VKWorld Mix 3 Launching Soon as Cheapest Full Screen Design Phone with 6 GB RAM, 128 GB Storage, 5000mAh Battery

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Jan 29, 2018

Fresh information reveals that the Chinese manufacturer is going to soon debut a smartphone called VKWorld Mix 3. It is going to arrive as a successor for MIX Plus mid-range bezel-less smartphone that was unveiled in August 2017. The VKWorld Mix 3 is the same Mix 2 smartphone from the company that was supposed to launch before the end of 2017. It means that the Mix 2 will be launched in the market with a new moniker of Mix 3 and it will also carry some modified specs.

The VKWorld Mix 3 is equipped with a 5.99-inch Full HD+ resolution supporting display with In-Cell technology. The Sunlight mode feature will boost the brightness to over 600nits to allow users to comfortably view contents of the screen under bright sunlight. The display will come with anti-fingerprint coating and will also carry support for glove mode. The selfie camera and the fingerprint scanner are present on the bottom bezel of the phone.

The backside of the VKWorld Mix 3 features a glass panel and it sports a metallic frame that is made out titanium. The titanium frame offers strength and resistance to the device and the screen is protected with Gorilla Glass 4. The top-left corner of the rear panel of the Mix 3 is equipped with a horizontally arranged dual camera setup.

The Mi MIX 3 will be fueled by 2.5 GHz octa-core processor and it will also include a massive battery of 5,000mAh capacity. The SoC of the phone will be coupled with 6 GB of RAM. It will come with a huge inbuilt storage of 128 GB. The company claims that the VKWorld Mix 3 will be the most affordable full screen design smartphone with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of native storage.

What do you think about the specs and appearance of the MIX 3? Let us know your views by posting your comments below.

Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+ May Deliver Robust Security with Combined Face Unlock, Iris Scanner Feature

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 29, 2018

In the previous week Samsung had confirmed that the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ flagship phones will be showcased on Feb. 25. As the launch date is nearing, newer information on the Galaxy S9 are consistently surfacing. According to XDA Developer, one of its forum members who performed an APK teardown of the Android Oreo beta for Galaxy Note 8 was able to find a new security feature that will be arriving on the Galaxy S9 duo. Through the teardown it was revealed that Samsung may introduce a new feature called Intelligent Scan that will combine facial recognition and iris scanning. With the combined feature, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will be able to deliver robust security to their users.

Maxwell Weinbach, a senior member with XDA Developer forums has also uploaded a 6-second video that demonstrates the Intelligent Scan feature. The Galaxy S8, S8+, Galaxy Note 8 and the upcoming Galaxy S9 duo are all equipped with iris scanner and fingerprint scanner. The facial recognition feature that is combined with iris scanning will serve as another biometric recognition option on these phones.

Intelligent Scan has been never spotted in the software of any of the previous flagship phones by Samsung. Hence, it is speculated that Intelligent Scan is one of the new features that will be arriving on the Galaxy S9 and S9+ smartphones. One of the code strings that has been found through the teardown read “Unlock your phone using combined face and iris scanning.”

The Intelligent Scan will reportedly work well even in dim light conditions or very bright light. As it can be seen in the video, whether it is day or night, it will identify the face while the iris scanned simultaneously. The new feature surely appears to be an enhanced security but, it is not as secure as the fingerprint scanner. It can be used to authenticate the user in the different apps that support it.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ are expected to come preinstalled with Android 8.0 Oreo that is likely to bring along Intelligent Scan feature. It appears that the said feature will also arrive on Galaxy S8, S8+ and Note 8 through Android Oreo update.

(source)

Lenovo Announces VR Classroom Kit With Standalone Daydream VR Headset

By

Jeet

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Jan 29, 2018

Exploring the potential of virtual reality technology in the field of education, Lenovo has announced its VR Classroom Kit, which will use Lenovo’s Mirage Solo with Daydream — the world’s first standalone daydream VR head-mounted display.

This new VR classroom package from Lenovo is designed to bring virtual reality into the classroom and use it as a tool to enhance students’ learning experiences. Along with the Mirage Solo with Daydream, it also comes with plenty of educational content.

The VR Classroom set is aimed at students aged 13 or above, and the educational content includes over 700 VR field trips from Google Expeditions, along with three exclusive Jane Goodall “Wild Immersion” videos. Further, the Daydream app store has hundreds of apps for teachers to choose from.

The Mirage Solo with Daydream is a completely wireless-free headset and requires no connection to a PC or smartphone. It comes with a wireless Daydream controller for hand motion-based input. The company is also offering a Tab 4 PLUS 10-inch tablet for the teachers, a Ruckus R510 commercial router with high bandwidth for video content, and either a cart or case depending on the size of the bundle ordered.

Educators who are willing to adopt this new technology will receive an 18-month warranty to ensure everything works correctly throughout and all devices are in good working order. Teachers will also get monthly webinars to highlight concerns, share experiences and talk about best practices.

A three-student pack will be available on sale from April in the US and this fall in Canada for a price of $2,899, while the 10-student pack and 24-student pack will also be available but the pricing information is not available.

Xiaomi Mi Box 4 And Mi Box 4c With 4K HDR Launched In China

By

Jeet

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Jan 29, 2018

As we earlier reported, Xiaomi has today launched two new smart TV boxes in China — Xiaomi Mi Box 4 and Mi Box 4c. These fourth-generation TV boxes from Xiaomi are the successor of the Mi Box 3s and Mi Box 3c launched in November 2016.

The Mi Box 4 comes in a white colored body and measures 1.6cm in thickness. It weighs 145 grams and comes in its usual small square-shaped design. Under the hood, the device is powered by a 64-bit quad-core CPU and an unidentified GPU.

It packs 2GB RAM and 8GB of internal storage — same as its predecessor. It comes with AV interface port, HDMI port, and USB port for connectivity. The device supports 4K HDR Ultra HD quality content, h.265 hardware decoding and support for Dolby + DTS audio output. As of the software, it is likely to be running a custom MIUI-based interface.

As expected, the device also comes with an artificial intelligence technology that continuously monitors the user’s watching habits to recommend different types of content. The AI technology also takes into account movie reviews and commentaries for making recommendations.

It comes with the specially designed PatchWall system, an intelligent voice assistant which enables users to search for keywords, open applications, check the weather as well as calendar, among others. It also supports intelligent error correction and supports voice-activated smart appliances.

On the other hand, the Mi Box 4c is almost similar to the Mi Box 4 in terms of hardware and software. However, the company has reduced the memory configuration on the Mi Box 4c to just 1GB RAM and 4GB internal storage. While the Mi Box 4 comes in pure white color, this one comes in the matte black color.

The Xiaomi Mi Box 4 is priced at 349 Yuan while the Mi Box 4c is priced at 249 Yuan. The devices are currently up for pre-order and will start shipping from 1st February in China. At this time, there is no information about its availability in other markets.

Windows 10 Mobile: No More Builds Are Coming, Reveals Microsoft

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jan 29, 2018

Microsoft killed Windows 10 Mobile a long time back, but it has never stopped supporting it. Months ago the Redmond giant confirmed that the operating system was not going to receive new features anymore — the Fall Creators Update was the last major update and no hardware products would feature this operating system anymore. Now, Brandon LeBlanc from Microsoft has confirmed on Twitter that the OS will no longer receive new builds in the Insider Preview program. The operating system is slowly dying and it might soon be abandoned.

Actually, Microsoft was supporting Windows 10 Mobile with cumulative updates released every month. The versions compatible with the updates are Anniversary, Creators Update, and Fall Creators Update. This last one is also the last major update of the operating system rolled out by Microsoft. While the Fall Creators Update for PCs belongs to the Redstone 3 branch, the one for mobile devices is just an extension for Redstone 2 which has been called “feature2”. This means that it does not bring important changes or new important features, but it can be considered just a minor improvement over the previous version, even though it is being called as a major update.

No mobile builds are coming.

— Brandon LeBlanc (@brandonleblanc) 24 gennaio 2018

At this moment, only two Windows 10 Mobile smartphones are available to purchase on the Microsoft online store in the U.S. and the other models have been all retired from the market. There are no U.S. carriers selling Windows phones currently, so it is really hard to find one. Satya Nadella declared months ago that if Microsoft is to ever come back to the mobile phones market, it will be with a device which is completely different from the ones we saw until now. By the way, many leaks (mostly patents) have recently hinted the existence of the Surface Phone, but nothing is official yet.

(Via)

Sony Xperia XZ Pro Schematics Showing Full Screen Design, Dual Rear Cameras Appear

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 29, 2018

Sony is speculated debut the Xperia XZ Pro premium flagship smartphone next month through the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 event on Feb. 26. Previous reports have claimed that it could be world’s first smartphone to feature a 4K OLED display. Also, it is rumored to arrive with a trendy full screen design and is heavily pegged to be blessed with dual rear cameras. New schematics of the Xperia XZ Pro have surfaced to show its front and rear design.

In the image, the top bezel of the Xperia XZ Pro includes a selfie camera, a loudspeaker and a sensor and the bottom bezel features another loudspeaker. Fresh information suggests that the smartphone features an elongated display of 5.7 inches that offers an aspect ratio of 18:9. It could be the company’s first smartphone to arrive with 18:9 aspect ratio display.

Coming to the rear side of the phone, the top-left corner features a horizontally arranged dual camera setup with LED flash. The fingerprint scanner is not present on the front or rear of the phone as it is integrated under the Power button on the right side. The Sony Xperia XA2, Xperia XA2 Ultra and Xperia L2 smartphones that were unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 have rear-mounted fingerprint readers that are positioned below the rear camera. Above the Power key is the volume rocker and below it is a dedicated button for launching the camera.

Previous leaks have revealed that the Xperia XZ Pro is fueled by Snapdragon 845 chipset that includes octa-core Kryo 385 processor and Adreno 630 graphics. The SoC is rumored to be coupled with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. The device is also expected to feature a microSD card slot.

The dual camera setup of the phone is speculated to include an 18-megapixel sensor with a pixel size of 1.33μm and a 12-megapixel sensor with a pixel size of 1.38 μm. It is likely to feature a selfie camera of 13-megapixel. The Android 8.0 Oreo OS will arrive preloaded installed on the phone. It is expected to be packed with a 3,420mAh battery. It may arrive with a pricing of about 6,000 Yuan (~$950).

After getting announced at MWC 2018, the Xperia XZ Pro may hit the shelves in June this year. The Japanese tech giant is also speculated to debut the Xperia XZ2 smartphone at the tech trade show in the next month.

(source|via)

Samsung’s Latest Patent Is A Technology Which Identifies Users Using Their Blood Flow Patterns

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 29, 2018

Samsung has got lots of patents and keeps filing more by the day. One of the tech giant’s patents have been spotted online and just like several others we had seen in the past, it shows what the innovative company may include in its upcoming smartphones. The patent application was originally filed in the U.S patent office in July 2016 and is titled; “Real Time Authentication Based on Blood Flow Parameters”.

The patent describes a method to identify users by means of blood flow patterns in the finger or wrist. It is therefore yet another way in which Samsung hopes to authenticate users in a safe, and reliable way in the future. Apart from the facial recognition technology and the fingerprint, users may in the future be able to unlock their phone using their heartbeats. The technology relies on the principle arterial conduction paths of different users are almost never identical. Thus a smartwatch or phone using the technology could identify it’s owner based on his or her blood flow pattern and thus unlock the device.

The technology is applicable on smartphones and wearables, and even on laptops. So apart from passwords and pin codes, phone users may soon be able to unlock their device using either iris scanner, fingerprint sensor, and Face ID. We don’t think there is a strong assurance this can’t be hacked. Another thing, it is unlikely that this technology will find its way into Samsung phones anytime soon.

(source)

Tipster Hints The Galaxy S9 Lineup Will Be Samsung’s Most Expensive Series Ever

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 28, 2018

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S9 and S9+ flagships on February 25 at MWC 2018. Already the official invite has been sent out for the launch but that isn’t enough to prevent the rumor mills from continuing to buzz with new details regarding the flagship models. A popular Twitter tipster @Ricciolo has now come out to reveal that the Galaxy S9 will be Samsung’s most expensive smartphone series ever. This is coming out now even though the tipster made disclosure sometime last week via a tweet which also hinted that the S9 lineup will be unveiled at MWC. Samsung eventually confirmed the launch date a few days after making the assertion worth considering.

Despite the tipster’s credible track record of revealing accurately details of upcoming models, it doesn’t look feasible that Samsung will introduce the flagship models with a new, higher price tag. The Galaxy S9 hand S9+ have featured on several leaked renders and the S9 dummy has even been spotted in a leaked video. The design looks very much like the Galaxy S8, with the prominent feature being the single rear camera. However, the Galaxy S9 is said to feature a single 12MP rear camera with optical image stabilization which also has a variable aperture (f/1.5 – f/2.4) lens. The variable aperture setup was first implemented on the Samsung W201 flip phone launched in China in November last year.

Apart from the upgraded camera and dual camera setup on the Galaxy S9+, both models are said to feature just incremental upgrades over the Galaxy S8 series. Of course, one major exception is the new processors that would be onboard. The models are expected to pack both the Snapdragon 845 chipset or an Exynos 8895 chipset in some cases. The Galaxy S8 was priced around $700 while the S8+ came in at around $800 last year. The 256GB variant of the S8+ surpassed the $1000 mark when it went on sale. But then, it would be a big gamble for Samsung to shoot up the Galaxy S9 lineup’s prices. So, we’ll keep our fingers crossed while we wait for the official details.

To recall, the Galaxy S9 is expected to feature a 5.77-inch Quad HD+ dual-curved Super AMOLED display while the Galaxy S9+ will come with a bigger 6.22-inch Quad HD+ dual-curved Super AMOLED display. The models are expected to pack either a Snapdragon 845 or an Exynos 9810 chipset and would be fueled by a 3,000mAh battery. Further, the Galaxy S9 will present with a 12MP rear camera with f/1.5 aperture and OIS and an 8MP selfie camera with f/1.7 aperture.

(source)

Alleged Vivo X30 Leaks in New Photos, Sports iPhone X-Like Notch

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 28, 2018

Last week, Vivo announced the Vivo X20 Plus UD as the world’s first smartphone with an in-screen fingerprint scanner. Since, it’s actually a revamped Vivo X20 Plus, there wasn’t so much to be excited about. However, our interest piqued when photos of the display panel of its successor, the Vivo X30 surfaced online.

Today, a new photo has leaked and this time it shows a working prototype. The picture shows Vivo’s brand ambassador, Lu Han, holding the alleged Vivo X30. If you zoom in closer, you should see the iPhone X-like notch at the top.

Thanks to the tri-bezel-less design, the Vivo X30 will likely have a smaller form factor than its predecessor. This is due to the removal of the area usually reserved for the top bezel. The small notch at the top is now home to the front camera, earpiece, and sensor. However, unlike the iPhone X, there is still a small bezel at the bottom.

Continue

Lenovo Acknowledges Vulnerabilities In Its Fingerprint Manager Pro Software, Releases Update!

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 28, 2018

Lenovo‘s laptop business can be credited to be the aspect which keeps the company afloat despite a turbulent era which the smartphone arm faced recently. The company is only second to HP in terms of market shares in the laptop business. One attractive feature of Lenovo’s laptop line is the Fingerprint authentication which it packs. But recently Lenovo has acknowledged that the fingerprint authentication software dubbed Fingerprint Manager Pro (version 8.01.86) has security holes that allow attackers to access any system equipped with the application. The Lenovo Fingerprint Manager Pro is a utility that allows users to log into their laptop and configured websites by using the fingerprint. The affected family models include Lenovo’s ThinkPad, ThinkCentre, and ThinkStation laptops.

A statement released by Lenovo reads thus, “A vulnerability has been identified in Lenovo Fingerprint Manager Pro. Sensitive data stored by Lenovo Fingerprint Manager Pro, including users’ Windows logon credentials and fingerprint data, is encrypted using a weak algorithm, contains a hard-coded password, and is accessible to all users with local non-administrative access to the system it is installed in.”

The vulnerability was reportedly discovered by Jackson Thuraisamy, a senior security consultant with Security Compass. The vulnerability does not affect Lenovo’s laptops running Microsoft Windows 10.1 because Windows 10 comes with support for fingerprint reader technology. However, it affects a dozen Lenovo laptop models that run versions of Microsoft Windows 7, 8 and the 8.1 operating system. The statement also lists the models affected to include;

ThinkPad L560
ThinkPad P40 Yoga, P50s
ThinkPad T440, T440p, T440s, T450, T450s, T460, T540p, T550, T560
ThinkPad W540, W541, W550s
ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Type 20A7, 20A8), X1 Carbon (Type 20BS, 20BT)
ThinkPad X240, X240s, X250, X260
ThinkPad Yoga 14 (20FY), Yoga 460
ThinkCentre M73, M73z, M78, M79, M83, M93, M93p, M93z
ThinkStation E32, P300, P500, P700, P900

If you own any of the Lenovo models listed above, you need not worry as the company has created a fix in form of an update. Customers who own any of the affected models are urged to update Fingerprint Manager Pro to version 8.01.87 or later.

(source)

3D Renders of 8.4” and 10.1” Huawei MediaPad M5 Leaks Online

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 28, 2018

Huawei’s is preparing for the release of its new tablet – the MediaPad M5. The 8.4” model was recently seen on FCC’s website a few days ago. Now, its 3D renders alongside that of the 10.1” model have surfaced online.

MediaPad M5 (8.4” Model)

The 8.4” MediaPad M5 has a pill-shaped button on the lower bezel. This will double as the home button and fingerprint scanner just like that of the MediaPad M3. There is also a front-facing camera sitting in the center of the top bezel.

While there is no significant change on the front, the back has been redesigned. The rear camera now sits at the top left corner and is slightly raised. Huawei has also ditched the chrome top and added antenna lines in the familiar U-design.

On the right hand side lies the power button and volume rocker and on the left is a SIM tray. There is a USB-C port at the bottom and it is flanked by speaker grilles on each side. There is also a speaker grille at the top but sadly there is no 3.5mm audio jack.

MediaPad M5 (10.1” Model)

The bigger MediaPad M5 has received a slight redesign on the front. On the previous model, the home button sits at the bottom when held in landscape mode, the M5 now has its own on the right side (bottom when in portrait).

The reason for this is most likely because the 10.1” model will now come with a fingerprint scanner. Since landscape mode is the most practical way to use a tab this big, especially when consuming media content, your thumb naturally rests on the right. This makes it easy to unlock when picked up.

There are a bunch of changes on the rear too. The speaker grille is now one long line line at the top instead of two short lines at the bottom. There are also three connection pins at the bottom. Power button and volume rocker are still on the right though.

Although, the renders show all the sides, there is no sign of a USB-port for charging as well as a 3.5mm audio jack. This is a 3D render, so it is likely an incomplete drawing. That should explain the missing USB port, though we won’t rule out the removal of the audio jack.

Continue

Leaked Photos of Meizu 15 Plus and Meizu 15 Plus Pro Show Different Dual Camera Designs

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 28, 2018

Meizu kicked off the year with the much-awaited Meizu M6s, its first full-screen smartphone. However, most folks have their eyes set on the arrival of the Meizu 15 Plus, its anniversary flagship.

The Meizu 15 Plus’ existence was first revealed last year by the CEO of Meizu himself. While it was just a photo of the retail box, many more unofficial leaks have come after that.

New leaks have surfaced online and it shows the Meizu 15 Plus and another phone – the Meizu 15 Pro. Initially, we thought that the second variant of the Meizu 15 Plus would be called the Meizu 15 but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Since both phones are sort of like the direct successors to the PRO 7 and PRO 7 Plus, it makes sense as to why they are going with the names Meizu 15 PRO and Meizu 15 (PRO) Plus.

The new leaks are photos of the rear of both phones. They are nearly identical save for the design of the dual cameras. The first image below is said to be the that of the Meizu 15 PRO.

It appears the rear is glass or ceramic judging from its reflective nature. It has the same ring flash design we have seen on previous leaks but the dual cameras are positioned a bit lower and the housing is slightly raised. It is also said to have a smaller screen. Surprisingly, some of the earlier leaks we have seen of the Meizu 15 Plus also show the cameras are raised.

The image below is that of the Meizu 15 Plus according to the source. The material is also reflective but not as much thanks to the fingerprint smudges. The dual cameras on this unit are flush with the rest of the body. There is also a ring flash below the setup.

Contrary to early leaks that said/showed the Meizu 15 Plus will retain the physical mBack button, new reports say otherwise. The button is said to be absent on both the Meizu 15 Plus and Meizu 15 PRO. That has led to moving the fingerprint scanner on both phones to the side – beneath the power button like in the Meizu M6s.

To sum this up, these leaks are unconfirmed at the moment but they may also be the real deal but not the final device. It is not unusual for a manufacturer to have several prototypes of a phone before settling on a final design.

Continue

Google Clips Camera Finally Goes On Sale In The US, Costs $249

By

Jeet

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Jan 28, 2018

After unveiling Google Clips camera in October last year at the Pixel 2 launch event, the company has now finally made the device available for purchase in the United States. Priced at $249, it seems that the buyers will have to wait for a few weeks for it to arrive.

Depending on the address, the delivery date for the pre-ordered devices ranges from late February to early March. At the time of writing this, it seems that Google has stopped taking orders for the Clips camera. Interested users can now join a waitlist and they will receive an email once Clips is available again.

For those who are not aware, Google Clips is a small camera device that uses artificial intelligence to take the right picture when it sees something interesting. The square-shaped camera, which measures about 2-inch, comes with a 12-megapixel sensor and 130-degree field of view. It automatically shoots images and small video loops.

The device packs 16GB of internal storage, which can save up to 3 hours of selected video. While some people are concerned about the idea of a Google camera that’s always watching them, the company has clarified that the device does all of its work with its own hardware, and doesn’t send anything out to external servers.

In a separate blog post, Google has explained that it has trained the device’s artificial intelligence system using photography experts to identify the best shots. Due to this, the company believes that Clips should get smarter with its pictures and videos with more and more usage.

While We Wait For Nokia 9, a Nokia 10 Drawing Leaks With Penta-Lens Camera

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 28, 2018

Recently a tipster who claimed to have got knowledge of all the Snapdragon 845 smartphones released a list which contains the Nokia 10 as one of the models that would be launched packing Qualcomm’s 2018 flagship System-0n-Chips. The Nokia 10’s schematics, albeit crude and unlikely, had also been the subject of a recent leak, pointing at a revolver-like camera setup. Now, a new drawing purported to be that of the Nokia 10 flagship has leaked.

The drawing only reveals what the device looks like from the rear and what stands out there is the camera design. The sketch is attributed to an industry insider who based the drawing on leaked information and a recent ZEISS patent (find below) for a mobile multi-lens camera solution. The technology at play utilizes an array of additional lenses ( number 7) having different focal lengths and mounted on a rotating lens base (number 10), which sits between the camera sensor (number 9) and a normal fixed lens (number 6).

According to the source, the Nokia 10 Camera module will likely look like a Dual-lens Camera with the middle lens working as the main camera while the others will be hidden inside a module and may be rotated to change the focal length and still work in combination with the main camera. The sketch also shows the presence of an independent secondary camera sitting on the very top of the said module. We don’t know what its function would be in the presence of other lenses. Here are the sketches of Zeiss’ patented camera design.

Other details of the Nokia 10 are still based on speculations as Nokia is yet to confirm the existence of the device or even the unusual camera design. There are suggestions that the Nokia 10 could make its debut at IFA 2018 in Berlin this September. So, it may still be a long way from becoming official, and there are definitely lots of more leaks coming. We’ll keep you updated here on Gizmochina as soon as new details emerge.

(source)

Microsoft Band 3 Fully Revealed: Unfortunately It Was Cancelled

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jan 28, 2018

It’s been more than a year since Microsoft cancelled the Microsoft Band lineup forever. Although the Band 2 was one of the greatest fitness trackers in the market, the Redmond giant decided not to believe in its wristbands line anymore. But it seems that the Band 3 was already finished and almost ready to launch around that time. Our colleagues from Windows Central got their hands on a prototype of the canceled Band 3 and they reviewed it. From the review, we can clearly deduce that the Microsoft Band 3 is a solid improvement over its predecessor.

First of all, the Microsoft Band 3 is more comfortable to wear due to a slimmer bulk at the back, and it is also more compact too. Besides a slimmer clasp, there is also an action button which is not coated in black anymore, and these are the most important differences when it comes to aesthetics. Talking about the performances, the charging time has been improved: this wristband only takes an hour to go from 10 percent to 100 percent, while its predecessor needed one hour and a half. The Band 2 was water-resistant, but the Band 3 is fully waterproof: this means that it could be used even while swimming.

There are two new sensors on the Microsoft Band 3: electrocardiogram and RFID sensors which enable the RFID tag support. Among the most important new features, there is the swimming exercise tracking and an enhanced well-being tracking. The rest of the sensors are exactly the same which were present in the Band 2 without any miss. The smart band seems to have the same dimensions (12.8 x 32 mm) except for the thickness, and it has a curved AMOLED display just like its predecessor, with a resolution of 320 x 128 pixels. To connect to the phones, it features the Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy connectivity. According to Windows Central, Microsoft Band 3 would have been the best smart band ever made by Microsoft but alas, not all good products see the light of the day!

Head over to the source link below to check out their full review of the device and see what you missed!

(Source)

Huawei P20 Variants, Codenames And Color Options Leaked Online

By

Jeet

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Jan 28, 2018

Huawei P10 successor, which was believed to have been named Huawei P11, will now reportedly be called Huawei P20. Roland Quandt has revealed through Twitter that the Huawei‘s next device won’t be called Huawei P11 and instead it will be named as Huawei P20.

Further, in a separate tweet, he has revealed the Huawei P20’s different variants, along with their code names and color options. The phone will be launched in three variants — Huawei P20, P20 Plus, and P20 Lite.

The standard edition, Huawei P20 is codenamed “Emily” and will be available in Ceramic Black and Twilight colors. The P20 Plus, which is codenamed “Charlotte”, will also be available in Ceramic Black and Twilight colors while the P20 Lite, codenamed “Anne”, will be offered in three colors — Midnight Black, Klein Blue, and Sakura Pink.

Earlier, it was reported that the company has trademarked the name “Huawei P20” and an importer in Israel also revealed the next flagship will be called Huawei P20. Later, we started seeing test pages for the Huawei P11 and Huawei P12 on the official website.

Then, it was revealed that the Chinese-giant has trademarked the name “Huawei P11” in the US, UK, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The trademark for the “Huawei P11” name was filed as far back as 2015 in Europe, while the “Huawei P20” trademark was filed only in the United States. Now, it seems that the company has finalized to go with the P20 series.

The device is expected to come with thinner bezels than its predecessor, Huawei P10. It is expected to be powered by the company’s own latest Kirin 970 AI chipset and would run the latest EMUI 8.0 which is based on Android 8.0 Oreo operating system.

While the device was expected to be unveiled at the upcoming Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, fresh information suggests that Huawei and LG will not be launching their next-generation flagship phones at MWC 2018 to avoid clashing with Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus. Instead of P20 series, Huawei could announce tablets and 2-in-1 notebooks at the MWC.

(Source)

Meizu To Release Flyme 6 Spring Stable Version On January 30

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jan 28, 2018

Meizu is set to unveil a new stable version of the user interface Flyme 6 on January 30. We are talking about the Spring Stable version, but new updates will also roll out to the users who adhered to the beta testing phase. Considering that this is an important version of the UI, it will include a big change log with many important features. The most important one is Meizu Pay: the payment system has been adapted to the new user interface and it will work perfectly with the new update. A new “Game Mode 2.0” will be present in the new firmware, but it will only be supported by Meizu X and Meizu E2. There are two major improvements in this update: it increases the fluidity of the OS and reduces memory consumption.

Some anomalies in the game mode have been fixed, as well as some bugs with the camera and the problems with the vibration seen in the previous version of the firmware. Flyme 6, according to the changelog, has solved the problem related to an excessive battery drain when the phones are in standby mode and in some other scenarios. The system stability and the smoothness have been improved as well with the new user interface. On Meizu M6, a vertical multi-tasking mode has been added, and there are also some additional bug fixes.

Besides unlocked units, carrier-branded units of these phones will be updated to Flyme 6 Spring stable version too: Meizu M3 Note, M5 Note, M6 Note, E2, Pro 7 Standard Edition, M6, M5 and M5s. Note that, according to a new teaser, Meizu was expected to unveil Flyme 7 on February 24 but that unfortunately turned out to be false. If Flyme 7 is to be released in the coming months, it should likely be on the Meizu 15, which is the next flagship of the company dedicated to its 15th anniversary (it will come together with a Plus version).

Xiaomi Mi 7 Might Not Be Unveiled At MWC 2018

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jan 28, 2018

The presence of Xiaomi at Mobile World Congress 2018 which will be held in Barcelona from February 26 has been confirmed, but according to new rumors, Xiaomi Mi 7 might not be unveiled at the trade show. A high-ranking company employee who has decided to stay anonymous has declared that no major announcements will be made at MWC 2018 by this company, and this means that neither Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S / 3 should be launched at this event.

According to a leakster, instead of Xiaomi Mi 7 we will see Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, but it will be officially announced before MWC 2018, so in less than a month. Other sources are suggesting that instead of launching the Xiaomi Mi 7, the Chinese giant may take advantage of the Mobile World Congress to announce its new proprietary chipset Xiaomi Surge S2. This SoC might be inside Xiaomi Mi 6c, an upcoming affordable version of the Mi6.

Xiaomi Mi7 would not be the only flagship to skip the MWC 2018. It has already been hinted that Huawei P11, unlike last year, will not be showcased in Barcelona. Neither will LG present its G7, which should be replaced by an advanced version of LG V30 with artificial intelligence. The only flagship confirmed for the trade show is the Samsung Galaxy S9, which will be unveiled on February 25.

(Via)

Report Shows Xiaomi & Huawei Phone Users Are Mostly Men In The 30-34 Age Bracket

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 28, 2018

A Chinese research firm Jiguang data has published two research papers centered on two of the biggest players in the Chinese smartphone market- Xiaomi and Huawei. The research analyzes the brands’ users, showing what connects them and what separates them and was conducted on users in China. One aspect that caught our attention in the report was the aspects users of both brands based on gender and age.

The research data shows that Xiaomi ‘s fans are overwhelmingly male which is 69.1% of the entire number of fans the company commands. On the other hand, Huawei’s male fan base isn’t as much as Xiaomi but is still higher, pegged at 66%. Apart from that, the finding also shows that most of Xiaomi’s users are concentrated in the 30-34 age bracket (31.7%), followed by 25-29 years (25.4%). Users above 30 accounted for 50% of Xiaomi’s user base. On the other hand, 44% of Huawei’s users were revealed to be older than 3. years, while Huawei users under 25 accounted for only 26.1%.

There are other demographics such as apps preference by users based on gender, the city of residence where the cities were categorized into three tiers; 1st tier, 2nd Tier, and 3rd tier. Other categories taken into consideration in the research include selfie and beautification apps, as well as online video, were significantly less popular than the national average, showing there is still room for growth among the younger population for both tech giants.

(source)

Huawei MediaPad M5 Clears FCC Packing a 4,980mAh Battery

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 27, 2018

Huawei is expected to upgrade its tablet series with a new MediaPad M5. The M5 would be a successor to the MediaPad M3 which was first launched in 2016. The Huawei MediaPad M5 has now received certification from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) which is a signal that Huawei intends to launch the device in the U.S.

FCC’s listing usually reveals only a few specifications of the device and in this case, it shows that the model would be fuelled by a 4,980mAh battery and the schematics of the device was also featured on the FCC listing, showing it would have a metal body. The schematics also reveal the presence of hidden U-shaped antenna band, SIM slot located on the right side when viewed from the rear aspect while the volume rocker and power buttons are on the right side. We also take note of a rear camera which is located at the upper left corner, a bit closer to the edge than its predecessors. Thankfully, the MediaPad M5 specifications had leaked in the past so we’ll have to rummage through our archive to get further details of what to expect.

The MediaTek M5 will feature an 8.4-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels just like the M3. The tablet would be powered by the last year’s flagship Kirin 960 chipset. The device will also feature a fingerprint sensor, USB Type-C port, stereo speakers, and Cat. 4 LTE modem. Providing the interface would be EMUI 6.0 based on Android Oreo. The device is expected to be launched anytime soon. We cannot rule out an MWC 2018 unveiling even though Huawei is yet to officially disclose if that would happen.

(source, via)