Xiaomi Crowdfunds the WalkingPad Mini Walk Smart Treadmill

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May 2, 2018

One convenient way sport-oriented persons get their daily workout, regardless of rain or sunshine, is the use of the treadmill. Unfortunately, treadmills are usually large, heavy and not fit for every home. However, Xiaomi has just launched a new product on crowdfunding and it is sort of a Mini treadmill. The product is called the WalkingPad Mini Walk Smart Treadmill and it comes in a compact size and a trimmed down design from the regular treadmills.

The WalkingPad Mini Walk Smart Treadmill doesn’t have an elaborate instrument panel or handlebars. Rather, it comes with a miniature LED display and is controlled using the smartphone via an app or a remote control. Thus it is still a sleek, digitized treadmill compact enough for even small apartments or tiny homes. It meets your daily workout needs, then slides away out of sight under a bed or into a closet

The Xiaomi WalkingPad treadmill’s speed range is from 0.5 to 6 kilometres per hour – this is the maximum quickest step and the speed can be controlled using the smartphone. It weighs just 28 kg and has a dimension of 1200x415mm. Also, the mini treadmill supports a maximum load of 90 Kg and comes with a handheld remote control.

The body is made of aluminium alloy while the pad is made of high-density elastic material. There is also an LED display at the front of the gadget that provides information on the exercise time and the speed reached. WalkingPad offers two user modes: one is a manual mode, where the speed can be adjusted using the handheld remote control and there is an automatic mode where the track is accelerated if the user moves to the start of the track and increases his pace. Conversely, the treadmill slows down if the user reduces his pace by allowing his feet to coast down to the end of the track.

The WalkingPad Mini treadmill supports synchronization with the Mi Home application. It integrates into a “smart home” system, and can simultaneously be seen on Xiaomi TV during the workout. After training, the WalkingPad can be folded in half and slid under the sofa. The device becomes just 12.9 cm long when folded. There is also a wheel for easy and convenient transportation so you really don’t have to worry much about how to convey the walking Pad to its storage point.

The WalkingPad Mini Walk Smart treadmill is presently available for funding on the Xiaomi YouPin e-commerce webpage. It comes with a price tag of $1,699 yuan (~$270) and is expected to start shipping on May 31, 2018.

Samsung Galaxy A6, Galaxy A6+ Pricing for Netherlands Confirmed; Pre-orders Have Started

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 2, 2018

Earlier today, Samsung announced the arrival of the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ smartphones. However, the press release that confirmed their arrival did not reveal any information on their pricing. Fresh information reveals that Samsung has revealed the pricing of Galaxy A6 and A6+ for Netherlands. Moreover, it has also stated that both the smartphones will be available on pre-orders starting from tomorrow. The A6 and A6+ will be available for buying the end of this month.

The Galaxy A6 carries a price tag of 309 euros (~$371) for Netherlands whereas the larger A6+ is priced at 369 euros (~$443). Customers who pre-order the Galaxy A6 and A6+ between May 2 and May 23 will be provided with a 128 GB Samsung EVO Plus microSD card worth 49.9 euros (~$59) for free. The country will be receiving the Galaxy A6 duo in color options like black, gold and lavender. It seems that the country won’t be receiving the blue variants of A6 and A6+.

Even though both the smartphones come in variants like 32 GB storage + 3 GB RAM and 64 GB storage + 4 GB RAM, Samsung will be making only the 32 GB storage + 3 GB RAM edition available in Netherlands.

The South Korean company has already confirmed that the Galaxy A6 and A6+ will be released in specific regions of Europe, Asia and Latin America starting from this month. Both the phones will be also heading to other markets like South Korea, Africa and China later on.

The Galaxy A6 and A6+ respectively feature 5.6-inch and 6.1-inch S-AMOLED Infinity Display. The Galaxy A6 has Exynos 7870 SoC, f/1.7 aperture 16-megapixel rear camera, LED enabled 16-megapixel selfie camera and 3,000mAh battery. The larger Galaxy A6+ features Snapdragon 450 chipset, 16-megapixel f/1.7 aperture + 5-megapixel f/1.9 aperture dual camera setup, 24-megapixel front-facing camera with LED flash and 3,500mAh battery.

(via)

Buy Different Storage Versions Of The ESTRELLA Micro SD Card At Heavily Slashed Price On DD4

By

Vinay Patel

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May 2, 2018

ESTRELLA Micro SD card offers ample storage space to save high-quality data including photos, videos, and music. It boasts high-speed stability which makes it an ideal multi-application card compatible with a broad range of Micro SD card slots. It also supports SDHC device.

If you’re looking to get your hands on a high-end Micro SD card without emptying your pocket, look no further. DD4 is offering 30% off on 5 different sizes including 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB of the ESTRELLA Micro SD Card.

As a result, you can now buy the 8GB version of the Micro SD card by shelling out only $6.99. This specific size normally sells for $6.99 on DD4.

Likewise, you can go for a slightly bigger 16GB storage capacity version if you’re willing to spend only $5.52. It’s worth noting that the aforesaid size would ideally set you back $7.89 on DD4.

Alternatively, you can buy 32GB storage capacity version of the ESTRELLA Micro SD card, which is currently up for grabs at a reduced price of just $7.62. Usually, this version of the Micro SD card sells for $10.89 on DD4.

But if you’re looking for an even bigger storage capacity, you can purchase the 64GB and 128GB versions of the ESTRELLA Micro SD card. These two sizes are currently available bearing discounted Carnival Price of $17.49 and $32.19, respectively on DD4.
The Shenzen-based cross-border e-commerce platform usually puts a $24.99 price sticker on 64GB and a $45.99 price sticker on 128GB versions of the ESTRELLA Micro SD card. There were 88 pieces of the 8G, 16GB, 32GB, and 128GB versions, and only 86 pieces of the 64GB version left at the time of writing.

In order to avail the deal, simply follow this link. It is imperative for you to bear in mind that the ESTRELLA Micro SD card will go back to its retail price as soon as the promotion comes to an end in 5 days.

Get 30% Off On Various Sizes Of ESTRELLA Micro SD Card On DD4 Check More Deals and Promotions From Other Shops

360 N7 Leaked Photo Reveals Triple Rear Cameras

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 2, 2018

Through a unique frying pan invite (well, inspired by Meizu E3’s invite), China’s 360 Mobiles had recently confirmed that it will be launching the 360 N7 smartphone on May 8. Today, a leaked photo of the alleged 360 N7 smartphone has appeared on Weibo. It reveals that it will be equipped with a triple camera setup.

By launching the P20 Pro, Huawei became the first smartphone manufacturer in the world to release a phone with triple camera setup. A leaked image of the upcoming N7 phone from 360 Mobiles reveals that it could be the next company after Huawei to launch a smartphone with triple lens system.

As it can be seen in the below image, the upper antenna band present on the metallic back panel of the upcoming 360 N7 is pushed down a bit at the center to house the horizontally arranged triple cameras. Its dual-tone LED flash is placed below the antenna line.

At present, there is no information available on exact the configuration of the triple camera system. The fingerprint scanner is slotted on the backside of the phone. The bottom portion of the rear shell features the other antenna band. The rear design of the 360 N7 seems quite interesting, but the authenticity of the leaked image could not be confirmed.

Early rumors had claimed that 360 N7 could be powered by the Snapdragon 636 chipset. However, recent reports have claimed that the MediaTek Helio P60 will be present under the hood of the 360 N7. The handset was recently spotted at AnTuTu with an impressive average benchmarking score of 130,000. The SoC is expected to be coupled with 6 GB of RAM. Also, the device is pegged to carry support for MediaTek’s PumpExpress fast charging technology.

Triple lens setup feature seems suitable for a flagship smartphone, but the 360 N7 is expected to arrive as a mid-range phone. However, the possibility of triple rear cameras on a mid-range phone cannot be ruled out.

(via)

Xiaomi Crowdfunds Yeelight Eye Lamp Pro: Safe For Your Eyes

By

Jeet

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May 2, 2018

After launching products like Yeelight Moonlight Chandelier and Candlelight Lamp, China-based manufacturer Xiaomi is now gearing up to launch a new product tomorrow under its Yeelight brand — Yeelight Eye Lamp Pro. Ahead of the official launch through crowdfunding, the product has been exposed online along with its features.

The Yeelight Eye Lamp Pro is touted as the world’s first intelligent eye protection desk lamp. The major highlight of the product is that it comes with a SunLike Technology, which can protect the user’s eye.

The SunLike Technology is said to pack LED that gets excited by purple lamp beads. Traditionally, the LED gets excited by blue lamp beads. Because of this change, the company says that the light generated through this lamp is close to the natural light and thus, provides protection to the children’s eyesight.

Design-wise, the Yeelight Eye Lamp Pro looks simple and elegant. It has a circular weight base, a foldable arm and a mirror-like LED light which can also be adjusted according to the requirement. The lamp is said to have been certified by Germany’s authoritative inspection agency TUV Rheinland, which is the country’s highest AA class illumination.

While this exposure of the lamp has provided us details about its features and design, the pricing of the Yeelight Eye Lamp Pro has not been revealed yet. We’ll come to know more about this lamp, along with pricing and availability information, when Xiaomi unveils it tomorrow.

Leaked Xiaomi Mi A1 Android 8.1 Oreo Beta Update Now Available with May Security Patch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 2, 2018

Xiaomi is reportedly working on a successor phone for the Xiaomi Mi A1, the first Android One smartphone from the company. Even Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has also confirmed that the firm will be launching the Mi A2 in the near future. As far as Mi A1 is concerned, the Chinese manufacturer has already treated with Android 8.0 Oreo update earlier this year. Users of XDA forum have come across a leaked ROM of Android 8.1 Oreo beta for Mi A1 which suggests that Xiaomi is gearing up to release the latest edition of Oreo for it.

The following screenshot released by the publication confirms that Mi A1 users at XDA forum have already installed the leaked Mi A1 Android 8.1 Oreo beta update. Since it is a beta update and that too a leaked one, installing it may cause the Mi A1 to encounter various kind of issues such as that stock camera won’t work. However, the publication claims that the Google Camera ports are working properly. Users who have installed the leaked ROM claim that the update does not include Treble and there are no adaptive icons onboard. Also, there is no logo for VoLTE even when it is working.

There are no major features included in Android 8.1 when compared to the Android 8.0 Oreo update. One new feature that is included in the leaked beta update for Mi A1 is the black theme for a dark wallpaper. The update also tags along security patch for May. The Mi A1 Android 8.1 Oreo beta update that has been leaked features the new Power menu.

Xiaomi Mi A1 users who wish to try the leaked Android 8.1 Oreo beta update can visit the download link given below. It is advisable to carry out a backup on the phone before installing the leaked beta as there are many bugs present in in the build.

Xiaomi had hurriedly released a premature Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Mi A1 at the end of December 2017. The Oreo update had to be stalled twice before rolling out the stable version. Now that the Android 8.1 Oreo beta has been leaked for the Xiaomi Mi A1, it seems that the official release should be available within this month. Hopefully, the final build of the Android 8.1 Oreo for Mi A1 will be free from bugs.

(source|via|download link)

Preorder Ulefone Power 5 Smartphone For Only $269.99 On Banggood; Promotion Sale To End Soon!

By

Vinay Patel

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May 2, 2018

Promotion sale for Ulefone Power 5 smartphone kicked off on April 29 on Banggood. As a result, the hotly-anticipated phone is currently up for preorder at a discounted price on the Chinese shopping site.

Ulefone is likely to make the long-awaited Power 5 smartphone available to the public this month. While the phone would normally set you back $339.99 on Banggood, you can now preorder it by shelling out only $269.99.

This is a noteworthy 21% reduction in the Power 5 smartphone’s original asking price. On the downside, the presale promotion will only be valid for a limited period of time.

Buy Ulefone Power 5 on Banggood

Ulefone recently rolled out an unboxing video of the Power 5 smartphone in a bid to build more hype around the pre-sale promotion. The unboxing video which was posted on the company’s official Youtube channel not only gives us a brief glimpse of what’s in the box.

The Power 5 smartphone has been subject to a slew of rumors and leaks that suggest it will pack a powerful MediaTek Helio P23 MT6763V, 64-bit processor along with an ARM Mali-G71 MP2 graphics processing unit, under the hood. It will offer 6GB of RAM and 64GB ROM which can further be expanded up to 256GB via SIM 2 slot.

Furthermore, it sports eye-catching rounded edges paired with a massive 6.0 inches IPS, LCD FHD+ display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels and Corning Gorilla Glass 4 for added protection. The phone measures 80.2 mm x 169.4 mm x 15.8 mm (LxWxH) and it weighs in at 290 grams (with battery).

On the photography front, the Power 5 smartphone offers a 21-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup with dual-LED and AF on the back. Up front, there are 8-megapixel + 5-megapixel cameras for selfies.The phone runs Android 8.1 Oreo operating system and is backed by a robust 13,000 mAh Lithium-Polymer battery. This built-in cell is equipped with 5V/5A super fast charging, and 10W wireless charging features and delivers up to a whopping 1200 hours of standby time and up to 55 hours of talk time.

You can follow this link in order to check out the full specification and take advantage of the promotion sale, which is slated to end on May 7. It’s also worth noting that there were only 96 pieces left for the presale price.

Get 21% Off On Ulefone Power 5 Smartphone On Banggood Check More Deals and Promotions From Other Shops

Get Up To 40% Off On VR Tech And Other Gaming Gears On GearBest; Check Out More Powerhouse Deals!

By

Vinay Patel

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May 2, 2018

As part of it’s recently kicked off promotion dubbed ‘Ready Player Fun,’ GearBest is doling out a noteworthy 40% off on VR tech, gaming gears and a slew of powerhouse deals you don’t want to miss. Let’s head straight to the details.First off, the site is giving 1% off on PIMAX 4K UHD virtual reality 3D PC headset (with earphones) bringing its retail price down to just $359. This Flash Sale price will be valid for the remaining 47 pieces for 15 days.

VR Tech

If you’re a virtual reality enthusiast looking to buy your first VR headset without spending a fortune, you’ve come to the right place. GearBest is offering the Deepoon E3B virtual reality headset at a discounted price of just $219.99.

This is a considerable 25% off on the device’s original asking price of $291.90. On the downside, this Flash Sale price will only be valid for 1 day and there were only 2 pieces left at the time of writing.

Video Game Gear

GearBest is giving avid gamers something to cheer about as well. This category is crammed with all sorts of video gaming gears that you can buy without burning a hole in your pocket.

For instance, you can get your hands on the JXD S192K game phablet by shelling out only $299.99. Normally, the device would set you back $329.99 on GearBest, but the site is offering a 9% off on the device’s retail price for 1 day.

It’s also worth noting that the Flash Sale price will only be valid for the black color version of the JXD S192K game phablet. Moreover, there were only 15 pieces left for the Flash Sale price.

Mobile Gaming

Much to the delight of both amateur as well as pro mobile game players, GearBest will be offering a broad range of mobile gaming devices at considerably lowered price for a limited period of time. In line with this, you can buy the CUBOT X18 Plus 4G phablet for just $159.99 on GearBest.

The site is giving 17% off on the black and blue color versions of the well-received phablet. Note that there only 54 pieces of the black and 44 pieces of blue color versions were left for the Flash Sale price. The promotion was on the verge of wrapping up.

Gaming Powerhouse

If you’ve restlessly been waiting to get your hands on an affordable gaming laptop, we have good news for you. GearBest is offering massive discounts on select gaming laptops featured in this category.

For the sake of an example, the site is giving 22% off on the ThundeRobot GTR gaming laptop, which normally comes bearing a steep price tag of $2179.41 on the site. But thanks to the aforesaid discount, you can now buy this power-packed gaming laptop for only $1704.54.

The aforesaid discount will be valid for the remaining 100 pieces of the silver color version with the English keyboard. Other available options carrying a 21% discount include French keyboard, German keyboard, and Spanish keyboard. The promo is slated to end soon.

PC Components

This category is brimming with all sorts of PC accessories that you can buy without burning a hole in your pocket. You can get 27% off on Colorful iGame 1050Ti gaming video graphics card which normally sells for $306.98 on GearBest.
The iGame 1050Ti is housed in a solid and durable black metal. Its other main features include super low consumption and calorific value (GCV). It supports a slew of systems including Android 2.x, Android 4.x., IOS, Linux, MAC OS X, Win 2000, Win 2008, Win Vista, Win XP, Win7 32, Win7 64, Win8 32, and Win8 64.

Gaming Peripherals

This section of the GearBest promotion features several gaming-related accessories such as HXSJ X20 2400DPI 2.4GHz Wireless Optical Gaming Mouse, Ajazz AK33 NKRO Wired Gaming Mechanical Keyboard, and lots more.

Gaming Headphones

It’s no secret that you need good headphones for an unparalleled gaming experience; however, high-quality gaming headphones don’t come cheap. Bearing that in mind, GearBest is offering a 23% off on the Bluedio A2 foldable Bluetooth headphones with mic.
The A2 headphones normally sell for $51.31 on GearBest. But much to the relief of cost-conscious gaming fans, the site is offering the stylish and foldable gaming headphones for just $39.67. The discount is valid only for the orange color version of the device.

If you’re interested in checking out rest of the products and taking advantage of the GearBest promotion before it comes to an end, simply follow this link. Note that the discounted product will go back to their retail price as soon as the promotion ends.

Check Out GearBest Ready Player Fun Promotion Check More Deals and Promotions From Other Shops

Razer Phone Android 8.1 Oreo Update Delayed In The UK Due To Issues

By

Jeet

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May 2, 2018

A while ago, Razer announced that it has started rolling out Android 8.1 Oreo update to those users who have purchased its first gaming smartphone, Razer Phone.

The smartphone comes with Android Nougat operating system out-of-the-box. However, the company had said that the device will directly get the latest Android 8.1 Oreo update.

Keeping its promise, Razer started rolling out Android 8.1 Oreo update for the Razer Phone about two weeks ago. Since the update seems to be rolling out in phases, it has not yet reached every region.

However, things are not going as planned for the company in the UK. Three, one of the carriers in the UK, has announced that they have stopped the rollout of Android Oreo for Razer Phone due to some issues. Three says that the company is working closely with Razer “to get a reliable 8.1 software update soon and hopefully a release can be pushed out in the near future.”

At this point, it is not known if the rollout of this new Android version update has been stopped in other regions also. However, the users in the United States have already received the Android Oreo update on their Razer Phone.

According to the reports, owners of the Razer Phone, who have already updated to Android 8.1 Oreo are complaining of issues with the SIM card. It seems that the issue is widespread as users all over the world claim they have cellular data problems regardless of the carrier. However, the company has not given any official statement regarding this issue. We expect the company to fix this issue soon with a new software update.

The Razer Phone comes with a 5.7-inch QHD IGZO display with 120Hz refresh rate. Razer calls it an Ultramotion Display and likens it to NVIDIA’s G-SYNC. Surprisingly, the display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. Under the hood, it is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 processor along with 8GB RAM and 64GB of expandable storage.

The smartphone comes with dual rear cameras — 12-megapixel f/1.75 wide angle primary lens and 12-megapixel f/2.6 telephoto secondary lens with 2X zoom. On the front side, there’s an 8-megapixel f/2.2 snapper. The device is powered by a 4,000mAh battery and comes with support for Quick Charge 4.0+, making it the first phone to ship with the new fast-charging technology.

(Source)

Samsung Galaxy A6, A6+ Officially Launched with Infinity Display and Impressive Cameras

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 2, 2018

Last year in December, Samsung had launched the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ as the first Galaxy A series phones with Infinity Display design. Today, through an official press release, the company has announced the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ phones featuring the same full screen Infinity Display design.

Galaxy A6, A6+ Specifications and Features

The Samsung Galaxy A6 features a 5.6-inch S-AMOLED display that produces an HD+ screen resolution of 720 x 1480 pixels. The larger Galaxy A6+ houses a 6.1-inch S-AMOLED display that delivers Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2220 pixels. Both the screens offer an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. The Galaxy A6 duo also feature Always on Display function that allow users to see information at a glance without unlocking.

The Exynos 7870 chipset featuring an octa-core processor that clocks at 1.6 GHz powers the Galaxy A6. The 32 GB and 64 GB storage models of the Galaxy A6 respectively features 3 GB and 4 GB of RAM. For more storage, users can make use of a microSD card on the Galaxy A6. The handset receives power from a 3,000mAh battery.

The Snapdragon 450 powers the larger Galaxy A6+ with its 1.8 GHz octa-core processor. Like the smaller sibling, the Galaxy A6+ also comes in 32 GB storage + 3 GB RAM and 64 GB storage + 4 GB RAM variants and it also features a microSD card slot. It is packed with a larger battery of 3,500mAh capacity.

The Galaxy A6 is fitted with a single rear camera of 16-megapixel with f/1.7 aperture. It comes with features like autofocus and dual-tone LED flash. The A6+ is blessed with a dual camera setup that includes a 16-megapixel autofocus enabled primary sensor with f/1.7 aperture and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor with f/1.9 aperture. The Live Focus feature that is available only on the Galaxy A6+ allow users to control the depth of field before or after taking a shot. This feature is also available on Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy Note 8.

The A6 houses a front camera of 16-megapixel with f/1.9 aperture. The A6+ has an LED flash enabled 24-megapixel front-facing camera with f/1.9 aperture.The rear sides of both phones feature fingerprint scanner and for hassle-free unlocking, these devices also support facial recognition.

The Galaxy A6 and A6+ are pre-installed with Android 8.0 Oreo. When it comes to connectivity, the Galaxy A6 duo offers features like Cat. 6 LTE with 2CA, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, microUSB 2.0, NFC (some markets only) and 3.5mm audio jack, GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou.

The Galaxy A6 measures 149.9 x 70.8 x 7.7mm whereas the dimensions of the Galaxy A6+ are 1 60.2 x 75.7 x 7.9 mm. Both phones can be availed in colors like black, gold, blue and lavender. The Galaxy A6 and A6+ are Dolby Atmos optimized smartphones that deliver impressive audio output through earphones. Other features that are available on the Galaxy A6 and A6+ are App Pair, Bixby Home, Bixby Vision, Bixby Reminder and Samsung Pay.

Galaxy A6, A6+ Pricing and Availability

The South Korean company is yet to disclose the pricing of the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ smartphones. As far as availability of these phones are concerned, they will be made available in select regions of Europe, Asia and Latin America from early May. Later, the Galaxy A6 duo will be also made available in other markets such as South Korea, Africa and China.

LG G6 Android Oreo Update Starts Rolling Out In Korea

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 1, 2018

The LG G7 ThinQ will launch tomorrow. The flagship is a successor to last year’s LG G6. While the new flagship will come with Android Oreo out of the box, most owners of the G6 are still stuck on Android Nougat but that won’t be for long.

For a device that was the company’s flagship for 2017, you’d think LG would have been quicker with the update. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. The manufacturer promised the update will start rolling out by the end of April and thankfully it has begun.

Some users in LG’s home country, South Korea, have begun receiving the update and we expect it to begin rolling out to other regions too. The update will bring not only the latest version of Android but some new features to the phone.

Continue

Samsung Working On Android Oreo Update for Galaxy A8 and A8+

By

Michele Ingelido

-

May 1, 2018

Even though Samsung Galaxy A8 and A8+ (2018) are the latest upper-midrange phones launched by the Korean giant, they hit the shelves with Android Nougat on board. But now, right after Samsung started the roll out of the Android Oreo update on Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, we learned that the Seoul company is working on the update to Android 8.0 Oreo even for these handsets.

This report comes from Galaxyclub.nl, a known website from the Netherlands. According to the report, the Android 8.0 Oreo update on Samsung Galaxy A8 and A8 Plus (2018) carries the build numbers A530FXXU2BRDX and A520FXXU2ARD1, respectively. Sadly there are no official declarations about the update and reports did not suggest an exact roll out date. The update is expected to come in July or August.

Even though Samsung Galaxy A8 and A8+ (2018) were released with Android Nougat out of the box, Oreo update seems to be coming soon. In case you don’t know, the firmware will be customized with Samsung Experience 9.0 which will bring several new features and graphics improvements.

(via, source)

The Oculus Go Standalone VR Headset Goes On Sale for $199

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

May 1, 2018

Towards the end of 2017, Facebook’s Oculus announced the Oculus Go. This is a standalone VR headset that works without a phone or PC. It was expected to go on sale in Q1 2018 but it didn’t.

Starting today, you can now order the Oculus Go from the Oculus website. The standalone VR headset has a starting price of $199 for the 32GB version and $249 for the 64GB version.

Oculus provides an estimate of the content each storage variant can accept. For the 32GB variant, you should be able to put in 3 HD films, 10 games, and 20 apps while the 64GB variant can store up to 7 HD films, 20 games, and 40 apps.

Oculus will ship the headset to a total of 23 countries including Japan and Australia. If you want, you can also order the Oculus Go from Amazon, Best Buy, and Newegg.

The Oculus Go has a 2560 x 1440 LCD screen, a Snapdragon 821 processor, and integrated spatial audio. It also has a 3-button controller (powered by AA batteries) with a touch surface for navigation and movement.

The Oculus Go will come with the controller, a 10W charger (US only), and a glass spacer. There is also a companion app in the Play Store or app store (for iOS users) for downloading games and apps for the headset.

Continue

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge Finally Start Updating to Android 8.0 Oreo

By

Michele Ingelido

-

May 1, 2018

Samsung’s credibility was questioned when Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge Oreo updates were promised several times but weren’t rolled out. In the past few months, Samsung Turkey, some reps, and other sources familiar with the company had given multiple dates for Oreo update for the above flagships, but it never arrived. Now, with Android P around the corner, the two handsets are finally receiving the final and stable update to Android 8.0 Oreo in several European countries.

First reports came from the UK, then the update has started to expand in other European countries, so we assume that it will gradually reach every unit of Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge in the next few days. The update weighs 1274.28 MB and it carries the build number G930FXXU2ERD5 on the Galaxy S7 and G935FXXU2ERD5 on the S7 Edge. It obviously includes the latest iteration of Samsung’s customized user interface, called Samsung Experience 9.0. We already had the pleasure to test the new UI on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S9 series: it contains several graphics renewals and important new features.

The update on Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge is obviously coming via OTA, so you should get a notification on your phone. We suggest you download it while you are connected to a WiFi network if you do not want to consume your data traffic. If you still did not get the notification, you can try to force the arrival of the update manually, by heading to the settings menu. If you own a Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge and it has already updated to Android 8.0 Oreo, let us know your first impressions of the performance after the update by using the comment box below.

(Via)

Fresh LG G7 ThinQ Leak By Roland Quandt Reveals Specs and 3 Color Variants

By

Michele Ingelido

-

May 1, 2018

LG G7 ThinQ will be officially announced on May 2, but you no longer have to wait to know all the details about the upcoming Korean flagship rivaling Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+. The famous and reliable leakster Roland Quandt has just revealed the specs and new renders of the device alongside its possible listing price in Europe. According to fresh render published by the German leakster, the flagship will come in at least three hues: black, red and blue.

It will exhibit a tall display with very narrow bezels, a notch and an incredibly tall 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Roland Quandt has revealed that this display will be an AMOLED panel with a 6.1-inch size and a Quad HD+ resolution of 3120 x 1440 pixels. It will have a maximum brightness of 1000 cd/m^2, the support to DCI-P3, 100% RGB color gamut and a 30% lower energy consumption compared to the previous models. The display will also sport an iPhone X-like notch to minimize bezels. Under the hood, there will be an octa-core Snapdragon 845 chipset, the best Qualcomm SoC with a max frequency of 2.7 GHz. There will also be 4 or 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage, but Roland still does not know whether it will be expandable or not.

The rear side will be made of glass and it will house a dual camera setup with a 16.3 MP resolution and f/1.6 apertures. We expect to see a wide-angle secondary sensor, but this is yet to be confirmed. From what the leakster revealed, LG G7 ThinQ will have a 3000 mAh battery with the support of the latest Qualcomm’s fast charging technology: Quick Charge 4.0. Its price should be lower than €680 in Europe, that is rather cheaper than Samsung Galaxy S9 which has been launched with an expensive €849 price tag.

(Source)

Xiaomi Mi 6X vs Moto G6 Plus: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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May 1, 2018

Xiaomi recently announced the Mi 6X, its most incredible budget phone till now. And around the same time, Lenovo unleashed the Motorola Moto G6 Plus. Both the devices can be located in the mid-range sector, and this means that they will be sold at a affordable price. By choosing them, you will be able to save a good amount of money and get a device which may leave you satisfied as much as a flagship. You will be far from getting the fastest performance ever, but these smartphones don’t easily disappoint. So are you ready to know their strong and weak points?

If yes, take a look at the Xiaomi Mi 6X vs Moto G6 Plus comparison below.

Xiaomi Mi 6X vs Motorola Moto G6 Plus

	Xiaomi Mi 6X	Motorola Moto G6 Plus
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	158.7 x 75.4 x 7.3 mm, 168 grams	160 x 75.5 x 8 mm, 167 grams
DISPLAY	5.99 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, 18:9 ratio, LTPS IPS LCD	5.9 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), 409 ppi, 18:9 ratio, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, octa-core 2.2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, octa-core 2.2 GHz
MEMORY	4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB, micro SD slot	4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB, micro SD slot
SOFTWARE	Android 8.1 Oreo	Android 8.0 Oreo
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 12 f/1.8 + 20 MP f/1.8 20 MP f/1.8 front camera	Dual 12 + 5MP f/1.7 + f/2.2 8 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY	3010 mAh Fast charging (Quick Charge 3.0)	3200 mAh Fast charging (15W)
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot

Aesthetics are much more refined on the Motorola Moto G6 Plus (even though Mi 6X has a slimmer body), but it’s always a matter of personal preference. But it’s worth noting that the Moto G6 Plus is a splash resistant device, while Xiaomi Mi 6X does not offer any kind of protection against water. But in the hardware department, Xiaomi Mi 6X should do well as it has a higher-end processor. So, on paper, the Mi 6X should provide higher performance in heavy apps and games.

Xiaomi Mi 6X has a promising camera setup composed of a Sony sensor which also supports AI for scene recognition and selfie beautification. We have compared the Mi 6X’s camera to the Meizu E3, you can check it out here! But do not underestimate Moto G6 Plus as it could be one of the best camera phones in its segment. To recap, the Moto G5 Plus managed to shoot outstanding photos. Also, Moto seems to be consistent in optimising its camera for the best quality shots in its segment, so the G6 Plus should be a worthy contender for the best camera phone in the mid-range segment.

At last, Moto G6 Plus has a slightly bigger battery (3200 vs 3010 mAh), but the margin is too low to establish which device could last more.

Moto G6 Plus will sell for $/€300 in the global market while Xiaomi Mi 6X has been launched in China with a price tag of about $250/€205. It will come in the global market as Xiaomi Mi A2 with Android One. If I lived in China, I would choose Xiaomi Mi 6X due to its wonderful SoC and its capable camera department.

What would you pick?

Xiaomi Mi 6X vs Motorola Moto G6 Plus

Xiaomi Mi 6X

PRO

Aggressive price
Thin body
Great performance
Good camera

CONS

No audio jack

Motorola Moto G6 Plus

PRO

Elegant design
Splash resistant
Nice camera department
Pure Android experience

CONS

Nothing special to mention

Qualcomm’s New Patent Deals May Help It Fix Relations With Customers Like Apple

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 1, 2018

Qualcomm is known as a chip manufacturer but it also has another business which involves designing and marketing of wireless telecommunications products.

While most of its revenue is gotten from chip manufacturing, profit is actually from patent licensing. The latter has put it into troubles with clients like Apple and also regulators, with lawsuits and fines flying around. However, things may get better soon.

Qualcomm has two license patents for phone manufacturers – one is the full suite that costs clients 5% of the price of the phone and then there is a standard suite that provides what you need to connect to data networks for 3.25% of the cost of the phone.

Before, a lot of manufacturers used to apply for both licenses to avoid getting into trouble with Qualcomm but Qualcomm has been working on improving relationships by offering more features for the lower-priced patents. The cheaper license now includes 5G patents without an increase in price.

It has also been revealed by Qualcomm’s head of licensing division, Alex Rogers, that the patent fees only apply to the first $400 of the net selling price of the device. Before it was put at $500.

According to Rogers, the 5G licensing moves are “regulator friendly” and are “creating a foundation for stability going forward”.

Continue

LG G7 ThinQ Appears in Real Skin and Without Notch Ahead of Launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 1, 2018

LG will be launching the LG G7 ThinQ flagship phone tomorrow. The iPhone X’s notched display design has inspired many smartphone OEMs to launch notched smartphones. Leaks surrounding the LG G7 ThinQ have also revealed that it will be sporting an iPhone X-like full screen design. Fresh photos of the real LG G7 ThinQ have surfaced from South Korea to reveal its front and rear design.

Just as the Huawei offers an option to blacken the area on the either sides of the notch on P20 and P20 Pro to make it appear like regular bezel, the LG G7 ThinQ is also expected to arrive with a similar feature. Hence, the LG G7 ThinQ that is expected to arrive with a notched display appears notchless in the new image.

A leaked photo (shown below) that had surfaced in the previous week had revealed LG G7 ThinQ will have a setting for “New Second Screen” that will provide options like Custom and Standard, respectively for hiding and keeping the notch. Also, there are some other customizations like two kinds of design for the upper bezel. Leaked information has revealed that the G7 ThinQ’s notched screen will support QHD+ resolution of 3120 x 1440 pixels along with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9.

The volume up and down buttons followed by a dedicated for accessing the Google Assistant can be found on the left side of the LG G7 ThinQ. The right edge features a power key. The rear side of the phone is made out of glass. The leaked image shows that glass body easily attracts fingerprint marks.

The back panel features vertically arranged dual camera setup with an LED flash beside it. It is expected to include a pair of 16-megapixel camera with f/1.6 aperture. A fingerprint scanner is placed below the camera unit.

The other rumored specs of the LG G7 ThinQ include Snapdragon 845, 4 GB / 6 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, IP68 rated chassis and 3,000mAh battery.

(source 1, 2|via 1, 2)

Xiaomi Mi 7 Rumor Roundup: Everything We Know So Far

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 1, 2018

Xiaomi Mi 7 is one of the most awaited flagship phones of 2018. Rumors surrounding the smartphone have claimed that the company may debut the phone by the end of the first half of the year. There are some contradictory rumors too that claim that its launch date could be pushed back to third quarter, but May release seems more likely. When it arrives, it will be taking on the likes of the newly unveiled Honor 10 and the upcoming OnePlus 6 flagship.

So, here’s everything that we know about the Xiaomi Mi 7:

Notched OLED Display and 3D Facial Recognition

Plenty of details have surfaced through the leaked firmware files of Xiaomi Mi 7 that is reportedly codenamed as Dipper. The firmware files have revealed that the handset will be featuring a notched OLED display design like the iPhone X. Leaked photos of the alleged front panel of the Mi 7 have revealed that it will be arriving with notched design. The presence of OLED display suggests that it will feature an Always-On Display feature.

The exact size of the display is not known, but some rumors claim that it may house a 6-inch screen. To be precise, some reports suggest that the Xiaomi Mi 7 will be featuring a 5.6-inch OLED display and the rumored large-sized Mi 7 Plus may come equipped with a 6.01-inch OLED display.

The notch is expected to feature an infrared camera which suggest that the Mi 7 will carry support for 3D facial recognition. However, this 3D facial recognition could delay its release. The company is said to be facing issues with this tech, so it is said that the release is pushed back to Q3 2018. But we are not quite sure of such a late release for the Mi 7.

Chipset, RAM and Battery

The Snapdragon 845 SoC will be powering the Xiaomi Mi 7. The SoC is expected to be coupled with 6 GB of RAM. It may come in storage choices like 64 GB and 128 GB. The Chinese manufacturer has already introduced wireless charging on the Mi MIX 2S flagship phone. Hence, the 3,350mh battery of the Mi 7 is also expected to carry support for Qi wireless charging. For photography, the phone is speculated to feature dual 16-megapixel cameras on the rear panel.

Xiaomi Mi 7 Plus

Xiaomi is also reportedly working on a smartphone that is codenamed as Ursa. Leaked firmware files have revealed that it will be coming with specs similar to the Mi 7. Hence, it is being dubbed as the Xiaomi Mi 7 Plus. It is speculated to be equipped with an under-display fingerprint scanner. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has also hinted that the Mi 7 will be coming with an in-screen fingerprint scanner. However, there is no confirmation on whether the feature will be exclusively available on the Mi 7 Plus or it will be also present on the Mi 7. As far as the specs of the Ursa phone is concerned, it is expected to arrive with Snapdragon 845 chipset, OLED display, dual cameras with optical zoom, and 4,000mAh battery unit.

Xiaomi Mi 7 Launch Date

A leaked poster that had surfaced yesterday claims that the Mi 7 will be launching on May 23. But the quality of the poster is questionable which makes us doubt its authenticity. So, an exact release date is still far from confirmed.

Delaying the Mi 7 release could make some sense. Xiaomi would not want the Mi 7’s release to hamper the sales of the Mi Mix 2S or vice versa. Despite being placed in slightly different segments, both the phones are considered flagships in terms of specs. So, releasing the Mi 7 now may not be favorable for the one month old Mix 2S.

But history shows that’s not usually a concern for Xiaomi. At present, you can get the newly launched and powerful Xiaomi Mi 6X and the couple of months old Redmi Note 5 for around the same price in China. In fact, we did cover a story where we mentioned the Mi 6X could cannibalize the sales of the RN5 and many seem to agree to this.

So, as far as the release date is concerned, we are not quite sure of a particular date.

But there are other indicators that the Mi 7 launch is near. The Xiaomi Mi 6 is currently only available in 64 GB storage + 4 GB RAM variant on the official Chinese site of Xiaomi. Rest of the variants are no longer available for purchase. Unless they come back in stock soon, it’s definitely an indicator that the company is preparing for the Mi 7 launch.

Are you waiting for the launch of Xiaomi Mi 7? Will it be better than the OnePlus 6? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

Coolpad Note 6 Debuts with Dual Selfie Camera, Large Battery, Rs. 8,999 (~$135) Pricing

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 1, 2018

Today, Coolpad has introduced the all new Coolpad Note 6 phablet as a successor for the Note 5 phone that was launched in 2016. The USP of the Note 6 is that it features dual selfie cameras and a large-sized battery. Also, it comes with an affordable starting pricing of Rs. 8,999 (~$135).

Coolpad Note 6 Specifications

Dressed in metal body, the Coolpad Note 6 measures 153.7 x 76 x 8.62mm and weighs 170 grams. The 5.5-inch IPS LCD display of the phone supports Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The screen is shielded by 2.5D curved glass. The official produce page of the Note 5 claims that the display offers a screen-to-body ratio of 70 percent. A fingerprint sensor enabled home button is available on the chin of the phablet.

The modest Snapdragon 435 powers the Coolpad Note 6 with 4 GB of RAM. It comes in two storage models of 32 GB and 64 GB. The handset features a dedicated slot for adding a microSD.

The 8-megapixel primary sensor of the dual selfie camera setup is assisted by 5-megapixel wide-angle lens that offers 120-degree field of view. Hence, the company claims that the Note 6 is not only good for capturing selfies, but also wide-angled groupies. The dual selfie cameras are enabled with LED flash for shooting better selfie shots in dark.

The metal body of the phone has a unique arrangement for the rear camera as it can be seen in the above image. It features an autofocus enabled f/2.2 aperture 13-megapixel camera with 6p lens. It offers with photography modes like Panorama, Beauty mode, Motion and Erase for removing undesired objects while shooting photos. The Night Shot mode is also available that shoots brighter shots in dim light conditions.

The Coolpad Note 6 comes loaded with Android 7.1 Nougat. Coolpad has include Game Mode on the phone to prevent distractions from incoming messages and calls while enjoying games on it. The company has added some other handy features as well such as Scroll Screenshot and Screen Split. The phone houses a huge battery of 4,070mAh capacity that delivers an impressive standby time of 350 hours. The other features available on the Note 6 include dual-SIM, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, microUSB 2.0 and 3.5mm headphone jack.

Coolpad Note 6 Pricing

The 32 GB Coolpad Note 6 can be bought for Rs. 8,999 (~$135) while its 64 GB variant is available for Rs. 9,999 (~$149). The Note 6 comes in color variant like Grey and Gold. It is available for buying starting from today through offline stores in regions like Maharashtra, Delhi NCR, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Do you think that it can compete with the likes of Redmi 5, Redmi Note 5 and Honor 9 Lite that are also available with similar pricing in the country? Share us your views by adding your comments below.