OnePlus 6 Gets A New Update Which Brings Selfie Portraits & Battery Percentage Icon

By

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Jun 8, 2018

OnePlus took the wraps off the much-anticipated OnePlus 6 flagship last month and the device is already on sale. As always, the OnePlus 6 global version launched with OxygenOS and the Chinese version comes with the HydrogenOS custom skin. The OxygenOS has already gotten its first update which brought slow-motion video support and both notch hiding support. China’s HydrogenOS isn’t very much different from the OxygenOS but both OS don’t get updates at the same time and each update tends to bring varying features.

China’s HydrogenOS has now gotten a new update for the OnePlus 6 which is version 5.1.6. The new update brings selfie portrait mode photo support and a battery percentage icon for your status bar. These features will also hit the OxygenOS any moment from now since OnePlus has already promised it will provide an update that would usher in both features.

Also Read: ASUS Reportedly Had Plans To Include 10GB of RAM On Its Flagship Phone

Apart from the selfie portrait mode photo support and battery percentage icon, the new update also brings gaming-related optimizations. OP6 users on the OnePlus forums have also hinted that there is now an LTE data switch between SIM cards along with system power and performance optimizations. There is also a fix included for PUBG Mobile where footsteps were too quiet—a weird bug given that the system was causing that, but it’s fixed regardless. There aren’t much system changes other than these. OnePlus has promised to deliver more software cleanups, including an update that would bring back the Always On feature that was removed just before launch

(source)

ZTE Fined $1 Billion: Deal Reached With U.S. Administration To Lift Ban

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jun 8, 2018

Finally, the Trump administration has reached a deal with the Chinese telecommunications company ZTE. The hi-tech giant, accused of violating U.S. sanctions by selling telecom technology to Iran and North Korea had agreed to pay a $1 billion fine, then replace its board and senior leadership and allow the U.S. administration to inspect the company for its compliance team. With these conditions, the U.S. will finally lift a seven-year ban which could have led the company to its end. Indeed, the ban of ZTE would have prevented the company from buying American products for seven long years.

This means that U.S. companies such as Qualcomm would not be allowed to send components to ZTE for seven years. So, the Chinese hi-tech giant would not be able to get Snapdragon processors, as well as many other components which are very important to manufacture smartphones. Note that the company employs 75,000 workers and its value was about $20 billion before the ban. Thanks to this new deal between the U.S. administration and ZTE, tensions with the Chinese president Xi Jinping, who has personally asked Donald Trump to save the company, will surely defuse. It is worth mentioning that lawmakers are not very happy with this deal (top Republicans too).

According to them, it is not in the interest of the US to help a Chinese company that evidently broke American law and was accused to be a national security threat. A few months ago, the FBI, CIA, and NSA suggested American citizens not to buy smartphones made by Chinese tech companies such as Huawei and ZTE as they were defined a security threat to American customers. According to FBI Director Chris Wray, there is a risk of letting any company beholden to foreign governments inside the U.S. telecommunications infrastructure.

Do you agree with the ban lift for a $1 billion fine and more control on the company?

(Via)

OnePlus 6 Silk White Edition Coming Back On June 12

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jun 8, 2018

Besides the Mirror Black and Midnight Black hues, OnePlus 6 has also been launched in a third limited edition: Silk White. It has just turned out that the Silk White edition was more limited than expected. The white variant of the new flagship was sold out in just one day. For now, there is no more stock, but the company had already announced that it will be available again starting from June 12, 10 AM EDT. Currently, it is possible to register a mail on the site in order to get notified when it will be available again. The price of the Silk White version is exactly the same as the Mirror Black and Midnight Black ones ($529), as well as its specs.

We suggest you buy it immediately once it comes back in stock or you will risk missing it out again. While waiting for June 12, we are going to remind you the main specs if you decide to buy the OnePlus 6. The flagship has a very improved design compared with the predecessor 5T. It now sports a glass back and an aluminum frame, and it is splashproof. Its display has a size of 6.28 inches, it is an Optic AMOLED panel with a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2280 pixels and a notch.

Under the hood, OnePlus 6 boasts an octa-core Snapdragon 845 SoC by Qualcomm, running at a max frequency of 2.8 GHz. Alongside the processor, there are 6 or 8 GB of RAM and 64 or 128 GB of internal storage (not expandable). The main camera is a dual setup with resolutions of 16 and 20 MP, while the secondary camera is a 16 MP snapper supporting Face Unlock. The battery has a capacity of 3300 mAh and it can be charged very quickly thanks to the proprietary Dash Charge technology.

Do you like more the White version or the Black variants? Our OnePlus 6 Hands On Here!

Samsung Is Reportedly Supplying ‘Edge’ OLED Displays To Oppo

By

Jeet

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Jun 8, 2018

Samsung has differentiated its flagship smartphone from other high-end smartphones in the market with one distinguishing characteristic — edge screen. Edge display comes with a curved glass on both the sides, aiming to provide an immersive experience.

Now, according to the latest report, the South Korean giant Samsung Electronics is supplying its OLED edge displays to China-based Oppo, which now stands fifth in the global smartphone rankings. This could mean that we could soon see a smartphone from Oppo with a curved display.

The same report says that Samsung will be supplying 6.42-inch flexible OLED panels to Oppo starting from this month. It’s noteworthy that this is not the first time Samsung is supplying its displays to Oppo, but this is the first time Samsung is supplying flexible display to Oppo.

Given that “Edge” is a trademark of Samsung, Oppo will be coming up with a different moniker for its curved displays design element. With such display, the smartphone that will use the curved display will have a significantly higher price compared to its current flagship smartphone.

While the normal display panel costs around $20, the curved display will cost about $100 to Oppo, roughly five times the cost of the normal display panel. If the reports are to be believed, then we could see a smartphone with a flexible display from Oppo as early as July or August this year.

Meanwhile, Oppo is currently gearing up to launch its new smartphone — Oppo X on June 20. The smartphone is expected to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor, and up to 8GB of RAM.

(Source)

ASUS Reportedly Had Plans To Include 10GB of RAM On Its Flagship Phone

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 8, 2018

Taiwan-based tech giant ASUS took the wraps off the ROG gaming phone. The phone is more of a gaming rig than a smartphone and the name ROG actually stands for Republic of Gamers. The phone is ASUS’s first dedicated gamer phone and will take on the Razer phone as well as Xiaomi’s Black Shark phone.

As expected, the ROG comes with top-of-the-line hardware which includes an overclocked Snapdragon 845 chipset with an insane processing power. The phone also has an aggressive design which includes an innovative cooling system. The ROG phone comes with an 8GB RAM on two variants with 128GB and 512GB storage respectively. If you consider than stunning, the hardware could even have been crazy with news filtering in that ASUS had planned to include 10GB of RAM on an unnamed flagship about 10 months back.

So once upon a time (a few months back) ASUS wanted to put 10GB RAM in a new flagship (ROG phone maybe?). But that didn't work out, bc of packaging issues (usually placed on top of the SoC, but no room to put the necessary modules in the little space available for a PoP design)

— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) June 6, 2018

According to Twitter tipster Roland Quandt, the idea was jettisoned when the tech giant couldn’t find a way to fit the RAM module into the phones internal panel. The idea itself sounds really insane, considering that we have just less than that size of RAM on the average household PC. It sure would have been an overkill since most of those spaces would have gone unused but it would have created some excitement and perhaps bragging rights for the company. Unfortunately, the plan didn’t materialize on the ROG phone but it may likely not be long before they find a way around the obstacle. We won’t be surprised if other OEMs starts working on their own 10GB RAM phones.

(source)

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2018) & Galaxy J3 (2018) Official: Two Affordable Mid-rangers

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 8, 2018

Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy J7 (2018) and Galaxy J3 (2018). Both models come in as affordable mid-range models and are successors to the Galaxy J7 (2017) and J3 (2017). Both models don’t really come with so much difference in specs when compared to their predecessors.

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2018)

The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2018) is obviously the better model among the two newly launched phones. It equally comes with a higher price tag. The device comes with a phablet-sized 5.5-inch Super AMOLED 16:9 display with HD resolution of 1280 x 720pixels. The device packs a 13MP main camera with f/1.7 lens aperture while at the front there is a 13MP camera sensor with f/1.9 lens. According to Samsung, both cameras are engineered for the low-light environments in which we take most of our pictures, like restaurants and concerts. Perhaps, there has been some software enhancement if not, this is the same camera hardware on the J7 (2017). The device is also said to come with a large battery but further details are scanty. From the previously leaked manual, we know already that the battery is a removable one.

Samsung Galaxy J3 (2018)

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2018) sports a smaller 5.0-inch display with an HD resolution. The design is almost identical to the J7 (2018) but the display is likely an IPS LCD spec. Samsung did not reveal the processor type, RAM, battery and storage capacity of the J3 (2018). However, the camera configuration includes a 5MP f/2.2 sensor on the front and a primary 8MP camera on the back with a fairly big f/1.9 aperture. Samsung did reveal that both models come with Samsung Knox security.

Samsung says both models are affordable but did not reveal their price tags. However, we expect the models to be priced between $150- $220. The Galaxy J3(2017) was launched for $149.99 and the Galaxy J7 (2017) had a retail price of $219.99. Since there is hardly any major upgrade, the prices shouldn’t be starkly different.

(source)

Check Out Oukitel Phablet Mega Sale On GearBest; Promo Slated To End Soon!

By

Vinay Patel

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Jun 8, 2018

Oukitel is passionate about reaching a wider global market. The popular brand has a reputation for delivering exceptionally designed yet low-priced smart devices to consumers across the globe.

Keeping in line with this, GearBest recently kicked off its latest promotion dubbed, ‘Oukitel Phablet Mega Sale’ wherein the site will be doling out big discounts on a broad range of smartphones and phablets. Buyers will be able to save over $50 on select Oukitel branded smartphones and phablets.

Oukitel WP5000

The WP5000 was launched earlier last month. As expected, the phablet became an instant hit among tech buffs thanks to its exceptional specs and features.

If you have restlessly been waiting to get your hands on the WP5000, but aren’t willing to spend a lot of money on a phablet, we got good news for you. GearBest is offering a considerable 21% off on the original selling price of the 4G phablet for a limited period of time.

The Oukitel WP5000 would normally set you back $299.99 on GearBest, but as part of its latest promotion, the site is offering $50 off on the original asking price of the black-tinted WP5000. The promo will be valid only for the remaining 144 pieces for 3 days.

Oukitel U18

The U18 4G phablet propelled straight to popularity after hitting the store shelves earlier this year. The device sports a big 5.85 inches FHD display with a screen resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels and a slew of other awe-inspiring features that make it an irresistible phablet.

Much to the delight of cost-conscious buyers, GearBest is offering a noteworthy 17% off on the phablet’s original selling price. While the Oukitel U18 would normally set you back $189.99, you now have a chance to buy it at a lowered price of just $149.99.

On the downside, the Flash Sale price will only be valid for 5 days. As if that weren’t enough, there were only 97 pieces remaining at the time of writing.

Oukitel K10

The K10 is crammed with specs and features that are expected to sweep tech buffs off their feet. The phablet was made available to the public in January this year and it was very well-received by the huge Oukitel fanbase worldwide.

Bearing its popularity in mind, GearBest is giving buyers an opportunity to get their hands on the coveted K10 phablet at a slashed price of just $249.99. The device normally comes bearing a steep price tag of $299.99.

It is imperative for you to bear in mind that the Flash Sale price will expire after 3 days. Moreover, there were about 83 pieces only left at the time of writing.

Oukitel U16 Max

Even more than one year after its debut, the Oukitel U16 Max continues to take phablet realm by storm. The device is brimming with a myriad of jaw-dropping specs and features that are like to grab your attention.

It is hardly surprising that GearBest is offering a 17% discount on the retail price of the U16 Max, given that it is one of the well-received Oukitel branded phablets. The 3GB RAM/32GB ROM version of the device is currently available on the site at a reduced price of just 99.99.

Note that you’d normally have to shell out $119.99 in order to buy the U16 Max phablet on GearBest. But thanks to the aforesaid discount, you can buy it for just $99.99. The Flash Sale price will be valid for the remaining 160 pieces for 3 days.

Rest of the smartphones and phablets have further been divided into 2 categories including MEGA Mobile Phones and EPIC Phone Accessories. You can check out the devices featured in these categories by following this link.

Get Big Discounts On Select Oukitel Branded Phablets On GearBest

Check More Deals and Promotions From Other Shops

MediaTek Helio M70 5G NR Modem Announced in Taiwan

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 8, 2018

After Qualcomm, Intel, Huawei and Samsung, MediaTek has finally announced its own 5G baseband modem, the Helio M70. According to a Taiwanese publication, MediaTek will be shipping the Helio M70 in 2019.

The Helio M70 modem not only supports 5G NR, but also it meets the latest 3GPP Release 15 standard specification. The new SoC can reach a maximum download speed of 5 Gbps. The Taiwan-based chip maker has claimed that it has already co-operated with Nokia, NTT Docomo, China Mobile and Huawei to ensure that the new chip is ready in 2019.

The specifications of the Helio M70 are not known yet. However, the company has confirmed that the entire details of this new chip will be made available later in this month. It is speculated that the company will be ramping up the shipments of Helio M70 in 2020-2022. MediaTek has recently shifted its focus to mid-range and low-end markets. Hence, MediaTek SoC and Helio M70 powered affordable smartphones may release in the coming year.

In October 2017, Qualcomm had announced its Snapdragon X50 LTE modem. At that time, the company had claimed that it would be commercially available in the first half of 2019. However, a recent report reveals that the Qualcomm is putting full efforts to launch first 5G smartphones later this year.

The chipmaker had confirmed that it is working with several smartphone OEMs such Asus, Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Connected Technologies Limited, HMD Global (Nokia), HTC, Inseego/Novatel Wireless, LG, NetComm Wireless, NETGEAR, OPPO, Sharp Corporation, Sierra Wireless, Sony Mobile, Telit, vivo, Wingtech, WNC, Xiaomi and ZTE to release smartphones with Snapdragon X50 LTE modem.

At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018, Huawei had also claimed that it would be releasing its 5G smartphone in the second half of 2019. Even OPPO has claimed that it will be one of the first manufacturers to launch a 5G phone.

(source)

Lenovo Z5 vs Nokia X6: Snapdragon 636 Powered Mid-Rangers Compared

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jun 8, 2018

HMD Global and Lenovo decided to launch a brand new series of mid-range smartphones this year and the first devices inaugurating their individual lineups are Lenovo Z5 and Nokia X6. From the initial teasers, they looked like flagships, but at the launch event they turned out to be mid-rangers and left many fans disappointed. However, they are among the best choices in their sector and they have all the potentialities to affect the sales of Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and other best-selling phones of 2018. This is a complete Lenovo Z5 vs Nokia X6 comparison of their specs with their strong and weak points.

Lenovo Z5 vs Nokia X6

	Lenovo Z5	Nokia X6
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	153 x 75.65 x 7.85 mm, 165 grams	147.2 x 71 x 8 mm, 153 grams
DISPLAY	6.2 inches, 1080 x 2246p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, 19:9 ratio, IPS LCD	5.8 inches, 1080 x 2280p (Full HD+), 435 ppi, 19:9 ratio, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, octa-core 1.8 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, octa-core 1.8 GHz
MEMORY	6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB, micro SD slot	4 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD slot
SOFTWARE	Android 8.0 Oreo, ZUI 4.0	Android 8.1 Oreo, Android One
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Dual 16 + 8 MP 8 MP front camera	Dual 16 + 5 MP f/2.0 + f/2.2 16 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY	3300 mAh Fast charging 18W	3060 mAh
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot

Design

The design is one of the strongest points of Nokia X6. Recently, HMD Global has shown us how much it cares about the aesthetics of their phones and shared early prototypes of several phones which are actually in the market. Nokia X6 is one of the most beautiful handsets in the midrange sector with a glass sandwich design and an aluminum frame. We can say the same about the Lenovo Z5 which comes with a glass back available even in the Aurora gradient color. Both devices feature a notch, so their screen-to-body ratio is very high. I like Lenovo Z5 a bit more due to its gradient hue, reflective back, and higher screen-to-body ratio, but your taste may not necessarily be the same as mine.

Display

Lenovo Z5 has a bigger and more comfortable display, while Nokia X6 has a bit more pixels due to its smaller notch. Both feature a Full HD+ resolution, but given that the X6 is smaller, it is easier to use with one hand. In terms of viewing quality they are similar, so we are not going to choose a winner as it depends on the display size you like the most.

Hardware/Software

Even on the hardware side there aren’t significant differences between Lenovo Z5 and Nokia X6. Their SoC is the efficient Snapdragon 636 running at a max frequency of 1.8 GHz paired with 6 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of internal storage. Note that Nokia X6 is the only one to be available in a configuration with 4 GB RAM. But despite the fact that they got the same hardware side, we believe that Nokia X6 will perform better as it is equipped with a stock Android version. On the other hand, the ZUI 3.9 custom interface installed on the Z5 will provide more additional features and graphics improvements.

Camera

We do not have enough data to establish which will be the best camera. These phones have a dual camera setup on their rear side and their primary sensor has a 16 MP resolution. However, we do not even know the aperture of Lenovo Z5’s cameras, neither the model of the sensors, so we do not have an idea about the quality of its photos. We have to wait until we get our hands on it. The front camera seems to be better on the Nokia X6 (on paper) with its 16 MP resolution and f/2.0 aperture.

Battery

Lenovo Z5 has a bigger battery with a capacity of 3300 mAh. But we have to see how well it has been optimized to know if its battery life will really be longer than the one of Nokia X6. Considering that Lenovo Z5 has 3300 mAh, there is a good chance that it will provide a longer battery life than its opponent, especially because the hardware and displays of both the devices are quite similar on paper. But we want to verify it before expressing a final judgment. For now, Lenovo Z5 wins.

Price

Prices are competitive. Lenovo Z5 starts from just $202 in China, in its configuration with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB ROM. Nokia X6 costs just $204 in China, but note that this is the price for the 4/32 GB configuration (6/64 GB version costs $266). I would pick Lenovo Z5 due to its more attractive design, higher screen-to-body ratio and slightly bigger battery (not sure if it will last longer). But note that my opinion might change after evaluating the camera performance.

What would you pick?

Lenovo Z5 vs Nokia X6: PRO and CONS

Lenovo Z5

PRO

More attractive design
Bigger battery
Lower price
Higher STB ratio

CONS

Potentially worse cameras

Nokia X6

PRO

Stock Android
Potentially better performance
More compact design

CONS

Smaller display, battery

Check Out Summer Electronics New Arrivals Promotion On GearBest; Get $5 Off And Lots More!

By

Vinay Patel

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Jun 8, 2018

As part of its latest Summer Electronics New Arrivals promotion, GearBest is offering $5 off on a broad range of products. These items have been split into multiple categories in a bid to simplify the search process.

First off, the site is doling out a considerable 13% off on the Lenovo Watch 9. The device would normally set you back $39.99, but thanks to the aforesaid discount you can now get your hands on the highly useful wristband by shelling out just $36.99.

With just 177 pieces left for the Flash Sale price, the promo is slated to end in 3 days. It is also worth noting that the discount is valid only for the black color version of the Lenovo Watch 9 wristband.
Likewise, GearBest is giving an opportunity to buy the Bluedio T5 wireless Bluetooth headphone at a slashed price of just $49.99. The device normally sells for $55.99 on the site.

Note that the discount is valid for black, yellow as well as the red color version of the T5 headphones. On the downside, there were only 19 pieces of the black, 45 pieces of the yellow, and 41 pieces of the red color versions remaining at the time of writing.

Special Deals

This category comprises several electronic items including the Lenovo HX03F Smart Watch, the Alfawise JD – T8610 – Q2 Wireless WiFi IP Camera Bulb Cam, Houzetek KW680 CAN OBDII Diagnostic Tool, and Super Mini 8 Bit Built-in 821 Games HD TV Game Console. More importantly, the aforesaid items are available at a considerably reduced price.
For instance, the Lenovo HX03F Smart Watch that normally sells for $29.05 can now be yours if you’re willing to shell out just $26.99. This is a 7% reduction in the device’s original asking price. Regrettably, the Flash Sale price will only be valid for 3 days for the remaining 131 pieces.

Flash Sale

The Flash Sale section is brimming with all sorts of items that you can buy without emptying your pocket. For example, you can buy the Original SJCAM SJ7 STAR WiFi Action Camera for a discounted price of just $149.59 on GearBest.
The site is giving a noteworthy 22% off on the retail price of the SJCAM SJ7 STAR. The action camera normally comes bearing a price tag of $190.74 on the site. This section also features a slew of other useful items such as Xiaomi 70 Minutes Smart WiFi Car DVR, Xiaomi ROIDMI 3S Bluetooth Music Car Charger and lots more.

$5 OFF OVER $30: CEIT30-5

GearBest is offering $5 off to buyers whose grand total exceeds $30. Keeping in line with this, you can buy the Mini 0903 Plus Car DVR, which is currently up for grabs at a discounted price of just $64.44. Normally, the device sells for $79.48 on the site.

Now, since your grand total is over $30, you can apply discount coupon ‘CEIT30-5’ at the time of checking out to save an additional $5. It is imperative for you to bear in mind that the coupon code is only valid for items featured in this category.

Buy More Save More

You can buy two items as a bundle in order to save a considerable amount of money. This category features a combo of Quelima SQ13 Mini HD 1080P Car DVR DV Camera + Car Steering Wheel Phone Mount Holder, and HUAWEI Band 3 Smartband + Original Xiaomi Portable USB LED Light.

The Quelima SQ13 Mini HD 1080P Car DVR DV Camera + Car Steering Wheel Phone Mount Holder usually sell for $29.99 and $1.66, respectively. But much to the delight of cost-conscious buyers, GearBest is selling the Quelima SQ13 Mini HD 1080P Car DVR DV Camera at a lowered price of just $20.99 and the Car Steering Wheel Phone Mount Holder for a discounted price of $1.23.

Ideally, the combo will set you back $22.65, but the two devices as currently available as a combo at a final price of just $22.22. You end up saving $0.43 apart from getting a 30% off on the Quelima SQ13 Mini HD 1080P Car DVR DV Camera and 26% off on the Car Steering Wheel Phone Mount Holder.

Top Smart Watches

GearBest is giving smart watch lovers something cheer about in the form of big discounts on select smartwatches. In this category, you’ll find the Original Xiaomi Mi Band 2 Smart Watch, which usually carries a price sticker of $38.98.
The Chinese online store is offering 49% off on the retail price of the Mi Band 2. This brings the device’s selling price down to only $19.99. The promo will be valid for 4 days and there were 1946 pieces left at the time of writing.

The recently kicked off promotion also comprises a slew of other categories such as Powerhouse Action Cams, Headphones, Security & Protection, and Pure Entertainment. You can head straight to this link if you’re interested in checking out rest of the products before the promo wraps up.

Get $5 Off On $30 And Other Discounts On GearBest

Check More Deals and Promotions From Other Shops

Samsung Galaxy A9 Star, A9 Star Lite Pricing Officially Confirmed

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jun 8, 2018

At the beginning of this month, Samsung had started receiving the pre-orders of the Galaxy A9 Star and Galaxy A9 Star Lite smartphones in China. Yesterday, it had held an unveiled event in China to officially debut the A9 Star and A9 Star Lite phones. The South Korean company has now confirmed the specs and pricing of both phones. The Galaxy A9 Star duo are slated to released in the market by June 15.

Samsung Galaxy A9 Star, A9 Star Lite Specifications and Features

The specifications of the Galaxy A9 Star are somewhat similar to the Galaxy A6+ smartphone that was unveiled recently. Also, both the smartphones have similar appearance. The A9 Star features a large-sized Super AMOLED Display of 6.3 inches that carries support for 18.5:9 aspect ratio and FHD+ resolution of 2220 x 1080 pixels. The Snapdragon 660 chipset and 4 GB of RAM powers the phone. It has a native storage of 64 GB and also features a microSD card slot. It receives power from 3,700mAh battery.

The front and rear cameras are the major features of the Galaxy A9 Star and A9 Star duo. For snapping selfies, the Galaxy A9 Star is equipped with a 24-megapixel front-facing camera that comes with AI-powered beautification features. The 16-megapixel + 24-megapixel dual camera setup is designed to capture better photos in dim light conditions. Specifically, the 24-megapixel secondary sensor merges four pixels into one to shoot photos with reduced noise in low-light conditions. It is also carries support for 4K video shooting at 30 fps.

The Galaxy A9 Star Lite is identical to Galaxy A6+ in terms of design. It has a slightly smaller S-AMOLED display of 6 inches which supports the same aspect ratio and FHD+ resolution like its larger sibling. The modest Snapdragon 450 SoC powers the phone along with 4 GB of RAM. It also features an internal storage of 64 GB.

The Galaxy A9 Star Lite features 16-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup that lacks support for 4K video recor7ding. It has an LED equipped 24-megapixel selfie camera. The handset receives power from 3,500mAh battery. Both the smartphones are running on Android 8.1 Oreo based Samsung Experience UI that is customized for Chinese audience. Both phones also feature Dolby Atmos audio.

The Galaxy A9 Star is priced at 2,999 Yuan (~$468) and it comes in two colors like Black and White. On the other hand, the Galaxy A9 Star Lite costs 1,999 Yuan (~$312) and it can be brought in colors such as Night Sky Black and Dark Blue.

Giveaway – Win an eMeet M2 AI Conference Speaker

By

Shine Wong

-

Jun 8, 2018

Gizmochina along with eMeet Official is conducting 1 unit eMeet M2 as giveaway gift to a lucky reader. Like always, you just have to follow the steps mentioned on the Gleam widget to get a chance to win this amazing gift.

Here is the main features of eMeet M2 AI conference speaker:

26 Ft Far-Field & 360° Voice Recognition: Equipped with 4 upgraded microphones arrays capable of catching sound from every angle up to 26 ft and fit for a meeting room with 1-12 people.
High-Quality Audio Experience: The M2 can provide rich crystal clear HD audio thanks to the VoiceIA™ Algorithm. Its Acoustic Echo Canceller completely eliminates the echo and noise which guarantee a high-quality conference call experience even in noisy outdoor areas.
Simple Yet Powerful: No driver needed, plug-and-play. The eMeet M2 Conference Speakerphone saves your time to debug devices.
Unique Design: Compact and portable design make it easy to put the eMeet M2 Conference Speakerphone into your pocket or briefcase.
Large Compatibility: EMeet M2 Conference Speaker is compatible with multiple devices and operating systems like Windows 7, 8 and 10 as well as Mac OS. It has been tested and optimized for mainstream conference applications like Zoom, Skype, WebEx, Goto Meeting, Google Hangout, Facetime and etc.

Here is a coupon code for eMeet M2 on Amazon US/UK/CA users.

Buy eMeet M2 on Amazon, Coupon Code: EMEETM2GO

How to entry this giveaway? Just follow these steps via Gleam widget:

Follow eMeet on Facbook: https://business.facebook.com/emeetglobal/
Follow eMeet on twitter: https://twitter.com/emeetglobal
Share this giveaway contest on Facebook, Twitter and Reddit

Terms & Conditions:

1. The giveaway is an international giveaway.
2. We are not responsible for lost shipments.
3. We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur.
4. We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
5. The prize will be shipped in a month when the giveaway end.

Just follow the steps mentioned in the Gleam widget to participate in the giveaway.

Once again, good luck.

Giveaway – Win a eMeet M2 AI Conference Speaker

Snapdragon 1000 Could be in Works with 12W TDP

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jun 8, 2018

Few days ago, Qualcomm had unleashed the Snapdragon 850 chipset as an overclocked edition of the SD845. The SD850 is expected to offer 30 percent better performance than SD835 powered devices like Hp Envy x2 and ASUS NovaGo. The new chipset has mainly designed to power ARM computers. Fresh information revealed by reliable tipster Roland Quandt states that Qualcomm is also working on a more powerful chipset called Snapdragon 1000 for Windows 10 ARM PCs.

Even though the upcoming processor is being referred to as Snapdragon 1000, it may arrive in the market with a different name. Preliminary information suggests that it is designed to take Intel powered laptops.

The tipster has revealed that the Snapdragon 1000 is likely to deliver a TDP (Thermal Design Power) of up to 12W. It is nearly twice more than SD850 that has a maximum TDP of 6.5W. The U-series processors from Intel such as 8250U and 8550U have 15W TDP and are equipped with quad cores with two threads each.

There is no information available on the specs of the Snapdragon 1000. However, it is likely to arrive with Cortex-A76 architecture that was recently unveiled by ARM. It is designed to produce a maximum clocking speed of up to 3 GHz and 35 percent better performance compared to predecessor Cortex A75. The Cortex A76 is expected to be aimed towards smartphones. However, it may deliver higher clocking speed in laptop-like devices and it may be able to produce the same clocking speed for longer duration through advanced cooling.

Quandt has claimed that the Cortex A76 inside the SD 1000 could be coupled with Cortex A55 that was announced at the beginning of this year. It is speculated to be built with 7nm manufacturing process by TSMC. Also, devices powered by it will be running on ARM version of Windows which carries support for x86 apps.

The tipster has added that ASUS could be the first manufacturer to launch Snapdragon 1000 powered laptop. The prototype of the ASUS device is named as Primus and it is speculated to come with 1080p display and WiGig wireless connectivity.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi Gaming Mouse Launched In China For 249 Yuan ($39)

By

Jeet

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Jun 8, 2018

After launching Mi Wireless Mouse Youth Edition, China-based Xiaomi has now launched yet another mouse, this time for the gaming enthusiast. The newly launched mouse, dubbed as Mi Gaming Mouse, is aimed at gamers and comes with a price tag of 249 Yuan, which roughly converts to $39.

The company says that the Mi Gaming Mouse has micro-motion and ergonomic design, aiming to support rapid actions, such as quick key targeting, press and hold action, among other such actions which are crucial during a gameplay. It also has an adjustable DPI which can help players during gameplay to aim and shoot more accurately.

The mouse comes equipped with a professional 7200dpi gaming optical sensor which supports five adjustable speeds. There are two buttons on the top — one can be used to increase the speed while the other one decreases the speed. There’s also an LED indicator which displays the DPI speed in real-time.

The Mi Gaming Mouse is powered by a 32-bit ARM processor that can be programmed with 125/250/500/1000 four-speeds through a software. Further, the mouse supports 30G acceleration, tracking speed of 150IPS, and has better accuracy, tracking speed and operating consistency.

It can be operated in two different modes — wired as well as wireless. The company suggests wired mode for gaming purpose for better connectivity and stability and wireless mode for regular home or office related work.

The mouse also comes with RGB lights, enabling users to choose from four different lighting modes for the scroll as well as the tail lighting. The Xiaomi’s Mi Gaming Mouse is compatible with both Microsoft‘s Windows operating system as well as Apple‘s macOS.

Upgraded MediaTek Helio P60 with AI-Oriented Update Likely to Debut This Year

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 8, 2018

More and more manufacturers are including AI-related features on their smartphones these days. Hence, chip makers are also working on SoCs that can handle AI tasks efficiently. Earlier this year, MediaTek had released the Helio P60 chipset with dedicated AI unit. Fresh information reveals that the company is working on an enhanced version of Helio P60. It may arrive with improvements in the AI department.

The MediaTek MT6771 processor also known as Helio P60 has met with good success as many phones from Oppo and Vivo feature it. According to MediaTek, it was the first one to bring 12nm chipset to the mid-range smartphone segment through Helio P60. The SoC comes with a multi-core AI processing unit also known as mobile APU for efficiently dealing with AI capabilities of smartphones.

The recently unveiled Helio P22 that is built on the same 12nm FinFET process has also met with good reception. The all new Vivo Y83 is one of the first smartphones to feature the Helio P22 SoC. Made for mid-range phones, the Helio P22 is designed to deal with AI tasks. Even though Helio P60 is an AI ready chipset, it is now speculated that an upgraded edition with AI-oriented update is in works and it will be arriving later this year.

In the past years, MediaTek had manufactured chipsets for powering flagship smartphones. However, since it failed to bag big clients, it has shifted its focus to making SoCs for affordable smartphones. According to TL. Lee who is MediaTek’s Head of communications product business wing, the company is now focusing more on manufacturing mid-range and high-end Helio P chipsets with AI capabilities.

As of this writing, there is no information available on the specifications of the improved version of Helio P60 that is speculated to launch later this year.

(source)

Vivo NEX, NEX S Full Specifications, Images Appear on Official Website

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 8, 2018

Just as the Vivo V9 had popped on Vivo India’s online shop before its official announcement, the upcoming Vivo NEX flagship phone had also momentarily appeared on the Chinese edition of Vivo’s website. The Vivo NEX and NEX S were found listed on the official website along with their entire specifications. As expected, those listings have been taken down, but their screenshots are available on SlashLeaks.

The Vivo NEX was listed with a pricing of 9,999 Yuan (~$1,560). The smartphone is unlikely to carry such a high pricing. It is speculated that the Vivo NEX variants could be priced around $800 to $1,000.

Vivo NEX S Specifications

As it can be seen in the listing, the Vivo NEX S will be coming in red colored rear and a black front. The handset features 8 GB of RAM and an internal storage of 128 GB. It is driven by the Snapdragon 845 chipset. The device is preinstalled with Android 8.1 Oreo with a layer of FunTouch OS on its top.

The Vivo NEX S has a massive display of 6.59 inches that supports 2,316 x 1080 pixels. The exact screen-to-body ratio was not mentioned on the official listing. Considering the fact that the display is surrounded by super-slim bezel and a thin-sized bottom bezel, the Vivo NEX S is likely to deliver a screen-to-body ratio of around 91 percent. The smartphone measures 162 x 77 x 7.98mm and it includes a 4,000mAh battery.

The Vivo NEX S has a front-facing popup camera of 8-megapixel. The rear side features a vertical dual camera setup that comprises of 12-megapixel primary sensor and 5-megapixel secondary sensor. Some of the connectivity features of the Vivo NEX S smartphone include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB 2.0 and USB OTG. This model is equipped with an under-display fingerprint reader. Probably, it features the half-screen fingerprint scanner that was available on the Vivo APEX concept phone.

Vivo NEX Specifications

The Vivo NEX is a low powered version of the NEX S as it is fueled by Snapdragon 710 chipset and 6 GB of RAM. Also, another striking difference is that it does not feature an under-screen fingerprint scanner. The rear side of the phone is fitted with a squarish fingerprint reader. This model also features a native storage of 128 GB.

The Vivo NEX measures 162 x 77 x 9.8mm and it also features the huge 6.59-inch display that produces FHD+ resolution of 2316 x 1080 pixels. It is packed with a 4,000mAh battery. The handset features the same dual camera setup, selfie camera and connectivity features that are available on the Vivo NEX S phone.

Another variant dubbed as Vivo NEX A was spotted alongside Vivo NEX and NEX S in the recent past. However, there is no accurate information available on its specifications. The Vivo NEX is slated to go official on June 12.

(source)

Blackberry Key2 Stunning Hands-on Photos Captured From All Angles

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 8, 2018

TCL-owned Blackberry continued from where it left off on the Keyone with the launch of the Blackberry Key2 yesterday in New York. The Key2 is noticeably wearing a new, improved look when compared to its predecessor. Check out the photo gallery of the Blackberry Key2 that we got courtesy of tech blog Geekspin.

The Blackberry Key2 is one smartphone to be excited about for all reasons except its pricing. It packs the same 4.5-inch LCD utilized on the KEYone in a 3:2 aspect ratio. The small display is as a result of the physical QWERTY keyboard that is underneath the display. They keyboard took some improvement in the size of the keys and the feel. There is also new Speed key just beside the symbol key. The keyboard’s surface is touch-sensitive meaning you can swipe up and down through lists, as well as left and right. With the Key2’s QWERTY keyboard, it is possible to assign shortcuts to all of the letters.

In terms of the dimension, the Blackberry Key2 measures 151.4mm x 71.8mm x 8.5mm, meaning it is taller but the width is almost the same with the Keyone but just 8.5mm thick as against 9.4mm on the Keyone. The device is also lighter and sturdier. The body is made from the 7 series aluminium.

Turning our attention to the back, the device use a dimpled plastic finished in a grippy diamond pattern that stretches all the way from top to bottom. The Key2 is a dual camera-packing smartphone which is the first in the series as the Keyone had only one rear sensor. The dual camera are arranged horizontally and placed at the top left edge of the back panel. There is no fingerprint sensor at the back, instead it is embedded under the space bar.

The placement of the capacitive keys on the side edges are also different on the Key2. On the KeyOne, the power button was placed in the top left corner edge and wasn’t particularly easy to reach. The Key2’s power button has now moved to the right edge, located underneath the volume rocker and is in effect within easy thumb reach (or left hand index finger). It’s also textured to differentiate it from the Convenience Key which sits underneath that.

The hardware onboard the Blackberry Key2 is also improved. It is powered by a Snapdragon 660 processor, paired with 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage. Other features of the BlackBerry KEY² include a 3500mAh battery which BlackBerry claims should last for two days, a USB-C port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and NFC. It comes with Android 8.1 Oreo and BlackBerry’s DTEK security features. The device comes in Silver and Black colours but I think I prefer the Silver variant. Glance through more hands-on photos of the Blackberry Key2 on our gallery.

[envira-gallery id=”195352″]

OPPO Find X TENAA Listings Appear as June 19 Launch Draws Near

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 8, 2018

OPPO has recently confirmed that it will be debuting the OPPO Find X flagship phone on June 19. Earlier this week, PAFM00 and PAFT00 OPPO phones were spotted at China’s 3C body. These devices are speculated to be the two variants of the upcoming Find X phone. The 3C listings of Find X variants had only revealed that they support 5V/4A (20W) charging. Today, the same models have appeared on TENAA to reveal their entire specifications. However, the listings do not include any images. The specifications of the two phones suggest that they are indeed flagship phones which further hints that they could be two editions of the OPPO Find X.

The PAFM00 and PAFT00 phones have identical specifications. Hence, it appears that these could be network variants or one of them may not feature some advanced feature like 3D face recognition or 5x optical zoom.

The TENAA listings reveal that the alleged OPPO Find X will be measuring 156.7 x 74.3 x 9.4mm and weighing 186 grams. It will be coming in two color options such as Black and White. As rumors have claimed, the handset features 6.4-inch AMOLED.

It is speculated that the Find X phone will have a dual edge curved display like the premium Galaxy smartphones from Samsung. The display of the phone is also rumored to feature a notch. Unfortunately, the TENAA listings do not have any images to confirm the display design.

The 2.8 GHz octa-core processor will be powering the phone along with 8 GB of RAM. It could be fueled by the Snapdragon 845 chipset. It has an inbuilt storage of 128 GB and it also features a microSD card slot for extra storage. The handset is loaded with Android 8.1 Oreo.

When it comes to photography, the rear panel of the phone will be featuring a dual camera that will include a 16-megapixel sensor and a 20-megapixel selfie. It is speculated that the Oppo Find X will feature periscope-style dual camera technology that will offer 5x lossless zoom. The TENAA listing further reveals that it is fitted with a 25-megapixel shooter. The smartphone draws power from 3,645mAh battery that is likely to support fast charging through USB-C.

(source 1, 2)

Xiaomi Launches The Dr Bei Sonic Electric Toothbrush Priced At 99 yuan (~$15)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 8, 2018

Xiaomi has launched a new Dr Bei toothbrush under the crowdfunding platform. The new Dr Bei toothbrush is a electric model unlike the initial mechanical toothbrush that has been in the market for a while now. Dr Bei mechanical toothbrush is actually one cheap and hot-selling product, even outside China.

The new Dr Bei electric toothbrush uses the Sonic technology that is also utilized by the Soocas electric toothbrush. It comes with a tiny brush head that would ensure the toothbrush can access all parts of the oral cavity. The new electric toothbrush also comes with an IPX7-level waterproof build. It is powered by a 700mAh rechargeable battery. The battery takes about 4hours to become fully charged and it uses a 5V-1A charger. The wireless charging base doubles as a kickstand which can hold the toothbrush in an upright position. A full battery charge can last up to 21 days if it is used once daily.

Internally, the Dr Bei Sonic toothbrush packs a magnetic levitation motor that has a high frequency vibration of 31000 beats/minute. Its bristles amplitude exceeds 5.5mm and it can effectively clean the surface of the teeth and the blind area of the mouth. The vibration also has the power to disintegrate plaque. In addition, the motor uses a gradual start-up method to effectively prevent toothpaste from splashing.

On the outside, the toothbrush head adopts a mountain-type structure and a sandwich-type bristle arrangement, which can quickly penetrate into the gingival sulcus. The bristles can be assigned three types of sharpened fur produced by Toray to ease the bleeding of gums in the morning. The entire toothbrush with the bristle head attached weighs only 90g. The handle has a diameter of 25mm and so, is compact and easy to hold. In terms of functions, it supports both strong and weak vibration modes, known as Standard mode and Soft mode. Both modes can be selected using the button on the stem.

The toothbrush is presently on crowdfunding on the Xiaomi Youpin website for 99 yuan (~$15). The package iinclude a carry case, two toothbrush heads, a wireless charging base and the brush handle. There’s also a manual but expect that to be in Chinese. The product is expected to start shipping on July 20 in China.There are hardly plans to launch these type of products outside China but in no distant time online retailers like Gearbest, Banggood, Geekbuying and others will have it in stock.

(source)

Giveaway – Win a Vkworld VK7000 Waterproof Rugged Phone

By

Shine Wong

-

Jun 8, 2018

Gizmochina along with Vkworld Official is conducting 1 unit Vkworld VK7000 rugged phone as giveaway gift to a lucky reader. Like always, you just have to follow the steps mentioned on the Gleam widget to get a chance to win this amazing gift.

Vkworld VK7000 is a IP68 waterproof smartphone, features 5.2 inch incell screen and the resolution of 720×1280, MTK6750T Octa-Core, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, run with android Oreo.The battery is 5600mAh which has super endurance,and it supports 5V/2A fast charge and wilress charge. Meanwhile VK7000 support Face ID and fingerprint scanner.

The Vkworld VK7000 phone is on sale at AliExpress in Jun 8 to 11, $30 off only in this shop.

Buy Vkworld VK7000 on AliExpress

How to entry this giveaway? Just follow these steps via Gleam widget:

Visit Vkworld VK7000 promotion page on Aliexpress: https://goo.gl/mHLHyz
Follow Vkworld on Facbook: https://www.facebook.com/vkworld.cc/
Follow Vkworld on twitter: https://twitter.com/vkworld_mobile
Share this giveaway contest on Facebook, Twitter and Reddit

Terms & Conditions:

1. The giveaway is an international giveaway.
2. We are not responsible for lost shipments.
3. We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur.
4. We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
5. The prize will be shipped in a month when the giveaway end.

Just follow the steps mentioned in the Gleam widget to participate in the giveaway.

Once again, good luck.

Giveaway – Win a VKWorld VK7000 waterproof rugged phone