dual rear camera setup with a ring flash just underneath. The device also has the Meizu logo at the back. The front design isn’t in anyway affected by the new gradient colour. You get a full-screen design with ultra-thin black bezels at the edges. This new colour variant joins the previous two variants of Night black and Mountain White that was announced last month.

The new gradient colour variant is priced at 2798 yuan ($408) for the 6GB+64GB option which is 100 yuan higher than the other colour options. The Meizu 16th Aurora Blue gradient colour is also available in 6GB+128GB memory priced at 2998 Yuans (~$437) and 8GB+256 GB memory option that will sell for 3398 Yuans (~$496). Meizu is yet to disclose details of its availability. Check out some more pictures of the new model from below.

(source)

Leaked OnePlus 6T official renders confirms no triple rear cams, listed as coming soon on Amazon

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Sep 19, 2018

The launch of the OnePlus 6T inches closer even though the date hasn’t been announced yet. While we wait for that, official renders of the next OnePlus flagship have surfaced on the web revealing new details.

The renders were shared by Winfuture.de and they show the rear of the OnePlus 6T which we have been itching to see. based on the image, the OnePlus 6T will be sporting dual rear cameras and not triple rear cameras have some have prophesied. The cameras will be arranged vertically and positioned in the middle.

A side-by-side comparison of the rear of the OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T shows there isn’t a noticeable change with respect to the camera housing. What has changed is the position of the fingerprint scanner. It will no longer be on the back of the phone but up in front. OnePlus has confirmed that the OnePlus 6T will have an in-display fingerprint scanner like a number of Android phones released this year.

Apart from the render, specs of the device have also surfaced. The OnePlus 6T will have a larger screen, 6.41-inches with a 2340 x 1080 resolution and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. This is the same display size and resolution as the OPPO R17 Pro which has a waterdrop notch. A leaked retail box already revealed the OnePlus 6T will have the same notch design.

The OnePlus 6T is expected to launch on October 17. This date was grabbed from an official screenshot shared by OnePlus when they confirmed it will come with an in-display fingerprint scanner. However, OnePlus hasn’t confirmed that.

OnePlus has confirmed that their next flagship will not be coming with an audio jack. The removal of the 3.5mm port is said to bring improvements in other areas including battery life. So we expect the OnePlus 6T to come with a larger battery.

In what can be termed a surprise, a banner is already live on Amazon India teasing the arrival of the OnePlus 6T. You can even sign up to be notified of its arrival.

Samsung to reorganise its product lineup soon; Galaxy J and On series will be affected

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Sep 19, 2018

A recent report by Counterpoint showed Samsung revenue experienced a decline in the second quarter of the year, largely due to the lower than expected sales of the Galaxy S9 series. The decline in revenue is also traceable to the proliferation of Chinese brands in the mid-range and flagship segment. There are indications that Samsung is planning to revamp its entry-level and mid-range segment in a bid to position it for more profitability. The move bears the connotation that Samsung no longer aims to sell more models but to rake in more revenue. To this end, the company will reportedly discontinue the lower-midrange Galaxy J series which will then be merged with the premium Galaxy A series.

The move, as revealed by Industry sources, is in a bid to curtail the effects of emerging Chinese brands on the company’s sales margin, especially in China. The competing Chinese brands offer way better models than what Samsung dishes out on its lower-mid-range segment and at equally better prices. So, that segment hasn’t been a very profitable one for Samsung.

In addition, another report hints that Samsung is also planning to rename its online-only Galaxy On series as Galaxy M. The Galaxy On models are really not different from the Galaxy J series models. The difference lies in the naming as well as the online sale only model wich the On series target. So, it is unclear how the Galaxy M series will be positioned. It could be the new lower mid-range series since the J series is merging with the A series. If this turns out to be true, Samsung’s lineup will now be made up of the Galaxy M, the Galaxy A and the premium Galaxy S and Note devices.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 Lite version gets a cool all-white variant

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Sep 19, 2018

Since Xiaomi launched its first Mi Notebook laptop in 2016, the company has gone on to release several models. This rapid growth of the Mi Notebook laptops in the market led to the birth of several powerful models and even cheaper models. One of the new models is the Mi Notebook 15.6 Lite version. During the Mi 8 Lite launch event today, Xiaomi also announced a new white colour variant for the Mi Notebook 15.6 Lite version.

Xiaomi has already released the black variant of the Mi Notebook 15.6 Lite but the white coloured variant brings a lot of improvement in the outward looks and face value of the model. It adopts an all-white paint job which gives it a cool and polished look.

On the specs angle, the Mi Notebook Lite version is equipped with Intel’s eighth-generation Core i5 processor paired with a built-in 8GB RAM. The device equally packs 128GB of SSD as well as 1TB of HDD. The graphic is powered by a GeForce MX110 GPU with 2GB DDR5 graphics memory. This model also has a dual fan cooling system just like the Mi Notebook Pro 2. However, the major difference between the Lite version and the Notebook Pro2 is that this model doesn’t come with expandable memory and it has a redesigned keyboard layout.

This could thus be regarded as a trimmed down version of the Mi Notebook Pro 2 and that is reflected in the price which is 1000 yuan lower than the Pro version. The Mi Notebook 15.6 Lite version is priced at just 4599 yuan (~$671).

Meizu launches EP52 Lite & Meizu Live 15th anniversary edition wireless headphones and Mobile Power Bank 3

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Sep 19, 2018

Apart from the four phones (six if we include the new color variant of the Meizu 16th and Meizu 16th Plus), Meizu also announced two new earphones – the Meizu EP52 Lite and the Meizu Live 15th-anniversary edition; and a power bank – the Meizu Mobile Power Bank 3.

Meizu EP52 Lite

From the name, you can tell that this is a toned-down version of Meizu’s EP52 sports Bluetooth earphones released last year. The EP52 Lite drops the sporty appearance and some of the features of its sibling.

The selling point of the EP52 Lite is its weight. The earbuds weigh just 2.3 grams! The EP52 Lite is IPX5 waterproof and has Bluetooth 4.2, an upgrade when compared to the EP52 which has Bluetooth 4.1. However, the Lite doesn’t have aptX audio.

There is an inline remote with volume controls and a play/pause button. The EP52 Lite has a 100mAh battery that is said to last up to 8 hours on a single charge and up to 200 hours on standby. Charging takes 1.5 hours.

The EP52 Lite comes in three colors -Moon White, Cloud Gray, and Deep Blue and is priced at ¥129 (~$19). It is already available for purchase on the official Meizu store. Other online stores should have it soon but it may sell for a bit more.

Meizu Live 15th Anniversary Edition

This year is Meizu’s 15th anniversary. It launched the Meizu 15 series earlier this year to celebrate the event. Today it launched a 15th-anniversary edition of the Meizu Live Hi-Res wired earphones it announced at the beginning of the year.

The anniversary edition has a four-layer gunmetal (black) coating but maintains the same design as the original. It still comes with an IP67 waterproof casing and 7 pairs of earbuds. However, it sells for much higher than the original version ¥1599 (~$233) as against ¥1299 (~$190). It is available for purchase on Meizu’s online store. Do note that this is a limited edition model and only 1500 units are available

Meizu Mobile Power 3

Meizu also announced a new power bank – the Mobile Power 3. It has a battery capacity of 10,000mAh and a metallic body. The power bank supports two-way 18W fast-charging. This means devices which support 18W fast charging will charge faster and you can also charge the power bank faster using an 18W fast charger.

The Meizu Mobile Power 3 comes in black and white, has two output ports, and a MicroUSB input port. It also has four LEDs to indicate the battery level. Meizu says it has 12 different safety measures including high-voltage protection and a temperature protection.

Meizu X8 launched with a Notch Screen, Snapdragon 710 and more

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Sep 19, 2018

Meizu has finally joined the notch screen gang with the launch of the Meizu X8 today packing a notch screen design. The device was launched alongside the Meizu 16X, V8/V8 Pro as well as a wireless Bluetooth headset. We recall how the company’s CEO Jerry Wang has been very critical of the notch screen design, insisting it isn’t the future of the smartphone screen design. While we admire the company’s own style of reducing the bezels as seen on the Meizu 16th and the latest 16X, we can’t help but laugh at the firm’s sudden shift with the X8. The device is thus, Meizu’s first phone with a notch-screen design.

Talking about the specifications, the Meizu X8 packs a 6.2-inch LCD full-screen display with a notch at the top screen. The notch is a wide one and houses the selfie shooter, ear piec, a breathing light, infrared transmitter and signal receiver. Despite the notch design, the device still comes with an 89.6% screen-to-body ratio. That is as a result of the obvious amount of bezels on all four sides. The notch only helped Meizu trim off a slight chunk off what would have been the bezel size at the top. The Meizu X8 doesn’t have the traditional mBack button for which Meizuis known. Instead, it uses onscreen gestures. The device comes with several of them like sliding the bottom part of the screen to return. Long slides are used to return back to the desktop as well as open the multitasking tabs. screen. the screen gestures which Meizu’s Super mBack, as well as Android navigation, brings are also retained on the model.

The device is powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chipset that was used on the Meizu 16X. That makes the device a premium midrange model. The X8 is available in 4GB RAM + 64GB model, 6GB RAM + 64GB storage and 6GB + 128GB storage models.

On the camera aspect, the Meizu X8 features a 20MP front camera with smart blur and ArcSoft AI smart beauty algorithm which brings vivid clarity to selfies. The device has a 12MP+5MP dual camera setup at the rear of which the main sensor is a Sony IMX362 sensor with a large f/ 1.9 aperture. The smartphone is also equipped with a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner which Meizu claims can unlock the phone in just 0.2 seconds. Keeping the lights on is a 3210mAh battery with fast charge support that delivers up to 50% of charge in 30 minutes.

As for the prices, the Meizu X8 4GB+64GB is priced at 1598 yuan (~$233). On the other hand, the 6GB + 64GB version comes in at just 1798 yuan ($262) while the 6GB + 128GB version is priced at 1998 yuan ($291). The pricing is pretty decent for a Snapdragon 710-powered premium mid-range phone and falls in line with Jerry wang’s disclosure that the X8 will be priced between 1500 yuan to 2000 yuan. There is no word yet on the availability.

Meizu V8 and Meizu V8 Pro announced: pack 5.7” HD+ screens and MediaTek processors

By

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Sep 19, 2018

While Xiaomi was holding its launch today, Meizu was also announcing a slate of new products. First, it took the wraps off the Meizu 16X which boasts an in-display fingerprint scanner and a Snapdragon 710 processor. It has now unveiled the Meizu V8 and Meizu V8 Pro which fall into the lower mid-range to mid-range categories.

Meizu V8

The Meizu V8 is a lower mid-range phone and the specs and material confirm that. It has a 2.5D glass covering the entire length of the front but there is no mention of any protection, while the back is polycarbonate.

The display is 5.7-inches with a 1440 x 720 resolution. Meizu says the screen offers up to 450 nits of brightness and has great outdoor visibility. The 18:9 aspect ratio of the display means this should have a smaller footprint. Based on the dimensions (148 x 73 x 8.4mm) the Meizu V8 is smaller than the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 which has a 5.5-inch 16:9 screen.

The Meizu V8 is powered by a MediaTek MT6739 processor clocked at 1.5GHz and has a PowerVR GE8100 GPU. It has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage which can be expanded by up to an additional 128GB via a MicroSD card slot.

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There is a single 13MP f/2.2 sensor on the back of the device with a 5P lens and dual LED flash. Right beneath the rear camera setup sits a fingerprint scanner that supports Alipay and WeChat payments. The front camera is a 5MP f/1.9 sensor with AI beauty mode which takes decent pictures based on the sample photos provided.

The Meizu V8 packs a 3200mAh battery, has a MicroUSB port, Bluetooth 4.2, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Meizu has released the phone in just one color variant – black.

Meizu V8 Pro

The Meizu V8 Pro has the same screen and resolution as the Meizu V8 but a more sophisticated body. It ditches the polycarbonate body for full-metal with nano-injection molded antennas at the top and bottom of the phone.

It also comes with the more powerful Helio P22 processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage. Unlike the V8, the Pro model has dual cameras on the back – a 12MP f/2.2 sensor paired with a 5MP f/2.2 secondary sensor for capturing depth of field details. The front camera is a 5MP f/1.9 sensor with AI beauty mode and support for AI face unlock. A fingerprint scanner is also positioned below the dual rear cameras.

It has a 3200mAh battery, a MicroUSB port, Bluetooth 5.0, an audio jack and dual-band Wi-Fi. It also comes in Black and Gold.

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Xiaomi Mi A2 Red edition announced in India; Sale from tomorrow

By

Simranpal Singh

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Sep 19, 2018

Xiaomi has finally made its Mi A2 Red edition official in India for the same price. Xiaomi’s Global VP and Managing Director of Xiaomi India, Manu Kumar Jain took to twitter to formally announce the Mi A2 Red edition. He stated it as a color of “love & excitement” and further added that “It instantly lifts my spirit”. The new Mi A2 red edition will be made available tomorrow at 12pm noon via Mi.com and Amazon India.

The new Mi A2 Red color looks stunning in the hands of the Manu Kumar Jain as seen it the picture above. Earlier, it was rumoured that Xiaomi is coming with the Mi A2 Lite variant with the Red color availability. But, now all the leaks, rumors and doubts have ended, as the confirmed information is with us. Well, Mi A2 is already available in three different colors such as Black, Lake Blue and Gold.

Here’s the official tweet from the Manu Kumar Jain, Global VP, Xioami and MD, Xiaomi India:

#MiA2 Red edition! Red for me it is also the colour of love & excitement. It instantly lifts my spirit. #MiA2 Red edition was much awaited & it is here now. Sale starts tomorrow at 12 noon on http://mi.com and http://Amazon.in @amazonIN. #ShotOnMiA2

Xiaomi Mi A2 Red edition will carry same specs as that of the Mi A2 standard version. It hosts the Snapdragon 660 featuring a 5.99-inch Full HD+ display. There’s a 20 megapixel + 12 megapixel dual rear shooters stuffed along with the 20 megapixel front camera. Users can expand the storage using microSd card, already it packs 64 GB as internal storage. Further, there’s a fingerprint sensor and draws power from a 3,010mAh battery.

Related: Xiaomi Mi A2 finally goes on open sale in India

Xiaomi Mi A2 Red Edition will be priced for Rs 16,999.

(Source)

We benchmark the Meizu 16X on Antutu with SD710 inside

By

Simranpal Singh

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Sep 19, 2018

Couple of months ago, Meizu launched the Meizu 16, and today we have got Meizu 16X and a new Meizu 16th Aurora Blue gradient color edition. Now, we have got our hands on the Meizu 16X running on Snapdragon 710 onboard. As per the new benchmark on AnTuTu, Meizu 16X with SD 710 has scored 167058 points which is significantly better than the Snapdragon 660.

There’s a huge difference in the scores of both Snapdragon 710 and Snapdragon 660, the latter scores around 120,000 points , while the 16X scores around 167,000 points. Given the chipset inside, the phone should have no trouble handling every day tasks, including gaming.

Additionally, Meizu 16X features 6GB LPDDR4X RAM with Adreno 616 GPU coupled with SD 710. The new chipset is built upon the 10nm manufacturing technology which tends to give more power with better efficiency. There’s an AMOLED display having more than 90% screen to body ratio. In the camera section, Meizu 16X packs 12 megapixel IMX380+ IMX350 dual cameras with a 20 MP front camera.

Read More: The Meizu 16X Goes Up For Pre-Order On Giztop Bearing A $399 Price Tag

Meizu has made the phone available in the Jet Black, Noble Gold, and a special Ru White colors. It will be available for the price of 2098 Yuan (~$306) for the 6/64GB variant, while you have to fetch 2398 Yuan for the 6/128 GB RAM. It will be available from Meizu’s online store on September 26th. Meizu will make it available on all the major online and offline retailers around China by the month of October.

We have already reviewed the Meizu 16th and were quite impressed with the device. Expect our hands on review of the Meizu 16X very soon!

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