Ahead Of OnePlus 6 Launch, OnePlus 5T Goes Out Of Stock In North America

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Mar 24, 2018

Samsung has released the nth affordable variant of its Samsung Galaxy J7: the Galaxy J7 Prime 2. The handset has been unveiled in the Indian section of the official website, so all its specs and features are confirmed. This device is not so different from the original J7 Prime: we can define it just a slight upgrade. The design is slightly different but not so much. It weighs a bit more than its predecessor (167 g vs 170 g) and the design of its capacitive buttons placed outside the display has been changed.

The rest of the specs remains the same, while there are some improvements in the software. Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime 2 comes with Samsung Pay Mini availability in India and the front camera offers the ability to create AR stickers and filter. It is also possible to instantly share and edit photos shot from the selfie snapper. All these features will be useful for people who use often social networks like Instagram.

Now let’s talk about specs. The full metal unibody design of Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime 2 houses a PLS TFT display with a size of 5.5 inches which shows images at a Full HD resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. The SoC is an octa-core running at a max frequency of 1.6 GHz and, even though its name is not mentioned, we believe it is the Samsung Exynos 7870 (the same as the original J7 Prime) because it has exactly the same frequency. The chipset is paired with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage which can be expanded with a micro SD up to 256 GB. The main camera has a resolution of 13 MP and a f/1.9 aperture, as well as the selfie camera, while the battery has a capacity of 3300 mAh. Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime 2 will launch in India with a price tag of €175/$215.

(Via)

Latest Teaser Confirms Huawei P20 Porsche Design Exists

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Mar 24, 2018

In 2016, Huawei signed a partnership with German-based luxury brand, Porsche Design. The first result of their partnership is the Mate 9 Porsche Design. It was followed by the Mate 10 Porsche Design last year. Let’s not forget the Porsche Design Huawei Watch 2 also released in 2017.

For the first time since the beginning of their partnership, Huawei’s P-series will also get a Porsche Design limited edition, and an official teaser has confirmed it.

The quest for perfection continues with heritage brand @PorscheDesign
The future of luxury meets the future of technology. #DiscoverExceptional on 27.03.2018 pic.twitter.com/UvDEeWxu5E

— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) March 23, 2018

So far, there have only been rumors of a Huawei P20 Porsche Design but now that Huawei has confirmed it, we now know there are four members in the P20-series.

The above image which surfaced a few weeks ago shows a Huawei phone with triple rear cameras and is said to be the Huawei P20 Porsche Design Limited Edition. The cameras are arranged horizontally instead of vertically like on the P20 Pro.

There is no confirmation that it is indeed the Porsche Design edition. Even though there is usually a difference in design between the Porsche Design version and the Pro version, it is mostly limited to color, branding, UI, and storage; and not a pronounced difference like the camera arrangement.

Continue

Vivo V9 vs Meizu E3 Specs Comparison: Which One Would You Pick?

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Mar 24, 2018

These days, the mid-range smartphones sector can be divided in two categories: midrangers and the upper midrangers. The former are devices which are mostly focused on affordability (an example is the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus), while the latter section usually feature handsets which boast some high-end features but they are not real flagships and they cost a bit more than normal midrangers (e.g. Oppo R15 and Vivo X21).

The new Vivo V9 and Meizu E3 are two devices which I would place exactly in the middle of these two categories, so they have an incredible quality-price ratio. But which of these device are worth buying in 2018? This is a Vivo V9 vs Meizu E3 comparison that will help you to decide.

Vivo V9 vs Meizu E3

	Vivo V9	Meizu E3
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	154.8 x 75.1 x 7.9 mm, 150 grams	156.8 x 75 x 7.6 mm, 160 grams
DISPLAY	6.3 inches, 1080 x 2280p (Full HD+), 400 ppi, 18:9 ratio, IPS LCD	5.99 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, 18:9 ratio, LTPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 626, octa-core 2.2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, octa-core 1.8 GHz
MEMORY	4 GB RAM, 64 GB, micro SD slot	6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB, micro SD slot
SOFTWARE	Android 8.1 Oreo, Funtouch OS 4.0	Android 7.1.2 Nougat, Flyme 7
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Dual 16 + 5 MP f/2.0 24 MP f/2.0 front camera	Dual 12 + 20 MP f/1.9 + f/2.6 8 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY	3260 mAh	3360 mAh 20W Fast charging (mCharge 3.0)
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot

Among these devices, Vivo V9 is definitely the one with the best design, but I’m sure some may prefer the E3 over V9. Both have a full metal unibody design, but Vivo V9 has a tri-bezel-less front panel with an incredibly high screen-to-body ratio (85.2 percent) and an iPhone X-like notch. Meizu E3 is a classic 18:9 device, but its display should offer a better viewing quality thanks to its LTPS LCD technology and up to 85 percent NTSC color gamut.

Meizu E3 also has better hardware components: under the hood, it sports an octa-core Snapdragon 636 SoC which is newer, paired with 6 GB of RAM, so it is way more powerful than Vivo V9 and its Snapdragon 626 + 4 GB RAM configuration. When it comes to the camera department, Vivo V9 wins. Even though its 16 + 5 MP rear dual camera may not be at the same level as the 12 MP dual camera of the Meizu E3 with 2.5x lossless zoom, the 24 MP selfie camera makes the V9 a camera phone which is a lot more interesting than its opponent.

It also supports AI which can recognize the age, sex, skin tone, and lighting conditions when the user is about to shoot a selfie. Given that there are still no camera samples of these handsets, we still cannot tell you which one is better when it comes to rear cameras. The batteries of these phones have similar capacities and, given that both the chipsets are really power-efficient, we guess that the (long!) battery lives on a single charge will be similar as well. But Meizu E3 features an advanced fast charging technology called mCharge 3.0 which makes the battery reach 53% of charge in just 30 minutes.

Meizu E3 has been launched in China with a price tag of about $285/€231, while Vivo V9’s price in India is Rs. 22,990 (~$354). While Vivo V9 is a more interesting phone for photos and aesthetics, Meizu E3 looks a better handset for rest of the features. If not for the limited availability, the E3 would have made for a great buy at just $285 as compared to the V9.

Which one would you pick?

Vivo V9 vs Meizu E3: PRO and CONS

Vivo V9

PRO

Amazing selfie camera
AI-driven features
Efficient chipset
Android Oreo out of the box
Nice design

CONS

Limited availability
Pricier than E3

Meizu E3

PRO

Great hardware
Good display
Fast charging
Nice camera

CONS

Still Nougat
China exclusive

Xiaomi Mi A1 Already Updated With April Security Patches

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Mar 24, 2018

Even though April is still a few days away, Xiaomi Mi A1 has already received a new update which includes the security patches for the month of April. Google releases security patches for its operating system every month and, as the Mi A1 has Android One installed, its operating system is supported directly by Google. This is why the device will always receive faster updates over all other Xiaomi devices.

The new update for Xiaomi Mi A1 weighs 440 MB and, besides the April security patch, it brings several other changes. According to the changelog, there are generic improvements in performances and several bug fixes. At the moment, the Mi A1 is the only Xiaomi device with Android One and it is also one of the best smartphones in terms of quality-price ratio.

It comes with a full metal unibody design and a 5.5-inch display (yes, it has bezels) showing images at a Full HD resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. Under the hood, Xiaomi Mi A1 boasts an octa-core Snapdragon 625 chipset paired with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage which can be expanded via a micro SD. It also has a dual camera setup with a 12 MP resolution and a 3080 mAh battery.

(Via)

Samsung Galaxy S9+ Materials Cost $375 According To IHS Markit

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Buy Xiaomi Mi Note 2 4G Phablet For Only $299.99 On GearBest

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Mar 24, 2018

We have already told you that Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus has been the most expensive smartphone ever released by the Korean hi-tech giant. It is almost as expensive as the iPhone X, even though its listing price remains way lower than the latest Apple flagship. According to a teardown by IHS Markit, the components used to make the handset had a total cost of almost $376. The teardown considers the version of the device identified by the model number SM-G965U1 with 64 GB of internal storage. The total cost of $375.80 is $43 higher than costs incurred by the company to make its predecessor Galaxy S8+.

Note that $379 is the manufacturing cost only. To obtain the total cost of a device like this you must add R&D, taxes, distribution, and marketing. So, the fact that it costs almost $376 to produce a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus and its listing price is $839 does not mean that the company makes a profit of more than $450 by selling a unit of this device. From what the info published by IHS Markit is showing, among the most expensive components there are DRAM and NAND flash memory with its rising prices. The great dual-lens camera with its variable mechanical aperture is another very expensive component.

According to IHS, the combined BOM cost for all the cameras (iris scanner included) is $44.95, while the primary camera alone costs $34.95. A unit of the iPhone X costs $389.50, according to TechInsights, and its display is even more expensive than the one of Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus for Apple. The Galaxy S9+ comes with 6 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of internal storage depending on the configuration. It also offers a dual camera with a variable aperture to get better shots in every light conditions, while the battery remains the same with 3500 mAh capacity as the Galaxy S8+.

(Source, Via)

Check Out Best Deals Of Gearbest 4th Anniversary Promotion On GearBest

By

Vinay Patel

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Mar 24, 2018

GearBest is offering unbelievable discounts on a broad range of products ranging from mobile phones, consumer electronics, appliances, tablet PCs, and accessories. Here’s a brief glimpse of daily top deals on GearBest.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 4G Phablet

As part of its Flash Sale, GearBest is giving a considerable 21% off on the Mi Note 2 phablet’s original quoted price. As a result, you can now get your hands on the device by shelling out just $299.99.

This promo is slated to end in 1 day with only 251 pieces left. However, the site will be giving smartphone lovers another opportunity to buy the phablet at a discounted price on March 26 at 10:00 (UTC+8 time), when a new Flash Sale kicks off.

Meanwhile, you can follow this link to take advantage of the current Flash Sale.

Ulefone Power 3 4G Phablet

GearBest is selling the black color version of Power 3 phablet for a Flash Sale price of $219.99. This is a notable 27% reduction in the device’s original asking price.

This promo will come to an end in 2 days and there were only 20 pieces of the black version left. However, there were 63 pieces of the golden color version of the phablet left at the time of writing.
A new Flash Sale is scheduled to kick off at 17:00 (UTC+8 time) on Tuesday, March 27. You can head straight to this link to and grab advantage of the current discount before it ends.

OnePlus 5T 4G Phablet

The black-tinted OnePlus 5T 4G phablet is available on GearBest bearing a discounted price of $519.99. This is a 13% reduction in the device’s real price. The Flash Sale price will be valid for 4 days and there were just 60 pieces left.

GearBest will be introducing a Flash Sale for the OnePlus 5T on Wednesday, March 28 at 10:00 (UTC+8 time). You can visit this link to buy the device at a slashed price.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro

If you’ve restlessly been waiting to get your hands on the power-packed Mi Notebook Pro without spending a lot of money, we have good news for you. As part of its current Flash Sale, GearBest is giving 19% off on the device’s standard selling price.

In other words, you can buy the well-received Mi Notebook Pro for just $848.44 for 9 more days. However, there were only 41 remaining for the Flash Sale.
The site is gearing up to launch another Flash Sale promo for the Mi Notebook Pro which is slated to start on Thursday, March 29 at 17:00 (UTC+8 time). You can visit this link to check out the current Flash Sale price.

Xiaomi Mijia Mini 4K 30fps Action Camera (International Edition)

The international edition of Xiaomi Mijia Mini action camera is currently up for grabs for just $109.99 on GearBest. The site is giving a noteworthy 29% discount on the device’s initial selling price.

There were just 56 pieces available at the aforesaid discounted price. The promo is also scheduled to end in 5 days.
A new Flash Sale will kick off on Friday, March 30 at 10:00 (UTC+8 time). You can head straight to this link and grab the ongoing discount.

Xiaomi Redmi 4X 4G Smartphone

Much to the delight of Xiaomi fans, GearBest is currently selling the Redmi 4X smartphone for only $139.99. This is a 12% reduction in the phone’s selling price.

This discount is valid on the black and golden color versions of the smartphone. The promo will come to an end in 6 days.

A new Flash Sale will be kicking off on Saturday, March 31 at 10:00 (UTC+8 time), allowing buyers to get their hands on the device for a lowered price. You can visit this link to take advantage of the discount.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro (Fingerprint Recognition)

There’s a 25% discount on the 8GB RAM/256GB ROM Core i5 version of the Mi Notebook Pro on GearBest. As a result, you can buy the coveted notebook which supports fingerprint recognition for just $848.44.

There were only 41 pieces left. Moreover, this promo will come to an end in 9 days.

On Sunday, April 1, GearBest will be launching a new Flash Sale to let gadget buffs buy this power-packed notebook without emptying their pockets. You can click here to take advantage of the current promo.

Buy Ulefone Power 3 4G Phablet For Only $219.99 On GearBest

Buy OnePlus 5T 4G Phablet For Only $519.99 On GearBest

Buy Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro Fingerprint Recognition (CORE I5 8GB + 256GB) For Only $848.44 On GearBest

Buy Xiaomi Mijia Mini 4K 30fps Action Camera For Only $109.99 On GearBest

Buy Xiaomi Redmi 4X 4G Smartphone For Only $139.99 On GearBest

Buy Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro Fingerprint Recognition For Only $848.44 On GearBest

Check Out Gearbest 4th Anniversary Promotion

Black Shark And JD.com Signs 3-Year Agreement For Sales And Promotions

By

Jeet

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Mar 24, 2018

Black Shark, a newly formed company backed by Xiaomi is gearing up to launch its first gaming smartphone. Now, the company behind this upcoming gaming smartphone, Black Shark, has struck out of a deal with JD.com for sales and promotions of the phone.

According to the reports, Jingdong (JD.com) and Nanchang Black Shark Technology Co. Ltd. have signed a strategic cooperation agreement at the Jingdong Beijing headquarters. With this, Black Shark has become the first smartphone to have a strategic partnership with JD.com.

In his personal blog post, Wu Shimin, the founder, and CEO of Black Shark Technologies said that the company currently has more than 300 employees and over 90 percent of them are designers and engineers.

The phone, which is codenamed “Blackshark”, earlier appeared in AnTuTu listing. It features specifications which you would expect from a flagship phone in 2018. The smartphone will feature a Full HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio and 2160 x 1080 pixels resolution. Under the hood, it is said to be powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 845 processor along with Adreno 630 GPU and 8GB RAM.

It packs 32GB of internal storage but we expected the device to have a microSD card slot, allowing users to further expand the storage capacity on the phone. We are also expecting either 64GB storage model or 128GB internal storage variant as well.

The smartphone is expected to be running on Android 8.0 (Oreo) operating system out-of-the-box. While there is no more information available at this time regarding the phone’s display, the phone might come with a 120Hz display in order to compete with the Razer Phone that was released last year. It is also expected to come with a massive battery capacity.

Apart from Xiaomi, Taiwanese manufacturer ASUS is also rumored to be working on a gaming phone that is expected to launch later this year. Recently, Nubia CEO Ni Fei confirmed that the company is planning to build a gaming phone which is expected to be released in April. It would be interesting to see if the gaming smartphone becomes a new trend in the industry.

GeekBuying March Mega Sale – tons of coupons for best gadgets

By

Vinay Patel

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Mar 24, 2018

GeekBuying March Mega Sale comprises gift rain, lucky draw and a slew of great deals you don’t want to miss. In a bid simplify the search process; GeekBuying has divided the promo into multiple categories. Let’s head straight to the details.

Take Advantage Of GeekBuying March Mega Sale

Coupons

The site is giving buyers an opportunity to get their hands on various products at a considerably lowered price. To get the discount, they simply need to use specific coupon codes at the time of checking out.

For instance, the LeTV LeEco Le 2 X527 smartphone which normally sells for $283.99 on GeekBuying is currently up for grabs for just $119.99. This is a massive 58% discount on the phone’s original asking price.

Apart from getting the aforesaid discount, you can save an additional $17 by applying coupon code ‘ABTCIQST’ while checking out. This brings your grand total down to just $109.99. The promo ends in 3 days.

Deals From $0.01

Today, this category features a slew of electronic items that you can buy without emptying your pocket. Lining with this, there’s a 41% off on the Huawei Honor 6X smartphone, which normally sells for $255.73 on the site.

As a result, you can buy the coveted Honor 6X by shelling out only $149.99. The promo is on the verge of wrapping up and the Huawei-branded smartphone is likely to retain its original selling price soon.

This category is crammed with other well-received electronic items such as EZbook 3 Pro laptop which you can buy for a discounted price of just $239.99, and VORKE V1 Plus which bears a slashed price tag of only $164.99.

Gift Rain

GeekBuying March Mega Sale Gift Rain is just around the corner. The promo carries an array of amazing prices including Elephone U Pro smartphone, which you can preorder for just $396.99.

The imminent Gift Rain promo will also feature NO.1 F6 Smartwatch, Elephone ELE Explorer S 4K Action Camera, Original Xiaomi Laptop shoulder bag and Elephone U Pro 5.99 Inch Smartphone and a myriad of other products. As if that weren’t enough, you can win many prizes for free as well.

Popular Categories

This section is further divided into various other categories that focus on a specific range of product. As part of its Tech World promo, GeekBuying is giving up to 70% off on smartphone, tablets, laptops and TV boxes.

Likewise, the site is giving up to 70% discount on several smart home products such as appliances and security equipment. There are Daily Deals, Hot Categories and other deals that buyers can choose from.

Lucky Draws

In order to win, you have to order something from Geekbuying before April 2nd 10:00(UTC+8). Next, you have to enter your order number and click “start” between March 26th 10:00 to April 3rd 10:00(UTC+8). You can follow this link for more details.

Lucky Bags

Each bag in this category comprises an electronic item that you can buy at a dropped price. Let’s check out the details.

One of the above-mentioned lucky bags carries 30% discount on OnePlus 6GB RAM phone along with a screen protector and protective case. While the phone’s original asking price is $699.99, you can buy it for just $489.99.

You can visit this link to check out GeekBuying March Mega Sale before it comes to an end.

Take Advantage Of GeekBuying March Mega Sale

Check Out Limited Deals On Select Smartwatches On GearBest

By

Vinay Patel

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Mar 24, 2018

Looks like smartwatch lovers are in for a treat. GearBest is currently offering awe-inspiring discounts on select smartwatches. Let’s delve straight into the details without further ado.

NO.1 F4 Heart Rate Smartband

As part of its latest Flash Sale, the site is giving a considerable 31% off on NO.1 F4 smart band. As a result, the device which normally sells for $26.00 on the site is currently up for grabs for $17.99.

Moreover, you can choose from a broad range of color options including blue, gray, green and red. With only 42 blue pieces, 79 gray pieces, and 85 red pieces left, the promo is slated to end in 2 days. The promo for the green color option, on the other hand, is scheduled to end in 6 days. There were 54 pieces left at the time of writing.

NO.1 F3 Sports Smartwatch

Alternatively, you can go for the black/red color version of the NO.1 F3 smartwatch, which will be bearing a Flash Sale price of $15.99 on GearBest for a limited period of time. The site is giving a 29% discount on the device’s real selling price of $22.63.

Aside from that, GearBest is offering 29% discount on the blue/black color option, and 23% discount on the white/orange color version bringing its price down to just $17.23. But, it is imperative for you to bear in mind that there are only a few pieces of both color versions left.

NO.1 F5 Smartwatch

Equipped with a built-in GPS module, the NO.1 F5 is capable of independently recording GPS. Moreover, the device measures user’s heart rate while keeping track of his/her health condition.

GearBest is now selling the gray color version of the highly useful NO.1 F5 smartwatch at a discounted price of $48.99. This is a 28% reduction in the device’s original asking price of $67.70.

Although this Flash Sale price will be valid for 2 days, there were only 3 pieces left. There’s 26% off on the green color version and 19% discount on the red color version of the NO.1 F5 smartwatch.

NO.1 F6 Smartwatch

You can buy the NO.1 F6 smartwatch that helps you live a relatively healthier lifestyle at a lowered price on GearBest for a limited period of time. The black color version of the smartwatch can be yours if you’re willing to shell out just $37.62.

The black-tinted NO.1 F6 smartwatch normally sells for $45.31 on GearBest. But, the site is giving buyers a 17% discount on its real selling price.

The silver color version of the NO.1 F6 smartwatch will be bearing a Flash Sale price of $32.89 for 2 days. This is a 27% discount which will be valid for the remaining 249 pieces.

NO.1 S9 Heart Rate Smartwatch

The NO.1 S9 smartwatch is up for grabs in leather as well as steel straps on GearBest. The device is ideal for business, sports and recreation time. Moreover, a user can even change the watch face without breaking much of a sweat.

GearBest is giving a 30% discount on the leather band version of the smartwatch’s original selling price of $43.06. In other words, this coveted smartwatch can be yours for just $29.99.

It is important for you to bear in mind that the aforesaid Flash Sale price will only be valid for 2 days. There were only 57 pieces left.

You can visit this link in order to check out GearBest’s Limited Deals on smartwatches before the promo comes to an end. This will be the best price in the first half of 2018.

Get Massive Discounts On Select Smartwatches On GearBest

Report: Helio P60 Chipset Will Steer MediaTek’s Q2 2018 Sales

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Mar 24, 2018

Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek holds no stake at present on the high-end mobile chip market. The fabless chipmaker’s last attempt on that market was the Helio X30 and we can only recall the Meizu Pro 7 Plus to have used the chipset. The company is now squarely focused on the mid-range chip market. MediaTek unveiled the Helio P60 at MWC 2018 and the configuration the chip was announced to feature made it a popular one with much promise even when it is yet to be found on any smartphone.

A report on Digitimes has hinted that MediaTek is expected to have a strong second quarter and this will be steered by the Helio P60 chipset. An earlier rumour had tipped Chinese phone maker like Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi to be among OEMs that are expected to use the chip to power some of their upcoming handsets. That rumour has got some confirmation, as OPPO already featured the chipset on its latest OPPO R15 model. Xiaomi is tipped to feature the chipset on its Redmi series meant for India (We sincerely hope a couple of Mi India fans won’t scream Blue murder concerning this). Apart from smartphones and tablets, MediaTek expects to find its new SoCs used to power automotive electronics and in televisions.

The MediaTek Helio P60 is built on TSMC’s 12nm FinFET process which offers 15% reduction in power consumption over 14nm chips. The octa-core chip clocked at 2.0GHz uses four Cortex A73 cores with a 2.0GHz clock speed and four Cortex-A53 cores also clocked at 2.0GHz. It also boasts of a new Mali-G72 MP3 GPU clocked at 800MHz which Mediatek claims offers a 70% boost in game performance over previous generation P-series. Like other chip manufacturers, MediaTek has also included a dedicated processing unit called NeuroPilot that handles AI-related tasks on the device. It is two times more power efficient than using a GPU and has a processing performance of 280GMAC/s. NeuroPilot will handle tasks like deep-learning facial detection, object and scene identification, real-time beautification and AR/MR acceleration. The chipset also supports a dual camera setup up to 24MP + 16MP or a single camera with a 32MP sensor.

Download full resolution camera samples

Umidigi S2 Lite Review – Decent Budget Phone

By

Linus

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Mar 24, 2018

This is the Umidigi S2 Lite – the phone that costs about $150 but it offers 18:9 aspect ratio display, a huge 5100mAh battery, and all-metal design but it doesn’t mean it’s a perfect phone. Learn more in the full Umidigi S2 Lite review.

VIDEO REVIEW

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc0IgN2mK-0[/embedyt]

UNBOXING

The phone ships with a few extras like a headset jack adapter and a dark soft TPU case to protect the device.

DESIGN, DISPLAY, HARDWARE

First of all, let’s get the specs out of the way (MTK6750T, 4GB RAM, 32GB ROM). Even though the phone doesn’t cost much I wish it had 64GB of storage instead of 32 but a good thing is that there is a hybrid SIM/microSD card tray for storage expansion.

Just as many budget phones nowadays, the Umidigi S2 Lite has 18:9 aspect ratio and it looks quite nice. The panel is sharp and it’s a pretty good display overall.

Despite a large display, I found the phone to be comfortable to hold due to rounded edges of the unibody metal shell. Obviously, you will need two hands to use the phone, despite 18:9 display.

The overall build quality is excellent but I found that the power key moves a little.

You also get a dual-camera setup on the back, a fingerprint scanner that works quite well, face unlock feature that works quite okay in good lighting but sucks in low light and does not work if you put the glasses on.

In addition, there is a 5MP selfie shooter, notification LED light and front-facing flash for selfies.

Finally, the phone lacks headset jack but the loudspeaker is actually pretty good for a budget phone.

USER INTERFACE

I love that the device ships with stock Android 7 out of the box. As for extra options, you can customize the LED notification light by assigning different colors, customize the navigation bar but that’s about it. During my test period, there were a few skipped frames in the UI but overall, the speed and fluidity are here, I can’t really complain.

GAMING

Gaming performance is surprisingly good considering the chipset this phone uses. You should expect just a few skipped frames while playing 3D games but no major lag or stutter.

IMAGE QUALITY

Image quality could be summarized in one sentence: you can decent pictures for social media but nothing more. You should also expect mediocre night image quality out of this phone. Also, bokeh effect looks artificial like on most of the cheap phones.

Selfies look ok but they could have more detail.

As expected, video quality using both main and front cameras is kind of average. Same can be said about sound recording quality.

BATTERY LIFE and CONNECTIVITY

Battery life is just great, thanks to huge capacity. I was able to get 16 hours of SOT, which is a great result for any phone.

However, it takes just under 3 hours to fully charge the phone with the supplied charger, which is not the best result.

As for connectivity, I have no complaints as all the options including GPS work fine, I didn’t have any issues with wifi and call quality is decent.

As for sensors, there are a few but I’m disappointed that the gyroscope is only software based, meaning its practically useless since there is a lot of lag in 360 content.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, the Umidigi S2 Lite shapes up to be a decent option for the price but obviously you should consider that cameras are not the best in this price range, the phone uses aging CPU, there is just 32GB of internal storage, there is no headset jack and it takes almost 3 hours to fully charge the phone.

On a positive note, I love the design and build, great display, good overall performance, solid battery life and even though camera could be better, it allows you to take decent daylight images.

I hope you guys found my summary of pros and cons useful. Please leave me a comment if you have any questions.

Buy Umidigi S2 Lite

Lenovo S5 Sold Out in Just Two Minutes During Its First Flash Sale

By

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Mar 23, 2018

Lenovo S5 is turning out to be a hugely popular product, considering the huge number of attention it elicits.The S5 went on its first flash sale on March 23 and reports show that all units of the Lenovo S5 available were sold out in just two minutes.

We don’t know how many units were made available but it was recently revealed that reservations for the first sale had exceeded 250,000 persons. The S5’s popularity is mainly due to the refreshed design which some may argue resembles the Mi A1, OPPO R11, OP5T etc. We still won’t forget also that these models bear semblance with the iPhone 7 Plus. Well, except that the S5 uses an 18:9 aspect ratio.

As a reminder, the Lenovo S5 sports a 5.7-inch IPS LCD display with an FHD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080p. The handset features an all-metal body that is made out of series 6000 aluminium. The body is crafted from 7 CNC processes, nano-injection moulding followed by grinding, sandblasting, diamond trimming and anodizing. The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 625 chipset paired with 3GB RAM and 4GB RAM on some models. There are also 32GB, 64GB and 128GB storage variants.

At the back, there is a horizontally aligned dual camera setup similar to the Xiaomi Mi A1’s setup but in this case, it is a 13MP + 13MP combo. The rear camera setup also includes an LED flash. While at the front, the sensor is a 16MP sensor enhanced for good selfie captures. The S5 also packs a fingerprint sensor at the back. Other features onboard the S5 includes Lenovo’s ZUI 4.0 OS based on Android Oreo enabled for U-touch screen gestures, a 3000mAh battery and a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer. The device comes in Red and Black colours and starts at 999 Yuan (~$157) for the base variant with 3GB RAM + 32GB storage.

Xiaomi Mi Dual-Unit Half-Ear Headphones Launched, Priced at 69 Yuan (~$10)

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Mar 23, 2018

Xiaomi has launched a new headphone and it turns out that it is indeed has a cheap pricing despite the new features it packs. The headphone isn’t a Bluetooth headset as predicted but is a wired headset. The product is dubbed Mi Dual-unit half-ear headphones with a price tag of 69 Yuan (~$10).

In terms of design, the Xiaomi Mi Dual-Unit Semi-in-Ear Headphones features a simple and lustrous design. The device wears a glossy ceramic body. It is light and comfortable to use. The device uses an half-ear structure which keeps the shell outside the ear canal in order to protect the delicate ear canal. The design is also suitable for most ear types.

Talking about the hardware, the Xiaomi Mi Dual-Unit Half-Ear Headphones features a dual-unit dynamic coil and ceramic horn acoustic structure which outputs a clear sound with noise reduction. It is touted to have passed the Hi-REs Audio certification of the Japan Audio Association and produces a high-quality listening experience far beyond the limits of CD sound quality. It has a MEMS microphone integrated with a three-button control as well as a 3.5mm jack. The wire is manufactured using soft TPE material which won’t twist or get entangled easily.

The earphone is available in Black and White colours and is already available to buy in China via Mi Home.

Sharp Aquos S3 Launching on March 28 as World’s Smallest 6-inch Phone

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Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 23, 2018

Sharp has recently launched the Aquos S3 Mini in China and Zhongsheng Luo, the Global CEO of Sharp and InFocus Mobiles has today confirmed through his Weibo account that Sharp will be launching the Aquos S3 on March 28 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It is the very same handset that was expected to launch in January this year. The handset has already been certified by regulatory bodies like Taiwan’s NCC and China’s TENAA.

Sharp is one of the first companies to launch full screen design smartphones. The Aquos S3 will be arriving as a successor phone for the Aquos S2 smartphone that was launched last year in August. The S2 was launched as the world’s smallest 5.5-inch mobile phone.

According to Luo, the upcoming Aquos S3 will be arriving as the world’s smallest 6-inch smartphone. He added that the S3 is also the world’s first notch-enabled full-screen phone using TF COF technology. The handset will be deliver a stunning screen-to-body ratio of 91 percent. After getting announced on March 28, the handset will be also debut in Taiwan on April 1.

The above shown launch invitation of the Sharp Aquos S3 shows that the handset will be equipped with a notch like the iPhone X. The leaked photos of the Aquos S3 that have appeared in the past have already revealed that it will be also equipped with vertically arranged dual rear cameras.

The TENAA listing of the smartphone has revealed that it will be arriving with 5.99-inch display. Because of the notch, it may support an aspect ratio of 19:9. The Snapdragon 630 or Snapdragon 660 would be powering the phone. The 64 GB and 128 GB storage models of the phone may respectively feature 4 GB and 6 GB of RAM. For photography, it will be equipped with 13-megapixel + 12-megapixel dual rear cameras and a front-facing camera of 16-megapixel. The handset will be running on Android Nougat OS and it will be arriving with a 3,100mAh battery.

Xiaomi Expected To Make Official Entry into Portugal Next Week

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Mar 23, 2018

Xiaomi continues to expand its presence in Europe. Not so long after the Chinese firm made an entry into Spain, the company is not set to formally enter Portugal. Xiaomi already has a large following in Portugal and is said to be one of the most sought-after brands in the Southern Europe country. A network of small importers and online stores but the product may be available as early as next week in the country.

According to our source, Xiaomi’s products will be available to buy on official channels from next week and this will come with a warranty, after-sales support, and promotions. Already, the products are said to have arrived distribution centres in Portugal and all logistics are in place to ensure a successful entry.

As for the products that would be available, fans in Portugal should expect to see the Xiaomi Mi A1, Mi Mix 2, Redmi 5, Redmi 5 Plus, Redmi 4X, Redmi 5A, Redmi Note 5A, Redmi Note 5A Prime, and Redmi Note 4. These devices are the ones that are confirmed already but there may be other products coming as well. The models from the Chinese manufacturer will be available through retailers, including Worten, Fnac and Media Markt. We must admit, though, that these details have not been officially confirmed by the Chinese tech giant. So all you Mi Portugal fans, don’t get your hopes too high but just keep your eyes wide open when next you visit these stores to see if you’ll find a Mi product on the shelves.

Honor 7A May Launch with Full Screen Design on March 26

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Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 23, 2018

On March 21, Huawei had launched the 899 Yuan priced Honor 7C smartphone in China. It seems that the company is gearing up to introduce yet another budget-friendly phone as it has confirmed that it will be announcing a new phone with full screen design on March 26. It is speculated that Huawei’s sub-brand may launch the Honor 7A smartphone next Monday.

The following teasers have been shared by Honor on its official Weibo account. The Weibo post that accompanies it states that the handset would be priced under 1,000 Yuan. The presence of the letter A in the teaser suggest that the company launch the Honor 7A smartphone soon.

Some of the features of the rumored Honor 7A have been already leaked through the above teasers. The images reveal that the handset will be equipped with dual rear cameras, fingerprint scanner, Bluetooth, Face unlock, dual-SIM support, support for up to 256 GB microSD card and Android 8.0 Oreo OS.

Apart from these features, no other information on the specs of the alleged Honor 7A have appeared through the rumor mill. Since the Honor 7C is selling with a pricing of 899 Yuan (~$142), the Honor 7A may cost 999 Yuan (~$158).

(source 1, 2)

Samsung’s Foldable Smartphone Galaxy X Won’t Launch Anytime Soon: Report

By

Jeet

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Mar 23, 2018

We all have heard a lot about Samsung’s upcoming foldable smartphone — the Samsung Galaxy X. The smartphone, which was rumored to launch soon, is now reportedly not going to launch anytime soon.

Salman Saeed, who’s the product manager of display technology at Qualcomm said in an interview that “we might not see the phone arrive as soon as recent rumors have teased.” He adds that it might be years until something along the lines of the foldable phone similar to the leaked Samsung patents becomes a reality.

The issue behind the delay is said to be related to the fine-tuning of the user experience as well as the durability. Saeed points to the transistors in the display architecture as being the weakest link and says that the components responsible for powering individual pixels “are not flexible enough today” to withstand frequent bending.

Salman Saeed further says that “they [phone manufacturers] haven’t really cracked the material science right now to produce electrodes that can repeatedly withstand bending and folding.”

Last year, in September, Samsung’s mobile chief DJ Koh had confirmed in an interview that the company would launch its first foldable smartphone in 2018. Later, there were reports suggesting that the Galaxy X could be a limited edition device that may only arrive in select markets. The Samsung Galaxy X has reportedly received certification from Wi-Fi Alliance, Bluetooth SIG, and NRRA, which suggested that the phone could soon get launched.

The South Korean giant outed the technology years ago through a demo at Consumer Electronics Show (CES), but it seems that little has happened after that. While rumors and comments from Samsung executives have pointed to phone’s launch nearing, the device has failed to materialize so far.

Apart from Samsung, other smartphone OEMs, including Apple and LG are also speculated to be working on a foldable smartphone. However, Samsung could be the first company to debut a foldable phone.

Meanwhile, Samsung is preparing to launch its next flagship smartphone — Galaxy Note 9. Contrary to previous reports, a fresh report from a South Korean publication states that the Note 9 will adopt the in-display fingerprint scanning technology.

(Source)

Vivo V9 Blue Sapphire Images Appear Before Official Listing

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 23, 2018

At the launch event of the Vivo V9 in India that was held earlier today, Vivo had confirmed that the Vivo V9 would be available in three color options such as Black, Champagne Gold and Blue Sapphire. The official site has listed the Black and Gold color variants of the V9, but it is yet to reveal the Blue variant. Gizmo China follower Ishan Agarwal had revealed the Vivo V9’s online store listing along with images several weeks before its official announcement. Today, he has shared the leaked images of Blue Sapphire Vivo V9. These images are yet to appear on the official listing of Vivo V9.

As it can be seen in the new images, the Vivo V9 Blue Sapphire has a glossy finish on its rear that gives it a premium appeal. According to Vivo, the Vivo V9 sports a unibody 3D design with glossy finish.

The Vivo V9 features a 6.3-inch IPS LCD notched display like the iPhone X. It supports 19:9 aspect ratio and FHD+ resolution. It is powered by Snapdragon 626 chipset and 4 GB of RAM. It has a native storage of 64 GB and it carries support for up to 256 GB microSD card. The has a AI driven selfie camera of 24-megapixel. It has a rear-facing 16-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual rear cameras. The backside of the phone is fitted with a fingerprint scanner and it houses a 3,260mAh battery.

The pre-bookings of Vivo V9 have already started in India with a price tag of Rs. 22,990. The shipments of the handset will begin on April 2. Read’s the launch article of the Vivo V9 that contains its entire specs, features and special offers.

What do you think about the Vivo V9? Share us your views by posting your comments below.