Sharp Aquos S3 Mini Launched with Notched Screen, Snapdragon 630, 6 GB RAM and 1,599 Yuan (`$252) Pricing

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Mar 21, 2018

Sharp has launched a new mid-range phone called Sharp Aquos S3 Mini. The handset is now listed on JD.com with a pricing of 1,599 Yuan (~$252).

Sharp Aquos S3 Mini Specifications and Features

The Aquos S3 Mini features an Essential Phone like display that features a small notch at the top that houses the selfie camera. The rear side of the phone features a 2.5D glass panel. It measures 142.7 x 73 x 7.8mm and it weighs 140 grams. It can be availed in colors like black, blue and gold.

The Aquos S3 Mini is fitted with a 5.5-inch InCell display that offers a screen-to-body ratio of 87.5 percent. It produces screen resolution of 2040 x 1080 pixels. The display that supports 135 percent sRGB color gamut. The screen is surrounded by slim bezels, but the bottom bezel is a bit thick as it houses a fingerprint scanner embedded home button. It can be also used for authenticating payments.

The mid-range phone is powered by Snapdragon 630 chipset such as Sharp Aquos S2, Nokia 7, Nokia 6 (2018), Moto X4 Android One, Sony Xperia XA2, ASUS ZenFone 5Q and HTC U11 Life. The SoC of the Aquos S3 Mini is coupled with 6 GB of LPDDR4X RAM. It comes with a native storage of 64 GB. For additional storage, it features a microSD card slot. The handset is packed with a 3,020mAh battery that supports 5V/2V charging.

The rear side of the Sharp Aquos S3 Mini is equipped with a 16-megapixel camera with f/2.0 aperture. The notch at the front houses a 20-megapixel front-facing camera that supports AI portrait shots. The handset is preinstalled with Android 7.1.1 Nougat that is overlaid with Sharp’s Smile UX. The Face Unlock feature on the S3 Mini can be used to unlock in just 0.1 seconds.

It also features a game mode that allow users to enjoy games without any interference from incoming messages and calls. The other features of the S3 Mini include USB-C, 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 4G VoLTE and GPS. It lacks NFC.

Sharp Aquos S3 Mini Pricing and Availability

The Sharp Aquos S3 Mini is up for reservations on Jingdong Mall. It will be available for buying starting from March 30 with a pricing of 1,599 Yuan (~$252).

(source)

OnePlus 6 Pricing Leaked; 8 GB RAM, 256 GB Storage Model May Cost $749

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 21, 2018

OnePlus 5T is the first flagship phone from the company to sport the trendy 18:9 aspect ratio display. Its 64 GB and 128 GB storage models were introduced with respective pricing of $499 and $559 in November last year. Rumors are rife that the OnePlus 6 will deliver higher screen-to-body ratio of around 90 percent through its 19:9 aspect ratio supporting notched display. The inclusion of the latest and highly potent Snapdragon 845 chipset and improved cameras suggests that it may arrive with increased pricing compared to the predecessor phone. A leaked photo that has surfaced today has revealed the not only the key specs of the OnePlus 6, but also its pricing.

In the below image, the OnePlus 6 can be seen stacked against other flagship phones like the Apple iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S9+ and Huawei P20 Pro. The image reveals that OnePlus 6 will be fueled by Snapdragon 845 and it features 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. This could be the highest storage variant of the OP6.

The OnePlus 6 houses a display of 6.2 inches. It is equipped with 12-megapixel + 20-megapixel dual camera setup and it carries support for Dash Charge fast charging technology. The OP6 is listed with an expensive price tag of $749. However, compared to other flagship phones that have similar specs (but different chipets), the pricing of the OnePlus flagship seems reasonable.

A leaked photo that had appeared at the beginning of this year had revealed that the OnePlus 6 will be arriving with a notched display. The image had also revealed that it features 64 GB of internal storage and 6 GB of RAM. Also, it will come loaded with Android 8.1 Oreo that will be customized with the latest OxygenOS skin. Recent rumors have claimed that the OP6 would be also equipped with some new features like in-screen fingerprint scanner and 3D facial recognition. However, the latter may not be as advanced as Face ID 3D facial recognition feature available on the iPhone X. It is also speculated to include support for super-fast LTE gigabit connectivity. As far as the launch date of the OP6 is concerned, it is pegged to launch in June.

There is no confirmation on the authenticity of the above pricing image. Hence, it is advised to digest this report with a pinch of salt.

(via)

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 6GB +128GB Version Gets Massive Price Cut – $499 On Newegg

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 20, 2018

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 was launched in September last year but the device is about getting a successor in the Mi Mix 2S. Expectedly, the Mix 2’s price has been getting some reduction across various e-commerce platforms and also offline. The latest is the huge cut in the price of the Mi Mix 2 6GB + 128GB version on Newegg.

This latest price reduction on the Mi Mix 2 6GB RAM + 128GB storage version is perhaps the biggest price cut we are seeing on any storage version of the flagship. The Mi Mix 2 version is currently available for a limited period on Newegg’s China website for 3159 Yuan ($499).You’ll agree this is an amazing price for a 6GB RAM and 128GB storage-packing smartphone. Just to compare, the same version of the Mix 2 is priced at $659.42 on GearBest. This price cut seems to be for a limited period, though, apparently to clear old stock.

As a reminder, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 features a 5.99-inch FHD+ display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080. It is powered by a Snapdragon 835 chip with an Adreno 540 GPU. The processor is backed by a 6GB RAM on some models while there are three storage versions; 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. There is also an 8GB RAM + 128GB Special Edition. The Mi MIX 2 packs a single 12MP Sony IM386 sensor at the rear as well as a 5MP selfie camera. There is a 4,400mAH battery under the hood with QC 3.0 and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. There is also dual WiFi band support and it supports 43 bands, 22 of which are LTE bands, including band 20. The Mi MIX 2 runs on MIUI 9 based on Android Nougat, is available in black only except for the Special Ceramic edition.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi Earphones And Mi Earphones Basic Launched In India, Price Starts At Rs. 399 ($6)

By

Jeet

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Mar 20, 2018

Xiaomi has been on a launching spree in India. After launching the Redmi Note 5 series, Mi TV 4/4A and the Redmi 5, the China-based company has now launched two new affordable earphones in the Indian market — Mi Earphones and Mi Earphones Basic.

The Mi Earphones come with a metal chamber that the company says is created using a 20-step process that involves diamond cutting, CD engraving, drawing and anodizing a piece of aluminum. It has Dynamic Bass and comes with an aerospace-grade metal diaphragm for resonating bass.

The company further adds that the in-ear earphones comes with improved 3rd generation balanced damping system, which is designed to enhance sound and airflow. It comes equipped with volume and answer/end call buttons on the wired remote.

The headset has a Kevlar fiber cable to enhance durability. The remote has built-in MEMS microphone that has a 58dB(A) signal to noise ratio. It comes with a headphone jack angled at 90-degrees. Talking about the durability, according to the company, the Mi Earphones have been subjected to over 700 reliability tests.

On the other hand, the Mi Earphones Basic has an aluminum sound chamber that is claimed to offer balanced and clear sound quality. It has been anodized to protect against corrosion and is also scratch and slip resistant. Xiaomi says that the headset comes equipped with a 3rd generation balanced damping system which helps improve sound and air flow which in turn produces well-balanced audio output.

Unlike the Mi Earphones, the AUX jack on this one has been bent to a 45-degree angle for allowing longer durability. It also comes with a wired remote which enables users to play, pause, answer and hang up calls with a press of a button. The remote also has a built-in microphone.

The Xiaomi Mi Earphones will be available in Black and Silver colors and are priced at Rs. 699 ($11). The Xiaomi Mi Earphones Basic comes in Black and Red colors and is priced at Rs. 399 ($6). Both of them are now available from Mi.com — Xiaomi’s official online store.

Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact Outshine Galaxy S9/S9+ In Battery Test

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Mar 20, 2018

Pre-orders for Sony’s Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact are already underway in different countries in Europe. For those wondering what the battery life for these two devices are, your question has been answered by the guys at Phonearena.

Before diving in, let’s revisit the battery capacities for each device. The Xperia XZ2 comes with a 3180mAh battery which is a significant upgrade over the Xperia XZ1‘ 2700mAh. The XZ2 Compact on the other hand comes with a 2870mAh battery. Its predecessor has a 2700mAh battery too.

The Xperia XZ2 is able to last 8 hrs 54 minutes on a single charge. That is over 1 hr more than the Xperia Xz1 which may seem small until you remember that the XZ2 has a larger 5.7” FHD+ display as against the 5.2” FHD screen of the XZ1.

The Xperia XZ2 Compact lasts 9 hrs and 13 minutes on a single charge. That is a good two hours less than that of the Xperia XZ1 Compact. However, the XZ2 Compact has a bigger 5.0” FHD+ display compared to the 4.6” HD screen of the XZ1 Compact.

When compared to the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, both of the new Xperia phones last longer. They also surpass the iPhone 8, iPhone X, and OnePlus 5T, but trail behind the iPhone 8 Plus.

A depleted battery needs to be recharged, so how quickly it does so is equally important. Sadly, the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact don’t do very well in this test.

The Xperia XZ2 takes 145 minutes to charge to full while the Xperia XZ2 Compact takes 144 minutes even though they both come with QC 3.0 chargers. Both phones still charge in less time than their predecessors.

However, they are no match for the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ which charge way faster. The OnePlus 5T is still the fastest thanks to Dash Charge.

Continue

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Gets Android 8.1 Oreo Update With Project Treble Support

By

Michele Ingelido

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Mar 20, 2018

The Redmi Note 5 line-up has been released with different names in the two best markets for Xiaomi: India, and China. In the Indian peninsula, the handset has been announced in two variants: Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro. The standard variant is just a re-branded Redmi 5 Plus for the Indian market, while the Pro version is the real new phone. In China, the standard Note 5 is the Redmi 5 Plus, while the Note 5 Pro has been called Redmi Note 5. But keep in mind that it comes with two differences: a slightly different rear camera setup and a better version of the software based on Android 8.1 Oreo.

Well, now there is good news for the owners of the Indian Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro. A new firmware is available to download for this handset, and it is exactly the same firmware as the Chinese Note 5, based on Android 8.1 Oreo. It is not an OTA update but a firmware leaked on XDA Developers. But it is the MIUI 9.5 China Stable ROM and not a random beta firmware. Besides bringing the Android version number to 8.1 Oreo, this update brings the Project Treble support. According to XDA Developers, a member of their forums has tested the firmware through the Project Treble check app and found out that it is compatible with Project Treble.

In case you do not know, Project Treble can make the code of the Android operating system modular, allowing manufacturers to work directly and exclusively on certain parts of code instead of working on the entire operating system. This makes a lot easier to release software updates, which will be faster and more constant. Only a limited number of smartphones are actually compatible with Project Treble, and now Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro has joined the club. To install the new firmware which you can download at this link, you need to flash it manually using TWRP after unlocking your bootloader.

(Via)

Vivo V9 Gets Listed On Amazon India Ahead Of Official Launch On 23rd March

By

Jeet

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Mar 20, 2018

Vivo is scheduled to launch its flagship smartphone — Vivo V9 in India on 23rd March. However, ahead of the official announcement, the phone has been listed on Amazon India.

The listing suggests that the phone will be Amazon-exclusive in India. Further, the listing also mentions that it will be available for pre-bookings from 23rd March itself starting at 3:00 PM along with a few “special offers.”

The phone’s landing page on Amazon India mentions the tagline as “Perfect Shot, Perfect View”, suggesting that the company is focusing on the improvements in the phone’s camera department.

The listing of Vivo V9 on Amazon India has also revealed some key features and specifications of the phone. It is expected to come with Apple iPhone X-like design, featuring a notch at the top of the display. The full-screen Full-HD+ display on the phone is said to be of 6-inch and aspect ratio of 19:9.

Under the hood, the device will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 660 processor along with 4GB RAM. It is expected to pack 64GB internal storage and carry microSD card support for expanding storage up to 256GB.

Coming to the camera, the phone will be having a dual camera setup at the back, featuring 16-megapixel primary lens and a 5-megapixel secondary lens with 4K video support and AI Face Beauty feature among others. On the front, it is likely to sport a 24-megapixel snapper for selfies and video calling.

On the software front, we are expecting the phone to run on Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own FunTouch OS custom interface on top. The phone is likely to be fuelled by a 3,250mAh battery.

The Vivo V9 is expected to be priced around Rs. 25,000 (approximately $383) in India. However, we’ll have to wait a couple of days more to get official confirmation related to the phone’s specs and pricing as well as for availability information.

(Source)

Lenovo Watch 9 Hybrid Smartwatch Unveiled, Priced At 129 Yuan (~ $20)

By

Jeet

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Mar 20, 2018

Today, along with its three new smartphones — Lenovo S5, K5 and K5 Play, the China-based smartphone manufacturer Lenovo also announced a new hybrid smartwatch — Lenovo Watch 9. Unlike most other smartwatches, this one is an analog watch with smart features.

The Lenovo Watch 9 comes with a premium sapphire glass on the top which has 9H hardness rating. It also comes with a silicone strap and a stainless steel shell, and is claimed to be waterproof for up to 50 meters.

While the watch lacks a dedicated display, it can be connected to a smartphone and by using its dedicated application, users can also take advantage of many of its features. It vibrates for alarms or when the user receives any notifications.

Further, the watch can also be used to remotely capture selfies by shaking the watch. It also comes with fitness related features such as steps tracking, tracking calories burnt, sleep, and a few other information. Since it is water-resistant, the device can also be used while swimming.

The Lenovo Watch 9, which is compatible with both Android and iOS, is claimed to provide battery life of about 12 months on a single charge. It will be available in two color options — Black and White. Priced at 129 Yuan, which roughly converts to $20, the Lenovo Watch 9 will be available for purchase from 23rd March.

As said, during the same event, Lenovo launched its three new smartphones — S5, K5 and K5 Play. All three phones come with a 5.7-inch full-screen display with 18:9 aspect ratio. While the S5 has a Full HD+ screen resolution, the K5-series sports HD+ resolution.

Under the hood, the S5 is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 625 processor while the K5 and K5 Play are powered by MediaTek MT6750V and Snapdragon 430 respectively. The Lenovo S5 comes in two variants — 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and 4GB RAM with 64GB storage.

The Lenovo K5 Play comes with 2GB and 3GB RAM variants with 16GB and 32GB of expandable storage respectively. On the other hand, the Lenovo K5 packs 3GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage. While the Lenovo K5 comes with 13MP + 8MP dual rear cameras, the K5 Play offers 13MP + 2MP dual rear cameras. On the front, both the devices come with an 8MP selfie camera. The S5 has 13MP + 13MP dual camera setup at back and a 16MP front-facing snapper.

While the registrations for all three smartphone models have already started and will go on sale from next month. Currently, all these devices are China-exclusive and there’s no information related to its availability in other markets.

Vivo X21 AnTuTu Benchmark Test Score in Real Life Lower Than AnTuTu’s Official Score

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 20, 2018

Vivo yesterday added the Vivo X21 to the list of its models having an Under Glass fingerprint sensor. The X21 also packs the premium midrange Snapdragon 660 chipset. It also has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage like the OPPO R15 and OPPO R15 Dream Edition.

AnTuTu had earlier revealed the X21 benchmark score to be 143707 points. However, the screenshot of a new benchmark test result for the Vivo X21 UD version shows a lower score of 137,967 points. That is a difference of 5,740 points. We can’t say why the difference but it is likely that AnTuTu tested the smartphone when there wasn’t any app installed because usually, the benchmark score gets affected when there are several apps installed or running on the smartphone. The screenshot also shows that about 3GB of the 6GB RAM space is already in use.

Despite the difference, the AnTuTu score of 137,967 points still falls within the range of other Snapdragon 660-powered models. The chip is thus well suited to handle heavy games and apps, coupled with a large 6GB RAM and 128 of storage space.

(source)

Huawei P20 Pro Seen On Geekbench

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Mar 20, 2018

It is exactly a week to the launch of the Huawei P20 series and there is little or nothing left that we do not already know. Earlier today, the camera specifications for the P20 Pro was revealed. It has also now appeared on Geekbench.

The Huawei P20 Pro was benchmarked yesterday as the Huawei CLT-L29 where CLT is short for Charlotte, its codename. It runs Android 8.1 Oreo and has 6GB of RAM. An unnamed 1.84GHz octa-core processor powers it but we already know it is the Kirin 970.

The phone scores 1921 points in the single core test and 6729 points in the multi-core test. These scores are not far off from those of the Mate 10 Pro which uses the same Kirin 970 processor.

Continue

Nokia Phones Up For Grabs In India From Official Store

By

Michele Ingelido

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Mar 20, 2018

HMD Global has decided to make Nokia phones available to purchase in India from the official Nokia store. By purchasing a device from the official website you will get free shipping, secure payments through various payment methods and the right to return your device within 10 days. The official “Android phones” page on the store lists all of the Android smartphones launched by HMD Global, but only some of them are actually available to purchase in India. If you head to the official store you can actually choose among these models:

The models 2, 3 and 5 are cheap low-end devices and they are priced Rs. 6,999, Rs. 9,498 and Rs. 12,499, respectively. The first comes with a 5-inch HD display and an 8 MP rear camera. Its hardware side includes a quad-core Snapdragon 212 SoC, just 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage, but the handset has a huge battery with a 4100 mAh capacity. The model 3 has still a 5-inch HD panel, but it offers a better hardware side composed of a quad-core MediaTek MT6737 chipset, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage.

On the other hand, its battery is smaller with a capacity of just 2630 mAh. Nokia 5 comes with a bigger 5.2-inch display, a more powerful octa-core Snapdragon 430 SoC, 3 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage. The main camera is way better as well and the battery has a capacity of 3000 mAh. Nokia 8 is the flagship: it has a 5.3-inch Quad HD screen, a Snapdragon 835 processor, 4 GB RAM and 64 GB ROM in the available configuration. It is priced Rs. 28,999. Besides the phones, accessories are listed on the Indian official store as well, but they are not available to purchase yet. At the moment, we do not know when other HMD devices and original accessories will be available in the store. Head to the source link below to see the products on the official store.

(Source)

Teenage Girl Killed By Exploding Nokia 5233

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Mar 20, 2018

In a district in Odisha, India, a teenage girl was killed when her phone exploded while in use. Uma Omram was on the phone with a relative when her Nokia 5233 exploded. It is said that the phone was plugged in while in use.

The explosion resulted in injuries to her hand, chest, and leg and also knocked her out. She was taken to a hospital where she passed away.

[envira-gallery id=”180285″]

HMD Global is reported to have distanced itself from the incident as the phone wasn’t manufactured by them. Truth be told, the Nokia 5233 was manufactured by the Nokia company of old.

“While we have not been able to independently verify the facts of any of these reports, we can confirm that the mobile phone in question was not manufactured or sold by HMD Global, the new home of Nokia phones, set up in 2017 to create a new range of Nokia devices,” a Nokia spokesperson is quoted to have said. Investigations as regards the incident are ongoing.

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Alleged Samsung Galaxy J7 (2018) Certified By FCC With A 5.6-Inch Display

By

Michele Ingelido

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Mar 20, 2018

The J series is the most affordable line-up among Samsung smartphones. It includes low-end and midrange devices, and it seems that it will include a new version of Samsung Galaxy J7 as well. Until now, the J7 and its variants have been the most powerful devices in the J series, but in this year Samsung will also launch a Galaxy J8 and a J8+ which should be even better. Still, the company will not skip the J7 (2018), at least according to the American FCC.

A device identified by the model number SM-J720F has just been certified by FCC, and the model number suggests that we may be talking about the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2018). Not much has been revealed by FCC about its specs and after this certification, we only get an important detail: its dimensions. Samsung Galaxy J7 (2018) will have a width of 153 mm and a height of 76 mm. So, it will be slightly bigger than its older sibling launched in 2017. But it seems that it will also sport a slightly bigger display with a size of 5.6 inches.

According to FCC, the alleged Samsung Galaxy J7 (2018) supports FDD Band 5, Band 7, Band 38 and Band 41, alongside the Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. These are the only details surfaced on FCC listings. At the moment we don’t know about its camera, neither its launch date and its possible listing price. But the supposed handset has already been spotted on Geekbench, even though the model number was different (SM-J737P). According to Geekbench, the device is powered by the octa-core Samsung Exynos 7885 chipset running at a frequency up to 2.2 GHz. The SoC is paired with just 2 GB of RAM, which makes us think the one spotted on Geekbench is just a cheap variant of the J7.

(Via)

Lenovo K5 And K5 Play With Full-Screen Display And Dual Rear Cameras Announced In China

By

Jeet

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Mar 20, 2018

Along with the Lenovo S5, the China-based company also announced two other smartphones — Lenovo K5 and Lenovo K5 Play. The latest addition to the K-series of devices seems to be the budget variants of the Lenovo S5.

The Lenovo K5, which comes with a glass back, features a 5.7-inch HD+ display with screen resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels and 2.5D curved glass panel. Under the hood, it is powered by MediaTek MT6750 64-bit octa-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz along with Mali T860 GPU.

The phone packs 3GB RAM and comes with 32GB of internal memory. There’s also a microSD card slot, which enables users to expand the phone’s storage capacity up to 128GB. However, it has a Hybrid card slot, which means that user can either use a microSD card or a secondary SIM card.

Coming to the camera department, the phone features a dual camera setup at the back, consisting of a 13-megapixel primary camera lens with f/2.0 aperture and a 5-megapixel secondary lens with f/2.2 aperture. On the front, there sits a 5-megapixel snapper with f/2.0 aperture. The phone also has a fingerprint sensor at the back.

Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, and GPS. The phone is running Android 7.1 Nougat operating system out-of-the-box with ZUI 3.1 lite on top. The device is backed by a 3,000mAh battery.

On the other hand, the Lenovo K5 Play comes with the same 5.7-inch HD+ 18:9 2.5D curved glass display. However, instead of the MediaTek processor, this Play edition is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor with Adreno 505 GPU.

This model will be available in two variants — one with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage while the other one with 3GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage. Further, it also supports microSD card up to 128GB for expanding storage capacity.

The phone has a dual camera setup at the back featuring a 13MP primary lens and a 2MP secondary lens. There’s also an 8MP front-facing camera for taking selfies and video calling. Along with the fingerprint sensor, this variant also comes with Face Unlock support.

Connectivity options on the K5 Plus include 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, and GPS. While the standard variant runs Android Nougat, this one comes with a newer version of Android, i.e. Android Oreo with ZUI 3.7 on top. Just like the K5, this one too is powered by a 3,000mAh battery.

The Lenovo K5 and Lenovo K5 Play will be available in three color options — Black, Grey, and Blue. The Lenovo K5 is priced at 899 Yuan (approximately $142), the pricing for the K5 Play starts at 699 Yuan, which roughly converts to $110. Both the devices are currently exclusive to China. While the registrations have already started, the K5 will go on sale from 10th April and the K5 Play will be available from 17th April.

The Desire 12 and Desire 12+ Bring Full-Screen Displays To HTC’s Mid-range Line

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Mar 20, 2018

If you have been waiting for HTC to bring its full-screen 18:9 display to the mid-range category, then you should check out the newly announced HTC Desire 12 and HTC Desire 12+.

HTC Desire 12

The Desire 12 has a 5.5” display with a 1440 x 720 resolution. It still has bezels though, so there is no elaborate design on the front. But that is not to say the Desire 12 isn’t a beauty. It is.

HTC says it has renewed its liquid surface design, giving it a new streamlined look. It is still reflective but looks really nice in all the available colors. Plus having a purple variant similar to Samsung’s Lilac Purple for the S9/S9+ is a smart move.

The Desire 12 is powered by MediaTek’s MT6739 processor with 2GB/3GB of RAM and 16GB/32GB of expandable storage. A 13MP f/2.2 camera sits at the top left corner on the back, and a 5MP f/2.4 sensor sits in front for selfies.

HTC specifically doesn’t state the version of Android the phone is running but says that it may change after a software update. So there is a chance it runs Nougat but will receive Android 8.0 Oreo soon.

There is a 2730mAh battery with no fast charging (5V/1A), a micro-USB port, Bluetooth 4.2, dual band WiFi, a 3.5mm audio jack, and dual SIM slots.

HTC Desire 12+

The Desire 12+ is bigger with its 6” display but keeps the resolution at 1440 x 720. It shares the same design as the Desire 12 but with the addition of a fingerprint scanner on its back and an extra rear camera sensor.

The Snapdragon 450 is the chipset of choice here. There is also 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage which can be expanded by up to an additional 2TB.

On the back is a 13MP + 2MP combo. There is PDAF, face detection, panorama mode, and bokeh mode. The 8MP front camera also has a beauty mode and even has its own LED flash.

Unlike the Desire 12, HTC proudly announces that the Desire 12+ runs Android 8.0 with HTC Sense. Surprisingly, the spec sheet shows the Desire 12+ only supports 2.4GHz WiFi. It also has dual SIM support (nano only), Bluetooth 4.2, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Powering the large display is a 2965mAh battery which charges slightly faster at 5V/1.5A via a micro-USB port.

Continue

Meizu 16 Series to Debut Around August, Reveals Meizu Founder

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 20, 2018

Meizu is expected to launch the Meizu 15, 15 Plus and 15 Lite smartphones in April. The founder of Meizu Huang Zhang has recently claimed that the Meizu 16 series will launch around August this year.

Without revealing information on the specs of the Meizu 16 series, Zhang stated that the Meizu 15’s successor will be a futuristic device. It seems that the founder is himself overseeing the manufacturing of the Meizu 16 series.

The rumor mill has been revealing conflicting information on the specs of the Meizu 15 trio and there is virtually no information available on the Meizu 16 series that is expected to arrive later this year. Will it feature Snapdragon 845 chipset? Few weeks ago, Meizu VP Li Nan had confirmed that the company would be launching the Meizu X2 driven by SD845 at the end of this year. It is pegged to arrive with a pricing of 2,999 Yuan. So, it may not feature the SD845 chip.

Meanwhile, the arrival of the Meizu 15, 15 Plus and 15 Lite is getting closer as these handsets have reportedly received 3C certification in China. However, the company is yet confirm on the launch date of Meizu 15 series. The probable reason behind it is that the company is busy preparing the launch of the Meizu E3 phone.

The Chinese manufacturer will be launching the Meizu E3 tomorrow. Its rumored specs include 5.99-inch FHD+ display, Snapdragon 636 chipset, 4 GB and 6 GB RAM variants, 32 GB and 128 GB storage models, 3,300mAh battery and side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Leaked photos have revealed that it may arrive in black and gold color options.

(via)

Huawei Launches HiKey 970 Development Board with AI & A Dedicated NPU Based On Kirin 970

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 20, 2018

Huawei, teaming up with Linaro has launched the HiKey 970 AI development platform. The HiKey 970 was announced on March 19 at the Linaro Developer Conference in Hong Kong. The Rasberry Pi look-alike is built based on Huawei’s Hisilicon Kirin 970 chipset, the world’s first AI mobile processing platform integrated with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU).

The HiKey 970 97Boards are designed as alternatives to Raspberry Pi, using ARM mobile technology specifically for Android developers. The HiKey board is designed for creating apps, particularly on Android devices. Google designed the phone to be able to run on multiple architectures and the Linaro products are typically geared towards ARM-based system-on-chips, making it compatible with the handsets. They use the same operating chip as the Huawei Mate 10, meaning their operational power is said to be that of a high-end smartphone. It also comes with Huawei’s HiAI SDK.

It comes with a higher computing power and richer hardware interfaces. It also supports mainstream operating systems and artificial intelligence stacks. Its energy efficiency is up to 50 times more than that of CPU operations while the performance is up to 25 times more. The board also has an heterogenous resource management and is also integrated with a dedicated NPU just like the Kirin 970. Thus, it enables developers to develop deep learning algorithms, smart robots, automobile software and smart cities.

The HiKey 970 development board will be open to developers for sale in mid-April but the price is yet to be disclosed. However, we don’t expect it to be less than the $239 price tag the HiKey 960 adopted.

(source)

Moto E5 Plus Live Photos Leak Online Showing The Phone’s Design

By

Jeet

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Mar 20, 2018

Lenovo-owned Motorola is gearing up to launch three new smartphones under its entry-level E-series of devices. The phones are said to have been named Moto E5, E5 Plus, and E5 Play. Earlier, Evan Blass shared the press renders of the phone and now, the live photos of the upcoming Moto E5 Plus have leaked online, showing us the phone’s design.

In terms of design, the phone resembles its predecessor — Moto E4 Plus. There are no major design changes. The leaked image shows that the smartphone will come with the full-screen display having 18:9 aspect ratio, which is currently the trend. The display is surrounded by narrow bezels on both sides — left and right, and thin bezels on top and bottom.

The photo also shows the phone’s back panel, revealing that the camera module will be placed in the company’s usual ring-like design. It also appears that there will be another sensor along with the camera sensor, which we speculate to be a depth sensor for creating a bokeh-type effect. Below the camera module, there’s a fingerprint sensor which also carries the brand logo.

The Moto E5 Plus will be an advanced model in this Moto E5-series compared to the E5 and E5 Play. It will also become the first smartphone from Motorola to arrive with an 18:9 aspect ratio display.

Previous leaks related to the mobile have revealed that the phone will feature a 5.8-inch IPS LCD display with screen resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels. It will pack 3GB RAM and will have two options — 32GB and 64GB.

The phone is said to come with a 16-megapixel camera at the back having f/1.75 aperture. For shooting selfies, it will be coming with an 8-megapixel camera with f/2.0 aperture. The phone is also expected to feature a behemoth battery of 5,000mAh.

Currently, there is no information available regarding the phone’s launch date, pricing, and availability. Last year, the Moto E4 series was unveiled in June last year so we are expecting the Moto E5 series to debut at some point in the second quarter this year.

Smartisan Nut 2 Key Specs, Pricing Leaked; May Launch on April 9

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 20, 2018

Last year in November, Smartisan had launched the Snapdragon powered Smartisan Nut 2 Pro. Fresh information reveals that the company may launch a mid-range and affordable version of Nut 2 Pro soon. Previous leaks have revealed that a mysterious Smartisan phone that is codenamed as Oscar may arrive in the market as Smartisan Nut 2. Previous rumors had claimed that the Nut 2 may launch in this month, but newer information states that the handset may get unveiled in the coming month.

New information states that Smartisan Nut 2 may feature the Snapdragon 636 which is the same SoC that powers the Redmi Note 5 and the upcoming Meizu E3. It is speculated that the Nut 2 won’t be arriving with an 18:9 aspect ratio display. This suggests that the smartphone will be sport a different aspect ratio. Following is a leaked photo that shows the alleged Smartisan Nut 2.

The above image shows that the Nut 2 has a thicker bottom bezel while its remaining bezels appear thin. The design of the phone appears similar to the Mi MIX 2. The thick bottom bezel on the Nut 2 features a physical home button that seems to be embedded with a fingerprint scanner.

The Smartisan Nut 2 is rumored to be fueled by a 3,000mAh battery. Its SD636 is likely to be assisted by 4 GB of RAM. It may come in storage models like 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB. These models are speculated to be respectively priced at 1,599 Yuan (~$252), 1,799 Yuan (~$284) and 1,999 Yuan (~$315). The Nut 2 may launch on April 9.

The Chinese manufacturer is also rumored to be working on Smartisan T3. A recent report had revealed that the upcoming T3 phone will be arriving with IPS LCD screen with a notch and horizontally arranged dual rear cameras. It is speculated to be driven by Snapdragon 845.

More information on the Smartisan Nut 2 and Smartisan T3 phones are expected to surface in the coming weeks.

Huawei Nova 3E Official: Features World’s First 24MP IMX578 Selfie Shooter

By

Joel Joseph

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Mar 20, 2018

Huawei announced the Nova 3E smartphone at an event in China today. It’s the second smartphone launch today, after the Lenovo S5 that was unveiled an hour ago.

Like most other smartphones in the market, the Huawei Nova 3E adopts the notch on the screen, trying to mimic Apple iPhone X’s design. This does help to keep the top bezel to a bare minimum, but the front features a thin bottom bezel that also features the Huawei logo. The phone doesn’t experiment with its design as it continues the trend set by the recent Huawei offerings. The phone measures 148.6 x 71.2 x 7.4mm and weighs 145 grams. So you get a 2.5D glass back design in four color options including Klein Blue, Cherry Powder, Magic Night Black, and Platinum Gold.

As for the specs, the Huawei Nova 3E features Kirin 659 inside (no surprise given that its being used by almost all Huawei mid-rangers) with 4GB RAM and 64GB / 128GB ROM options. On the front, you have a beautiful 5.8-inch display with 2280×1080 pixel resolution. In case you missed, this translates into 19:9 aspect ratio, which once again embraces the display trend set by recent notch smartphones.

The above specs are pretty much standard among Huawei devices these days. So what differentiates the Huawei Nova 3E? CAMERA! The phone is being marketed as a Selfie beast and it’s the world’s first smartphone to feature the 24MP Sony IMX578 sensor up front for stellar selfies. The new sensor boasts of a 20% increase in resolution, 33% decrease in noise in low light images, and a 26% increase in color reproduction. Given that the phone is a selfie beast, you get all the necessary features to improve your selfie shots like beauty algorithms, hardware level HDR, LCD smart light fill among other things. At the back, there’s a capable 16MP + 2MP dual camera setup that supports bokeh photos. But don’t expect anything extraordinary from its back camera.

The Nova 3E comes with Android 8 based EMUI 8. It supports face unlock, smart screen notifications, game mode, and intelligent voice assistant. The battery isn’t big, featuring just 3000mAh, but it does have 18W (9V 2A) fast charging to ensure you can quickly top up the battery when you are running low.

The Nova 3E starts at 1999 Yuan (~$315) for the 4GB +64GB model and 2199 Yuan (~$348) for the 4GB + 128GB model. Pre-sale starts today at 6PM while the first sale is on March 27.