Meizu’s Li Nan Reveals Some Details Of The Next-Gen Meizu X & Its Likely Price

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Dec 29, 2017

Meizu’s Blue Charm division is known for top-grade midrange models that could compete for space with flagship models on their design. One of such flagship-looking midrange smartphone is the Meizu X. The Chinese company launched the Meizu X around November last year packing an impressive design, Helio P20 chip and 2.5D curved glass among other features. The tech giant should have launched a successor to the well-received smartphone but that didn’t happen up till now.

It is almost certain that we wouldn’t be seeing a successor to the Meizu X this year anymore. However, Meizu’s VP Li Nan may have revealed some details of the second-gen model that would take over from the X. We still don’t know the name of the model but previous leaks had identified it as the Meizu X2. Li Nan is credited to have hinted in a live broadcast that the next generation Meizu X is a flagship model and no longer a midrange phone. He also hinted that there would be a substantial upgrade in the specs and that would take the price up to around 2,499 Yuan. This would place the next-gen Meizu X way higher than its predecessor that started at 1,699 Yuan for the lower model and 1,999 Yuan for the topmost model.

The Meizu VP did not disclose specific details of the Meizu X2’s specifications but the smartphone is expected to keep up with the current full-screen trend. We also expect the device to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor since MediaTek has stopped developing flagship chips. No word yet as to when the device will be launched but we expect it to drop in the first quarter of 2018.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 2 Up For Pre-Order On Banggood For Just US$ 18.99

By

Vinay Patel

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Dec 29, 2017

The compact Xiaomi 10000mAh Power Bank 2 is a powerhouse that you can effortlessly carry everywhere you go. It offers high-speed charging and makes sure that your device survives your longest and busiest days.

We’ve got good news for ardent travelers who are always worried whether or not their devices will make it through their hectic days since they are constantly on the go. The Original Xiaomi 10000mAh Power Bank 2 is currently up for pre-order on Banggood for just $18.99.

You can choose between Navy and Silver color options while pre-ordering Xiaomi 10000mAh Power Bank 2, which carries an asking price of $22.99 without the 17% discount offered by Banggood.

Housed in an aluminum alloy body, the Mi Power Bank 2 sports a round-edge design and has LED indicator lights that show the power status. The device support charging and discharging at the same time.

Bearing a mammoth capacity of 10000mAh 3.7V (37Wh), the Mi Power Bank 2 sports an awe-inspiring design, paired with an ultra slim body. Moreover, it has built-in multiple protections and comes with Quick Charge 3.0.

You can head straight to this link to pre-order Xiaomi 10000mAh Power Bank 2 Dual USB portable charger for mobile phone on Banggood and take advantage of the massive 17% discount. Additionally, you’ll earn 18 Banggood points for ordering this item.

Pre-Order Original Xiaomi 10000mAh Power Bank 2 Portable Charger For Just US$18.99

Dual Screen ZTE Axon M Passes TENAA, Coming Soon To China

By

Joel Joseph

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Dec 28, 2017

ZTE announced the Axon M flagship back in October, and the phone is available for purchase only in the US right now. The company had promised a release in other markets like China and Europe, and it looks like ZTE is going to launch the phone in the home country real soon. The ZTE Axon M has just been certified by TENAA, confirming its launch in China in the coming weeks.

It looks like isn’t any difference between the international version and the Chinese Axon M version. The phone comes with 150.8 x 71.64 x 12.10 dimensions and 230 grams weight. Given the two screen design, the bulky form factor and the heavy weight is not surprising. The two screens feature the same size and resolution: 5.2-inch 1920 x 1080p. So, unlike the 18:9 displays that have taken over the flagship market, this dual screen phone still sticks with a traditional 16:9 aspect ratio for both its screens. Other features of the phone include SD821, 4GB / 6GB of RAM, 64GB/ 128GB storage (expandable up to 128GB), 20MP single camera, and Android 7.1.2.

Despite its bulky profile, the two screen design has garnered praises from fans. So, it will be interesting to see the phone’s reception in the company’s home country, China. Currently, the Axon M is priced at $725 in the US, but it could be cheaper in China at launch.

The company will also showcase the device at CES 2018 which will be held from 9 January to 12 January in Las Vegas.

(Source)

Nokia 3310 4G Variant Certified By TENAA, Powered By YunOS

By

Joel Joseph

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Dec 28, 2017

Nokia is rumoured to release at least two new smartphones next month, the Nokia 6 2018 edition and the Nokia 3310 4G variant. A new Nokia model, likely the Nokia 6 2018 version already passed through the Chinese certification website TENAA a few weeks back and now, the rumored Nokia 3310 4G variant has also been through the certification website. It’s worth noting that a Nokia 4G phone had passed through Bluetooth SIG website last week and it could have been this model.

TENAA revealed only the pictures of the new model and it’s identical to the Nokia 3310 3G version that was announced back in September. If you remember, the 3G version was around 13% larger than the 2G model, featuring better spacing between buttons for an improved typing experience. So it remains to be seen whether the 4G version gets another increase in size. TENAA confirms 4G LTE network support and also reveals that the phone will be powered by Alibaba’s YunOS platform.

With carriers decommissioning 2G networks, the Nokia 3310 3G version made sense. The phone came with a slightly different Series 30+ Feature OS, supporting apps like Facebook, Skype, and Twitter. However, the upgrade in the cellular radio department did cost the battery life of the device. The Nokia 3310 3G version gave only around 6.5 hours of talktime instead of the monstrous 22.1 hours on the 2G version. With an upgrade to 4G, the battery life could further go down.

Also, if the Nokia 3310 4G version does make it to the market, it’s likely to be sold at a higher price. The 3G variant costs €69 vs €49 for the 2G variant.

(Source)

Samsung Galaxy S9 And Galaxy S9 Plus Gets Certified By FCC

By

Jeet

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Dec 28, 2017

Samsung’s upcoming flagship smartphones — Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus, which are expected to launch a month earlier than their predecessors, have passed an important milestone. Both the devices have been certified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US, clearing a major hurdle for the company to officially launch them.

The FCC has certified the international unlocked models, which carries the model number SM-G960F and SM-G965F for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus respectively. While the international variants have been listed, there is no sign of the carrier-specific models as well the models for the Asian market.

Although the phones have cleared the FCC certification, the listing does not reveal specifications. Strangely, it doesn’t even have the design sketch of the phone which is usually present in the listing. This could be because Samsung applied for the clearance certificate in mid-November and the design may not have been finalized then.

The phone’s certification at this point could be an indication that the reports regarding the early announcement of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus are indeed true. Several reports have suggested that South Korean giant’s next-generation flagship smartphones will be officially announced at Mobile World Congress 2018 in February.

According to the rumours, the Galaxy S9 series will not be a significant upgrade to the Galaxy S8 series and will instead be focusing on providing a more refined user experience. The phone’s design will be almost similar to that of the Galaxy S8 series. The Galaxy S9 is expected to feature a 5.8-inch display whereas the Galaxy S9 Plus is expected to come with a 6.2-inch display. Both will flaunt a bezel-less Infinity Display.

The rumour mill suggests that the Galaxy S9 will feature a single camera on the back panel while the S9 Plus will feature a dual camera setup, stacked vertically. The Galaxy S9 will have an integrated front-facing camera setup that will include two cameras — one for Iris scanning while the other one for photography.

While there is a possibility of the Samsung Galaxy S9 series devices getting announced at MWC, the phone’s are not expected to go on sale immediately after the announcement. It may take a couple of weeks to make the devices available in the market. The availability of the devices is expected to be in early March.

(Sources: 1, 2)

Specifications of Snapdragon 670, 640, and 460 Leaked

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 28, 2017

Qualcomm already has a bunch of mobile platforms for the mid-range category. Some of them have actually not even appeared in any phone yet, like the Snapdragon 636 but the American company seems to care less and is planning to announce more soon. Full details of three new chipsets – the Snapdragon 670, Snapdragon 640, and Snapdragon 460, billed for 2018 have just surfaced online.

Snapdragon 670

The Snapdragon 670 is not really new as we first heard about it four months ago. The processor will succeed the Snapdragon 660 and will power upper mid-range phones.

The SDM670 will be a 10nm chip made up of 4x Kryo 360 Gold cores based on the Cortex-A75 and clocked at 2.0GHZ and another 4x Kryo 385 Silver cores based on the A55 and clocked at 1.60GHz.

The GPU has also been upgraded from the Adreno 512 to the Adreno 620. For imaging, the Snapdragon 670 will come with the Spectra 260 ISP with support for one 26MP sensor or two 13MP sensors.

LTE speeds will also see an improvement with the new X16 modem that replaces the X12 modem on the Snapdragon 660. Maximum download speed is 1000Mbps and max. upload speed is 150Mbps.

Snapdragon 640

The Snapdragon 640 on the other hand will also feature an octa-core configuration and be built on a 10nm node. It will contain 2x Kryo 360 Gold cores and 6x Kryo 360 Silver cores. They will be clocked at 2.15GHz and 1.55GHz respectively.

The GPU for the SDM640 is the Adreno 610 which replaces the Adreno 510 in the SDM630 and Adreno 509 in the SDM636 mobile platform. It has the same image processor as the Snapdragon 670 but keeps the X12 modem of the Snapdragon 636.

Snapdragon 460

The Snapdragon 460 will succeed the Snapdragon 450 which at the moment is only available in a few devices like the Vivo V7/ V7+ and Xiaomi Redmi 5.

The 14nm SDM460 is also an 8-core processor but with 4x Kryo 360 Silver cores at 1.8GHz and another 4x Kryo 360 Silver cores at 1.4GHz. It comes with an Adreno 605 GPU and a Spectra 240 ISP.

The Snapdragon 460 will also use the same X12 LTE modem as the Snapdragon 640.

What do you think about these new chips?

(Source, Via)

LG Announces ThinQ Speaker – A Smart Speaker With Google Assistant

By

Jeet

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Dec 28, 2017

LG has now forayed into the smart audio products market with the announcement of its first smart speaker — ThinQ Speaker. The smart speaker comes powered by Google Assistant for voice commands.

ThinQ, which is pronounced as “think”, would be LG’s brand going forward for its connected and “smart” home products. LG had previously announced Google Assistant compatibility with its appliances and other devices.

The ThinQ Speaker, which comes in a cylinder shaped body, is claimed as a “premium audio product” by the company. LG says that the device offers high-quality sound in addition to its smart capabilities. It seems to have found its place somewhere between Google Home and Google Home Max.

LG says that it teamed up with Google to ensure that the LG ThinQ Speaker delivers all the conveniences that come with having a digital assistant. It also comes with a personalized voice-activated interface for LG’s smart home appliances.

Along with the ThinQ Speaker, the company has also announced a range of products that includes a new SK10Y sound bar and a portable PK series speaker. The company has partnered with Meridian Audio, hoping to provide better quality compared to other such speakers out there.

LG says that the SK10Y sound bar delivers 550W output, supports 5.1.2 channels and harnesses the power of Dolby Atmos technology. It comes equipped with multiple speakers, including a pair of powerful up-firing speakers, to surround the listener from every angle.

The portable PK series speaker is said to offer premium sound and mood lighting features. According to the company, with Meridian Audio’s advanced technologies, the PK speakers offer powerful and undistorted bass, as well as optimized speech and vocals. It is also compatible with the APT-X HD Bluetooth standard for streaming 24-bit music over a wireless connection.

While the company has announced these new speakers, it has not yet revealed any information related to their pricing and availability. We expect that LG will reveal pricing and availability information during Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, where it plans to showcase these speakers.

The Sony H4233 is The Xperia XA2 Ultra

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 28, 2017

The Sony H4233 has been revealed to be the Xperia XA2 Ultra, thanks to information on the website of regulatory agencies in Thailand and Malaysia.

A page on the website of SIRIM (Scientific and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia) and Thailand’s NBTC (National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission) shows that the Sony H4233 is the model number of the Xperia XA2 Ultra.

The phone appeared on GFXBench in September listing specs like a 6” 1920 x 1080 display, a Snapdragon 630 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. It also revealed the camera specs as a 21MP rear camera and a 16MP front facing camera with support for 4K video recording. The Xperia XA2 Ultra benchmarked was also running Android Oreo.

Continue

Samsung Announces January 4 Event, Probably Exynos 9810 Launch

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 28, 2017

The official Samsung Exynos Twitter account has announced an event scheduled for January 4, 2018. The event will most likely be for the official launch of the Exynos 9810 flagship mobile processor.

While the existence of the Exynos 9810 was officially confirmed in November, there has not yet been an official launch. The launch will see Samsung provide full details about the chips custom core design and LTE capabilities.

Discover #TheNextExynos that goes beyond a component. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/542sWnQ7EZ

— Samsung Exynos (@SamsungExynos) December 28, 2017

Based on the few details available, the Exynos 9810 will be a 10nm chip like its predecessor, the Exynos 8895. It will have 6CA support, a first for the mobile industry and will come with 3rd-gen custom CPU cores, an upgraded GPU and gigabit LTE.

The Exynos 9810 will first appear in the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ before making its way into the Galaxy Note9 later in the year.

Continue

Nokia 2 Will Get Android 8.1 Oreo Update With Android Go Memory Management Features

By

Jeet

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Dec 28, 2017

Nokia has been actively releasing the latest Android updates for its smartphones. After rolling out updates for the Nokia 8, Nokia 6 and Nokia 5, HMD Global is now preparing to release the latest Android version update for the Nokia 2.

HMD Global’s Chief Product Officer Juho Sarvikas recently confirmed on Twitter that Nokia 2 will soon receive the Android 8.1 Oreo update. Along with that, the company has also revealed that the update will bring Android Go (Oreo Edition) memory management features.

The Nokia 2 will be skipping the Android 8.0 update and will directly release Android 8.1 Oreo. The Nokia 2 comes with mediocre specifications, hence the phone’s performance will be optimized using Android Go’s memory management features. Juho Sarvikas said that the device cannot be upgraded to the Android Go program but they will include performance improvements based on Android 8.1 Oreo in the maintenance releases.

The clarification comes at a time when there are reports suggesting that the Nokia 1 might be the first smartphone to be the part of Google’s Android Go program. The phone is expected to feature an HD IPS display with 720p resolution. It is said to have 1GB RAM and 8GB of internal storage. As per the reports, it could be priced around $85 and will be available from March 2018. However, there is no confirmation from the company yet.

The Nokia 2 features a 5-inch IPS LCD display and is powered by Qualcomm’s 1.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 212 processor. It packs 1GB RAM and 8GB of onboard storage which can be further expanded using a microSD card.

It comes with an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It runs on Android 7.0 Nougat operating system out-of-the-box and comes with Google Assistant. The Dual SIM phone supports 4G VoLTE connectivity and is fuelled by a massive 4,100mAh battery that is rated to provide two days of battery life on a single charge.

Currently, HMD Global is testing Android 8.0 Oreo update on its budget smartphones — Nokia 5 and Nokia 6. Both devices are expected to receive the update by the end of 2017 or in the first week of 2018. The only phone from HMD Global that is yet to receive Android update is Nokia 3, but the company has confirmed that it will directly receive Android 8.0 Oreo update.

(Source)

New Report Tips Apple As Working WIth MediaTek On Modems For 2018 iPhones

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 28, 2017

Qualcomm and Apple continue their legal tussles and the biggest casualty would be their partnership. Both U.S companies have always been partners but recently, Apple was rumoured to be working with Chinese chipmaker MediaTek on the production of modem chips. A fresh rumour has again emerged which tips Apple as toiling with the idea of using modems manufactured by MediaTek on its 2018 iPhones.

The report carried by DigiTimes states that Apple is looking up to extra hands to cater for its orders for the iPhone modems. This is coming after the tech giant transferred half of its orders to Intel from Qualcomm. The report which cited unknown sources in China noted that MediaTek has the technology, capacity and the pricing advantage to get the deal from Apple, joining Intel who already is in partnership with Apple.

A deal for the supply of modem fro Apple may just be what MediaTek needs to improve its dwindling sales especially its flagship business. Those familiar with the industry are of the opinion that MediaTek meets the three principles which Apple have always followed in determining providers of chip solutions for its various product lines. The principles are said to include; leading technological competitiveness, comprehensive product blueprints, and reliable logistic support. None of the duos of Apple and MediaTek has officially confirmed the authenticity of this lingering rumour. Thus, we could as well treat this as mere speculation.

(source)

OnePlus 5T Android 8.0 Oreo Open Beta Will be Available Soon

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 28, 2017

OnePlus has already released Oxygen 5.0 flavored Android 8.0 Oreo update for OnePlus 3, OnePlus 3T and OnePlus 5 smartphones. However, the newly unveiled OnePlus 5T is yet to receive the latest version of Android. On Wednesday, the Chinese manufacturer hinted that it will be soon rolling out the open beta edition of Android 8.0 Oreo for OnePlus 5T users.

At the launch of the OnePlus 5T, the company had confirmed that it will be releasing the Oreo update for soon after it arrives in the market. It appears that the arrival of the software update is close at hand as the German Twitter account of OnePlus has stated that the open beta build of Android Oreo should be available soon for OnePlus 5T.

Even though the official Twitter account confirms the arrival of Oreo update, it is not available for download and also the official forum of the company has not confirmed on it. However, it does appear that the company will be releasing the beta update soon. Owners of the OnePlus 5T may want to visit this link to check the availability of the beta update.

The open beta version of Android Oreo is not a stable edition. In other words, it is a test version that will contains bugs. It will be rolled out to the users to let them try the Android Oreo update before releasing the final version. For installing the open beta, users will have to flash the OP5T manually with beta ROM. Users who do not want to flash the OP5T manually can wait for the arrival of the final version OTA firmware. It seems that the company will be releasing the stable Oreo build in January 2018

(source|via)

Huawei Enjoy 7S To Launch Outside China As Huawei PSmart

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 28, 2017

Last week, Huawei announced the Enjoy 7S – a new smartphone in the mid-range category for the Chinese market. Latest report says the Enjoy 7S will launch outside China as the Huawei PSmart.

The info was revealed by popular leaker Evan Blass (@Evleaks) on Twitter. For those who know Huawei well, you already know that it is fond of releasing the same phone under different names in various markets. One example is the Mate 10 Lite which is the Nova 2i in Malaysia, Maimang 6 in China, and Honor 9i in India.

This will be offered outside of China as the Huawei PSmart. pic.twitter.com/sR2yadWdBV

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) December 28, 2017

The Huawei PSmart/Enjoy 7S has a 5.65” 18:9 FHD+ display. It is powered by the Kirin 659 processor like the Honor 7X and comes in 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM and 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM variants.

The phone also has dual rear cameras in a 13MP + 2MP configuration. There is an 8MP camera in front for selfies.

The Huawei PSmart has Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi, an audio jack, and a micro USB port. It packs a 3000mAh battery and runs EMUI 8.0 based on Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.

Continue

Galaxy Note 8 Encounters Battery Related Problem, Some Models Not Charging Once Battery Reaches 0%

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 28, 2017

Last year, Samsung had to discontinue the Galaxy Note 7 within few months after its launch as it had encountered life-threatening battery related issues. Earlier this year, Samsung had introduced the 8-point battery safety check system to let its fans know that the future phones from the company will not come across such an issue. Unfortunately, some of the units of the recently introduced Galaxy Note 8 smartphones have met with a battery related issue. Users of Galaxy Note 8 have taken to the Samsung community forums to state that their Note 8 units are unable to charge once the battery percentage reduces to 0 percent.

Users who have encountered the issue have tried charging the Note 8 using different cables and chargers, but the phablet refuses to charge once it reaches 0 percent and does not turn on again. Some users who have encountered the problem have said that they are able to see charging cycle on the screen after connecting the charging cable, but the phablet refuses to charge. Others have said that when the Note 8 is kept for charging, it becomes warm and the display goes blank. Users who have tried wireless charging have claimed that Note 8 becomes unresponsive but continues to show blue charging light.

Customers who have availed Samsung Galaxy Note 8 units through Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint seems to have come across this issue. Hence, it appears that the carrier variants of the Galaxy Note 8 appear to be the most affected. There is no confirmation on it, but it could mean that the Snapdragon edition of the Galaxy Note 8 could be facing this issue.

Samsung is aware of the issue and is ready to replace affected Galaxy Note 8 units after inspecting each case. One of the administrators on Samsung US forums has advised users who met with the issue to return the affected units to get a replacement device.

At present, it does not seem to be a widespread issue and also it may not be as life-threatening as the issue that had surfaced on the Note 7. If it’s a software related issue, Samsung may roll out a new software update to fix the issue. As of this writing, it is advisable for Note 8 users who are facing the above issue to contact Samsung in order to seek a replacement.

(source 1, 2, 3|via 1, 2)

Xiaomi Crowdfunds MADV Mini Panoramic Camera Priced At ¥399 (~$61)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 28, 2017

Xiaomi has launched a new product under the crowdfunding platform and this time around it is a panoramic camera. The camera is a plug and play camera which comes with a USB Type-C interface that allows it to be plugged directly into a smartphone. The camera is called MADV Mini Panoramic camera and is produced by Beijing Crazy King Technology Co. Ltd. In keeping up with Xiaomi’s trademark, the Mini camera comes with a cheap 399 Yuan (~$61) price tag.

Specs wise, the MADV Mini Panoramic camera features a 13MP camera on one side, teaming up with a 13MP camera on the other side. It comes in a compact size which is about the size of a male wristwatch dial. With such size and a weight of just 23.5g, it is easy to fit into the pocket. The camera also comes with a dual 210 ° wide-angle fisheye lens and each lens has an F1.8 large aperture, greatly reducing the dead zone at both ends. The camera can shoot at 5K resolution (5276 x 2688p) JPEG high-definition panoramic photos and 1920 x 960p resolution high-definition videos @ 30fps.

In addition, the camera supports panoramic electronic image stabilization, shooting asteroids, crystal ball, fisheye and other panoramic shooting modes. There is a MADV Mini app through which you can view and edit the panoramic photos and videos shot, and it supports one-click sharing on multiple platforms as well as the recording of panoramic life.

(source)

Meizu 15 Plus Shows Up on a Webpage to Reveal Front and Rear Design

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 28, 2017

The rumor mill has revealed that the Meizu M6s that is speculated to launch in January could be the company’s first full screen design phone. Apart from this budget-friendly smartphone, Meizu is also rumored to be working on high-end phone called Meizu 15 Plus. A leaked photo showing the smartphone listed on a webpage has appeared on China’s microblogging site Weibo. The new image shows the front and rear design of the phone.

In the above image, the “15 Plus” product name can be seen on the left side while the handset is present on right side. The major portion of the front panel of the phone is occupied by the display of the phone. The bottom bezel is slightly thick but the other three bezels are almost non-existent. The selfie camera seems to be present on the top-center of the phone.

The back panel has a vertically arranged dual camera system with a ring flash positioned below it. Even though the smartphone in the new image resembles with the previously leaked photos of the phone, there are some inconsistencies in the picture such as the Meizu branding. Previous photos of the Meizu 15 Plus has the Meizu logo placed almost at the center of the back panel. However, the logo of the company is found at the bottom-right of the rear panel in the new image. Hence, the authenticity of the leak is questionable.

The Meizu 15 Plus is speculated to be powered by the Snapdragon 835 whereas the Meizu 15 is likely to feature the Snapdragon 660 chipset. The Chinese manufacturer will be launching these phones to celebrate its 15^th anniversary. The rumor mill has revealed that the Meizu 15 and 15 Plus phones may get unveiled in March next year.

(source)

Huawei’s Top Executive Detained, Faces Corruption Charges

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 28, 2017

Huawei may have found itself in the same boat with Samsung who has had its president arrested on corruption charges. Authorities in China have arrested Huawei’s head of domestic sales, Teng Hongfei as part of investigations into a corruption case in China.

Although Huawei has officially confirmed the detention of its top exec, the company did not disclose the reason for his detention. Huawei hinged its unwillingness to disclose details of the case on the ongoing investigation. Local media reports that Mr. Teng is suspected of taking bribes but there are no specific details as to how that came about or how long before he is charged.

Teng Hongfei is an Executive Vice President of Huawei’s consumer business group for Greater China, and is credited as having overseen the strongest growth phase in the history of the 30-year-old firm and was in charge of its device sales when it became the largest handset maker in China. Most industry watchers agree that Mr Teng deserves some of the credit for the rapid growth of Huawei’s consumer electronics business.

(source)

Xiaomi Launches Yeelight Voice Assistant, Looks Identical To Amazon Eco Dot

By

Jeet

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Dec 28, 2017

Xiaomi’s subsidiary Yeelight, which is known for making smart home products, has today officially launched a new product — Yeelight Voice Assistant. As the name itself suggests, it is a smart speaker powered by voice assistant — a first such product from the company.

In terms of looks, the Yeelight Voice Assistant is very much similar to the Amazon Eco Dot which was launched in March last year. The Yeelight’s smart speaker comes with four buttons on the top side — an action button, microphone on/off button, volume up button and volume down button, just like the Eco Dot.

However, the company has also included an additional button in the centre, which can be used to put the speaker in mute mode. Such feature is not available on Amazon’s Eco Dot but is present on the larger versions of the Amazon Echo.

The speaker is believed to have been powered by Microsoft’s Cortana voice assistant. Since Xiaomi entered into a partnership with Microsoft last year, all the Mi Smartphones comes pre-installed with Microsoft’s apps. The Mi MIX was the first phone from Xiaomi to feature Cortana.

It comes with six microphones and a single 2-Watt speaker. The company says that the device comes equipped with an advanced voice wake-up algorithm which can turn the device ON within a range of 5 meters. It also comes with advanced Acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) and Beamforming technology for echo reduction.

It is powered by a 64-bit Cortex A53 quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz and is coupled with 256MB RAM and 256MB of flash storage. As of the connectivity options, the device supports 2.4GHz and 5GHz Dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy (LE).

As revealed by the company, the Yeelight Voice Assistant comes with Dual AI systems and can also be used for controlling other smart home products from Xiaomi, such as smart LED bulbs, table lamps, bedside lights, ceiling lights, etc. While it currently supports only Xiaomi smart home products, the company has said that support for more devices will be included in the coming days.

Currently, the Yeelight Voice Assistant smart speaker has been listed on the company’s crowdsourcing platform for a price of 199 Yuan, which roughly converts to $30. The company is expected to start shipping the device from 31st January in China.

Sony Likely to Debut Snapdragon 845 Powered Smartphone at CES 2018

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 28, 2017

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 will take place in Las Vegas in the next month. Many consumer electronics companies will be present at the CES 2018 platform to unveil various products like TVs, audio devices, and smartphones. Sony has confirmed that it will be holding a press conference at the CES 2018. Even though the Japanese tech giant has not confirmed it, the rumor mill is speculating that it will be announcing a Snapdragon 845 powered smartphone during its upcoming press conference.

In this year, Sony became the first smartphone company to announce a Snapdragon 835 driven phone. The Sony Xperia XZ Premium, Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ are all powered by the same Snapdragon 835 chipset. However, since Samsung had acquired the initial stocks of the Snapdragon 835 chipset, it was able to release its flagship phones into the market before Sony.

Sony H8116, H8166, H8216, H8266, H8276 and H8296 are the rumored next-generation smartphones from the company. Recent leaks have suggested that the Sony H8216 and Sony H8266 could be the two variants of the alleged Sony Xperia XZ2. Both the variants have been found to be driven by Snapdragon 845 chipset.

The two variants of the rumored Xperia XZ2’s are expected to respectively feature 4 GB of RAM + 64 GB of storage and 6 GB of RAM + 128 GB of storage. The benchmark listing of the Snapdragon 845 powered Sony H8266 has recorded 2393 on a single-core test and 8300 on a multi-core test. This suggests that the prowess of the phone is on par with the upcoming Galaxy S8+.

The Japanese tech giant is known for using the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 tech event that is usually held in February each year for announcing its new phones. Hence, the company may showcase some other electronic devices such as TVs at the CES 2018 and use the MWC 2018 platform to unveil its new phones.

Samsung and Huawei are also rumored to debut their flagship phones at MWC 2018. There is a possibility that Sony may avoid launching its smartphones during the same event. Hence, the company may consider launching its phones earlier through the CES event.

Avail The ‘Goodbye 2017’ Promo On GearBest With Items Starting From Just $0.99

By

Vinay Patel

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Dec 28, 2017

GearBest is offering a big discount with up to 65% off numerous items as part of its New Year promotion, which comprises top bargains starting from just $0.99.

Must-Buy Doorbusters

Under this section, GearBest is offering a special discount price (available for a limited period) on various items, which are divided into two categories including one that’s slated to end in about one day and the other that’s scheduled to kick off tomorrow i.e. Friday, December 29.

The site’s ‘must-buy doorbusters’ category is currently offering electronic items such as XIAOMI Mi A1 4G Phablet, and Anet A6 3D Desktop Printer Kit as well as a non-electronic item in the form of MUHUISEN Men Soft Padded-collar Warmest Dress Shoes at a discounted price.

The other promo which is slated to start in about one day comprises Cube iPlay 10 Tablet PC, EMISH X700 Smart TV Box, Elephone S8 4G Phablet and other electronic items carrying an inexpensive price tag in line with GearBest’s ‘Goodbye 2017, Hello 2018’ promo.

Lucky New Year Bags

You can buy Lucky New Year bags that include items ranging from top Xiaomi CellPhone to Octa Core TV Box. Selfie addicts can buy selfie stick by shelling out just $3.99, while car lovers can go for a New Year bag that has Xiaomi-branded car gear for just $6.99.Cool Add-Ons

The promo features miscellaneous items including Mini Digital LCD Indoor Thermometer Hygrometer, and Mumian C01 Classic Sports elastic Stretchy Wrist Joint Brace Support Wrap Band for only $0.99.
If you buy items worth more than $60, you’d be eligible to receive 1 add-on for just $0.99, but there’s a capping of 1 unit per item.

Selected Electronics

Car lovers who have been waiting with bated breath to get their hands on Xiaomi mijia Car DVR Camera are in for a treat as well.
The device is currently up for grabs along with a slew of other electronic items including Original Xiaomi ROIDMI 3S Bluetooth Car Charger, and Xiaomi 70 Minutes Smart WiFi Car DVR for just $51.99.

Mega Markdown

This section is further divided into multiple categories including tablets, apparels, outdoors, electronics, smartphones, home and garden, health and beauty, toys and hobbies.

You can buy Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro for just $979.99, which is a massive 18% discount from the tablet’s original asking price of $1191.51. Similarly, you can buy ZTE Axon 7 Mini 4G Smartphone for just $131.99 under Mega Markdown section’s smartphone category.

King of Brand Sale

This segment of the promo features products manufactured by leading brands such as Alfawise, BullCaptain, Creality3D, DJI, Elephone, Geneva, Motospeed, SJCAM, UMIDIGI, and Xiaomi. Everything from Alfawise X 3200 Lumens HD 1080P Smart Projector to Xiaomi Notebook Air is up for grabs at a discounted price.

Overseas Warehouse

The EU (European Union) warehouse features a myriad of electronic items that are likely to sweep budget-conscious buyers off their feet. You can get the global version of Huawei Honor 6X 4G Phablet for just $176.88, and adventure junkies can buy TANTUQI 5L Utility Canvas Waist Bag Shoulder Pack Outdoor Hiking Messenger Cycling Supplies for just $12.04.

The US (United States) warehouse, on the other hand, comprises some amazing electronic items such as XuanWheel X1 Colorful Bicycle Wheel Spoke Light and DZ09D Single SIM Smart Watch Phone by shelling out $19.99 and $5.99, respectively.

Buyers are advised to head straight to this link in order to take advantage of this promo before it ends on January 8. It’s also worth noting that only a few pieces of some of these items were left at the time of writing.

Buy Electronic And Non-Electronic Items Starting From Just $0.99 On GearBest