Motorola One Power Appears Again in a Leaked Photo to Reveal Front Design

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Jun 1, 2018

Earlier this week, the unannounced Motorola One Power Android One smartphone was spotted in a leaked render. Today, a new image showing of what appears to be a real One Power phone has appeared on SlashLeaks.

The text “Motorola Confidential Property. Not for Sale” that is mentioned in very tiny letters in the bottom bezel suggests that it could be a prototype of the Motorola One Power. The leaked render of the phone that had surfaced earlier this week had revealed that the bottom bezel will carry “motorola” branding.

The Motorola One Power borrows its notched display design from the Apple iPhone X. Most of the other iPhone X inspired Android smartphones feature smaller notch, except for the newly unveiled Xiaomi Mi 8 series. The iPhone X and Mi 8 Explorer Edition have complex structured light 3D module for 3D facial recognition. The Mi 8 and Mi 8 SE also have wider notch, but they feature infrared face unlock and other components. There is no information available on why Motorola has included a larger notch on the One Power phone.

The new leak does not reveal the posterior of the phone. However, the previously spotted render reveals that it borrows vertical dual camera setup like the iPhone X. The back panel of the phone also features a fingerprint reader.

The specifications of the Motorola One Power handset are yet to appear. Rumors from the beginning of this year had claimed that the Moto X5 will be arriving as the successor for Moto X4 which is the first Android One phone from Motorola. However, recent reports have claimed that the Lenovo-owned company may have cancelled the Moto X5. Hence, it is now being speculated that the Motorola One Power could be some sort of sequel for Moto X4.

As of this writing, there is no information available on the launch date of the Motorola One Power. Most of the Motorola phones have launched in the recent years have Moto branding. After a long time, we may soon see a Motorola phone without Moto branding.

(source)

OPPO Find X Website Is Now Live, Device May Launch Soon

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 1, 2018

Earlier last month, OPPO filed a trademark for the Find X moniker thus setting the stage for what is likely the impending launch of the flagship device. The renders of the OPPO flagship also appeared online not too long ago and earlier today, the company shared a poster containing the Find X moniker. The source of the poster has now been unravelled. The OPPO Find X website recently went online with the leaker poster sitting as the banner.

The official website is www.oppofind.com and it contains a video teasing the name. The video begins with “Hi” and the next slide says “It’s been a long time” and then a third slide appears which teases the Find X name. The colour of the website’s theme is dynamic, finally ending in the Red colour seen on the leaked poster. We must also add that OPPO India has also teased the Find X and even labelled it a futuristic phone.

The OPPO Find X has been an elusive model that has been a long time coming. The last model that was launched in the series was the Find 7 and that was in 2014. Since then there have been several rumours of a Find 9 and later Find X launching. All that ended up not materializing over the years and it was later disclosed that the Find series has been scrapped in favour of the A and R series.

Hi! It's been a long time.
The OPPO Futuristic Flagship phone is coming. #OPPOFindX pic.twitter.com/uiJIv2tEgc

— OPPO Mobile India (@oppomobileindia) June 1, 2018

This upcoming OPPO Find series of new products is different from the previous naming styles. It no longer adopts a digital naming scheme and instead uses X as the product name. In mathematics, X stands for infinite possibilities, which is in line with the discovery spirit that the Find series has always insisted on. It also shows that Find X will be an OPPO product that focuses on the future. Rumours have it that it could be equipped with a structured light 3D module like what is found on Apple’s iPhone X and Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition for 3D facial recognition. Some of the other features that are expected to arrive on the Find X smartphone include super-fast 15-minute flash charge, 5x lossless zoom and support for 5G connectivity. We expect more details of the device to emerge in the coming days and from the look of things, its launch may be close by.

(source)

Xiaomi Redmi Y2 To Be Amazon Exclusive In India, Launching On June 7

By

Jeet

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Jun 1, 2018

Xiaomi India has scheduled a launch event in India on June 7, where the company is expected to launch its new selfie-focused smartphone. The Chinese manufacturer is expected to launch Redmi Y2, which is the rebranded model of Redmi S2 that was recently launched in China.

While the smartphone’s name has already been confirmed through a leaked benchmark listing, now latest information related to the smartphone has surfaced online, confirming that the Redmi Y2 will be Amazon exclusive in India.

A photo of the smartphone shared by the company has revealed that the device will come with a Dual SIM support and a dedicated microSD card slot in a single SIM tray. Recent benchmark listing has revealed that the smartphone will pack 3GB RAM and will be running Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out of the box. As of the processor, the smartphone will be powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor clocked at 2.0GHz.

The smartphone is expected to come with 5.99-inch HD+ display with 2.5D curved glass on top, 18:9 aspect ratio and a screen resolution of 1440 × 720 pixels. Further, it has 1000:1 contrast ratio, 450 nits Brightness, and 70.8% NTSC color gamut.

While the Geekbench listing shows 3GB RAM, it is expected that the smartphone will also have another variant with 4GB RAM. The 3GB RAM model will pack 32GB internal storage and the 4GB RAM model will come with 64GB internal storage. There’ll also be a microSD card slot for storage expansion up to 256GB.

In the camera department, the phone is expected to sport a 12MP rear camera with LED Flash, 1.25μm pixel size, PDAF, f/2.2 aperture and a 5MP secondary sensor. On the front side, it will come with a 16MP snapper along with an LED flash.

The Xiaomi Redmi Y-series is focused on the front-facing camera and the upcoming Y2 is also expected to follow the suit. It is expected to come with AI-based features to improve the captured images, including two major AI modes — AI portrait and AI beauty.

The smartphone is expected to feature a fingerprint scanner on the back panel. It will be running on company’s own MIUI based on Android Oreo and will be powered by a 3,080mAh battery. Just like the Redmi S2, the Redmi Y2 is expected to come in three color options — Rose Gold, Champagne Gold, and Platinum Silver.

In China, the 3GB RAM + 32GB storage model is priced at 999 yuan ($156) while the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage model costs 1299 Yuan ($204).

Vivo NEX Name and June 12 Launch Date Officially Confirmed

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 1, 2018

Around a week ago, Vivo confirmed that it will be holding a launch event in Shanghai, China on June 12. It is speculated that the Vivo APEX concept that was unveiled earlier this year may get rebranded and showcased through the upcoming event. Recent reports have revealed that the smartphone may get introduced as Vivo NEX. Today, the Chinese manufacturer has released a new poster on its Weibo account to confirm the Vivo NEX name as well as the June 12 launch date.

The above teaser reveals that the smartphone would be arriving with breakthrough technology. Since it is supposed to be a rebranded edition of the Vivo APEX, it is likely to feature an half-screen fingerprint reader, a display that offers over 90-percent screen-to-body ratio and some other advanced features.

Recent leaks have revealed that there could be two editions of the phone. The base model that is rumored to feature Snapdragon 710 may sport a slightly different design. It is expected to feature a front-facing on the right corner of the bottom bezel. The SD710 chipset is expected to be coupled with features 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage.

The Snapdragon 845 chipset along with 8 GB of RAM is speculated to be power the top variant. It is expected to feature a pop-up camera like the one that was seen on the Vivo APEX phone. This edition is also expected to come with an inbuilt storage of 256 GB.

Also, the Vivo NEX is pegged to carry support for up to 22.5W fast charging. Hence, it will be the first ever smartphone from the company to come with a USB-C port.

Rumors have it either the SD710 or SD845 variant will be arriving with Vivo NEX S moniker. The base model is expected to carry a pricing of 4,998 Yuan (~$779) while the higher edition may cost 6,998 Yuan (~$1,090).

(source)

Xiaomi Mi Wireless Mouse Youth Edition Launched In China, Priced At 49 Yuan ($8)

By

Jeet

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Jun 1, 2018

Xiaomi has today launched a new variant of its wireless mouse — Mi Wireless Mouse Youth Edition. The mouse, which carries model number WXSB01MW, will be available in two color options — Black and White, for a price of 49 Yuan, which roughly converts to $8.

This Mi Wireless Mouse Youth Edition is the cheapest mouse available from the Chinese manufacturer. It comes with a glossy finish and comes with an ergonomic design. The first half is gently angled while the second half is appropriately raised. This ensures that the mouse can fit the palm of the hand.

The mouse uses the original phase photoelectric sensor and has 1200dpi precise positioning. The main body of Xiaomi‘s Mi Mouse Youth Edition is made of ABS plastic material and has two-segment type pad. The company says that the mouse can work for more than 3 million clicks and has been designed to meet the office and daily use needs.

It supports 2.4GHz high-speed connectivity that pairs with an included USB dongle. The Mi Wireless Mouse Youth Edition is lightweight, weighing at just 70 grams without battery, and measures 102×58×34mm.

In 2017, during Mi Festival, the company launched a basic mouse — Mi Wireless Mouse, priced at 69 Yuan (approx. ). Unlike this Youth Edition version, the original model comes with high-quality coating for UV resistance, wear resistance, pollution resistance, and fingerprint resistance.

Xiaomi had first launched its mouse in the year 2016 which came with sand-blasted anodized aluminium, a design similar to that used for Apple Macbooks. It promised high-precision sensor with 95% accuracy and can work on a surface with frosted glass or fabric. Last year, Xiaomi crowdfunded finger thinking fingerprint mouse, which was priced at 199 Yuan. It is just like the regular mouse but it comes with a fingerprint sensor at the front, just behind the roller.

(Source)

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

By

Joel Joseph

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Jun 1, 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Source)

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

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 1, 2018

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

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

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

New Teaser Image

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

— Ben Geskin (@VenyaGeskin1) May 15, 2018

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

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

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

#LenovoZ5 Updated Render pic.twitter.com/Mg79bRHIVS

— Ben Geskin (@VenyaGeskin1) June 1, 2018

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

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

(source|via)

Samsung Galaxy S10 Rumored to Feature Triple Cameras

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 1, 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

(source)

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

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 1, 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

(source)

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

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

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

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

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

(source)

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

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

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

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

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

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

(source)

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

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

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

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

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

— Juho Sarvikas (@sarvikas) May 31, 2018

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

(source)

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

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 31, 2018

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

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

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

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

Continue

Chinese Store Lists The Unannounced Honor Play For ¥3299

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 31, 2018

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

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

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

Continue

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

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

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

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

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

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

(source)

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

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

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

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

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

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

(source)

Xiaomi Launches A Light, Comfy & Splash Proof Camera Bag

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

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

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

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

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

(source)

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

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 31, 2018

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

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

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

(source)

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

By

Jeet

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May 31, 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

May 31, 2018

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

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

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

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

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