Vivo Nex S powered 5G trial completed successfully; 5G Smartphone due in 2020

Get 22% Off On SYL-10 Electric Skateboard

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Sep 11, 2018

If you’re in the market for a fast and easily maneuverable electric skateboard, you’re likely to bump into many awe-inspiring choices. While there’s a wide selection of electric skateboards available on various online as well as offline stores, they don’t come cheap.

Looks like cost-conscious buyers who aren’t willing to spend a lot of money on an electric skateboard are in for a treat. The popular SYL-10 and the equally well-received SYL-12 electric skateboards have gone up for sale on GeekBuying.

Aside from shedding light on the aforesaid discounts, we’ll even show how you can save a considerable amount of extra money before placing your order. Let’s head straight to the details.

SYL-10 Electric Skateboard

Marketed as a newfangled choice of commute, the SYL-10 is an irresistible skateboard that would normally set you back $179.99 on GeekBuying. Much to the relief of those who are on a tight budget, the Chinese online store is giving buyers a chance to get it at a reduced price of just $139.99.

Aside from receiving this 22% discount, you can apply coupon code OZTLFIIC to save an extra $30. This will help you bring your grand total down to just $129.99.
In order to avail the discount and to use the coupon, all you need to do is follow this link. Note that the promo is slated to end in just 2 days and the coupon is also likely to expire soon.

SYL-12 Electric Skateboard

Equipped with gravity control that helps you adjust speed, the SYL-12 draws its juices from a robust motor and large capacity battery that ensure your journey is perfect. While you’d normally need to shell out $399.99 to buy this powerful electric skateboard, it now carries a 26% off on its steep retail price on GeekBuying.
As a result, the SYL-12 can be yours at a lowered price of just $295.99. This discount can be extended further by applying coupon code HAHNUBDW which helps you save an additional $60 while placing your order.

In order words, you can reduce your already discounted grand total to just $279.99 with the help of the above-mentioned coupon. If you’re interested in taking advantage of the discount and using the coupon, head straight to this link as the promo is slated to end in just 1 day.

Get 26% Off On SYL-12 Electric Skateboard

Xiaomi Redmi Y2 receiving MIUI 10 stable ROM update in India

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Sep 11, 2018

Recently, Xiaomi has launched the Stable MIUI 10 for 12 smartphones in China. Now, Xiaomi has started the rollout of the same MIUI 10 Stable ROM update for Redmi Y2 via OTA in India. It seems Xiaomi has responded quite quickly to the users demands for latest stable ROM update in India. Today, Global VP of Xiaomi, Manu Kumar Jain announced the update via his official Twitter Handle.

Manu Kumar Jain quoted that MIUI 10 stable ROM for Redmi Y2 is now available. He also added that the remaining devices will soon receive the stable update with a jump to the latest MIUI version.

Redmi Y2 MIUI 10 stable update details

The new update is available with firmware version MIUI 10.0.1.0.OEFMIFH having a size of 501 MB. The update also features August security patch with major changes and addition of new features. The MIUI 10 brings features like full-screen gestures, redesigned volume sliders, better multitasking control, new UI, redesigned notification panel, new natural sounds and much more.

Feature of MIUI 10 stable update:

Xiaomi has adjusted all the screen elements for the full-screen display.
Added new full-screen gestures that will change the way you interact with your device.
Allows content to take the front stage by emphasizing more on content rather than the design elements.
New sound system with natural sound presets.
They have added smart filters, so that you can hear the ringtone or other sounds even in the noise.
Ambient sounds like forests, drizzle, birds chirping, fire, water, etc added to the system.
AI based camera to generate “bokeh effect” from single lens camera.
Major UI revamp for apps like Clocks, Notes,etc.

The update is rolling out via OTA (Over the Air) for Redmi Y2. You guys can also download the MIUI 10 Stable ROM build from the source below and can manually flash it.

Read More: Xiaomi Redmi Y2 with Amazing AI Selfie Camera, Dual Cameras Unveiled for Rs. 9,999 (~$149)

How to update the Redmi Y2 with MIUI 10 Stable ROM

In order to update, you can either wait for OTA update or can flash ROM manually.

OTA update:

Make sure you are connected to the internet.
You can update the phone by heading to the Settings panel >> About phone >> System update and hit “Check Updates” button.
Download the update and install It
Your device will be restarted and ultimately, Redmi Y2 will be running on MIUI 10 Stable ROM.

Manually Flashing MIUI 10 stable ROM on Redmi Y2:

In order to manually flash the MIUI Stable ROM, you should have the latest build and official latest Recovery. You can download them from the source link below.

Download the MIUI 10 update
Transfer it to the download_roms folder on your device.
Backup your important data.
Goto Settings panel >> About Phone >> System Update >tap 3-dot icon in the top right.
Then select choose update package >> select the MIUI 10 update zip.
System will start installing it and will take 12-20 minutes for completion.
Upon completion, device will be restarted and you will see stable MIUI 10 on your Xiaomi device.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S gets Android Pie 9 update via latest public beta developer build (MIUI 10 8.9.7)

The users who are not into these things, have to wait for the official rollout to reach your unit. Usually, it will take few days to reach out to every single unit of the Redmi Y2 in India. Well, how many of you have already received the update ? Share your views via comments form below.

(Source 1, 2)

Buy Mini Sports DV 1080P HD Action Camera Web Cam For Just $14.99 On TomTop

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Sep 11, 2018

If you’re looking for a webcam to stream videos on YouTube or for video chat, you’d find a plethora of choices on the market. Regrettably, most of these devices either fail to meet your expectations in terms of functionality or carry steep price tags.

Much to the relief of those who are on a tight budget and aren’t willing to shell out a fortune on an action camera webcam, the Mini Sports DV 1080P HD Action Camera Web Cam is currently available at a lowered price on TomTop. Let’s check out the details.

While the device would normally set you back a pretty penny on online as well as offline stores, you can now buy it for just $14.99 on TomTop. This is a significant 41% reduction in the camera’s original asking price of $24.99.
Despite bearing a considerably reduced price sticker, the Mini Sports DV 1080P HD Action Camera Web Cam is nothing short of awe-inspiring. It sports a 2-inch HD LCD screen that shows and replays captivating videos.

The device offers a full-HD 1080P, video resolution of 1920 X 1080/1280 X 720/VGA 640 X 480 pixels. Backed by a robust 900mAh detachable Li-ion battery, it boasts a slew of other functions including audio recording and photo shooting.

Moreover, the Mini Sports DV 1080P HD Action Camera Web Cam supports motion detection, cyclic record, and 32GB micro SD card. Aside from that, it features the highly-useful G-Sensor.

On the downside, you can avail the aforesaid discount for a limited period of time only since the sale is slated to end in 19 days. It is also worth noting that the Flash Sale price will be valid for the remaining 74 pieces only so head straight to this link and grab the discount without wasting time.

Get 41% Off On Mini Sports DV 1080P HD Action Camera Web Cam

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro to go on first flash sale at 12PM today in India: Price, launch offers, specs and more

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Sep 11, 2018

Recently, Xiaomi announced the new budget friendly Redmi 6 series in India which includes the Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro, Xiaomi Redmi 6A and Redmi 6. Today, Redmi 6 Pro is going on sale in India at 12 PM via Mi.com and Flipkart. If you are planning to buy the device, then make sure to read the details and know about the launch offers. Here’s everything you need to know about the sale and the smartphone.

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro: Launch Offers, Price and Sale details

Xiaomi is coming with the Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro at a flash sale today in India at 12:00 PM in the noon. It will be available via Mi.com and India’s largest online retailer, Flipkart.

The pricing of the Redmi 6 Pro will start at Rs 10,999 (~1043 Yuan/$152) for 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage version. Whereas, the other 4GB/64 GB storage version will be available for Rs 12999(~1233 Yuan/$179) . Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro is coming in four different colors, Red, Blue, Gold, and Black.

Xiaomi is offering Rs 500 off during first Redmi 6 Pro flash sale when you make a purchase using HDFC Bank Credit/Debit cards as well as EMI transactions. Hungama Music is offering its 3 month subscription free with the purchase of Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro.

Read More: Xiaomi Redmi 6 Review: Yet Another Good Budget Phone

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Specifications and features

The Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro was launched with the Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A recently. The Redmi 6 Pro is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC with 3/4GB of RAM variants and 32/64 GB of internal storage. The Redmi 6 Pro has a 5.84-inch full-HD+ display with the resolution of 1080×2280 pixels. It also sports a display notch with 19:9 aspect ratio.

There’s a dual camera set having a 12-megapixel rear camera with Sony IMX486 sensor, LED Flash, f/2.2 aperture, 1.25um pixel size, EIS and a secondary 5-megapixel camera with f/2.2 aperture. There’s also a 5-megapixel front-facing snapper for selfies and video calls.

For connectivity, Redmi 6 Pro packs 4G VoLTE, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It has a huge 4,000mAh battery to sustain your device all day usage. It’s dimensions measures 149.33×71.68×8.75mm weighing 178 gms. It also features fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, digital compass, gyroscope, and a proximity sensor.

Read More: Redmi Note 5 Pro Red on sale in India starting from INR 14,999

Make sure, to visit the respective websites to get your Redmi 6 Pro from the first ever flash sale.

Well, how many of you are going to buy the device?

Xiaomi and NTT Docomo join hands for cellular wireless agreement in Japan

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Sep 11, 2018

In a bid to introduce 5G compatibility in Japan, Xiaomi and NTT Docomo have joined hands with each other. Japan’s largest telecom operator, NTT Docomo has reached a global license agreement with China’s electronics giant, Xiaomi. The agreement will cover its essential wireless standards patents in cellular networks.

Tadanobu Ando, General Manager of Intellectual Property Department at NTT Docomo, said in a statement: “Xiaomi recognized the value of a license to NTT DOCOMO’s cellular wireless standard essential patents. Xiaomi’s sophisticated IP team was professional and appreciated the continued investment by NTT Docomo in innovation.”

Overall the agreement will help both the companies to grow and innovate the 5G technology in Japan. It will also help Xiaomi to continually provide the best user experience to their customers. Xiaomi can now innovate more on the grounds of 5G wireless technologies. On the other hand, Samsung and Apple have already started working on their devices to make them compatible with the 5G networks.

Paul Lin, Vice President of IP Strategy at Xiaomi, said in a statement: “The NTT DOCOMO team demonstrated the value to Xiaomi of taking a license to NTT DOCOMO’s cellular wireless standard essential patents on FRAND terms. Xiaomi is very willing to take a license to quality SEP patent portfolios on fair and reasonable terms to help continue to bring the best user experience to our customers.”

Read More: Xiaomi is the Second Largest Smartphone brand in Indonesia with 25% market share: IDC

It is expected that Japan will get fully functional 5G networks by 2020. NTT Docomo is planning to fully rollout the 5G technology across Japan before the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2020.

Buy Electric Vacuum Suction Blackhead Acne Remover Device For Just $39.99 On Banggood

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Get 33% Off On Electric Vacuum Suction Blackhead Acne Remover Device Pore Cleanser Machine

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Sep 11, 2018

Blackheads can be quite hard to get rid of, leaving us desperate about those small, dark-colored bumps on our skin. While there are several methods you can resort to in order to remove blackheads and acne, these procedures are oftentimes ineffective and end up setting you up a pretty penny.

Alternatively, you can go for the Electric Vacuum Suction Blackhead Acne Remover that employs suction to unclog your pores while exfoliating dead skin cells at the same time. More importantly, you can now buy it at a dropped price on Banggood.

The feature-laden pore cleaner usually carries a $59.92 price tag but thanks to a 33% discount on the device’s retail price, you can now buy at a reduced price of just $39.99. Moreover, you can choose from rose red and white color versions of the highly-effective Blackhead Acne Remover Device.

Aside from deep pore cleansing, this pore cleaner machine is crammed with a slew of other useful functions such as skin lifting, skin tightening, blemish removing, come-done, acne, and blackheads. You can adjust the strength of the device to meet different parts simply by shaking it.

You can rotate the tip in order to replace the head for your own and then adjust the gear to achieve correct suction. Slid it several times, ensuring you do not stay in the same place for a long time and its moisturizing essence will shrink the pores.

You can follow this link to check out more details and receive the discount by heading straight to this link. It is worth noting that the promo is slated to end in just 1 day.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Youth launch event confirmed on Sept.19 in Chengdu

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Sep 11, 2018

Xiaomi is all set to launch the new Mi 8 Youth edition at an event on September 19 in Chengdu, China. Yesterday, the teaser was posted on the Xiaomi’s official Weibo handle, it posed the same design as seen on TENNA, a certification agency in China. As per the renders and leaks, it will carry horizontal dual camera on the rear side of the device. We got to know about its specs and design via various leaks and rumors.

As per the specification sheet was leaked earlier, Mi 8 Youth will carry Snapdragon 710 processor with different RAM variants such as 4GB/ 6GB/ 8GB of RAM. It will have 6.26″ display, with a screen resolution of 1080×2280 pixels, and 19:9 aspect ratio. It seems, the device will carry a notch as like of most of the other devices launching this year. Further, it will host 32GB/64GB/128GB of internal storage and user can expand it via expandable hybrid slot. Xiaomi Mi 8 Youth will come with Android 8.1 Oreo having 4G VoLTE support in the connectivity.

In the camera section, Xiaomi Mi 8 Youth could come with 24 megapixel camera on the front side for selfies and dual 12 megapixel sensors on the back with LED flash. It will support 4K video recording from the rear dual camera set. The whole device will run using the 3500 mAh battery supporting Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. It is likely to measure 156.4mmx75.8mmx7.5mm as per the listing on TENAA.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi 8 Youth, Mi 8 Screen Fingerprint Edition tipped to debut soon

It has also been spotted at Singaporean certification agency, Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), giving us a hint that it is also scheduled for launch in the Global market. It will be available in various different colors such as Black, Rose Gold, White, Blue, Red, Pink, Gray, Silver, and Green. As per some other leaks, it is suggested that Mi 8 Youth could be priced around 1999 yuan (~$290/Rs 21,065).

Preorder Lenovo Moto Z Smartphone For Just $169.99 On Banggood [Coupon Code]

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Get 17% Off On Lenovo Moto Z Smartphone

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Sep 11, 2018

Marketed as a smartphone designed for ultimate convenience, the Moto Z was made available to the public in September 2016. Thanks to the phone’s razor-thin design coupled with an impressive array of features, it continues to garner popularity among Lenovo fans.

If you’re looking for a feature-laden, yet budget-friendly smartphone from a popular brand, Lenovo’s Moto Z smartphone will definitely fit the bill. While the phone is crammed with popular features, a robust battery, and an eye-catching design, you can still preorder it without burning a hole in your pocket on Banggood.

Taking its popularity into consideration, the Chinese tech giant that makes the coveted Moto Z smartphone is now offering a noteworthy 17% off on the phone’s retail price. While the device would usually set you back $229.99 on online and offline stores, it is currently up for preorder at a dropped price of just $189.99 on Banggood.

As part of its recently kicked-off Moto Z Hot Sale promotion, Banggood is giving buyers a chance to save extra money in the form of coupon codes. As a result, you can apply coupon code 9BGMZ64 to get an extra $20 off and bring your grand total further down to just $169.99.

At this lowered price, you get a high-end smartphone that sports a 5.5 inches AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display with a screen resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels. Moreover, the phone is housed in a sturdy aluminum body and it comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 for added protection.

Under the hood, the Moto Z packs a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor along with an Adreno 530 GPU. It offers 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 64GB of expandable onboard storage (up to 2TB).

The Moto Z smartphone houses a 13.0MP rear-mounted camera with ƒ/1.8 aperture, 1.12um pixel, Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), Laser Autofocus and a slew of other features. Up front, there’s a 5.0MP camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture, Auto Night mode, Beautification software, Professional mode, and other features.

The phone runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS and is backed by a 2600mAh battery. On top of that, it includes numerous useful sensors such as Ambient Light, Proximity Sensor, Magnetometer, Hall Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope and a fingerprint sensor as well.

You can follow this link to check out the rest of the specification and avail the discount. Note that the promotion is slated to end on September 16th and the aforesaid coupon will only be valid for 500 pieces.

Download Banggood App To Get A 10% Off App Coupon

Buy Weloop Neo Smart Bracelet For Just $69.99 On GeekBuying [Coupon Codes]

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Sep 11, 2018

As people continue to become conscious about the health and quality of life, more and more fitness-related products are hitting the store shelves. As a result, the market is brimming with steeply priced smartwatches that can monitor your health and keep a track of various activities.

If you’re in the market for a smart bracelet that boasts an impressive array of feature but doesn’t set you back a pretty penny, you’ve come to the right place. Weloop is currently offering its feature-laden Neo smart bracelet at a dropped price on GeekBuying.

The all-around sports bracelet usually carries a price tag of $126.99, but you can now get your hands on it at a reduced price of just $99.99. Aside from taking advantage of this 21% reduction in the device’s original asking price, you can get extra discounts by using specific coupon codes at the time of checking out.

After you proceed to check out, you can apply coupon code BSXCIDBL to save an extra $30 and reduce your grand total to just $69.99. Note that the coupon will only be valid for the first 50 pieces and is slated to expire on September 24th.

Alternatively, you can use coupon code NOYYKGBA to get an extra $20 off before placing your order. This will help you reduce your already lowered grand total to just $79.99. It is imperative for you to be one of the first 50 buyers to take advantage of the aforesaid coupon, which will be valid until September 24th.
An absolute bargain at this price, the Neo smart bracelet can effectively keep an eye on your pulses along with your active and resting heart rate changes 24 hours and offer a professional heart rate report. Moreover, it helps you create exclusive analyses by recording the change of altitude and the motion trajectory and then generating the data on your App.

If you like swimming, Neo can prove to be your perfect companion. The Weloop-branded smart bracelet identifies the swimming strokes, records the distance, and then analyzes the efficiency to help you step-up your level of swimming. Its HD, reflective color touchscreen displays clearly even in sunlight giving its wearer an unparalleled experience.

You can head straight to the promotion page by clicking here if you’re interested in checking more details about the Weloop Neo smart bracelet and taking advantage of the discount. Note that the coupons cannot be used for orders less than $90.

Get 21% Off On Weloop Neo Smart Bracelet

Huawei launches Designed for Huawei (DFH) certification for third-party accessories

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Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 10, 2018

Research firm IDC released its smartphone survey for the second quarter of this year and it was no surprise that Huawei had surpassed Apple to clinch the position as the second largest phone vendor globally. Huawei pulled a strong showing to edge past Apple and emerge behind Samsung in terms of volume of smartphones shipped in the Q2 2018. This feat was possible mainly because of the Chinese firm’ huge investment in R&D which resulted in the release of topnotch models like the P20 Pro. Huawei’s rejigged marketing strategy also played a role in the achievement which came despite the U.S government debacle.

Huawei has apparently realised that even though its phones and other products are of the highest quality, using third-party accessories could affect the performance of the products. Thus, Huawei has now introduced its own brand accessories certification program. In this regard, third-party accessories which ware made for use on Huawei phones will have to go through its quality tests and when certified, the products will have the DFH (Designed For Huawei) badge.

The rigorous tests which authorized third-party products will undergo before certification includes; product innovation, product quality, and product compatibility. Huawei has also unveiled the first brand to get the DFH badge and it is mobile accessories maker MOMAX. The firm specialises in the production of mobile power bank, data cable, wireless charger, and other products. The company has even launched a Huawei DFH-certified Type-C cable that supports 5A high-current transmission and supports Huawei SuperCharge super fast charging. It can be applied to Huawei P10, P210, mate9, mate10, glory V10 and other digital products. .. We expect more third-party accessories makers to become licensed according soon.

Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon Wear 3100: big improvement in battery life, coming to luxury brands first

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Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 10, 2018

About a month ago, Qualcomm sent out invites for an event. That event was held today in San Francisco and was for the announcement of a new processor for smartwatches – the Snapdragon Wear 3100.

The Snapdragon Wear 3100 (SDW3100) comes over two years after Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon Wear 2100 which has been at the heart of most smartwatches. With the new Wear 3100, Qualcomm is putting battery life first.

The new processor is specifically built for smartwatches and not a shrunk-down version of a phone’s chipset like the SDW2100 is. The Snapdragon 3100 has four A7 CPUs for performance compared to the SDW2100 which has just one. It also has a new DSP and an ultra-low-power processor for improved battery life.

The new processor brings a huge improvement in battery life as Qualcomm boasts battery life improvements between 4 to 12 hours compared to the Snapdragon Wear 2100. This improvement takes into account the type of display, battery capacity, and the watch’s configuration.

Qualcomm says the new processor will offer three different modes or experiences as it calls it with more to come in future.

Enhanced Ambient Mode (Beauty of Fashion Watch + Power of a SmartWatch)

The enhanced ambient mode comes “with a smooth second hand, live complications, up to 16 colors, and adaptive brightness”. In this mode, the smartwatch looks like an actual watch all the time, showing off its beauty and will be the focus for luxury brands.

Dedicated Sports Experience (Battery Life of a Sports Watch + Richness of a Smartwatch)

This is for the sports-focused folks. The SDW3100 supports a bunch of sports experiences while GPS and active heart rate monitoring are turned on. So whether you are running, playing golf, or hiking, you shouldn’t have to worry about battery life.

Traditional Watch Mode (Utility of Analog Watch + Flexibility of a Smartwatch)

Watches powered by the Snapdragon 3100 will have a traditional watch mode. In this mode, the user chooses a watch face of their choice while a new ultra-low-power co-processor does the work. Qualcomm says users should expect up to 30 days of battery life with a full battery in this mode.

Continue

Is this the Xiaomi Mi 8 Youth Gradient Version in the hands of Kris Wu?

By

Michele Ingelido

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Sep 10, 2018

Kris Wu, also known as Wu Yifan, is a famous Chinese actor and singer who was a Xiaomi’s brand ambassador last year: back then, the company launched a special edition of the Mi Note 3 upper-midranger dedicated to him. Now, a photo shared on Weibo is showing Kris Wu with a Xiaomi phone never seen before in his left hand. According to the latest reports and leaks, the phone held by Wu Yifan is Xiaomi Mi 8 Youth, a cheaper version of the recently-launched Mi 8 with upper-midrange specs.

We can clearly see the handset in a cool gradient color with hues similar to the Aurora color variant of the Huawei P20 Pro. The color starts from a greenish blue on the upper part of the rear panel and it seems to become purple on the lower part. The alleged Xiaomi Mi 8 Youth seems to have a glass back and an aluminum frame. It is clearly noticeable that it is equipped with a dual camera setup placed horizontally, with a LED flash on its right side. The Mi 8 Youth was already certified in China by the known regulatory agency TENAA and its launch should be imminent in the country. But TENAA did not reveal many details about its specs: it only listed its memory configurations and colors.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi 8 Youth Edition specifications sheet leaked; May go official soon

From what TENAA suggested, Xiaomi Mi 8 Youth will be available in Space Gray, Gold, and Blue colors, to which you have to add this new gradient hue. It will be released in at least three memory configurations: one with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage, one with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB ROM and a third version with 6 and 128 GB. Alongside this variant, TENAA also listed a Screen Fingerprint Edition of the Mi 8 with an in-display fingerprint reader, coming in Black and Gold colors and 2 memory configurations: 6/128 GB and 8/128 GB.

AnTuTu Top value for money smartphones by price segment

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 10, 2018

AnTuTu is best known for its benchmark app which is a good reference point for the performance of smartphones especially based on their processor power. The outfit equally evaluates the price points of the top selling phones based on their prices and AnTuTu score to give a ranking of the most value for money models in the various pricing categories. Here is the ranking for the month of August 2018 and the price used in the ranking is that with which the models are sold in China.

In the under 1000 yuan price category (0-999 yuan) the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 3GB + 32GB version offers the best value for your money. The model was launched in March this year with a starting price of 1,099 Yuan (~$171) for the 3GB + 32GB version. The model had its price slashed by 100 yuan and now sells for 999 yuan. Even outside China, third-party retailers sell the model for around 169.99 which is pretty cheap for a Snapdragon 636-powered phablet. The Meizu M6s 3GB+32Gb version follows at the second spot while Xiaomi’s budget Redmi 6A comes in at the third spot.

For the 1000-1999 yuan pricing category, 360 Mobiles known for its premium but affordable models occupy the top 2 spots with the 360 N7 Lite 4GB+32GB version at the top spot and the 360 N7 4GB+32GB on the second position. Huawei’s Honor Play (4GB+64GB) is another value for money phone which has equally got lots of positive reviews. The list also contains the Xiaomi Mi 6X (4GB+32GB) or Mi A2 if you like. The Snapdragon 710-powered Mi 8 SE follows as well as the Nova 2s, Smartisan Nut Pro 2s, Vivo Z1, 360 N6 Pro and Lenovo Z5.

The next category in the AnTuTu best value for money ranking is 2000-2999 yuan price category which comprises of flagship models. Top of the pack is the Meizu 16th 6GB+64GB version with 108 points which is not a surprise. This is closely followed by the Mi 8 (6+64GB) with 105 points and on the third spot is Xiaomi’s Black Shark gaming phone (6+64GB). Other smartphones that offer value for money include the Mi Mx 2s, Honor V10, Mi Mix 2, Smartisan R1, Honor 10, Nubia Red Magic and Z17s.

For models priced above 3000 yuan, the Meizu 16th Plus (6GB+128GB) offers buyers optimum value for their money based on its configuration. OnePlus 6 (6GB+64GB) version and Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition 8GB+128GB are also great value for money models. Vivo NEX and Honor 10 GT completes the top 5.

Realme is reportedly exploring offline foray in India to grab more market share

By

Jeet

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Sep 10, 2018

Recently, Realme — the online-only sub-brand from Oppo got separated from its parent company to continue operations as an independent brand. Soon after its split from Oppo, Realme announced a new budget smartphone in the Indian market — Realme 2.

Now, in a major shift in terms of its business operations, the company is reportedly exploring opportunities to sell its devices through offline channels along with the online stores in order to increase sales and grow its market share.

Commenting on this development, Madhav Seth, CEO of Realme India says to ET:

I would never say that Realme will continue to remain an online brand. We can try two different channels. If we don’t have an offline channel, then it’s difficult for us to cater to this segment. We will be present wherever people are. In the last three months, we saw there was a lot of reach, which was not possible, especially in rural India. We want to go there because there is a demand.

He adds that the company has plans to launch four new models in the next six months. The company is focusing on the Rs. 5,000 ($69) to Rs. 20,000 ($276) price band, where it’ll compete with companies like Xiaomi and Huawei, which are already in the process of bolstering their offline presence.

Currently, Realme has an exclusive partnership with Amazon India and the company’s phones account for 32 percent of smartphones sold in the country in the April-June quarter. For those who are not aware, Realme has also adopted an ‘India-first approach’ in an attempt to garner more market share in India, which is currently dominated by Xiaomi.

The recently launched Realme 2 has been well-received in the market. According to the company, in its first sale, it managed to sell 200,000 units of Realme 2 within just 5 minutes. The next sale of the phone is scheduled to take place tomorrow. It comes in three color options — Diamond Black, Diamond Red, and Diamond Blue, with price starting at Rs. 8,990 (~$124).

The Realme 2 features a 6.2-inch 720p FullView 2.0 display with 2.5D curved glass, 18:9 aspect ratio, 1520 x 720 pixels screen resolution, and a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass on top. It is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 450 octa-core processor and comes in two variants — 3GB RAM with 32GB internal storage and 4GB RAM with 64GB internal storage. There’s also a microSD card slot for expanding the phone’s storage capacity.

There’s a dual camera sensor on the back, featuring a 13-megapixel primary sensor paired with a 2-megapixel secondary sensor. On the front side, there’s an 8-megapixel shooter for taking selfies and video calling. Unlike its predecessor, the Realme 2 comes with a fingerprint sensor on the back panel. It still has support for software-based Face Unlock feature.

The phone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own ColorOS 5.1 custom interface. Connectivity options on the device include Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS + GLONASS, and USB OTG. The phone is fuelled by a bigger 4,230mAh battery.

Samsung clarifies foldable phone launch: not coming in November

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 10, 2018

If you were are excited about the Galaxy F foldable smartphone said to be announced in November, you may want to dial down the level of excitement a notch. It appears the CEO’s statements were misinterpreted.

According to the Korea Herald, Samsung has dismissed the statement that it will announce its foldable smartphone in November. Rather, more details of the phone will be announced at the Samsung Developer Conference holding in November.

We will have more to say about the phone under development by that time, probably some details about specifications,

Samsung’s CEO had said back in February that they had overcome a major tech hurdle with respect to the foldable phone. He also said back in August during the Galaxy Note9‘s launch that they won’t give up on being the world’s first.

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Galaxy Note 9 makes a mark on DxOMark but Huawei P20 Pro still tops

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 10, 2018

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 camera has been benchmarked by DXOMark. The device has got some positive reviews for its design and of course, the hardware is super awesome. DxOMark’s review focuses on the camera performance of the flagship model and it is pretty impressive. The Galaxy Note 9 achieves an impressive overall DxOMark score of 103 points, which at the time of testing placed it in joint second place overall with the HTC U12+. Huawei’s triple camera-sporting P20 Pro still retains its top spot as the best camera phone based on DxoMark’s review.

As a reminder, the Note 9’s rear camera configuration includes a 12MP dual-aperture f/1.5-2.4 wide and 12MP f/2.4 telephoto cameras. Both sensors have Optical image stabilization (OIS) as well as Samsung’s new Intelligent Camera which enables the phone to detect scenes, optimize colors and contrast as well as detect flaws such as a smudgy lens or subject that has closed his eyes. The front camera is an 8MP f/1.7 selfie snapper.

The review confirms the device as a very strong performer for still photographs. The Note 9 autofocus performance is also adjudged to be excellent while the camera scores high for balancing detail retention and noise reduction, zoom quality, and realistic bokeh effects. The device also does well in bright light with very good exposure level and an excellent dynamic range which DXOmark says is one of the widest they’ve seen. This means the Galaxy Note 9 camera is very capable of capturing high-contrast scenes with deep shadows and very bright highlights. Images are also bright and vivid, with mostly accurate white balance and good color rendering. You can read more on the review from the source link below.

The Galaxy Note 9 is equipped with an Exynos 9810 chipset just like the Galaxy S9 and S9+ the device starts with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage on the base model. The top end model comes with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. Other features of the device include an IP68 water-resistant body, a 4000mAh battery, water cooling system and stereo speakers.