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CHUWI Hi10 Pro CWI529 Tablet PC Is Available For Just $195.99 On GearBest [Coupon Code]

CHUWI CWI529 2-in-1 ultrabook-tablet PC sports a 10.1-inch IPS display with a screen resolution of 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) pixels. On the photography front, the CHUWI-branded tablet PC feature dual cameras i.e. 2MP front camera and a 2MP rear-mounted camera.

You can now buy the CWI529 2 on GearBest without spending a fortune. The site is currently offering two versions of the device including a gray-tinted Intel Cherry Trail X5-Z8350, which carries a price tag of $204.84. By shelling an additional $6.05, you can go for US PLUG+Intel Cherry Trail 5-Z8350 version, which bears a slightly higher price tag of $210.89.
But if you want to buy the X5-Z8350 version of this dual OS tablet PC without burning a hole in your pocket, we have good news for you.

Before checking out, you can use coupon code ‘HNYear274’ and buy Intel Cherry Trail X5-Z8350 version of CHUWI Hi10 Pro CWI529 2 tablet PC for just $195.99. It’s worth noting that the coupon code is valid only for 50 units. Head straight to this link and take advantage of the discount before it comes to an end.

Korean Firm Develops Self-Healing Material That Restores Cracks & Could Be On Future Phones

The advent of smartphones brought with it a great chance of cracked screen as a result of the large surface area which the display now occupies. This is even more complicated by the adoption of the full-screen design which sees the bezels getting reduced. Somewhere in the world right now, someone has just dropped his or her phone accidentally and the screen has shattered. But this may soon be a thing of the past as a team of Korean researchers have developed a new self-healing material dubbed “Elastomer,” which can restore dents and cracks within 30 minutes.Elastomer

Ordinarily, an elastomer is a polymer with viscoelasticity (having both viscosity and elasticity) and very weak inter-molecular forces, generally having low Young’s modulus and high failure strain compared with other materials. The new material comes with double the highest level of existing tensile strength which means it is resistant to breaking under tension. This has been a problem with self-healing materials in the past. The Elastomer is also able to heal itself under room temperature and has a tensile strength good enough to make it commercially viable. The team also disclosed that the new material can be used as a protective layer on mobile devices and it automatically restore any outside cracks within 30 minutes.

Read More: New Glass-Like Polymer with Self Healing Prowess Discovered

You Can Preorder THL Knight 2 Smartphone For Only $149.99 On Banggood

Much to the delight of budget-conscious smartphone buyers, the Knight 2 4G smartphone is currently up for preorder on Banggood at a heavily discounted price.

As part of its promotion sale which kicked off on Sunday, January 14, Banggood is offering a considerable 10% discount on Knight 2’s original asking price of $165.99. In other words, you can now get your hands on this already-affordable smartphone by shelling out just $149.99.

Despite bearing a relatively low price tag, the Knight 2 smartphone is brimming with a slew of top-drawer specs and features. For instance, it packs an all-powerful MediaTek MT6750T processor, which is coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage.
Moreover, THL’s recently launched Knight 2 smartphone sports a 6-inch HD+ display with a screen resolution of 1440 x 7220 pixels. On the photography front, it sports 13MP + 5MP rear-mounted cameras and an 8MP front snapper for selfies. It is backed by a robust 4,200 mAh Lithium-Polymer battery.

You can choose from two color versions of the Knight 2 smartphone including blue and black. It’s worth noting that only 63 pieces were left at the time of writing. Also, the promo is slated to end on January 22.

In addition to earning 149 Banggood points, you also get a free wireless charger when you’ll preorder THL Knight 2 smartphone by heading straight to this link.

Samsung’s Forthcoming Galaxy, Gear Devices May Feature Metal 12 Magnesium Alloy Chassis

The recently unveiled Samsung  Notebook 9 (2018) 2-in-1 laptop-tablet hybrid is made out of “Metal 12,” a durable and lightweight alloy of magnesium and aluminum. The South Korean tech giant has recently trademarked “Metal 12” with European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). Its filing has revealed that the new alloy would be used on upcoming Galaxy smartphones and Gear smartwatches.

The lightweight Metal 12 gives a sophisticated appeal to the Notebook 9 (2018). Hence, magnesium-aluminum alloy body that not only weighs less but also adds a premium appeal is expected to arrive on forthcoming flagship devices from Samsung.

Before the launch of Samsung Galaxy S7, the rumor mill had predicted that it would be coming with a magnesium alloy chassis. However, the Galaxy S7 was launched with glass chassis like its predecessor model. The South Korean tech giant is expected to continue using the glass chassis for the upcoming Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy Note 9 that will be releasing this year. The Samsung flagship phones that will be arriving in 2019 may feature Metal 12 chassis

Galaxy Magnesium Alloy

Read More: Samsung’s New Smartphones Series Will be Sold Exclusively Online to Rival with Xiaomi in India

Do you think that Samsung should ditch the glass design and embrace Metal 12 alloy for its forthcoming smartphones? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(source|via 1, 2)

 

 

 

Vivo X20 Plus UD With Under Display Fingerprint Sensor Said To Go On Sale This Month For 3698 Yuan

Vivo X20 Plus UD, which is believed to the world’s first smartphone to feature an under-display fingerprint sensor, will reportedly go on sale later this month in China for a price of 3,698 Yuan, which roughly converts to $574.

At Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 in Las Vegas, Vivo showcased the world’s first commercial phone to feature a fingerprint scanner under the display. However, the company refrained from revealing the phone’s name as well as its specifications and design.

vivo x20 plus ud

It is said that the China-based company has already started mass production of the device and is expected to launch it soon. While we were expecting the device to get unveiled at the upcoming Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the phone might get announced sooner. If the latest reports are to be believed, then the phone, which is believed to be the Vivo X20 Plus UD, will go on sale from this month itself.

Alex Feng, Senior Vice President at Vivo had revealed that the phone will be officially announced in early 2018. He further added that the device provides a more comfortable authentication experience. The phone packs an in-display fingerprint technology by Synaptics which only works with OLED displays, and thus, the handset will feature an AMOLED display.

The fingerprint scanner will be placed between the glass panel and the OLED display panel. When the finger touches the glass panel, the OLED panel illuminates the fingerprint area and the chip inside processes the beams of light emitted.

Read More: Vivo X20 Dreamy Pink Version Priced at 2,998 Yuan (~$465), Will be Available on Pre-Sale From 16th January

The Vivo X20 Plus UD recently received 3C certification. Previous leaks have suggested that the phone will be similar to the Vivo X20 Plus in terms of design as well as specifications. It is said to feature a 6.43-inch full-screen display with 18:9 aspect ratio. The phone will be powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 660 processor, coupled with 4GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The device is also said to be fuelled by a 3,900mAh battery.

One major concern about this new fingerprint scanning technology is the speed of recognition. The prototype showcase had the response time of about 0.6s – 0.7 seconds, which is a bit slower than the regular fingerprint sensors. However, we expect the response time to improve by the time phone makes its debut.

 

Alcatel Said To Announce Three New Models This Week

Alcatel has teased 3 new series of phones at CES 2018 which will be called with simple numbers: 1, 3, and 5. According to the famous leakster Roland Quandt, three smartphones from these series will be officially announced next week. The most reliable hypotheses suggest that each of the handsets which should be launched by TCL (the Chinese company that acquired the French smartphone manufacturer) may belong to different series. So we may see a phone from the 1 series, one from the 3 series and another from the 5 series.

Alcatel 1 is a series of budget phones which will be sold with price tags under $100, the 3 series will be sold under $200, and the 5 series will contain the most powerful phones by the company which will still be affordable compared with the best flagships, as they will cost under $300. All the series should be equipped with bezel-less displays which will have an 18:9 aspect ratio. Obviously, the resolutions will change depending on the prices of the various phones.

RELATED: Alcatel 5’s Final Design Revealed in Fresh Render

Some renders related to new Alcatel phones have already surfaced at CES 2018, and they show three models: Alcatel 1x, 3v and 5.

alcatel

The first is the most entry-level one, but even though it will cost less than $100, it has a fingerprint reader on the back side. 3v should be the mid-range device and it is equipped with a dual camera setup on its rear side. However, the fact that it has a dual rear camera does not prove that the phone will have good camera performance. Under the dual camera, there is a fingerprint reader as well. The Alcatel 5 is the most powerful one and it seems to have the highest screen-to-body-ratio.

Next week we will probably know all their specs.

(Source)

Samsung’s New Smartphones Series Will be Sold Exclusively Online to Rival with Xiaomi in India

At present, Xiaomi is not among the top three smartphone brands in China. However, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has been doing quite well in India as International Data Corporation (IDC) research firm’s market survey for Q3 2017 revealed that it is the number one smartphone brand in India. Xiaomi and Samsung respectively held a market share of 23.5 percent in Q317. The stupendous popularity of Xiaomi in India is mainly because of its strategy of selling its smartphones with aggressive pricing online. In order to regain the numero uno spot in the country, Samsung India has decided to launch a new lineup of phones that will be sold online exclusively.

Samsung’s forthcoming smartphones that will be sold online will contain impressive specifications and they will be priced between Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 15,000 to take on the bestselling smartphones from Xiaomi. Currently, the Galaxy On series of smartphones from Samsung are only available for purchase online in India. The recently launched Galaxy A8+ (2018) with Infinity Display design that is exclusively available on Amazon India with a pricing of Rs. 32,990 is a direct competitor for the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 flagship phone that carries a price tag of Rs. 32,999.

samsung-logo (1)

Read More: Samsung’s Foldable Smartphones with Fold-in, Fold-Out Design Showcased at CES 2018 Privately

According to Counterpoint Technology Market Research firm, the significant popularity of Xiaomi phones in India is mainly because there is no major competition from any other smartphone brand in the online space. Xiaomi accounts for around 50 percent share of online smartphone sales in the country.

Samsung is now looking forward to rival with Xiaomi by increasing its e-commerce sales in the country. As far as offline sales are concerned, the Samsung has around 1.5 lakh offline stores across India whereas Xiaomi has recently started to build its presence offline.

The South Korean tech giant is of the view that Xiaomi will take some time to build a huge offline network. In order to concentrate on selling its smartphones online, it has reportedly reduced the number of trade partners to 2-3 from 10-12 earlier.

(via)

 

 

 

Nokia 6 (2018), Nokia 7 Android 8.0 Oreo Update Rollout Has Started, Nokia 6 Oreo Update Coming Soon

Around two months ago, HMD Global rolled Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Nokia 8 flagship phone. In the previous month, it also began Android Oreo beta program for Nokia 6 and Nokia 5 smartphones. Today, on the official Weibo account, the Finnish firm has confirmed that it has started rolling out Android 8.0 Oreo update for the newly unveiled Nokia 6 2nd Gen smartphone and the Nokia 7.

Before releasing the stable Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Nokia 8, the Finnish company had released the beta version. However, the company seems to have skipped beta version of Android 8.0 Oreo for the newly announced Nokia 6 (2018) and Nokia 7 that was unveiled in October 2017. The Weibo post that confirms the rollout of Oreo update for these phones also claims that the first-generation Nokia 6 will be also upgraded to Android 8.0 Oreo very soon.

Currently, the Nokia 6 (2018) and Nokia 7 are only available in China. However, it is speculated that HMD Global will be bringing the Nokia 7 to India later this month.

Android 8.0 Oreo

Read More: Nokia 6 (2018) Hands-On Photos Reveal Its Solid Design

The Nokia 7 is the first smartphone from the company to come with glass chassis and it is also first device from the company to feature Snapdragon 630 chipset. It features a 5.2-inch FHD display, 64 GB storage and comes in 4 GB and 6 GB RAM variants. It has a rear-mounted camera of 16-megapixel and a selfie snapper of 5-megapixel. It includes a 3,000mAh capacity battery.

Nokia 6 (2018) that is powered by Snapdragon 630 borrows some features like OZO audio recording and Bothie camera mode from Nokia 7. It has a 5.5-inch FHD display and includes 4 GB of RAM. It is available in 32 GB and 64 GB storage models. It has a 16-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel frontal snapper. It is fueled by a 3,000mAh battery.

(source)

 

Xiaomi Chooses Morgan Stanley And Goldman Sachs Group For Its IPO

According to the latest reports, Xiaomi — the China-based technology company, has selected Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group for its planned initial public offering (IPO). Along with them, Credit Suisse Group AG and Deutsche Bank AG have also been selected to work on the IPO.

The report, which comes from Bloomberg, cites people with direct knowledge of the matter as its source. The report further adds that the China-based company is targeting a valuation of $100 billion. Earlier, there were rumours suggesting Xiaomi seeking $200 billion valuation, but that is highly unlikely.

xiaomi

However, reports suggest that the company is still considering its Chinese underwriters, as well as the timing and location of the share sale. Xiaomi’s IPO could be the biggest IPO since Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.’s $25 billion debut.

Xiaomi was valued at around $45 billion when it last raised a funding round in 2014. Once, it held the title of the world’s most valuable technology company. Xioami also successfully achieved its annual revenue target of 100 billion Yuan ($15 billion) in October 2017. The company broke its target by 18 percent and recorded as much as $1 billion in net profit. For 2018, Xiaomi has set a target of $2 billion in profits.

The China-based technology company bounced back from a disastrous 2016. The company, which mastered the online sales model, is now focusing on the offline channels to boost its sales. The company has strengthened its position in emerging markets like India, where it is now the largest smartphone vendor, ahead of Samsung.

Mi Home store

In line with the company’s renewed strategy, Xiaomi is now looking to establish its presence in the offline market. Having launched more than 300 Mi Stores in China, the tech giant plans to open over 1,000 physical stores in different Chinese cities by the year 2020.

There are also reports suggesting that Xiaomi is also planning to enter the US market and is currently in talks with some network carriers to sell its flagship devices from this year. While the company is in talks with AT&T and Verizon, there is no assurance if the deal will happen.

Recently, Huami — the makers of the Amazfit smartwatch line as well as Xiaomi’s Mi Band line, filed for a $150 million IPO in the United States. The company filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday.

Read More: Counterpoint Posts Q3 2017 Market Stats For All Regions; Xiaomi Is Fastest Growing Brand!

In its filings, Huami reveals that Xiaomi, which owns 19.3% of the company’s shares, is the sole customer and distribution channel for Xiaomi wearables. Sales of Xiaomi products contributed 97.1% in 2015, 92.1% in 2016, and 82.4% for the nine months ended on September 30 in 2017 to its revenue.

(Source)

 

Vivo X20 Dreamy Pink Version Priced at 2,998 Yuan (~$465) Will be Available on Pre-Sale from Tomorrow

Vivo X20 was launched in October 2017 in three color choices like Gold, Rose Gold and Matte Black. Soon after making the smartphone available for buying in China, the X20 was available in various color choices such as Black/Gold, Blue and Red. On its official Weibo account, Vivo has confirmed that it will start the pre-sale of the Dreamy Pink color from Jan. 16 in China

Pink-Vivo-X20-1-0

The images of the new Pink edition of the Vivo X20 shows that this color variant is different from the Rose Gold model that also a slightly pinkish appeal. Targeted towards the women, the Pink Vivo X20 carries a pricing of 2,998 Yuan (~$465). Apart from different color variants for the Vivo X20, the company launched it in various special edition models such as Swarovski Gift Box version, King of Glory Edition and FIFA World Cup Edition

As far as the specifications of the Pink colored Vivo X20 is concerned, it will be coming with the same hardware that is available on the other color variants of the Vivo X20. It houses a 6.01-inch AMOLED display that supports full HD+ resolution and an aspect ratio of 18:9. The Snapdragon 660 chipset lies under the hood of the phone. The SoC is supported by 4 GB of RAM and it has a native storage of 64 GB.

Pink-Vivo-X20

Pink-Vivo-X20

Pink-Vivo-X20

Pink-Vivo-X20

Read More: OPPO, Vivo Lost Nearly 10,000 Outlets in India After Drastic Reduction in Profit Margins

The rear panel of the Vivo X20 houses a pair of 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup. For snapping selfies, it includes a 12-megapixel selfie camera. It is packed with a 3,250mAh battery and it runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat OS.

It appears that its larger version, the X20 Plus won’t be available in the Pink color option. It is speculated that the company may launch an under-display fingerprint model of the X20 Plus in the near future.

What do you think about the new Dreamy Pink edition of the Vivo X20? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(source)

 

 

 

Buy Xiaomi Mijia Roborock Vacuum Cleaner 2 For Only $499.99 On GeekBuying [Coupon Code]

If you like to keep your home spanking clean without spending on expensive housekeeping appliances such as a vacuum cleaner, we have good news for you. You can now get your hands on Xiaomi Mijia Roborock Vacuum Cleaner 2 without shelling out a lot of money.

Despite bearing a massive 23% discount on its original asking price of $699.99 On GeekBuying, the Mijia Roborock Vacuum Cleaner 2 comes with both sweeping as well as mopping function. Moreover, its filter is designed to absorb water automatically while retaining sufficient water content.

Although you spend just $539.99 to buy the Mijia Roborock Vacuum Cleaner 2 on GeekBuying, you can still save more money. At the time of checking out, use promo code ‘MICLEANER2’ and save $40 more. This brings your subtotal down to just $499.99.


While you can choose from a myriad of other options of the all-purpose vacuum cleaner on GeekBuying, it’s worth noting that the discount you receive is based on the option you select. For instance, the aforesaid 23% discount is available for HK Stock (International Version) of the Xiaomi-branded vacuum cleaner.

Similarly, if you go for Germany Stock (International Version) of the Mi Robot 2, you’d be eligible to receive 17% discount, which brings the device’s original selling price of $699.99 down to only 579.99.

Regrettably, the promo is slated to end soon. If you’re interested in checking out all other options of the Mi Robot 2 available on GeekBuying and take advantage of the promo before it comes to an end, head straight to this link.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ Officially Listed At FCC, Model Numbers Revealed

samsung galaxy s9 hands on

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ have been spotted in the listings of the U.S. FCC (Federal Communication Commission): their existence is officially confirmed for the nth time together with their model numbers. The model numbers appeared at FCC are SM-G960U, SMG960U1, SM-G960W and SM-G960XU. The first model number refers to the U.S. unlocked variant of the phone, the one with the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC.

samsung galaxy s9

The second identifies the version for the Canadian market, while the fourth is the model number of demo units. Together with the model numbers, the LTE band charts of Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ have appeared as well. This year there is a single name: SM-G96XU, that is for all the bands like GSM, LTE, CDMA, and UMTS. Sadly, this is the only info surfaced at FCC about the two handsets, and there is no info regarding the specs.

According to the latest leaks, Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be released with bezel-less displays that will have sizes of 5.8 and 6.2 inches, and narrower bezels compared to the previous generation. The standard version is expected to sport a single camera, while the Plus variant should have a dual camera setup. The handsets will be officially unveiled at MWC 2018 in Barcelona.

(Via)

Nubia Z17miniS With 6GB RAM Is Now Available For Just 1699 Yuan ($263)

Nubia Z17miniS, which was launched a few months ago in China for about 1,999 Yuan (approximately $310), is now available at just 1,699 Yuan (approximately $263). The upper mid-range smartphone has received a price cut of 300 Yuan, thanks to the company’s promotional activities for the new year.

The phone’s body is a combination of metal and glass. The back panel has a 3D glass that curves and the company say that it is the industry’s first to use a colour gradient process. There is a metal frame between two sheets of glass. The Nubia Z17miniS is available in three colour options — Black Gold, Deep Blue, and Aegean Blue.

Nubia Z17miniS

Coming to the specifications of the Nubia Z17miniS, the phone features a 5.2-inch Full-HD in-cell display supplied by JDI, along with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection layer on top. Powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 653 processor, it packs Adreno 510 graphics processor and 6GB RAM.

There is 64GB of internal storage, but there is no microSD card support for expanding the storage capacity. The phone comes with four cameras – two on each side, front and rear. The rear cameras are two Sony IMX258 13MP sensors in the monochrome and RGB configuration. It comes with f/2.2 aperture, phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and dual-tone LED flash.

The front-facing dual cameras are a combination of a 16-megapixel f/2.0 aperture and a 5-megapixel wide-angle sensor with f/2.2 aperture. While there is no dedicated LED flash on the front side, the screen lights up for brighter selfies. There are features like beauty adjustment and real-time bokeh effect, along with Nubia’s NeoVision 7.0 camera software.

Read More: Again, Nubia Phone Renders With Unique Front Camera Appears

Connectivity options on the device include dual-band Wi-Fi support, Bluetooth 4.1, and a USB Type-C port. There is no 3.5mm audio jack. Below the display, there is a home button which also doubles as a fingerprint scanner. Running on Android Nougat based nubia UI 5.0, the device is fuelled by a 3,200mAh non-removable battery, which the company claims that provide battery life of about 1.41 days on a single charge.

 

ASUS ZenFone 5 Lite to Arrive With 6-inch Screen, Snapdragon SoC

In 2017, ASUS had delayed the launch of the ZenFone 4 series smartphones by several months. During an interview with ASUS CEO Jerry Shen in September last year, he had confirmed that the ASUS ZenFone 5 series smartphones would be unveiled as early as March 2018. It appears that the company is prepping up on the launch of the ZenFone 5 smartphones as the ZenFone 5 Lite mid-range phone has been recently certified in Russia.

zenfone_5_lite_certified

Read More: ASUS ZenFone Max Plus (M1) Arrives in February in the U.S. with $229 Pricing

The certification of the smartphone has revealed that it has a model number of ZC600KL where “KL” confirms that it would be fueled by Snapdragon chipset and it carries support for LTE connectivity. The number “60” present in the model number suggests that it would be packed with a 6-inch display. There is no confirmation on whether it will be supporting an aspect ratio of 18:9.

It is unclear whether the Taiwanese tech company will be unveiling the ZenFone 5 lineup at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 tech exhibition in the next month. There is a possibility that the company may hold a dedicated launch event for unleashing the new ZenFone 5 series of smartphones. The rumor mill is expected to reveal more information on the forthcoming ASUS phones in the coming weeks.

(source|via)

 

 

Huawei Rolls Out Android Oreo Based EMUI 8.0 With AI-Powered Features

Huawei has announced that it has started rolling out its upgraded operating system — EMUI 8.0, which is based on Android 8.0 Oreo. It seems that the company has decided to change the numbering scheme of its Android-based custom skin to sync it with the Android version numbers.

The company has described the upgraded EMUI 8.0 as “an avant-garde technological software which is efficient, secure and above all, user-friendly.”

EMUI 8.0

According to the company, EMUI 8.0 — which is the successor to EMUI 5.1 — 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. Thanks to Android Oreo, users will also have access to features like split-screen interface, navigation dock, one-hand operation and smart view.

Huawei’s spokesperson said that users can witness a faster and smarter phone experience, powered by advanced AI technological features. He adds that the update significantly cuts down on the number of steps needed to achieve the desired function through its smart applications like navigation dock and smart screen, and enables the user to reach 90% of the core functions in just a single click.

The company’s recently launched smartphone — Honor V10 in China or Honor View 10 in other regions, already comes running EMUI 8.0 based on Android Oreo. The latest EMUI will now also be rolled out for other devices from the company, including Honor 8 Pro, Honor 9i, Honor 7X, and Honor 8 Lite. However, the company has not yet revealed any specific timeline for this roll-out.

Read More: Huawei’s CEO Reveals Its Next Flagships Could Bring a DSLR-like Camera Experience

The Honor 9 Lite, which is scheduled to launch in India on 17th January, exclusively through online retailer Flipkart, also comes powered by EMUI 8.0 based on Android Oreo operating system out-of-the-box.

 

LG V30 Starts Getting The Update to Android Oreo

LG V30 is actually the best and most recent flagship released by LG, but it has not been launched with the latest version of Google’s operating system. The device has been launched in the market with Android 7.1.2 Nougat, but now, just four months after the launch, the final update to Android 8.0 Oreo is rolling out. According to some reports from Korea, some units of the device identified with the code V3000S have already been updated: the version of the firmware is Android 8.0.0 v19c.

LG V30

For now, it is just a local roll out, as the American and European units of the LG V30 still run Android v10c Nougat. There is just a report from the U.S. by a fan who received Android 8.0 Oreo on the unlocked version of the device. But this guy may have taken the firmware from some other source, we do not think it is an OTA update. Anyways, the final update to Android Oreo should be coming soon in Europe and U.S. According to the latest info, the US99819f firmware based on Android Oreo is already in testing.

lg v30

At this moment we do not know the exact date on which the update will start hitting all the units of LG V30 globally. In the meantime, you can check if the update has hit your device by heading to the Settings menu. Just tap on Device info, then on Software updates, to check if it is available or not. The update to Android Oreo will bring many new features on the LG V30. Among the most important ones there is an advanced picture in picture mode which will allow users to reduce apps as small floating windows on the display, so they can use other apps at the same time. Do you think LG V30 will update before or after Samsung Galaxy S8?

(Via)

 

Blackview BV9000 4G Phablet Is Up For Grabs For Just $229.99 On GearBest

blackview bv9000 review

Touted as the first 18:9 full screen and IP68 rugged smartphone, Blackview BV9000 4G phablet is currently up for grabs at a discounted price of just $229.99 on GearBest. This is a considerable 12% discount on the device’s original selling price.

Sporting a large 5.7-inch display as a phablet, the BV9000 offers a completely different visual experience that allows you to enjoy high-resolution images. It offers a triple camera setup featuring a 13MP+5MP camera combination at the back and an 8MP front shooter for selfies.

The BV9000 is crammed with features and specification that we usually associated with a phablet. For instance, it comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The handset also packs an MTK6757CD Octa Core 2.6GHz processor, under the hood.

Moreover, the dual-SIM phablet runs on Android 7.1 Nougat operating system and is backed by a non-removable 4180mAh battery. GearBest is currently offering the discount on the golden, gray and silver color versions of Blackview BV9000 phablet.

It’s worth noting that the promo is slated to end in just 7 days and only 198 pieces were left at the time of writing. Head straight to this link and take advantage of GearBest’s massive 12% off on the Blackview BV9000 phablet.

Xiaomi Mi Note 3 Does Well In Video Stabilisation Test Vs Galaxy S8, iPhone X & Mate 10 Pro

Xiaomi’s Mi Note 3 is a mid-range smartphone considering that it packs a Snapdragon 630 chipset but the device has all the qualities of a flagship model. First, it features the same design as the flagship Mi 6, except that it has a bigger size. The Xiaomi smartphone was recently revealed to have pooled an impressive score of 90 points on DxOMark’s benchmark test. That camera has been put to test in real life use and the Mi Note 3 comes out unscathed. Xiaomi Mi Note 3

The test is meant to determine the image stabilization property of the Mi Note 3 in comparison with that of the iPhone X, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Huawei Mate 10. The short clip shows for different videos captured by the quartet of a lady flipping through the pages of a book while sitting inside a moving train. Only the Mi Note 3 and Galaxy S8 are able to withstand the shakiness of the train and still films the scene in a stable manner. That is likely due to the presence of Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) on the device. On the other hand, the Mate 10 Pro and iPhone ‘s recordings were affected by the vibration generated by the fast-moving train and thus the videos were shaky all through. What makes this all becomes confusing is that all four smartphones come with OIS! So, we can’t really say why there is a difference in their performance. 

Read Also: Xiaomi Mi Note 3 Review – Premium Midrange Flagship!

This does not in anyway mean the Mi Note 3 packs a better camera, all three models are flagship phones and have better DXOMark’s score than the Mi Note 3. So, we can’t verify if this video test was actually carried out with the mentioned models. That is not to say the Mi Note 3 cannot deliver stable videos in rough terrain. It can, due to teh 4-axis Optical Imaging Stabilization (OIS) it features. But we find it difficult to believe the iPhone X and Mate 10 Pro will perform that bad. You can watch the video from here.

(source)

HTC U11 EYEs Full Details & Press Renders Leaked Before Launch

Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC has already revealed that it would be launching the U11 Eyes on January 15 simultaneously in Beijing, Taipei and Hong Kong. The HTC U11 EYEs looks like one awesome device worth waiting for, going by the leaked renders we have seen. And now, the specification of the device has leaked ahead of its launch. Not only do we get an idea of the specs of the U11 EYEs, we also get to see the press renders of the model in all its glory.HTC U11 Eyes

The renders were official ones and they emanated from HTC Taiwan’s official Facebook page. Lately, HTC has been coming up with some good phones and this is probably one of them. The U11 EYEs and the U11+ both have a similar rear design with the body looked to be made of glass and the fingerprint sensor located just under the main camera. The difference between both models apparently lies in the front design. The upcoming HTC U11 EYEs packs a dual camera setup at the front. The device also has a full-screen design with tinier bezels at the top and bottom edges while those at the two sides look almost non-existent.HTC U11 Eyes

Apart from the press renders, the key specs of the U11 EYEs have also been exposed ahead of the launch and it comes courtesy of tipster Evan Bass.The details include a 6-inch display with a resolution of 2160 × 1080p and thus, an 18: 9 aspect ratio. In addition, the device is said to pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 backed by 4GB of RAM while there is 64GB of storage onboard. From the press renders, we can gather that the U11 EYEs will pack a 3939mAh battery and will have an IP67 level dustproof, and waterproof build.

Read Also: HTC U11 EYEs Could be Arriving With Amazing Selfie Snapper

Furthermore, the device is expected to pack HTC’s Edge Sense and would run on Android Nougat out of the box. Another interesting feature expected to be on the device is facial recognition technology. The front dual cameras also come with three modes; rapid HDR, Bokeh mode and Beauty mode.  The device will be available in Black, Silver, and Red colors. Finally, the device should come with a price tag hovering around 14900NT (about 32oo Yuan, ~$495).

(source 1, 2, via)HTC U11 EyesHTC U11 EyesHTC U11 EyesHTC U11 EyesHTC U11 Eyes

 

 

Master Lu Benchmark’s Top 10 2017 Smartphone Ranking Puts Nubia Z17 On Top, Above Mate 10 Pro!

Just like AnTuTu and Geekbench, Master Lu is another benchmark for devices like smartphones. Though it’s not as popular as the other two, we do see its benchmarks crop up once in a while and its benchmark listing usually gets attention among the western media especially when its of an unannounced model.

Despite being unpopular outside of China, the benchmark tool has a database of all the major smartphones released in the past one year, including the OnePlus 5, Nubia Z17, Mate 10 models and so on. So, when the benchmark app released its top 10 list of smartphones of 2017, it was worth checking who came out on top.

master lu top 10 phones 2017

We all keep a close watch on AnTuTu’s top smartphones and unsurprisingly, the OnePlus 5 and the Galaxy Note 8 are the top two smartphones on the benchmarking app. The AnTuTu rankings are yet to be updated to include recent models and it seems that the ranking hasn’t been refreshed since October 2017.

However, in case of Master Lu’s top 10 smartphones list, there are quite a few recent models including the recent Mate 10 models. The Nubia Z17, though old, is right on top and followed by the Mate 10 Pro and the HTC U11. The OnePlus 5T model is way behind, at the eight spot. The Galaxy Note 8 is also down at the sixth spot, preceded by Google’s Pixel XL 2. Eight out of the 10 models were powered by Snapdragon 835, while Kirin 970 powered flagships occupied two spots in the list.

It’s worth mentioning that the first two scores are very close. The Huawei Mate 10 Pro (167467) with Kirin 970 scores almost as much as the Nubia Z17 (167988) powered by Snapdragon 835. So it looks like Master Lu’s benchmark puts Kirin 970 very close to SD835 in terms of performance.