Xiaomi Mi A2 Passes Through NCC Certification, Expected To Launch Soon

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Jun 27, 2018

After passing through Singapore’s Communications Authority, Xiaomi‘s upcoming mid-range smartphone Mi A2 has now passed through NCC Certification in Taiwan, hinting at the phone’s imminent launch.

While the certification doesn’t mention the name Mi A2, it lists a model number M1804D2SG which is similar to the Mi A2’s Chinese variant Mi 6X. The certification doesn’t reveal the phone’s specs but it complies with Taiwan’s carrier standards.

With the smartphone passing through various certifications, it seems that the launch of the Mi A2 is not far away. In fact, Xiaomi has started teasing a global launch event where the company is expected to launch the Mi A2 smartphone globally. However, the company has not revealed date for this launch event.

In the software department, instead of the company’s own MIUI, the Mi A2 will be running on the stock Android Oreo operating system given that it is a part of Google‘s Android One initiative. Its predecessor, Mi A1 was also a part of Android One and came with stock Android OS.

The specifications of the smartphone are expected to be same as the Mi 6X. It is expected to feature a 5.99-inch IPS LCD display that supports FHD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. It will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor along with 4GB RAM and 32GB / 64GB internal storage. Some reports indicate that there’ll be another variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage.

As for the camera, the device is expected to boast a dual camera setup consisting of a 20-megapixel + 20-megapixel sensors on the backside while on the front side, there will be a 20-megapixel selfie snapper. It could be powered by a 3,000mAh battery.

The smartphone was recently spotted on Swiss online retailing website, which suggested that the Mi A2 will be priced higher than the Redmi Note 5 Pro. According to the listing, the 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB models carried price tags of CHF 289 (~$293), CHF 329 (~$333) and CHF 369 (~$374) respectively.

(Source)

Snapdragon 632, 439 and 429 Mobile Platforms Officially Announced

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 27, 2018

After introducing the Snapdragon 710 SoC for upper mid-range phones, Qualcomm has today introduced Snapdragon 632, Snapdragon 439 and Snapdragon 429 mobile platforms that will be seen in forthcoming mid-range and low-budget phones. The Snapdragon 600 and 400 series of chipsets are immensely popular as they power over 3,650 commercial devices till date. Hence, the U.S. based chipset maker has announced the Snapdragon 632, 439 and 432 SoCs.

Snapdragon 632

The 14nm Snapdragon 632 mobile platform includes an octa-core processor that comprises of quad Kryo 250 performance cores that clock at 1.8 GHz and quad Kryo 250 efficiency cores that work at 1.8 GHz. The SD632 promises 40 percent better performance over the Snapdragon 626. Includes Adreno 605 graphics and X9 LTE modem. It is enabled with support for FHD+ displays. It supports a single camera of 24-megpaixel or a pair of 13-megapixel sensors. Smartphones powered by Snapdragon 632 can support camera features such as real-time bokeh, wide-angle photo shooting and 4K video capturing. The SD632 also offers its users with dual 4G VoLTE.

Snapdragon 439

Designed for low-end phones, the Snapdragon 439 is a 12nm chipset that include quad cores of Cortex A53 that clocks at 1.9 GHz and quad cores of Cortex A53 that functions at 1.45 GHz. The SoC also includes Adreno 505 graphics and X6 LTE modem. Its other features are dual 4G VoLTE, up to 21-megapixel single camera, up to 8-megapixel dual camera and support for FHD+ displays. The Snapdragon 439 can deliver 25 percent better performance than Snapdragon 430.

Snapdragon 429

The Snapdragon 429 is a 12nm SoC which includes a quad-core Cortex A53 processor that produces a clocking speed of 1.95 GHz. The Adreno 504 graphics and X6 LTE modem are present inside the modest SD429 SoC. It is enabled with support for HD+ display. The other features of this chipset are dual 4G VoLTE, up to 16-megapixel single camera and up to 8-megapixel dual camera. The Snapdragon 429 can perform 25 percent better than Snapdragon 425.

The Snapdragon 632, 439 and 429 mobile platforms are all equipped with multiple security solutions and also carry support mobile payments, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (eMBMS). Also, the new chipsets are designed to consume less power and offer efficient battery performance. Smartphones powered by Snapdragon 632, 439 and 429 are expected to debut in the second half of the year. Recently, popular tipster Roland Quandt had claimed that forthcoming Android Go devices will be powered by Snapdragon 439 and 429 chipsets.

Lenovo Z5 Arriving in Indigo Blue Tomorrow Along with 1,399 Yuan (~$212) Pricing

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 27, 2018

Lenovo Z5 that was unveiled earlier this month has met with positive reception from the customers because of its decent specs and low pricing. The handset has been available in Schumann Black color. Today, the Chinese manufacturer has confirmed the arrival of the Indigo Blue edition of the Lenovo Z5 through its official Weibo account. The new color variant of the Z5 will be available for buying starting from tomorrow.

Through the below poster, Lenovo has confirmed that it will begin the sales of the Indigo Blue version of the Lenovo Z5 from tomorrow (June 28) at 10 AM in China. The model features 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage and it is priced 1,399 Yuan (~$212). It costs 100 Yuan (~$15) more than the 1,299 Yuan (~$196) priced Black Schumann color variant of the Lenovo Z5. The newly introduced Indigo Blue version looks better than the Schumann Black variant because its metallic frame is also in blue color.

At the launch event of the Lenovo Z5, the Chinese manufacturer had confirmed that the handset will be hitting the market in colors like Schumann Black, Indigo Blue and Aurora. There is no information available on when the Aurora gradient color.

The Lenovo Z5 features a 6.2-inch IPS LCD notch enabled display. The Snapdragon 636 SoC powers the smartphone. Apart from 64 GB storage + 6 GB RAM, the smartphone can be also availed in a larger storage version that features 128 GB of storage and 6 GB of RAM.

The backside of the phone features a fingerprint reader and a vertical dual camera that includes a 16-megapixel primary sensor and an 8-megapixel secondary sensor. At the front of the Z5 is an 8-megapixel selfie camera. It is packed with a 3,300mAh battery that is coupled with 18W fast charging.

(source)

Get $50 Off On The Ulefone X Smartphone On Banggood; Only A Few Pieces Left!

By

Vinay Patel

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Jun 27, 2018

The Ulefone X smartphone was launched in May this year, and it became an instant hit among smartphone lovers. Regrettably, the phone didn’t garner huge popularity among cost-conscious buyers who weren’t willing to spend a lot of money on a smartphone.

If you’ve restlessly been waiting to get your hands on the Ulefone X smartphone without emptying your pocket, we got good news for you. As part of its latest promotion, which is slated to run until July 1st, Banggood is doling out a big discount on the recently launched smartphone.

While the Ulefone X would normally set you back $199.99 Banggood, the site is giving buyers an opportunity to get $50 off on the handset’s original asking price. In other words, the phone can be yours if you’re willing to spend just $149.99.

It is imperative for you to bear in mind that the aforesaid discount will only be valid for 300 pieces. At the time of writing, there were only 211 pieces left. You can choose between 2 color options including black and white.
The Ulefone X boasts a broad range of awe-inspiring specs and features that make it quite a bargain at this massively lowered price. Let’s take a gander at some of the phone’s mean features.

First off, the Ulefone branded smartphone packs a powerful MTK MT6763 Octa-core 2.0Ghz, 64bit processor along with an ARM Mail-G71 MP2 700MHz GPU, under the hood. The phone comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB ROM (expandable up to 256GB).

It delivers a big screen experience with a mammoth 5.85 inches IPS HD+ (720 X 1512 pixels) display. The Ulefone X is housed in a robust aluminum alloy body, which is further enhanced with an eye-catching bezel-less display.

On the photography front, the Ulefone X smartphone houses a 13-megapixel + 5-megapixels dual camera setup with dual-LED flash and AF on the back. Up front, there are 8-megapixel (Interpolated to 13MP) + 5-megapixel cameras for selfies and face-to-face video chatting.

Furthermore, the phone runs the latest Android 8.1 Oreo operating system and is backed by a built-in 3300mAh battery with 5W wireless charging. The phone is crammed with all sorts of useful sensors including an ambient light sensor, e-compass, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and a fingerprint sensor.

Banggood, the Chinese online store that guarantees the best bang for your buck, will be handing out $40 gift packs for orders that are placed before July 1st. You can head straight to this link if you don’t want to miss the limited-time deal.

Get 25% Off On Ulefone X Smartphone On Banggood

Meizu X8 with Snapdragon 710 Will be Better than Xiaomi Mi 8 SE, Claims Jack Wong

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 27, 2018

Meizu’s founder Jack Wong has been unusually active on the company’s community forum. He has been consistently revealing information on the features of the upcoming smartphones from the company. Earlier this week, Wong had confirmed on the existence on a new smartphone named Meizu X8. He had also revealed that the X8 would be fueled by the new Snapdragon 710 SoC. Yesterday evening, he gave out some more information on the Meizu X8 smartphone.

Wong has claimed that the upcoming X8 will be better than Xiaomi Mi 8 SE which is the first smartphone to be powered by Snapdragon 710. He also said that the X8 will be featuring a larger display than the Mi 8 SE. Wong did not confirm on the exact pricing of the Meizu X8, but he revealed that the handset will be priced under 2,000 Yuan (~$303).

The Mi 8 SE was introduced in two variants such as 64 GB storage + 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage + 6 GB. These models are respectively priced at 1,799 Yuan and 1,999 Yuan. The new details revealed by Wong clearly suggests that the Meizu X8 will be a good rival for the Mi 8 SE.

Since the X8 is an upper mid-range phone, it won’t be featuring in-display fingerprint. The advanced fingerprint scanning technology will be available on Meizu 16 and 16 Plus flagship phones that are slated to go official in August.

The upcoming Meizu X8 will be introducing the X series which will be arriving to replace the MX series. The Meizu X6 that was released in 2016 is the last the MX smartphone from the company. Last year, it was supposed to announce the MX7, but the Chinese firm did not launch it.

Do you think that the Meizu X8 will be a better smartphone than the Mi 8 SE? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(via)

Another Hisense Phone Lands At TENAA

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 26, 2018

A new Hisense phone with model number HLTE210M has landed at the Chinese telecommunications agency. The new device has specs that put it in the mid-range category.

Hisense is not skipping the notch on this device as it comes with a 6.19-inch screen with a 1500 x 720 resolution. There is a 1.4GHz octa-core processor along with 3GB or 4GB of RAM. Depending on the model, the Hisense HLTE210M will have 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage. A MicroSD card slot will allow you to add up to an additional 128GB of storage.

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The phone skips the dual rear camera train. So, you get a single 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front-facing camera. There is Android 8.1 Oreo pre-installed and a 3,000mAh battery. It also has a fingerprint scanner on the rear. The Hisense HLTE210M measures 156.4 × 76.14 × 7.64 mm and weighs 150 grams. It will launch in black, gold, and deep blue.

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Xiaomi Sells A Record-Breaking 1 million Mi Band 3 Units in Just 17 Days!

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 26, 2018

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 was announced on May 31 alongside the Mi 8 flagship. Both the Mi 8 and the Band 3 are already on sale and XIaomi even disclosed recently that 1 million units of the Mi 8 were sold in just 18 days. The tech giant has now revealed an even more interesting sales performance of the Mi Band 3. Xiaomi says it was able to sell 1 million units of the fitness tracker in just 17 days.

The sales figure for the Mi Band 3 isn’t unexpected considering the success of its predecessor. Apart from that, the Mi Band 3 comes with a number of innovative features and even a more refreshed design. The Mi Band 3 is an improved version of the Band 2 which was released in 2016. It shares the same design with the Band 2 but with some more icing on the cake.

The Xiaomi Band 3 features a 0.78-inch OLED capacitive touchscreen which offers a better viewing and user experience. The display can show call notifications and an option to reject calls and also incoming messages on a paired smartphone. The rubber strap also got some improvement which ensures it isn’t just comfortable, the fitness tracker cannot fall off. It comes with way more functions when compared to the Band 2. Some of the functions include heart rate monitor, weather forecast, alarm clock, daily steps count, sedentary reminder, sleep monitor, event reminder and find my phone function. There is a variant with NFC which cost a little higher price. Furthermore, the Mi Band 3 comes with an improved battery, which Xiaomi claims can last for up to 20 days on a single charge.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 Explorer Edition With Translucent Straps Teased

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 26, 2018

Xiaomi has officially teased a new Mi Band 3 variant which it dubbed Explorer Edition. The “Explorer” or “Exploration” was first used on the Mi 8 edition which features a translucent back panel. Now, the company has got a Mi Band 3 version bearing the same name. The Xiaomi Mi Band 3 Explorer Edition doesn’t have a translucent cover rather, it features a translucent milk-colour rubber strap.

The new Xiaomi Mi Band 3 explorer version was teased by the official Xiaomi Band Weibo handle and isn’t any different from the models presently on sale, except for the strap. The translucent strap looks quite eye-catching as a result of the contrast created between the black fitness tracker and the strap. But there isn’t anything special about the translucent strap anyway. Already, the Mi Band 3 is available in Black, Orange and Blue straps.

Xiaomi didn’t reveal if this version will be going on sale soon but there are indications that it will not be sold. Instead, it might be given away free to fans via a lucky draw.

(source)

AnTuTu Releases Global Android Phone Users Preference For May 2018

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 26, 2018

AnTuTu has released a comprehensive data of Android smartphone users preference as captured in the month of May 2018. The data covers such preferences as display size and resolution, users preference based on RAM sizes, storage sizes and the operating system. The report is based on user preference globally and not just in China. The data are computed using pie charts to show the proportion of each preferred parameter.

Before dwelling on the data, let us note that the statistics for the past couple of months showed that most users prefer phones with a 5.5-inch display. This still remains the first choice for most users, accounting for 19.58 percent but the percentage of users who prefer the 5.5-inch screen size is shrinking. Instead, the data shows a growing trend which is a shift to 6-inch display packing models. This includes phones with 5.99-inch displays. With the rate at which 6 inches displays are being adopted by OEMs, spurred by the trending 18:9/19:9 aspect ratios that ensure the models still remain sizeable, this category may soon overtake 5.5 inches models in popularity.

Screen Resolution

With the shrinking proportion of 5.5-inch screens, the proportion of FHD 1080p (1080 x 1920 pixels) resolution has dropped. However, as far as May’s data is concerned, the proportion of 1080p resolution is still the highest, reaching 38.34%. At the same time, the proportion of 1080 x 2160 pixels and 1080 x 2280 pixels resolutions reached 20.19% and 6.36%, respectively. In fact, the current mainstream full-screen mobile phones adopt either of these two screen resolutions, which just reflects the popularity of full-screen mobile phones.

RAM capacity

On the aspect of RAM preference, the chart shows most users still prefer 4GB RAM capacity as it accounts for 33.90% of the total. At the same time, 6GB of RAM was equally popular with a percentage of 29.73%.

In addition, 8GB RAM phones are becoming popular as it accounts for 5.19%, while 2GB preference keeps shrinking. It is still possible to find phones with 1GB RAM and even 512MB and that is why there is 6.21% for other categories.

ROM capacity

Usually, the RAM and ROM go together and so since the 4GB RAM is popular, it is no surprise that most users prefer 64GB ROM as it accounts for 43.78% of the preferred choice.

Surprisingly, 128GB ROM accounted for 19.34% share of this category while 32GB storage held 20.52% of the preferred option.

Number of cores

The chart even includes aspects such as the number of cores which is present of the most popular processor category. As expected, Octa-core phones dominate the market. ATt75.02%, it is glaring that the most popular phone models come with Octa-core processors. The popular chipsets around such as the Snapdragon 845, SD 660, SD636, and Kirin 970 all are Octa-core processors. On the other hand, the use of Hexa-core chipset continues to dwindle with less than 2% share.

Android version

Finally, let’s take a look at the Android version onboard the models on the AnTuTu global mobile phone user preference chart in May. What is gratifying is that in this statistical cycle, the highest share of Android 8.0.0 is 26.9%. At the same time, Android 8.1.0 accounted for 17.22%. Taken together, the number of Android 8.0.0 and above accounts for more than 44%, which is nearly half of the entire pie chart. Android Marshmallow has completely disappeared from the charts, grouped with other versions like Lollipop, KitKat with all of them accounting for 19.95% share.

(source)

Nokia 6.1 Plus Seen On Google ARCore Website

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 26, 2018

HMD Global appears to have a new Nokia 6 phone in the works. No, this isn’t the Nokia 6.2 but the Nokia 6.1 Plus. The new Nokia phone has been sighted on Google’s ARCore site.

Google has a website where ARCore supported devices are listed. Right under the section for HMD devices is the unreleased Nokia 6.1 Plus.

This is the first time we are hearing of the device so there is no info on its specifications. However, there are some who think the Nokia 6.1 Plus may be the same device as the Nokia X6.

They are of the opinion that HMD Global will launch the Nokia X6 as the Nokia 6.1 Plus outside China. The reason for this belief is because the unreleased Nokia 5.1 Plus is rumored to launch in China as the Nokia X5.

However, if we are to go by the Indian support page of the Nokia X6 that briefly went live last week, it nullifies the argument. The only other way to confirm is to see if ARCore works on the Nokia X6. Since the Nokia X6 isn’t on the list of supported devices, ARCore working on it may just be the proof we need to confirm it is the same device as the Nokia 6.1 Plus.

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Samsung To Copy Huawei P20 Pro With A Triple Camera On Galaxy S10+

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jun 26, 2018

This year, Huawei has definitely launched the best camera phone ever. Until the previous year, Samsung devices were considered the best choices by most people when it came to the camera department, but with the arrival of the P20 Pro and its triple camera setup, things changed. But it seems that Samsung is ready to take revenge as it is tipped to be planning the inclusion of a triple camera on its next Galaxy S flagship. Or at least that is what has just been revealed by industry insiders from South Korea, that is Samsung’s homeland.

According to the report, Samsung Galaxy S10 will be released in three variants which will sport two different screen sizes. The first version is expected to pack a single camera, the intermediate one will sport a dual camera just as the S9 Plus and the third one will be the most expensive and also the one with a triple camera. While the first two versions will be equipped with a 5.8-inch display, the third one will have a bigger display, probably with a size of 6.2 or 6.3 inches. Note that the second version may have a display with curved edges unlike the first one.

The variants are identified by the codenames Beyond 0, Beyond 1 and Beyond 2, respectively. Even though it will have a triple camera setup, the alleged Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus camera department will be different from the one of Huawei P20 Pro as the Korean company is expected to develop its own sensors. Other rumors suggested that this version will also be equipped with an in-display fingerprint scanner such as the one we saw on the latest Vivo flagships. It seems that Samsung Galaxy S10+ in its most expensive variant will be way different from the other twos, more or less like the iPhone X.

(via)

Two New Vivo Phones With Dual Cameras & Notched Displays Seen on TENAA

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 26, 2018

Just when the dust was settling following the launch of the Vivo NEX, it appears the Chinese manufacturer is planning on announcing two new smartphones. The Vivo V1730DT and Vivo V1803BA are two new phones that have been spotted on the TENAA database.

Vivo V1730DT

The Vivo V1730DT is a mid-range device based on its specs. It has a 6.26-inch 2280 x 1080 screen. That resolution means it has a notch at the top of the screen.

It is powered by a 1.8GHz octa-core processor with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Even with the large built-in memory, there is a MicroSD card slot for up to an additional 256GB. It packs a 13MP+2MP dual camera combo on the rear and a 16MP front-facing camera for selfies.

[envira-gallery id=”198204″]

The Vivo V1730DT runs Android 8.1 Oreo, has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, and a 3180mAh battery. Its dimensions are given as 154.81×75.03×7.89 (mm) and it weighs 149.29 grams. When it launches, it will come in Champagne Gold, Rose Gold, and Matte Black.

Vivo V1803BA

The V1803BA, on the other hand, has a 6.22-inch screen but with a lesser 1520 x 720 resolution. It will also have a notch based on the aforementioned resolution.

It has a 2.0GHz octa-core chipset that is also paired with 4GB of RAM. However, its storage is 64GB with support for expansion. Its dual rear cameras are a 13MP sensor and a 2MP sensor while the front camera is an 8MP sensor.

[envira-gallery id=”198205″]

It has the same 3180mAh battery, runs Android 8.1 Oreo too, and also has a fingerprint scanner. Its dimensions are 155.21 × 75.24 × 7.7 (mm) and it weighs a little more at 152 grams. TENAA says it will only be available in gold.

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Asus Zenfone 5Z With Snapdragon 845 Processor To Launch In India On July 4

By

Jeet

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Jun 26, 2018

Earlier this year, during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Asus announced its flagship smartphone — Asus Zenfone 5Z. Today, the company has announced that the smartphone will be launched in India on July 4 and will be exclusively available through online marketplace Flipkart.

The Asus ZenFone 5Z features a 5.2-inch notched IPS LCD display that supports Full HD+ screen resolution of 2246 x 1080 pixels and 18.7:9 aspect ratio. It comes with 500 nits Brightness, 95.4% NTSC color gamut, DCI-P3, 1500: 1 Contrast Ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass protection.

The device is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 845 chipset with Adreno 630 GPU. There are three different variants of the phone based on the memory configuration. It comes with 4GB RAM + 64GB internal storage, 6GB RAM + 128GB internal storage and 8GB RAM + 256GB onboard storage.

Coming to the photography, there’s a dual camera setup with a 12-megapixel primary camera with dual-tone LED Flash, Sony IMX363 sensor, 1.4μm pixel size, f/1.8 aperture, 0.03s Tri-Tech auto-focus/Dual Pixel PDAF, 4-axis OIS/EIS, and a Pro mode with RAW support. The secondary camera is an 8-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture, OV8856 sensor, and 120-degree wide-angle lens. On the front side, it features an 8-megapixel snapper with f/2.0 aperture, OV8856 sensor, and 83-degree wide-angle lens.

The smartphone runs on Android Oreo operating system out of the box with the company’s own custom interface ZenUI on top. Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5, GPS + GLONASS, and USB Type-C. The device is powered by a 3300mAh battery that supports ASUS BoostMaster fast charging and AI charging.

The Asus Zenfone 5Z comes in Midnight Blue and Meteor Silver color options. Currently, it is not clear which RAM and storage version the company is planning to launch in India. We are expecting Asus to price the smartphone competitively to take on the likes of OnePlus 6 in India.

(Source)

Xiaomi Launches The MiniJ Wall-Mounted Washing Machine Shaped Like Water Droplet

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 26, 2018

Xiaomi‘s ecological chain companies continue to churn out new, quality products almost daily. Some are released under crowdfunding but others go on sale directly, unfortunately exclusively in China. The tech giant has now unveiled the MiniJ Wall-mounted washing machine and it is presently on sale. The MiniJ brand first burst into the limelight in 2016 when it launched a portable table-top washing machine.

The new mini washing machine adopts a unique shape that looks like the shape of water droplets. The gadget is a front-loading machine and also has a LED touchscreen display which is embedded in the thick glass door. The gadget is one cool product to have in the home as it not only would function as a machine to do the laundry but also as a piece of art work. The MiniJ washing machine isn’t just designed for simple washing but has 8 different washing modes including the use of hot water up to 95°C which is effective for removing up to 99.99% of common bacteria and aphids. The washing machine is suitable for washing different types of fabrics including delicate ones like baby nappies, underwears and others. All you have to do is select the appropriate mode.

As for the main component, the MiniJ Wall-mounted washing machine uses a Direct Drive (DD) variable-frequency motor similar to the one found on automatic washing machines from popular brands like LG, Samsung and others. When compared to the tradition belt drive, the DD frequency conversion motor requires low power and makes less noise when running. The washing machine’s operating sound is just about 45dB. The compact size means the product does not take up too much space. There is also a wall bracket with which the machine is mounted on the wall.

The MiniJ wall-mounted washing machine comes with a 2499 yuan (~$379) price tag and is presently available on Xiaomi Youpin. With Xiaomi’s ongoing IPO, we expect the company to develop the capacity to make these products available outside China. The pricing is modest but when it gets listed on third-party retail websites, expect it to have a premium price tag.

Xiaomi Launches The Smart Yeelight LED Ceiling Lamp Pro Priced At 799 yuan ($121)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 26, 2018

Xiaomi has launched the Yeelight LED Ceiling Lamp Pro under its crowdfunding platform. The sleek Xiaomi product comes with a 799 yuan ($121) price tag and is expected to ship on July 30 in China.

The new Yeelight Ceiling lamp has a dimension of 960 x 640mm and can be installed in a room of 25-35m2 area. The smart lamp utilises an aluminium alloy frame which gives it a lighter body. The thickness of the back panel is 0.8mm and the device comes with a white coating. The lamp also has an insect-proof shield which prevents the accumulation of insects inside the lamp. It has a power rating of 90W and can provide up to 6000 Lumen brightness. The brightness can easily be adjusted so too for the colour temperature. The Yeelight LED ceiling lamp Pro has a colour rendering index (CRI) of 95, which makes it possible to show a high degree of colour hue.

The Yeelight is a smart product and so comes with WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. Thus, the light can be controlled using a smartphone app or via voice prompt using the Yeelight voice assistant, Mi AI speaker. The product is presently available on the Youpin website and it comes with free on-site installation in China. Xiaomi’sYeelight is usually sold outside China so we expect this one to be available outside China in due course from retailers like Geekbuying, GearBest and others.

iBall Imprint 4G Tablet Launched In India For Rs. 19,999 ($293)

By

Jeet

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Jun 26, 2018

Expanding its portfolio of tablets in India, iBall has launched a new tablet in the Indian market — iBall Imprint 4G with a price tag of Rs. 19,999 which roughly converts to $293.

The highlight of the iBall Imprint 4G tablet is that it comes with an integrated fingerprint scanner that is Aadhar-certified, located below the display. It is STQC certified and can be used for Aadhaar verification at Aadhaar centers across the country.

However, the tablet is not equipped with a standard fingerprint scanner, thus the users won’t be able to unlock the device using the integrated fingerprint scanner. It comes with support for 22 regional languages and is also available with an STQC-certified iris scanner. While the company says that the device is rugged, but it does not come with military grade certification.

The company also says that the iBall Slide Imprint 4G has been designed to simplify the ease of use and portability of Aadhaar authentication for establishments such as banks, government offices, RTOs, educational institutions, sales automation, and B2B.

The iBall Imprint 4G features a 7-inch HD IPS display with screen resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels with full capacitive multi-touch support. It is powered by a 64-bit 1.3GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor paired with 1GB of RAM. There’s another variant of the tablet that comes with 2GB RAM.

The tablet is equipped with 8GB of inbuilt storage, with an option for 16GB inbuilt storage variant. It also has a microSD card slot enabling users to expand the storage up to 32GB. In the camera department, the tablet comes with a 5-megapixel rear camera with autofocus and LED flash. On the front side, there’s a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash as well.

Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, GPS/ AGPS, Micro-HDMI, Micro-USB, USB 2.0, FM radio, and 3mm headphone jack. Running on Android 7.0 Nougat operating system, the tablet is powered by a 5000mAh battery.

Xiaomi Trademarks New Phone Brand Called “POCOPHONE”, First Phone Gets Certified

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 26, 2018

Everyone knows Xiaomi releases mobile phones under two brands which are Mi and Redmi. A new report says it has applied for a trademark for a third brand. The new brand is called “POCOPHONE” and its first phone is on the way.

According to the source, Xiaomi applied for an EU trademark for the name POCOPHONE at the end of May. So there is a high chance phones released under this new brand will make it to Europe.

Other than the trademark filing, Xiaomi is already working on the first device to launch under the new brand. A certain phone with model number M1805E10A is reported to have been certified by Taiwan’s NCC last week.

According to the NCC listing, the device is manufactured by Xiaomi Communications Technology Co., Ltd but instead of Redmi or Mi as the brand name, POCOPHONE is what was filed in the document.

Xiao

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Samsung Galaxy J8 To Go On Sale In India On June 28

By

Jeet

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Jun 26, 2018

Last month, Samsung launched its two new smartphones in the Indian market — Galaxy J6 and Galaxy J8. While the Galaxy J6 went on sale in India last month, the Samsung Galaxy J8 was supposed to be available for purchase in India from July.

However, the company has now revealed through a post on Twitter that the Galaxy J8 will go on sale in India on June 28. It will be available for Rs. 18,990 (approximately $278) in three color options — Blue, Black, and Gold.

The smartphone comes with a 6-inch HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Display with 1480 x 720 pixels screen resolution, 2.5D curved glass panel and 18.5:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, it is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 14nm octa-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz, along with Adreno 506 graphics processor and 4GB RAM.

The device packs 16GB of internal storage and has a microSD card slot, using which users can further expand the phone’s storage capacity up to 256GB. Coming to the camera department, on the back side, there’s a 16-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, f/1.7 aperture, and a secondary camera sensor of 5-megapixel with f/1.9 aperture. On the front side, there’s a 16-megapixel snapper with f/1.9 aperture for video calling and taking selfies.

The smartphone comes with a fingerprint sensor on the back and also supports Face Unlock feature. The device’s connectivity options include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n (2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.2 Low Energy, and GPS. Running on Samsung Experience custom interface based on Android Oreo operating system, the smartphone is powered by a 3,500mAh battery.

(Source)

Xiaomi Mi Box Finally Gets Android Oreo Stable Update

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 26, 2018

Back in 2016, Google and Xiaomi jointly announced the Mi Box – an Android TV version of Xiaomi’s Mi Box 3. It was also the first Xiaomi product to be officially sold in the US.

Out of the box, the Mi Box ran Android TV 6.0 based on Marshmallow. Even though it received some updates, it never got updated to Android TV 7.0 (Nougat), though there was a beta version available.

We thought Xiaomi had given up on the device until a beta version of Android Oreo began to roll out to beta testers about a month ago. Now, a stable version of the update has begun rolling out to the Mi Box globally.

The new update brings a revamped user interface, Google Assistant, and picture-in-picture mode. With Google Assistant, you can now control your smart home devices from the TV.

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Honor 9i Will Reportedly Launch In India As The Honor 9X This July

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 26, 2018

Huawei is reportedly cooking up a launch event in India scheduled for next month. The company s said to be planning an India launch for the Honor 9i but there is a catch. The tech giant is rumoured to be planning to launch the Honor 9i with a new moniker. According to the source, the premium mid-range model will launch as Honor 9x in India.

The source also hinted that the device will hit the Asian country mid-July and will be priced around Rs 15,000 (around $220). The company is expected to send out invites for the product launch event in the coming days. We can’t independently verify this rumour but it isn’t unusual for Huawei to bring its product to a new market bearing a different name. It has been done in the past like the Huawei P20 Lite which launched as Nova 3e in Malaysia and a couple of other markets. However, the specifications aren’t expected to change.

As a reminder, the new Honor 9i adopts a 5.84-inch notch display with full HD+ resolution and an aspect ratio of 19:9. The phone has a 13MP + 2MP dual camera setup at the back with phase detection autofocus and a portrait mode. On the front, the device gets a 16MP shooter with artificial intelligence features. The Honor 9i packs a Hisilicon Kirin 659 SoC inside it. The processor is paired with a 4GB RAM while there is a 64 GB and 128 GB internal storage variant.

Other aspects of the Honor 9X include a 3000mAh battery, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, GPS and 3.5mm audio jack. The device is preloaded with EMUI 8.0 based on Android 8.1 Oreo. The device is priced at 1,399 Yuan (~$218) in China for the 64GB variant and 1,699 Yuan (~$265) for the 128GB variant. The India pricing isn’t expected to be too different as suggested by the leak.

(source)