LG Zone 4 With 5-Inch Display And Snapdragon 425 Processor Launched

By

-

Mar 20, 2018

LG has announced a new budget smartphone in the United States for Verizon. Dubbed as LG Zone 4, the phone is priced at $115 and comes in Moroccan Blue color. It is the successor of LG Zone 3 which was launched in January 2016.

The phone features a 5-inch HD display with screen resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and is powered by a 1.4GHz Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 425 processor and Adreno 308 graphics processor. It packs 2GB RAM and 64GB internal storage.

There’s also a microSD card slot, which enables users to further expand the phone’s storage capacity. On the camera front, the phone comes with an 8-megapixel rear camera along with LED flash. For the front, there’s a 5-megapixel shooter for video calling and taking selfies.

The smartphone runs on Android 7.1.2 Nougat operating system, which is a bit disappointing given that it is an older version and the adaptation of Android Oreo is increasing. Connectivity options on the device include 4G LTE, VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi, and GPS.

On the back side, below the camera module, there’s a fingerprint sensor for additional security. The device is backed by a 2,500mAh battery which the company claims to be offering 16 days of standby time or up to 30 hours of usage time.

Currently, South Korea-based LG is gearing up to launch its next flagship smartphone. According to the reports, the company is aiming to launch the LG G7 by the end of next month. Hence, the smartphone is expected to arrive in the market by May this year.

Further, the report says that depending on the variant, the LG G7 is expected to be priced around $850 to $950. Its unveil event could be held in South Korea or the U.S. or Europe but nothing has been confirmed so far. Since the LG G7 is slated to be available from May, LG could postpone the launch of LG V40 from September to November.

Vivo Y85 is Almost Official as its Reservations Have Started on JD

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Mar 20, 2018

Vivo is known for launching new budget-friendly Y-series phone after it unveils a new high-end X-series phone. Yesterday, the Chinese manufacturer had debuted the Vivo X21 smartphone. It seems that the company has also officially launched the Vivo Y85 phone as almost everything from its specifications to pricing have been confirmed since it is has been made available for reservations on JD.com

Vivo Y85 Specifications and Features

The Vivo Y85 is yet another phone from China to arrive with notched display like the iPhone X. Its 6.26-inch IPS LCD display offers an aspect ratio of 19:9. The Y85 comes in a full metallic body that measures 154.81 x 75.03 x 7.89mm and it comes in two colors like Black and Champagne Gold. The handset features gold accents around the dual camera module and fingerprint scanner..

The Snapdragon 450 chipset is present under the hood of Vivo Y85. The 32 GB and 64 GB storage models of the Y85 feature 4 GB of RAM. It features a dedicated slot for adding a microSD card to the phone. The handset receives power from 3,260mAh battery.

The Vivo Y85 has a front-facing camera of 16-megapixel. With AI, it promises to capture enhanced selfies. The frontal camera also doubles up as Face Awake feature for facial recognition. The rear side of the Y85 features f/2.0 aperture 13-megapixel + f/2.0 aperture 2-megapixel dual rear cameras that is capable at snapping impressive portrait shots.

The handset is preinstalled with Android 8.1 Oreo that is skinned with FunTouch OS 4.0. It brings along Jovi AI virtual assistant for handling various tasks on the phone. It can intelligently learn the habit of the users and accordingly offer better suggestions. It also come with other features like split-screen mode, game mode and AR stickers. The other features available on the phone include 3.5mm audio jack, microUSB, Wi-Fi, 4G VoLTE, GPS, Bluetooth and rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

Vivo Y85 Pricing

The 32 GB and 64 GB storage variants of the Vivo Y85 are respectively priced at 1,598 Yuan (~$252) and 1,798 Yuan (~$284). Customers who book this phone will be provided with a Bluetooth speaker from Vivo. As of this writing, there is no information available on the exact release date of Vivo Y85.

What’s your opinion on the specs and pricing of Vivo Y85? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

OnePlus 6 Coming with Under Display Fingerprint Scanner, 3D Facial Recognition?

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Mar 20, 2018

Yesterday, OPPO had launched the OPPO R15 and OPPO R15 Dream Mirror smartphones. On the same day, Vivo had also launched the Vivo X21 smartphone and its under-display fingerprint variant. The upcoming OnePlus 6 is expected to borrow design and some features from the Oppo R15 and Vivo X21 since these three brands belong to the parent company named BBK Electronics. In December, the rumor mill had claimed that the OnePlus 6 may arrive with under-display fingerprint scanner. After launching the Vivo X20 UD, Vivo APEX flagship phone and Vivo X21 UD with under-display fingerprint scanner, it seems that the OnePlus 6 may arrive with the advanced fingerprint scanning technology. Also, the OP6 may feature 3D face scanning feature like the Vivo X21.

The OnePlus 6 is rumored to arrive with a larger screen-to-body ratio than the predecessor model. Like the Oppo R15, the OnePlus 6 may feature a notched display that offers a screen-to-body ratio of 90-percent. The evidence of the notched design for the OnePlus 6 was recently spotted in its firmware files. Also, the screenshots of the AnTuTu app showing the benchmark scores of OnePlus 6 had also revealed an empty at its topside which again hinted that it would be arriving with a notch enabled display. This indicates that the OnePlus 6 may deliver an aspect ratio of 19:9 and FHD+ resolution of 2280 x 1080 pixels.

The Snapdragon 845 chipset is likely to power the OnePlus 6. Like the predecessor model, the 64 GB and 128 GB storage models may feature 6 GB and 8 GB of RAM. A recent report has revealed that the handset may carry support for super-fast LTE gigabit connectivity.

The OnePlus 5T that was launched in the last quarter of 2017 is the first phone from the company to come with Face Unlock feature. The OP6 may arrive with an advanced face scanning feature this year. The Vivo X21 has an IR emitter apart from the 12-megapixel selfie camera. It may not be as advanced the Face ID 3D facial recognition feature available on the iPhone X as it is also equipped with a fingerprint scanner. However, it seems to be a good hint that the OP6 may also arrive with some sort of 3D face scanning feature.

There are no details on the other specs of the OP6. However, since the OnePlus flagship is speculated to debut in June this year, the rumor mill is likely to reveal more information on it in the coming weeks.

Buy Xiaomi Mijia Wireless Electric Mop For Only $129.99 On GeekBuying

By

Vinay Patel

-

Mar 20, 2018

While there’s no dearth of home cleaning products in the market, these devices are either ineffective or bear steep price tags. But if you’re not willing to spend a lot of money on these unproductive items, we have good news for you.

Equipped with a powerful motor that warrants high-efficiency coupled with full cleaning, the Xiaomi Mijia wireless electric mop is ideal for people who are keen on keeping their homes clean and tidy. While house cleaning can be a backbreaking task, it is also likely to burn a hole in your pocket.

Bearing that in mind, GeekBuying is currently offering a massive 43% off on the Mijia electric mop’s original selling price of $ 226.26. With the discount, your grand total drops down to only $129.99. The slashed price is valid for Italy, German, and Spain-based buyers.

The one-key operable Mijia wireless electric mop sports a compact design that perfectly fits the corner streamline. Moreover, it comes with a LED light that highlights the dirt and stain.

It’s worth noting that the promo is on the verge of wrapping up. The device is likely to retain its original selling price as soon as the promo comes to an end. You can check out the full specification and take advantage of the promo by heading straight to this link.

Get 43% Off On Xiaomi Mijia Wireless Electric Mop On GeekBuying

Buy DBPOWER GP15 Mini Projector For Only $57.99 On Amazon [Claim Code]

By

Vinay Patel

-

Mar 20, 2018

With an upgraded +50% LUMENS, the DBPOWER GP15 mini portable projector delivers a considerable 50% sharper and brighter output as compared to a slew of other 1800 lumens projectors that are available in the market today. As a result, you get crystal clear, higher quality images.

Designed specifically for home entertainment, this led projector does not come cheap. You can get your hands on the black color version of the GP15 mini projector by shelling out $159.99 on Amazon. The blue and white color versions, on the other hand, carry price tags of $109.99 and $199.99, respectively.

The DBPOWER GP15 offers projection size of 32-120 inches and a projection distance of 1-3m. It supports 1080P, and 720P resolution and comes with built-in dual stereo speakers.
Moreover, the DBPOWER GP15 projector supports connection with a slew of devices including smartphones, tablets, Amazon Fire TV Stick, DVD players, TF cards (max 32GB), USB sticks, PCs, laptops, and TVs.

But if you’re not willing to shell out that kind of money for this led projector, we have good news for you. At the time of checking out, you can use claim code ‘WO5LATMD’ in a bid to get your grand total down to just $57.99.

You can head straight to this link in order to take advantage of the discount before the claim code expires on March 31 at 11:59 PM PDT.

Buy DBPOWER GP15 Projector At A Discounted Price On Amazon

Redmi Note 5 Goes Out of Stock in Few Seconds in its First Sale in China

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Mar 20, 2018

After building hype around the Redmi Note 5, it was finally unveiled last week in China. Its first flash sale was carried out today in China at 10 AM (local time). As expected, all the three variants of the Redmi Note 5 that were made available for buying were sold in few seconds on the official online store of Xiaomi. This shows how popular the Redmi Note series of smartphones is in the home country.

In China, the Redmi Note 5 is available in three models. The base model has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage and the second variant includes 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. The highest variant comprises of 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. These variants are respectively priced at 1,099 Yuan (~$173), 1,399 Yuan (~$221) and 1,699 Yuan (~$268). All the Redmi Note 5 variants are available in colors like black, gold, rose gold and blue. In the first flash sale, 3 GB + 32 GB and 4 GB + 64 GB Redmi Note 5 models were sold out in few seconds whereas the 6 GB + 64 GB also went out stock in few minutes.

The Redmi Note 5 is undoubtedly one of the best mid-range phones available in China. However, the upcoming phones such as Lenovo S5, Meizu E3 and Smartisan Nut 2 are also expected to feature the same Snapdragon 636 chipset to rival with the Redmi Note 5. As far as the performance of the Note 5 is concerned, it has scored an impressive benchmarking score of 115,247 on AnTuTu.

The Note 5 has couple of AI features such as AI face recognition and AI Smart Beauty. It includes 5.99-inch FHD+ resolution supporting IPS LCD display that offers an aspect ratio of 18:9. It includes a big battery of 4,000mAh capacity. It is loaded with the latest MIUI 9 version that brings along the new feature of full screen gestures.

The Redmi Note 5 is fitted with 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup on its back panel. The frontside of the phone is flanked with 13-megapixel selfie camera. The rear side of the phone features a fingerprint scanner.

(source)

Get Up To 35% Off On Ulefone-Branded Smartphones On Banggood

By

Vinay Patel

-

Mar 20, 2018

If you’re a smartphone lover waiting to get your hands on a high-end mobile phone without emptying your pocket, we have good news for you. As part of its latest promo, Banggood is giving up to 35% off on select Ulefone-branded smartphones.

Ulefone Power 3S

Dubbed as Ulefone Technology Carnival, the promo comprises a slew of well-received Ulefone smartphone that you can buy at a heavily discounted price. For instance, the Ulefone Power 3S 4G smartphone which normally sells for $229.99 on Banggood is currently available for just $169.99.

This is a noteworthy 26% reduction in the mobile phone’s original asking price. On top of that, if you order the Power 3S smartphone now, you’ll be eligible to get free gifts including a free Type C to 3.5mm headphone adapter, a free OTG cable, a free case, and a free screen protector.

While the discount is valid for both gold and black color versions of the smartphone, it’s worth noting that there were only 66 pieces left. Moreover, the promo is slated to end on March 26.

Ulefone Armor 2S

Banggood is also offering a 30% discount on the original $229.99 selling price of the Ulefone Armor 2S smartphone. As a result, you can now preorder the power-packed device by shelling out just $159.99.

The discount is valid for green, dark gray and gold color versions of the Armor 2S smartphone. However, the promotion sale will come to an end on March 26 and there were only 48 pieces left at the time of writing.

Ulefone Armor 2

Alternatively, you can order the Armor 2 smartphone for a lowered price on Banggood. The site is giving a considerable 14% off on the handset’s original selling price of $279.99. This brings your grand total down to just $239.99.

Apart from getting the discount, you get a big gift pack when you order the Armor 2 smartphone on Banggood. The gift pack includes a micro USB to Type-C adapter, screwdriver, USB Type C to 3.5mm, warranty card, user manual, data cable and EU charger.

As if that weren’t enough, you even earn 239 Banggood points. The promo, which is valid for the golden color version of the mobile phone, will end on March 26 and there were 43 pieces remaining.

Ulefone Power 3

The Ulefone Power 3 smartphone is currently up for preorder for just $219.99 on Banggood. This is a noteworthy 27% reduction in the phone’s real selling price of $299.99.You can choose between two color options including gold and black. On the downside, there were only 78 pieces remaining and the discount is only valid until March 26.

$40 Gift

You’d be eligible to get a $40 gift when you order the Ulefone Power 2 smartphone, which is backed by a massive 6050mAh battery and offers 4GB of RAM and a hearty 64GB of onboard storage. The phone is up for grabs for $149.99.
The promo is also valid for the American version of the Power 2 smartphone. The US-version of the smartphone sports a 16-megapixel rear-mounted camera and a 13-megapixel front shooter for selfies. The phone can be yours if you’re willing to shell out $159.99.

Aside from that, the $40 gift promo is valid for 2 different versions of the Ulefone T1 smartphones. Let’s delve straight into the details.

Offering 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal memory, the T1 is available for $206.99. The other version offering 6GB of RAM and a hearty 128GB ROM is available for $249.99.

If you’re interested in getting your hands on these coveted smartphones for a discounted price, head straight to this link before the promo comes to an end.

Get Heavy Discounts On Select Ulefone-Branded Smartphones On Banggood

Huawei P20 Pro Has 40MP + 8MP + 20MP Triple Rear Cameras

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Mar 20, 2018

Do you remember the Nokia Lumia 1020? It was famous for having a 41MP rear camera. The Huawei P20 Pro has a 40MP rear sensor which is impressive too but the Lumia 1020 is still the champ. What if we added another 8MP camera to the P20 Pro? Cool, right? Oh! Here’s another 20MP camera. Do we have your attention now?

The above is the camera configuration for the Huawei P20 Pro according to reports from Winfuture.de. The camera specs of the P20 Pro have remained a mystery until now. And with this leak, one can say Huawei is setting multiple records in the mobile industry.

So how do the cameras work? The Leica co-developed sensors are arranged in this fashion – 40MP + 8MP dual sensors in the same housing and a third “standalone” 20MP camera.

Huawei says the phone can achieve up to 5x magnification via what it calls Hybrid Zoom. Actually, the main 40MP camera has just 3x zoom but when combined with the additional details captured by the secondary 8MP telephoto lens, the phone achieves 5x zoom. We should get a better explanation when the phone launches.

What about the 20MP sensor standing alone? It is reported that it is a monochrome camera which is usually the second camera in Huawei’s older flagship dual camera phones.

The apertures for the three sensors are said to be between f/1.6 and f/2.4. It is also reported that Huawei is announcing a new camera feature called Light Fusion. There is no explanation for how Light Fusion works but we presume it has something to do with better low-light photography. There is also an IR-RGB sensor and a laser-focus module on the back.

The Huawei P20 Pro will also have a 24MP selfie camera like the Huawei P20. The front camera will also have the Light Fusion feature.

The P20 Pro will come with a 6.1” OLED display with a 2240 x 1080 resolution and a 19:9 aspect ratio. It has a notch at the top which is home to the sensor, earpiece, and the front camera. Although the screen stretches to the top of the phone, the bottom part has a bezel which is home to a fingerprint scanner.

The Huawei P20 Pro will be powered by the Kirin 970 chip which has a NPU (Neural Processing Unit) for handling AI tasks. In Europe, the phone will be available with 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage. Other markets are said to get a 256GB version too.

The phone has a 4,000mAh battery with support for Huawei’s SuperCharge fast charging technology. There is also gigabit WIFI, Bluetooth 4.2 (not 5.0), NFC, and a total of 28 supported LTE bands, which means it should work in any part of the world.

Continue

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 (China) Hands On & Unboxing Pictures

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Mar 20, 2018

Xiaomi left a couple of fans in India with a red face by launching the Redmi Note 5 in China with somewhat improved specs than the Redmi Note 5 Pro with which it shares the same design. We bring you hands-on/unboxing photos of the Redmi Note 5 sourced from Chinese blog My Drivers.

The photos effectively confirm the device has the same design as the Redmi Note 5 Pro. The features include a similar 5.99-inch FHD+ display packing a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The display is placed under a layer of 2.5D curved glass to provide some bit of protection and aesthetics. The front panel of the Redmi Note 5 includes a soft LED flash-enabled 13MP selfie camera that carries support for AI portrait mode. This is distinctively different from the Redmi Note 5 Pro’s 20MP selfie shooter. The inclusion of pre-HDR allows it to intelligently detect the background light to capture amazing selfie shots in dim-light conditions by accordingly configuring the front LED flash. The front-facing camera can also capture full HD videos.

At the rear, the Redmi Note 5 features an aluminium unibody with an AI-driven dual rear camera arrangement at the top left corner. The camera is stacked vertically with the LED flash sitting between both rear shooters. The Redmi Note 5’s AI Dual Camera comprises of a 12MP primary sensor that has a pixel size of 1.4micron and f/1.9 aperture along with a 5MP secondary depth of field sensor. It is equipped with features like dual autofocus, EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization), HDR, Burst Mode and Panorama. The dual rear cameras can also capture amazing AI driven portrait shots by naturally blurring the background. Apart from shooting full HD videos, it can also record 720p slow-motion videos.

In addition, the Redmi Note 5 comes with a thin build and as a result of the high screen-to-body ratio, the device packs a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and lacks a physical home button under the display. There is also the Face ID technology which brings face unlock to the device. Check out more pictures of the Redmi Note 5 after the cut…….

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S Packaging Box Sticker Leaks, Reveals 8GB RAM + 256GB Storage Version

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Mar 19, 2018

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s retail box sticker has just leaked and the leak comes with an interesting detail. The sticker shows the Mi Mix 2s will have a black Ceramic edition with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. This is sort of a surprise because this will be the first time a smartphone with such combination would be coming out. We already know the Mix 2s would have an 8GB RAM variant but pairing it up with 256GB of native storage will be another major hit by Xiaomi.

The smartphone with an almost similar setup is the Huawei Mate 10 Porsche which had 6GB of RAM and 256GB storage as well as the Galaxy S9+ (6GB+256GB) variant. There is also the iPhone X variant with 3GB RAM and 256GB of storage. These models also coming at astronomically high prices, so it is pretty difficult to tell if Xiaomi will still maintain its affordable outlook on this version.

The Mi Mix 2s will feature a 6.01-inch FHD+ OLED Display likely supplied by Samsung with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The device will be powered by a Snapdragon 845 chip paired with a 6GB RAM on the standard version and an 8GB RAM on the topmost version. The device is also expected to pack a dual camera setup aligned vertically. The cameras will come with artificial intelligence and we expect the main sensor to be a 12MP Sony IMX363 sensor. There will also be a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and a ceramic body among other features.

(source)

Video Shows Huawei P20 (or P20 Pro) May Support Super Slow Motion Video Recording

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Mar 19, 2018

The biggest upgrade on Samsung’s new flagships are the cameras. Judging from Huawei’s adverts and teasers for its upcoming P20 series, the cameras are also the focus. A new leak has revealed that the Huawei P20 or Huawei P20 Pro will have slow motion recording.

Slooow moootion #ImmaginaOOOltre #HuaweiP20
Congrats 4 u cats… @SofiaLehtimaki 🙃
🌞#catlover pic.twitter.com/AX3mxLvtg6

— Ricciolo (@Ricciolo1) March 18, 2018

A video shared on Twitter yesterday by @Ricciolo1 shows a slow motion advert for the Huawei P20. The particular device wasn’t specified since Huawei has been releasing teaser ads for the P20 series as a whole. But we know the P20 Lite is ruled out as it is already on sale and a review video posted online doesn’t mention the feature.

That leaves us with just the P20 and P20 Pro. But it wouldn’t be a wild guess if we go with the latter. All the video ads have teased one major feature which is triple rear cameras and we know only the Huawei P20 Pro has triple cameras. Nevertheless, slow motion recording isn’t a feature exclusive to phones with triple cameras, so it won’t be unusual if the regular P20 gets it too.

There is no info as to the frame rate the phone can shoot in during slow motion neither is there a mention of the resolution. If we are lucky, we might find out before the 27th of March which is when Huawei officially launches the P20 series.

(Source, Via)

Vivo V9 To Be Announced On March 22, Indian Launch Set For March 23

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Mar 19, 2018

After announcing its new premium offer X21, Vivo has published an official teaser which reveals the date at which it will announce another smartphone: the Vivo V9. A new wonderful notched handset by the BBK-owned hi-tech giant is going to be showcased on March 22 in China. On the day after the official announcement, the company will hold an event in India in which it will reveal its pricing and availability in the Asian peninsula. Aesthetically, the V9 will be very similar to the X21.

According to an official image, it will have a tri-bezel-less display. Even though it will be a midrange it will offer an incredibly high screen-to-body ratio and an iPhone X-like notch which will house the front camera and the earpiece. The specifications of Vivo V9 have already been confirmed on the official site of the company, so we know almost everything about it. It will feature a 6.3-inch panel with a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2280 pixels and a 19:9 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, it will sport an octa-core Snapdragon 626 chipset by Qualcomm, supported by 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage expandable with a micro SD up to 256 GB. The micro SD slot will be a dedicated slot, so you will be able to use two SIMs and a micro SD at the same time. The fingerprint sensor will be placed on the back, but there will be facial recognition in case the sensor placement is not comfortable for you. The rear camera department will be composed of two sensors with resolutions of 16 and 5 MP, while the front camera will be a single snapper with a 24 MP resolution. With the dual camera setup, it will be possible to record 4K videos, while the selfie camera will support a beauty mode based on AI and AR stickers.

(Via)

Leak: Renders, Specs, and Price of Huawei Enjoy 8E

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Mar 19, 2018

Full details of a yet-to-be announced phone from Huawei have been leaked online. The phone is the Enjoy 8E and it shares a close resemblance to the recently launched Honor 7C.

The Huawei Enjoy 8E has a 5.7” 1440 x 720 display. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 powers it along with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.

Like the Honor 7C, it also has dual rear cameras in the same 13MP + 2MP configuration while a 5MP sits in front for selfies. There is an LED flash on both sides of the phone. A fingerprint scanner also sits on the back

The Enjoy 8E will run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box and pack a 3000mAh battery that charges via a microUSB port. It is said to measure 152.4 x 73 x 7.8 mm and weigh 150g. It will also be available on March 30 for ¥1099 (~$173).

Continue

OPPO R15 Hands On Pictures – A True Bezel-less Beauty…With A Notch

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Mar 19, 2018

OPPO surprisingly took the wraps off the much-anticipated OPPO R15 and R15 Dream Edition. The smartphones were earlier revealed as launching on March 31. The launch date isn’t the only surprise attached to OPPO’s 2018 flagship model. The R15 models come with a notch display design which is one of the major highlights of its design. We have some hands on photos of the R15 which gives a clear view of the device captured from all angles.

The OPPO R15 features a 6.28-inch OLED Super View Full-Screen display. It offers a Full HD+ resolution of 2280 x 1080 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19:9. The notch isn’t too big and you still get a screen-to-body ratio of up to 90 percent. For sure, we can confidently say the R15 edges closer to being a truly bezel-less smartphone even though the notch may be a turn-off for some fans. In typical BBK fashion, we might see the OnePlus 6 coming with a similar design.

At the back, the OPPO R15 packs a dual rear camera setup aligned horizontally and located on the top left corner. The device also features a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and a sleek 2.5D curved glass back. The device still made do with a USB 2.0 port but of course, it is integrated with OPPO’s custom VOOC fast charging. There is also a 3.5mm jack which seems to be going nowhere anytime soon. Check out more of the hands-on pictures below.

(source)

Honor 9 and V9 Will Soon Get Face Unlock, Says Honor President

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Mar 19, 2018

Honor 9 and V9 (V9 is the Chinese name for the Honor 8 Pro) were among the last Huawei devices featuring a standard 16:9 display. One of the main disadvantages of the latest full-screen Honor devices was the absence of the fingerprint reader on the front. The company had to place it on the back since there is no space on the front panel due to the bezel-less displays.

So, in order to make authentication more comfortable, the company has decided to bring Face Unlock on several of its devices. And soon even Honor 9 and V9 will get this feature. The confirmation has just arrived from Honor President Zhao Ming who announced that both these handsets will receive Face Unlock through a post on the microblogging platform Weibo.

The date on which the Face Unlock update will be rolled out has not been unveiled, but from the words of the President, we can understand that it should happen very soon. The software-based Face Unlock which will arrive on the Honor 9, V9 is not as safe as the Face ID found on the Apple iPhone X which relies on a hardware sensor. But it is still a fast and very comfortable method to unlock our handsets.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ (Exynos) Get The Official TWRP Support

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Mar 19, 2018

TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) is one of the most important tools in the world of smartphone modding. It is a custom recovery which is used to flash custom ROMs on Android devices, to obtain root access and much more. Actually, this is the most famous and the most used custom recovery. Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ have just gained the official support to TWRP recovery. Usually, it takes quite some time for the team to release custom recovery for newly announced Android devices, but it has not been so with the latest flagships by Samsung.

For now, TWRP is only available for the variants of Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ which are equipped with an Exynos 9810 processor. So, we are talking about the European variants of the handsets. The U.S. versions with Snapdragon 845 are not supported yet. The custom recovery is identified with the codename starlte for the Galaxy S9 and star2lte for the S9 Plus. It is possible to download the official TWRP app for free on Play Store, or you can directly download the TWRP recovery mode for the two devices on the official website. Click here if you want to download TWRP for Samsung Galaxy S9 Exynos and here for the S9 Plus Exynos.

To flash TWRP you need to unlock the bootloader of your device. Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ have just hit the shelves all around the world. They offer an Infinity Display with a QHD+ resolution and a size of 5.8 and 6.2 inches, respectively. Among the most important features, there are cameras with a variable aperture which makes them adapt better to every light condition. While the Samsung Galaxy S9 comes with a single camera, the Plus variant has a dual camera on the rear side and even a higher quantity of RAM (6 GB).

(Via)

Lenovo S5 Specs Rumor Roundup: What To Expect From The Redmi Note 5 Killer Tomorrow

By

Joel Joseph

-

Mar 19, 2018

Despite being one of the top laptop makers in the world, Lenovo hasn’t managed to do really well in the competitive smartphone market. The company has been operating under multiple brands in the past few years, including ZUK, Lenovo, and even Moto, after the company bought the brand back in 2014. ZUK is no more in China, and Motorola has little presence in the company’s domestic market. So, it makes sense that Lenovo is trying to bring back phones under its own brand name in China.

The Lenovo S5 is said to be an important smartphone for the company in the country. The phone will directly take on the Redmi Note 5 that was announced just a few days ago, with a reportedly better hardware and experience.

So here’s all you need to know about Lenovo S5 Specs and Features.

While the specs of the S5 haven’t been leaked as extensively as Xiaomi smartphones, a Lenovo model, K520 was recently certified on TENAA. The K520 is said to be the S5, so we can get the specs of the upcoming model from this TENAA listing.

5.65-inch FHD+ 2160 x 1080p 18:9 display
2GHz octa-core processor (Likely Helio P60!)
3GB / 4GB RAM
32GB / 64GB ROM
8MP Front Selfie Shooter
Dual Cameras (?? + 8MP)
3000mAh Battery
ZUI + Android 8 Oreo

The phone is also confirmed to get facial recognition, secure fingerprint payments, AI smart engine, and long battery life. The last feature is surprising because the battery listed on TENAA is just 3000mAh, so in reality, the battery capacity could be higher.

As for the design, the phone will feature a full metal body in multiple color options, including a red one. The dual cameras will be placed at the back in horizontal arrangement and the fingerprint sensor will be located at the back too.

The Lenovo S5 will be officially announced tomorrow at 2PM China time and will go on sale on March 23. Reservations for the phone have already begun and should continue until a few hours before its first sale.

If the phone has Helio P60 on board, things could be looking quite competitive in the affordable mid-range market in China. It’s just a matter of few hours until we get official details.

Stay tuned to Gizmochina for more details tomorrow.

Meizu E3 Scores 112478 Points on AnTuTu, Thanks to Snapdragon 636 & 6GB of RAM

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Mar 19, 2018

Last week, a report surfaced online that the upcoming Meizu E3 will be powered by the Snapdragon 636 mobile platform. AnTuTu just verified that news is accurate.

The Meizu E3 has been benchmarked and it not only reveals the processor but also some other features.

The Meizu E3 runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat. It is powered by the Snapdragon 636 with an Adreno 509 GPU. It also packs 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. AnTuTu also confirms the 5.99” display has a 2160 x 1080 resolution.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 636 and the 6GB of RAM sees the Meizu E3 score 112478 points on the benchmarking site.

Continue

Vivo X21 Launched In China, Packs 6.28-Inch Display, Snapdragon 660 SoC And 6GB RAM

By

Jeet

-

Updated Mar 20, 2018

After launching the Vivo X20 Plus UD and announcing the Vivo Apex smartphone, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has today launched its new flagship smartphone — Vivo X21. The company has also announced another variant of the phone named Vivo X21 Screen Fingerprint.

The Vivo X21 comes with the traditional fingerprint sensor at the back of the phone while the Vivo X21 UD comes with an under display fingerprint sensor similar to the recently launched Vivo X20 Plus UD. Apart from this fingerprint sensor, rest of the specifications are same on both phones.

The Vivo X21 features a 6.28-inch Full HD+ display with 2280 x 1080 pixels screen resolution and an unusual aspect ratio of 19:9 because of the presence of a notch on the top side. The display covers majority portion on the front panel and has ultra narrow bezels around the display.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 660 octa-core processor clocked at 2.2GHz. It packs 6GB RAM and comes in two storage options — 64GB and 128GB. The phone also supports microSD card slot, which enables users to further expand the phone’s storage capacity up to 256GB.

As of the camera department, the phone comes with a dual camera setup at the back which consists of a 12-megapixel camera lens and a 5-megapixel secondary lens with an LED flash. On the front side, there’s a 12-megapixel camera sensor for taking selfies and video calling. The camera comes with artificial intelligence and Vivo’s own Rubiks Cube technology.

The phone also supports face unlock feature. One of the interesting offerings of the phone is a smart assistant. The company has introduced Jovi, which is Vivo’s assistant based on artificial intelligence technology. For enhanced audio experience, Vivo has included AK4376A Hi-Fi chip.

Connectivity options on the device include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Dual-band Wi-Fi (2X2MIMO), Bluetooth v5, GPS, and microUSB. The phone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo operating system with company’s own FunTouch OS 4.0 custom skin on top. Both versions of the phone are fuelled by a 3,200mAh battery.

The Vivo X21 will be available in three colors — Aurora White, Drill Black, and Ruby Red. However, the Vivo X21 Screen Fingerprint version will be offered in only two colors — Drill Black and Ruby Red. It will be available from March 24th.

The 6GB RAM and 64GB storage model of the Vivo X21 is priced at 2898 Yuan (approximately $458) while the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant cost 3198 Yuan (approximately$505). The Vivo X21 Screen Fingerprint variant, which comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage is priced at 3598 Yuan, which roughly converts to $568.

How Much Does It Cost To Build The Galaxy S9+?

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Mar 19, 2018

How much do you think it costs to build a Galaxy S9+ (Exynos)? Someone at TechInsights has made a chart comparing the cost of building Samsung’s latest flagship against other phones like the Galaxy Note8, S8+, iPhone 8+, and iPhone X.

The chart gives a breakdown of every major component that is in the phone and some of the details are surprising. Do note that the price of each material for each phone was taken when the device was initially analysed.

The display for the Galaxy S9+ costs $72.50 but for the S8+ it is $78.50. Both devices use practically the same display with a few minor changes but the display of the S9+ costs $4 less. Even the iPhone X’ notched display costs less than that of the Galaxy S8+.

Of all the devices, the Galaxy S9+ has the highest camera cost at $48. It is understandable for the S8+ and iPhone 8 Plus since they both have single rear cameras.

The Exynos 9810 which has an integrated LTE modem costs $68. It is slightly lesser than the Galaxy Note 8’s $68.50 price and more than the $64.50 price of the iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus when you combine the price of the Bionic 11 chip ($52) and Qualcomm MDM9655 LTE modem ($12.50).

The Galaxy S9+ comes with a 3500mAh battery and that costs $5.50. The iPhone X’s smaller 2716mAh battery costs $6.50. The iPhone X also costs more in non-electronics – $46 as against the Galaxy S9+’ $29.

In summary, the Galaxy S9+ is Samsung’s most expensive phone yet in terms of components with the total bill of materials coming to $379.50. However, it is still less than Apple’s iPhone X which costs $389.50.

Continue