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Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ Case Renders Reveal Front and Rear Design

Fresh images showing the case renders of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ from Olixar have surfaced. The ultra-thin cases have revealed the design of the front and rear sides of both phones.

The case renders show that the Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be appearing very similar to the Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones. A single rear-facing camera can be seen on the rear side of the Galaxy S9. However, the back panel of the Galaxy S9+ has dual rear cameras. The Galaxy Note 8 has a horizontally arranged dual camera setup, but the S9+ will be arriving with a vertically stacked dual camera system.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ feature horizontally positioned fingerprint scanner beneath the camera sensor. The unit housing the LED flash and heart rate sensor can be seen sitting on the right side of the camera. As far as the frontside of both phones are concerned, it appears that their Infinity Display design will be delivering a screen-to-body ratio of around 85 percent.

Galaxy S9 Olixar Galaxy S9+ Olixar 1

When viewed from the front, the left edge of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ are equipped with Power key and volume rocker and the right edge features a Bixby button. Compared to the Galaxy Note 8, the corners of the S9 duo seem to be more curved. It appears that the Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be featuring a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB-C port and speaker grille on their bottom edge.

Galaxy S9 Olixar 1

Galaxy S9+ Olixar

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S9+ Powered by Snapdragon 845 Gets Benchmarked

Rumors have it that the Galaxy S9 and S9+ models that are heading to the U.S. and China are powered by Snapdragon 845. Rest of the world are expected to receive the Exynos 9810 variants of the S9 and S9+. The Galaxy S9 may come with 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage and 3,200mAh battery. The S9+ may feature 6 GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage and a bigger battery.

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 is rumored to be the platform where Samsung will be unveiling the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ smartphones. It is likely to hold a launch event on Feb. 27 to unveil the S9 duo.

(source 1, 2|via)

 

 

Original Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Is Currently Available For Just $281.51 On Lightinthebox

Chinese tech giant, Xiaomi announced the Mi Robot Vacuum on August 31, last year. The remarkably intelligent home cleaning device allows you to sweep and polish the floor with the mopping pad.

It looks like good news for those who have restlessly been waiting to get their hands on the original Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum as LightinTheBox is currently offering a considerable 43% off the three-dimensional vacuum cleaning system.

You can now buy the original Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum for just $281.51 on LightinTheBox, which is a massive drop from its original price of $492.69. Furthermore, you can earn 1% cash rewards, and 3% when ordering the device via the Mobile app. With expedited express, the Mi Robot Vacuum shipping time is slated for 2 to 3 business days.

Buyers are advised to add tax insurance when placing the order. Those who add tax fees while buying the item via LightinTheBox are eligible to receive the payment when they are charged with any sort of customs fees or taxes.

Deemed as the almighty helper by GearBest, the Mi Robot Vacuum is backed up by a 5200mAh large capacity battery, 2000Pa super suction, and comes with APP remote control. The device offers double cleaning wherein it sweeps and then mops the floor.

You can use coupon code ‘XIAOMIBOTA32D’ at the time of checking out. Click here to avail the 43% discount before it ends.

Nokia 9 Appears with Avatar Codename on Geekbench

The FCC listing of the upcoming Nokia 9 phone had revealed that it has a model number of TA-1005 and its codename is Avatar. The same codename had appeared on Geekbench benchmarking site at the beginning of this month.

The Geekbench listing does not contain any information on the processor that will be powering the Nokia 9. However, it has been revealed through its FCC listing that it will be powered by Snapdragon 835 chipset. The SD 835 chip will be accompanied by 6 GB of RAM and the device will come preinstalled with Android 8.0 Oreo OS. The Nokia 9 has recorded a score of 1,910 in single-core test. In the multi-core test, it has scored 6,796.

Nokia 9 Avatar Geekbench

Read More: Nokia 6 (2018) Spotted on TENAA, Images Show 18:9 Display

HMD Global has already released a Snapdragon 835 powered phone, the Nokia 8, few months ago. It came with a 5.3-inch QHD display that was surrounded by thick bezels. It is no way close to the current trend of full screen design. A leaked render of the Nokia 9 that appeared earlier today shows that it will be coming with bezel-less design.

The FCC listing of the Nokia 9 has revealed it will be featuring a 5.5-inch screen supplied by LG Display. However, the exact resolution of the screen is not known. It is likely that it may carry support for FHD+ resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio. The new render of the phone shows that it will be arriving with dual selfie snappers. The back panel will be housing 12-megapixel + 13-megapixel dual camera system and a fingerprint scanner. It will include an internal storage of 128 GB and it will be fueled by a 3,250mAh battery.

The Nokia 9 is rumored to get announced on Jan. 19. HMD Global is also speculated to debut Nokia 8 (2018) alongside it.

(source|via)

 

 

Samsung Galaxy S9+ Powered by Snapdragon 845 Gets Benchmarked

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are rumored to arrive as the first smartphones with Snapdragon 845 chipset. Plenty of information on both phones have surfaced in the recent weeks. Yesterday, the Samsung SM-G965U1 smartphone was benchmarked on Geekbench benchmarking platform. Previous rumors have revealed that the SM-G965 model number belongs to the forthcoming Galaxy S9+ smartphone. The benchmark score reveals that the smartphone is capable of delivering monstrous performance.

The SM-G965U1 phone is powered by sdm845 chipset. The presence of the Snapdragon 845 SoC indicates that this could be the U.S. variant of the phone. Other markets are expected to receive its Exynos chipset edition. The SD 845 SoC inside the SM-G965U1 is supported by 6 GB of RAM and the flagship phone is running on Android 8.0 Oreo.

Samsung-Galaxy-S9+GeekBench-01

Read More: Samsung Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ With Dual Front-Facing Cameras Launched

In single-core test, the Samsung Galaxy S9+ has scored 2,422, and it has recorded 8,351 score in multi-core test. This is the first time that a Samsung smartphone has breached 2,000 mark on single-core test on Geekbench. Also, it is the best ever multi-core score by a Samsung phone on the benchmarking platform.

Recent rumors have revealed that the Galaxy S9 would be also arriving in Snapdragon 845 and Exynos chipset models. However, it will be featuring 4 GB of RAM. The Galaxy S9+ is speculated to feature 6.1-inch Infinity Display, a larger battery and dual rear cameras. However, its smaller sibling is likely to arrive with a 5.65-inch Infinity Display, 3,200mAh battery and single rear camera.

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are slated to get announced in February during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 event. To be more precise, the rumor mill speculates that Samsung may hold the Galaxy Unpacked 2018 event on Feb. 27 to unveil it.

(source|via)

 

 

Get 30% Off The DOOGEE IP68 S60 Waterproof NFC Phone On Cafago

The mobile phone market is brimming with ruggedized phones that are exclusively designed for users who do not find typical smartphones sturdy enough to sustain their daily routine. One such smartphone is from Spanish handset maker, DOOGEE.

Thanks to its rugged good looks, waterproofing functionality and a slew of other solid features, DOOGEE’s latest S60 grabbed the number two spot on TechRadar’s list of best-rugged smartphones of 2017.

Despite offering some hefty features, the device does not bear a steep price tag. The handset is currently up for grabs at a discounted price of $329.99 on DOOGEE’s official website. The original price is $399.99.

But if you’re looking for an even better deal, you can head straight to Cafago to buy the phone for just $252.09. Click here to avail this deal that ends on December 31, 2017.

Cafago is offering a considerable 30 percent off on DOOGEE S60 phone. The regular price displayed on the website is $358.79. Once ordered, the device will be dispatched within 24 hours while shipping is expected to take 7 to 20 business days. The S60 will be shipping from China warehouse.

You can use coupon code ‘DPS017’ at the time of checkout to get a $41.77 discount. After applying the promotion code, the subtotal drops from $299.99 to just $258.22.

Even at this discounted price, DOOGEE S60’s packs an Helio P25 Octa-core 2.5GHz CPU, with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of ROM, under the hood. The device is backed by a robust 5580mAh battery.

Nokia 9 Leaked Image Shows Bezel-less Design, Dual Selfie Cameras

Nokia 9 has been recently certified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the U.S. The  FCC documentation has revealed almost the entire specifications of the highly anticipated Nokia flagship. Today, a fresh render of the phone has been spotted on Weibo to reveal its frontal appearance.

There is no confirmation on whether the below image is legitimate. However, it seems to be one of the best Nokia 9 images that have been leaked so far. The Nokia 8 flagship phone came with thick bezels around the display, but the Nokia 9 shown in the new render reveals that it will be arriving with slimmer bezels.

Dual selfie cameras can be seen on the top bezel of the Nokia 9. It appears to be sporting a metallic chassis, but it is difficult to speculate on whether its back panel is made out of metal or glass. There is no front-facing fingerprint scanner which indicates that it could be present on the backside of the phone.

Nokia-9-leaked-render

According to FCC listing of the Nokia 9, it will be featuring a 5.5-inch OLED screen. The exact resolution of the screen is not known. The Snapdragon 835 chipset will be powering the phone. Its rear will be equipped with 12-megapixel + 13-megapixel dual cameras.

FCC documentation of the Nokia 9 has revealed that the selfie camera of the Nokia 9 will be of 5-megapixel. It appears that this resolution could belong to one of the sensors of the dual selfie cameras. It will be coming with an internal storage of 128 GB. It will be fueled by 3,250mAh battery and it will be loaded with Android 8.0 Oreo.

Rumors have it that the Nokia 9 will be unveiled on Jan. 19. It is speculated that a second-generation Nokia 8 may also get announced alongside it.

What do you think about the above render? Does it appear legitimate? Share us your thoughts by posting your comments below.

(via)

 

 

Original Xiaomi Mi band 2 Is Just $ 29.99 On Banggood [Coupon Code]

Xiaomi-mi-band-2-

A year ago, Xiaomi unveiled a budget wearable activity tracker bearing the Mi Band 2. The latest version of the Xiaomi Mi Band 2 offers a 0.42-inches OLED screen capacitive button, apart from a myriad of other features without raising the price. The device is backed by a Lithium polymer battery with 70mAh capacity, offering an impressive 20-days standby time. The Xiami Mi Band 2 is IP67-rated and it only weighs in at 7g.

You can now get your hands on the Mi Band 2 from Banggood by shelling out just $ 29.99. This is a considerable reduction in the device’s original $32.99 price.

Buying 2 pieces will save you $3 more and you get them for $28.49 each. In other words, instead of paying $59.98 for two pieces, you’d pay $56.98. On top of that, you can earn 29 Banggood points by ordering this. Head over to this link to avail this deal.

Wieppo S6 Review

Wieppo is a newcomer to the smartphone game and their S6 model is the latest budget offering. It’s yet another cheap phone from China that aims to deliver a lot of value for the price. Does it succeed or not? Learn more in the full Wieppo S6 Review.

UNBOXING

DESIGN and DISPLAY

There are plenty of phones nowadays that offer a more premium or exceptional-looking design than the Wieppo S6.

The phone is made of plastic, it has huge bezels and honestly, the overall design looks outdated even if we consider the fact this is a sub-$100 phone.

The display is not the sharpest out there but it is a decent panel overall.

There is an imitation of a dual camera setup and the phone lacks some key features like a fingerprint scanner or backlit capacitive keys. There is no LED notification light but we have LED flash for night selfies. The loudspeaker does not really impress, like on most of the cheap phones.

HARDWARE and PERFORMANCE

We have quite a typical list of specs for a budget phone but honestly, I expected to have more RAM and storage and this price point.

As usual, this kind of specs assures acceptable gaming performance only if you play most of the 3D games on reduced graphics settings but this is what you usually get with most of the budget phones.

BENCHMARKS

USER INTERFACE

I like the fact that Wieppo stuck with the near stock Android 7 user interface and added just a few features like gesture or motion controls. Overall, the phone runs quite smoothly, I didn’t see any lag and therefore, I could say that the performance is pretty good for a budget phone.

IMAGE QUALITY

The overall image quality is bad. Sure, you can’t expect stellar results from the phone this cheap but there are many devices that can perform better than this. Same can be said about the selfie camera, pictures don’t look great either.

The video quality using both main and front-facing camera is just below average.

Download full res camera samples

CONNECTIVITY

Signal reception is good but I found the call quality to be average. Other connectivity options including GPS work fine.

The phone does not have many sensors and there is no gyroscope on board.

BATTERY LIFE

Battery life is actually pretty good. The maximum screen-on time I was able to achieve was over 7 hours. This is a very good result. However, it takes about 2 h to fully charge the phone.

CONCLUSIONS

The Wiepoo S6 is a budget phone that delivers in some ways but fails in other departments.

The phone runs almost stock user interface, meaning that the overall performance is decent. Also, you get an okay display and really good battery life considering its low capacity.

However, the Wieppo S6 lacks that key selling feature that would make it stand out from the crowd. I don’t set high expectations for any budget phone but this device is plain-looking, the camera is bad and there is no fingerprint scanner.

At the end of the day, you should consider how you use the phone, check out what the competition has to offer and if these shortcomings are important to you or not.

Cubot X18 Review: An Average 18:9 Display Phone At A Budget

This year, the market has taken a shift from the traditional 16:9 to 18:9 displays. Initially, 18:9 screens were reserved for the premium segment — phones that cost more than $500. But things have changed in the past couple of months, with many budget phones adopting this new display aspect ratio standard, in the hopes that it will give it an edge over others. The Cubot X18 is one of these offerings, featuring a tall 18:9 aspect ratio on a 5.7-inch screen. While the display is one of its biggest selling points, the phone does offer decent overall specs making it worth spending $119.99, at least on paper. But how does it fare in real life? That’s what we try to find out in this review!

 

cubot x18 featured

Cubot X18 Review: Design

The first thing you notice about the phone is that it’s unusually tall. If you have never used an 18:9 phone before, note that it will take some time to get used to it. However, in terms of handling and one hand operation, things are easy, as the limited width helps you to hold the phone firmly. So, despite its large 5.7-inch screen, it’s only as wide, say as a 5-5.2-inch smartphone. The screen takes up a significant portion of the front, much higher than traditional phones.

cubot x18 review (23)

The body is made out of plastic, which is of good quality. There’s a solid frame that goes around the phone for rigidity. The buttons lie on the right side of the phone and are decent. The back is removable, so you can replace the battery as well. This also helps the company provide 2 x MicroSIM and 1 dedicated MicroSD card slots.

The overall built quality of the device is good, but I personally feel that the dark blue color on the phone is a bit disappointing. On most occasions, you would mistake it as a black color model and it doesn’t really pop out like the blue on the Doogee BL5000.

cubot x18 review (17)

Also, the back is a fingerprint magnet and it’s not really easy to clean it to perfection. That said, the corners are curved and the overall design is non-slippery, giving a firm grip. The placement of the fingerprint sensor at the back was perfect for me. It’s not the fastest sensor I have seen, but it’s as good as most fingerprint equipped phones in this segment.

cubot x18 review (26)

You have no physical buttons on the front, so navigation is through the on-screen buttons. The MicroUSB port and speakers lie at the bottom, while the headphone jack is located on the top.

cubot x18 review (24)

Apart from the boring blue color shade, I m happy with the overall design of the Cubot X18, including its taller than usual form factor.

 

Cubot X18 Review: Display

cubot x18 front

Coming to the screen, which is the highlight of the device — the Cubot X18 features a 5.7-inch  1440 x 720p display with 2.5D glass on top. As I mentioned earlier, this makes it an 18:9 aspect ratio phone. Note that for such a large screen, the resolution might seem too low, but it doesn’t reflect in reality. The screen quality is okay and saturation levels are decent. It might not be the best display in this segment, but it’s good enough for everyday use. But to be honest, the aspect ratio is the only unique thing about the display.

cubot x18 review display

For example, let’s compare the X18’s display with that of the similarly priced Redmi Note 5A. It’s obvious that the saturation levels are not as good as the 5A but it’s not too bad either.  Check out this comparison and decide for yourself.

cubot x18 review (2)
Redmi Note 5a (Top) vs Cubot X18 (bottom)

 

 

 

Cubot X18 Review: Performance 

The overall performance is fluid, which isn’t surprising given that we have seen MT6737T prove its worth in the low-end market. You don’t have any bloatware, just plain vanilla Android 7 experience. Apps open up quickly and things are smooth on most occasions.

cubot x18 review (7)

Gameplay is also fine. Games like subway surfer run without any glitches and even higher graphic games like Asphalt 8 run well with occasional glitches.

cubot x18 review (8)

Benchmark Scores are not really great. The phone scores just around 37500 on AnTuTu & 639 &1700 in Geekbench tests which is similar to SD425, but as I have mentioned before, the real life performance is good and that’s what really counts end of the day.

 

Cubot X18 Review: Camera

cubot x18 001 (9)

The camera is decent but nothing out of the ordinary. You get the same kind of grainy pictures that you would expect from a budget chinese smartphone. One area where it lacked was the amount of details in each picture, but for basic social media photos, the X18 should work. The phone managed to capture images with sufficient lighting along with good colors. But night time photos were less than impressive as I struggled to capture blur free images. On most occasions, the camera produced blurry photos at night, which was disappointing. You can clearly see that the images are blurred in the samples from here

Also, when it comes to the front camera the pictures are grainy and it’s hard to get a decent steady shot from the front shooter. The only good thing going for this phone is that you get a front-facing LED flash to light up your selfies.

 

Cubot X18 Review: Connectivity

The speaker quality is decent. It’s sufficiently loud and punchy.

cubot x18 review (10)

Connectivity is good, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi-, GPS all work well. Call quality is also pretty good. So, no real issues in this department. The battery is decent, and moderate usage should give you about a day’s use on a single charge. But personally, I would have expected better battery life with the efficient Mediatek chip powering the device.

 

To wind up, the Cubot X18 is a great option only if you are looking for an 18:9 display on a budget. Other than that, the phone doesn’t have much to offer. You can get better options at a similar price, especially after the new Redmi 5 models hitting the market at a slightly premium price tag. 

Apple Raises iPhone Prices In India After Hike In Customs Duty

Apple has increased prices of most of its smartphones in India after the government of India raised taxes on imported phones last week. The move of hike in customs duties seems to be aimed at boosting local production under its ‘Make in India’ initiative.

The Cupertino-based company has raised prices of most iPhones in India by 3 percent to 5 percent. The pricing for the iPhone 6 has been increased by Rs. 1,280 and now it costs Rs. 30,780 (approx. $481).

The smartphone model which witnessed the highest hike in price is the iPhone X, with an increase of Rs. 3,072 in its price in India. It now retails at Rs. 92,430 (approximately $1,443) for the 64GB variant and Rs. 1,05,720 (approximately $1,650) for the 256GB variant.

Apple iPhone X

The iPhone 6s is available at Rs. 41,550 for the 32GB variant, while the 128GB variant will be available for Rs. 50,660. The 32GB and 128GB variants of iPhone 6s Plus are now priced at Rs. 50,740 and Rs. 59,860, respectively.

The iPhone 7 now costs Rs. 50,810 for the 32GB variant, while the 128GB variant is available for Rs. 59,910. The iPhone 7 Plus will now be available at Rs. 61,060 for the 32GB variant and Rs. 70,180 for the 128GB variant.

Apple’s recently launched iPhone 8 is available for purchase at Rs. 66,120 for the 64GB variant while the 256GB variant now costs Rs. 79,420. The iPhone 8 Plus is priced at Rs. 75, 450 for the 64GB variant and the 256GB will be available for Rs. 88,750.

The only iPhone model which has been exempted from this price increase if the iPhone SE, which is being manufactured locally in India. Apple’s Taiwanese contract manufacturer Wistron is assembling iPhone SE in the technology hub of Bengaluru.

Read More: Apple iPhone SE Successor Could Launch In Q1 Next Year

The customs duty hike comes at a time when Apple is seeking various incentives from the Indian government to further expand manufacturing in India — one of its fastest-growing smartphone markets globally.

 

Meizu CEO Huang Zhang To Personally Lead Company’s Blue Charm Division

Meizu continues its restructuring efforts in a bid to achieve greater market presence. The company had earlier rejigged its entire operation, with the creation of the Meizu division as well as the Blue Charm division and the Flyme division. The Meizu division oversees the flagship smartphones while the Blue Charm division handles mid-range and budget models and the Flyme division handles the software aspect. Meizu’s CEO, Huang Zhang was identified as heading the Meizu division while the Blue Charm division is said to be headed by Li Nan, longtime Meizu VP.meizu 15 plus

It is now rumoured that Meizu’s CEO/ Founder Huang Zhang will personally oversee the Blue Charm division in a new adjustment. The report alleges that the CEO will be involved in the product planning and building in the division. This leaves us confused as to what happens to Li Nan who was earlier unveiled as the President of the Blue Charm division. But Li Nan is reported to have confirmed that Huang Zhang has taken over the Blue Charm division to enable the brand launch a major offensive next year from the division.

Read AlsoMeizu M15 Plus (and Meizu M15) Anniversary Phone launching Next Year

Meizu’s Blue Charm division is very well known for its mid-range and budget models which are usually with topnotch designs. The Blue Charm models could sometimes pass for flagship models like the M6 Note and several others. The company is expected to release a flagship or perhaps two products for its 15th anniversary next year. It may just be a scenario of the CEO trying to ensure the smartphones launched under both the flagship Meizu division and Blue Charm division come out with thrilling designs. We’ll be on the lookout to see how this pans out.

(source)

Full Specifications Revealed As Nokia 9 Shows Up AT FCC

The Nokia 9 has been seen at the FCC revealing all its specification details. Judging from the specs and the release date which is said to be in January, it appears Nokia will be towing the same line LG took with the G6.

Nokia 9

According to the specification list posted on Twitter by @ZyadAtef12, the Nokia 9 will come with a 5.5-inch OLED screen supplied by LG Display. The display which is not only larger than the Nokia 8‘s 5.3-inch IPS LCD screen, should also have a better color reproduction since it is OLED.

 

For optics, the Nokia 9 will come with dual rear cameras but in a 12MP + 13MP configuration. For selfies, it packs a rather modest 5MP sensor. We believe the Nokia 9 should also come with the Dual Sight feature of the Nokia 8.

Nokia 9 Specs

HMD Global has packed 128GB of built-in storage supplied by Samsung into the Nokia 9. Will there be other storage variants? We can’t say for sure but we won’t rule out the possibility of a 64GB model.

There is Qualcomm’s MSM8998 A.K.A. Snapdragon 835 mobile platform on board. The processor will draw power from a 3250mAh battery which supports 18W fast charging.

The phone is most likely already in mass production by FIH Mobile (Foxconn’s subsidiary) which handles production for HMD Global.

The Nokia 9 will be one of the first flagships of 2018 but one with 2017’s features. However, its early arrival, if we are to believe the rumors, may help give HMD an early lead in the market.

READ MORE: Nokia 6 (2018) Spotted on TENAA, Images Show 18:9 Display

Samsung Galaxy A8 vs Xiaomi Mi Note 3: Specs Comparison

There are many advanced users who would like to have a flagship phone for multimedia or productivity, but they cannot afford it because their budget is low compared to the prices of actual flagships which are increasing every day. If you are among these people, you will be glad to know that there are nice high-end phones which are very similar to flagships but have a lower price. Samsung Galaxy A8 and Xiaomi Mi Note 3 are among the best high-end phones which are still sold at a decent price, and the following is a Samsung Galaxy A8 vs Xiaomi Mi Note 3 specs comparison between them.

samsung galaxy a8

 

Samsung Galaxy A8 vs Xiaomi Mi Note 3

Samsung Galaxy A8 Xiaomi Mi Note 3
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 149.2 x 70.6 x 8.4 mm  152.6 x 74 x 7.6 mm, 163 g
DISPLAY  5.6 inches, 1080 x 2220p (Full HD+), 18.5:9 ratio, Super AMOLED  5.5 inches, 1080 x 1920p (Full HD), 16:9 ratio, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR  octa-core Samsung Exynos 7885, 2.2 GHz  Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, octa-core 2.2 GHz
MEMORY  4 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD slot  6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB
SOFTWARE  Android 7.1.1 Nougat, Samsung Experience  Android 7.1 Nougat, MIUI 8
CONNECTIVITY  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS
CAMERA 16 MP f/1.7
Dual 16 + 8 MP f/1.9 front camera
 Dual 12 + 12 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.6, OIS, 2x optical zoom
16 MP front camera
BATTERY  3000 mAh, Fast charging  3500 mAh, Fast charging (Quick Charge 3.0)
ADDITIONAL FEATURES  Dual SIM, IP68 certified  Dual SIM

In terms of design and build quality, Samsung Galaxy A8 looks way better than Xiaomi Mi Note 3. Both are made of glass and metal, but A8 has a borderless display with a high screen-to-body ratio, and it is a fully waterproof phone. Its opponent has a classic 16:9 panel and it does not offer any certification for water-resistance. The display is also better on the Samsung Galaxy A8: it is an AMOLED, Full HD+ panel. Displays are not the strong point of Xiaomi phones, even though Xiaomi Mi Note 3 has a decent panel. An aspect in which Xiaomi Mi Note 3 is probably better is the hardware side: the phone has an efficient and very powerful SoC paired with a huge quantity of RAM: 6 GB. An advantage of Samsung Galaxy A8 is the dedicated micro SD slot: it is possible to use two SIM cards without saying goodbye to micro SD.

We still have no idea about the camera performance of the Samsung Galaxy A8 as the phone was just announced today. But on paper, the cameras of this handset are excellent: there is a rear camera with a very large aperture and dual front cameras which are interesting as well. However, Xiaomi Mi Note is the best Xiaomi camera phone and it is also in the top 10 camera phones tested by DxOMark, so it will be an exciting battle.

Further, the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 has a bigger battery that should last more. Samsung Galaxy A8 has been announced with a price tag of 500 euros (590 dollars) for Europe, which is not so affordable, but the price will drop in a few months. Xiaomi Mi Note 3 can actually be found at about 310 euros (online street prices) or 365 dollars.

With these prices, I would personally pick the Xiaomi Mi Note 3.

 

Samsung Galaxy A8 vs Xiaomi Mi Note 3

PRO and CONS

Samsung Galaxy A8

PRO

  • Super display
  • Great selfie camera
  • Dedicated micro SD slot
  • Waterproof

CONS

  • Price

Xiaomi Mi Note 3

PRO

  • Very nice performances
  • Great rear camera
  • Affordable price
  • Big battery

CONS

  • Average display

Meizu M6S Hands-On Video Leaked to Reveal Full Screen Design, mBlu Branding

Meizu M6S is speculated to arrive as the first full screen phone from the company. A leaked video of the phone has surfaced today to reaffirm the full screen design that was previously revealed through its leaked photos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S25PWZvT7wI

Read More: Meizu Achieves More Than 50% Year-on-Year Growth in 2017

The video reveals that the smartphone does not feature a front or rear-mounted fingerprint reader. This indicates that it could be embedded under the Power key that is present on the edge of the device. The body of the phone seems to be made out of metal and its corners are rounded. The rear camera setup is not visible in the video, but what can be seen is the “mblu by Meizu” branding towards the bottom of the back panel.

mBlu is a sub-brand of Meizu. It appears that the alleged Meizu M6S could belong to mBlu series of phones. The handset is also being referred to as mBlu S by the rumor mill.

Rumors have it that the handset will be featuring a 5.7-inch display that will be offering an aspect ratio of 18:9. It is speculated to be powered by Exynos 7872 chipset and 3 GB of RAM. It is likely to feature a 13-megapixel rear snapper and a 5-megapixel selfie shooter. It is speculated to be priced around 2,000 Yuan. However, some sources have claimed that it may cost around 2,500 Yuan.

The handset was speculated to launch on Dec. 20. However, a recent report has claimed that since it has encountered a camera debugging issue, it will be debuting in the next month..

(via)

Huawei Enjoy 7S vs Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus: Budget Full Screen Phone Comparison

If you are searching for the phone which has the best value for money, Huawei Enjoy 7S and Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus are some of the best choices for you. They have good performance and they are well balanced in every aspect. Given that we are talking about two of the best midranges sold at around 200 dollars, we think it is time to make a Huawei Enjoy 7S vs Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus comparison to help you save money in the best way.

huawei enjoy 7s

 

Huawei Enjoy 7S vs Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus

Huawei Enjoy 7S Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT  150.1 x 7 2.05 x 7.45 mm, 143 grams 158.5 x 75.5 x 8.1 mm, 180 grams
DISPLAY 5.65 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD), 428 ppi, 16:9 ratio, IPS LCD 5,99 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, 18:9 ratio, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 659, octa-core 2.36 GHz  Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, octa-core 2.0 GHz
MEMORY 3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD slot 3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB, micro SD slot
SOFTWARE Android 8.0 Oreo, EMUI 8.0 Android 7.1.2 Nougat, MIUI 9
CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS
CAMERA Dual 13 + 2 MP
8 MP front camera
12 MP f/2.2
5 MP front camera
BATTERY 3000 mAh  4000 mAh
Fast charging 5V / 2A
ADDITIONAL FEATURES Hybrid Dual SIM slot Hybrid Dual SIM slot

Even though both these phones have a metal design and a borderless display with a similar screen-to-body ratio, their dimensions are different. While Huawei Honor 7S is thinner and more compact, Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is bigger but it also has a bigger display. The viewing quality of these displays should not be very different on paper as they both have a Full HD+ resolution but Huawei Enjoy 7S has a slightly higher pixel density as its display is smaller. On the other hand, the Redmi 5 Plus has a bigger and more comfortable display.

On the hardware side, it is a challenge between Kirin 659 and Snapdragon 625: we still do not know how these midrange SoCs behave on these phones. Snapdragon 625 may be more efficient, while Kirin 659 may be more powerful. A real advantage of Huawei Enjoy 7S is the fact that it has been launched with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box, while Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus has Nougat and you will have to wait almost a year to get the latest version.

But MIUI 9 is full of features and it is a very advanced user interface, so you shouldn’t mind the wait for Oreo. The dual camera setup of Huawei Enjoy 7S should also be better than the single camera found on Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus, but we cannot say for sure until we see the first camera samples. On the other hand, Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus has a much bigger battery and a longer battery life.

Personally, I would go for the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus because it has a way longer battery life and it makes a big difference these days. Huawei Enjoy 7S has been launched in China (and probably it will stay there) with a price tag of about 227 dollars (192 euros), while Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus starts from 151 dollars (128 euros), so R5P is also more affordable.

 

Huawei Enjoy 7S vs Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus

PRO and CONS

Huawei Enjoy 7S

PRO

  • Nice dual camera
  • Full display
  • Compact design
  • Android Oreo

CONS

  • Limited availability

 

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus

PRO

  • Full display
  • Big battery
  • Fast charging
  • Low price

CONS

  • Still Nougat

ZTE Confirms That Axon 7 Will Soon Receive Android 8.0 Oreo Update

Even though the Axon 7 smartphone is no longer in production, ZTE has confirmed that the phone will receive the Android 8.0 Oreo update. While the company has not provided any timeframe for this update, it is expected to roll out soon.

It appears that the China-based company is already working on the Android Oreo update for the Axon 7. The smartphone, which was originally launched in May last year, comes with Android Marshmallow operating system out-of-the-box.

ZTE Axon 7

In an official statement confirming the Android Oreo update for the Axon 7, ZTE said:

We are announcing now that we are already developing Android 8 for the Axon 7, your positive feedback has been inspiring us a lot and made us very happy and because of this we try to get it customer ready as soon as possible for the best customers in the world, and I ask for your understanding because we still need some time to perfect it.

Since the post regarding this was made on the European forum, we are expecting the update to first hit the devices in the European market. It is not known if the over-the-air (OTA) update will roll out to other regions.

The ZTE Axon 7 was ranked among one of the best affordable premium smartphone last year. It comes with a 5.5-inch display with 2K resolution, 2.5D curved glass and a layer of Gorilla Glass 4 protection on top. The smartphone has a 3,250mAh battery, which also supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 technology.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. It comes with a 20MP f/1.8 aperture camera with OIS and EIS at the back, while up front, it has an 8MP f/2.2 88-degree wide angle shooter.

Read More: ZTE Blade A6 Max Images, User Manual Surface Through FCC Certification

A couple of months ago, ZTE confirmed that it is working on a successor of the Axon 7 but apart from that confirmation, no other information is available related to the phone. We will just have to wait until more information comes up.

(Source)

 

New Glass-Like Polymer with Self Healing Prowess Discovered

A new kind of highly durable glass-like polymer that can heal on its own has been discovered by Professor Takuzo Aida’s team of researchers from the University of Tokyo. Usually, polymers require around 120-degree Celsius of heat to heal itself. However, the newly discovered polymer can heal itself by applying some hand pressure. This polymer is named as polyether-thioureas.

The new glass polymer was reportedly discovered by a mistake when a student named Yu Yanagisawa tried to stick the cut edges of the polymer with each other. When pressed with slight pressure by hand at 21 degrees Celsius, the cut polymers formed a strong sheet. Tech experts are of the view that this new polymer could be used as self-healing display on smartphones.

Cracked Display

Read More: Patent Reveals Motorola Is Working On A Self-Healing Display

Earlier in this year, a self-healing material was created that could not only stitch itself back together within 24 hours, but also it could stretch 50 times its original size. This new material was made by chemists at the University of California at Riverside and University of Colorado. In August, Motorola was granted with patent for a glass-like plastic polymer can restore on its own when cracked.

Smartphone users have to spend huge amount of money for fixing cracked screens. However, the recent discoveries and patent filings suggest that we may soon see smartphones with self-healing displays in the market.

(source|via)

 

 

Super Deal: International Version Of Huawei Honor 9 4G Smartphone Is Now $309.99

Huawei took the wraps off its Honor 9 flagship smartphone in June 2017 and it hit the store shelves in July. The Huawei Honor 9 is up for grabs on OppoMart and Giztop bearing a price tag of $369. However, you can get your hands on the International Version of Huawei Honor 9 4G smartphone at a discounted price of $309.99 on GearBest.

At $309.99, the 4G smartphone offers an array of awe-inspiring features coupled with an irresistible design. The device is available in Black, Blue, Golden, and Gray color options. Although the handset is unlocked for worldwide use, it is recommended to check if local area network is compatible and network frequency of your country with your carrier before buying this phone.

Honor 9 Main Image
Apart from the Honor 9 4G smartphone, the package comprises one back case, a power adapter, one SIM needle, and a USB cable. It’s worth noting that there are only 100 units available and the promotion ends on December 30. You can use promotion code ‘hshonor9’ to buy the phone for just $309.99.

Click here to avail the deal. Note the Honor 9 4G smartphone is slated to ship from December 21 to January 2. If you’ve been waiting with bated breath to buy the handset, grab the deal before the promotion comes to an end and the phone’s price goes back to $399.

Alleged Sony Xperia XZ2’s Front Panel Leaked, Reveals Ultra-Thin Bezels

Sony is known for unleashing new smartphones at Mobile World Congress (MWC) platform each year. Hence, Sony is expected to announce new phones such as successor editions of the Sony Xperia XZ1 and Xperia XZ Premium at MWC (2018) in February. Today, a leaked image of an unidentified Sony phone has appeared. Speculations have it that it could be the front view of the rumored Sony Xperia XZ2 that may succeed the Xperia XZ1.

The below image shows that the right, left and bottom sides of the display of the alleged Sony Xperia XZ2 are surrounded by ultra-thin bezels. The upper bezel is thick enough to fit in the earpiece along with selfie camera and proximity sensor.

Some of the Sony phones have featured side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Hence, it is speculated that the fingerprint sensor could be embedded in the Power key that is located on the right side of the phone. However, there is a possibility that it could be placed on the rear side of the phone.

The right edge also features buttons for controlling volume as well as a dedicated key for launching camera. The source has not revealed any information on the specifications of the phone.

Alleged Sony Xperia XZ Front Panel

Read More: Mysterious 2018 Sony Xperia Flagship Phones with Full Screen Design Appears in New Renders

The Japanese firm has adhered to OmniBalance design for its smartphones since 2013. However, rumors are rife that Sony would be ditching the design for the good to embrace bezel-less design for its upcoming smartphones like the alleged Xperia XZ2.

The rumor mill has already unearthed the entire specifications of the phone that will be succeeding the Xperia XZ1. According to leaked information, its model number is H8216 and it will be powered by Snapdragon 845 chipset and 4 GB of RAM. Its internal storage will be 64 GB. It will be coming with a 5.48-inch display that will be supporting full HD resolution.

It could be Sony’s first phone to house dual camera setup on its back panel. It is speculated to include a pair of 12-megapixel sensors. It is likely to feature a selfie snapper of 15-megapixel. Other features of the phone include Android 8.1 Oreo and 3,130mAh battery.

There is no way to confirm whether the above image really belongs to Sony Xperia XZ1’s successor. Hence, we advise our readers to digest this report with a pinch of salt.

(source)

 

 

Samsung Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ With Dual Front-Facing Cameras Launched

After a series of leaks related to the Galaxy A8 and its bigger sibling Galaxy A8 Plus, Samsung has finally announced the Galaxy A8 and A8+. These smartphones are the successor of the Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7.

The design of both the phones is quite similar to the company’s flagship smartphone — Galaxy S8. The devices also feature a similarly Infinity Display and dual front-facing cameras. Both smartphones come with IP68 ratings, making them water and dust resistant.

Samsung Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+

The Samsung Galaxy A8 sports a 5.6-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with screen resolution of 2220 x 1080 pixels, an unusual 18.5:9 aspect ratio and a curved glass on top. The phone packs 4GB RAM and comes in two models based on internal storage capacity — 32GB and 64GB.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy A8+ comes with a 6-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a screen resolution of 2220 x 1080 pixels, curved glass and the same 18.5:9 aspect ratio. It is offered in two options — 4GB RAM and 6GB RAM as well as 32GB internal storage and 64GB onboard storage.

There is a microSD card slot present on both devices, allowing users to expand the storage capacity on the devices up to 256GB. Under the hood, both smartphones are powered by an octa-core processor with two cores clocked at 2.2GHz and six cores clocked at 1.6GHz.

Samsung Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+

Coming to the camera department, both smartphones feature a 16-megapixel camera sensor at the back with f/1.7 aperture and a Video Digital image stabilisation (VDis) technology. At the front, the devices sport a dual camera setup, with a 16-megapixel fixed focus sensor and an 8-megapixel secondary sensor for Bokeh effects. Both sensors come with f/1.9 aperture.

The devices are running Android 7.1 Nougat operating system along with the company’s own skin on top. Connectivity options on the devices include 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, GPS / A-GPS, NFC, and USB Type-C port. The Galaxy A8 is fuelled by a 3,000mAh battery while the Galaxy A8+ packs a bigger 3,500mAh battery.

Read More: Samsung And LG Are Pegged To Unveil New Mid-Range Phones At CES 2018

Both smartphones — Samsung Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ are slated to go on sale from January 2018. However, the company has not yet provided any information regarding the pricing of the devices or the availability information for regions other than Europe.