Asus Is Said To Be Working On A Snapdragon 1000 Powered Windows 10 PC

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Jun 1, 2018

Last year, Qualcomm showed us a glimpse of what was in store for us in the world of mobile devices. With smartphones getting bigger and better, it was only a matter of time Qualcomm decided to team up with Microsoft to work on Snapdragon powered laptops. We have already seen a couple of such Snapdragon 835 powered laptops, like the Asus NovaGo, but it looks like there’s more in store.

According to Winfuture.de, Qualcomm is developing a new processor called Snapdragon 1000 specifically for ARM based Windows devices. At present, PCs powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 are not really comparable to mid-range Intel laptops powered by Core i5. So the new processor should be the chipmaker’s answer to offer faster and energy efficient processors for laptops and convertibles.

Snapdragon 1000 doesn’t really fit into any of the company current lineups, so it’s quite possible that Qualcomm may announce it as a separate series. The Snapdragon 4XX, 6XX, 7XX, 8XX are all focused on mobile devices, so this should be a special series made specifically for the laptop market.

While details about Snapdragon 1000 are scarce at the moment, it is said that the CPU will be focused on improving performance of ARM based PCs. The Snapdragon 1000 is rumored to increase CPU power dissipation to 6.5 watts, up from 5 watts on the Snapdragon 845.

As of now, we don’t know whether this is a convertible or a traditional laptop, but Asus is internally calling it as the ‘Primus’. Expected release is around late 2018 or early 2019.

The current state of ARM based Windows laptops is promising but it’s not without issues. There are a lot of limitations in running the full version of Windows because of the ARM based hardware inside. In fact, as of now, the Snapdragon 835 based Windows devices come with a limited Windows S version that can only run apps from the Windows store. You’ll have to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro (free now) to get the full Windows PC experience.

(Source)

Lenovo Z5 Realistic Renders Show Selfie Camera Positioned in Slightly Thick Bottom Bezel

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 1, 2018

The Lenovo Z5 flagship phone is confirmed to get official on June 5. Chang Cheng, the VP of Lenovo Group has been busy teasing the bezel-less design of the upcoming flagship smartphone that is expected to offer highest ever screen space. Today, fresh renders of the Lenovo Z5 have surfaced on Weibo. The renders show that except for a slightly thick bottom bezel, the handset features super-slim bezels.

The renders of the Lenovo Z5 show that its front side is mainly occupied by display. The chin of the device has a selfie camera positioned at its center. There is no confirmation on the authenticity of above renders as they do appear like fan-made renders.

In the previous month, well-known designer and tipster Benjamin Geskin had examined one of the teasers of the Lenovo Z5 and found that the handset does feature a slightly thick chin.

New Teaser Image

Is there a chin? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/XGrIWVazVM

— Ben Geskin (@VenyaGeskin1) May 15, 2018

It is speculated that the ambient sensor and proximity sensor could be also embedded in the bottom bezel. The earpiece is missing which suggests that the it could be placed under the display.

For those who hate the notched display design, the Lenovo Z5 is one of the flagship phones that may want to look forward to as it expected to come with some advanced features like notch-less screen with 95-precent screen-to-body ratio, 4 TB storage, dual camera with AI, 45-day standby time and astounding talk time. The rear side of the smartphone will be sporting gradient glass back like the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro.

Based on the official sketch of the Lenovo Z5, Geskin had released previously released a render of the smartphone. However, today he has released an updated render that may resemble the actual design of the phone.

#LenovoZ5 Updated Render pic.twitter.com/Mg79bRHIVS

— Ben Geskin (@VenyaGeskin1) June 1, 2018

As of this writing, there is no information available on the specs of the phone. However, it is speculated to be fueled by Snapdragon 845. Rumors also claim that the handset will be equipped with an under-display fingerprint reader.

What do you think about the design of the Lenovo Z5? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(source|via)

Samsung Galaxy S10 Rumored to Feature Triple Cameras

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 1, 2018

A recent report had revealed that the Samsung Galaxy S10 that will be launching in the first quarter of 2019 will be the company’s first smartphone to feature an in-screen fingerprint scanner. Fresh information revealed by a South Korean publication states that the Galaxy S10 will be also featuring a triple camera setup.

The demand for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ phones have been lower than the company’s expectations. Hence, Samsung is aiming to entice customers by launching triple cameras and a 3D sensor, claimed an analyst from KB Securities. It is speculated that the Galaxy S10 with triple cameras will rival with the upcoming iPhone X Plus that is rumored to came with three cameras.

The three cameras featuring a 3D sensing sensor will not only offer better photography experience like enhanced zoom and better low-light performance, but also it will bring along other features like recording of 3D content and Augmented Reality (AR).

In March, Huawei had introduced the Huawei P20 Pro as the world’s first smartphone with triple camera setup. It includes a 40-megapixel RGB sensor, an 8-megapixel telephoto lens and a 20-megapixel monochrome sensor. Samsung may use a similar camera setup on the Galaxy S10. However, there is no confirmation on it.

Recent reports have also revealed that the Galaxy S10 could be also Samsung’s first phone to come with 3D facial recognition feature like the Apple iPhone X and Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition. There is no information on other specs of the phone, but it is likely to be driven by the upcoming Snapdragon 855 chipset. Some rumors have claimed that the Galaxy S10 may get official right at the beginning of 2019 and the company may debut its first foldable phone at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 tech trade show in February next year.

In related news, another South Korean publication has revealed that the Galaxy Note 9’s release date has been delayed by around two weeks. Initial rumors had suggested that the Note 9 may break cover in July, but the fresh development suggests that it may get official in August.

(source)

OPPO Find X Officially Confirmed by OPPO; Could be Arriving as Ultimate Flagship Phone

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 1, 2018

The OPPO Find 7 that was launched in 2014 is the last flagship phone from the company. It was speculated that OPPO may launch the OPPO Find 9 or Find 11 to succeed it. However, the company has not released any flagship phone after Find 7. Hence, it seemed that the Chinese manufacturer would never launch a Find series flagship phone as changed its mobile business strategy and concentrated on releasing low budget, mid-range and upper mid-range phones. Today suddenly, OPPO has just confirmed through its Weibo account that it will be launching a new Find series smartphone called Find X.

Shown above is the official Find X poster released by OPPO on its Weibo account. The Weibo post that accompanies it says, “Hi, waited for a long time” which suggests that the company is well aware of the fact that its fans have been eagerly waiting to see a new flagship phone. OPPO has also changed the its Weibo profile logo to Find X which confirms it will be the next major smartphone from the company. The announcement on the existence of the Find X smartphone has come just after the launch of Xiaomi Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer Edition.

At the beginning of the previous month, OPPO had trademarked the OPPO Find X moniker which suggested that it could be an upcoming flagship phone from the company. Also, a leaked render of the smartphone that had appeared in May revealed that it will be equipped with a notched display and a triple camera setup on its rear. As of this writing, there is no information on the specifications of the Find X smartphone.

The image also revealed that the smartphone does not feature a fingerprint scanner. Since the company was recently granted a patent for in-screen fingerprint scanner, it is speculated that this advanced biometric recognition feature might be made available on the OPPO Find X.

Rumors have it that it could be equipped structured light 3D module like Apple iPhone X and Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition for 3D facial recognition. Some of the other features that are expected to arrive on the Find X smartphone include super-fast 15-minute flash charge, 5x lossless zoom and support for 5G connectivity.

Do you think that the OPPO Find X will be an ultimate flagship phone? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(source)

Honor A2 Smartband Gets A 100 Yuan Price Cut; Will Sell For 99 Yuan ($15) On June 1

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

Huawei’s Honor brand has announced a price cut on a number of its products to mark the June 1 Children’s Day celebration in China. The affected products are Honor’s Weighing scale, Bluetooth headset and the Honor A2 Smartband. The eye-popping price cut was perhaps received by the Honor A2 which had over 50% off its initial price. The smartband has an original price tag of 199 Yuan but that has been slashed by 100 Yuan so the device is now available for just 99 Yuan ($15) on Vmall.

The Honor A2 was launched in May last year as the successor to 2016’s Honor A1 released last year. The Honor A2 has a 0.96-inches OLED display and rubber strap which is available in red, white, black and yellow.

The Honor A2 smartband boasts a couple of interesting features. It has a continuous heart rate monitor that is able to differentiate when you are performing a variety of exercises. There is a calorie counter that keeps track of calories burnt, and a pedometer that counts your steps and that can even tell when you are cycling. The smart wearable also has a sedentary reminder, a sleep monitor, and will also provide notification alerts. There is also a find-my-phone feature for those moments when you can’t remember where you dropped your device. The device can also pair with smartphones (both Android and iOS) using Bluetooth 4.2. It has an IP67 rating and packs a 95mAh battery that should offer up to 9-days of battery life.

(source)

Rumour: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 July Launch Shifted By Two Weeks Due To A Design Change

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

It was reported recently that Samsung will launch the Galaxy Note 9 flagship in July this year. That rumour seems to have some substance but a fresh rumour has emerged, stating that the Galaxy Note 9 launch date has been shifted by two weeks.

While the initial rumour tips the device to drop in July, a second one stated July 29. So with the two weeks shift, the launch may now fall in August. Two weeks is a short time to get disappointed anyway. Besides, it is all for good as the report revealed that Samsun postponed the launch due to a last-minute design change. The report hinted that Samsung’s Vice Chairman Lee Jan-Yong visited a number of local stores in Shenzhen to check out competing smartphones and, upon doing so, the Chairman is said to have realized that other smartphones offer an increased feeling of grip. In light of this, Lee Jan-Yong reportedly spoke to Samsung’s engineers in the hope fixing this issue by reducing the thickness of the Galaxy Note 9’s display glass by 0.5mm, a decision that has ultimately led to a delay of two weeks.

The Galaxy Note 9 is expected to come as a slight upgrade of the Galaxy Note 8. One of the top features will be a minimal increase in display size. The Galaxy Note 8 sports a 6.32-inch panel, whereas the Note 9 is set to feature a 6.38-inch display. On a hardware note, Samsung’s Exynos 9810 will power the device in all markets except the US, where the Snapdragon 845 by Qualcomm will be employed. The processor will be backed by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. There are rumours of a 8GB + 512GB variant but that isn’t confirmed.

With this latest development. the Galaxy Note 9 is expected to drop sometime in August with sales commencing before the end of the month.

(source)

Nokia 8 Gets The Long-Awaited Pro Camera Mode Via A New Update

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

HMD Global sure looks to be heading in the right direction in terms of designs of its smartphones and software support via regular updates. The company announced a couple of months back that the Nokia 8 will in the near future receive some major camera improvements. That position was reiterated about two weeks ago when the Finnish company said an update for the high-end smartphone will be available very soon.

HMD has now announced that the rollout of the Pro Camera mode. In a tweet, HMD’s CPO Juho Sarvikas disclosed that the Pro Camera mode is now available via an update. He also disclosed that the update is now rolling out to all Nokia 8 units around the world. Although this might take some time before it reaches all devices, it is impressive that the company is keeping its word.

Take control of every photo. I’m glad to announce that Pro Camera mode is now available for #Nokia8 ! pic.twitter.com/q2sTWh3IvU

— Juho Sarvikas (@sarvikas) May 31, 2018

The update has a size of 600MB which is quite big but it looks to be worth it. The Pro Camera mode brings some enhancements to the user interface and some improvements to the system stability. This new camera mode lets you adjust the white balance, manually focus the photo, adjust the ISO of the image, set a manual shutter speed, adjust the exposure of the photo and several other features.

(source)

ARM’s New Cortex-A76 CPU Core Promises 35% Increase in Performance

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 31, 2018

ARM has announced a new CPU core that will power the next generation of processors. The Cortex-A76 was unveiled at an event in San Francisco today.

The A76 brings a significant improvement in performance – up to 35% according to ARM. It will also be 40% more efficient and provide up to 4 times the current performance in Machine Learning.

These increase in performance and efficiency should be transferred to custom chips made by Qualcomm and Apple. Both manufacturers build their own custom cores based on ARM’s CPU architecture. But as we all know, Apple’s own cores are significantly powerful than those of Qualcomm.

ARM also says the new core offers up to 2x improvement in performance for laptops i.e. Windows on ARM notebooks. However, it is important to note that that jump in performance is because the new CPU core is compared to the Cortex-A73 which the Snapdragon 835 is based on and not the more powerful Cortex A-75 of the Snapdragon 845.

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Chinese Store Lists The Unannounced Honor Play For ¥3299

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 31, 2018

Huawei’s Honor sub-brand has an event scheduled for June 6 and on that day it is expected to release a game-changing phone called the Honor Play. There are have been rumors on what features to expect but we haven’t heard anything about the pricing until now.

A photo has surfaced on the web and it shows a hand-drawn poster in a Chinese gadget store. From the poster, we can make out the name – Honor Play, the launch date which is June 6, and a price tag – ¥3299 (~$514).

While we advise that you take the above price with a grain of salt, it actually isn’t outrageous. Most affordable flagship phones are priced around that range.

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Samsung Unveils 18 New AR Emoji Sticker Expressions For The Galaxy S9 & S9+

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

Samsung has announced the update to its camera app which brings 18 new stickers to the AR Emoji feature available on the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. The tech giant made this disclosure via a post on its official website. The announcement detailed that update to the camera app, which contains the new stickers will be available in the Galaxy Apps Store under the “My apps” section.

The additional 18 new stickers, AR Emoji users now have brings the total number of available AR Emojis to 36. Samsung even disclosed that an additional 18 new stickers will be added in the coming months. That means by the end of this year, a total of 54 AR Emojis will be available later this year.

The AR Emoji stickers are programmed to automatically appear when an AR Emoji is created. This can be activated by selecting “AR Emoji mode” in the camera app, then tapping on “Create My Emoji.” The phone does all other work including the creation of the AR Emoji (which can be tweaked by you), and the creation of the stickers. The stickers can be added to a message directly from the handset’s QWERTY keyboard, or by using ‘copy and paste’ to place them into a message.

In addition, the feature also allows users to create AR Emoji of certain Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Donald Duck. Last week, Samsung added The Incredibles to the list of Disney characters that can be created.

(source)

Alcatel 1X, World’s First Android Go Smartphone Now Available in The U.S For $99

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

Alcatel has unveiled the 1X smartphone in the U.S. The Alcatel 1X was first unveiled at MWC 2018 in Barcelona and later on in India with the device coming out as the world’s first Android Go smartphone. It also enters the U.S market as the first Android Go phone that will be sold there. The device is already available for preorder on Amazon and will go on sale from June 4.

Specs wise, Alcatel 1X features a 5.3-inch display that supports a low resolution of 960 x 480 pixels but with an aspect ratio of 18:9. Since it is a low-end phone, it is driven by MediaTek MT6739 chipset featuring a quad-core processor. The processor is paired with 1GB of RAM while there is 8GB of storage onboard. There s a second variant with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.

The 1X packs an 8MP camera at the rear with LED flash. It supports full HD video shooting and is enabled with support for Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS). At the front, there is a 5MP selfie camera also with LED flash. The front camera has a face recognition functionality called Face Key. Fuelling the device is a 2,460mAh battery. While the interface is provided by stock Android 8.1 Oreo (Android Go edition).

The Alcatel 1X will work unlocked with GSM carriers in the US such as AT&T and T-Mobile. The device comes with a $99 price tag which is quite pricey for a budget phone.

(source)

Xiaomi Launches A Light, Comfy & Splash Proof Camera Bag

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

There is no doubt that mobile phone photography is sweeping through the industry presently as a result of improvements to the sensors mounted on the present day smartphones. That doesn’t in anyway undermine the capabilities of digital cameras. As a result of the delicate nature of these cameras, it is imperative to get a carry bag that not only gives you some level of convenience but also protects the camera from damage due to trauma or water. Xiaomi has just launched a camera bag under the Youpin crowdfunding platform which performs these and other functions.

The light leisure single camera bag is manufactured by Shanghai Runmi Technology Co., Ltd. and comes with a price tag of 239 yuan (~$37). The camera bag is crafted using a combination of ultra-fibre material and fabric. The fabric is splash resistant and can effectively withstand daily rain and accidental spills. The carry bag also comes with a shoulder strap which can be adapted for handheld or shoulder use.

In addition, the internal compartment has a 10mm hidden foam which acts as protection for the camera is the bag is compressed. There are also two small pockets at the front which can be used to store different items. The design also includes a pair of symmetrical pockets on both sides with zippers. The side pockets can house the camera charger, lens cap, and other small items. There is also a pocket at the back with anti-theft zipper and which can accommodate the bus card, ATMcard and personal wallet.

The new camera bag comes in three attractive and lively colours namely; Military Green, Yellow and Dark Blue color options. There is no word yet on its availability.

(source)

DXOMark Sees Quadruple/Triple Camera Setup Becoming Prevalent in The Industry Soon

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

DXOMark is fast gaining a reputation as a worthy benchmark for cameras with its test results being projected whenever a new flagship phone is released. So it is not out of place if the firm’s opinion is sought regarding smartphone photography. AndroidHeadlines recently caught up with DxOMark Marketing VP Nicolas Touchard who categorically hinted that the adoption of Quadruple-camera setups on smartphones is not a question of “if” but “when,”.

The firm’s VP Nicolas Touchard disclosed that the present imaging systems which consist of the use of multiple cameras are a logical method of evading the physical limitations of handsets such as their inability to house large sensors and still retain a thin build. As a result of this impediment, DXOMark exec expects triple-camera setups like the ones implemented on the Huawei P20 Pro to become much more prevalent in the industry soon, as early as next year. Mr Touchard cited both their natural advantages over attempts to implement larger sensors into handsets and echoes from the mobile industry to back his prediction. The DXOMark VP’s prediction that triple camera setup has come to stay was given a boost recently when it emerged earlier this week when reports emerged that at least one model from Apple’s upcoming iPhone 9 series will feature three lenses on its back.

Recall that Huawei beat others to emerge with the world’s first smartphone with a triple rear-camera setup. Huawei had argued that setups taking advantage of three or more cameras can deliver better image quality and superior zoom to their more traditional counterparts without requiring any compromises on the size of the final product. Indeed, the triple-camera packing Huawei P20 Pro is rated as DXOMark’s best mobile camera ever, beating the Galaxy S9 Plus, Pixel 2 XL and iPhone X.

(source)

Vivo Y83 With Notched Display And Helio P22 SoC Launched In India

By

Jeet

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May 31, 2018

Expanding its portfolio in India, Vivo has quietly launched a new smartphone in the Indian market — Vivo Y83. The smartphone was originally launched in China last week.

The Vivo Y83 is now available for purchase in India for a price of Rs. 14,990 from select retail stores across the nation. Currently, the phone has not been listed on eCommerce platform but we expect that it will soon be available via major online marketplaces in India.

The smartphone comes with a premium design and bringing the full-screen display to Vivo’s mid-range segment. It features a 6.22-inch HD+ display with screen resolution of 1520 x 720 pixels, 19:9 aspect ratio, and a notch on top of the display.

Under the hood, it is powered by MediaTek’s Helio P22 octa-core processor clocked at up to 2.0 GHz with an IMG PowerVR GE8320 GPU clocked at 650 MHz. The chip features Mediatek’s Neuropilot tech which comes with support for TensorFlow, TF Lite, Caffe, and Caffe2.

The phone packs 4GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage. There’s also a microSD card slot, which enables users to further expand the phone’s storage capacity up to 256GB.

In the camera department, the Vivo Y83 features a 13-megapixel rear camera with an LED flash and f/2.2 aperture. On the front side, there’s an 8-megapixel snapper integrated with artificial intelligence and face recognition algorithm.

The front-facing camera supports features such as AI Makeup and customized beauty effects. The company says that the AI Beauty technology will get better at enhancing selfies as it learns more about the preferences with usage. Instead of the fingerprint sensor, the company decided to offer Face Unlock feature called Face Access 2.0.

Connectivity options on the device include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2 Low Energy, GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, FM radio, and 4G VoLTE. The smartphone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out of the box with company’s own FunTouch OS 4.0 custom interface on top. The phone is fuelled by a 3,260mAh battery.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition Combines A Pressure Sensitive Sensor With Synaptics In-Display Fingerprint Scanner For Faster Unlocking

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 31, 2018

The Mi 8 Explorer Edition (EE) is the first Xiaomi phone to come with an in-display fingerprint scanner. It is also the first smartphone in the world to use a pressure sensitive in-display fingerprint scanner. Reports have revealed that the scanner is Synaptics Clear ID FS9500.

The Clear ID FS9500 was announced in December by Synaptics Inc. When it was announced, it was reported that Synaptics was working with one of the top five smartphone manufacturers. Synaptics itself later revealed that it was shipping the scanners to Vivo. That scanner is what is used in the Vivo X21 UD.

Although Vivo is the first manufacturer in the world to release a phone with an in-display fingerprint scanner, Xiaomi’s Mi 8 EE has an edge over it. Apart from the Synaptics scanner, it also has a dedicated pressure-sensitive sensor that makes unlocking faster.

The sensor has a high sensitivity that immediately detects when the finger is placed on the display and “wakes the main scanner up”. This allows the Mi 8 EE unlock faster than the Vivo X21 UD even though they both use Synaptics Clear ID FS9500 sensor.

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Coolpad Insists Xiaomi Must Stop Selling Devices That Infringe On Its Patents

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

Recently, Coolpad filed a lawsuit against Xiaomi in China accusing the latter of infringing on a couple of its patent. The case was filed through Coolpad’s subsidiary Yulong Computer Technology before a Shenzhen court. A spokesperson for the Shenzhen-based smartphone maker has now insisted that Xiaomi has to immediately stop selling and manufacturing devices that infringe upon many of its patents in order to put an end to the legal tussle.

In an interview as reported by IANS, Coolpad’s Global Chief Patent Officer, Nancy Zhang stated that Coolpad was hopeful of Xiaomi putting an end to patent infringement. She stated that her company is ready to actively co-operate with them to promote industrial progress but the infringement has to stop. The smartphone maker is looking forward to work with Xiaomi to find a better solution, strengthen intellectual property protection and create a good business environment.

Coolpad also disclosed that one of the patents involves its award-winning dual-SIM-card-dual-standby technology. The three patents which Xiaomi is alleged to have infringed upon include system interaction or UI type patents, involving interface, applications and icon configuration technologies, whose features are more visible and identifiable on the infringing mobile phones. Cooldpad also hinted that it has filed for customs protection for two patents, which are “method of mobile telecommunication device collaboration and its interface system” and “implementation method for multi-model mobile device call history interface system”.

Read More: Coolpad Wants Eight Xiaomi Phones, Including Mi Mix 2 Banned For Patent Infringement

Recall that Coolpad is also demanding a ban on the specific Xiaomi phones which infringe on the said patents. The phones that could get banned include the Mi Mix, Redmi Note 4X, Mi 6, Mi Max 2, Mi Note 3, Redmi Note 5, Redmi 5 Plus and Mi 5X. Coolpad is also seeking compensation from Xiaomi for economic losses.

(source)

What Was Your Favourite Product From Xiaomi’s Anniversary Event Today?

By

Joel Joseph

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May 31, 2018

Xiaomi had a blast announcing not one or two but a total of 7 new products at its 8th Anniversary event in Shenzhen earlier today. The products ranged from smartphones, VR headsets, Mi TVs, and even fitness trackers. Overall, it was a feast for Xiaomi fans and now we want to know which was your favourite Xiaomi product from the event today.

Out of the 7 products announced at the event, there were three smartphones, a new generation of its OS, a large screen Mi TV, a fitness tracker, and finally a VR headset for China.

We take a look at the key details of each of the products announced today in this post, and let us know which is your favourite among these.

1. Xiaomi Mi 8

Snapdragon 845
Dual Frequency GPS
6.21-inch AMOLED Display
12MP AI Dual Cameras with 1.4um Pixels
99 DxOMark Score
IR Face Unlock
Starts at 2699 Yuan (~$421)

2. Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition

Snapdragon 845
Pressure Sensitive In Display Fingerprint
3D Facial Recognition
Translucent Back
8GB + 128GB
Rest Same As Mi 8
Starts At 3699 Yuan ($577)

3. Xiaomi Mi 8 SE

Snapdragon 710
5.88-inch AMOLED Display
12MP + 5MP AI Cameras
Enhanced Low Light Photography
20MP Front Camera With AI Portraits
3120mAh
Starts At 1799 yuan ($280)

4. MIUI 10

New Recent Apps Menu
Full Screen Optimizations
New Voice Assisted Driving Mode
New Smart Home Manager
Single Camera AI Portraits
New Visual UI

5. Mi TV 4 75-inch

Super Thin Body
Integrated Voice Assistant
4K HDR UltraHD Display
2GB + 32GB
64-bit Cortex A53 Powered Quad Core Chip
Dolby/ DTS Audio
8999 yuan ($1405)

6. Xiaomi Mi Band 3

0.78-inch OLED Touch Display
20 Day Battery Life
Call & App Notifications
Swimming Pool friendly (50M)
169 Yuan ($26)

7. Mi VR Standalone

Rebranded Oculus Go
SD821
2K Fast Switch Screen
1000 Oculus Optimized Games
360 Degree Audio Experience
¥1499 (~$234)

So what is your favourite Xiaomi product from today’s event? Which one will you pick?

Personally, at a starting price of ~$580, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition looks like a solid deal! What’s your take?

[yop_poll id=”22″]

Samsung Galaxy J4 With 5.5-Inch Display And 3,000mAh Battery Launched In India

By

Jeet

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May 31, 2018

Earlier this month, Samsung introduced a new smartphone in its J-series — Samsung Galaxy J4. Now, the South Korea-based company has silently launched Galaxy J4 (SM-J400) in India for a price of Rs. 9,990 which roughly converts to $148.

The smartphone comes with a 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display with screen resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. It is powered by 1.4GHz Exynos 7570 octa-core 14nm processor along with Mali-T720 MP1 graphics processor. The performance of Exynos 7570 is said to be on-par with that of Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 SoC.

It comes in two variants — one with 2GB RAM and 16GB of internal storage and another with 3GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage. The phone also has a microSD card slot which enables users to further expand the phone’s storage capacity up to 256GB.

Coming to the camera department, it comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera along with an LED flash and f/1.9 aperture. On the front side, there’s a 5-megapixel snapper with an LED flash and f/2.2 aperture.

As of the software, the device runs on Android 8.0 Oreo operating system out of the box with Samsung Experience custom interface on top. To enhance the user experience, the company has added Advanced Memory Management, Dual Apps, App Pair and Adaptive Wi-Fi, among others.

Connectivity options on the smartphone include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2 LE, GPS, FM Radio, and 3.5mm headphone jack. There is no fingerprint sensor but the phone comes with support for Face Unlock feature. The phone is fuelled by a 3,000mAh battery.

The Samsung Galaxy J4 is priced at Rs. 9,990 (approx. $148) for the 2GB RAM model. Pricing for the 3GB RAM model is not yet known. The smartphone is now available for purchase in India in three colors options — Blue, Blue, and Gold through offline stores across the country.

Nokia Health Sold Back To Withings Co-Founder

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 31, 2018

Two years after purchasing Withings, Nokia has sold it back to Withings co-founder Éric Careel. Mr. Careel was one of the interested buyers when Nokia decided to put up the health tech division for sale.

Nokia purchased the French company for about $190 million in 2016. It later rebranded it Nokia Health along with existing products. However, the business was struggling and Nokia announced a strategic review of the arm in February of this year.

When Nokia announced it was going to sell the business, a number of big names were linked to the deal. Google’s Nest was one of the interested buyers alongside Samsung. There were also two other French bidders including Éric Careel who eventually sealed the deal with Nokia.

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Xiaomi Releases List of Redmi Models Getting MIUI 10 Update

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

Xiaomi unveiled the latest MIUI 10 custom UI along with the Mi 8, Mi 8SE and Mi 8 in addition to the Mi Band 3. The new version comes preloaded on the new flagship phones and we expect that updates will soon roll out to Xiaomi’s flagship models like the Mi Mix 2s, Mi 6 and others. Xiaomi has now revealed the list of its Redmi models that will get MIUI 10 update.

The disclosure was made via a Weibo post on the Redmi series official handle detailed the models (13 in total) that will get updated to MIUI 10 in mainland China. The models include the Redmi Note 5, Redmi S2, Redmi 5, Redmi 5 Plus, Redmi 5A, Redmi Note 5A, Redmi 4X, Redmi Note 4X, Redmi 4A, Redmi 4, Redmi Note 4. Others include the Xiaomi Redmi Pro, Redmi 3S, Redmi 3X, and the Redmi Note 3 Full Network version which was released on January 17, 2016.

As to the timeline, the Redmi Note 5 and Redmi S2 will be eligible to get the MIUI 10 Developer ROM in late June. The other models will have to wait till the end of July to get MIUI 10 Developer ROM. As stated, this is for the China ROM and there is no timeline for the Global ROM rollout right now.

MIUI 10 Custom ROM is based on Android 8.1 Oreo and it has as its biggest upgrade the AI technology. The AI technology on MIUI 10 brings deep learning and thus reduces the loading time of apps by studying your app usage behaviour and anticipating actions. Another advantage is that MIUI 10 brings single camera bokeh mode to old Xiaomi smartphones including Xiaomi Mi 5 and Xiaomi Mi Note 2. The custom ROM also comes with a new driving mode, smart home gadgets manager and other features in addition to the existing features of MIUI 9.

(source)