Nokia X5 with notched display, Helio P60 Goes official with 999 Yuan (~$149) pricing

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Jul 18, 2018

HMD Global has introduced the Nokia X5 smartphone today through in China. It is second X series notched display smartphone after the Nokia X6 that was unveiled in May. Here is all the information that is available on the specifications and pricing of the Nokia X5.

Nokia X5 Specifications and Features

The Nokia X5 that has arrived in Night Black, Baltic Sea Blue and Glacier White color variants feature double-sided 2D glass with a polycarbonate frame in between. The rounded body design of the phone promotes comfortable grip. The handset measures 149.51 x 71.98 x 8.096mm and it weighs 160 grams.

The handset is fitted with a 5.86-inch screen that produces 19:9 aspect ratio and HD+ resolution of 1520 x 720 pixels. The notched display offers a screen-to-body ratio of 84-percent. There is an eye protection mode that helps in reducing eye strain by filtering out the blue light emitted by the screen.

The Nokia X5 features MediaTek Helio P60 SoC that promises high performance by consuming low power. It improves gaming performance by 70 percent and it is also equipped with AI-based power saving technology. It comes with an independent AI unit for handling AI tasks on the Nokia X5. The 32 GB and 64 GB storage respectively features 3 GB and 4 GB of RAM. There is a microSD card slot for additional storage. The handset includes a 3,060mAh battery.

The back panel of the Nokia X5 features f/2.0 aperture 13-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup that comes with features like dual-tone LED flash, HDR mode, PDAF, high-sensitivity depth-of-field lens, AI driven professional portrait photography mode and more. It is packed with a selfie camera of 8-megapixel with f/2.0 aperture that offers features like AI beauty, AI stickers, AI background blurring effect and dual-view shooting mode that allow users to use the front and rear cameras at the same time.

The front camera can be also used as face unlock feature. The rear panel of the smartphone is fitted with a fingerprint reader which can be used to authenticate payments apart from unlocking the phone.

The Nokia X5 is loaded with pure edition of Android 8.1 Oreo. The company has also confirmed that the X5 will be treated with Android 9.0 in future. The smartphone will be also provided with monthly security updates. The other features of the phone include USB-C, 3.5mm audio jack, dual-SIM support, Cat.4 LTE modem, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS and GLONASS.

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Nokia X5 Pricing and Availability

The Nokia X5 has arrived in China with a price tag of 999 Yuan (~$149) for 32 GB model whereas the cost of the 64 GB variant is 1,399 Yuan (~$208). The smartphone is now available for reservations on Chinese retailer sites like Suning, Jingdong, Tmall as well as Nokia Mobile app store. These platforms will begin the sales of the X5 by 10:05 AM (local time) tomorrow.

HMD Global is yet to confirm on the availability of the Nokia X5 outside of China. Rumors have revealed that it will be hitting the international markets as Nokia 5.1 Plus.

Sharp could be withdrawing from the Chinese smartphone market

By

Jeet

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Jul 18, 2018

Sharp, a Japan-based company re-entered the Chinese market in March last year. However, it seems that the company is again withdrawing from the market as it has removed all the content from its official Weibo account, which is China’s popular microblogging platform.

Also, the CEO of the company’s mobile phone division, Luo Zhongsheng’s designation stated on Weibo now says “senior communication digital blogger” and the last update from him was last month, further indicating that the company is leaving China’s market.

Since re-launching its smartphone business in China last year, the company has launched a few smartphones, including Aquos S2 and Aquos S3 Mini. But it appears that the public response to Sharp’s smartphones was not what the company expected.

If Shap is indeed shutting down operations in China, this won’t be the first time. Earlier, the Japanese company had shut down operations in China in the year 2005 and 2013. However, as stated, it announced its re-entry in China through Weibo in March 2017.

This development comes at a time when the Foxconn-owned Sharp is expected to launch in Europe this year but there is still no launch date announced yet. However, a complete lineup of the phones heading to the continent leaked online earlier this year.

Recently, two of those phones leaked with proper names instead of just model numbers, along with some official renders — Aquos C10 and Sharp B10. The company is also expected to launch a third phone called the Aquos D10 which is reported to be a rebranded version of the Aquos S3.

(Source)

Xiaomi Mi Max 3 vs. Mi Max 2 image leaked, and specifications compared

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jul 18, 2018

A leaked photo has surfaced today that shows the upcoming Xiaomi Mi Max 3 sitting besides its predecessor, the Mi Max 2 smartphone. The image shows that the form factor of the Mi Max 3 is quite similar to the predecessor and still it manages to offer a larger display. Also, newer reports have also revealed the differences between their specs.

Dimensions and Display

In the below image, the Mi Max 2 is placed on the left whereas its upcoming successor is seated on the right. The Mi Max 2 measures 174.1 x 88.7 x 7.6mm and it houses a 6.44-inch display with capacitive buttons on the lower bezel.

The TENAA listing of the Mi Max 3 has revealed that it will be a tall aspect ratio smartphone with an elongated form factor. Its dimensions are 176.2 x 87.4 x 8mm. The upper and lower bezels of the Mi Max 3 are reduced. Instead of capacitive buttons, the smartphone will feature on-screen buttons for navigation.

Performance: Battery, SoC and Variants

The Xiaomi Mi Max 2 includes a 5,300mAh capacity and it weighs 211 grams. The Mi Max 3 weighs 221 grams as it is packed with a 5,500mAh battery. Xiaomi has included support for Quick Charge 3.0 on the Mi Max 3, whereas the large battery of Mi Max 2 lacks support for fast charging.

Even though 14nm Snapdragon 625 is a power efficient SoC, the Mi Max 2 was criticized during its launch as it featured the same SoC that powered the original Mi Max smartphone from 2016. The new 14nm Snapdragon 636 SoC will be powering the Mi Max 3. As far as its performance is concerned, it is said to be on par with Snapdragon 820 SoC that were found under the hood of the flagship phones from 2016. The Mi Max 3 is also expected to include the new dual-band GPS technology feature for accurate navigation experience.

The 64 GB and 128 GB storage variants of the Mi Max 2 featured 4 GB of RAM. Few months after the launch of the Mi Max 2, Xiaomi had also launched its 32 GB storage + 4 GB RAM edition. The successor smartphone will be arriving in two RAM variants of 4 GB and 6 GB and they will respectively feature 64 GB and 128 GB of storage. The TENAA listing of the Mi Max 3 also includes a 32 GB model. Probably, the Chinese manufacturer may introduce it few months later.

Rear and Front Cameras

The Mi Max 2 has a 12-megapixel primary camera and a 5-megapixel front camera. The Mi Max 3 is the first Mi Max phone to include a dual camera setup. It will be arriving with Sony IMX363 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera module. The 8-megapixel frontal shooter on the Mi Max 3 will be equipped with soft light LED flash. A slew of AI-based functions such AI scene recognition, AI object identification, AI voice assistant and AI photography. Apart from fingerprint scanner that is also available on the Mi Max 2, the Mi Max 3 will be also equipped with AI driven facial recognition.

Pricing and Color Variants

The 64 GB and 128 GB storage editions of the Mi Max 2 were made available in 1,699 Yuan (~$253) and 1,999 Yuan pricing (~$298). The pricing of the 64 GB and 128 GB models of the Mi Max 3 are not known. The Mi Max 2 was launched in colors like black and gold. Apart from gold and black hues, the Mi Max 3 will be also arriving in a new blue colored variant.

What’s your opinion on the Mi Max 3? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

Huawei Nova 3i render, specs & pricing details appears via AliExpress listing

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jul 18, 2018

Huawei still has its groove on as regards the manufacture of beautifully designed smartphones both on the flagship and mid-range categories. The company is expected to take the wraps off the Nova 3 alongside the Nova 3i on July 26. We have already spotted the Nova 3 design and specs online. Now, it is the turn of the Nova 3i renders to make an entrance onto the scene along with the pricing and key configuration.

The Nova 3i render, memory configurations and their pricing details were reportedly outed by some sellers on AliExpress. According to the details, the Nova 3i will be available in a 4GB + 64GB storage priced at $480 (about 3,216 yuan). There is also a 6GB + 64GB memory variant which will come with a slightly higher $520 (~3,484 yuan) price tag. Both versions will be available in four colors: white, black, red and purple. There is even talk of a 4GB + 128GB version.

One of the major details we can take out from the outed renders of the Nova 3i is the lack of a notch design on the display. The device keeps up with the full-screen 18:9 display design. In Addition, the device will ship with the new Hisilicon Kirin 710 chipset. On the camera end, the Huawei Nova 3i packs a dual rear-mounted dual camera setup comprising a 16MP + 2MP combo. The device will also hold a dual camera setup at the front which is a 24MP + 2MP combo. Thankfully, the device is among Huawei’s models that will feature support for GPU Turbo. The Huawei model will be fuelled by a 3340mAh battery. Quite interesting is the fact that the device is not listed as a pre-order but actually available to buy right away.

(source)

Buy Xiaomi Mi Band 3 Smart Wristband For Just $26.89 On Banggood [Coupon Code]

By

Vinay Patel

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Jul 18, 2018

After floating around the rumor mill for a long time, the Xiaomi Mi Band 3 was finally unveiled earlier this year. Previously surfaced reports suggested that the smart bracelet will boast an array of awe-inspiring features, and much to the delight of Xiaomi fans the Mi Band 3 did not disappoint.

Sporting a big 0.78 inch OLED touchscreen, the Mi Band 3 surpasses its precursor, the well-received Mi Band 2 in several features, design, and usability. On top of that, the Mi Band 3 retains all key features such as measuring heart rate and counting steps while offering the ability to answer calls.

Following in the footsteps of the ultra-affordable Xiaomi Mi Band 2, the recently unveiled Mi Band 3 smartwatch doesn’t come bearing a steep price tag. However, bearing its skyrocketing demand in mind, Banggood is giving fitness fanatics who are on a tight budget an opportunity to buy the Mi Band 3 at a slashed price of just $39.99.

This is a noteworthy 33% reduction in the Mi Band 3’s original asking price of $59.99. This discount is currently valid only for the black color version of the smart bracelet.

The Mi Band 3 is a highly useful smart bracelet that can keep a track of steps taken, distance moved, calories burned, total sleep, heart rate and a slew of other activities. More importantly, it can track these actions over the past day, week, and even month.

Moreover, you’ll be able to pay wireless with the Mi Band 3 as it features a version with NFC chip. Its guarantees 20 days of battery life and comes with interchangeable straps in different colors.

But if that doesn’t impress you much, you can use coupon code ‘3mibandd’ to further reduce your grand total to just $26.89. In other words, you can save an extra $13.31 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon. Follow this link to take advantage of the discount.

Get 33% Off On Xiaomi Mi Band 3 Smart Wristband On Banggood

Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 4G Phablet For Only $189.99 On GearBest [Coupon Code]

By

Vinay Patel

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Jul 18, 2018

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 was launched in February this year. It boasts an array of awe-inspiring specs and features that make it an irresistible phablet despite carrying a steep price tag.

You’d ideally need to shell out a fortune to buy the Redmi Note 5. As a result, smartphone lovers who are on a tight budget have been waiting with bated breath to get their hands on the power-packed phablet.

The Redmi Note 5 4G phablet features a big 5.99 inches FHD+ display with a screen resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. It is housed in a sturdy aluminum alloy body which is further augmented with a 2.5D curved glass.

Furthermore, the device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Octa Core 1.8GHz processor and it packs an Adreno 509 GPU, under the hood. The global edition offers 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage.

Longtime Xiaomi fans and smartphone enthusiasts finally have their prayers answered in the form of a 13% discount on the Redmi Note 5 4G phablet’s steep retail price. The significant reduction is offered by GearBest, and it will be valid for the black color version of the phablet.

The Chinese online store is also doling out a 14% off on the golden, and 11% off on the day sky blue color versions of the phablet, bringing their retail price down to just $229.99. The black color variant of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 phablet with 4GB RAM 64GB ROM is also up for grabs bearing a slashed price tag of $229.99.

On top of that, you can use coupon code ‘IT$MPN564’ to further reduce your grand total to just $189.99. In other words, you can save an additional $40 during the checkout process without breaking much of a sweat.

It is worth noting the deal price will be valid for only 100 units, and the aforesaid coupon is slated to expire on July 22nd. If you’re interested in taking advantage of the discount, simply follow this link.

Get 15% Off On Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 4G Phablet On GearBest

Sony Xperia XZ3 specs and price appears on online retailer site

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jul 18, 2018

Sony has just confirmed that it will be present at the IFA 2018 tech trade show in Berlin, Germany on Aug. 30. It is speculated that the company may announce Xperia XZ3, Xperia XZ3 Compact and Xperia XZ3 Premium (or Xperia XZ2 Pro) on the said date. Since the last month, the rumor mill is leaking information on the Xperia XZ3 and XZ3 Premium. Surprisingly, UK based online retailer MobileFun has jumped the gun by listing the Xperia XZ3 for pre-orders well before its official announcement. The listing contains an official render, specifications and pricing.

According to the specs sheet of Xperia XZ3 on the retailer site, it will be arriving with a 5.7-inch display that will carry support for Full HD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. This indicates that it will be sporting an 18:9 aspect ratio screen like the Xperia XZ2. The Snapdragon 845 SoC is present under the hood of the Xperia XZ3 along with 6 GB of RAM. It has an internal storage of 64 GB. For additional storage, it is equipped with a microSD card slot. The handset receives power from a 3,240mAh battery.

For photography, the Xperia XZ3 is fitted with 19-megapixel + 12-megapixel dual camera setup and a frontal shooter of 13-megapixel. Previous leaks have suggested that the XZ3 will be featuring the very same dual camera module and front-facing camera that is available on the Xperia XZ2 Premium. The exact version of Android is not mentioned, but it is very likely to run on Android 8.1 Oreo. The Mobile Fun listing also says that the XZ3 measure 10.1mm in thickness and weighs 198 grams which sounds untrue.

The listing also contains an image which actually belongs to the Xperia XZ2 Premium. The unlocked 64 GB Xperia XZ3 is now available for pre-orders with a pricing of 749 pounds (~$981) inc. VAT. It is available in black color. The listing allows users to add the phone to basket and it also leads to the payment page.

TechRadar that was first to spot the Xperia XZ3’s listing claims that a Mobile Fun spokesperson has said that the information about the phone was received through its supply chain. As far as pricing is concerned, the spokesperson said that the retailer site will be listing the handset with the same price in the UK.

(source|via)

Buy Original XGIMI H1 DLP Projector For Only $768.99 On GearBest

By

Vinay Patel

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Jul 18, 2018

More and more people now fancy using mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets or notebooks for a bulk of their media consumption. A projector is better than a huge traditional TV when it comes to big-screen viewing, and XGIMI’s H1 DLP is a better choice than a slew of other projectors that are currently available in the market.

Housed in a compact Bluetooth speaker-sized body, the XGIMI H1 is capable of delivering a mammoth 300-inch display with flawless details thanks to its physical resolution technology that enables 1920 x 1080 true resolutions. Even during the day, H1 DLP projector delivers an awe-inspiring viewing experience using its 900 ANSI lumens.

While the feature-laden H1 DLP projector is nothing short of outstanding, it comes bearing a steep price tag. But much to the delight of cost-conscious buyers who have been waiting to get their hands on the H1 DLP projector with bated breath, GearBest is now offering a considerable 24% off on the power-packed projector as part of its latest Flash Sale.
As a result, cinephiles that are on a tight budget can get their hands on the H1 DLP projector at a lowered price of just $768.99. Note that the discount will be valid only on the black color version of the device.

The H1 DLP projector runs Android 5.1 Lolipop OS and supports a broad range of Android applications. It adopts the DLP technology to provide stable images, while its top-notch hardware makes sure it accommodates all your video, apps and gaming needs.

If you’re interested in checking out the full specification and taking advantage of the discount, just head straight to this link. It is worth noting that the Flash Sale price will only be valid for the remaining 17 pieces and the promo is slated to end on July 23rd.

Get 24% Off On Original XGIMI H1 DLP Projector On GearBest

Xiaomi Mi Max 3 specifications confirmed by Xiaomi President Lin Bin; Pricing also teased [Updated]

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jul 18, 2018

Yesterday, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun had revealed the official renders of the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 that is all set to go get announced on July 19. Today, Xiaomi President Lin Bin has revealed the main specs of the Mi Max 3 through his Weibo account. He has claimed that it will come with enhanced screen, battery, SoC and cameras compared to the Mi Max 2 from 2017.

The Xiaomi Mi Max 2 came with 6.44-inch display with 16:9 aspect ratio. Its other specs incl28ude 5,300mAh battery, 14nm Snapdragon 625 chipset, 12-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

The above image shows that the Mi Max 3 will be arriving with a massive display of 6.9 inches that supports an aspect ratio of 18:9. It will be housing a larger battery of 5,500mAh capacity. The Chinese manufacturer has also included support for Quick Charge 3.0 to ensure fast charging for the mammoth battery.

The 14nm Snapdragon 636 SoC will be powering the Mi Max 3. It will be the first Mi Max series smartphone to feature dual rear cameras. Lin Bin has confirmed that the Mi Max 3 will be arriving with 12-megpixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup. The primary sensor will offer features like 1.4μm pixels and Dual Pixel autofocus.

The Xiaomi Mi Max 3 will be arriving with a soft-light LED flash enabled 8-megapixel camera on the front for shooting selfies. It will be also coming with a slew of AI features such as AI facial recognition, bokeh effect, 206 kinds of scene detection, object recognition and voice assistant.

Also Read: This is the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 in all its glory (HD images)

It is speculated that the Snapdragon 710 SoC will be present on the higher version of the Mi Max 3. However, there is no official confirmation on it yet. One of the recently released teasers of the Mi Max 3 suggests that it will feature dual-band GPS technology for accurate location tracking. This feature was first introduced on the Xiaomi Mi 8 flagship phone. As the above photo reveals, the Mi Max 3 will be available in an additional color of Blue apart from Black and Gold.

Update: Xiaomi has shared a following teaser to guess on the pricing of the Mi Max 3. Last year, the Mi Max 2 was launched in two models like 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage with respective pricing of 1,699 Yuan (~$253) and 1,999 Yuan (~$298). The below image also confirms that there will be two variants of the smartphone such as 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage. Probably, the below teaser suggest that the pricing of the highest storage variant may not exceed 1,999 Yuan (~$298). Xiaomi will be confirming on the pricing of the Mi Max 3 tomorrow at 10 AM (local time).

What’s your opinion on the specs of the Xiaomi Mi Max 3? Do you think it is a worthy upgrade over the Mi Max 2? What could be the pricing of the 4 GB and 6 GB RAM variants of the smartphone? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(source)

Buy Teclast M89 Tablet At A Slashed Price Of Just $144.99 On Banggood [Coupon Code]

By

Vinay Patel

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Jul 18, 2018

Teclast made its long-awaited M89 tablet available to the public in May this year. The feature-laden device garnered significant popularity among tech buffs that have restlessly been waiting for a high-end tablet that doesn’t carry a steep price tag.

The Teclast M89 would normally set you back a pretty penny but you can get your hands on the coveted tablet at a reduced price of just $149.99 on Banggood. The site that guarantees the best bang for your buck is doling out a noteworthy 21% off on the tablet’s original asking price of $189.99.

Despite bearing a heavily discounted price, the Teclast M89 is an outstanding tablet that sports a big 7.9 inch 10-point OGS sharp screen display with a screen resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels that delivers an unparalleled visual experience. Moreover, the tablet is housed in a robust aluminum alloy body.

The M89 packs a powerful MTK8176 Hexa Core 1.7GHz, up to 2.1GHz processor along with an equally robust IMG PowerVR GX6250, 700MHz GPU, under the hood. The device offers 3GB of RAM and a hearty 32GB of onboard storage so that you never run out of space for storing your photos, videos, and other documents.

On the photography front, it houses an 8-megapixel camera on the back. Upfront, there’s a 5-megapixel camera for selfies and face-to-face video chatting.

The Teclast M89 tablet runs Android 7.0 Nougat operating system and is backed by a non-removable 4,840mAh lithium-ion polymer battery. On top of that, it is crammed with all sorts of useful sensors such as G-sensor.

Aside from taking advantage of the aforesaid discount, you can save a considerable amount of more money simply by using the coupon code ’81ab53′ during the checkout process. This will help you save an additional $5 and bring your grand total further down to just $144.99.

You can follow this link in order to use this coupon code before it expires. It is also worth noting that the Teclast M89 tablet will go back to its retail price as soon as the promo comes to an end.

Get 21% Off On Teclast M89 Tablet On Banggood

OnePlus 6 DxOMark Score Is Out: Pretty Impressive

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jul 17, 2018

If you are among those yearning for DXOMark’s review of the OnePlus 6 camera, here you have it. OnePlus 6 DxOMark Score indeed confirms the device’s company’s main goal of designing smartphones that would balance high-end quality with a lower price than other phones in its class. The OnePlus 6 doesn’t disappoint in its design as it packs a premium build combined with a flagship specs configuration including a Snapdragon 845 chipset. The DXOMark rating indeed shows the device is an affordable powerhouse.

Worthy of note is that the OnePlus 6 performed better than the Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone 8 Plus but is behind the iPhone X by just a single point. You’ll better understand how impressive the score is when the OP6 price is compared with that of the iPhone 8 Plus or Galaxy Note 8. The OnePlus 6 starts at around €520.

The OnePlus 6 polls an awesome 100 points in the photography aspect which covers tests on areas such as autofocus, color, and exposure. The device also maintains a well-balanced approach to detail retention and noise levels. DXOMark notes that the OP6 dual lens bokeh and zoom performance was lower than devices with a dedicated telephoto lens. The OnePlus 6 may have performed far better than its ranking if not for the rather lower 87 points for video. The video camera has a fast autofocus too but also efficient stabilization and low noise levels. However, it’s not without its faults – it oversharpened the image and worse, it didn’t do it consistently with the sharpness varying between frames.

The full camera review can be found on DXOMark’ website (source link). You can as well check out our complete OnePlus 6 review including the camera.

(source)

This is the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 in all its glory (HD images)

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jul 17, 2018

Xiaomi will take the wraps off the Mi Max 3 on Thursday, July 19. The Mi Max series is known for its large displays and this year’s version is no different. However, the switch to an 18:9 aspect ratio means the Mi Max 3 will have a smaller footprint even though it has a larger display.

Ahead of the release tomorrow, new photos of the device have leaked online and they are the sharpest we have seen so far, therefore providing the highest level of detail. One of the images also shows the “About Phone” section of the device which gives us the chance to confirm some of its specs.

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The Mi Max 3 in the photos is the gold variant and it has white front bezels. The bezels have been significantly shrunk and it makes the phone easier to hold. The bottom bezel is bare and the top is home to three holes and the earpiece. While two of those holes are housing the sensors (proximity and light) and the front camera, the third hole is most likely home to a front flash, a first for the series.

The back of the device is equally interesting. The phone has the same U-shaped antenna lines as the Mi Max 2 and a fingerprint placed in the middle. Where it differs is in the number and position of cameras. The Mi Max 3 will come with dual cameras – 12MP + 5MP arranged vertically and sharing a single housing with the LED flash.

A sticker on the rear of the device also shows that the phone will have support for dual SIM cards. However, you will have to choose between using two SIM cards or a single SIM card and a MicroSD card.

Continue

MediaTek Helio A22 Quad-Core 12nm SoC launched for mid-market devices

By

Jeet

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Jul 17, 2018

Following the success of its P-series and S-series chipsets, Taiwanese semiconductor company MediaTek has launched yet another chipset series — Helio A series, which is aimed at “mid-market”. The first chipset in the series is Helio A22 which looks like a cheaper counterpart of the previously launched Helio P22 SoC.

The MediaTek Helio A22 is an entry-level SoC which comes with a simple quad-core A53 design. It seems like the Helio A22 a successor of the MT6738/MT6739. It is also clear that the company is planning to phase out the MTxxxx product numbers and replace it with X/P/A series, making its SoC lot clearer about which market and performance segments it’s meant to fit.

As said, it has Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A53 CPUs with MediaTek CorePilot and flexible LPDDR3/LPDDR4x memory controller. It will be paired with Imagination PowerVR GE8320 GPU, a single cluster GPU design that was released last year. It supports HD+ screen with 1600 x 720 pixels resolution and 20:9 aspect ratio as well as 13MP + 8MP dual camera setup or a single 21MP sensor.

Manufactured using TSMC‘s 12nm process, the company claims that the CPU performance is up to 30 percent faster and GPU up to an incredible 72 percent faster than the direct alternative, which should be the Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 425 SoC.

It also comes with a few AI-based enhancements such as Face ID (or Face Unlock) and smart photo albums. There’s also MediaTek NeuroPilot support, which allows developers and device makers to have the best possible AI-ecosystem, with support for common AI frameworks and full compliance with Android Neural Networks API.

For cellular networking, the Helio A22 will support LTE Category 7 downloads and Category 13 uploads, allowing for download rates upwards of 300Mbps and upload rates of 150Mbps. It is a dual-SIM product and supports VoLTE on both networks. As for the Bluetooth, it supports Bluetooth 5.0. MediaTek will be offering a cheaper version of the A22 SoC with LTE Category 4 support that doesn’t require carrier aggregation.

The first smartphone running on MediaTek’s Helio A22 chipset has already been launched. Xioami’s Redmi 6A is powered by Helio A22 SoC, which is currently retailing in China for 699 Yuan, which roughly converts to $106. More entry-level smartphones powered by this chipset are expected to launch this year and next year.

OnePlus 5 / 5T get new OxygenOS Open Betas with Google Lens support

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jul 17, 2018

A new update for OnePlus 5 and 5T has been rolled out in the Open Beta program. We are talking about the Open Beta 14 for the first device and the Open Beta 12 for the newest one. They are not big updates but they are still important as they improve the camera quality by trying to fix an annoying issue, and they also bring a new exciting feature.

Starting from the improvements, the update aims at reducing the oil painting effect which has been at the center of complaints in the last period. After this update, photos on the OnePlus 5 and 5T should be clearer in every scenario. Further, the update brings the Google Lens mode to both the handsets. It is possible to download the update either through the stock OTA manager or the Oxygen Updater application.

Obviously, you can get it only if you adhered to the Open Beta program and it is not a stable and final build. Several betas are being pushed on the OnePlus 5 and 5T in the past few weeks. Among the most important ones, there is the one which recently brought the support to Project Treble which allows for faster updates by dividing the operating system into a core framework and company’s customizations.

(Via)

Hi-res render of Galaxy Note 9 surfaces: yellow stylus, blue phone

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jul 17, 2018

A new render of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has been leaked online. Posted on Twitter by Evan Blass, the photo shows the rear and front of the device as well as the new S Pen.

One of the biggest changes coming to the Galaxy Note series is the stylus officially referred to as the S Pen. Not only is the one in the image having a different color from the phone itself, it will also have Bluetooth LE and a bunch of new features. The S Pen is also reported to charge within the phone itself.

In terms of design, not much seems to have changed from last year’s Galaxy Note8 but that isn’t to say there are no differences. The first major difference is the position of the fingerprint scanner which is now right under the cameras instead of to the right. This makes it easier to reach.

The dual cameras are also of different sizes. As shown in the image, the sensor on the right is significantly bigger than the one on the left. To the right of the camera sensors is a LED flash and blood pressure sensor.

Continue

Sony confirms new product launch at IFA 2018, likely Xperia XZ3 and XZ3 Compact

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jul 17, 2018

IFA is one of the most important tech-related events of the year and many of the major smartphone brands take part in this event to announce some of their most important products. Sony usually takes advantage of the conference in Berlin to unveil new flagships from the XZ series, and it seems that the same will happen at IFA 2018. The Japanese company has already started sending invites for the upcoming event and it has confirmed that it will hold a press conference in which a new product will be unveiled. The conference will take place on August 30 at 1 PM CET (IFA 2018 will last from August 30 to September 5).

The most reliable hypotheses obviously suggest that the new Sony Xperia XZ3 line-up will be the leading star of the press conference. Last year, the company announced the XZ2 series at IFA, composed of the standard variant and the XZ2 Compact. This year we may see Sony Xperia XZ3 and XZ3 Compact. Until now, no official info has surfaced about this line-up, but we have several leaks suggesting some of its most important specs. The flagship has already been spotted on Geekbench with the model number H8526.

If the leak is to be believed, the phone will be powered by the new Snapdragon 855 chipset by Qualcomm, that is the best mobile chipset from Qualcomm (yet to hit the market). According to Geekbench, the device has 8 GB of RAM. With such hardware, the XZ3 would be the best smartphone in the market in terms of performance, at least on the paper. The handset has also registered impressive scores: 3033 points in single core performance and 10992 points in multi core. From what rumors suggest, it might be the first phone with the 5G connectivity, despite the first 5G-powered devices are expected in 2019.

(Via)

Vivo keeps improving NEX’s in-display fingerprint reader with a new update

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jul 17, 2018

Vivo NEX belongs to the third series of mobile phones by Vivo sporting a comfortable and futuristic in-display fingerprint reader. However, in-display fingerprint readers based on the chip released by Synaptics in late 2017 are not as fast and accurate as the traditional optical fingerprint readers. But do not worry: Vivo is continuously working on improving the performance of its in-screen fingerprint reader. After a first update released days ago, a new update is seeding on the latest flagship. According to reports, it has a size of 301.07 MB and it includes improvements for the in-display fingerprint reader of the Vivo NEX S and A.

An official changelog has been released alongside the update and it mentions optimizations to fingerprint recognition logic to improve fingerprint recognition efficiency. The update brings the number of version of Funtouch OS (Vivo’s own Android fork) to 1.16.5 and the improvements to the fingerprint scanner are not the only ones present in the changelog. System performance and stability have been improved as well, so you should get a smoother and more stable experience while using your device. Further, there are optimizations to the compatibility of the operating system with third-party apps, as well as improvements to the Bluetooth compatibility and stability while the phone is connected to a car.

Jovi virtual assistant based on AI has been updated too. In detail, the wake-up system and the AI scene recognition have been improved, as well as the processing of portrait light effects. Further, there are optimizations to the beauty mode, internet performance, and network adaptability. And this is not the only update released since the phone was launched: the previous one brought Funtouch OS to v1.15.7 with a size of 95.23 MB.

(via)

HydrogenOS 5.1.11 brings a bunch of improvements to the OnePlus 6

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jul 17, 2018

OnePlus devices sold in China come with HydrogenOS instead of OxygenOS. It doesn’t have Google apps and services bundled with it, but most times new features available on HydrogenOS always make their way to OxygenOS. A new update is available for the OnePlus 6 and it brings a ton of improvements OxygenOS users may want to look forward to.

The new update has version number 5.1.11 and is about 1.8GB in size. It also brings July’s security patch. Below are some of the improvements:

System

Fixed issues with accidental touches triggering gestures.
General bug fixes and improvements.
Added sleep standby optimization.

Camera

Improved image quality.
Added beauty mode for selfie portraits.

Wireless and networks

Optimized stability for Wi-Fi connection.
Optimized gaming experience in dual 4G networks.
Fixed stability issues with Bluetooth connection for cars.

We expect the OnePlus 6 running OxygenOS to get an update in the near future that brings some if not all of these improvements.

(Source)

Stunning Meizu 16 first camera sample shared by Meizu’s CEO

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jul 17, 2018

Meizu‘s CEO Huang Zhang has been the major source of details concerning the upcoming Meizu 16 flagship. The CEO shares details of the device almost every week on Meizu’s forum but suddenly ceased doing that last week. While fans were left wondering why the lull, Huang Zhang has returned with more details for the flagship 16. This time around he shares some photos captured while he and his family were on vacation. You guessed right, the photos were captured using the Meizu 16 camera.

This happens to be the second time the CEO is sharing sample photo suspected to be of the Meizu 16. At the beginning of July, a sample photo was shared by Mr Zhang but it turned out the photo wasn’t captured using the 16. However, Mr Zhang again shared another photo today which he confirmed was shot using the flagship device. The EXIF data of the photo confirms it was shot using the Meizu 16. The indoor sample photo looks pretty impressive with a high level of accuracy in colour reproduction and the clarity is vivid.

Meizu is yet to reveal when the device will be officially unveiled but the CEO had hinted earlier that the device will be launched on August 16. That is yet to get an official confirmation via poster or launch invitation. Whenever the device arrives, we expect a Snapdragon 845 chipset onboard among others. The Meizu 16 series is also expected to include the Meizu 16, Meizu 16 Plus, and Meizu X8.

(source)

Vivo V1732BA and VivoV1732BT hit TENAA with single rear camera and notched displays

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jul 17, 2018

Two new Vivo phones with model numbers V1732BA and V1732BT have been seen on TENAA. Both phones share almost identical specs that put them in the mid-range category.

The Vivo V1732BA and V1732BT have 6.22-inch 1520 x 720 displays. That resolution translates into a 19:9 aspect ratio which means both phones have a notch.

They are both powered by a 2.0GHz octa-core processor paired with 3GB of RAM. Where they differ is in the amount of built-in storage. The Vivo V1732BA has 64GB of storage while the Vivo V1732BT has 32GB of storage space. You will be able to add extra storage to both models.

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On the rear, there is a single camera on both phones. TENAA says it is a 13MP sensor while a 5MP sensor sits in front. They also have a 3180mAh battery and run Android 8.1 Oreo.

With respect to design, the Vivo V1732BA and the Vivo V1732BT have metal bodies with visible U-shaped antenna lines at the top and bottom. None of them packs a fingerprint scanner which isn’t surprising anymore. Vivo and its sister company, OPPO, have released a couple of phones this year without a fingerprint scanner. However, they all have face unlock which is what we expect for these two as well.

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