Confirmed: Kirin 980 has Cortex-A76; Cortex-A77 rumors debunked

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Aug 17, 2018

Multiple reports have claimed that the 7nm Kirin 980 SoC will be featuring ARM Cortex A77 CPU cores for performance coupled with Cortex A77 CPU cores for reliability. However, since well-known industry insiders such as Roland Quandt and Ice Universe have claimed that such reports are fake since Cortex A77 has not been announced yet. Today, GizmoChina has received an official confirmation from ARM that the Kirin 980 will be equipped with Cortex A76 and the “Cortex A77 does not exist.” This piece of information debunks all rumors that have claimed the Cortex A77 may get unveiled at IFA 2018 and it will end up inside Kirin 980.

In June, ARM had announced the Cortex A76 CPU as the successor for the Cortex A75. In comparison to its predecessor, the Cortex A76 promises 35 percent improvement in performance and offers 40 percent better power efficiency. And also, it delivers up to 4 times the existing performance in Machine Learning.

The HiSilicon Kirin 970 chipset that was announced in September 2017 now powers more than 10 smartphones by Huawei. The Kirin 970 includes quad-core Cortex A73 CPU and quad-core Cortex A53 CPU. It also features Mali-G72 graphics and an AI NPU unit.

Huawei has recently rolled out a press release that the upcoming Mate 20 series will feature Kirin 980, but it did not confirm anything on its specifications. The press release also discussed that rumors are claiming that the Kirin 980 will be equipped with quad-core Cortex A76 CPU and quad-core Cortex A55 CPU. The SoC is expected to produce maximum clocking speeds of 2.8 GHz. The 7nm Kirin 980 will be soon rivaled by Apple A12 SoC that will be fueling the upcoming iPhones in September and 7nm Snapdragon 855 by Qualcomm that is rumored to go official by December.

Read More: Huawei Mate 20 specifications, pricing appear on Giztop </div>

The specifications of the Kirin 980 will be revealed at the end of this month through its official unveil event at IFA 2018 in Berlin, Germany. The Kirin 980 will be based on 7nm manufacturing process of TSMC. The SoC is also expected to arrive with an enhanced NPU unit for managing AI tasks. The Kirin 980 powered Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro will be debuting in October.

Buy Xiaomi Huami Amazfit Bip Smartwatch For Only $66.99 On TomTop

By

Vinay Patel

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Aug 17, 2018

With more and more people becoming conscious about their fitness, the smartwatch market is likely to reach a whopping $32.9 billion by 2020, according to a newly published report by Allied Market Research. Cashing in on this potential, Huami continues to establish itself as the global market leader in the smart wearable segment.

Backed by the Chinese tech behemoth Xioami, Huami recently launched the Amazfit Bip smartwatch, which boasts an impressive array of features. Aside from accurately tracking your activities, the smartwatch features 4 sports modes – Outdoor Running, Treadmill, Outdoor Cycling, and Walking.

There are no prizes for guessing, the Xiaomi Huami Amazfit Bip will set you back a pretty penny on online stores. But if you’re on a tight budget and aren’t willing to spend a lot of money on a smartwatch, continue reading for details about a big discount on the device’s retail price.

The Huami Amazfit Bip usually carries a steep price tag of $115.46 but much to the relief of cost-conscious buyers, TomTop is currently doling out a noteworthy discount on the feature-laden smartwatch’s regular selling price. As a result, you can now buy it at a lowered price of just $66.99 on the Chinese online store.

As part of its recently kicked off limited offer, TomTop is giving a 42% off on this Xiaomi-branded smartwatch’s original selling price. This discount will be valid for the army green, gray and orange color versions of the smartwatch, while there’s a 49% off on the black color version, which is now available at a reduced price of just $59.99.

It is worth noting that the Flash Sale price will only be valid for the remaining pieces of each color versions. If you’re interested in taking advantage of the discount, head straight to this link before the limited offer sale ends in 15 days.

Get 42% Off On Xiaomi Huami Amazfit Bip Smartwatch

Caviar’s Galaxy Note9 Fine Gold Edition has 1kg of pure gold on its back

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Aug 17, 2018

Luxury phone styler, Cavier, is back with another device. This time it is the newly announced Samsung Galaxy Note9.

Caviar has named its newest creation the Galaxy Note 9 Fine Gold Edition and it will leave a hole in your pocket. Not only does the phone have 1kg of pure gold instead of glass on its back, it also costs a fortune. Caviar has slapped a price tag of 3.87 million Rubles on this. That is almost $58,000 or €51,000. That price is for the 128GB version. Caviar says a 256GB version is available for 3.89 million Rubles (~$58,155/~€51,100) but the Galaxy Note9 only comes in 128GB and 512GB models, so we believe that is an error on their part.

Apart from the gold on the back, the internals of the phone remains the same as the regular one sold by Samsung. You get a 6.4” Super AMOLED display with a 1440 x 2560 resolution, an Exynos 9810 processor, and 6GB of RAM.

Continue

Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S Emerald Green version is now available through open sale in China

By

Jeet

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Aug 17, 2018

Xiaomi recently announced a new version of its Mi MIX 2S smartphone — the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S Emerald Green. While the phone went on sale via flash sale on 14th August, the company has now announced that the phone is officially available for purchase in China without a flash sale.

However, the Jade Art Edition, which comes with a different wallpaper and packaging, is still out of stock after it first went on sale on 14th August. Xiaomi partnered with Dunhuang Research Institue to jointly develop this new Mi MIX 2S Emerald Green variant. The company says that it was inspired by the natural gemstone color of the Dunhuang murals.

Apart from the changes in the phone’s design, there’s nothing different compared to the standard model. It features a 5.99-inch IPS LCD Full Screen 2.0 display that offers a screen resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels, 18:9 aspect ratio and carries support for DCI-P3 color gamut.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm flagship Snapdragon 845 chipset coupled with Artificial Intelligence Engine (AIE). The Emerald Green variant of the Mi MIX 2S packs 8GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

The Mi MIX 2S, launched earlier this year, is the first phone in the series to feature a vertically aligned dual camera setup. It boasts a 12-megapixel Sony IMX363 wide-angle lens with f/1.8 aperture as the primary sensor, which is coupled with a 12-megapixel secondary telephoto lens that carries support for 2x optical zoom. There’s an 8-megapixel selfie camera with artificial intelligence features.

The device also comes with support for Face Unlock feature. There’s also a fingerprint reader on the back panel for added security. The connectivity features available on the device include dual-SIM, USB-C, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and NFC.

It comes with built-in AI-based voice assistant. Running on Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out of the box with the company’s own MIUI 10, the handset is fuelled by a 3,400mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging support.

OPPO to launch Helio P80, P90 and Snapdragon 855 phones, reveals leakster

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Aug 17, 2018

After attaining popularity in China in the recent years, OPPO gained worldwide recognition with the Find X flagship phone that comes with advanced 3D facial recognition feature and enticing design. The company seems to be working aggressively on bringing the latest features on its smartphones. The upcoming R17 Pro will also feature some advanced features such as under-display fingerprint scanner and ToF 3D sensing. Fresh information revealed by popular leakster Roland Quandt reveals that OPPO will be among the first smartphone makers to launch MediaTek Helio P80 and P90 powered phones. Also, the Chinese manufacturer will be launching SD855 phone next year.

MediaTek is yet to unveil Helio P80 and Helio P90 SoCs. There is no information available on the specifications of these chipsets. However, there is a possibility that atleast one of them may power OPPO’s 2019 R-series smartphone.

Recent rumors have revealed that the Snapdragon 855 that will be powering the 2019 Android flagship phones will be built by TSMC through 7nm manufacturing process. Previous reports have revealed that the Snapdragon 855 SoC will be integrated with X50 5G baseband. Hence, SD855 phones will carry support for 5G connectivity. Various smartphone manufacturers including OPPO are gearing up to launch 5G enabled phones in 2019.

The rumor mill is yet to reveal details on the OPPO’s SD855 powered smartphone. Probably, it could be the successor phone for OPPO Find X that features Snapdragon 845 SoC.

The Snapdragon 855 mobile platform is rumored to go official by the end of this year. However, Quandt claims that Qualcomm is considering a new naming scheme for it. The tipster has speculated that the reason behind it could be that the U.S. based chip maker want to differentiate chips designed for mobile from the ones that power PCs. For instance, 2018 Android phones are fueled by Snapdragon 845 whereas similar sounding Snapdragon 850 will be forthcoming 2-in-1 PCs. Earlier this year, ASUS and HP had released Snapdragon 835 powered laptops. It is the very same chip that powered flagship phones in 2017.

Hence, it will be a good decision to use different names for chips designed for PCs and smartphones/tablets. Quandt had previously revealed that Qualcomm is working on a more powerful Snapdragon 1000 chipset for forthcoming thin-sized laptops. The tipster is now claiming that the SD1000 will be also arriving with a new name.

The Snapdragon 855 is expected to go official by the end of this year. The 7nm chipset will feature ARM Cortex A76 which offers 35 percent improved performance and consumes 40 percent less power. The SD855 will not only power forthcoming flagship phones, but also it will end up in cars like the Snapdragon 820 that were used for in-car navigation and infotainment computer systems.

(source)

Get Big Discounts On The UMIDIGI UMI One And UMI One Pro Smartphones On CooliCool

By

Vinay Patel

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Aug 17, 2018

The UMIDIGI One and One Pro smartphones became an instant hit among smartphone lovers after hitting the store shelves earlier this year. Touted as compact flagships, the recently announced device duo have been placed in the mid-range section of the market.

While both handsets are crammed with awe-inspiring specs and features, they are likely to set you back a pretty penny. Thankfully, CooliCool is currently doling out considerable discounts on both phones. Let’s delve straight into the details.

UMIDIGI UMI One

The Helio P23 MTK6763 2.0GHz Octa Core processor-equipped UMI One smartphone offers 4GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable onboard storage (up to 256GB). The phone supports a mammoth 5.9 Inch Incell HD+ full-screen display with a resolution of 1520X720 pixel and supports touch ID and face ID features.

You’d normally have to shell out $199.99 in order to get your hands on this feature-laden smartphone, but CooliCool is currently selling it at a dropped price of just $139.99. This presale price will be valid for the twilight and the black color versions of the UMI One smartphone for a limited period of time.

You can follow this link in order to avail the discount before the promotion comes to an end.

Buy UMIDIGI UMI One Smartphone For Just $139.99

UMIDIGI UMI One Pro

The slightly larger UMI One Pro smartphone comes with 4GB of RAM and offers a hearty 64GB of onboard storage that can further be expanded up to 256GB so that you never run out of space for storing your favorite content. But that’s not all.

On the photography front, the phone houses a 12 MP+5 MP dual camera set up at the back. Up front, there’s a 16MP camera for selfies and face-to-face video chatting. It runs on Android 8.1 Oreo OS and is backed by a 3250mAh battery that supports 18W Quick Charge & 15W Wireless Charge.

You’d normally need to shell out $249.99 in order to get your hands on the UMI One Pro smartphone, but the Chinese online electronics store, CooliCool is giving UMIDIGI fans an opportunity to buy it at a reduced price of just $169.99. This is definitely an unmissable sale.

You can follow this link to get the discount on both the twilight and the black color versions of the UMI One Pro smartphone. It is imperative for you to bear in mind that the sale will be coming to an end soon.

Buy UMIDIGI UMI One Pro Smartphone For Just $169.99

Motorola One spotted on GeekBench packing a Snapdragon 625 CPU

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Aug 17, 2018

Lenovo-owned Motorola brand recently launched the Moto P30 in China with a design that deviates from all known styles of the company. The Moto One came with a notch screen design just like the iPhone X and there are several features that bears semblance with that of Apple’s phones. Unfortunately, the Moto P30 will be sold exclusively in China. However, the device is suspected of hitting the global market as Motorola One and a more powerful variant dubbed Motorola One Power.

The Motorola One has now been spotted on benchmark database Geekbench confirming some of its specs, although unofficially. Among the specs listing is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 CPU paired with 4GB of RAM. In addition, the device on benchmark runs on Android 8.1 Oreo. The models are believed to be launched under Google’s Android One programme so, are expected to get Android 9.0 Pie right from the go or get upgraded to Android Pie at the earliest possible time.

Aside these few specs, Geekbench only gave us the benchmark score of the Motorola One which is basically a Snapdragon 625-grade score. That is 876 points on the single core test and 4299 on the multi-core test. We won’t have to dig too deep for other specs as the device was recently certified by China’s telecoms regulatory agency (TENAA). From the TENAA listing we expect the Motorola One to pack a 6.18-inch display with a resolution of 2246 x 1080 pixels. It also has a 19: 9 aspect ratio as a result of the notch.

There is still no word yet on its launch but since the Moto P30 has been launched in China, we expect the Motorola One to join the fray any moment from now.

(source)

Buy Xiaomi Mijia Roborock S50 Vacuum Cleaner For Only $429.99 On TomTop

By

Vinay Patel

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Aug 17, 2018

Are you looking for a smart household device that can help you clean the house without burning a hole in your pocket? You might want to take a look at the Mijia Roborock S50 2nd Generation Vacuum Cleaner, which not only sweeps the floor but also mops it.

After the first robotic vacuum cleaner from Xiaomi gave well-received vacuum cleaners including the Dyson 360 Eye a run for their money, the Chinese tech firm unveiled its steeply priced 2nd generation robot vacuum cleaner. In fact, the device would normally cost more than $560 based on the plug type.

While the Mijia Roborock S50 is without an iota of a doubt worth the steep price, this spells bad news for budget-conscious buyers. But much to the relief of those who aren’t willing to spend a lot of money on a vacuum cleaner, TomTop is currently offering a considerable discount on the device’s retail price.

The Mijia Roborock S50 normally sells for $1049.86 on TomTop, but the Chinese online store is currently selling it at a dropped price of just $429.99 as part of a recently kicked off limited offer. This is a 60% reduction in the original asking price of this feature-laden vacuum cleaner.

Equipped with LDS (Laser Distance Sensor) technology that enables it to scan the surrounding at 360 degrees, 1800 times per second, the Mijia Roborock S50 vacuum cleaner is quite a bargain at this price. Regrettably, the sale is slated to end in just 15 days.

So if you’re interested in taking advantage of the discount, you can follow this link without wasting time. It is also worth noting that the Flash Sale price will only be valid for the remaining 548 pieces.

Get 60% Off On Xiaomi Mijia Roborock S50 Vacuum Cleaner

OPPO R17 Pro to have triple rear cameras with ToF 3D sensing

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Aug 17, 2018

After announcing the OPPO R17 smartphone earlier this week, OPPO has been consistently teasing on the features of the R17 Pro. Both phones may not differ in specifications, but the recently released teasers of the R17 Pro suggest that it will be coming with some advanced camera features. A spy photo that has surfaced through the supply chain has revealed that the R17 Pro will be equipped with triple rear cameras. Leaked information claims that one of the camera sensors carry support for ToF 3D sensing technology.

In the previous week, OPPO’s product manager had announced at the ToF technical communication meeting that the next product from the company will be equipped with ToF technology. Since the R17 Pro will be unleashed alongside the R17 on Aug. 23 in Shanghai, OPPO’s ToF 3D sensing technology may arrive first on R17 Pro. Hence, the R17 Pro could be the world’s first commercially available smartphone to feature the advanced technology that can be used for a number of cases like AR, gesture recognition, virtual fitting of clothes and a lot more.

After four years, OPPO updated its Find series by launching the Find X smartphone with 3D facial recognition. Compared to 3D structured light module that is allow about unlocking the phone by 3D facial scanning, ToF is more suitable for long-distance 3D information collection such as 3D mapping phone’s rear view, which suggests this technology will be soon widely accepted by other smartphone manufacturers.

During the last four years, OPPO has mainly concentrated on selling mid-range and high-end phones through its R-series under 3,000 Yuan (~$435) pricing. The upcoming R17 series are expected to arrive as the first phones with sixth generation Corning Gorilla Glass and in-display fingerprint scanner. The R17 duo are fueled by the newly introduced Snapdragon 670. Also, both phones are equipped with 25-megapixel AI selfie camera. The OPPO R17 has AI equipped with dual rear cameras whereas the R17 Pro will be coming with triple camera sensors.

As far as other camera features of the OPPO R17 Pro are concerned, apart from ToF 3D sensing, it will be arriving with variable aperture technology that allow users to easily switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4. This technology is available on premium Samsung phones such as Samsung W2018, Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy Note 9 that are priced over 6,000 Yuan (~$870). However, the R17 Pro will offer the same feature at an affordable price tag.

OPPO R17 Pro will be featuring AI Super Clear engine which is nothing but a combination of AI technology and multi-frame technology for capturing bright images in dark conditions. The R17 Pro will be also equipped with Optical Image Stabilization.

(source)

Buy Xiaomi HIMO V1 Electric Moped Bicycle For Just $329.99 On GeekBuying [Coupon Code]

By

Vinay Patel

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Aug 17, 2018

Xiaomi recently took the wraps off its new electric bicycle dubbed, the HIMO V1 under its crowdfunding platform. Deemed as the perfect option to avert heavy traffic, the HIMO V1 continues to garner huge popularity in big cities that are plagued by pollution.

While the HIMO V1 sells for $399.99 on online stores, GeekBuying is giving cost-conscious buyers who avoid spending that kind of money on an electric bike something to cheer about. The Chinese electronics online store is doling out a noteworthy discount on the bike’s retail price.

As a result, you can now buy the feature-laden HIMO V1 at a reduced price of just $365.99. This is a significant 9% reduction in the electric bike’s original asking price and it will be valid for its orange as well as the white color version for a limited period of time.

Aside from taking advantage of the discount, you can apply coupon code GAYNXBYL to get an extra $70 off on the bike’s already reduced selling price. You end up paying just $329.99 with the help of the aforesaid coupon.

An absolutely irresistible electric bike at this price, the HIMO V1 is the ideal answer for adventure junkies who love spending time in the outdoors. Boasting an ecological and compact design, this electric bike features an elevated handlebar, a chair made using waterproof PU foam and a saddle that’s located downwards to ensure rider maintains a correct posture at all times.

If you’re interested in checking out more details about the HIMO V1 electric bike and use the discount, all you need to do is follow this link. With just 5 days remaining for the sale to end, the coupon code is also likely to expire soon.

Get 9% Off On Xiaomi HIMO V1 Electric Moped Bicycle

Huawei Nova 3 series crosses 2 million shipments in a month, Acacia Red color on sale today

By

Joel Joseph

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Aug 17, 2018

Huawei has transformed the Nova series into a powerful lineup featuring the flagship grade Kirin 970 inside along with 6GB of RAM. Naturally, the Nova 3 and the Nova 3i smartphones have been in high demand ever since its launch back on July 18. Now, He Gang, the head of Huawei’s mobile phone division reveals that the Nova 3 series (including Nova 3i) has crossed 2 million in shipments in just a month of its release. This goes on to reveal the popularity of the Nova 3 series in China.

It’s worth mentioning that the 2 million shipment figure given by Mr. Gang is just for the domestic market of China. The Nova 3 series have been officially launched in a number of other Asian countries, including the second largest smartphone market (Canalys report), India. However, the shipments in these markets have not yet been accounted for, which means that this figure is a lot higher when we include the international markets. Nova 3 series’ popularity in China is not surprising. Mr. Gang had revealed that 60 percent of Nova series sales were registered in China while the remaining 40 percent came from the international markets.

The new Nova 3 phones are particularly popular among the young generation, all thanks to its four camera bokeh equipped shooters in a beautiful 3D glass body. Even the smaller sibling, the Nova 3i boasts of a capable chipset, the new gen 12nm Kirin 710 that was announced a couple of months back. So, both the phones bring a lot of value for their competitive prices.

In related news, Nova 3 Acacia Red color is now up for sale in China, just in time for the Chinese Valentine’s Day. This beautiful red variant is only available in 6+128GB option and is priced at 2999 Yuan (~$436).

Buy Oppo Find X Smartphone For Just $839.99 On GeekBuying [Coupon Code]

By

Vinay Patel

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Aug 17, 2018

Renowned primarily for making smartphones, Oppo has been designing feature-laden phones that usually cost a bomb for quite some time now. Sticking to the tradition, the Chinese handset maker unveiled its long-awaited Find X smartphone earlier this year.

Much to the chagrin of cost-conscious buyers who aren’t willing to spend a lot of money on a smartphone, the Find X carries a steep price tag. In fact, the feature-laden phone would normally set you back $909.99 on GeekBuying, but that’s about to change.

Deemed as one of China’s best electronics online store, GeekBuying offers a wide selection of tablet PC, VR headset, RC quadcopter, TV Box and Android phones at the best price. Keeping in line with this, GeekBuying is now doling out a 1% discount on blue and red color versions of the Oppo Find X smartphone.

As a result, you can now buy the red color version of the Find X at a dropped price of $903.99, while the blue color version of the smartphone will set you back $904.99. But if that doesn’t impress you much, we’ll show how you can save a considerable amount of extra money at the time of checking out.

In order to save an additional $65 on the blue color version of the smartphone, all you need to do is apply coupon code NGSDHPEM while placing your order. This will bring your discounted grand total further down to just $839.99.

Likewise, you can get an additional $64 off on the red color version of the phone by using the aforesaid coupon at the time of placing your order. This will reduce your grand total to only $839.99.

You can follow this link in order to avail the discount before the promo ends and use the coupon code, which is also likely to expire soon.

Get 1% Off On Oppo Find X Smartphone

Preorder Xiaomi Youth Wireless Bluetooth Earphone For Just $17.49 On Banggood [Coupon Code]

By

Vinay Patel

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Aug 17, 2018

Looking for a top brand wireless Bluetooth earphone that doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket? Look no further. Xiaomi recently added the Youth Wireless Bluetooth Earphone to its impressive selection of headsets but more importantly, you can now buy it at a reduced price on Banggood.

The the new Mi Sports Bluetooth headset Youth Edition boasts a broad range of awe-inspiring features including an IPx4 water resistance rating, Bluetooth v4.1 connectivity, an impressive 11 hours battery life and a lightweight build weighing in at just 13.6 grams. Moreover, the headset draws its juices from a 120mAh battery that delivers a standby time of 260 hours.
Much to the delight of Xiaomi fans, the Mi Sports Bluetooth headset Youth Edition is currently up for pre-order, bearing a discounted price tag of just $24.99 on Banggood. The Chinese online store that guarantees the best bang for your buck is currently doling out a noteworthy 27% off on the headset’s original selling price of $33.99.

On top of that, you can apply coupon code cc466c in order to get an extra discount at the time of checking out. You can bring your already reduced grand total down to just $17.49 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon.

An absolute bargain at this price, the Mi Sports Bluetooth headset Youth Edition retains the design of its precursor that was launched in August last year. It features a slight tilt in order to fit the contour of the wearer’s ear and it can be adjusted at a 360-degree angle. The headset comes with a microphone, a play/ pause button and volume controls.

You can click here for more details and avail the discount which will be valid for the white as well as the black color versions for a limited period of time.

Get 27% Off On Xiaomi Youth Wireless Bluetooth Earphone

As the Nokia 6.1 Plus India launch nears, HMD Global ramps up teaser campaign

By

Jeet

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Aug 17, 2018

HMD Global, the Finnish company behind the Nokia smartphones, has scheduled a launch event in India on 21st August, where the company is likely to launch the Nokia 6.1 Plus, which is the rebranded global variant of the Nokia X6 launched in China.

Now, ahead of the August 21 launch event, the company has ramped up its teaser campaign. HMD Global’s Indian Twitter account posted another teaser which promises to launch the “most awaited phone.” The campaign is being operated under #BringItOn hashtag, building to the anticipation of the launch event.

However, it’s noteworthy that the company has not yet revealed which smartphone it plans to launch at the August 21 event but the phone in question is likely to be the Nokia 6.1 Plus, whose global rollout has already started. The support page of the phone went live on the Indian website in June.

The Nokia 6.1 Plus (aka Nokia X6) is the first smartphone from the Finnish company to feature a notch on the display. It features a 5.8-inch Full HD+ display with 2280 x 1080 pixels screen resolution, 19:9 aspect ratio and 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection.

Under the hood, the device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor, paired along with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. There’s a microSD card slot which enables users to further expand the phone’s storage capacity.

Coming to the photography department, the smartphone sports a dual camera setup, consisting of a 16-megapixel primary sensor with f/2.0 aperture and a 5-megapixel secondary camera sensor with f/2.4 aperture. On the front side, there’s a 16-megapixel camera with f/2.0 aperture for taking selfies and video calling

Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5, GPS / GLONASS, and USB Type-C. Running on Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box, the smartphone is fuelled by a 3,060mAh battery which also supports Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging.

The phone was launched in Taiwan and Hong Kong last month, for a price of HK$ 2,288 in Hong Kong, which roughly converts to $290. However, we are expecting a cheaper pricing in India to compete against the likes of Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1. In India, the device is expected to come in two color options — Blue and White.

(Source)

Realme launches official website, Realme 2 retail box leaks

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Aug 16, 2018

Realme, OPPO’s sub-brand, now has an official website. The website went live today and includes information about the brand.

According to the CEO of Realme, Sky Li, the brand is targeted at young people around the globe. Li used to be the head of the overseas market at OPPO before leaving OPPO officially.

While he does make it sound like Realme is a separate brand independent of OPPO, it actually isn’t. The company’s only phone at the moment, the Realme 1 has OPPO’s branding on it which confirms the fact that it is actually a sub-brand and not independent of its parent company. OPPO itself is one of the companies owned by BBK Electronics, who owns the Vivo and OnePlus brands.

Apart from the website that went live today, a photo of the manufacturer’s next phone, the Realme 2 leaked. Hours after that, another photo, this time of its retail box, also surfaced online. The image shows the phone will come in a red and white box with a large and bold “2” on top and the Realme brand at the bottom.

Sadly, the image doesn’t show if there are specs of the phone on the box. However, the image that leaked earlier today revealed the phone will have a notch, dual rear cameras, and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. It will surely sell for much higher than its predecessor but we believe it will still be priced under INR 20,000 (~$285).

(Source)

Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 Plus officially on sale for 1899 Yuan in Black ‘n Gold hues

By

Michele Ingelido

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Aug 16, 2018

Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 Plus went officially on sale in China just two days after the official announcement. The new Android tablet is being offered with a starting price tag of 1899 Yuan, which roughly translates into about $275 for the version with 64 GB of internal storage. The variant with 128 GB is available as well, but obviously with a higher price tag: 2099 Yuan, which roughly translates into about $305.

It is possible to choose between two color variants: Black and Gold. The new Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 Plus is the first Mi tablet since the Mi Pad 2 to come with a wide 10.1-inch display. The panel has a 16:10 aspect ratio, LCD technology and a Full HD+ resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels with rounded corners making it more elegant. The hardware side hides an octa-core Snapdragon 660 chipset by Qualcomm, not a flagship SoC but still a performing upper-midrange chipset.

It is paired with 4 GB of RAM and, as mentioned above, with 64 or 128 GB of internal storage. Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 Plus has a single rear camera with a 13 MP resolution and a 5 MP front camera with software-based and AI-backed facial recognition. Unlike the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S4, it also features a Home key which doubles as a fingerprint reader.

Oppo R17 unlocked via in-display fingerprint in hands-on video

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Aug 16, 2018

Just five months after the official announcement of the R15, this week Oppo unveiled a new upper-midrange device from the R line-up. Despite being released after just a few months, Oppo R17 is a decent upgrade over its predecessor. One of the most important improvements is with regards to its security: now, the latest handset from the R series packs an innovative in-display fingerprint reader. A solution which has been thought for devices with very narrow bezels which cannot include a fingerprint reader on the front side.

Thanks to a new hands on video, we can see the in-display fingerprint reader unlocking the Oppo R17 in a pretty fast and accurate way. The guy in the video touches the lower part of the display with its finger, it gets lightened up and the phone gets unlocked in less than a second. The innovative biometric sensor is clearly slower than traditional fingerprint readers, but it manages to stay pretty fast.

As you can see from the video, it has a minimal notch which only includes the front camera. Oppo R17 is the first smartphone to boast the octa-core Snapdragon 670 chipset by Qualcomm, an underclocked version of the Snapdragon 710 which runs at a max frequency of 2 GHz. Alongside the new chipset, there are whopping 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. The company has focused a lot on the camera department with a 16 and 20 MP dual rear camera (f/1.7 aperture) and a 25 MP front camera with a f/2.0 aperture.

The new Oppo R17 comes with a wonderful and clean glass back, as well as an aluminum frame. It has also been launched in stunning gradient hues (stream blue and neon purple). Its display is an OLED panel (the only kind of panel supported by in-display fingerprint readers) with a size of 6.4 inches and a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2220 pixels.

(via)

Sony Xperia XA3 flexes its muscles on Geekbench with SD660

By

Michele Ingelido

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Aug 16, 2018

A new Sony Xperia device identified by the codename H4493 has just been spotted on the known benchmarking platform Geekbench: it is supposed to be the upcoming Xperia XA3 or, more likely XA3 Plus given that it packs upper-midrange specs. According to the platform, the new handset boasts an octa-core Snapdragon 660 chipset by Qualcomm, which is currently the third powerful Qualcomm SoC in the midrange sector, after the new entrants Snapdragon 670 and Snapdragon 710.

It runs at a max frequency of 2.2 GHz and it is paired with 6 GB of RAM. If it is really the Sony Xperia XA3, it will be a big upgrade over its predecessors as the XA2 series came with the Snapdragon 630 chipset. As you would expect, the new device features Android 8 Oreo out of the box. The score obtained by the device in single-core performance is 853 points, while it has scored 4172 points in multi-core test. The XA3 was recently certified in China by TENAA regulatory agency with the codename H4413 (which makes us think that the above H4493 is indeed the Plus version).

However, the Chinese agency has not revealed any of its specs unlike most of the other certifications. According to a Japanese source, Sony Xperia XA3 will sport a display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and a Full HD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. Judging from the aspect ratio and the resolution of the panel, the company has decided once again not to include the notch on its upcoming midrange line-up, so don’t expect very narrow bezels like other notched handsets. The company has not confirmed when the phone will be launched yet. The XA2 series was officially announced at CES 2018, but according to rumors, this line-up may join the Xperia XZ3 at IFA 2018 which will kick off on August 31.

(via)

AGM sends out Death Note-themed invite for its launch event

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Aug 16, 2018

AGM is a China-based phone manufacturer known for its rugged smartphones. Unlike most rugged phones which have low-end specs, AGM phones usually sport more impressive and powerful specs. From AMOLED displays to Snapdragon processors to dual cameras and even NFC in some, you can tell they are not average rugged phones.

On August 29, the manufacturer will announce its new phone, the AGM X3. Based on its specs, the AGM X3 can rub shoulders with flagships from manufacturers like Huawei, Samsung, Xiaomi, and OnePlus. Ahead of the launch, AGM has sent out invites for the event and like Chinese manufacturers are known to do, they have decided to be creative about it.

Chinese blog, IT Home, has shared pictures of their copy of the invite which has a Death Note theme. Death Note is a popular manga series that was made into an anime TV series. It even has a couple of live-action films including one released on Netflix last year.

The invitation box contains a notebook just like the one from the series and poison vials. The poison vials have labels that read Hydrogen Cyanide and Ricin which are very lethal poisons. No, the vials do not contain actual poisons, AGM has instead filled them with bright-colored candy.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 9 lands in Taiwan, pricing starts at NT$30,900 ($1,005)

By

Jeet

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Aug 16, 2018

Earlier this month, Samsung launched its flagship smartphone under its Note-series — the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Now, the Galaxy Note 9 has landed in Taiwan, for a starting price of NT$30,900, which roughly converts to $1,005.

In Taiwan, the Galaxy Note 9 is now available for pre-order until August 20 and will start shipping from 24th August. While the 6GB RAM model costs NT$30,900 ($1,001), the 8GB RAM variant is priced at NT$38,900 ($1,265).

The 6GB RAM model will be available in three color options — Ocean Blue, Lavender Purple, and Metallic Purple. However, the 8GB RAM variant will come in only one color — Blue. The company has also announced a Black Desert Mobile Limited Edition that costs NT$31,400.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 features a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. It carries the same 1440 x 2960 pixels screen resolution, is HD10 compliant and also supports Always On Display. The display is also protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass on top.

Under the hood, the phone is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 845 octa-core processor or the company’s own Exynos 9810 chipset, depending on the region. The phone comes in two variants — one packing 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage and another with 8GB RAM and 512GB internal storage.

In the camera department, there’s a 12-megapixel primary camera with f/2.4-f/1.5 variable aperture and a 12-megapixel secondary sensor with f/2.4 aperture. On the front side, there’s an 8-megapixel sensor with f/1.7 aperture and wide-angle lens.

The device is IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. It also comes with stereo speakers tuned by AKG, and Dolby Atmos sound. Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, Bluetooth 5 (LE up to 2Mbps), GPS with GLONASS, USB 3.1, NFC, and MST.

The phone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo operating system with the company’s own Samsung Experience custom interface. It is fuelled by a 4,000mAh battery which is 20 percent bigger compared to Galaxy Note 8. It also comes with support for fast charging both on wired and wireless (WPC and PMA) charging.

In addition, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 comes with an improved S Pen which is the first Bluetooth-enabled digital pen. It can also be used as a remote shutter for the camera with a range of 10 meters. It has a battery power of about 30 minutes and can withstand up to 200 clicks.

The S Pen now has support for three inputs — short press, long press, and double press. The company says that it can be recharged in just 40 seconds by simply placing it in its holster cramp on the side of the phone.