Vivo X20 Plus UD’s In-Screen Fingerprint Sensor Won’t Work with Some Screen Protectors

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Jan 25, 2018

Samsung had been rolling the Indian smartphone market for the past six years. However, from the beginning of 2017 Xiaomi became a real threat for the South Korean company. A market survey of International Data Corporation (IDC) for the third quarter of 2017 had revealed Xiaomi and Samsung respectively accounted a market share of 23.5 percent. Since then, market analysts have been predicting that Xiaomi will pip Samsung in the coming months. Two research firms such as Counterpoint Research and Canalys have separately revealed that Xiaomi has finally dethroned Samsung to gain the number uno position in the country.

According to Counterpoint Research’s survey for Q4 2017, Xiaomi now holds a market share of 25 percent in India and Samsung is on the second spot with a market share of 23 percent. Lenovo, OPPO and Vivo are holding on to the third, fourth and fifth position with respective market share of 6 percent.

The research firm’s survey for Q4 2016 reveals that Samsung had a market share of 24 percent while Xiaomi and Lenovo that respectively held a market share of 9 percent. Interestingly, Counterpoint has rated Samsung as the top seller in 2017 as the company was ahead of Xiaomi in the first half of the year.

According to Canalys, Xiaomi and Samsung respectively shipped 8.2 million and 7.3 million smartphones in Q4 2017. The market analysis by Canalys states that Xiaomi has a market share of 27 percent while Samsung is on 25 percent. It claims that the South Korean tech giant has been unable to win over cost-conscious consumers and it has lost to Xiaomi because of its inability to transform its low-cost portfolio.

Responding to the report, a Samsung’s spokesperson claimed, “the company is still the number 1 smartphone company by a distance.” By citing GfK’s market research that is known for tracking sales to end users, he claimed that Samsung has 45 percent value market share and 40 percent volume market share. He added that Samsung is the market leader in different price segments in India and is also the country “Most Trusted” brand.

Xiaomi had entered India three years ago. Since then the Chinese firm has been aggressively selling smartphones with high specifications at very affordable prices. Its strategy of selling smartphones through flash sales famous retailers like Amazon India and Flipkart have also help the company to gain a good market share in a relatively short period. Its entry-level Redmi 5A is available with a pricing of only Rs. 4,999 (~$79) whereas the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 flagship is selling for Rs. 32,999 (~$519).

(source 1, 2)

Meizu’s Flyme 7 Said To Be Coming On Feb 24, Details Leaked

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Jan 25, 2018

Meizu present custom OS is the Flyme 6 which has been in the open for more tan a year now. Expectedly, the company’s Flyme division has long started working on a next-gen Flyme 7 OS and a couple of details of the next Flyme version has appeared online.

The leaked details stipulate that Meizu will officially unveil the Flyme 7 and its new features on February 24 barely a month from today. Apart from the release date, some of the added features that would be on the new Custom ROM were also leaked. The leak comes in form of a screenshot of a device running Flyme 7v982 Beta and it shows a readjustment of the system architecture. The new OS is also said to optimize power performance but wasn’t stated if it would be based on Android 8.0. In addition, the Flyme 7 User Interface was also adjusted and it looks more colourful. Another addition is a mQuick button and a new OneMind 2.0 AI. There is also support for Cloud backup and other new features which would be made known as time goes on.

Overall, the upgrades over the Flyme 6 coming to the Flyme 7 doesn’t look large but it is worth looking forward to. Meizu is known to have one of the most intuitive and creative OS in the Flyme of all the Android-based custom UI. No word yet on if a beta program is already underway but we’ll find that out soon.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Full Specifications and Pricing Leaked, Likely to Launch at February End

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Jan 25, 2018

The rumor mill is speculating that Xiaomi will be unleashing the Mi 7 flagship at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 event in the next month. The flagship phone is speculated to be available for buying in March. However, latest information claims that the Chinese manufacturer has planned to launch the highly anticipated Redmi Note 5 before the Xiaomi Mi 7. This indicates that the Redmi Note 5 may get unveiled by the end of February.

Xiaomi is already aware of the fact that the Redmi Note 5 will be met with huge demand. Hence, it is reportedly stocking as many units as possible of the upcoming the budget phablet. The Xiaomi MEE7S and MET7S devices that have recently received 3C approval in China are rumored to get official as the two variants of the RedmI Note 5. The reason behind it is that the similar appearing model numbers such as Xiaomi MEE7 and MET7 belong to the two variants of the Redmi 5 Plus.

Redmi Note 5 Specifications and Pricing

The Redmi Note 5 is speculated to feature an integrated metallic chassis with nano-injection molding antenna design. It is rumored to house a 5.99-inch screen that will produce 18:9 aspect ratio. Like the Redmi 5 Plus, it is likely to support FHD+ resolution.

The Redmi Note 5 could be the first Redmi Note series phone to feature dual camera setup that is speculated to include a 16-megapixel primary sensor that will be coupled with a 5-megapixel sensor. For shooting selfies, it will be equipped with an 8-megapixel selfie camera. The MIUI 9 flavored Android Nougat OS will be available pre-installed on the Redmi Note 5. The smartphone will also carry support for facial recognition.

The base model of the Redmi Note 5 featuring 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage is rumored to be powered by Snapdragon 630. The higher model that will be driven by Snapdragon 636 chipset is expected to feature 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. Both the variants are rumored to be respectively priced at 1,499 Yuan (~$237) and 1,799 Yuan (~$284).

These Are The Huawei Smartphones Getting EMUI 8.0 Update

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Jeet

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Jan 25, 2018

After releasing the list of Honor phones that will receive the latest EMUI 8.0 software update, Huawei has now announced the list of its own devices that will get the Android Oreo-based EMUI 8.0 update.

The devices from Huawei which will be updated to the latest version of EMUI include Mate 8, Huawei P9, P9 Plus, Nova Youth Edition, Nova 2 and Nova 2 Plus. The company’s recently launched Mate 10 series already runs Android 8.0 Oreo-based EMUI 8.0 out-of-the-box.

Huawei is currently developing the latest update for these phones and has not yet revealed the timeline to roll out the latest update. We just hope the wait isn’t too long.

The EMUI 8.0 — the successor of EMUI 5.1 — was officially rolled out by the company a couple of weeks ago. The company decided to change the numbering scheme of its Android-based custom skin to sync it with the Android version numbers.

According to the company, EMUI 8.0 is “an avant-garde technological software which is efficient, secure and above all, user-friendly.” It comes with artificial intelligence that makes the software experience smarter and quicker.

The updated version of the operating system comes with features like Real-Time Scene and Object Recognition, Smart Tips, and AI-accelerated language translation, among others. It also brings some artificial intelligence-based capabilities such as resource allocation, context awareness as well as user behaviour or behaviour prediction.

Since the latest custom operating system from Huawei is based on Android Oreo, users will also have access to features like split-screen interface, navigation dock, one-hand operation and smart view. The company had earlier said that it provides faster and smarter phone experience, powered by advanced AI technological features.

Earlier, the company had revealed that Honor V10, Honor 9, Honor V9, Honor 7X, Honor 8 Youth, Honor 8, Honor V8and Honor Note 8 will receive the latest EMUI 8.0 update.

(Source)

Moto X4 6GB RAM Variant Likely To Launch In India On 1st February

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Jeet

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Jan 25, 2018

After launching Moto X4 in India in November last year, the Lenovo-owned company is now gearing up to launch the 6GB RAM variant of the phone in India.

Motorola is teasing on Twitter that a new Moto X4 variant is coming that is “much faster, smarter and sharper.” The company adds that it will arrive on 1st February. While the company has not made it clear, it is believed that Motorola is planning to bring the 6GB RAM variant of the Moto X4.

The Moto X4 flaunts a 5.2-inch LTS IPS Full HD display with 1920 x 1080 pixels screen resolution and pixel density of 424ppi. The display is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla glass. Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 octa-core processor clocked at 2.2GHz.

The phone was launched in India in two variants — 3GB RAM with 32GB internal storage and 4GB RAM with 64GB internal storage. On the back side, the phone features a dual camera system that includes a 12-megapixel primary sensor with f/2.0 aperture and an 8-megapixel secondary camera sensor with f/2.2 aperture. The dual lenses are coupled with features like phase detection autofocus (PDAF), 4K video shooting and dual-LED flash.

The dual-camera combination helps users to shoot photos with DSLR-like ‘Bokeh’ effects. On the front side, there’s a 16-megapixel selfie snapper with LED flash and f/2.0 aperture. It offers features like 4-megapixel adaptive low light photography mode and a beautification mode.

Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, USB Type-C port, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, GPS, GLONASS, dual SIM card support. It is an IP68 certified phone which means it is well protected from damage by dust and water. The phone is powered by a 3,000mAh battery and supports fast charging.

The 6GB RAM model is expected to run Android 8.0 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box. In India, the 3GB RAM model of the Moto X4 is priced at Rs. 20,999 while the 4GB RAM model is priced at Rs. 22,999. Just like these two models, the upcoming 6GB RAM variant is also expected to be Flipkart exclusive.

(Source)

Samsung Officially Confirms February 25 Unveil Date for Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+

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Jan 25, 2018

During the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018, Samsung had confirmed that it will be holding a launch event for its next-generation flagship phones, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 tech trade fair in the coming month. Today, the South Korean tech giant has finally confirmed that the launch event for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will be held on Feb. 25, a day prior to the beginning of the MWC 2018 that is scheduled to take place between Feb. 26 and March 1.

The official invitation states that the Galaxy S9 would be arriving with a “Reimagined” camera. Recent reports have also claimed that the company will be brining some major improvements to the camera of the Galaxy S9 and S9+. A new camera feature that is expected to arrive on the S9 and S9+ is variable aperture that will make it possible for users to adjust the aperture of the 12-megapixel between f/1.5 and f/2.4 before snapping a photo. The variable aperture camera feature was first seen on Samsung’s W2018 flagship clamshell phone.

Also, the rumor mill has revealed the Galaxy S9 and S9+ are capable of shooting full HD super slow-motion videos at 480 fps. Last year’s Galaxy S8 and S8+ can shoot slow-motion videos of HD videos at 240 fps. Previous leaks have also revealed that the Galaxy S9 would be housing a single camera on the back panel whereas the larger Galaxy S9+ will be blessed with a vertically arranged dual rear cameras.

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are heavily pegged to respectively feature 18.5:9 Infinity Display Super AMOLED screens of 5.8 inches and 6.2 inches. The Snapdragon 845 chipset may power the Galaxy S9 duo in the U.S. and China whereas the other markets may receive Exynos 9810 chipset variants. The S9 and S9+ may respectively feature 4 GB and 6 GB of RAM. Also, the Galaxy S9 is likely to house a 3,000mAh battery where the S9+ may include a 3,500mAh battery.

It is speculated that after getting unveiled on Feb. 25, the Galaxy S9 and S0+ will be available on pre-orders starting from March 1. The shipments of the pre-ordered units are rumored to start on March 16.

Xiaomi Mi Max 3 Images Leaked; Suggests Elongated Display, No 3.5mm Audio Jack

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Jan 25, 2018

Xiaomi is reportedly working on the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 that will come out to replace the Mi Max 2 phablet from last year. Recent reports have revealed that the Mi Max 3 will be sporting a full screen design. This means that the dimensions of the Mi Max 3 would be similar to that of its predecessor model. However, it may sport a larger screen by reducing the upper and lower bezels. Today, two leaked images of the alleged Mi Max 3 have appeared to reveal its front and top view.

From the above image, it is difficult to guess whether it features reduced bezels. However, the device seems to be a bit elongated which hints that it may be packed with an 18:9 aspect ratio display. The placement of the selfie camera, earpiece and the sensor are similar to the Mi Max 2.

The IR blaster and 3.5mm audio jack are placed on the top edge of the Mi Max 2. However, the topside of the alleged Mi Max 3 only features an IR blaster. This indicates that the 3.5mm audio jack could be either placed on the bottom edge of the phablet or the company may have removed the feature from it. If the latter is true, the USB-C port could be used for connecting earphones.

Previous reports have claimed that the Mi Max 3 would be featuring a 6.99-inch display. It is speculated that the smartphone could be driven by either Snapdragon 630 or Snapdragon 660 chipset. Some sources have also claimed that the Mi Max 3 will be arriving with dual rear cameras. The Mi Max 3 is likely to house a mammoth battery of 5,500mAh battery and the phablet is expected to carry support for Quick Charge 3.0. It could be available in variants like 3 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 129 GB storage. It is speculated that these models could be available with respective pricing of 1,499 Yuan (~$236) and 1,599 Yuan (~$252).

Do you think that the image showing the front view could really belong to the Mi Max 3 or it could be a modified image of the Mi Max 2? Let us know your views by commenting below.

Vivo X20 Plus In-Screen Fingerprint Version Unboxing Pictures: Slightly More Of The Same!

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Jan 24, 2018

BBK subsidiary Vivo prides itself on being the first smartphone maker to feature the much-anticipated in-screen fingerprint sensor featured on the new X20 Plus version. The Vivo X20 Plus In-Screen Fingerprint Version is just a tad different from the regular X20 Plus which before now was already available in several editions. Here are some unboxing pictures of the X20 Plus In-Screen Fingerprint version for your delight.

To refresh your minds about the new innovative version, it comes with a slightly slimmer dimension of 165.2 x 80.02 x 7.35 mm as compared to the 165.3 x 80.1 x 7.5mm dimension utilized on the regular X20 Plus. This new model weighs 183.1 grams, more than the 181.5 grams weight the regular model carries. Unlike the regular variants that are almost available in all the primary colors, the on-screen fingerprint model is available in Black only with a gold design by the sides. But we must state that the design of both models is almost identical except for few omissions like the rear fingerprint sensor. Of course, you why that isn’t available.

The X20 Plus In-Screen Fingerprint edition sports a 6.43-inch Super-AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. It also comes with the 18:9 aspect ratio. The full-screen display design is same with the regular model except that there is a fingerprint icon on the display which is where the finger presses to unlock the device.

As you already know, it doesn’t pack a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor because of the in-screen technology which is represented by a fingerprint icon on the display screen. The fingerprint sensor supplied by Synaptics is located between the front glass and display panel. It uses photoelectric reflection technology in which the RGB Pixel that is specially adapted to the OLED panel emits light which penetrates the outer glass that has a thickness of 0.68mm to reach the finger. The new unlock technology does its job in just 0.6 to 0.7 seconds. Apart from unlocking the phone, it can be also used for making secure payments through AliPay and WeChat.

Other features include a Snapdragon 660 processor, 4GB RAM, 128GB expandable storage, a 3,905mAh battery and more. The Vivo X20 Plus In-Screen Fingerprint edition carries a price tag of 3,598 Yuan (~$565) and would officially go on sale from February 1. Find more unboxing and hands-on and unboxing picture of the device

China Mobile M850 Seen On TENAA: 5.9” FHD+ Screen, Dual Cameras & More

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Jan 24, 2018

Once in a while, we see network carriers release their own-branded devices. T-Mobile’s Revvl Plus is an example. Chinese carrier, China Mobile appears to have a phone in the works too which has been seen on TENAA.

The device which is listed on the database as China Mobile M850 packs specs that put it in the mid-range category. Its 5.93” display has a 2160 x 1080 display with an 18:9 aspect ratio.

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There is 3GB of RAM on board and 32GB of expandable storage. The China Mobile M850 is powered by an unnamed 1.8GHz octa-core processor. Our guess is this is either the Snapdragon 652 or 653 mobile platform.

The phone has a glossy curved back which is home to two dual cameras (12MP +8MP) and a fingerprint scanner. For selfies, China Mobile has thrown in a 20MP sensor. Under the hood is a 3300mAh battery.

The M850 runs Android 7.1.2 Nougat and measures 159.2 × 75.6 × 8.29 (mm) with a 171.5g weight. It will be available in blue, dark gray, and brown when it launches.

(Source)

LG G6 May Get Raspberry Rose Variant Like The V30

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Jan 24, 2018

LG released a Raspberry Rose color variant for the V30 at the beginning of the year. The Korean-based company has hinted that the LG G6 may also get the same color variant next month.

LG has not confirmed the release date yet but they may want to release it so it coincides with Valentines’s Day. The new variant will bring the total number of color variants to six.

The LG G6 is almost a year old and its successor, the G7 is said to have been delayed as it is being built from scratch again. The company is said to be planning an advanced version of the V30 with enhanced AI features to launch at MWC instead.

The LG G6 has a 5.7” 1440 x 2880 display. it is powered by a Snapdragon 821 processor paired with 4GB of RAM and 32/64/128GB (G6+) of storage.

The phone packs dual 13MP rear cameras in a wide-angle + super-wide angle configuration and a 5MP selfie camera. The G6 doesn’t only have an IP68-rating, it also has a MIL-STD-810 certification meaning it can survive extreme temperatures, pressures, vibrations, shocks and salt immersion.

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Alleged Xiaomi Mi 6X Real Images Leaked; Reveals 18:9 Display, iPhone X-Like Camera

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Jan 24, 2018

Since the last month, the rumor mill has been gradually leaking information on the upcoming Xiaomi Mi 6X smartphone. Rumors have revealed that it would arriving with an 18:9 aspect ratio display and a vertically stacked dual rear cameras like the iPhone X. Fresh photos showing the front and rear sides of the of the alleged Xiaomi Mi 6X have appeared. The new images seem to confirm the features that have surfaced through the recent leaks.

It appears that the below images could belong to a prototype of Mi 6X. Compared to the Xiaomi Mi 5X, the Mi 6X seems to be sporting slimmer bezels at the top and bottom. This indicates that the elongated display of the phone may carry support for 18:9 aspect ratio. The smartphone is likely to feature 5.7-inch or 5.9-inch display that will support Full HD+ resolution.

The other image showing the rear side of the phone suggests that it will be coming with metal unibody design with matte finish. The back panel houses the fingerprint and at the left corner is the vertically arranged dual camera setup with the LED flash placed between the two snappers.

A leaked photo of a case for Mi 6X has revealed that the bottom side of the phone will be housing features like external speaker, USB-C port and 3.5mm audio jack. The top edge of the phone may feature an IR blast. The right edge of the phone features volume buttons and Power key.

A recent report has claimed that it could be powered by Xiaomi’s upcoming Surge S2 chipset that is expected to get unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 in the next month. It is also speculated that the Xiaomi Mi 6X will be sold outside of China as Xiaomi Mi A2.

What’s your opinion on the above images? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(via)

Apple Will Finally Launch the HomePod On February 9 For An Expensive $349 Price Tag

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jan 24, 2018

Smart speakers seem to be the future. The great success obtained by Amazon Echos and Google Home makes us think about a scenario in which there is a smart speaker in almost every house. Apple launched its first smart speaker HomePod back in September last year, together with the latest iPhones, and it was expected to hit the shelves by the end of 2017. But it didn’t happen and many people were left disappointed.

Now, the Cupertino giant has finally announced the launch date of its smart speaker. Apple HomePod will be made available for pre-orders starting from January 26, and it will be officially available to purchase starting from February 9. Unfortunately, it is not a widespread launch: it is only limited to some countries. On February 9, Apple HomePod will be available to purchase only in the GB, U.S. and Australia. In the spring the device will be made available in France and Germany as well, but there is no info about all the other countries. The smart speaker will be available with a listing price of $349.

In case you do not know, smart speakers like this one can be used to interact with other devices in the house (smart home and IoT) or to get some info about news, weather, and many other things. Obviously, they can also play music as they are speakers. The Apple HomePod has a cylindric shape and it weighs 2 kg and a half. According to Apple, it will have a great sound quality, and it will be able to calibrate the sound depending on the surroundings. It will be able to receive vocal commands through its microphones and it will be based on Siri, the same virtual assistant that you can find on iPhones and iPads.

(Via)

MediaTek’s Fresh Headache: Samsung Reportedly Plans To Sell Exynos Chipsets To OEMs

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Jan 24, 2018

A fresh report emanating from sources familiar with the mobile chip industry indicate that Samsung is planning to commence sales of its Exynos chipset to interested smartphone manufacturers in a bid to expand the scale of its smartphone chip platform. The aim of Samsung’s latest plans is to boost the rate of usage of its chip and raise its earnings from the segment. Samsung runs a foundry which manufactures chipsets for fabless manufacturers like Qualcomm. Recall that the Snapdragon 835 was manufactured in Samsung’s foundry and the foundry is also fingered to be the one handling the Snapdragon 845 chipset production.

Already, Samsung’s latest Exynos 7872 was utilized by Meizu on its budget M6s full-screen smartphone. Although Meizu had utilized Samsung’s chipsets in the past, in recent times the Chinese phone maker had stuck with MediaTek and even recently returned to Qualcomm chipsets. Samsung ranked as the 4th largest chip maker last year, finishing behind Qualcomm, Apple, and MediaTek. But if this move sees the light of day, MediaTek may be the biggest loser and Samsung could topple the Taiwanese company to emerge the world’s third-largest chipmaker this year.

MediaTek’s share of the mobile phone chip market has taken a considerable dive following the strong preference for Qualcomm chipsets by phone manufacturers. The flagship market is already out of the reach of the Taiwanese fabless chip maker as its last dash for a slice of the pie with the Helio X30 met a disappointing response. Only the Meizu Pro 7 was the major flagship model on which the chip was featured. The chipmaker recently decided to focus on the mid-range chip category where it holds some prominence. Even at that, Qualcomm isn’t losing steam in its bid to control both the high-end and mid to low-end market and with Samsung joining the battle for the mid/low-end market, this may just be another of MediaTek’s growing worries.

Acer Unveils Two Chromebooks And A Chromebox With Google Play Support

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Michele Ingelido

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Jan 24, 2018

Acer has just announced Chromebook Spin 11, Chromebook 11 C732, and Chromebox CXI3: three PCs which will be sold at affordable prices based on Chrome OS. Each of the models supports Google Play, so you will be able to install Android apps on them. The first one is a simple laptop and it has IP41 rating which makes it dust-resistant. It packs a quad-core Intel Celeron N3450 processor, up to 8 GB of RAM and 16, 32 or 64 GB of internal storage depending on the variant chosen. It also comes with (optional) touch-screen.

Acer Chromebook Spin 11 is a convertible laptop whose screen can be rotated, and it supports touch and stylus input for handwriting and drawing. The stylus is based on the Wacom EMR technology (Electro-Magnetic Resonance). Under the hood, there is an Intel Celeron N3450 CPU, 4 GB of RAM and 32 or 64 GB of storage. At last, we got the Acer Chromebox CXI3, which is a sort of mini-PC powered by an Intel 8th gen processor (Apollo Lake). You can connect a mouse and a keyboard to it thanks to its USB-C port (you will need an external hub). It has 2×2 MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 LE.

The prices for each model will be $299.99, $279.99 and $349.99: they will launch in the U.S. in March. The Spin 11 will also come in Europe, Middle East, and Africa in April, and it will cost €379.

(Via)

Samsung Galaxy S9: Possible Date And Time of The Announcement Spotted on MWC Website

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jan 24, 2018

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus will be officially announced at MWC 2018 and its likely going to happen on February 26. Samsung’s event details were spotted on the official MWC website, confirming the likely launch of the new flagships. The event details page comes with the Samsung logo attached, and an image showing the exact place, date and time of the presentation. According to the official web page, the new flagships of the Korean giant will be showcased on Monday 26th February in an event which will be held from 15.00 to 18.30 local time.

The location in which the event (Samsung Mobile Enterprise Summit) will be held is “Hall 8.0 NEXTech Theatre A”. February 26 is the date on which Mobile World Congress 2018 will start in Barcelona and the location mentioned will be included in the trade show. So this leaked info kind of confirms that the flagships will be unveiled at MWC 2018. But it is worth mentioning that Samsung hasn’t confirmed anything about this event, at least not yet.

The doors will be open from 14.00 for people to attend the event. Several leaks have surfaced about Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, so we don’t have to wait until the reveal date to know the important features about the handsets. Aesthetically, the phones will just be a slight upgrade over their predecessor. There will still be an Infinity Display on the front panel, but the screen-to-body ratio will be higher, thanks to narrower bezels. The displays will have sizes of 5.77 and 6.22 inches, respectively. The back side should be made of glass just like the predecessors, while the frame should be made of metal. Expect the IP68 certification for water and dust-resistance. Under the hood, the handsets will sport an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC in the U.S. version and an octa-core Samsung Exynos 9810.

Both the processors have an integrated module for artificial intelligence, so they will be able to perform smart tasks. Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are expected to come with very interesting cameras which will have a variable aperture. It will be possible to switch from f/1.5 to f/2.4 depending on the light conditions, to make more or less light to enter the sensor. While the standard version of Samsung Galaxy S9 will have 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage, the Plus version is said to have 6 GB of RAM. The phones might come in a bundle with a new version of DeX called DeX Pad, which will allow to use the phones as touch pads while connected to a monitor. Also, note that only the Plus version will get a dual camera setup, while the standard version will have a single camera. This time, the fingerprint reader will be positioned under the rear camera, so it will not be uncomfortable to use it. This basically concludes the rumors that we have seen till date about the two handsets.

(Source, Via)

Xiaomi MEE7S and MET7S Gets 3C Certification, Said To Be Redmi Note 5

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Jan 24, 2018

It appears Xiaomi has not cancelled the Redmi Note 5 after all. Two new Xiaomi devices have just gotten 3C certifications and they are said to be variants of the Redmi Note 5.

The phones which have model numbers MET7S and MEE7S were registered by Xiaomi Communications Technology Co. Ltd on 8th of January, 2018. These are the model numbers they’ll definitely have when they show up on TENAA too.

If you remember, the already released Redmi 5 Plus appeared as Xiaomi MEE7 and Xiaomi MET7 while the Redmi 5 was seen with model numbers MDT1 and MDE1.

Based on previous leaks, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is said to come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor. Qualcomm itself has not announced this chipset yet, so we advise you take it with a pinch of salt.

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Xiaomi Slashes Rs.1000 (~$16) Off 64GB Redmi Note 4

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Jan 24, 2018

Xiaomi’s Redmi series have been getting price cuts in recent weeks. In India, the Redmi Note 4 (64GB model) has just got a Rs. 1000 price slash bringing the price down to Rs. 10,999 (~$173).

Reports say this is the second time that Xiaomi is reducing the price of the Redmi Note 4. That shouldn’t come as a surprise as a new model is likely to launch soon.

When the phone launched last year, it was priced at Rs. 12,999 (~$204). It also launched in a 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM variant that has been phased out now, and a 3GB RAM + 32GB model that sells for Rs. 9,999 (~$157).

The Redmi Note 4 helped Xiaomi claim the top spot in India. In 45 days after its release, it had sold 1 million units while by the sixth month it had sold 5 million units. Xiaomi even released a limited edition Lake Blue variant as part of its CSR. Proceeds from the sales went into the cleaning of lakes in the country.

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Alleged Samsung Galaxy S9 Real Machine Appears In A Leaked Test Video

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Jan 24, 2018

South Korean tech giant Samsung is just a couple of weeks short of launching its 2018 flagship Galaxy S9 and S9+. Both models are already billed to make their grand entrance at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 holding from February 26 to March 1 in Barcelona. Ahead of its official unveiling, we may just have spotted a real live photo of the Galaxy S9 which appeared in a short video clip recently uploaded on Weibo.

The short clip appears to be a test video and it only shows the on-screen keyboard being tested. The view affords us an opportunity to see the front screen with its much-reduced bezels. The side bezels are almost non-existent while the bottom edge which is visible features an ultra-thin bezel. Same also applies to the top bezels but that isn’t very visible here. We hope to see more leaks as the launch date draws closer.

The Galaxy S9 is expected to feature a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display while the S9+ will pack a 6.2-inch Super AMOLED screen. Both models will be powered by a Snapdragon 845 chipset as well as an Exynos 9810 chip on some models. The two models are expected to be available in 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant as well as 6GB RAM + 128GB storage and both are expandable. The Galaxy S9 is expected to sport a single 12MP rear camera with f/1.5 aperture and OIS. On its part, the Galaxy S9+is tipped to come with a dual camera set up comprised of two 12MP sensors with f/2.4 and f/1.5 apertures respectively as well as double OIS. Both models are expected to feature an 8MP selfie camera with f/1.7 aperture. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ recently got 3C certification and the listing confirmed they will both come with 9V /1.67A and 5V / 2A fast charge support similar to those of the Galaxy S8 series. There is also a 3,000mAh battery on the S9 while the S9+ packs a 3,500mAh battery. Follow the source link to watch the test video on Weibo.

MediaTek Helio P70 Performs Well on AnTuTu; Could be a Good Rival for Snapdragon 670

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Jan 24, 2018

Previous reports have revealed that some of the high-end phones from Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo and Gionee will be driven by the upcoming MediaTek Helio P70 chipset. The specifications of the Helio P70 have already leaked in the previous month. The chipset has now appeared with an impressive benchmarking score on AnTuTu.

On AnTuTu, the unannounced Helio P70 has recorded a score of 156,906. This score suggests that its score could be on par with the forthcoming Snapdragon 670 chipset from Qualcomm. The Helio P70 is a 12nm chipset whereas the SD 670 is a 10nm chipset.

The octa-core processor of the MediaTek Helio P70 is rumored to include four cores of Corte A73 that works at 2.5 GHz and four cores of Cortex A53 that functions at 2.0 GHz. It is also packed with Mali G72 MP4 (800 MHz) graphics. Smartphones running on the Helio P40 can support up to 8 GB of RAM, eMMC 5.1 or UFS 2.1 storage, 3 ISPs with support for up to 32-megapixel and Cat. 12 LTE modem. It is also rumored to arrive with support for some AI features.

On the other hand, the Snapdragon 670 is speculated to come be composed for 4x Kryo 350 custom cores that clock at 2 GHz and 4x Kryo 385 custom cores that clock at 1.6 GHz and Adreno 620 graphics. It is also rumored to be equipped with Snapdragon X16 Cat. 16 LTE modem.

Rumors have revealed that MediaTek will announce the Helio P70 chipset alongside another rumored SoC, the Helio P40 in the second quarter of this year. The Helio P40 octa-core chipset is expected to feature quad cores of 2.0 GHz Cortex A73 and quad cores of 2.0 GHz Cortex A73. Other rumored specs of P40 include Mali-G72 MP3 graphics (700 MHz), up to 8 GB of RAM, eMMC 5.1 or UFS 2.1, 3 ISPs with support for up to 32-megapixel, Cat. 7 LTE modem and some AI features.