All The Best Deals For The Holiday Season!!!

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Dec 11, 2017

Just because shopping festivals like Double 11, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday are over doesn’t mean deals on phones and other devices have ended. Most times, the deals run till the end of the year and even sometimes the beginning of the new year.

The reason for this can be attributed to one thing – clearing out stock for new products. Manufacturers will soon begin releasing successors to this year’s devices and retailers will want to clear out old devices to make way for the new ones.

Below is a list of the deals we have come across:

Mi Note 2: The Mi Note 2 might already be a year old, it still packs some super impressive specs. A dual-curved display, Snapdragon 821 processor, and either 4GB/6GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of storage. Suning.com has slashed the price of the high end variant from ¥3299 (~$498) to ¥2299 (~$347). That is about $150 saved.
Mi Max 2: The Mi Max 2 got a price slash a few weeks ago. The 4GB + 64GB model now sells for ¥1599 (~$242) while the 128GB version sells for ¥1799 (~$272). With each purchase, Xiaomi will also add a free bathroom scale worth ¥99 (~$15). In India the phone also got a Rs.1000 (~$16) price slash. The 4GB + 32GB variant is now Rs. 13,999 (~$218) and the 4GB + 64GB model is ¥15,999 (~$249).
Mi Notebook Pro: Xiaomi today announced a price slash for its Mi Notebook Pro PC ahead of tomorrow’s Double 12 shopping festival. The Core i5 and Core i7 (16GB RAM) versions both get a ¥200 price cut and will now sell for ¥5399 (~$815) and ¥6799 (~$1027) respectively. The 8GB RAM Core i7 version gets ¥400 off and will sell for ¥5999 (~$906).
Meizu PRO7: Meizu has cut down the price of its two flagship phones, the PRO7 and PRO7 Plus. Originally available for ¥2880 (~$435) and ¥3580 (~$540) respectively, the PRO7 will now start at ¥1999 (~$302) and the PRO7 Plus will sell for ¥2699 (~$408) starting tomorrow.
Meizu M6 Note: Meizu’s mid-range king got a permanent price slash last week. The cut saw some variants reduce in price by ¥200 and others by ¥300. The new prices are now live on the official Meizu store and JD.com.
Honor Magic: Huawei’s Honor Magic received its first price cut since its release last year. The phone is now priced at ¥2699 (~$409), ¥1000 down from its original price. As at now, none of the retail stores have it at the new price, including Huawei’s official store – Vmall.com. So you might need to be a bit patient with this deal.
Xiaomi Mi A1 (India): The Mi A1 is the Android One variant of the Mi 5X. First released in India at a price of Rs. 14,999 (~$233), Xiaomi has announced a Rs. 1000 permanent price cut that brings it to Rs. 13999 (~$217).
Vivo V5s (India): The Vivo V5s is a mixed package of an entry-level and a mid-range phone. Its key feature is its 20MP selfie camera. You also get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage but a 5.5” HD display and a MT6750 chipset. The price has been slashed by RS. 2000 bringing it to Rs.15990 (~$248). Flipkart still has it listed for Rs. 17,990 (~$279) but should adjust it soon.
ASUS Zenfone Live (India): Announced in February, the Zenfone Live is an entry-level phone whose main selling point is its BeautyLive application. It provides real-time beauty effect while streaming live to Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube. Initially priced at Rs.8999 (~$140), it is now available for Rs.7999 (~$124) on Amazon India and Flipkart (gold variant only).
Nokia 7 (White): Released back in October as a mid-range smartphone positioned between the Nokia 6 and Nokia 8. The white variant which just went on sale is priced at ¥1999 (~$302). As part of its Double 12 festival, JD.com will sell it for ¥1799 (~$272) tomorrow only. However, you will need to make an advanced deposit of ¥99 (~$15) to get the ¥200 discount.
HTC U Ultra: HTC launched the U Ultra as its first flagship of the year. Although the phone is powered by last year’s Snapdragon 821 processor, it still packs some very cool features in a beautiful body. Originally launched in China for ¥5088 (~$769), JD.com now has it for ¥2499 (~$378) which is a steal. You also get a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter, tempered glass, and a Di Tiger 10,000mAh power bank, all for free. At the moment, only the blue and black variants are available.
Moto Z, Z2 Play, Moto G5 Plus, Moto E4 Plus, and Moto X4: Motorola USA has cut the prices of a number of its smartphones. The price cut will run up until November 23 (Nov. 24 for the Moto X4 and Moto G5 Plus). The Moto Z2 Play which sold for $499.99 will now sell for $349.99. The Moto Z (first gen) priced at $500 is now $425. If you want the Moto X4, you get a $50 discount that brings the price to $349.99 from $399.99. The Moto G5 Plus 32GB and 64GB variants gets a $30 and $60 discount respectively off their current prices. Last is the Moto E4 Plus which gets $20 and $30 off the 16GB and 32GB variants respectively. The new price will be seen once you add the item to your cart. Visit the official Motorola US website to grab these deals.

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Vivo V5s Gets Another Price Cut In India, Now Costs Rs. 15,990

By

Jeet

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Dec 11, 2017

Vivo V5s smartphone, which was launched in May earlier this year in India, has received a price cut of Rs. 1,000. Prior to this price-cut, the smartphone had received a price cut of Rs. 1,000 in July this year.

With this new price cut introduced on the device, the Vivo V5s will now be available for Rs. 15,990 in India. It appears that the China-based smartphone manufacturer is now looking to target the sub-15,000 market in India, which is currently being dominated by Xiaomi.

Xiaomi has also announced a price cut of Rs. 1,000 for its recently launched Mi A1 smartphone in the Indian market, bringing the effective price of the device down to Rs. 13,999.

The Vivo V5s features an aluminium body and comes with a 5.5-inch HD IPS display with screen resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. On top of the display, there is a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection from minor scratches, along with a 2.5D curved glass.

Under the hood, the device is powered by MediaTek MT6750 octa-core processor, coupled with Mali-T860MP2 GPU. The smartphone includes 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage. There is a microSD card slot, allowing users to expand storage capacity up to 256GB. The phone also packs a custom AK4376 Hi-Fi audio chip, for enhanced audio performance.

As of the photography department, the device packs a 13-megapixel rear camera sensor with f/2.2 aperture, phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and LED flash. On the front, there is a 20-megapixel shooter, which is capable of shooting Full HD video at 30fps. The front camera packs a Sony IMX376 sensor and features f/2.0 aperture and 5P lens.

The phone comes pre-loaded with FunTouch OS 3.0, which is based on Android Marshmallow operating system. This is quite disappointing given that the Android 8.0 Oreo has already been launched. Connectivity options on the device include 4G, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and USB OTG. The device is powered by a 3,000mAh non-removable battery.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 (6GB + 128GB Version) Gets A 1000 Yuan Price Cut

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 11, 2017

Xiaomi launched the Mi Note 2 last year at the same time the revolutionary Mi Mix was announced. The Mi Note 2 features a flexible curved OLED display and the display was predicted to be a potential trend for the future. Although that ended up not happening, no thanks to Mi Mix, the flagship model still commands some admiration as a result of the sleek design and awesome specs it packs. The Note has since gotten a replacement in the Mi Note 3 but its price and sales have continued to stay strong. However, Suning Tesco has provided an attractive discount for the Mi Note 2 which removes a chunk from its price.

The Standard Edition of the Mi Note 2 with 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM has for long remained at 2799 Yuan except for seasonal price cuts while the higher version with 6GB RAM + 128 GB ROM is priced at 3299 Yuan. All that has changed, perhaps temporarily, as JD is offering the Mi Note 2 (6GB + 128GB) version for 2299 Yuan (~$347) which is a 1,000 Yuan reduction from its original price.

No reason was given for the monstrous price cut, the biggest we are seeing for the Mi Note 2 but it seems to part of the 12.12 sales promo which commences tomorrow. The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 comes with a phablet-sized 5.7-inch dual curved display and a flagship Snapdragon 821 chipset. It is available in 4GB + 64GB and 6GB + 128GB versions. The device also packs a 4070mAh battery is more than you will find on similarly sized flagships and there is a 22.5MP rear shooter among other features.

(source)

Meizu Registers New Domain, mBlu.com At Chinese Ministry of Industry & Information

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 11, 2017

In the last few weeks more proof of Meizu rebranding the Blue Charm division to mBlu has showed up online. There is the earphones with the mblu name, then the renaming of the Charm Blue website to mBlu.com, and also the switch to a new logo.

However, the first official confirmation comes from a recent domain registration at the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The new domain – mBlu.com was registered at the ministry on November 28 alongside two others – flymestory.com and meizu.com.hk. All three domains were registered by Zhuhai Meizu Technology Co. which is the full name of the company.

Earlier this year, Meizu split the company into three divisions – Meizu, Blue Charm, and Flyme. The Blue Charm division will focus on its mid-range and entry level devices in addition to mobile accessories.

Sources say the Meizu M6 Note is the last mid-range phone to bear the Meizu name. Subsequent models will instead be launched under the mblu name.

The Blue Charm brand was formed three years ago on December 18, so there is a possibility that Meizu may have an official unveiling of the “new brand” next week. At the moment, the three registered domains are not active.

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Xiaomi Mi A1 Gets Rs. 1,000 Price Cut In India, Now Costs Rs. 13,999

By

Jeet

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Dec 11, 2017

Xiaomi Mi A1, the Android One smartphone that was launched in India a few months ago for a price of Rs. 14,999, has now received a permanent price-cut of Rs. 1,000.

After this price cut, the smartphone is now retailing at a price of Rs. 13,999 in India through Flipkart as well as the company’s own online store. A few days ago, during the ‘Big Shopping Days’ sale of online retailer Flipkart, the Mi A1 was available at a price of Rs. 12,999 only.

The Mi A1 is a rebranded version of Mi 5X that was launched in China. The major difference between both devices is the Mi A1 is an Android One smartphone and thus comes without the company’s own MIUI.

The smartphone features a 5.5-inch Full HD display with a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass on top. Under the hood, the device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage version. It also comes with a microSD card slot, allowing users to further expand the storage capacity.

There is a dual camera setup at the back of the phone, featuring two camera sensors of 12-megapixel. One of the lenses is a telephoto lens while the other one is a wide-angle lens. It also comes with 2X optical zoom. On the front, the phone packs a 5-megapixel camera with a real-time beautification mode.

While the smartphone runs Android Nougat operating system out-of-the-box, it is slated to get the latest Android 8.0 Oreo update soon. In fact, the company has already started looking for beta testers for the Android Oreo update. Google has also promised updates for Android P version as well.

Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac, GPS/ A-GPS, USB Type-C port, and 3.5mm headphone jack. It comes with a 10V smart power amplifier, DHS Audio Calibration Algorithm, and support for high impedance headphones. The phone is fueled by a 3,080 mAh battery.

Meizu Pro 7 Series Gets A Massive Price Cut In China, Pricing Starts At 1,999 Yuan

By

Jeet

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Dec 11, 2017

Earlier this year, in July, Meizu had launched its flagship smartphones — Meizu Pro 7 and its bigger sibling, Pro 7 Plus. The smartphones, which were starting at a price of 2,880 Yuan and 3,580 Yuan, respectively, have now received a massive price cut of 600 Yuan in China.

Recently, the pricing of the devices was reduced to 2,499 Yuan and 3,299 Yuan. Now, after this latest price cut, the pricing for the Meizu Pro 7 series will start at just 1,999 Yuan. The new pricing will go live on 12th December. It seems that with this price cut, the company is looking to increase the competition in the premium smartphone sector.

To remind you of the specifications, the Meizu Pro 7 features a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display and also packs a secondary Super AMOLED display. There are two models of the Pro 7 — one has 4GB of RAM and 64GB eMMC 5.1 storage and is powered by the Helio P25, while the other has 4GB RAM, 128GB of storage and packs Helio X30 SoC.

On the other hand, the Meizu Pro 7 Plus comes with 5.7-inch Super Super AMOLED display along with a secondary screen. This one is also available in two configurations — 6GB of RAM with either 64GB or 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage. Both versions are powered by the Helio X30 processor.

Both the smartphones come with dual camera configuration at the back and the company has adopted the monochrome + RGB setup for the camera sensors. There are two 12-megapixel Sony IMX386 sensors with f/2.0 aperture. On the front, there is a 16-megapixel front-facing camera for taking selfies.

The phones are running on Flyme OS 6, which is based on Android Nougat operating system. The Pro 7 is fueled by a 3,000mAh battery with mCharge 3.0 while the Pro7 Plus is powered by a 3,500mAh battery with mCharge 4.0. According to the company, mCharge 4.0 charges the phone at 5V 5A (25W), taking it from 0 percent to 67 percent in just 30 minutes.

OnePlus 6 Concept Model Appears with Specifications

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 11, 2017

OnePlus 5T, the first phone from OnePlus that features full screen design was launched recently. Even though the smartphone has just released, tech enthusiasts are already speculating on the specifications and features of OnePlus 6. A YouTube channel named as “Science and Technology” has added a concept video of the OnePlus 6. It also speculates on the specifications that will be arriving on the 2018 OnePlus flagship.

The video begins by showing off the design of the back panel of OnePlus 6. Apart from the fingerprint scanner, it features a vertically stacked dual rear cameras at the top left corner. Unlike the centered positioning of OnePlus logo seen on smartphones that the company has released so far, the OnePlus 6 concept model has the logo located a bit towards the lower part of the rear panel.

The front view of the concept model shows that the size of the bezels has been reduced to offer more screen space. The frame of the concept device is made up of aluminum. It features 6-inch Optic AMOLED display that supports QHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2880 pixels along with an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. The screen is placed under the layer of Gorilla Glass 5. It is preinstalled with Oxygen OS 5.0, a customized version of Android 8.0 Oreo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?136&v=jBRpOUySxSc

The Snapdragon 845 chipset drives the 6 GB and 8 GB RAM variants of the OnePlus 6 concept model. It has 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB storage models. It features 16-megapixel + 12-megapixel dual camera system that is equipped with features like OIS, PDAF and dual-LED flash. The front panel of the OnePlus 6 concept model has f/1.6 aperture 16-megapixel selfie camera. Its other features include USB-C and 3.5mm audio jack. The 3,950mAh battery of the smartphone is coupled with Dash Charging feature.

(source)

Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018), A8+ (2018) User Manual Confirm All Features, Design

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 11, 2017

The launch of the upcoming Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) is fast approaching. Recent reports have revealed that these phones respectively bear model numbers of SM-A530 and SM-A730. The A8+ (2018) has been recently appeared in a hands-on video and now the user manuals of the Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) have appeared on the official website.

The frontside of the Galaxy A8 (2018) sports an Infinity Display like the Galaxy S8 duo. Recent rumors have revealed that it would be supporting an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. The corners of the phone are rounded. Unlike the slim bezels of the Galaxy S8 and S8+, the A8 duo has thicker upper and lower bezels.

The top bezel houses dual front-facing cameras, an earpiece, an LED indicator and proximity/light sensor. The right side of the phone features a speaker and a Power key. The single-SIM variant of the phone features a nano-SIM slot along with the volume rocker on its left side. The dual-SIM model has a secondary nano-SIM slot located along with the memory card slot on the topside. It has a USB-C port on its bottom bezel.

The image of the back panel shows the positioning of its main antenna as well as antennas for GPS and NFC/MST. A fingerprint scanner is placed below the rear camera that is accompanied by its LED flash. It has a 3.5mm audio jack on the bottom side of the phone. The Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) will be featuring 3D glass panel on their rear. These phones will be equipped with Bixby assistant.

According to Quandt, the Galaxy A8 duo would be featuring Exynos 7885 chipset that includes a 2.2 GHz octa-core processor. The Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) are expected to respectively house 4 GB and 6 GB of RAM. Both phones will be equipped with 16-megapixel rear camera and 16-megapixel + 8-megapixel dual front cameras.

The Galaxy A8 (2018) has a display of around 5.7 or 5.8 inches whereas the A8 (2018) would be packed with 6.01-inch display. The A8 may feature a battery of around 3,000mAh whereas the A8+ is likely to house a 3,500mAh battery. Both phones will come preinstalled with Android 7.1.1 Nougat. The tipster claims that the A8+ may not release in Europe.

(source|via)

OnePlus Smartphones Cannot Stream HD Videos, Company Says Fix Is Coming

By

Jeet

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Dec 11, 2017

OnePlus has come across several issues related to its smartphones, starting from privacy mayhem to security loophole. Now, another issue related to the company’s devices have surfaced online. OnePlus phones are not able to stream High Definition (HD) content on platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

The streaming of media content on such platforms is limited to only standard definition (SD) resolution. This is surprising given that the phone has an HD-capable display and packs powerful hardware, which is more than enough to allow HD streaming.

This was noted in a thread on the OnePlus forums, which points to lack of support for Widevine Level 1 DRM, which many streaming service providers require for HD streaming.

The recently launched OP 5T presently supports Widevine Level 3, which only covers standard definition streams. It has been confirmed that both the OnePlus 5T and its predecessor are currently unable to stream Netflix or Amazon Prime videos higher than the SD resolution. The previous generation smartphones from the company — OnePlus 3 and 3T are also affected.

However, a spokesperson from the company has confirmed that the feature was skipped from the start on these devices. While the company didn’t mention why they skipped the feature, OnePlus says that it will soon roll out a software update which will add this functionality on the OnePlus 5 and 5T. But, there is no time-frame provided by the company regarding the availability of the update to fix this issue. Interestingly, the company has not mentioned OP 3 and the 3T in the press release.

The recently launched OP 5T smartphone comes with a 6-inch Full HD+ display and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. The configuration is more than enough to support HD streaming and the lack of support for HD streaming is an odd omission. It’s quite confusing as the Widevine website says that “Google does not assess license fees for the Widevine product”. So, the addition of this feature in the first place wouldn’t have cost anything. We just hope that OnePlus addresses this issue with the software update sooner.

(Source)

Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) Hands-on Video Appear Before Alleged CES 2018 Launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 11, 2017

The rumor mill has recently revealed that Samsung will be soon launching Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018) instead of Galaxy A5 (2018) and Galaxy A7 (2018). The new Galaxy A phones are expected to sport Infinity Display design like the Galaxy S8 and S8+ flagship phones. A hands-on video of the Galaxy A8+ (2018) that lasts for around 3 minutes has surfaced on YouTube. The video also showcases the entire specs of the smartphone.

The Galaxy A8+ (2018) has a 6-inch S-AMOLED display that carries support for resolution of 2280 x 1080 pixels. Like the Galaxy S8 duo, the screens of the A8+ and A8 will be supporting an aspect ratio of 18.5:9.

The Exynos 7885 chipset featuring an octa-core processor gunning at 2.2 GHz will be powering the Galaxy A8+ (2018) along with 6 GB of RAM. It has an internal storage of 64 GB. It will be arriving with a microSD card slot too. It will include a 3,500mAh battery that will carry support for fast charging through USB-C.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?=169&v=n-JITwMpJto

The front panel of the phone is expected to feature dual selfie snappers comprising of 16-megapixel and 8-megapixel lenses. Its rear-facing camera of 16-megapixel with f/1.7 aperture will be equipped with Optical Image Stabilization.

The handset will carry support for Samsung Pay through MST and NFC. A fingerprint scanner can be found placed under the rear camera. It will be coming with an IP68 certified dust and water-resistant chassis. It also supports Bixby assistant. The dimensions of the A8+ (2018) are 159.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm. The front side of the phone will feature a 2.5D curved glass over the display, a 3D glass on the rear and a metallic frame.

No GALAXY X on CES2018.
95%
BTW I think GALAXY A8/8+(2018) will launch soon,maybe CES2018.

— 萌萌的电教 (@MMDDJ_) December 10, 2017

The Galaxy A8 (2018) is expected to feature the same specs and design as the A8+ (2018). However, it may house a smaller screen of around 5.7 inches.

The Galaxy A8+ (2018) is expected to be available with a pricing of $600. The specs of the phone seem to be true, but we will have to wait for more information on the launch date of A8+ (2018). According to a Chinese leakster, the Galaxy A8 duo may get unveiled at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 that will be held in Las Vegas in January.

(via)

LG G7 May Feature Its Latest “All-in-One” Iris Scanner / Front Camera Module

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 11, 2017

The year is almost running out and next year’s models are now dominating discussions. One of such top-fliers is the LG G7 which is expected to be one of the early debutants next year. One of the new features the LG G7 is expected to come with is an iris scanner.

Unlike rival Samsung, LG doesn’t have any smartphone presently having an iris scanner. Until the present crop of LG flagships, the company has only utilized the most basic form of facial unlock which is using the front “selfie” camera. This is the same technology included on the latest LG V30. However, there are indications that the G7 which would be launched next year will herald a change to a new innovation. According to reports, LG filed a patent which points at the possibility that the G7 and other LG phones in 2018, could utilize an iris scanning technology, similar to the one found in the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, as well as on the Galaxy Note 8. Iris scanners function by illuminating the user’s eye with near-infrared light and this enables the scanner to get finely detailed photographs of their iris which cannot be seen under regular light. This is particularly helpful when identifying dark-coloured eyes.

The iris scanner would ensure that the facial unlock would be more effective and can function under any lighting conditions. The Korea tech company had showcased a prototype of its new all-in-one module at the Korea Electronics Show (KES) last year. The new module can serve as both a front-facing camera and an iris scanner by packing some sort of filter-changing mechanism that could allow a regular camera to see an infrared light when needed. This technology could find its way first into the G7.

(source)

Sharp FS8018 With Snapdragon 630 And 6GB RAM Appears On Geekbench

By

Jeet

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Dec 11, 2017

Sharp’s upcoming premium mid-range smartphone, carrying model number Sharp FS8018, has been spotted on benchmarking portal GeekBench. Recently, two other smartphones from the company were spotted online — Sharp FS8010 and FS8016, which features bezel-less display.

The benchmark score listing of the Sharp FS8018 has also revealed the phone’s specifications. The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 630 octa-core processor, clocked at 2.2GHz, along with 6GB RAM. The Snapdragon 630 is the same processor that is powering the Moto X4 and Nokia 7.

As of the software, the phone is said to be running Android 7.1 Nougat operating system. Considering that the phone will be launched in the year 2018, the usage of Android Nougat instead of Android 8.0 Oreo is disappointing.

In the benchmark results, the device has amassed the scores of 961 and 5215 in the single core and multi-core tests respectively. For the display, we are assuming that the device will have the company’s own display panel. No further information was revealed related to the smartphone.

However, from the known specifications, it seems that the device is looking to bridge the gap between mid-range smartphones and flagship smartphones, and could be priced around $450-500.

A few months ago, the Sharp FS8008, which has a similar appearance like the Aquos S2, was certified by China’s TENAA regulatory body. The specifications of the device suggested that it will be quite similar to the Aquos S2. Prior to that, images of another Sharp smartphone were leaked, revealing a complete bezel-less design. However, it is now known if the images are just concept or not.

Recently, President and CEO of Sharp, Jeng-Wu Tai, confirmed that the company’s first batch of smartphones for the European market would appear at the Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona. While the company has not revealed which smartphones will be available, there is a possibility that that Sharp FS8018 could be one of those devices.

Alleged Rear Panel of Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 Shows iPhone X Like Dual Cameras

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 11, 2017

The rumor mill has now started talking about Xiaomi’s forthcoming phones for 2018. It has been recently reported that Xiaomi may launch Mi 7 and Mi 7 Plus simultaneously in March 2018. Now, an image showing the alleged back panel of the Mi MIX 3 has also surfaced on China’s microblogging site Weibo.

There is no real way to confirm whether the rear panel revealed in the both image belongs to next year’s Mi MIX 3 flagship. However, the only thing that makes it belong to the alleged phone is the presence of the text that reads “Mi MIX DESIGNED BY XIAOMI.”

The appearance of the rear shell looks quite similar to the Apple iPhone X thanks to the presence of a cutout for vertical dual cameras. It also features a cutout for the rear-facing fingerprint scanner. Below is another image that shows a plastic cover for the back panel of Mi MIX 3.

It is too early to speculate on the design and specifications of Mi MIX 3 since the company has recently launched the Mi MIX 2. Since the original Mi MIX concept phone and Mi MIX 2 arrived full screen design, it is likely that Xiaomi will continue to use the same design on the Mi MIX 3. Couple of leaked photos of the prototypes of the alleged Mi MIX 3 that had surfaced in the previous month revealed it would be arriving with almost 100 percent screen-to-body ratio. The prototypes suggested that the rear panel of the phone may feature all the sensors and earpiece.

The rumor mill may reveal information on the Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 in the coming months, but we are going to see a lot of leaks on Xiaomi Mi 7 and Mi 7 Plus that are slated to debut in the first quarter of 2018. Hence, it is advisable to digest the early rumors on Mi MIX 3 with a pinch of salt as we may see concrete leaks on the Mi MIX 2’s successor later in the coming year.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi 7 and Mi 7 Plus May Launch Simultaneously

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 11, 2017

The Snapdragon 845 Mobile Platform was officially unveiled by Qualcomm in the previous week. It goes without saying that the forthcoming flagship phones releasing in 2018 will be fueled by Snapdragon 845. The Xiaomi Mi 7 is expected to be the first Snapdragon 845 phone by a Chinese firm. Fresh information claims that Xiaomi will be launching the Mi 7 in large and small sizes and both of them would be hitting the market simultaneously.

This year Xiaomi had launched 5.15-inch Xiaomi Mi 6 flagship. Soon after the launch of Mi 6, the rumor mill was speculating that the Chinese firm would be releasing Mi 6 Plus too at some point this year. It is speculated that the company could not launch it because of the lack of Snapdragon 835 chipset. However, the Chinese company is pegged to unveil Mi 7 as well as Mi 7 Plus next year.

The Mi 7 is expected to arrive with a 5.65-inch display whereas the Mi 7 Plus may house a large 6.01-inch screen. Both the phones are rumored to support 18:9 aspect ratio. The Mi 7 may include a battery of 3,200mAh capacity whereas the larger Mi 7 Plus may feature a 3,500mAh battery. Both the phones are likely to arrive with metal and glass combination design. These smartphones are also rumored to support wireless charging.

The Snapdragon 845 chipset and 6 GB of RAM are likely to be driving force for both phones. These smartphones are expected to house dual rear cameras featuring Sony IMX380 and IMX350 sensors. The photography experience on the Mi 7 duo will be enriched through AI.

Since Xiaomi is expected to receive adequate stock of Snapdragon 845 for Mi 7 and Mi 7 Plus, it may not have any problem in making both phones available for purchase at the same time. Hence, the Mi 7 and Mi 7 Plus may debut together with 2,699 Yuan (~$408) and 2,999 Yuan (~$453) pricing in March next year.

Do you think that the Chinese company will release two variants of Mi 7 next year? What is your opinion on the rumored specifications of the Xiaomi Mi 7 duo? Share us your views by adding your comments below.

(source)

360 N6 and 360 N6 Lite Full Specifications Leaked Ahead of Launch

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 10, 2017

360 Mobiles released a teaser poster last week for a product launch on December 12. Since it already released the N6 Pro a few weeks before, we presumed this would be for the N6. However, latest reports have revealed that the N6 won’t be the only device, there will also be a N6 Lite.

A weibo user “@Luo Yi The Time” revealed the specs of both phones earlier today.

360 N6 Specs

The 360 N6 will have a 5.93” full-screen display. The resolution is not mentioned but we expect it to be FHD+. The phone will be powered by the Snapdragon 630 processor paired with 4GB or 6GB LPDDR4X RAM. Storage capacity wasn’t mentioned but our guess is 32GB and 64GB respectively.

For optics, the 360 N6 will sport a 13MP sensor on the rear and an 8MP sensor in front for selfies. It will also pack a massive 5030mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 3.0 (18W fast charging).

Other features mentioned include a metal-unibody design, a game accelerator mode, and an hybrid engine for performance scheduling.

360 N6 Lite

The 360 N6 Lite comes with a smaller 5.5” FHD display with a traditional 16:9 aspect ratio. There will be a Snapdragon 630 mobile platform under the hood in addition to 4GB of RAM.

Its main camera is said to be a 13MP sensor and the front facing camera is listed as 8MP. It will also have a sort of camera assistant to help in taking better pictures. Battery capacity is smaller at 4020mAh but should last a whole day.

The 360 N6 Lite will have a metal body, the same hybrid engine as the N6 as well as the game accelerator mode.

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New Honor Device With 4 Cameras Launching December 13, Honor 9 Lite or Honor Note 9?

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 10, 2017

Huawei’s sub-brand, Honor, released its latest flagship, the Honor V10 just a few weeks ago. However, new teaser posters on their official Weibo page has revealed there will be another launch on December 13. Our guess is it’s either the Honor Note 9 or Honor 9 Lite.

The two posters feature Chinese singer and actor Hu Ge. In one, he is shown wearing a pair of sunglasses on his face and in the other he has the glasses on the back of his head. There is also the figure 4 written in a bold white font on the posters. We believe this means that the phone will have dual front and dual rear cameras.

Honor already has a phone with four cameras. It is the Honor 9i in India which is also the Huawei Maimang 6 in China, the Huawei Nova 2i in Malaysia, and the Huawei Mate 10 Lite in other markets.

There were rumors that Honor would launch the Honor 9 Lite/Youth alongside the Honor V10 but only the latter was announced. Our guess is that the event will be for the Honor 9 Lite or maybe even the Honor Note 9.

To be honest, Huawei and Honor’s naming scheme and product releases are starting to get really confusing. Having one phone launch with 4 or 5 different names in different markets doesn’t make any sense.

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Qualcomm CEO Says Broadcom’s Proposed Deal Offers ‘No Path to Value’

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 10, 2017

It is no longer new that computer chip manufacturing firm Broadcom is proposing to buy rival chipmaker Qualcomm valued at $130 billion. One man who could play a key role in determining whether the deal scales through or not is Steve Mollenkopf, Qualcomm’s chief executive. But Mollenkopf doesn’t seem to be okay with the deal given his recent postures on the issue.

The Qualcomm chief executive on Thursday while speaking at an event hosted by the Economic Club of Washington restated his opposition to a Broadcom takeover especially in the hostile approach Broadcom recently initiated. Mollenkopf stated that the deal offers “no real path to value” to Qualcomm. He believes Qualcomm is well-positioned as an independent company especially for emerging technologies for connected devices and the fifth generation of wireless networks (5G).

The statement comes on the heels of Broadcom’s latest move to take over Qualcomm. The Singapore-based U.S firm escalated its efforts at sapping up Qualcomm for $130 billion by submitting its own slate of directors to unseat the present Qualcomm board of directors by March next year. Even if this latest move fails, the computer chip manufacturer is also tipped to make another attempt with an improved offer which Qualcomm’s shareholders may find irresistible. If this deal finally scales through, it would be the largest ever acquisition in the tech sector. Unfortunately, it looks very unlikely that such deal would scale through, considering the huge power the merged company could muster in the booming sector propelled by growth in smartphones and a host of connected devices ranging from cars to wearables.

(source)

Leagoo S8 Review – One of the Better Budget All-Screen Phones!

By

Linus

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Dec 9, 2017

After reviewing quite a few Leagoo phones, I have an opinion that the company usually makes decent phones for a bargain price. The Leagoo S8 aims to continue that tradition by offering premium full-screen design and a lot more for just about $130. Learn more in our full Leagoo S8 review.

Buy Leagoo S8

UNBOXING

The phone ships with all the usual stuff and some extras include a pair of earphones and a soft TPU case.

DESIGN and DISPLAY

The Leagoo S8 is yet another budget phone that has a full-screen design but I have to tell you that this is one of my favorites since the device just feels nice in the hand. That brilliant 5.7” HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio and tiny side bezels make the phone narrow and comfortable to hold even though the device is taller than phones with 16:9 aspect ratio displays. The panel itself is great but I wish it was a little bit brighter.

The build quality is solid and the phone looks premium thanks to the metal frame with nice buttons and glass backplate.

The Leagoo S8 is one of those rare budget phones that has a dual camera setup both on the back and on the front.

Now a few features as quickly as possible: the fingerprint scanner is accurate but the display could light up faster, there is a front-facing LED flash for selfies and another LED for notifications.

Finally, the loudspeaker quality does not really impress like on most of the budget phones.

HARDWARE and PERFORMANCE

As most of these budget phones, the Leagoo S8 ships with good specs for the price.

I like that gaming performance is pretty good even in the highest graphics settings, which is always impressive on any budget phone. However, the Leagoo S8 gets hot on the upper portion of the phone very quickly.

BENCHMARKS

USER INTERFACE

When it comes to the user interface, the phone runs Android 7 with the Leagoo’s skin on top of it. I don’t like the fact that they took away the app launcher and for some reason, Leagoo added their own Play Store that I didn’t really use. As for added features, there aren’t too many to talk about. You can customize the navigation bar, switch on/off LED notification light and that’s about it. You can also choose from quite a few different themes, wallpapers or change the transition effects. As for the day to day performance, the Leagoo S8 is a fast phone as I’m yet to see it lag or stutter.

IMAGE QUALITY

The overall image quality is pretty good given the fact that I could only test the camera on a dark and cloudy day, meaning that the lighting was poor. The dual-camera setup may be fun to play with for some time but the camera’s software simply draws a circle around the center of the image, meaning this is not the best-looking bokeh effect.

Selfies look pretty good in daylight and the front facing LED flash is pretty powerful in lower lit environment.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZBqvPH34P0[/embedyt]

The 1080p video quality is just mediocre. What is a bit frustrating is that the audio is being recorded to the right channel only.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wifzChmHDQ[/embedyt]

Selfie camera is able to shoot videos only in 480p, meaning that the quality of the footage is kind of poor.

DOWNLOAD full-res camera samples

CONNECTIVITY

In terms of connectivity, I can’t really complain. I found the call quality and signal reception to be quite good and other connectivity options work fine.

The phone ships with 12 sensors including the gyroscope, so you are all set if you want to use the device with VR headsets.

BATTERY LIFE

A 2900mAh power bank assures a pretty much standard battery life. I could get over 5.5h of screen-on time but this measurement is always subjective, so your results may vary.

It takes about 1.5h to fully charge the phone with the supplied fast charger, which is a great result for a budget phone. However, the phone still uses the micro USB port, not the USB type C.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the Leagoo S8 shapes up to be one of the better all-around budget full-screen phones out there. Sure, it has a few minor caveats to consider like poor audio in video recording mode, micro USB port instead of the USB Type C but in general, this is a solid and nice-looking phone that is not going to break your bank.

Buy Leagoo S8

Meizu 15 Plus Image Leaks: Similar Design To Xiaomi Mi MIX 2, ¥3499 Price

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 9, 2017

Meizu will be 15 years next year and to celebrate its anniversary it will release a special edition phone. The only info we had until today of the phone, called the Meizu 15 Plus, is its release which is scheduled for Spring, and an image of its retail box. However, an image surfaced online today, giving us our first look at the upcoming flagship phone as well as revealing the price.

According to what’s in the image above, the Meizu 15 Plus will have a full-screen display with a tri-bezel-less design similar to that of the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2. The top bezel is super thin and doesn’t look like it houses the earpiece, but we can’t confirm it doesn’t have one until a clearer image surfaces.

The front camera and sensors are now housed on the lower bezel but they are not the only ones there. Rather than push the fingerprint scanner to the back like other manufacturers, Meizu has kept the mBack button in its usual position.

The back of the phone shows that the Meizu 15 Plus will come with dual rear cameras positioned vertically in the middle. Below the sensors is a flash and laser focus module in a ring design like that of the Meizu PRO 6. There is also the Meizu branding a few mm from the camera setup and an antenna line at the bottom.

The image also reveals the price of the phone. There are two prices which means there will be two variants that will most likely differ with respect to storage and probably RAM too.

The more expensive variant will cost ¥3499 (~$528) and the less expensive variant is said to be ¥2999 (~$453), which makes sense even though we can’t see the first figure.

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Honor Sets 2020 As Target For Top Manufacturer Spot in India

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 9, 2017

Xiaomi currently holds the title of India’s No. 1 smartphone brand, after shipping 9.2 million smartphones in Q3 2017. While that is good news for the company, it dares not rest on its oars. Fellow Chinese manufacturer, Honor, has announced that come 2020, it will top the Indian smartphone market.

That is a big claim but not one that can’t be achieved even as it is not one of the top 5 brands in the market currently. Three years ago, Xiaomi only shipped over 100,000 smartphones in the third quarter. This year it shipped 9.2 million in the same quarter.

George Zhao who is the president of Honor said earlier this week that their plan is to bring in more affordable smartphones to India. These phones are expected to not be more than Rs. 10,000 (~$155). This is the same price category that Xiaomi is currently ruling.

Honor recently launched the Honor 7X in India and Mr. Zhao revealed that the phone is made in India. He also added that the Honor View 10 (Honor V10) which will launch on January 8 will also be made in India. This shows that just like Xiaomi, Honor is also a supporter of the Made in India Initiative.

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