Huawei Talkband B5 with AMOLED display and pop-out Bluetooth headset announced

By

-

Jul 11, 2018

Huawei has introduced its latest wearable device — Huawei Talkband B5 as the successor of the Talkband B3 that was launched in the year 2016. The device was leaked online a couple of days ago, revealing what to expect from it.

Now, the Huawei Talkband B5 has been officially announced by the company and has also been listed on its website. Currently available for pre-order via Vmall in China, the device’s pricing will be revealed on 18th July and will go on sale in China from 20th July.

It comes with a 1.13-inch AMOLED touchscreen display with 2.5D curved glass and 300 × 160 pixels resolution. The display is about 2.4 times bigger than its predecessor. The Talkband B5 is a 2-in-1 device that can be used as a fitness tracker as well as a single-ear Bluetooth headset.

When attached to the wristband, it can be used as a fitness tracker, but when detached, it becomes a single-ear Bluetooth headset which can be used to take calls. The pop-up Bluetooth headset has a trip-core audio chip with high-definition voice and dual microphone with noise reduction. It has caller ID support, call mute function as well as speed dial option.

It also comes with Huawei TruRelax Technology that analyses heart rate variability and accesses the user’s stress status. Further, the device offers breath training for relaxing. The Huawei TruSleep 2.0 uses cardiopulmonary coupled dynamics spectrum (CPC) to monitor complete sleep structure including deep sleep (REM). It analyzes the sleep pattern of the user and also offers personalized sleep recommendations.

The Huawei TruSeen 2.0 heart rate technology offers 24-hour continuous heart monitoring when running, walking, cycling and more activities. Along with step counting, calorie calculation, and distance measurement, it also enables users to set up a running plan based on heart rate evaluation, V02max, recovery time suggestion and more.

The device also comes with IP67 ratings for dust and water resistance. The Talkband B5 connects via Bluetooth 4.2 to devices that are running Android 4.4+ and iOS 9.0 and above.

The Huawei TalkBand B5 comes in Sports Edition with strap in three colors — Ash, Black and Brown color. On the other hand, the Business Edition comes with a metal strap. There are also optional 18mm straps in silicone, leather and stainless steel for a premium look.

Huawei P9 starts getting Android Oreo update contradicting company’s earlier claims

By

Jeet

-

Jul 11, 2018

Last month, Huawei Support UK had stated that the Huawei P9 smartphone, which was launched in the year 2016, would not be receiving the Android 8.0 Oreo update and the company cited hardware limitations as the reason for the same.

However, it seems that the information provided by the company was incorrect as Huawei has now confirmed that the Android Oreo update for the Huawei P9 is rolling out in its home market. The phone was launched with Android 6.0 Marshmallow and has received Android Nougat update.

But the company had earlier decided not to release Android Oreo for the Huawei P9 stating that the hardware limitations may lead to issues such as “system built-in function failure, device freezing, and power consumption increase.”

The company has now started rolling out the update in China in phases and will be available for all P9 users in China by 15th July. However, the update is not yet available outside China but we expect the update to be available soon in other markets as well.

The new update brings EMUI 8.0 custom user interface along with a bunch of new features such as Picture-in-Picture mode, improved notifications handling, among others.

The update is done using the membership app, which is similar to the OTA upgrade version in terms of functionality, stability, and compatibility. With this, the total number of Huawei models that have been successfully upgraded to Android 8.0 based EMUI 8 to 20.

Prior to releasing EMUI 8.0 update for 7 devices from Huawei, the company had pushed updates for 13 old models which include the Huawei P10, P10 Plus, Honor 9, Honor V9, Honor 8 Youth edition, Honor 7X, Huawei Nova, Nova 2, Nova 2 Plus, Maimang 6, among others.

Nokia X5 price leaks shortly before official release

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jul 11, 2018

The Nokia X5 is set to launch in a few hours in China. The smartphone will be the second from HMD Global to sport a notch. Just before the official announcement, the price of the phone has leaked.

A photo that appears to be from the official Nokia Mobile Chinese website has revealed that the Nokia X5 will cost ¥799 (~$120)! Yes, you read that right. This is most likely the starting price for the device.

The Nokia X5, according to TENAA, will come in 3GB, 4GB, and 6GB RAM variants with 32GB and 64GB of storage. So, ¥799 doesn’t seem like a bad price for the 3GB RAM + 32GB model.

At this price, the Nokia X5 will compete with Xiaomi’s Redmi 6, Redmi 6 Pro, and even the Redmi S2. And if it does come with an Helio P60 processor, it is easy to see which phone is the winner here.

Continue

Galaxy Tab S4 press renders leaks, has redesigned S Pen

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jul 11, 2018

Samsung will soon announce a new member for its Galaxy Tab S series. Called the Galaxy Tab S4, it will be its most powerful tablet as it will come with a Snapdragon 835 processor.

Ahead of its official release, which is still unknown at the moment, though there are speculations it may launch with the Galaxy Note 9, press renders of the device has surfaced. The images were leaked on Twitter by Evan Blass (@evleaks) and they show the device, a Bluetooth keyboard, and even the S Pen.

The first image shows the Galaxy Tab S4 sitting in a black keyboard case. Beside the setup, is the S Pen in silver. The tablet has two speaker grilles at the top (side) along with a microphone. We can’t see the bezel at the far end clearly, which is likely the bottom bezel, but there doesn’t seem to be a physical home button there.

Another image shows the rear of the tablet, this time without the case. There is a single camera and a LED flash sitting in the upper middle part. A few centimeters below is the Samsung logo and inscribed at the bottom are the words “Tuned by AKG”. There is also the S Pen leaning against the tab.

The final image shows the S Pen of the Galaxy Tab S3 (L) and that of the Galaxy Tab S4 (R) side by side. The image shows us that Samsung has redesigned the stylus. As you can see, the S Pen is now rounded right from the top down to the tip. The button on the side is also slimmer. There is also a silver band in the middle with a perpendicular line. We can’t say if this is a second button but it appears to have a small LED too.

Galaxy Tab S3 S Pen (L) and Galaxy Tab S4 S Pen (R)

Continue

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 render reveals disappointing front design

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jul 11, 2018

Blurry images, case renders, leaked photos of the OLED panel and renders based on known information have surfaced in the recent reports to reveal the front design of the Samsung’s upcoming flagship phone, the Galaxy Note 9. Today, Android Headlines has shared a clearer render of the front panel of the smartphone. The publication claims that it had received the image through a reliable source which claimed that it is an official render of the Note 9.

As it can be seen in the image, the Galaxy Note 9 looks very similar to the predecessor Galaxy Note 8 smartphone. It continues to feature the same Infinity Display design that offers an aspect ratio of 18.9:5 aspect ratio like the other flagship phones from Samsung. The S-AMOLED screen of the phone is curved towards the right and left edges. The bottom bezel is barren, while the upper bezel is packed with multiple sensors like earpiece, selfie camera, iris scanner and some other sensors. The placement of these sensors is almost same as Galaxy Note 8.

The power key is positioned on the right side of the phone. The volume rocker is on the left and below it is the Bixby button. Like the predecessor model, the pocket for the S Pen stylus could be available on the bottom edge of the phone.

As previous reports have revealed, the repositioned fingerprint scanner could be the only major design change on the Note 9. The Note 8 has the fingerprint scanner placed alongside the horizontal dual rear cameras. There is no fresh image that reveals the rear design of the phone. However, recent leaks have revealed that the fingerprint scanner of the Note 9 could be placed below the dual camera setup.

As far as specs are concerned, the rumor mill has already that the smartphone would be housing a 6.38-inch S-AMOLED screen that supports QHD+ resolution of 2960 x 140 pixels. Some markets are expected to receive the Snapdragon 845 SoC edition of the Note 9, while others may receive its Exynos 9810 variant. It is expected to arrive with 6 GB of RAM and an internal storage of 64 GB or 128 GB.

There is a possibility that Samsung may also launched an 8 GB RAM variant with 256 GB or 512 GB storage. It is expected to arrive with dual 12-megapixel cameras on its rear that will be enabled with support for variable aperture. It is likely to feature a frontal shooter of 8-megapixel.

The Galaxy Note 9 is rumored to house a massive battery of 4,000mAh battery. The S Pen of the smartphone is pegged to arrive with support for Bluetooth connectivity. It is likely to arrive in five color options such as Midnight Black, Cora Blue, Orchid Gray, Teddy Brown and Titanium Gray. The smartphone is slated to go official on Aug. 9note .

(source)

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 Customized edition marking Xiaomi’s IPO spotted

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jul 11, 2018

Huami Technologies, maker of Xiaomi‘s line of smart band has hinted that it is set to release a customised edition of the Mi Band 3 to mark Xiaoami’s IPO offering. The company will also release a commemorative edition of the Amazfit Bip Lite smartwatch. The smartwatch was released late last year and even has a price tag which makes it a preferable wearable to the Mi Band 3.

The pictures of the two customized versions were shared online and there isn’t really anything special to be excited about. The difference with the regular Mi Band 3 is that a couple of texts in Chinese is printed on the wristband, including Xiaomi’s stock code “1810”. The same thing goes for the Amazfit Bip Lite custom version.

At the moment, we don’t know if there will be other special design features at the front aspect since we can only see the straps on the Band 3 renders. Xiaomi or Huami also haven’t disclosed when this version will become available.

(via)

Huawei’s new trademark confirms Mate 20 as the company’s upcoming flagship

By

Jeet

-

Jul 11, 2018

Huawei recently launched its P20 series smartphones, changing the naming pattern to the increments of tens instead of ones. Now, the company seems to have adopted the similar naming pattern for its Mate series flagship smartphones as well.

The China-based company has filed a trademark application for numerous names, including the Mate 20, which confirms that the upcoming Mate series flagship will be called the Mate 20 and not Mate 11, which will be the successor of the Mate 10 series launched last year.

Along with filing the trademark for Mate 20, the company has also trademarked Mate 30, Mate 40, etc. which goes all the up to Mate 90. This also hints at the company’s long-term plans for the Huawei Mate series smartphones.

Earlier, Huawei had filed applications for the names of Huawei P30 and P40, confirming that the company has already planned for the next two generation of its P-series flagship smartphones. However, the latest applications are in contrast, suggesting that the company has plans of Mate-series devices until 2025, which we are speculating based on the company’s current launch timeline.

Currently, Huawei is expected to launch the Mate 20 series smartphones in October or November this year and it is reported that the series will consist of three smartphones, just like the Mate 10-series. Other than that, very little is known about this upcoming smartphones.

However, some reports have indicated that the larger Mate 20 Pro could come with a big 6.9-inch display and is also expected to come with the triple-camera module on the back side, similar to the P20 Pro. For the regular Mate 20, Huawei is expected to stick with the dual-camera setup and a 6.1-inch display panel.

We expect the smartphones to be powered by the company’s own Kirin 980 processor along with either 6GB RAM or 8GB RAM. It is said that the devices will have Qualcomm’s under-display fingerprint scanner. We are expecting to get more details of the Mate 20 series as the phone’s launch nears.

(Source)

LG Q6 receives Android Oreo update

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jul 11, 2018

With the LG G6 out of the way with respect to receiving the Android Oreo update, LG has turned its attention to the lower mid-range LG Q6 series.

Reports from Korea say the LG Q6 has started receiving an update to Android Oreo and along with the jump to the new version of Android comes some new features.

Other than the new features Android Oreo brings by default, the Q6 also gets DTS:X 3D stereo sound support with the update. It also brings some new features to the camera LED. For example, the LED flashes when a call is coming in. You can also set it to blink in sync with a song you are playing on the phone. Another feature is the addition of a QR code reader to the camera.

The update which is about 1170MB in size seems to still be exclusive to Korea for now. There is no info as to when it will arrive in other markets such as India and Europe. There is also no info on if the update is arriving on the LG Q6α and LG Q6+.

The LG Q6 trio launched in July 2017 with Android Nougat out of the box. All three phones have 5.5-inch 18:9 FHD+ displays, a Snapdragon 435 processor, and a 3000mAh battery. They also have a single 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing camera.

The difference between the models boils down to RAM and storage. The Q6α has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, the Q6 has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, and the Q6 Plus has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

Continue

Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 gets MIUI 10 global beta update

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jul 11, 2018

Xiaomi had launched the MIUI 10 in May, but the Mi Pad 4 tablet that was launched in June had arrived with MIUI 9 onboard. It seems that the stable version of MIUI 10 will be soon coming to Mi Pad 4 as the company has just rolled out its beta edition.

The MIUI 10 global beta has a version number of 8.7.5. The last two numbers indicate that beta update is just five days old. The update which can be sideloaded on the tablet weighs 1.21 GB. MIUI 10 comes with improved design and it promises faster performance than MIU 9. MIUI 10 also includes support for gestures like long press and swiping actions. However, the gesture-based actions are only meant for smartphones and it does not apply for the Mi Pad 4.

Apart from Mi Pad 4, the other Xiaomi devices that have the MIUI 10 global beta 8.7.5 are Mi 6, Mi Mix 2, Redmi S2, Redmi Note 5 Pro, Redmi Note 5, Mi MIX 2S, Mi 5, Mi Note 2 and Mi MIX. The MIUI 10 global beta 8.7.5 also includes LDAC for Bluetooth devices. However, only Xiaomi devices that are running on Android Oreo will be receiving the support for LDAC.

The Mi Pad 4 comes with an 8-inch IPS LCD display that supports 16:10 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. The Snapdragon 660 SoC is present under the hood of the tablet. It has an f/2.0 aperture rear camera of 13-megapixel and an f/2.0 aperture frontal shooter of 5-megapixel. The front-facing camera also supports face unlock. There is no microSD card slot on the tablet.

The 3 GB RAM variant includes 32 GB of storage whereas the 4 GB model has 64 GB of storage. These variants only support Wi-Fi connectivity and they are respectively priced at 1,099 Yuan (~$165) and 1,399 Yuan (~$210). There is another 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage model that carries support for LTE connectivity. It carries a price tag of 1,499 Yuan (~$225).

Samsung Galaxy S10 chip to reportedly take cues from MediaTek for better battery optimization

By

Jeet

-

Jul 11, 2018

While Samsung will be launching the Galaxy Note 9 smartphone on 9th August, the company’s next-generation Galaxy S-series smartphone, Galaxy S10, has been the talk of the town since past few weeks.

The South Korean giant is expected to use the Samsung Exynos 9820 octa-core chipset to power the Galaxy S10, but there isn’t much known about this new processor. However, the latest information coming from Ice Universe suggets that the company might follow MediaTek’s footsteps.

According to the latest report, Samsung could be opting for a three-cluster CPU core arrangement which will feature four lightweight Cortex-A55 cores, two Cortex-A75 or A76 cores for medium tasks, and two fourth-generation custom Mongoose CPU cores for heavyweight tasks.

Thus, the processor will still have eight-cores but instead of the usual four heavy cores and four light cores aggangement, the company will be opting for 2+2+4 arrangement. This arranagement is similar to MediaTek Helio X-series chipsets which has its ten cores arranged in cluster of lightweight/medium/heavy cores.

According to MediaTek, such cluster arrangement of cores could help in improving the battery performance on the smartphone. While it’s unclear whether MediaTek’s approach is indeed better than solutions from Qualcomm and Samsung, it looks like an interesting take.

However, there are few concerns, including whether Samsung has access to Arm’s DynamIQ tech, which makes these flexible CPU core arrangements possible. Arm’s DynamIQ technology allows silicon manufacturers to mix and match Arm’s own CPU cores but it doesn’t apply to Samsung’s own cores on paper.

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is reported to come with a display capable of emitting sound. The South Korean firm had showcased its sound-emitting display concept at the Society of Information Displays (SID) 2018 where instead of an earpiece, the vibration and bone conduction of the display panel carries the sound.

Further, it is also speculated that the Galaxy S10 could also be Samsung’s first phone to come with 3D facial recognition similar to iPhone X and Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition. Along with Exynos 9820, the Galaxy S10’s another variant is expected to be powered by Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 855 chipset, may get officially announced in January 2019.

(Source)

Get Big Discounts On Select Xiaomi-Branded Smartphones And Phablets On DD4

By

Vinay Patel

-

Jul 11, 2018

Looks like Xiaomi fans are in for a treat. DD4 is doling out big discounts on a myriad of Xiaomi-branded smartphones and phablets. Deemed as one of China’s leading online shopping site for electronics, mobile devices, and lots more, DD4 is will be selling the Redmi Note 5A, Redmi 6, and the Mi 8 SE smartphones at a considerably lowered price.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A 4G Phablet

Sporting a big 5.5 inches IPS HD display, the Redmi Note 5A is an irresistible phablet. The overwhelming device would normally set you back a pretty penny on DD4 but much to the relief of cost-conscious buyers, the site is offering a 15% off on its original asking price.

As a result, the 3GB RAM /32GB ROM version of the Redmi Note 5A now bears a reduced price tag of $149.15 on DD4. Alternatively, you can go for the 2GB RAM/16GB ROM option which is currently available at a lowered price of just $109.95.

You can follow this link to take advantage of the discount. Note that the deal is slated to end in 11 days.

Xiaomi Redmi 6 4G Smartphone

The well-received Xiaomi Redmi 6 boasts an array of awe-inspiring specs and features that make an irresistible smartphone. Regrettably, the MediaTek MT6762 Helio P22-powered phone doesn’t come cheap.

The Redmi 6 smartphone is currently up for grabs bearing a relatively steep price tag of $269.66 on DD4. But if you’re on a tight budget and aren’t willing to shell out a fortune for a smartphone, we got good news for you.

You can save $59.33 by applying the promotion code ‘REDMI6DD4’ during the check out process. In other words, you can reduce your grand total to just $210.33 without breaking much of a sweat with the help of the above-mentioned promotion code.

All you need to do in order to get the discount is follow this link before the promotion code expires.

Xiaomi Mi 8 SE Phablet

DD4 is offering a noteworthy 16% off on the Mi 8 SE phablet which became an instant hit among tech buffs after hitting the store shelves in May this year. The feature-laden device can now be yours at a slashed price of just $368.75.
You can visit this link to check out the full specification and grab the deal which will be wrapping up in 11 days. The discount is valid for the 4GB RAM/64GB ROM version which is available in golden color option.

Mi Collections

DD4 is giving buyers an opportunity to choose from a broad range of the stylish Mi Collection. As part of the promotion, the site will be offering 5% off on orders that exceed $0, and $6 off on orders that are over $60.

As if that weren’t enough, DD4 is offering big discounts on a slew of electronics and other items that you can check out by visiting this link.

Get 15% Off On Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A 4G Phablet On DD4

Get 22% Off On Xiaomi Redmi 6 4G Smartphone On DD4

Get 16% Off On Xiaomi Mi 8 SE Phablet On DD4

Check Out The Mi Collections On DD4

Buy Xiaomi Mi Game Headset For Only $65.99 On GearVita [Coupon Code]

By

Vinay Patel

-

Jul 11, 2018

Xiaomi’s new headphone dubbed, the Mi Game Headset was made available to the public earlier this year, much to the delight of avid gamers that have been waiting to get their hands on a high-end gaming headset without emptying their pocket. Regrettably, the newfangled headphone didn’t come cheap.

The Xiaomi Mi Game Headset is currently up for grabs bearing a steep price of $79.99 on GearVita. Despite being uneconomical, the Mi Game Headset is nothing short of outstanding.

The Mi Game headset boasts a 7.1 virtual surround sound engine that dols out stereo surround sound to give its wearer an unparalleled gaming experience. Moreover, the device features a 40mm graphene composite diaphragm that creates impeccable sound scalability.

While its awe-inspiring features justify the dizzying price tag the Mi Game headset carries, if you aren’t willing to spend that kind of money on a gaming headphone, we got good news for you. You can get a $40 off on the device’s original asking price by using the coupon code ‘XMGAMEHS’ during the check out process.

In other words, you can bring your grand total down to just $65.99 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon code. But if that doesn’t impress you much, GearVita is also offering free shipping.

The Mi Game headphone’s enclosed sound chamber design, coupled with a soft PET laminate layer makes it an ideal companion whether you are playing a game or just listening to your favorite music. The device adopts a Dual microphone ENC ambient noise reduction technology.

You can customize the lighting effects and the color of the LED of the Mi Game headset. Furthermore, the plug-n-play headphones come with two types of connectors including USB Type-C and 3.5mm audio interface, which allows you to connect it to a PC and a smartphone as well.

You can head straight to this link in order to check out the full specification and use the coupon code before it expires.

Buy The Xiaomi Mi Game Headset At A Heavily Discounted Price On GearVita

Analysts: Apple will stop producing iPhone X and iPhone SE

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jul 10, 2018

Apple will announce three new iPhones this year but a new report says it will stop production of two others – the iPhone X and the iPhone SE.

The info comes from a report by analysts, BlueFin Research. Apple is doing this to be able to meet up with demands for the forthcoming iPhones which is put at 91 million units for Q3 and Q4 2018 and 92 million units for Q1 and Q2 2019.

In its report, BlueFin refers to the three new iPhones as the iPhone 9 which will have an LCD screen and the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Plus which will both have OLED displays. Apple is betting big on the success of the three devices. It believes those who didn’t update to the new iPhones released in 2017 will do so this year.

The analysts said Apple will likely make 28 million units of all three iPhones in Q3, 63 million units in Q4 (shouldn’t be surprising since folks will already start shopping for the holidays), and 46 million units each for Q1 and Q2 2019. Actual shipments in those quarters are expected to be less.

Continue

Moto E5 and Moto E5 Plus arrive in India with big batteries

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jul 10, 2018

Motorola has announced the Moto E5 and Moto E5 Plus in India. Both phones pack large batteries but are slightly different from the versions announced for Europe.

Moto E5

The Moto E5 has a 5.7-inch 1440 x 720 display. It is powered by the Snapdragon 425 mobile platform with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage.

It has a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing camera both with LED flash. It also has a fingerprint scanner, dual SIM slot, and a micro USB port. Supported LTE bands are – 1, 3, 5, 8, 38, 40, and 41.

The Moto E5 packs a 4000mAh battery and comes with a 10W charger. It will be sold for INR 9,999 (~$145) and be available at Moto Hubs across the country. Available colors are Flash Gray and Fine Gold.

Moto E5 Plus

The Moto E5 Plus comes with a larger 6-inch display but the same HD+ resolution. It has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. It also has a more powerful Snapdragon 430 processor but less powerful than the Snapdragon 435 of the European variant.

There is a 12MP 1.25um sensor on the rear and an 8MP selfie camera with its own LED flash. It also has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, dual SIM slots, and runs Android Oreo. Powering the Moto E5 Plus is a 5,000mAh battery which Motorola says can last for more than a day on a single charge.

Continue

Huawei Nova 3 specs leak in the wild: Flagship grade Kirin 970 inside!

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Jul 10, 2018

We are just a week away from the official launch of the Huawei Nova 3, which will come alongside the fitness tracker Huawei TalkBand B5. Today, a new picture is showing a lot of information about the upcoming smartphone and some of the detail are surprising. According to the picture, the handset will not be a mid-ranger as you may have thought if you know its predecessors 1 and 2, but it will be a flagship.

Indeed, the leaked specs sheet mentions the presence of an octa-core Kirin 970 chipset, which is the best processor by Huawei, running at a max frequency of 2.4 GHz. Further, Huawei Nova 3 will come with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. Its body will measure 157 x 73.7 x 7.3 mm and it will weigh just 166 grams. Pretty small dimensions if we consider that it houses a wide 6.3-inch display.

According to the image, the display will have a notch, a 19:9 aspect ratio and a Full HD+ resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. Its primary camera will consist of a dual setup with 24 and 16 MP resolutions, while the front camera will have 24 and 2 MP resolutions and the support to artificial intelligence. There will also be the GPU Turbo technology on the Huawei Nova 3, which is able to increase performance by 60% while reducing consumption by up to 30%.

Huawei Mediapad M5 is the first GPU Turbo tablet!

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jul 10, 2018

Huawei has announced through its official Weibo handle that the MediaPad M5 tablet will usher in a robust upgrade that would set it apart from its predecessor. The MediaPad M5 tablet will be upgraded so as to support Huawei’s latest GPU Turbo technology. The upgrade will roll out this July and makes the MediaPad M5 series the first tablets that would have the GPU Turbo technology onboard.

The MediaPad M5 was first unveiled in April this year and it comes in three versions; an 8.4-inch, as well as a 10.8-inch. There is also a model dubbed M5 Pro. Both the Mediapad M5 and M5 Pro are equipped with an Hisilicon Kirin 960 flagship chipset. The device comes with 4GB RAM across all models and there are three internal storage versions; 32GB, 64GB and 128GBGB models.

The update will improve the performance of the tablet and bring a smoother and better gaming experience. The GPU Turbo Huawei is gradually rolling out updates to its phones and is reportedly also planning a gaming phone that would feature the technology. Huawei’s GPU Turbo is a technology which is able to improve graphics performance by up to 60 percent via software. Further, it can reduce energy consumption by up to 30 percent.

(source)

Nokia X5 tipped to boast Helio P60 under the hood

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Jul 10, 2018

HMD Global is about to launch the Nokia X5 tomorrow, but it seems that we will not have to wait until then to know how it will look. Indeed, as we told you yesterday the new mid-ranger has just appeared in detailed renders showing its full design. The renders have been posted on the known microblogging platform Weibo and they show the aesthetics of the handset in two color variants: Blue and Black. The back side seems to be made of glass, while the frame should be made of aluminum. The upcoming affordable device features a borderless display with a notch and a chin containing the Nokia branding.

The brand is also present on the rear side on which you can also find a dual camera setup with a LED flash. According to the source, Nokia X5 will come with an octa-core Helio P60 chipset by MediaTek, actually the most powerful MediaTek SoC from the latest generation. It rivals with the Snapdragon 660 by Qualcomm with a clock frequency of 2 GHz. If this is to be believed and the price of this phone will be lower than the X6, this device may represent a true best-buy.

Besides this SoC, the handset is tipped to come with a 5.86-inch display which will show images at an HD+ resolution with the IPS technology and a 19:9 aspect ratio. Nokia X5 is expected to sport a dual camera setup with resolutions of 13 and 5 MP, as well as an 8 MP selfie camera on the front side. The battery should come with a 3000 mAh capacity, which should provide a good battery life given the efficient SoC and display. The handset may be launched in China first and then it should arrive in the global market with a different name: Nokia 5.1 Plus. Or at least that is the name appeared in the FCC certification.

(via)

ASUS updates Zenfone 5Z: Brings camera improvements, June security patch

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jul 10, 2018

ASUS has started rolling out an update to its flagship killer, the Zenfone 5Z. The new update brings a number of new features, improvements, and a security patch.

The update which is already rolling out as an OTA in India fixes the screen flickering problem that occurs when you start or stop video recording. It has also improved the quality of video calls and the focus speed of the camera when recording a video.

There are also improvements for the notification LED, NFC, and secure album. The release note also mentions a security patch (June 5).

If you already have the Zenfone 5Z, check for the update under System Updates. You can also manually download it on to your device from here. Copy the file to the root folder of your device and you should get a notification to install the update.

The Zenfone 5Z rocks a 6.2-inch 2246 x 1080 display with an 18.7:9 aspect ratio. Thre is a Snapdragon 845 processor under the hood paired with 4GB/6GB/8GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB/256GB of storage.

Continue

Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium finally up for pre-orders for $999.99 (U.S. only)

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Jul 10, 2018

Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium was officially unveiled back in April, but only recently the Japanese company revealed the details about its availability and price tag. As the company promised, the new flagship has been made available for pre-orders in the U.S. on July 9. The device went on pre-order on Amazon with a very expensive price tag of $999.99. Some may define this price quite extravagant considering that Sony is far from the top 5 best smartphone manufacturers in terms of sales.

But we know this company is in the smartphones market only for strategic reasons and not to dominate it. Note that Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium is offered with a free pair of wireless headphones: the Xperia Ear Duo. The promotion is limited only to people who will pre-order the device and it will end when it starts shipping. After the pre-orders phase, the handset will be officially on sale in the U.S. starting from July 30. At the moment, it is available only in the Chrome Black color variant, while the Chrome Silver option will come later. With its $999.99 price tag, this flagship is the most expensive smartphone at the moment if we exclude the iPhone X.

But Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium also packs impressive specs. Indeed, it is the only new-gen smartphone with a 4K display and HDR technology. The notchless screen has a size of 5.8 inches and an 18:9 aspect ratio. On the hardware side, the device has an octa-core Snapdragon 845 chipset by Qualcomm running at a max frequency of 2.45 GHz, paired with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage expandable via micro SD up to 512 GB. On the rear glass, there is a dual camera setup with resolutions of 19 and 12 MP, f/1.8 and f/1.6 apertures, while the battery has a 3540 mAh capacity.

(via)

OPPO F7 receives price slash, now starts at INR 19,990 (~$290)

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jul 10, 2018

The OPPO F7 is one of the many mid-range devices released by OPPO this year. When it first launched in India, it had a starting price of INR 22,990 (~$320), it has now received a price slash.

Flipkart, one of the online retailers, has slashed the price of the base model which has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of ROM to INR 19,990 (~$290). The price is applicable to the black and silver variants. The Solar Red variant is out of stock.

The 6GB RAM + 128GB model has also received a price slash from INR 27,990 (~$407) to INR 23,990 (~$349). Unfortunately, Flipkart is out of stock on that model.

Amazon, on the other hand, has the 4GB RAM + 64GB model available at the same price as above and even has the Solar Red variant in stock. It also has the 6GB RAM model available in black and red for the same INR 23,990 price.

The OPPO F7 has a 6.23-inch FHD+ display with a notch at the top. One of its selling points is the 25MP selfie camera housed within the notch which has lots of AI features including AR stickers and face unlock. On the rear of the phone sits a single 16MP camera which is also packed with AI features.

Continue