Apple iPhone SE 2 May Debut in June at WWDC 2018, Likely to Support Wireless Charging

-

Jan 9, 2018

Honor, the subsidiary of Huawei, has announced that it plans to launch a new smartphone in the Indian market later this month which features dual front cameras as well as dual cameras on the back. While the company didn’t reveal the phone’s name, we expect it to be Honor 9 Lite as the company said that “the next smartphone is tailor-made for the selfie lovers with dual front cameras.”.

The Honor 9 Lite is a stripped-down variant of the Honor 9 and was originally launched in China last month. The company has already launched Honor 9i with four cameras in India in October last year.

The Honor 9 Lite features a 5.65-inch Full HD+ display bearing 2160 x 1080 pixels screen resolution, 18:9 aspect ratio and a 2.5D curved glass on top. Under the hood, it is powered by a Huawei’s HiSilicon Kirin 659 processor, accompanied by Mali T830-MP2 GPU.

The phone is available in three variants — 3GB RAM with 32GB internal storage, 4GB RAM with 32GB internal storage and 4GB RAM with 64GB onboard storage. It features a dual camera module with 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel camera sensors along with an LED flash. On the front, there is a 13-megapixel front-facing camera accompanied by a 2-megapixel shooter for taking selfies.

There is a fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone, for added security. Software-wise, the Honor 9 Lite is running Android 8.0 Oreo operating system based EMUI 8.0. The connectivity options include dual-SIM slots, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. The device is fuelled by a 3,000mAh battery.

The Honor 9 Lite was launched in four colour options — Navy, Seagull Gray, Magic Nightfall and Pearl White. In China, the phone’s pricing starts at 1199 yuan (approximately $182) and we are expecting similar pricing in India too. We will know the phone’s pricing and availability information once it launches in India in the coming weeks.

Phone Bundle Discount On LightInTheBox You Don’t Want To Miss

By

Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 For Just $153.94 On LightInTheBox

-

Jan 9, 2018

Looks like smartphone lovers are in for a treat. The international online retail company, LightInTheBox is currently offering a phone bundle discount you don’t want to miss. Let’s delve straight into the details.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4

As part of its current phone bundle discount, LightInTheBox is offering a massive 67% discount on Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 smartphone, bringing down the handset’s original asking price of $469.71 to just $153.94.You can choose from gray and black color options. It’s worth noting that you pay an additional $8.8 for the black-tinted Redmi Note 4 and as a result, you end up paying $162.74 for this version of the handset.

This discount is available for only 200 pieces so head straight to this link and take advantage of the promo before it comes to an end.

LeTV LeEco Coolpad Cool1 Smartphone

Alternatively, you can go for a gold-tinted LeTV LeEco Coolpad Cool1 smartphone, which is currently up for grabs on LightInTheBox for just $107.50. This is a considerable 40% reduction in the phone’s original asking price of $180.49.

The aforesaid version of the LeEco Coolpad Cool1 smartphone comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It sports a 5.5-inch display and is backed by a robust 4060mAh battery. Click here to buy it at a heavily discounted price.

The other variant of LeTV LeEco Coolpad Cool1 smartphone that has 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal memory is also available at a discounted price on LightInTheBox. While the phone’s original asking price is $189.99, you can now get your hands on it by shelling out just $113.16, thanks to LightInTheBox phone bundle discount.

This 4GB+32GB RAM/ROM variant of LeEco Coolpad Cool1 is available in two color options including golden and silver. You’d pay an additional $2.43 for the silver-tinted handset. In other words, the silver version of the LeEco Coolpad Cool1 smartphone is available for $115.59 on Banggood. Click here to buy this variant of the phone before the promo ends.

HOMTOM S8

The HOMTOM S8 smartphone sports a large 5.7-inch IPS, HD+ display with a resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels at 282.45 PPI (pixel per inch). Moreover, it is powered by MediaTek MT6750T, 64-bit processor.

Three color variants of this Android-powered 4G smartphone including silver, blue and black are currently available on LightInTheBox at a discounted price. All three aforesaid color options are available bearing a discounted price tag of just $132.05.

This is a massive 60% price cut on HOMTOM S8’s original selling price of $326.88. You can too take advantage of this promo before it ends by heading straight to this link.

DOOGEE MIX 2

Last but definitely not least, the site is offering a considerable 60% off on the original $478.54 asking price of DOOGEE MIX 2 4G smartphone. You can now get your hands on blue, golden or black-hued DOOGEE MIX 2 smartphone by shelling out only$189.04.

However, since this promo is valid only on limited pieces, buyers are advised to visit this link without wasting time and take advantage of the massive 60% discount on DOOGEE MIX 2 before the promo comes to an end.

Buy LeTV LeEco Coolpad Cool1 (3GB + 32GB) For Just $107.50 On LightInTheBox

Buy LeTV LeEco Coolpad Cool1 (4GB + 32GB) For Only $113.16 On LightInTheBox

Buy HOMTOM S8 Smartphone For Just $132.05 On LightInTheBox

Buy DOOGEE MIX 2 Smartphone For Just $189.04 On LightInTheBox

Huawei Mate 10 AT&T Deal Reportedly Canceled Before CES Launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jan 9, 2018

Huawei is aiming to expand its smartphone business in the U.S. this year. The company has been selling its smartphones unlocked through different retailers in the U.S. since many years. However, to expand its smartphone business in the country it is crucial for the company to make its phones available through local carriers. Recent reports had claimed that Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro could be the company’s first flagship phones to arrive in the U.S. through AT&T. However, fresh information that has surfaced on the Wall Street Journal states that AT&T has opted out of the deal with Huawei.

In March 2017, the rumor mill had revealed that Huawei is in talks with AT&T to release Mate 10 in the U.S. When Mate 10 Pro’s AT&T branded firmware files had emerged in last October, it appeared that the Mate 10 duo would be indeed avail through the carrier this year.

Just before the end of 2017, reports had revealed that the carrier had pushed the launching of Mate 10 to February. However, fresh information that the carrier will not be selling the smartphone. The news has surfaced just ahead of the Huawei’s press conference that will happen at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) today. Rumors had claimed that the Chinese company would be confirming on the deal at today’s launch event.

There is no information available on why AT&T has walked out of the deal. Regardless of AT&T’s decision, the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro will still arrive in the U.S. as unlocked phones through major retailers. Huawei was also discussing with Verizon to release Mate 10 series phones in the U.S. As of this writing, there is no confirmation on whether Verizon will be carrying the Mate 10 phones.

(source|via)

Samsung’s First Foldable Phone with 7.3-inch Display Reportedly Launching in December 2018

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jan 9, 2018

Samsung has previously said that it will be launching its first foldable smartphone this year if it manages to overcome all the technical glitches associated with it. Fresh information revealed by South Korea’s ET News claims that the company will begin the manufacturing of its first foldable phone in November this year and it is aiming to unveil it in December.

Industry insiders have revealed to the South Korean publication that Samsung’s first foldable smartphone will feature a massive OLED display of 7.3 inches. The report also states that Samsung Displaywill start the manufacturing of the foldable OELD panels in March this year. The company is expected to begin its mass production in September in order to debut it in November. If the highly anticipated smartphone does not get unveiled by December this year, it may get officially introduced by early 2019.

It is speculated that the first foldable phone by Samsung will be sporting an inward folding mechanism that will allow its users to open it like a book. In general, it will look like a smartphone, but once it is unfolded users will be able to use it as a tablet. A previous report has claimed that it may feature a technology that is similar to Apple’s 3D Touch.

The publication has also claimed that Samsung may showcase its first foldable smartphone to the investors behind closed doors in September. This may happen at the IFA 2018 tech trade event that usually takes place in September each year.

As far as the pricing of the Samsung’s first foldable phone is concerned, it is likely to cost much higher than the existing premium smartphones that it sells. Hence, it is dubbed as “super premium” in terms of performance as well as pricing.

Previous reports have claimed that Samsung is likely to release its first foldable phone in limited numbers in order to check the response of the audience. Also, only a few countries are expected to receive this phone.

(source|via)

LG G7 Launch Pushed to March Followed by Market Release in April, Claims Report

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jan 9, 2018

LG had released a lot of information on the various features of the LG G6 smartphone before unveiling it at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 event in February last year. However, there is hardly any information available on the specs and features of the upcoming successor phone for the LG G6. According to The Investor, the South Korean company will not be unveiling its next flagship phone at the MWC 2018. Citing information received from a South Korean telecom official, the publication has reported that the LG G7 will be unveiled in March and it will be made available for buying in April this year.

LG is known for releasing its G series flagship phones with the latest chipset. However, last year, instead of powering the LG G6 with the Snapdragon 835, it had to settle with Snapdragon 821 chipset for it because Samsung had acquired the initial stocks of SD835 for its Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphones.

Now that the successor of the LG G6 is expected to debut a bit late, it is speculated that the company wants to power it with the Snapdragon 845. The upcoming Galaxy S9 and S9+ are also rumored to be powered by the same chipset.

In November 2017, Hwang Jeong-hwan was appointed as the president and CEO of LG mobile communications. It appears that he has a new strategy for the company as he is reportedly thinking about rebranding the G series flagship phones. Reports have also revealed that the company is yet to decide a name for the successor of LG G6.

Apart from the Snapdragon 845, the upcoming G series flagship phone is expected to feature FullVision OLED display that offers 18:9 aspect ratio. It is rumored to arrive with an iris identification feature for unlocking the handset.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi 5s Is Available For Just $271.17 On Banggood

By

Buy Xiaomi Mi 5s Smartphone For Just $271.17 On Banggood

-

Jan 9, 2018

Xiaomi Mi 5s smartphone was made available to the public back in September 2016. The phone sports a 5.15-inch touchscreen display which bears a resolution of 1080 X 1920 pixels and is powered by 2.15GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor.

The Mi 5s packs 3GB of RAM, paired with 64GB of non-expandable internal storage. For the photography enthusiasts, the phone offers a 12MP camera on the back and a 4MP front shooter for selfie addicts.

You can now get your hands on the Mi 5s by shelling out just $297.99 on Banggood. The site is currently offering a considerable 26% discount on the handset’s original asking price of $399.99. On top of that, you also earn 297 Banggood points.

But if that doesn’t impress you much, you can use coupon code ‘1BGXM5SP’ and get an additional $26.82 off on the Mi 5s smartphone. You’d end up paying only $271.17 for this gold-tinted Xiaomi-branded smartphone after applying the aforesaid coupon code at the time of checking out.

You can head straight to this link in order to take advantage of the offer before it comes to an end.

Xiaomi Mi 6 Smartphone Is Up For Pre-Order For Just $369.85 On Banggood

By

Pre-Order Xiaomi Mi 6 Smartphone For Just $369.85 On Banggood

-

Jan 9, 2018

Xiaomi’s Mi 6 smartphone hit the store shelves in April last year. The handset sports a 5.5-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1080X1920 pixels at 428 PPI (pixels per inch). It packs a powerful 2.45GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of non-expandable ROM, under the hood.

Much to the delight of smartphone enthusiasts who have restlessly been waiting to get their hands on Xiaomi Mi 6 smartphone without spending a lot of money, Banggood is currently offering a pre-order discount on the handset’s original asking price of $517.81.

Thanks to the aforesaid Banggood promo, you can now pre-order the black color version of the Mi 6 smartphone by shelling out only $397.69. Aside from saving $120.12, you also earn 397 Banggood points.

The Xiaomi Mi 6 is backed by a robust 3350mAh nonremovable battery and it runs on Android. On the photography front, it sports a 12MP rear-mounted camera and an 8MP front shooter for selfie addicts. In addition to Xiaomi Mi 6 smartphone, the package comprises one Type-C cable, Type-C TO AUDIO cable, US charger, and an eject pin.

You can click here to pre-order the phone on Banggood and take advantage of the discount before it comes to an end. It’s worth noting that the smartphone is expected to ship after Monday, January 15. You can use promo code ‘1Mi664GB’ at the time of checking out and buy the handset for only $369.85.

Update: This xiaomi mi6 coupon code is available, but it is out of stock, will re-stock soon.

Here is another new coupon code for Xiaomi Mi Mix 2: 1BGMix264, $35 off, here is the buy link: Mi Mix 2

Buy Dibea C17 2-in-1 Wireless Vacuum Cleaner For Just $99.99 On GearBest

By

Buy Dibea 2-in-1 Wireless Vacuum Cleaner For Just $99.99 On GearBest

-

Jan 9, 2018

Sporting a creative design, Dibea C17 2-in-1 wireless vacuum cleaner is capable of cleaning closer to walls and edges, under sofas, kickstands, and beds. The device is equipped with a couple of extra rotary cleaning head, and Carbon fiber rolling brush that has two-speed control.

Dibea 2-in-1 wireless vacuum cleaner is currently up for grabs for just $99.99 on GearBest. This is a considerable 6% reduction in the device’s original asking price. It is only available in red color option on the site.
The Dibea C17 is an always-ready vacuum cleaner as it features a convenient docking station which is quite useful while charging, storing the device and even holding the extra accessories. Moreover, it sports a cordless design that allows you to clean everywhere without tangling.

If you want to take advantage of GearBest’s latest promo and buy the Dibea C17 vacuum cleaner at a discounted price, head straight to this link. It’s worth noting that only 18 pieces were left at the time of writing. On top of that, the promo is slated to end in 8 days.

HTC Announces Vive Pro and Vive Wireless Adaptor At CES 2018

By

-

Jan 8, 2018

CES 2018 won’t officially open till tomorrow but lots of companies have been announcing new products. HTC’s VR company, Vive, is one of them and has announced the Vive Pro and Vive Wireless Adaptor.

Vive Pro

The design of the Vive Pro is loosely based on the original. The front has the same vent holes but now includes dual front facing cameras. Vive has also built a new headstrap for the headset that includes “integrated high-performance headphones with a built-in amplifier”.

They have also included a sizing dial for maintaining balance when you put on the headset. Unlike the original that comes in black, the Vive Pro comes in blue.

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

In terms of specifications, the Vive Pro still packs dual OLED displays but with an improved combined resolution of 2880 x 1600. This is a 78% increase over the former. There are also dual noise-canceling microphones with active noise cancellation and dual cameras.

The full tech specs have not been revealed yet as well as pricing and release date. We sure will update this post once they are available.

Vive Wireless Adaptor

Vive also announced the Vive Wireless Adaptor, a device that will allow you use the Vive and Vive Pro wirelessly. The adaptor uses Intel’s WiGig technology which operates at 60GHz, an interference free band. The result is lower latency and an improved performance. The company says the adaptor will ship to customers all over the world in Q3 2018.

Lenovo’s ZUK Could Make Comeback With New Product In April: Rumor

By

-

Jan 8, 2018

ZUK, a subsidiary of China-based Lenovo which was incorporated in 2015 with an aim to offer premium phones at an affordable price, has not been in operations since quite some time. However, as per the latest report, the company is all set to make a comeback later this year in April.

Last year, there were reports suggesting that ZUK Z3 will be launched and the company was expected to host three separate events to announce the phone. However, that didn’t happen last year and now fans are suggesting that the company could launch the device this year.

Along with the discussion about the ZUK Z3 phone on China-based microblogging platform Weibo, some posters have also appeared with a message of April 23, which many believe is the date when the company could announce a new product.

Last week, Chang Cheng, Vice President of Lenovo Group, got transferred to the company’s MBG (Mobile Business Group) China and has been given the responsibility for the product organization, research, and development work in the country. The news about his transfer as Lenovo’s Product Planning Manager in China also hints about the brand’s return.

While the company has stopped production of new devices, the ZUI — Android-based company’s own operating system is still in development. However, the company has not yet announced anything related to ZUK and there is a possibility that all this is just speculation. So, take this news with a pinch of salt.

The last smartphone announced by the company was ZUK Edge, which features a 5.5-inch Full HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass on top. It is powered by quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor along with 4GB/6GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. The phone packs 3,100mAh non-removable battery and with the recent price-cut, it costs 1799 Yuan (approx. $264).

(Source)

AnTuTu Releases The Top 10 Android Phone Chipsets For 2017 – Qualcomm Dominated

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 8, 2018

The year 2017 was a very interesting year for the mobile phone industry. The second half of the year heralded the trend for mobile phones with the 18:9 aspect ratio and full-screen display. Despite the smartphone display dominating the headlines, one aspect that was also full f excitement was that of the smartphone processors. AnTuTu has now released a chart which gives an idea of the statistics of the various mobile chipsets that were used on the Android smartphones launched last year.

The statistics show the percentage based on usage for the processors and as you would expect, the Snapdragon 835 dominated the charts with a 15.54% market share. The figure may not be too impressive, though, considering that the new flagship chip wasn’t deployed as much as the SD 821 performed last year. Surprisingly, the Snapdragon 821 isn’t the second most popular chipset this year but the Snapdragon 820 claimed that record and that could be due to its cost. Third on the list is the Snapdragon 821 chipset and indeed, Qualcomm dominated the top 3 spots. Not just that, Qualcomm equally dominated the flagship mobile chipset market as Huawei’s Kirin 960 and Kirin 950 chipset are the only flagship chips on the list. The Kirin 960 chip occupies the number four spot 7.45% share of the Android phone market. All of those figures are from Huawei’s mobile phones like the Huawei P10, Mate 9 etc. However, don’t be surprised at the none-inclusion of the Kirin 970 chip on the list considering it was released in the fourth and final quarter of last year.

Going further, the Snapdragon 625 chipset occupies the number 5 spot and this is indeed impressive for a processor released in the early part of 2016. Qualcomm also grabbed a slice of the mid-range segment with the Snapdragon 652 and 660 chipsets recording some gains. The specific rankings and percentages are as follows: Snapdragon 835 (15.54%), Snapdragon 820 (12.14%), Snapdragon 821 (10.42%), Kirin 960 (7.45%), Snapdragon 625 (7.23%), MediaTek Helio X20 3.55%), Snapdragon 652 (3.21%), MediaTek Helio P10 (2.65%), Kirin 950 (2.38%) and Snapdragon 660 (2.05%).

(source)

New Leaked Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Render Shows Slightly Different Rear Design

By

-

Jan 8, 2018

It was reported that Xiaomi cancelled the Redmi Note 5 in favor of the Redmi 5 Plus. Although there has been no official confirmation about that happening neither has there been one saying it is still in the works. Notwithstanding, news about the phone has continued to surface.

A new leaked render of the Redmi Note 5 has been seen online. While it does share some similarities to the last one, it is also slightly different.

The Redmi Note 5 is shown in the image above with very thin bezels. Much more smaller than what you have on the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus. The bottom bezel is even thinner than that of the Mi MIX 2, which means the front camera and sensors sit at the top with the speaker.

If the Redmi Note 5 were to launch with this design, it will be a contender for the mid-range phone with the highest screen-to-body ratio.

On the rear, things are a bit more familiar. The design is still Redmi-like with silver antenna lines, curved sides, and the Mi logo. Where it does differ from the last leak is in the camera design.

There are still two sensors but both share the same housing. There is also no LED flash separating the sensors and the fingerprint scanner. Although the image doesn’t show the LED flash, it is definitely flanking the sensors on the right.

There is no confirmation that the Redmi Note 5 will be released. So far, everything we have seen has been just been unconfirmed leaks and rumors and the above is not an exception.

The phone is said to feature the same 5.99” FHD+ display as the Redmi 5 Plus and comes with a mysterious Snapdragon 632 processor.

MyKronoz Releases The ZeTime Petite Smartwatch Hybrid With Three Day Battery Life

By

Joel Joseph

-

Jan 8, 2018

If you are into hybrid smartwatches, the MyKronoz ZeTime was a pretty good option bringing the best of both worlds featuring mechanical analog watch hands and a full touch screen display underneath. This meant that the watch showed you the time even when the screen was off. The company has now released a new variant of the ZeTime smartwatch at CES 2018, dubbed as the ZeTime Petite. Like the name suggests, this is going to be a more compact version of the original watch, featuring very similar features in a smaller, 39mm case (vs 44mm case on the regular version).

The ZeTime Petite comes with a stainless steel case protected by sapphire glass on top along with multiple watch bands and materials options. The screen size drops down to 1.05-inches (vs 1.22 inches on the original ZeTime) with 240 x 240 resolution. There are all the usual features that you would expect in a smartwatch, including notifications, fitness oriented options, heart rate sensor and remote phone controls. Plus, being a hybrid, the Mykronoz ZeTime Petite can last up to 3 days on a single charge for smartwatch functions and up to 30 days for the mechanical analog movement.

The smartwatch goes on sale for $299 on the company’s official website.

For more coverage from CES 2018, check out this link!

Acer’s Updated Swift 7 Is The World’s Thinnest Laptop

By

-

Jan 8, 2018

Acer today announced three new laptops at CES 2018 in Las Vegas. Out of those three, one which captures the attention is the Acer Swift 7 which is claimed to be the world’s thinnest laptop, measuring just 8.9mm in thickness.

The company says that the Swift 7 laptop is designed in such a way that it makes the device easier for users to carry anywhere they travel, at any time. The laptop comes with an aluminium unibody design.

The display on the Acer Swift 7 has been upgraded from 13.3-inch to 14-inch, but it comes with Full HD resolution. The display uses IPS5 technology, along with Acer Color Intelligence and a Corning Gorilla Glass NBT touchscreen. The laptop packs a backlit keyboard, making it easier to work in low-light conditions such as long-haul international flights or train journeys.

It is powered by 7th generation Intel Core i7 processor, along with 8GB LPDDR3 RAM and 256GB PCIe SSD storage. It runs Windows 10 and also includes a fingerprint reader which allows password-free and more secure sign-in through Windows Hello.

The laptop further comes with 4G LTE connectivity, which is rare in laptops. 4G connectivity is powered by Intel XMM 4G LTE. According to the company, this makes it useful for the professionals who wish to eliminate tedious wireless connection problems while travelling and stay focused on the task at hand. It comes with Nano SIM card slot support and features eSIM technology.

As of the pricing and availability details, the new Acer Swift 7 will be available for purchase in North America starting March, carrying a price tag of $1,699. Later, the laptop will be available in EMEA starting April, for a starting price of 1,699 Euros.

While Swift 7 is thinner, it pales in comparison to other devices offered by Acer’s competitors in this price range. While Swift 7 offers 7th generation processor, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD, most devices in its price range now offer 8th generation Intel processors, better display and comparatively higher memory configuration.

For more coverage from CES 2018, check out this link!

HTC U11+ Could Get Red Colour Variant In The Coming Days

By

-

Jan 8, 2018

In the past months, we have seen a lot of smartphones being offered in red colour, including OnePlus 5T, Xiaomi Mi A1, and Oppo R11s. Now it seems that HTC is also joining the list of such smartphone manufacturers by offering a red colour option for the HTC U11+.

The HTC U11+ has been listed on Aliexpress in red colour option which is currently available on pre-order. According to the listing, the price of the red colour variant will be same as the standard version. The phone was originally launched a couple of months ago in three colour options — Translucent Black, Ceramic Black and Amazing Silver.

The phone features a trendy full-screen display and retains the squeezable frame feature which was first made available on the U11. It flaunts a 6-inch Super LCD-6 display that supports HDR10 and DCI-P3 colour gamut. It has 2880 x 1440 pixels screen resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio, with 78 percent screen-to-body ratio.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 835 processor. It comes in two variants — 4GB RAM with 64GB onboard storage and 6GB RAM with 128GB internal storage. Both models come with a microSD card slot, allowing users to further expand the storage capacity of the device.

There is a 12-megapixel with a f/1.7 aperture on the rear panel that features 1.4µm pixels, UltraSpeed autofocus, Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) and dual-LED flash. It also enables 4K video shooting with Hi-Res audio. On the front panel, there is an 8-megapixel camera for taking selfies with f/2.0 aperture that supports an 85-degree field of view and full HD video shooting.

This is the company’s first phone to come pre-loaded with Android 8.0 Oreo that is customized with Sense UI. The Edge Sense feature allows users to squeeze the frame of the phone to access favourite apps, contacts and some settings.

HTC is providing ANC enabled USonic headphones with the phone that can be connected via USB Type-C port. The phone also features BoomSound speakers which are claimed to be 30 percent louder than the ones present on U11. The HTC U11+ is fuelled by a 3,930mAh capacity battery that also supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging technology.

(Source)

360 N6 Pro & N6 Look More Beautiful In New Titanium Silver & Blue Glass Colors

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 8, 2018

A couple of days back, Chinese tech giant 360 Mobiles revealed that it would add a Bright Silver variant for the N6 Pro and also that it would introduce a Blue variant to the lineup of its latest 360 N6 model. The phone maker has now unveiled the two new colour variants namely a Titanium Silver colour variant for the N6 Pro and a Blue Glass variant for the 360 N6.

The new colour variants, one apiece, add some freshness to the already superb latest 360 N6 series models.The two new models will be available for pre-orders on Tuesday but their prices are still undisclosed. Apart from the new paint jobs, their specification is consistent with those of the regular models launched earlier.

The 360 N6 and N6 Pro has as their major highlight, a full-screen design which is undoubtedly the trend for 2017 smartphones and is expected to continue trending this year. The N6 packs an all-metal body and the display is a 5.93-inch full-screen with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels (FHD+) and 18:9 aspect ratio. There is no capacitive button at the front which means it utilises on-screen controls which are as a result of the full-screen design. At the rear, there is a single camera centrally positioned. Just under the camera sits the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.

On the other hand, the 360 N6 Pro features a 5.99-inch screen with the popular 18:9 aspect ratio and a 2160 x 1080 resolution. The bezels have been cut to make way for the screen, resulting in a phone with an 84.5% screen-to-body ratio. The device packs Qualcomm’s super mid-ranger, the Snapdragon 660 processor, a more than capable processor that should handle anything you throw at it. The N6 Pro comes in three RAM and ROM configurations. The base version has 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM; there is a 6GB RAM +64GB model, and the high-end version comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. All three models have support for storage expansion.

(source)

Praetorian Guard or Stormtrooper: OnePlus 5T Sandstone White and Lava Red Goes on Sale Tomorrow

By

-

Jan 8, 2018

OnePlus may not be releasing the OnePlus 5T Star Wars limited edition in China but you can purchase the Sandstone White and Lava Red variants on the official site tomorrow.

While both variants lack any Star Wars branding, both colors can be attributed to the popular franchise. The OnePlus 5T Lava Red does share the same shade as that of the Elite Praetorian Guards of Supreme Leader Snoke in The last Jedi. The OnePlus 5T Sandstone White on the other hand gives off a Stormtrooper vibe.

Both variants will go on sale tomorrow priced at ¥3499 (~$539) on Jingdong and OnePlus.cn at 10:00 AM local time.

The OnePlus 5T Sandstone White and Lava Red both have 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The rest of their specs are the same as the 6GB + 64GB Midnight Black variant.

Nvidia Announces Xavier SoC For Self-Driving Cars That Brings New AI Capabilities

By

-

Jan 8, 2018

Today at CES 2018 in Las Vegas, Nvidia announced its new powerful Xavier SoC for artificial intelligence-based autonomous cars. It will power the Nvidia DRIVE software stack which was announced last year. The stack has now been expanded to a trio of AI platforms that now covers every aspect of the experience inside next-generation automobiles.

The company says that the Xavier SoC comes with 9 billion transistors, and claims that Xavier is the most complex system-on-chip ever created. Nvidia says that more than 2,000 engineers worked on the project over a four-year period, and the company invested around $2 billion in research and development.

The chipset features custom 8-core CPU, a 512-core Volta GPU, an 8K HDR video processor, a deep-learning accelerator and new computer-vision accelerators. According to the company, it can perform 30 trillion operations per second using only 30 watts of power.

Nvidia says that it is 15 times more efficient than the previous architecture. Two Xavier processors will be powering the Nvidia DRIVE Pegasus AI platform which was announced three months ago. The company is sampling this new SoC to the first customers this quarter. Nvidia clarifies that any existing software or algorithms developed for previous DRIVE platforms will run without requiring any modifications.

Along with DRIVE AV (Autonomous Vehicles), the company has also announced DRIVE IX and DRIVE AR, which will also be based on Xavier. DRIVE IX is for an intelligent vehicle experience which brings AI into the user-experience (UX) of the car or robo-taxi. It uses that as a smart assistant for the driver and passengers. On the other hand, DRIVE AR is the company’s push for Augmented Reality in automotive settings.

Nvidia has also announced its self-driving technology will be utilized by Uber, a cab-hailing service provider which started working on its self-driving car in 2015. Uber plans to use Xavier, which began shipping to customers for the first time this week.

Volkswagen will also use Nvidia’s Drive IX platform to create an “intelligent co-pilot” to assist a driver and China’s Baidu is working with Nvidia to create a production-ready AI autonomous vehicle system designed for China.

For more coverage from CES 2018, check out this link!

Xiaomi: IPO May See The Company Valued at $200 billion

By

-

Jan 8, 2018

Xiaomi has come a long way in its few years of existence. Starting with smartphones, the Chinese company has branched out into several other products including TVs, vacuum cleaners, and cameras etc. However, its biggest decision will likely be made this year when it goes public.

Reports coming from China say Xiaomi may be valued at up to $200 billion when it goes public in H2 2018. The figure is said to have been given by Lei Jun and approved by an investment bank.

Xiaomi’s IPO has been in the news for a while. As at last week, Hong Kong bankers were said to be expecting it to reach $100 billion. Now that figure has doubled and if it does reach it, it will be two times more than that of Baidu which sits at $85 billion as at today.

Back in mid-2016, Xiaomi wasn’t expected to go public until 2025. Founded in 2010, Lei Jun had said the company would need at least 15 years before holding an initial public offering. Now, the song has changed and it may be happening 7 years early.

In 2017, sales improved for Xiaomi as it broke its target by 18% and recorded as much as $1 billion in net profit. For 2018, Xiaomi has set a target of $2 billion in profits.