On Thursday, Honor will be unveiling the Honor 9 Lite smartphone with full screen design. The specs and the pricing of the phone have been already leaked earlier in this month. Recent reports have revealed that the two models of the Honor 9 Lite would be costing 1,299 Yuan (~$196) and 1599 Yuan (~$242). However, the pricing of the two variants of the smartphone that have been found listed on China Telecom’s website are different from the previous leaks.
The Honor 9 Lite is a toned down version of the Honor 9 phone that was unveiled earlier in this year. It is expected to feature glass on its front and rear sides. However, instead of a metallic frame, it is now rumored to arrive with a plastic border. New leaks claim that it would be arriving in color choices like blue and gray. However, previous leaks have also suggested that it would be available in other color options like black and white.
The Honor 9 Lite will be housing a 5.65-inch display that will be supporting 18:9 aspect ratio. It is expected to support Full HD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The front and rear sides of the phone will be featuring dual camera setup that will include a 13-megapixel sensor and a 20-megapixel sensor. The handset will not be supporting NFC and 4G+. It will be fueled by Kirin 659 chipset.
According to the listing of the Honor 9 Youth Edition on China Telecom, it will be arriving in two models such as 32 GB storage + 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage and 4 GB RAM. These models are respectively priced at 1,999 Yuan (~$302) and 2,399 Yuan (~$363). Interestingly, there is no mentioning of the 3 GB RAM variant that the rumor mill had revealed earlier.
Since the base model of the Honor 9 was priced at 2,299 Yuan, it is speculated that the two variants of the Honor 9 Lite would be respectively priced at 1,799 Yuan (~$272) and 2,199 Yuan (~$332).
2017 seems to be the year of budget bezel-less phones and Bluboo has made quite a few of them. We have definitely seen this design before but the phone has decent specs for the price and more. Learn more in our review.
As always, make sure to check out all the links and show notes in the video description down below. Currently, the phone retails for less than $150.
DESIGN and DISPLAY
In terms of the looks, we have already seen this design a lot of times as we have a display that takes almost the entire space of the front of the phone. The panel itself is really good overall.
The build quality is very good too and I have to say that the phone looks really nice in white but you can also get a black color option.
We have a dual-camera setup on the back, inconveniently placed 8MP interpolated shooter on the front and nice buttons on the side.
The fingerprint scanner is quite accurate but the display could light up faster. Also, the phone does not have a headset jack and it lacks a notification LED light. Finally, the loudspeaker quality does not really impress.
HARDWARE and PERFORMANCE
The phone ships with really good specifications for the price but in reality, you may find the phone struggling even while playing some older 3D titles like Asphalt 8 on the highest graphics settings. You can play most of the games on reduced graphics but I also found that the phone gets hot quickly.
BENCHMARKS
USER INTERFACE
The phone runs Android 7 which is great but I’m not a huge fan of the fact that Bluboo removed the app tray and customized the icons in a cartoonish way. On a positive side, the phone has quite a few features and customization options to play with and most importantly, it runs fast and fluid.
My favorite features include the ability to customize the navigation bar or simply use the home key. Also, I use a few gesture controls but they are not always reliable. Finally, you can use the fingerprint gestures, which work well.
IMAGE QUALITY
The overall image quality is just average. Sure, some of the pictures will look okay on social media but pictures could definitely have more detail, sharpness and the color reproduction is not always accurate.
Selfies image quality does not impress either.
1080p video quality is just average and the selfie videos are shot only in 480p, meaning that the quality is bad.
As far as connectivity, I would rate the call quality above average and other options work just fine.
Also, the phone has a gyroscope for VR compatibility.
BATTERY LIFE
You should expect to have a pretty much standard battery life on this phone. I was able to get about 5 hours of screen-on time.
However, it takes over 2.5 h to fully charge the phone with the supplied charger.
CONCLUSIONS
Bluboo S1 is yet another budget bezel-less phone that aims to deliver a lot of value for the price. For about $150, you indeed get a nice-looking phone that works well on the daily basis, has decent battery life and has quite a few features in the UI.
Just like on most of these budget phones, you should not expect to have stellar image quality. Also, this phone does not perform well handling 3D games.
Still, you get quite a lot for the price of the phone. Hopefully, my list of pros and cons helped you out and if it did, please like the video, drop me a comment down below if you have any questions and please subscribe for more content like this.
Here is an extra discount for our readers: before pay your order(pending payment status), add a message “YH34” in the shopping cart, select no warranty service, then the seller will change the price for $135.99 after a while.
Qualcomm recently announced its latest mobile chipset — Snapdragon 845, which is going to power almost all of the upcoming flagships smartphones. While Xiaomi‘s Mi 7 or Samsung‘s Galaxy S9 could be the first smartphone to run on Snapdragon 845 processor. Now, we know that Sony H8216 will also pack the same processor.
Sony is also going to launch a new smartphone next year, likely in Q1 2018, which will be powered by the Snapdragon 845 processor. According to the latest specifications leak, Sony’s upcoming smartphone with model number H8216, which is likely to be the Xperia Z2 — the successor of the Xperia Z1, will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor.
A new specifications leak related to the smartphone reveals that along with Snapdragon 845 SoC, the phone will pack 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Further, the handset will measure 148 × 73.4 × 7.4 mm, and will weight about 156 grams. The leak also suggests that the phone will have an an IP65/68 rating, making it water and dust resistant.
Earlier, it was revealed that the device will come with a 5.48-inch Full HD HDR Triluminos display with X-Reality image processing and a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It is said that the phone could come with two 12-megapixel camera sensors at the back and a 15-megapiel selfie shooter on the front side with an f/2.0 aperture.
The device is expected to run Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box and will be powered by a 3,130mAh battery, which will also support the Quick Charge technology.
However, we could not verify if this new details about the phone are actually true or not. We’ll just have to wait for more leaks surrounding the phone or till the company makes an official announcement, which could happen at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 in Las Vegas or at Mobile World Congress (MWC).
Recently, there were reports suggesting that Sony is also going to jump into the bezel-less display smartphones next year with the next-generation Xperia XZ Premium smartphone. Also, a bunch of upcoming Sony smartphones were uncovered in different user agent profiles — H81XX, H82XX and H83XX
Koogeek is known for its smart products which cover a broad range of categories. To celebrate the holidays, the Dodocool subsidiary has marked down a number of its products in various countries.
Most of the deals are available in all the countries Koogeek has an online store in but we’ll focus on the US prices for the sake of this post.
Setting up a smart home? Items like the Apple Homekit Smart Plug and HomeKit Smart Bulb have been discounted to $24.64 and $31.44 respectively from original prices $28.99 and $36.99.
If you don’t take care you will lose yourself to all the cakes and puddings flowing around this holiday and add a few pounds. Monitor your weight with the Koogeek Wireless Digital Body Scale which is down to $25.99 from $36.99.
A week ago, Xiaomi unveiled its first affordable phone with an 18:9 near-borderless display. The Xiaomi Redmi 5 was also announced alongside Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus. Someone might already think that the Plus version, due to its mid-end specs and its wide display, will replace the Redmi Note 5. In this article, you can find our first Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Hands on pictures to see its design in a detailed way.
The screen is surely the biggest innovation of this phone if we compare it with its predecessor. While Redmi 4 Pro had a small 5-inch panel, this handset offers a huge 5.99-inch display (just like Xiaomi Mi Mix 2!) with an 18:9 aspect ratio and a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels. Even though the display is big, the phone remains quite compact due to its narrow bezels which reminds me of LG G6 (dimensions: 158.8 x 75.45 x 8.05, weight: 179.5 grams). If you buy the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus, you will have to say goodbye to capacitive keys outside the screen, while the front camera remains at the same place, alongside the front speaker for calls.
The body of Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is entirely made of aluminum and it is not so different from the one of Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, but the look and the ergonomics have been improved with more rounded borders. The rear side houses a single camera with a resolution of 12 MP which has a gold rim as you can see in the photos, but it is not gold-plated like the one of Xiaomi Mi Mix 2. Under the camera, you can find a dual LED, dual-tone flash, and a circular fingerprint reader just like other midrange Xiaomi phones. On the upper side, Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus has a 3.5 mm audio jack for headphones and an IR sensor to use it as a remote.
On the left side, there is a dual SIM tray: the phone sports a hybrid dual SIM slot, you can choose to use the second slot as an additional SIM slot or a micro SD slot to expand the internal storage. On the right side you can find the volume rocker and the power key, while on the lower part there is a micro USB port to charge the battery (yes… still micro), the mono speaker and the microphone. The Gold variant in the photos is not the only color option, there is also a Rose Gold variant, a Black, and a Blue one. Other specs include a Snapdragon 625 SoC, 3 or 4 GB of RAM, 32 or 64 GB of internal storage (depending on the variant) and a 4000 mAh battery. The listing price in China goes from 151 to 196 dollars.
The camera department has never been a very strong point of Xiaomi phones, but with the latest devices launched by the Chinese giant, things are seeming to change. Look at the Mi Note 3 for example, which has been the first phone to enter the top 10 best camera phones by DxOMark. Now, thanks to our Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Camera samples, you can check if the quality has improved even on the affordable phones, besides high-end and flagship ones.
On the rear side, for photography, Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus sports a single camera with a resolution of 12 MP and a f/2.2 aperture. It supports phase detection autofocus and HDR, and below the sensor, there is a dual LED dual-tone flash. It can record video at a max resolution of 1080p at 30 fps. The front camera has a 5 MP resolution and it can record videos in 1080p too. Photos shot in good light conditions show a pretty nice level of detail and also with a nice color accuracy. However, when it comes to low light conditions (indoor and at night), the level of noise increases in a noticeable way and there is a consistent loss of detail. Its not something that’s unacceptable for a phone on its price range, but we are definitely far from top camera phones.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus can shoot acceptable photos, but it is not a phone which is mainly focused on the camera. So if your main concern is the camera department, you’d better go for the Xiaomi Mi A1 which can be found at a similar price. Regarding other specs, the handset sports a near-borderless display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, a size of 5.99 inches, and a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels. Under the hood, there is an octa-core Snapdragon 625 processor by Qualcomm, which can run at a max frequency of 2 GHz.
The SoC is paired with 3 or 4 GB of RAM depending on the variant that you choose to buy, and 32 or 64 GB of internal storage which you can expand with a micro SD. The battery has a capacity of 4000 mAh, which is way more than Xiaomi Mi A1 (3080 mAh). The body is entirely made of metal and it has been announced in four different hues: Gold, Rose Gold, Blue, and Black. In China, the device has been launched with a price tag of about 151 dollars for the base variant and 196 dollars for the 4 GB RAM version.
Samsung is not new to launching special edition variants of its phones. Its latest iteration is the Galaxy Note8 X 99AVANT. Just like the name hints, this version is limited to only 99 units.
Priced at KRW 1,991,000 (~$1,830/€1550), the Galaxy Note8 X 99AVANT Limited Edition is actually the 256GB Midnight Black Galaxy Note8 but with a specially designed case that has artist Han Sueng-Woo’s signature on the inside.
You also get a 69 x 45cm print of the tiger artwork that can be hanged in your home in addition to custom wallpapers and icons designed by the artist.
Is $1800 too much for this special edition Galaxy Note8? Not really but you are actually paying for the artwork.
The phone is not only limited to 99 units but is also limited to South Korea. If you are interested in getting a unit, head to the source link below and purchase a unit.
This week on Gizmochina Explains, we are taking a look at Wireless Charging – a technology that has existed for over a century but is still far from its peak.
Qi Wireless Charging Symbol
What is Wireless Charging?
Wireless charging, also known as induction charging is a form of energy transfer that makes use of electromagnetic fields generated by coils to transfer power from one point to the other. To achieve this energy transfer, the coil in the “generator” and “receiver” have to resonate at the same frequency.
Wireless charging was first demonstrated by Nikola Tesla in 1899, who foresaw a future where power would be transmitted around the planet without the need for cables. While the world has been built on the transmission of energy via wires, Tesla’s dream of a wireless future is slowly becoming a reality.
Benefits of Wireless charging
Ability to power devices that need to remain sealed or sterile such as medical implants.
Reduced risk of electrical damage such as short-circuiting, and reduced risk of electrical accidents caused by sparks.
Increase in the durability of devices – since there is no need for plugging and unplugging of cables, there is no case of damaged cables or ports. This also translates to a reduction in maintenance cost as mechanical connectors do not need to be repaired or replaced.
Increase in automation as charging can be programmed.
Disadvantages of Wireless Charging
Slow charging – wireless charging is still not as fast as wired charging, so devices take longer to charge.
It is more expensive.
Limited range – wireless charging operates within a very limited range compared to wired charging.
Still requires wires – Wireless charging still requires cords for the transmitter or charging pad.
Multiple Wireless Charging Standards – there are two main wireless charging standards (Qi and AirFuel Alliance), some devices support one and others support the other but there are also some that support both.
Wireless Charging Applications
Wireless charging has seen use in two main industries – transportation and mobile communications industry. However, we are also seeing a growing application in the healthcare industry.
Wireless Charging in The Mobile Industry
This year, Apple released the iPhone X, its first phone to support wireless charging. Apple is a little late to the party as manufacturers such as Microsoft (Lumia), Google (Nexus), and Samsung have all released phones with support for wireless charging as far back as 2012 and 2013. However, even the aforementioned manufacturers are not the pioneers of the technology in the world of mobile phones.
From L-R Palm Pre with wireless charging case attached, Palm Pre with a regular case, Touchstone Charging Pad. Image Source: Engadget
Back in 2009, the Palm Pre was the first smartphone to support wireless charging. To make use of the feature, you had to buy a $70 accessory combo that included a charging station called the “Touchstone” and a new rear cover for the phone different from the one that shipped with it originally. The new rear cover contained an induction coil that received power from the electromagnetic field generated by the induction coil in the Touchstone. Simply replacing the covers and placing the phone on the Touchstone allowed the phone to charge wirelessly, saving you the stress of fiddling with cables.
Moto Style Shells Brings Wireless Charging Support To The Moto Z Series
This method of adding wireless charging support to a phone by purchasing an additional accessory is one that is still in use till this day. Motorola’s Moto Style Shells released this year for the Moto Z series gives your phone not only a new look but also adds wireless charging support.
Image Source: Bmwblog.com
Wireless Charging in Transportation
Another industry that makes use of wireless charging is the automobile industry. With the rise of electric vehicles, it is no surprise that wireless charging has seen adoption by car manufacturers.
BMW is one of the first manufacturers to bring wireless charging to cars. Back in September, the car manufacturer unveiled a charging pad for the BMW 530e. The pad which is several times larger than that of a phone connects to a 220V outlet. Sensors in the car guide you as to how to position your car over the pad. Once in the correct position, turn off the ignition and the car begins to charge automatically.
According to BMW, the pad charges the car’s 9.4kWh battery in 3.5 hrs, close to the speed you get when charging the car with a cord.
You don’t have to own a BMW to enjoy wireless charging. Plugless is a company that offers wireless charging to electric vehicles not built with the feature from the onset. Just the way you buy accessories that add wireless charging to your phone, Plugless lets you add wireless charging support to your electric car. The hardware is split into two – one is installed to your car and the other is installed at your home. Installation of both takes a few hours and your car is ready to charge wirelessly. Supported vehicles at the moment include the Tesla Model S, BMW i3, Chevy Bolt, and Nissan Leaf.
Nissan has a more interesting approach to wireless charging. It released a video detailing what fuel stations of the future will look like. Rather than have a single charging pad for your car, Nissan believes in having smart streets with charging pads built underneath. Since cars will also be self-driving, your vehicle will simply drive onto the street and charge. When done, it can drive away from the spot allowing another car to charge.
For this to work, cars will need to communicate with each other using super fast and low power communication network. This is where 5G comes in. 5G Sensors built into cars will allow for communication between each other and even other devices. Your car will be able to receive and send information such as battery level, charging time left, and charging speeds from/to other cars.
Nissan’s vision doesn’t end there. Once your car is full, it can in turn power your home, sending charge from the phone to the house via an off-grid system. Nissan even believes this can be done on a bigger scale. Public buildings such as schools and hospitals can draw energy from several cars in the parking lot leading to an endless sharing of clean energy between buildings, streets, and cars.
Wireless Charging in Healthcare
Wireless charging in healthcare is not as popular as in transportation and mobile technology but it is the sector where its impact is likely to be the biggest. Health centers, in general, strive to maintain a germ-free environment and the best way to achieve this is through less contact. The lesser the things you come in contact with, the lesser the spread of germs.
You will agree with me that charging cables are one of the dirtiest things around the home. Picked up with dirty hands or dropped on the floor, it is easy for germs from the wires to spread to healthcare devices that have to be implanted or worn on the body.
Some of the medical devices that now support wireless charging are implantable blood glucose monitors and hearing aids.
More development is going on to create more implants that can be charged wirelessly so that there will be no need for implants with batteries which need to be replaced after a certain duration.
Conclusion
Wireless charging still has a long way to go especially when it comes to its limited range. There are manufacturers that are working on extending the range like the startup called Pi which demonstrated a wireless charging solution that uses resonant induction like Qi’s technology but modifies it with a beamforming algorithm that allows the magnetic field to be shaped and directed around the transmitter. This makes it possible for devices to be charged simply by placing them next to the transmitter instead of on top of it. However, this only increases the range by a few centimeters.
Entry-level phones are usually suitable for entry-level use: web browsing, lightweight apps etc. But this is not the case with the 360 N6 Lite and the Xiaomi Redmi 5, which are two of the best entry-level smartphones in the market. If you have a very limited budget, these may be the best handsets for you. If you do not believe in what we just said, read their specs and this comparison and it may change your idea about them.
If we talk about the design, Xiaomi Redmi 5 looks more innovative and good to hold due to the 18:9 display and its high screen-to-body ratio. One of the main disadvantages of Xiaomi phones was their design which always seemed the same, but the company is putting efforts into this department, and finally, we can see the result. In terms of display, it is very hard to choose between a Full HD panel with a 16:9 aspect ratio and an HD and 18:9 panel. But it is still not possible to make accurate tests as the phones have just been launched. The hardware is slightly better on 360 N6 Lite: it has a way more powerful processor (Snapdragon 630 vs Snapdragon 450, there is no challenge), paired with more RAM (4 GB) than its opponent and a good amount of storage.
Even the battery is bigger, and this means this phone should last longer than its opponent with a single charge. The camera department seems better on 360 N6 Lite. It has better aperture and more Megapixels on the front camera (MPs are not everything, but when we talk about low amounts like 8 vs 5 MP it can make the difference). Further, the front camera supports an AI beauty mode for selfies, and there is a camera assistant installed. 360 N6 Lite has better specs without any doubt and if you have the necessary budget you should choose it. But it is costlier. It has been launched in the Asian market with a price tag of 150 dollars (126 Euros), while Xiaomi Redmi 5 is available starting from just 120 dollars (101 euros) in the base version.
Oppo is following its trend to commemorate new year with a New Year Anniversary Edition smartphone. Just like it did with Oppo R9S last year, this time, the company has launched Oppo R11S New Year Anniversary Edition.
The Oppo R11S New Year Anniversary Edition comes in Red colour with a gold-coloured border surrounding the camera module at the back of the phone. Along with that, the company’s branding is also in gold colour.
Apart from those minor changes in the phone’s design, everything else, including specifications of the phone, remains same.
The smartphone features a 6.01-inch Full HD+ display with screen resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels and aspect ratio of 18:9. Under the hood, it is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 660 processor, coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.
As for the camera, the device comes with a dual rear camera setup, featuring a 20-megapixel sensor with f/1.7 aperture and a 16-megapixel sensor with f/1.7 aperture. There is also a 20-megapixel front-facing camera sensor which comes with AI features that adds some new tricks, along with the AI Beauty mode which has 200 facial enhancements, scene detection, and portrait mode.
The OPPO R11s is fuelled by a 3,205mAh battery which also supports the company’s own VOOC fast charging technology. It comes with the new Color OS 3.2, which is based on Android 7.1.2 Nougat operating system.
Recently, the company had launched 6GB RAM variant of the phone, which is priced at 3,599 Yuan (approx. $545) and is available in only one colour – Champagne Gold.
While the company has announced this new Oppo R11S New Year Anniversary Edition smartphone, the pricing and availability information has not been revealed yet. We expect the phone to go on sale by the end of this month, just in time to welcome the new year.
Recently, we came in contact with the renders and schematics of a bezel-less Nubia smartphone with some uniqueness in its design. Another render of the Nubia bezel-less phone has appeared online with the special highlight focused on the full-screen design and the unique selfie camera design.
The bezel-less Nubia smartphone render gives a close up shot of the front camera notch which is similar to that of the Essential phone. Apart from the notch, the upper aspect is completely bezel-less as well as the chin. The bottom edge has a very narrow bezel. At the rear, there is a dual camera setup aligned in a vertical direction with the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor sitting under the camera.
We don’t know how authentic the renders are but if at all Nubia is working on a full-screen phone just as the earlier leaked schematics and these renders are suggesting, then it may likely drop next year. There are rumours that the smartphone will be known as Nubia Z19 but that has also not been confirmed. The device is also expected to pack the recently announced Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor which would find its way into flagship models in Q1 2018.
Finally, Xiaomi has released a phone dedicated to the international public with a stock Android version: the Mi A1. It is a midrange device, and seeing that it is a “Global” device, we think it is time to compare it with the latest international midrange phone by the most famous Chinese company in the world (at least in terms of sales): Honor 7X by Huawei. These are two devices, which can essentially replace costly flagships, offering great performance and camera quality at an affordable price tag. So, let’s see if its easy to pick one in the Honor 7X vs Xiaomi Mi A1 comparison.
Dual 12 + 12 MP, f/2.2 + f/2.6, 2x optical zoom
5 MP front camera
BATTERY
3340 mAh
3080 mAh
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Hybrid Dual SIM slot
Hybrid Dual SIM slot
The display can be defined as the main difference between these devices: on the first, we’ve got a 5.93-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and a Full HD+ resolution, while Xiaomi Mi A1 has a classic 5.5-inch panel with a Full HD resolution. Thanks to the 18:9 aspect ratio, Honor 7X has compact dimensions if we compare them with the display housed in the front panel, and it also has more pixels. In terms of performance, the Xiaomi Mi A1 should be better with ipower-efficientent Snapdragon 625 SoC and its 4 GB of RAM, which is the only configuration available. Note that Xiaomi Mi A1 has Android One installed, a very fast and bloatware-free operating system which will be supported directly by Google. Honor 7X will probably have more difficulties with its EMUI, and it will not receive as many updates as its opponent.
An aspect for which Honor 7X may result better is the battery life, as it offers a bigger battery with a capacity of 3340 mAh. But we still can not say it for sure, at least until there is a solid battery test. The camera should be better on Xiaomi Mi A1 as it is the main focus of the phone and it offers two 12 MP sensors with 2x optical zoom (that can deliver a high detail). It is not a flagship-level camera and it is far from the ones we saw on the Xiaomi Mi6 and Mi Note 3, but it pretty decent for its price range. Note that the selfie camera should be way better on the Honor 7X with its 13 MP resolution. Thanks to online street prices, actually it is not hard to find the Xiaomi Mi A1 at a price of just 170-180 euros (200-210 dollars), while Honor 7X can be purchased for 199 dollars in the USA in its base variant with just 3 GB of RAM, and for 299 euros in Europe. Even though it is not a borderless handset, I would pick Xiaomi Mi A1 for its software, its nice camera, and its affordable price
Apple’s iPhone X left some fans disappointed as a result of the lack of a front fingerprint sensor on the device. Instead, the iPhone X is equipped with facial recognition. The lack of a front fingerprint sensor is due to the full-screen design the device packs. However, it may soon become possible to get a front fingerprint sensor on a full-screen smartphone.
Recently, the prototype of a Vivo smartphone with in-display fingerprint sensor was spotted online. The in-display fingerprint technology was said to have been manufactured by Synaptics who confirmed this via an article on Forbes. This technology seems to have seen some progress as a new GIF image has emerged showing what is believed to be the Vivo smartphone in action. The fingerprint recognition technology is located on the display and would unlock the phone by just tapping the corresponding area. The GIF image also suggests the response time of the technology on the smartphone is rapid and works with just a tap.
Earlier reports had shown that the technology is ready for mass production as Synaptics has reportedly figured out how to mass produce it. The fingerprint recognition process relies on optical technology and it utilizes localized TLC / AES / ECC encryption which ensures security. According to Forbes, pressing the button present on the right side of a pre-production Vivo phone wakes it and displays an illuminated fingerprint image at the bottom of the screen. Users can simply touch it to unlock the phone instantly. Synaptics also confirmed that the in-display fingerprint technology is designed for bezel-less OLED infinity displays. We can’t say when the Vivo model will be launched but it is expected sometime in the first quarter of 2018.
Every year, we are seeing more pixels on smartphones displays, more powerful SoCs, and other elements which increases energy consumption. On the other hand, companies are struggling to make lithium batteries provide a sufficient battery life, especially on flagship devices. This is why power banks come in handy in order to keep our phones charged, especially when there aren’t any sockets around. Haier, the Chinese consumer electronics company, has just announced a new power bank which is one of the most innovative ones. It is an innovative white power bank which houses its cable, so you won’t have to carry it separately.
The new power bank by Haier is not so small (neither so big if we consider its capacity), but it offers a high capacity of 20,000 mAh and a power input / output of 18W. The new external battery has a micro USB input port, a USB Type-C bi-directional (it is an input and output port) and two USB Type-A output ports. It supports a two-way fast charging technology i.e. you can charge the power bank with fast charging technology as well.
The micro USB port supports 5V / 2A – 9V / 2A – 12V / 1.5A input standards, while the Type-C port supports 5V / 3A, 9V / 2A, 12V / 1.5A standards (input). Talking about the output USB-A and USB-C ports, they support 5V / 3A, 9V / 2A and 12V / 1.5A input types. The power bank is compatible with several fast charging technologies: among these, there are Apple 2.4A, USB DCP, Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 and 2.0, Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging, Huawei FCP. Unfortunately, we still do not have any info about the price of the new Haier power bank, neither about when it will be launched in the market or its availability. For all the details about its design and connectivity, you can check the photos above.
Lenovo said goodbye to ZUK months ago, just a few months after the official launch of the latest flagship ZUK Edge with Snapdragon 821. Now, the focus on the company’s Moto brand. After redirecting the ZUK website to Motorola.com.cn, late November, the company logos have also been removed from the offices. But this does not mean that the company has completely stopped supporting ZUK devices: indeed, the ZUK Z2 Pro has just been updated to Android 8.0 Oreo in China.
It is still a beta version and it has only arrived in China, but it is an official firmware. The update to Android Oreo on ZUK Z2 Pro includes a new version of the ZUI user interface: 3.5.116, and it brings the Android security patch released by Google on November 5. We still have no info about the changelog of the update. You can see the leaked screenshot of the “Info about device” section below.
While there may not be any future for new ZUK devices, at least, people who bought a ZUK device can be happy that their smartphones are still getting updates.
Microsoft recently declared that they won’t release any hardware product based on Windows 10 Mobile. The feature-updates of the operating system have stopped as well and according to the company, the next updates will only contain fixes and security improvements. CEO Satya Nadella said that if a new mobile device was to come in the future, it will be entirely different from what we saw until now. But there are many people who did not lose their hope about a Surface Phone, and they may be right.
A new design patent surfaced at the USPTO: a 2-in-1 device with a self-regulating hinge. This is what can be found in the description: “pair of self-regulating hinge assemblies rotatably securing hinge ends of the first and second portions around a first hinge axis associated with the first portion and a second hinge axis associated with the second hinge axis so that an extent of rotation around the first hinge axis corresponds to an extent of rotation around the second hinge axis”. The alleged Microsoft Surface Phone includes two displays which can become one, and it can also be used with a physical keyboard.
As Microsoft said goodbye to Windows 10 Mobile, this device will probably run Windows 10 on ARM and it may sport a flagship Snapdragon SoC by Qualcomm. According to rumours, Microsoft Surface Phone is actually codenamed Andromeda, and it is worth mentioning that this is not the first patent surfaced online. Another one has recently shown a prototype of a single camera which can be used on a foldable mobile device, even when its display is folded. Further, a leakster has recently found an app called Journal on Windows Whiteboard, which hints at two pages, one on the left and one of the right, for content creators. However, there is still no official declaration by the company about a Microsoft Surface Phone.
LG Electronics, the South Korea-based electronics company announced its newly refreshed LG Gram laptops which will be officially launched at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 next month in Las Vegas.
The major highlight of the Windows 10 laptop is that it comes with a 72Wh battery, which the company claims can last an entire day on a single charge.
The company has announced three versions of the laptop based on the size of the display — 13.3-inch, 14-inch, and 15-inch. All three models will include Intel’s 8th-generation Core i5 and i7 processors, along with SSD storage and an option for a second SSD drive.
While the company has revealed some information, the entire list of specifications has not been released. The company will reveal more information about the specifications during the official launch at CES 2018 in Las Vegas.
It comes with a backlit keyboard, a precision touchpad, touchscreen display, and a fingerprint sensor for security purposes. It also comes equipped with Thunderbolt 3 support as well as DTS Headphone X technology, which provides multi-channel sound of up to 11.1 channels.
According to the company, the laptops have passed all seven MIL-STD 810G durability tests due to the Nano Carbon Magnesium full metal alloy body that is used for the outer shell. It further claims that these laptops are 20 percent more durable compared to traditional magnesium products.
LG’s Gram laptops have been very thin and light, and this year’s models maintains that. The 13.3-inch model weights just 2.1 pounds, while the 14-inch variant weights at 2.2 pounds, and the 15.6-inch version coming in at 2.4 pounds.
Further, LG is also claiming that the 13.3-inch model will last up to 22.5 hours, with the 14-inch at 21.5 hours, and the 15-inch version at 19 hours.
The newly refreshed LG Gram laptops are expected to be available in the US from next month. It is not yet known when these models will be rolled out to other regions. We just have to wait for the official launch to get to know the full specifications, pricing and availability information.
Huawei is rumored to be working on its next-generation P11 flagship. Fresh information shared by reliable leakster Roland Quandt has claimed that the Huawei P11 flagship would be debuting in Q1 2018. He has also claimed that the Chinese firm will be focusing on stellar camera and AI experience on the upcoming flagship.
So the Huawei P11 seems to be a Q1 2018 thing (again). We were just promised "exciting new products" with a focus on camera and AI for Q1 at a local german Huawei Xmas event. Could be MWC like the P10.
Huawei had announced the P10 series flagship phones at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 event. Hence, it is speculated that Huawei P11 series will get official at MWC 2018 event that will be held between Feb. 26 to March 1 in Barcelona, Spain.
Well-known tipster Evan Blass has recently shared on his Twitter handle that the next P-series phones from Huawei will be an imaging powerhouse. The P11 is rumored to feature 40-megapixel triple-lens Pro camera by Leica along with 5x hybrid zoom. It is likely to house a Leica branded 24-megapixel front-facing camera.
Is the next Huawei P-series going to be an imaging powerhouse? A digital artist at one of the company's creative agencies added these "PCE Series" ads to their portfolio — claiming 40MP, 3 lens rear (5x hybrid zoom) + 24MP selfie, all Leica-co-developed. pic.twitter.com/t8w3VlL55L
As far as AI is concerned, the P11 is likely to be fueled by Kirin 970 chipset that features a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU). The P11 may arrive with more AI capabilities than the Mate 10 phones.
Recent leaks have revealed that the Huawei P11 that is codenamed as EMILY may arrive with an iPhone-X like notch on its 6-01-inch LCD display. It will be running on EMUI 8.0 based Android 8.0 Oreo.
The booming smartphone industry today owes a lot of its growth to Apple’s iPhones. The iPhones have always led the trend in mobile phones and that has continued with the latest iPhone 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X. The iPhone 8 and X both come with wireless charging as one of its features. As usual, third-party manufacturers of wireless chargers are catching in on this.
One of such is the Nanfu Shot has introduced the world’s first crystal diamond wireless charger for the iPhone X. The awesome thing about this is that the charger is priced at just 69 Yuan (~$10). Apple is yet to release its official AirPower wireless charger is expected to be released next year and should be priced as high as 1000 Yuan. Also, the recommended third-party wireless charger on Apple’s official website is priced at 498 Yuan.
But for just 69 Yuan (~$10), you can get this charger which is specifically designed for the iPhone X and iPhone 8 as it is built around the iPhone’s power management chip. Thus, it can charge the iPhones without overheating. It is also designed to protect the battery. The product is also touted to be based on the iPhone X/8’s receiver coil, utilizing pure copper transmitter coil and could deliver safe and fast charge. Just an hour of charge is said to be able to deliver up to one full day usage. The charger comes with an elegant white design. The bottom utilizes a silicone mat on the floor. There are three LED indicators which clearly show the charging status.
The Nanfu Wireless Charger is presently available on Nanfu’s official flagship store on Lynx for just 69 Yuan (~$10). We don’t know if this will be available outside of China anytime soon.
Due to Galaxy Note 7 fiasco that happened last year, Samsung had to delay the launch of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 by one month this year. Instead of showcasing the Galaxy S8 duo at Mobile World Congress platform, the company had unveiled these phones through a dedicated launch event in New York on March 29. Fresh information shared by a South Korean publication reveals that the Galaxy S9 and S9+ would be unveiled during the MWC 2018 event in February. To be more precise, the report claims that the Galaxy S9 duo will be announced on Feb. 27 through the Galaxy Unpacked 2018 event.
The MWC 2018 will be begin on Feb. 26 and it will come to an end on March 1. The event will be held in Barcelona, Spain. Samsung has used the same platform to unveil the Galaxy S7, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S5 smartphones in the past and have released them in the market by mid-March. It appears that the South Korean tech giant is likely to use its usual strategy to launch the S9 duo.
Previous reports had suggested that Samsung was planning to launch the Galaxy S9 and S9+ at the beginning of 2018 in a bid to rival the Apple iPhone X. However, since the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ have been meeting with impressive sales even after the launch of iPhone X, the South Korean company is of the view that there is no need to launch the S9 duo quickly.
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