Xiaomi Mi 8 With Translucent Back Now Showcased in Hands On Video

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May 23, 2018

The media has been kept buzzing by the surprised Xiaomi Mi 8 Anniversary flagship which is expected to be launched on May 31 in Shenzhen, China. Xiaomi earlier this week revealed the launch date and since then, the rumour mill has continued to rattle with details of the model. Earlier on, we stumbled on a couple of leaked hands-on pictures of the Mi 8. Right now, we happen to have laid our hands on the Mi 8 hands-on video.

From the look of things, the pictures purported to be those of the Mi 8 was gotten from the hands-on video. The short video reveals no further details of its design but once again, it reiterates the presence of a transparent glass back panel on the device. The front view aligns with the design of the leaked front panel which revealed the Mi 8 will come with a notch design on its display. Unfortunately, we can’t make out the bezel on the lower edge as a result of the video’s clarity but we can see if there is a physical home button.

Much of our admiration of the design lies in the rear panel. The device has a glass back panel but interestingly, it is a transparent glass panel which shows the internal components. We could make out the Snapdragon chipset on the motherboard, with Qualcomm’s logo printed on it. The device is also shown to pack a vertically aligned dual rear camera setup placed at the upper left corner just like the Mi Mix 2s. The Mi logo is also engraved on the lower half of the rear glass panel. As far as the specifications go, the Mi 8 packs a 6.01-inch OLED display with 3D facial recognition. The device will also be powered by a Snapdragon 845 chipset and will get its juice from a 4000mAh battery, among other features.

(source)

Meizu M6T Visits Geekbench, Powered By Spreadtrum SoC

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 23, 2018

Meizu has a new entry-level smartphone called the Meizu M6T launching on May 29. Ahead of its launch, the device has appeared on Geekbench and in doing so revealed a few specs.

The Meizu M6T runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat and has 2GB of RAM. It is powered by the SC9850, a chipset from Spreadtrum. The SoC is clocked at 1.3GHz and has 4-cores.

According to the info on Spreadtrum’s website, the SC9850 is a 28nm chipset. It has a Mali 820MP1 GPU and supports 1080p video playback, a single 13MP sensor, and an HD+ panel.

Using the above parameters, we have a rough idea of the other specs of the Meizu M6T. The main camera won’t be more than 13MP and the display will max out at 720p. We also expect it to come in 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM and 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM variants.

In terms of performance, the Meizu M6T scored 460 points in the single-core test and 1284 points in the multi-core test. This is a bit low when compared to the scores of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A which is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 425 and is also a 28nm chip.

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Xiaomi Redmi S2 With 16MP Front-Facing AI Snapper Released In Indonesia

By

Jeet

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May 23, 2018

After announcing the Redmi S2 smartphone in Indonesia on 11th May, Xiaomi has officially launched the Xiaomi Redmi S2 in Indonesia. It is priced at Rp 2.39 million, which roughly converts to $168.

The Redmi S2 is all about the selfie camera. Not just the hardware of the front-facing camera, but the smartphone also comes packs AI-based algorithms to ensure that selfies turns out perfect. The 16-megapixel front-facing snapper comes with f/2.0 aperture, 79.8-degrees wide angle lens. It features large 2μm pixels, which helps in delivering good low-light photos.

Further, the selfie camera comes equipped with a soft front flash as well, which Xiaomi claims mimic natural light as well as HDR. It has two major AI modes — AI Portrait and AI Beauty. Coming to the rear camera, there’s a dual camera setup consisting 12MP primary lens and a 5MP secondary sensor. It comes with phase detection autofocus (PDAF), LED flash, facial recognition, AI portrait mode, and HDR.

The smartphone comes with a 5.99-inch HD+ display with screen resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels and 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, it is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor clocked at 2.0GHz.

It packs 3GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage. There’s also a microSD card slot, which enables users to further expand the storage capacity up to 256GB. There’s another variant of the phone which comes with 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage but it seems that the company has not launched this variant in Indonesia.

There’s a fingerprint sensor on the back panel as well as Face Unlock feature for added security. The device runs on Android Oreo-based company’s own MIUI on top and is fuelled by a 3,080mAh non-removable battery with 31 days of standby time, according to the company.

In Indonesia, the Redmi S2 will be available in three color options — Grey, Gold, and Rose Gold. Priced at Rp 2.39 million (approx. $168), the smartphone will be available for purchase from 25th May.

HTC U12+ Launched: 6″ Quad HD+ Screen, Translucent Body, Quad Cameras, Edge Sense 2 & More

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 23, 2018

HTC has finally taken the wraps off the U12+ smartphone and indeed it is the ultimate flagship phone! The HTC U12+ presents with a spectacular glass design which is even transparent glass on one of the color variant. As interesting as that may sound, the U12+ will sadly not turn out as popular as other high-end flagships like the Galaxy S9, OnePlus 6, Mi Mix 2s. But this is a raw beauty before our very eyes with the best of specs you’ll find on high-end flagship models.

The HTC U12+ isn’t very much different from the U11+ which was launched last year. The device comes with the same 3D liquid glass design granting the phone a sleek and unique premium look. The device comes in black, red and blue. The blue variant has a transparent body (the right word is actually translucent) which gives you a glimpse at the phone’s internals. This is similar to what we saw in a recently leaked photo of the Mi 8.

Talking about the specifications, the U12+ packs a 6-inch Super LCD 6 screen with a Quad HD+ resolution of 2,880 x 1,440 pixels. HTC revealed that there won’t be a U12 this year so, the size is all we’ll get. The device also comes with an 18:9 aspect ratio and HDR 10 support, just like the U11+. Thankfully, this is one notch-less device.

The device packs a dual camera setup on top of the rear glass panel. The two cameras are arranged horizontally at the middle surrounded by a pill-shaped enclosure. The main camera is a 12MP wide-angle sensor having HTC’s UltraPixel 4 technology. The second sensor is a 16MP telephoto lens. The dual camera brings features like 2x optical zoom and bokeh. The main camera records HDR10 video and has ultrafast whole-sensor phase detection autofocus, aided by laser autofocus. The kit is able to do 4K video at 60fps, as well as 1080p slow-mo at 240fps, too. The device also packs dual cameras at the front, both 8MP sensors. Th front cameras are capable of capturing better portrait shots and bring Face Unlock. You also get wide angle lens, screen flash, AR stickers, and HDR Boost. For what it is worth, the HTC U12+ DXOMark score is out and the device is only second to the P20 Pro.

The HTC U12+ comes with the second-generation Edge Sense 2 technology which lets you squeeze the phone to access apps and shortcuts. The technology again offers pressure-sensitive sides but this time around you just don’t squeeze the handset to control but HTC now adds double-tapping, as well as simply holding. Edge Sense 2 can tell which hand you are grabbing the phone with and adjusts accordingly. You can double-tap instead of stretching to use the virtual back key, for instance, so you don’t stretch your thumbs too much. The features are also designed to work with most apps in the Google Play store and not only in the stock applications.

As would be expected, the U12+ features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset paired with 6GB of RAM. The device comes with a 64GB and 128GB storage options with microSD slot for expanding the storage up to 2TB. Providing the interface is Android Oreo OS but HTC assures us it’ll be upgradeable to Android P when that’s officially released. Keeping the lights on is a 3500mAh battery.

As for the pricing and availability, the HTC U12+ comes with a price tag of $799 for the 64GB variant while the 128GB version comes in at $849. The device is available to buy from HTCs website and Amazon. The Black variant is only available in the 64GB model but the translucent blue model is available in 64GB and 128GB versions.

LG V35, Q7, Q7 Plus, X5 and X2 Are All Debuting in June in South Korea

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 23, 2018

LG has recently launched the LG G7 ThinQ smartphone. Fresh information reveals that the South Korean company and three leading operators of the country are prepping up to debut five new phones in the coming month in the home country. The names of the upcoming LG phones are LG V35, LG Q7, LG Q7 Plus, LG X2 and X5 smartphones in June.

LG V35 ThinQ Specs and Pricing

Among the aforementioned smartphones, the LG V35 ThinQ is the second Snapdragon 845 powered premium smartphone from the company. The device houses a 6-inch notch-less OLED FullVision display that supports QHD+ resolution.

The smartphone is fitted with LG G7 ThinQ’s dual 16-megapixel cameras. For selfies, it possesses an 8-megapixel front camera. It includes several AI features for photography that can be found on the G7 ThinQ. There are three kinds of biometric identification features on the phone such as voice, face and fingerprint recognition. It is also expected to include Hi-Fi Quad DAC and far-field voice recognition. The handset is expected to be priced around 898,700 Won ($830).

LG Q7 and Q7 Plus Specs and Pricing

LG has already introduced the LG Q7 and LG Q7 Plus smartphones that feature MIL-STD-810G and IP68 certified chassis. The Snapdragon 450 SoC chipset is present under the hood of both the smartphones. The Q7 has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage whereas the Plus mode has 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. The Q7 Plus also feature Hi-Fi Quad DAC.

Both the phones are fitted with HD+ resolution supporting IPS LCD displays of 5.5 inches and they are driven by 3,000mAh batteries. The Q7 and Q7 Plus feature 5-megapixle front cameras. The Q7 Plus has a rear camera of 16-megapixel whereas Q7 houses a 13-megapixel main camera. These phones are respectively priced at 400,000 won (~$370) and 500,000 won (~$462).

LG X5 and LG X2 Specs and Pricing

The LG X5 is an entry-level smartphone that features a 5.5-inch HD display and a huge battery. It is equipped with a 4,500mAh battery that is also found under the hood of the LG X500 phone from last year. However, the battery of the LG X5 has been optimized to deliver maximum usage time. It is fueled by MediaTek MT6750 chipset and 2 GB of RAM and it comes with a native storage of 32 GB. The X5 (2018) has a rear camera of 13-megapixel and a front camera of 3-megapixel. It will be hitting the South Korean market with a pricing of 300,000 won (~$277).

The LG X2 is an ultra low-end phone that houses a 5-inch HD display driven by Snapdragon 425 chipset and 2 GB of RAM. It also features an inbuilt storage of 32 GB. For photography, it features 13-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera. The X2 (2018) receives power from 2,410mAh battery. In the home country, it will be available for 200,000 won (~$185).

LG is launching flagship, high-end and low-end phones one after another which indicates that the company is aiming to provide smartphones at various price points to the customers. Do you think that this strategy would work for LG? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(source)

TSMC Has Reportedly Started Mass Production Of 7nm Apple A12 Chips

By

Jeet

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May 23, 2018

Apple’s manufacturing partner Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has reportedly started mass production of next-generation Apple A12 chipset for the upcoming iPhones which are slated to launch later this year.

The next-generation processor, which is expected to be called Apple A12 is said to be manufactured using the 7-nanometer design process. The current generation chipset — Apple A11 Bionic is based on a 10-nm design process, which is used in iPhone 8 and iPhone X.

If the report about the 7-nm process for Apple A12 turns out to be true, then it will be the first 7-nm A-series chipset. The shrinking die size will provide several benefits, including an increase in transistor density. This helps to boost efficiency as well as the processing power.

Earlier this year, in April, TSMC, which is the world’s largest contract chipmaker, had confirmed that the company has started mass-producing 7-nanometer processors but didn’t disclose if the chipsets were being manufactured for a specific partner.

According to the reports, TSMC is also expected to use in-house developed InFO wafer-level packaging to its 7-nanometer FinFET technology, with an aim to offer a more advanced product than its competitor Samsung. South Korea-based Samsung has previously been the manufacturer of Apple’s exclusive A-series chipsets, but the California-based company shifted to TSMC last year.

Recently, Samsung confirmed that it is planning to begin production of its own 7-nanometer chips later this year. Further, the company also revealed that it is planning to use the same for its own upcoming flagship smartphones.

If the reports are to be believed, then Apple is planning to launch at least a three new iPhones this fall. The company is expected to launch a larger version of the iPhone X — “iPhone X Plus” with a 6.5-inch display; an update to the current iPhone X model — “iPhone X2”; and a low-cost variant of the iPhone X but with a cheaper LCD screen.

(Source)

Sketchy Xiaomi Redmi 6 Photos Appear Online; Could it be Debuting on May 31?

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 23, 2018

So far, Xiaomi has confirmed that it will be debuting the Xiaomi Mi 8 smartphone along with MIUI 10 through its 2018 annual product launch event on May 31. Since Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has claimed that multiple products will be showcased at the event, rumors are rife that the company may also announce Xiaomi Mi 7 smartphone and Mi Band 3 fitness band at the upcoming Shenzhen event. Today, the rumor mill has leaked fresh images of the alleged Xiaomi Redmi 6 phone. It is now being speculated that the Redmi 6 may also debut at the end of this month.

It’s clear that this is one of the prototypes and not the final product. While its speculated that the phone is the Redmi 6, we can’t be sure whether this is even a Xiaomi smartphone. The build quality looks poor and we can’t find any Xiaomi branding. Even at the back, the user’s hand conveniently hides any logo underneath. Best case scenario: We are looking at one of the early Redmi 6 prototype models. Worse case scenario: This is a cheap Xiaomi knock off with a notched display up front. Personally, it looks more like the second case.

The notch appears to be placed outside of the screen and the icons for Bluetooth and clock do not seem to fit properly within the gap between notch and the right bezel. The notch seems to be housing a selfie camera, an earpiece and some other sensor. The chin of the device is as thick as that of the Redmi 5 smartphone.

The back panel of the phone sports 3-stage design like the predecessor Redmi series smartphones. A vertical dual camera setup is placed on the top-left corner. The fingerprint scanner is also placed on the rear side of the phone. The handset seems to be running on stock edition of Android instead of MIUI, which is another big .

Earlier rumours have it that the Redmi 6 could be arriving with a 5.99-inch or 5.7-inch HD+ resolution supporting display. The Snapdragon 625 SoC is expected to power it along with 3 GB of RAM. As far as pricing is concerned, the Redmi 6 could be priced under 999 Yuan (~$156).

There are less than 10 days remaining for the Shenzhen event. Xiaomi is expected to release more teasers on the devices that may get unveiled at the event. Hence, if the Redmi 6 exists for real and it is slated to get announced on May 31, the Chinese firm may confirm within this week.

Hence, it is advisable to digest the report with a grain of salt.

(via)

Microsoft Has An AI Bot In China Named Xiaoice That Can Make Voice Calls To Humans

By

Jeet

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May 23, 2018

Recently, during its annual developer conference Google I/O, Google demonstrated its artificial assistant Google Assistant’s astonishing feature called Google Duplex, which enables the Assistant to make phones calls on behalf of the user.

Now, it appears that Microsoft has been testing the similar functionality with millions of users in China. At a recently held AI (artificial intelligence) event in London, Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella showcased the company’s social chatbot named Xiaoice.

The feature, which has been in testing since quite some time in China, has about 500 million “friends” and more than 16 channels, reveals Satya Nadella. He further said that Chinese users can interact with the service through WeChat and other such popular messaging services.

Further describing the capabilities of its AI-based social chatbot, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that “Xiaoice has her own TV show, it writes poetry, and it does many interesting things. It’s a bit of a celebrity.”

Reportedly, most of the interactions with this artificial intelligence tool has been in text conversations. But the Redmond-based company has now started allowing the bot to call people on their phones. Instead of using the calling service on behalf of the user to book appointments or make reservations, similar to Google Duplex, the Microsoft’s Xiaoice holds a phone conversation with a person.

Revealing more information regarding this, Satya Nadella said, “One of the things we started doing earlier this year is having full-duplex conversations. So now Xiaoice can be conversing with you in WeChat and stop and call you. Then you can just talk to it using voice.” He further added that the service made millions of calls so far.

In a demo presented by Microsoft, it was revealed that the Xiaoice uses phrases like “hmm” and “mmm” in the middle of the conversation, just like Google Duplex, in order to make the bot’s conversation sound more human.

Currently, the Xiaoice service is limited to China only and it seems that the social chatbot is quite popular there. The company has not revealed any plans about the future of this service, its expansion to other regions, the addition of more languages or if it plans to introduce such service in its voice-based assistant Microsoft Cortana.

Microsoft clearly has technology that enables bots to make phone calls. While still limited to Chinese and China-only, there’s a possibility that the company could make it available for the US as well as to other English-speaking countries.

Earlier, Microsoft experimented with a conversational bot in the US back in the year 2016. The bot, which was named “Tay” and was available on Twitter, was shut down after Twitter users turned it into a racist bot.

(Source)

Save Big On Xiaomi Smartphones On GeekBuying; Massive Discounts, Coupon Codes And Lots More Inside!

By

Vinay Patel

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May 23, 2018

Smartphone lovers who have restlessly been waiting to get their hands on a Xiaomi-branded smartphone without emptying their pocket are in for a treat. GeekBuying is handing out big discounts on a broad range of smartphones manufactured by the Chinese tech firm and also offering various discount coupons that you can use to save up to $10.

The GeekBuying promotion dubbed as ‘Save Big on Xiaomi Smartphones’ has been split into multiple categories in order to facilitate the search process. Here’s a brief glimpse of what each division has to offer.

High-End Phones

This section features the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, Redmi Note 5, and the Redmi 5 Plus smartphones. While all three aforesaid smartphones are available at a lowered price, we’ll talk about the Mi Mix 2S smartphone which would normally set you back $669.99 on GeekBuying.

The Chinese online store is offering 25% off on the Mi Mix 2S smartphone, bringing its retail price down to only $502.99. On top of that, you can apply coupon code ‘BLQJIJZS’ to save $10 more at the time of checking out. This reduces your subtotal to only $492.99.

But if that doesn’t impress you much, you can use discount coupon ‘YZIMUQYW’ to save an extra $150 and lower your subtotal down to only $493.99. Similarly, you can apply coupon code ‘OXAMSCLL’ to bring the already discounted price of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 smartphone down to only $220.99.

The 4GB RAM/64GB ROM black-tinted Redmi 5 Plus smartphone which normally sells for $319.99 on GeekBuying is now available for a slashed price of just $189.99. You can further lower your subtotal to only $174.99 by using coupon code ‘PXVDCPMX’ while checking out.

Best Sellers

This section is crammed with some of most well-received Xiaomi smartphones. More importantly, these phones are currently available at a considerably lowered price.

Among a slew of other top-notch handsets, you can go for the coveted Redmi Note 4X smartphone which sports a big 5.5 Inch FHD display and packs a powerful Snapdragon 625 Octa-core processor, under the hood.

GeekBuying is giving Xiaomi fans an opportunity to buy the coveted Redmi Note 4X for only $145.99. The site is providing a significant 38% discount on the phone’s original selling price of $235.80.

But if you’re on a tight budget and aren’t willing to shell out that kind of money on a smartphone, you can use coupon code ‘ESHVVMOA’ to lower your subtotal to only $137.99. The aforesaid discount coupon helps you save an additional $8 while checking out.

This section also features the Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone which you can now buy at a discounted price of $589.99. You can reduce the price of the 6GB RAM/64GB ROM version to just $579.99 by applying the coupon code ‘XEBKQKSX.’

The slightly larger variant of the Black Shark gaming phone comprising 8GB RAM/128GB ROM is also available for a lowered price of $699.99. You can apply discount coupon ‘LUSCWHDB’ to bring your subtotal down to only $679.99.

Recommended

You can find several high-end Xiaomi phones in this section. In addition to getting the discounts on the phones featured in this category, you can apply coupon code ‘ZIBYGBDS’ to save an extra $7.

For the sake of an example, you can buy the Xiaomi Redmi 5 smartphone at a reduced price of just $148.99. The phone usually sells for $249.99 on GeekBuying but the site will be offering 40% discount on its retail price for 8 days.

Furthermore, you can use the discount coupon, ‘ZIBYGBDS’ to reduce your subtotal to $141.99. Likewise, you can buy the Xiaomi Mi A1 smartphone at a lowered price of $189.99, and use the same coupon to save an extra $7, which brings your subtotal down to only $182.99.

Local Warehouse

This section has further been divided into 3 subcategories including ES Stock, DE Stock, and IT Stock. Each subcategory comprises some of the most popular Xiaomi smartphones that you can buy without burning a hole in your pocket.

For instance, you can buy the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus smartphone at a discounted price of just $179.99 under the ES Stock subcategory. GeekBuying is giving 31% discount on the device’s real selling price of $259.99.

Aside from getting this discount, you can save $5 more simply by using coupon code ‘FCYUMJQB’ at the time of checking out. Using this discount coupon will reduce your subtotal to just $174.99.

You can head straight to this link in order to check out rest of the products and take advantage of the promotion before it wraps up. It is also worth noting that the coupon codes will also be expiring shortly.

Get Big Discounts On Xiaomi-Branded Smartphones On GeekBuying

Check More Deals and Promotions From Other Shops

Lenovo Z5 Bokeh Shot Samples Released to Reveal its AI Dual Camera Prowess

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 23, 2018

Lenovo is building hype around the upcoming Lenovo Z5 flagship phone. The company’s VP Chang Cheng had recently some images that were shot using the Z5 smartphone. The camera samples had revealed that the smartphone would be equipped with AI dual camera. Cheng has released some more images to show the that how good the Z5 is when comes to capturing photos with bokeh effect.

All the three images shown below have the ‘AI dual camera’ watermark. The new photos show that AI will assist the dual rear cameras of the Lenovo Z5 to shoot amazing bokeh shots with the right amount of blurring in the background.

The Lenovo Z5 camera samples that were released earlier in this week by Cheng revealed that the smartphone will be able to capture images at dusk and dawn with natural colors and good clarity.

The market share of Lenovo’s smartphone division has declined to 0.4 percent in China. In 2015, it had sold 22.1 million phones, but its shipments were declined to just 1.79 million phones last year. Its ZUK sub-brand had received had good reception, but the company decided to shut it down in order to concentrate on selling Moto branded phones in China. However, the Moto series have received lukewarm response from the audience.

Lenovo is now trying to resurrect its smartphone brand. It has recently released budget-friendly phones like Lenovo S5, Lenovo K5 and Lenovo K5 Lite. The Chinese firm is expected to launch the Lenovo Z5 flagship phone in the coming month.

There is no information available on the specifications of the Lenovo Z5. However, recent teasers have revealed that the Z5 will offer a comprehensive screen space of around 95 percent, 4 TB of internal storage space and 45 days of standby time. It is speculated that the smartphone could be also equipped with under display fingerprint scanner. Rumors are rife that the company may announce the Lenovo Z5 on June 14.

(source)

MIUI 10 Launching on May 31, Xiaomi Mi 8 Likely to Come Preinstalled with it

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 23, 2018

Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun had recently confirmed that the company’s forthcoming Shenzhen event will be used to unveil a variety of new products. Yesterday, the Chinese manufacturer not only confirmed the May 31 date for the Shenzhen event, but also stated that Xiaomi Mi 8 will be also announced through it. Today, the official MIUI Weibo account has confirmed that Xiaomi will be also launching the MIUI 10 on May 31.

Last year, the Chinese manufacturer had claimed that the MIUI 9 is as fast as lightning, but the official poster shown below shows that the MIUI 10 will be faster than lightning. This indicates that the MIUI 10 will be offering better performance than the MIUI 9. Xiaomi had claimed at the beginning of this year that the MIUI 10 won’t be released to Xiaomi phones that are still running on the older Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The Chinese firm had recently rolled out the MIUI 9.5 update to some of its smartphones. However, around a month ago, Xiaomi had temporarily halted the rollout of MIUI 9 updates which suggested that the MIUI 10 could be arriving soon.

It seems that the Xiaomi Mi 8 that will be debuting as the company’s 8^th anniversary smartphone will be the first phone to feature the MIUI 10. A leaked shot that had revealed that the structured light 3D module of the Xiaomi Mi 8 had revealed that the MIUI (or rather the MIUI 10) would be modified to house the notch.

Xiaomi is also expected to debut the Mi Band 3 fitness tracker at the upcoming annual product launch event. Some rumors have claimed that Xiaomi won’t be launching the Mi 7 smartphone. Instead, it may announce the Mi 8 flagship. However, a leaked photo showing two different front panels of notch enabled Xiaomi phones that had surfaced earlier this week has suggested that they may belong to Xiaomi Mi 8 and Mi 7. Hence, there is a possibility that the company also announce Mi 7 at May 31 event.

Xiaomi is unlikely to debut the Mi Max 3 phablet at the May 31 since Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has claimed that it will be made official in July.

(source)

Preorder Vkworld VK7000 Smartphone For Only $139.99 On Banggood; Discount Valid For Limited Pieces Only!

By

Vinay Patel

-

May 23, 2018

Deemed as one of China’s fastest growing mobile brands, Vkworld has a reputation for making top-notch smartphones that bear affordable price tags. Lining with this, the popular handset manufacturer opened the pre-sale of its first tri-proof, rugged smartphone dubbed Vkworld VK7000 on Banggood today, May 23rd.

The first 99 pieces of black, blue and orange color versions of the VK7000 smartphone will set you back only $139.99. This is a noteworthy 30% reduction in the phone’s original price of $199.99. Note that you can save $60 if you manage to buy one of the 99 pieces that are currently up for preorder on Banggod.

The site will be offering the next 499 pieces at a lowered price of $149.99, while the remaining units will have a relatively steeper price of $169.99. In other words, to grab the best discount, you need to preorder the Vkworld VK7000 smartphone before the first 99 pieces are sold out.

At $139.99, the VK7000 smartphone is quite a bargain as it boasts a broad range of awe-inspiring specs and features. First off, the phone sports a big 5.2 inches IPS, FHD+ display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels and an aspect ratio of 18:9. It has a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for added protection.

The VK7000 packs a powerful MediaTek MT6750T, 64-bit processor and uses an ARM Mali-T860 MP2, 650MHz, 2-Cores GPU, under the hood. The phone offers 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable internal storage (up to 128GB via external Micro TF card).

On the photography front, the Vkworld VK7000 smartphone houses a 16-megapixel + 5-megapixel camera on the back. Up front, it houses a 13-megapixel camera for selfies and face-to-face video chats.

Moreover, the VK7000 runs the latest Android 8.0 Oreo operating system and draws its juices from a massive 5600mAh Lithium-ion Polymer battery. The phone features a slew of useful sensors including 3D gravity sensor, light sensor, distance sensor, gyroscope, compass, and a side fingerprint sensor.

If you’re interested in checking out the full specification and taking advantage of the 30% discount before it comes to end, just follow this link.

Get 30% Off On Vkworld VK7000 Smartphone On Banggood

Lenovo Z5 to Offer 45 Days Standby, Launch Invitation Arriving Soon

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 23, 2018

Lenovo Group VP Chang Cheng has been teasing on the features of the upcoming Lenovo Z5 flagship phone since the past few weeks. Through the very first Lenovo Z5 teaser, Cheng had hinted that it will be offering a screen-to-body ratio of around 95 percent. He had also revealed that the Z5 would be arriving with an internal storage of 4 TB. Today’s teaser by Cheng reveals that the handset will be arriving with a massive battery.

Cheng claims that the Lenovo Z5 will be offering a standby time of 45 days without mentioning the size of its battery. This indicates that the smartphone will be packed with a behemoth battery. Cheng has also claimed that the company will be soon rolling out launch invitation for the Z5. It is speculated that the handset may get official on June 14.

According to Cheng, the Lenovo Z5 is packed with 4 technological breakthroughs and 18 patented technologies. Apart from featuring a comprehensive display and a huge native storage of 4 TB, the Lenovo Z5 is expected to deliver stellar photo shooting experience.

The camera samples of the Lenovo Z5 that were released recently have revealed the photography prowess of rear and front cameras. As of this writing, there is no information available on the specifications of the Lenovo Z5. There is a possibility that the Z5 could be running on ZUK UI.

Could be it arriving as a worthy competitor for the OnePlus 6 and Xiaomi Mi 8? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(source)

Buy Lenovo Smart Watch 9 Sports Watch For Only $25.99 On LightInTheBox; Hurry, Discount Ends Soon!

By

Vinay Patel

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May 23, 2018

Lenovo designs, develops, manufactures and sells a slew of high tech gadgets including PCs, tablets, smartphones, and even smartwatches. The Chinese tech behemoth recently announced Lenovo S5, K5 and K5 Play smartphones along with its hotly-anticipated hybrid smartwatch dubbed Lenovo Watch 9.

Lenovo broke with tradition with the recently launched Smart Watch 9, which is actually an analog watch equipped with a slew of smart features. The gadget sports a superior sapphire glass on top which boasts a 9H hardness rating.

Apart from that, the Lenovo Watch 9 comes with a comfortable silicone strap and is housed in an eye-catching stainless steel shell. Moreover, it is waterproof for up to 50 meters.Despite lacking a dedicated display, the Lenovo Watch 9 is a powerful sports watch as it can still be connected to your smartphone, and the wearer can also use many of its features. Your alarm would not wake up others because it just vibrates in order to wake only you up. It also vibrates every time the wearer receives a notification.

Now that the Lenovo Watch 9 hybrid smartwatch has your attention, we’ll talk about the big discount LightInTheBox is currently offering on the device’s original asking price. Let’s delve straight into the details.

The Beijing based international online retail company is offering a massive 52% off on the Lenovo Smart Watch 9, bringing its retail price down to only $25.99. It’s worth noting that the gadget would normally set you back $54.23 on the site.

The aforesaid discount will be valid for the black color version of the Smart Watch 9. On the downside, the promotion sale is scheduled to end shortly.

If you’re interested in grabbing the deal before it wraps up, simply follow this link. Note that the Lenovo Smart Watch 9 Sports Watch will go back to its usual selling price as soon as the promo comes to an end.

Get 52% Off On Lenovo Smart Watch 9 Sports Watch On LightInTheBox

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Buy HUAMI Amazfit Stratos Smart Sports Watch For Only $163.97 On LightInTheBox; Promo Slated To End Soon!

By

Vinay Patel

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May 23, 2018

There are all sorts of smartwatches available in the market today. While you can choose from a wide range of fitness accessories that help you keep track of impacts of all activities, they don’t come cheap.

If you’re a fitness enthusiast looking to buy a fitness tracker without emptying your pocket, we have good news for you. LightInTheBox is currently offering the Xiaomi HUAMI Amazfit Stratos Smart Sports Watch at a lowered price of $163.97.

The Beijing based international online retail company is giving a noteworthy 50% off on the retail price of the Amazfit Stratos, which has been developed by Huami in collaboration with Firstbeat Technologies. It’s worth noting that the device would normally set you back $329.99 on LightInTheBox.

At $163.97, the Amazfit Stratos is an irresistible smart sports watch, given that it comes with 5 ATM water-resistant rating. The device is 50 meters water resistant i.e. it can handle water pressure of 50 meters underwater. In other words, you can wear it while swimming and even record the data.
It sports a big 2.5D capacitive touchscreen display with an HD screen resolution of 320 x 300 pixels. Moreover, it features high-quality Corning Gorilla glass material on top for added protection.

The Amazfit Stratos adopts reflective display technology which keeps the dial always bright without the black screen. The dial brightness can automatically adjust according to the surrounding in a bid to deliver an unparalleled eye experience.

Aside from that, the Amazfit Stratos smartwatch boasts hand polished ceramic bezel which not only protects the gadget from scratch but also reflects its eye-catching gloss. Furthermore, it features stainless steel buttons that let you control different tasks without breaking much of a sweat.

The Xiaomi-branded smartwatch offers 11 types of sports patterns including running, walking, outdoor riding, swimming pool, swimming, open water swimming, indoor running, indoor riding, elliptical machines, mountaineering, and cross country running. Apart from that, the device comes with GPS and GLONASS support which allows you to record a slew of professional sports data such as your daily development, mileage, altitude, stride frequency, and pace.

If the HUAMI Amazfit Stratos has grabbed your attention and you’re interested in taking advantage of the discount, you can follow this link. Note that the device will go back to its retail price after the promo comes to an end.

Get 50% Off On HUAMI AMAZFIT Stratos Smart Sports Watch On LightInTheBox

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Xiaomi Launches Roidmi Car Air Purifier with OLED Display Priced At 699 Yuan (~$109)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 22, 2018

Xiaomi has launched a new car air purifier under its crowdfunding platform with some improvement over the previous model and a competitive price tag. The Roidmi Car Air Purifier is a successor to the first-gen model which was launched in December 2016. It would be recalled that the original first-gen Xiaomi Car Air Purifier was elicited by a picture which made the rounds on Weibo back then of a man using the bulky Mi home air purifier on a high-speed train while on transit. The company launched the portable car model to cater for travellers.

This new car air purifier is manufactured by Xiaomi’s ecological chain company Roidmi, well known for its quality products like the Roidmi 2S/ 3S car chargers, magnetic air vent phone holder and several others. The device is even teased as having won the German Red Dot Design Award 2018. The Roidmi Car Air Purifier is distinct from the previous model as a result of the OLED display it packs as well as a more refined and polished design. The CADR value is also increased from 60m³/h to 80m³/h and as a result, the air inside the car is purified in just 2 minutes.

The new version also utilises double fans. In addition, it adopts a three-side circulation intake design to increase the area of the air inlet, so that the air in the vehicle is fully circulated and the purification efficiency is improved. It equally has integrated 360° barrel-shaped full-effect composite filter element that supports multi-effect combination of anti-mite, aldehyde removal. It also has anti-bacterial property as it utilizes a high-precision laser particle sensor to enhance purification capability.

The OLED display can accurately show the PM2.5 concentration, filter usage, Bluetooth connection and work mode, to keep the user abreast of the car air quality changes. Of course, it can be paired with a smartphone and the parameters can also be checked using the Roidmi app.

The car air purifier is presently on crowdfunding for 699yuan (~$109) and will ship on July 3, 2018.

Alcatel 3V Launched In The US Packing An 18:9 Display, Dual Camera & Priced At $150

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 22, 2018

Chinese smartphone maker TCL who owns the Alcatel brand has launched the Alcatel 3V mid-range smartphone in the U.S. The phone is set to go on sale in the States on May 29 but the pre-order is live on Amazon with the price pegged at just $149.99 which is super cheap. The Alcatel 3V was unveiled earlier this year in Europe during the Mobile World Congres (MWC) 2018.

The Alcatel 3V features an attractive body made of metal and glass which gives the device a premium look that could pass for that of a flagship model. The device isn’t a flagship model, though, as it packs a MediaTek MT8735A quad-core processor under its hood clocked at 1.45GHz. The processor is paired with 2GB of RAM and there is 16GB of expandable storage onboard. The 3V equally packs a 3000mAh battery which should serve its purpose. On the software aspect, the smartphone runs on Android 8.0 Oreo operating system.

The Alcatel 3V sports a 6-inch full-view display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and a FullHD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The device has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor placed just under the rear camera. Talking of the camera, the Alcatel model packs a dual camera setup at the rear. The main shooter has a 12 MP sensor, while the secondary camera is there just to assist in depth-perception tasks with a 2 MP sensor of its own. For selfies, the 3V packs a 5 MP camera with a front flash of its own. The device also adds the Face Unlock feature.

For the U.S market, the Alcatel 3V is unlocked and will work on GSM carriers -AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, Wireless, MetroPCS, among others. The device comes in Spectrum Black and as stated earlier, it is already on pre-order on Amazon but will be available to ship next week. The device will also be available to buy at Best Buy and Walmart stores in due course. You’ll agree the device is a good bargain for $149.99 considering the specs and design it packs. To increase its attractiveness, the device will come bundled with a free clear protective case and screen protector.

(via)

Xiaomi Mi 8 Real Pictures Leak Showcasing A Unique Transparent Glass Back Panel

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 22, 2018

Xiaomi earlier on Tuesday revealed that it would hold a launch event on May 31 where the Mi 8 Anniversary flagship would be launched. The company is expected to announce a couple of products which could include the Mi Max 3 and Mi Band 3. Ahead of the launch, we may have just set our eyes on the real pictures of the Xiaomi Mi 8.

The pictures purported to be those of the Mi 8 appeared on China’s Weibo and they show the device in all its glory captured from the front and back. The front view aligns with the design of the leaked front panel which revealed the Mi 8 will come with a notch design on its display. The rear panel is where we find much of the admiration. The device has a glass back panel but interestingly, it is a transparent glass panel which shows the internal panel. We could make out the Snapdragon chipset on the motherboard, with Qualcomm’s logo printed on it. The device is also shown to pack a vertically aligned dual rear camera setup tilted to the upper left corner. However, we can’t say for sure if the pictures are really those of the Mi 8.

The Mi 8 is expected to sport a 6.01-inch OLED display with 3D facial recognition. The device will also be powered by a Snapdragon 845 chipset and will get its juice from a 4000mAh battery. The glass panel also throws up the possibility of the Mi 8 packing a wireless charging technology. There are also speculations that the device will come with under display fingerprint scanner but that isn’t certain.

(source)

Razer Launches Razer Blade (2018) Gaming Laptop, Starts At $1900

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 22, 2018

Last week, we reported that Razer had a launch scheduled for today. The event which held in Beijing, China wasn’t for the Chinese launch of the Razer Phone but for the new Razer Blade Gaming Laptop.

The Razer Blade (2018) comes with a larger 15.6-inch display compared to its predecessor’s 14-inch screen. However, the bezels have been significantly reduced. Its small form factor gives it the title of the world’s smallest gaming laptop with a dimension of 355 x 235 x 16.8 mm. It also weighs approximately 4.5lbs (~2.04kg).

The Razer Blade comes in four different configurations. The base model has a GTX1060 GPU, a Full HD 60Hz screen, and 256GB SSD. It is followed by a $2200 model with a Full HD 144Hz screen, the same GPU above, and 512GB SSD.

The third model priced at $2400 has the same screen and storage as the second but a GTX1070 GPU while the 4th has a 4K touch display and the same GPU and storage capacity as the third. It is priced at $2900. Of all four models, only the third is available for purchase right now, the remaining three will be available in June.

All models are powered by an 8th Gen Intel Core 17-8750H processor with 16GB of RAM (expandable to 32GB). They also have an 80Wh lithium-ion polymer battery supplying juice. You can also expand the storage on all models up to 2TB.

For connectivity, there is Bluetooth 5.0, a 3.5mm audio jack, three USB 3.1 Type A ports, HDMI 2.0b port, a Mini DisplayPort, and a Thunderbolt port that allows you connect up to three external monitors.

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Vivo Apex Retail Launch Scheduled On June 12 In Shanghai, China

By

Jeet

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May 22, 2018

Earlier this year, Vivo unveiled its Vivo Apex concept phone in China which offers an impressive screen-to-body ratio of 91 percent, under-display fingerprint scanner, and a pop-up selfie camera. Now, it seems that the company is all set to launch the smartphone.

Vivo has revealed that it is holding a launch event in Shanghai, China on 12th June where it will launch the Vivo Apex smartphone. However, it is not yet clear if the phone will be launched as Apex or will get a new name.

The smartphone features a 5.99-inch OLED display with COF technology. To provide the full-screen experience, the Chinese manufacturer has embedded the ambient and proximity sensors under the display.

Further, the display also doubles up as earpiece and loudspeaker and are placed beneath it. Interestingly, the half part of the display is integrated with an in-screen fingerprint reader, unlike the Vivo X20 Plus UD which has only one spot on the bottom portion of the screen.

On the top edge of the display, there’s a hidden selfie camera that can be elevated when required. The front-facing camera takes only 0.8 seconds to pop-up, according to the company. The camera on the smartphone supports Super HDR that has a limited dynamic range of up to 14 EV.

The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm‘s flagship Snapdragon 845 processor, which powers most of the flagship smartphones launched this year so far. Apart from that, nothing else is known about the phone’s specifications. However, we are expecting the device to come with top-of-the-line specs. It’s known that the phone will come with USB Type-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom.

Recently, Vivo shared a commercial that the company is planning to air during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The advertisement shows a smartphone that is very similar to the Apex concept that was showcased at Mobile World Congress.

A couple of months ago, the China-based company had revealed that the Apex will go into mass-production at some point during mid-2018. Notably, Vivo was originally marketing the Apex as just a concept smartphone, but the company later confirmed that it will be sold to the general public.

Currently, no more information is available related to the smartphone. We’ll have to wait a few more weeks to know what are the specifications of the Vivo Apex, how much it’ll cost and when it will be available for purchase.

(Source)