Xiaomi Turned 8 in April: We Pick The Top Smartphones From The Company Till Date!

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Apr 10, 2018

Xiaomi turned 8 this April. It’s been an incredible journey for the Chinese smartphone company and the once small startup has managed to garner millions of fan following through its competitive products.

There’s no doubt that Xiaomi changed the way we look at Chinese products. The company focused on bringing the best quality products, at a low cost, and an attractive design. It was the ultimate killer combination that helped Xiaomi emerge into one of the fastest growing companies in recent times. In fact, it is set for a Hong Kong IPO sometime later this year and it’s predicted that the company could be valued at $100 billion at the stock exchange.

Despite the recent rush in expanding its operations from countries in Asia to Europe and even the US, Xiaomi’s journey hasn’t been smooth.

In the first year of its operation, in 2010, Xiaomi released its first MIUI OS version. It took one year for the company to release its first smartphone, the Mi 1. It took another year for it to release the second smartphone, the Mi 2. The phone sold well, with sales reportedly crossing 10 million a year after its release. But the real success for the company came in after the launch of the Xiaomi Mi 3 in October 2013. The company decided to expand its operations globally to Singapore, India, Malaysia, and the Philippines in 2014. This is where the company started to see strong growth and Xiaomi’s total shipments in the year rose to over 61 million units!

After that, it was Xiaomi’s dominance with 5-10 smartphone releases every year. We saw new lineups like the best selling Redmi Note series, Mi Max series, Mi Note series, and the innovative Mi Mix series. It has been a wonderful journey for Xiaomi over the past eight years, so let’s take a look at the top smartphones from the company till date. We won’t be selecting phones just on the basis of its sales, so these aren’t necessarily best sellers. Instead, these are the phones that mark a milestone in the company’s product releases in the past 7 years.

1. Xiaomi Mi 3

Undoubtedly, Xiaomi Mi 3 is the phone that put the company on the world map. The phone was nothing short of revolutionary, featuring a 1080p 5-inch display, Snapdragon 800 series quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB ROM, and a large 3000mAh battery. Considering this was a phone sold in September 2013, it was a must buy at just 1999 Yuan (~$327 at 2014 rates!). I know it was my favourite phone back in 2013, and I’m sure many of you remember this one as Xiaomi’s first smartphone.

RELEASE: September 2013

Snapdragon 800 MSM8274AB 2.3GHz quad-core
2GB RAM
16GB / 32GB / 64GB ROM
5-inch 1080p display
13MP Camera
3050mAh battery
MIUI 5 with Android 4.4 Kitkat

2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

After Xiaomi announced the Redmi lineup in 2013 (known as Hongmi in China), the company continued to grow with this affordable series. Redmi helped Xiaomi beat Samsung in China by Q2 2014 and since then, we haven’t seen the Chinese startup back down. But the real best seller for Xiaomi was the Redmi Note 3. Yes, I agree all other Redmis have sold well and in fact, the Redmi Note 4 was yet another best seller. However, Redmi Note 3’s release was the real turning point. The phone had everything that you would expect in a mid-ranger, maybe even more, with its large 4050mAh battery and relatively powerful chipset. It was one hell of a mid-range smartphone and the sales figure is proof to its popularity.

RELEASE: November 2015

Snapdragon 650 / MTK Helio X10
2GB /3GB RAM
16GB/32GB ROM
5.5-inch 1080p
16MP Rear
4050mAh
MIUI 7 with Android 5 Lollipop

3. Xiaomi Mi Max

2016 was the worst year for Xiaomi. However, it was also a year where we saw some real innovative smartphones from the company. It started with the Xiaomi Mi Max, a brand new lineup featuring a huge 6.44-inch 1080p display. With two processor options, SD650 and SD652, the phone was an instant hit. Nobody had released such a cheap and powerful large display smartphone and considering everyone’s obsession with large screen phones back in 2016, it made perfect sense for Xiaomi to release such a big device. A large 4850mAh battery ensured that the phone had better battery life than any of its competition.

RELEASE: May 2016

Snapdragon 650 / 652
2GB /3GB / 4GB RAM
16GB /32GB / 64GB / 128GB ROM
6.44-inch 1080p
16MP Rear
4850mAh
MIUI 8 based on Android 7 Nougat

4. Xiaomi Mi Note 2

This model didn’t sell very well, but it still marks an important milestone for the company. The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 was the company’s first curved display smartphone. In fact, it was dual curved meaning it was curved on the back as well as the front side. Apart from Samsung, nobody had managed to released such a curved smartphone and it really showed what Xiaomi was capable of. It clearly pushed Xiaomi into the big boy league, showing to the world that it’s not all about cheap and affordable smartphones but also about flagships that offer the latest technology.

RELEASE: Oct. 2016

Snapdragon 821
4GB / 6GB RAM
64GB / 128GB
5.7-inch Curved AMOLED 1080p
22.5MP Rear
4070mAh
MIUI 8 based on Android 7 Nougat

5. Xiaomi Mi Mix

The Xiaomi Mi Mix was the most innovative smartphone of its time. Xiaomi managed to beat everyone in releasing a full screen smartphone, which was something unheard and unseen back in 2016, with the brand new Mi Mix flagship. It was so innovative that the company called it a concept, even though it was available for purchase pretty soon after its release. A full screen front, Cantilever piezoelectric ceramic technology for earpiece, the awkward camera placement — was all innovation. We had never seen such a high screen to body ratio smartphone before and it was really a surprise that this was coming from a company as small as Xiaomi. No doubt that it’s an inspiration to all other full screen smartphones that we are seeing in the past few months.

RELEASE: Oct. 2016

Snapdragon 821
4GB / 6GB RAM
128GB / 256GB ROM
6.4-inch 1080p
16MP Rear
4400mAh
MIUI 8 based on Android 7 Nougat

6. Xiaomi Mi 5C

Late 2016 and early 2017 was all about innovation for Xiaomi. The company released its first ever self developed chipset, the Surge S1 inside the Xiaomi Mi 5C in February 2017. It was a big deal considering Xiaomi was now entering the world of big players like Apple, Huawei, and Samsung who make their own processors. Although we haven’t seen much progress in this department from the company yet, the Xiaomi Mi 5C was definitely a milestone smartphone for the company last year.

RELEASE: Feb. 2017

Xiaomi Surge S1
3GB RAM
64GB ROM
5.15-inch 1080p
12MP
2860mAh
MIUI 8 based on Android Nougat

7. Xiaomi Mi A1

MIUI is a wonderful OS and there are millions of fans all around the world who love this operating system. However, some might prefer stock UI over this highly customised OS and this is why Xiaomi released the Xiaomi Mi A1 smartphone in September 2017. It was basically a Xiaomi Mi 5X with stock UI. The phone was released as a global device, aimed at multiple markets apart from India. Featuring a stock Android UI with promised quick updates to the latest Android OS, it was an instant hit among Xiaomi fans.

RELEASE: Sept. 2017

Snapdragon 625
4GB RAM
64GB ROM
5.5-inch 1080p
12MP Dual Cameras
3080mAh
Android 8 Oreo

8. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S

Xiaomi Mi Mix was a great phone, and the Mi Mix 2 was even better. But the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S is the real flagship from the company this year and the phone is an important release in Xiaomi’s timeline because of its impressive camera setup. It is the first device to boast of a camera that can truly take on Samsung’s Galaxy and Apple’s iPhone series. Even DxOMark confirms its superior camera performance. Apart from that, powerful specifications, large battery, and a competitive price tag ensures that it is one of the best Xiaomi smartphones released in the market. We did test out its camera and we were definitely impressed!

RELEASE: Feb. 2018

Snapdragon 845
6GB / 8GB RAM
64GB / 128GB / 256GB ROM
5.99-inch 1080p
Dual 12MP Cameras
3400mAh
MIUI 9.5 based on Android 8

So which is your favourite Xiaomi smartphone? Would you like to add any specific model to this list?

Huawei Patents a Smartwatch Design That Makes It Easy To Swap Watch Bands

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Apr 10, 2018

Huawei continues to build its patent portfolio with one of its latest patent that has just been revealed. The new patent as published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a smartwatch strap design which makes for easy swapping of the watch bands. This design is perhaps building on the popularity of smartwatches and how most owners design to personalize their own with their preferred band design.

This new design is pretty different from the conventional design we have on almost all smartwatch and other wristwatches in the market presently whereby you’ll need a flat object that can pick out the hook at the edge of the strap. But it builds on the quick release spring mechanism found in most modern smartwatches. According to the patent, the quick release spring can be moved into the watch housing instead of being part of the watch band. Thus, if the watch band is to be removed, all that needs to be done is to depress two small buttons at the side of the housing and this will, in turn, compress the spring holding the band to the housing.

W can’t say if Huawei will eventually utilise this patent is their smartwatch any time soon. But if it does, it will be a simple but interesting design.

(source)

Renders Of Keyboard-Toting BlackBerry Athena Surfaces

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Apr 10, 2018

About two months ago, the codenames for three upcoming Blackberry smartphones from TCL surfaced online. One of them is the Athena and renders of the phone just showed up online, courtesy of China’s patent office.

The BlackBerry Athena rocks a QWERTY Keyboard just like the BlackBerry KEYone but much better looking. The display seems to be bigger and the keyboard has been redesigned. The keys are a bit bigger and the fingerprint scanner/spacebar now has the BlackBerry logo. The keyboard area also appears to be covered in leather. Overall we think the keyboard experience should be better on the Athena.

The top of the phone has also been redesigned. The front camera is now in a smaller housing; there is a single cut out for the earpiece, and even the sensor is smaller. The KEYone actually looks very ugly when compared to this device.

However, there are some things TCL hasn’t changed. The phone still uses capacitive Android buttons. One of the complaints of the KEYone is that when scrolling with the keyboard, there are instances where your finger slides over the keyboard and lands on the capacitive keys. This results in you accidentally pressing the recent apps key or even exiting an app.

Switching to on-screen keys while maintaining the bezel if they wish would have been better. Once the phone senses you are scrolling, the on-screen keys fade away. This way, even if you accidentally land on the display, you don’t exit the app or open the recent apps menu.

The rear looks good too. Gone is the large circular housing of the KEYone. In its place are dual cameras that share a single housing with a LED flash on the right. The upper part of the back is covered with smooth leather while the rest of the back is textured for a better grip.

The BlackBerry Athena has a metal frame with a brushed finish. There are antenna lines at the top and all the buttons are on the right. We have a single long volume rocker, a power button, and a textured Convenience Key. The SIM tray is now on the left.

The button placement is another problem we have with this device. Another complaint with the KEYone is that the button arrangement doesn’t make it easy to mount the phone. Users will experience the same problem with the Athena as you will only be able to mount it at the bottom.

The BlackBerry Athena has a USB-C port flanked by speaker grilles at the bottom. There is also a 3.5mm audio jack at the top. Overall, this is a better-designed phone than the KEYone though with a few unresolved flaws.

Continue

ZTE Trademarks Axon 9, Axon 9 Pro and More

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Apr 10, 2018

ZTE was in the news yesterday for its Iceberg smartphone which has two notches and an unusual design. Depending on what you think about the phone, you won’t have to worry about it until “after 2018” when it is expected to launch. The focus should instead be on the next Axon phone set to launch this year.

ZTE is expected to release a new Axon phone this year. Apart from a word of mouth confirmation from the CEO and alleged leaked photos and specs, there’s been no other info on the phone called the Axon 9 until today.

A document from the Eurasian Economic Union has revealed that ZTE has trademarked the Axon 9 name along with an Axon 9 Pro. So it is safe to assume that we will be getting two Axon phones. While there is a chance they might launch together, they also may not. The Axon 7 which has four variants launched over a span of almost 12 months.

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DJI Announces Master Wheels And Force Pro Gimbal Control Systems

By

Jeet

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Apr 10, 2018

During the National Association of Broadcasters Show on April 9, DJI announced two new gimbal control systems — DJI Force Pro and DJI Master Wheels. While the Force Pro is an intuitive entry-level gimbal control solution, the Master Wheels is a high-end solution for the most precise control.

Both the new devices are aimed at professional camera operators and thus, they have been priced accordingly. These products are compatible with DJI’s Ronin 2 and Ronin-S gimbals as well as some third-party gimbals, allowing for very precise and cinematic movement.

The DJI Master Wheels is a high-precision gimbal control system that can be equipped with 1, 2 or 3 control wheels for very smooth control over pan, tilt, and roll of the gimbal. On the other hand, the Force Pro is a motion-sensing system that lets the user control the gimbal remotely, but it comes with a much smaller form factor than the Master Wheels.

The modular system of the Master Wheels can be set up with as many as three wheels to control each axis along with threads to add accessories. The switches and dials help the user in adjusting various factors like direction, speed, dampening, and smoothness. It supports dual Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz). The company says that it responds in near real-time, with about 10 milliseconds between the control movement and the gimbal’s response.

The Force Pro uses a built-in compass and Inertial Measurement Unit to create both precise and consistent camera movement. Those two components also help to prevent gimbal drift, which allows the camera to remain fixed on a specific frame. For connectivity, the Force Pro has a dual frequency Wi-Fi system, along with a wired option.

As said, the DJI’s Master Wheels and the Force Pro are high-end devices with significant price tags. The DJI Master Wheels is priced at $8,000 for a three-wheeled version while the DJI Force Pro costs $1,200. Both will be available for pre-order tomorrow and will start shipping in June.

Nokia 8 Sirocco Goes On Sale Again But Doesn’t Last

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Apr 10, 2018

The Nokia 8 Sirocco was launched back in February at MWC 2018. It is the most expensive and most powerful phone on the Android One program.

The flagship phone is an upgraded version of the Nokia 8 with all the features users complained were missing now included and more. So, it is no surprise that the Nokia 8 Sirocco has a higher launch price than the Nokia 8 (€749 against €599).

That price doesn’t seem to deter those who want it as it seems to be flying off shelves very fast. It already went on sale in China on JD.com last month but it appears it went out of stock. The online mall again listed it today for sale but is now sold out.

It is a bit surprising as this is something we only associate with brands like Xiaomi. Nevertheless, we can’t tell if this is a case of available stock being smaller than normal or the phone itself is really selling fast.

The Nokia 8 Sirocco is priced at ¥4699 (~$747). It has a 5.5” 2K pOLED curved display with Gorilla Glass 5. It is powered by the Snapdragon 835 with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. There are dual ZEISS lens on the rear in a 12MP + 13MP configuration and a 5MP front-facing camera.

The phone has a 3260mAh battery, supports QC 3.0 and wireless charging, and has an IP67 rating. There is Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and a USB-C port.

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LG G7 ThinQ Launch Date is May 2; Leaked Press Renders Appear to Reveal Color Variants

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 10, 2018

A South Korean publication has revealed that LG will be holding a launch event on May 2 to unveil the LG G7 ThinQ flagship phone. Latest leak has revealed a press render of the phone that showcases its different color variants.

On May 2, LG will be keeping a press event at Metropolitan West in Manhattan, New York, U.S. and on May 3, a media event will be carried out at Yongsan IP Park Mall in Seoul, South Korea to announce the G7 ThinQ smartphone.

In February, LG had used the ThinQ branding for the first time on its LG V30S ThinQ phone. ThinQ branding is LG’s initiative to fulfil its goal of thinking from customer’s viewpoint in order to provide them with features that are most frequently used by them along with AI technology. Vision AI feature on LG G7 ThinQ will deliver improved camera experience. Other AI features that will be arriving on the G7 ThinQ include Empathy AI and Voice AI.

Shown below is a leaked press render of the LG G7 ThinQ. Like the previously leaked photos, the new render shows the G7 ThinQ with notched display and vertically stacked dual camera setup. The new render reveals that it will be arriving in five color options such as Aurora Black, Platinum Grey, Moroccan Blue, Moroccan Blue (Matte), and Raspberry Rose.

According to Android Headlines, the Aurora Black will be the default color variant of the LG G7 ThinQ. The availability of the other colors may vary depending on the region and carrier. Apart from the volume rocker and power key, the handset also features an additional button. It is speculated it could be a dedicated button for AI assistant.

Previous reports have revealed that the LG G7 ThinQ is codenamed as LG Judy. It is rumored to house a 6.1-inch MLCD+ technology display. However, other sources that there could be an OLED screen version of the phone.

The G7 ThinQ is powered by Snapdragon 845 chipset and comes with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. It is speculated that there could be another variant called the G7+ ThinQ that will come with a larger inbuilt storage of 128 GB. It is likely to arrive with dual 16-megapixel camera lens with f/1.6 aperture. Rumors have it that the company also announce the LG Q7 mid-range phone alongside the LG G7 ThinQ.

The South Korean company is expected to confirm on the May 2 launch date for LG G7 ThinQ soon.

(source 1, 2)

Coolpad Mega 4A With 5-Inch Display Launched In India For Rs. 5,999

By

Jeet

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Apr 10, 2018

Last year, while announcing the Cool Play 6 smartphone, the China-based Coolpad had announced that it will soon launch Coolpad Mega 4A in India. Now, the company has finally launched the entry-level smartphone in the Indian market, for a price of Rs. 5,999 which roughly translate to $92.

The announcement was made by Coolpad on its official Twitter handle. The smartphone will be available for purchase exclusively through offline retail stores across the nation. Surprisingly, the company has not revealed full specifications of the phone and is asking interested buyers to visit the nearest retail store in order to experience the smartphone.

However, we know that the Coolpad Mega 4A comes with a 5-inch display that has a screen resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. The device comes with dual SIM support and 16GB of storage which is further expandable up to 32GB using a microSD card.

In the software department, the smartphone runs the older Android 7.0 Nougat operating system out of the box. No further information has been revealed by the company as of now.

This marks the first smartphone launch from Coolpad in India this year. The company had last launched Coolpad Note 5 Lite in India in November last year. Earlier this year, the company slashed the price of its Cool 1, Coolpad Note 5 and Coolpad Note 5 Lite smartphones.

Earlier this year, during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Coolpad Group announced that that the Cool Play 6, Note 5, and Note 5 Lite will get Amazon Alexa through an over-the-air (OTA) update, while the future Coolpad devices will include this feature out-of-the-box.

Honor 10’s Leaked Photo Reveals its Marvelous Rear Design; China Launch Will be on April 19

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 10, 2018

Huawei’s sub-brand Honor has confirmed yesterday that the Honor 10 will be unveiled on April 19 in China. Today, a new image showing the rear panel of the Honor 10 has appeared on Weibo. It reveals that it could be the first Honor flagship phone to feature Leica branded dual cameras.

In the below image, the Honor 10 sporting a color gradient finish of blueish purple. The color gradient is different from the Twilight color option of the Huawei P20. The Honor 10 has a horizontally arranged dual camera module, but the P20 has a vertically arranged dual camera setup. The COL-AL10 model number can be seen at the bottom of the phone.

The rear panel of the Honor 10 seems to be made out of 3D glass and it could be sporting a metallic frame. The volume rocker and power key are present on the right edge (when viewed from front) of the phone. Since the fingerprint scanner is not available on the phone, it is likely to feature a frontal home button embedded fingerprint sensor like the Huawei P20. However, some rumors claim that it may feature under-display fingerprint sensor.

The leaked image has the text “Dual Lens 1:1.6/27 ASPH” mentioned on the top-right corner. The same text can be also found near the dual rear cameras of the Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro from October 2017. Hence, the Honor 10 could sport the same dual cameras that can be found on Mate 10.

Huawei had introduced Leica branding for dual rear cameras starting from Huawei P9 series. However, the Honor flagships have never featured Leica cameras. Hence, like the predecessor Honor 9 phone, the Honor 10 may not camera SUMMILUX or Leica branding.

Rumors have it that it may feature a 5.8-inch screen that will be enabled with a notch. The Kirin 970 chipset is expected to power the Honor flagship. Also, it is rumored that the highest configuration variant of the phone may feature 256 GB of internal storage and 6 GB of storage. The launch poster of the phone confirms that it will be equipped with AI capabilities for photography.

As of this writing, there is no information available on the other specs and pricing of Honor 10. After getting unveiled on April 19 in China, the handset is confirmed to debut in London on May 15.

(source)

Get Big Discounts On Android 8.1-Powered TV Boxes On GeekBuying; Coupon Codes And Lots More

By

Vinay Patel

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Apr 10, 2018

If you’re looking to buy a TV box that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, we have good news for you. GeekBuying is offering massive discounts on select Android 8.1 Oreo-powered TV boxes and handing out coupon codes that you can use to save an extra amount of money.

Coupons

This category comprises coupon codes for the MX10, A5X Plus, and the Mi Box TV boxes.

A5X Plus TV Box

GeekBuying is offering the A5X Plus TV Box at a reduced price of just $49.99. This is a noteworthy 31% reduction in the device’s retail price of $72.49.
On top of that, you can apply coupon code ‘GKBOREO2’ to save an extra $10 at the time of checking out. You can bring your subtotal down to $39.99 by applying the coupon code, which is highly likely to expire soon.

MX10 TV BOX

GeekBuying is giving buyers an opportunity to get their hands on the MX10 TV box at a slashed price. Note that the MX10 normally sells for $91.97 on GeekBuying.
The well-received TV box can be yours if you’re willing to shell out just $54.99. This is a noteworthy 40% markdown in the device’s retail price. Regrettably, the promo was on the verge of wrapping up at the time of writing.

China Stock & EU Stock

The products included in this section have further been split into China Stock and EU Stock subcategories in a bid to simplify the search process. The two subcategories comprise a slew of heavily discounted TV boxes.

Under the China Stock, you can buy the MX10 TV box bundled with an iPazzPort 2.4GHz wireless keyboard at a reduced price of just $59.99. Note that the combo would normally set you back $100.12 on GeekBuying.
Under the EU Stock subcategory, you can get a massive 41% off on the MECOOL M8S PRO W TV box, which usually bears a price tag of $81.29 on GeekBuying. The Android TV OS-based M8S PRO W can be yours for just $47.99. On the downside, the promotion is on the verge of wrapping up.

A5X MAX TV Box

You can buy the A5X MAX on GeekBuying without shelling out a fortune. The site is giving 21% off on the Rockchip RK3328-equipped TV box for a limited period of time.The A5X MAX usually sells for $71.69 on GeekBuying but the site is currently offering the coveted TV box at a reduced price of just $56.99. The promotion is expected to end shortly.

Android TV OS

This section is crammed with heavily discounted TV boxes. For the sake of an example, you can get a massive 51% discount on the original selling price of the MECOOL M8S PRO W TV box.
Buyers normally have to spend $81.29 in order to purchase the M8S PRO W TV box, which is based on the Android TV OS. But, GeekBuying is offering the device for just $39.99 for a short period of time.

Note that the big discounts are likely to come to an end soon. If you’re interested in taking advantage of the deals, head straight to this link before the Geekbuying promotion comes to an end.

Get Big Discounts On Select TV Boxes On GeekBuying Check More Deals and Promotions From Other Shops

Samsung Galaxy S8 Burgundy Red Color Variant Launched In India

By

Jeet

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Apr 10, 2018

Samsung India has launched a new color variant of its last year’s Galaxy S8 in India. The company has introduced Burgundy Red color for the Samsung Galaxy S8 and says that it is a limited edition model. In India, the phone was already available in Maple Gold and Midnight Black colors as well as the Orchid Grey color.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 Burgundy Red Limited Edition model will be available for Rs. 49,990 for the 64GB storage variant. The smartphone will go on sale in India from 13th April. Additionally, Samsung is offering cashback of Rs. 10,000 if buyers pay via Paytm at the retail stores.

Last month, the South Korean giant launched its latest flagship smartphone and the successor of the Galaxy S8 series — the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus. Recently, the Galaxy S8 series received a price cut in the Indian market, bringing down the cost of Galaxy S8 64GB to Rs. 49,990. The Galaxy S8+ 64GB model is priced at Rs. 53,990, while the 128GB storage model costs Rs. 64,900.

To recall, the Samsung Galaxy S8 flaunts a 5.8-inch QHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Display with screen resolution of 1440 x 2960 pixels, dual-edge screen and 18.5:9 aspect ratio. The display is protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass 5 on top.

In the Indian market, the device is powered by the company’s own Exynos 8895 processor along with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. There’s a microSD card slot, allowing users to further expand the phone’s storage capacity to 256GB.

Coming to the camera department, the Galaxy S8 features a 12-megapixel ‘Dual Pixel’ rear cameras with optical image stabilization and a f/1.7 aperture. On the front, there’s an 8-megapixel front-facing camera with autofocus and an f/1.7 aperture. It has started receiving Android Oreo update. The handset is fuelled by a 3,000mAh battery which also supports wireless charging and fast charging.

OnePlus 6 Cases Confirm Rear Design

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 10, 2018

A lot of information on the specs and features of the OnePlus 6 have appeared in the recent weeks. The OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T were the first phones from the company to house dual camera setup. The Chinese manufacturer had used horizontal design for the dual cameras of OP5 and OP5T. However, recent rumors have claimed that the company has opted for a vertical dual camera setup for the OnePlus 6. Fresh photos have appeared of cases for OnePlus 6 have appeared to corroborate on its new design for the back panel.

The first image belongs to the silicone case of the OnePlus 6 while the other one seems like a hard case. Both the cases have similar cutouts for dual cameras and its LED flash and fingerprint scanner. The cutouts are same as the pinkish-red colored case that was revealed by GizmoChina at the beginning of this month. Multiple evidences show that OP6 won’t be sporting a different rear design than its predecessor models.

OnePlus is known for placing an Alert Slider button on the left edge of its phones. However, the cutout for the Alert Slider seems to be on the right side of the OP6’s silicon case. The Power key is placed below the Alert Slider on the right edge. The volume controllers continue to exist on the left side of the phone. The hard case has a larger cutout on the left edge which indicates that it could house the Alert Slider as well as the volume keys.

OnePlus has recently released a OnePlus 6 teaser that revealed that the Alert Slider of the phone can used for adjusting the camera focus. The bottom side of both cases show cutouts for 3.5mm audio jack, external speaker and USB-C port. As far as the front design of the OnePlus 6, the below shown render has revealed that it will be arriving with a notched screen.

OnePlus 6 has gone out of stock in North America and India in the recent past. This indicates that the launch of the OP6 is drawing near. Even though the company is yet to confirm on the launch date for the phone, a leaked photo that had appeared yesterday claimed that it may launch in China on May 5. Since OnePlus is known for debuting its phones first in overseas market before making it official in China, it is speculated that the OP6 may get unveiled at the end of this month.

(source|via)

Buy TV Boxes And Mini Desktop PCs On GearBest; Get Up To 70% Discount On Leading Brands

By

Vinay Patel

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Apr 10, 2018

GearBest is handing out up to 70% discount on a broad range of TV boxes and mini desktop PCs as part of its latest promotion. In a bid to simplify the search process, the discounted items have been divided into multiple categories.

First off, the site is giving an 11% off on Tanix TX28 TV Box, bringing its asking price down to just $67.99. The dropped Flash Sale price will be valid for the remaining 179 pieces for 5 days.
Likewise, GearBest is also offering the X99 TV BOX at a discounted price of just $119.99. The deal is valid for the remaining 49 pieces of the black color version of the device for 5 days. Here’s a brief glimpse of what each category has to offer.

Most Popular Deals

This segment features some of the most popular deals. It comprises many well-received products such as the Original Xiaomi Mi TV Box which is now available for a slashed price of $69.90.
This is a considerable 21% reduction in the device’s original retail price of $88.42. The discount is available for the black color version of the Mi TV Box and you can choose from 3 different sizes including EU plug, UK plug, and US plug.

World’s Leading Brands

You can find some of the most successful brands including Beelink, Alfawise, MECOOL, Tanix and many more in this category. In order to check out the discounted products available under each brand, you need to simply click on the brand names.

You can get 22% discount on the Beelink GT1 Ultimate TV Box which would usually set you back $97.54. Thanks to the discount, you can buy this Amlogic S912 CPU-equipped TV box by shelling out only $75.99.
The Flash Sale price will be valid for only 11 pieces that were left at the time of writing. Moreover, there were only 5 days left for the promotion.

Trending New Arrivals

This section boasts an array of recently arrived items that you can buy without emptying your pocket. Among other products, you can go for the Z69 PRO TV Box which is currently available at a lowered price of just $36.99.

The Z69 PRO TV Box, which bears a price tag of $42.16 without the discount, will be up for sale at the abovementioned reduced price for 5 days. You can take advantage of the discount on the remaining 84 pieces sell out.

Monster Discounts

This category features a few massively discounted TV boxes and other TV-related items. For instance, you can get a 23% discount on the H96 Pro TV dongle, which usually sells for $56.15 on GearBest.

Thanks to the discount, you can get your hands on the 2GB RAM/8GB ROM version of the device for only $42.99. Alternatively, you can buy one of the remaining 5 pieces of the 2GB RAM/16GB ROM version of the H96 Pro TV dongle by paying only $48.73.

TV Sticks & Dongles

This section is rife with all sorts of dongles and TV sticks that can be purchased at a discounted price for a limited period of time. Just to give an example, you can buy the PTVdisplay DA02 Airplay WiFi Display Miracast TV internet dongle for just $11.99. Note that its retail price is $13.62 on GearBest.
The site is offering a 12% discount on the device’s retail price. This reduction in original selling price will be valid for the black color version of the PTVdisplay DA02 until the promotion wraps up.

You can visit this link in order to check out rest of the product and avail the deal before it comes to an end.

Get Up To 70% Off On TV Boxes On GearBest Check More Deals and Promotions From Other Shops

Xiaomi Mi 6X Likely to Feature Helio P60, 12MP IMX486 + 20MP IMX376 Dual Cameras, 20MP IMX376 Selfie Camera

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 10, 2018

MediaTek had launched the Helio P60 SoC during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 tech expo in February. It is currently present under the hood of phones like OPPO R15 and OPPO F7. The upcoming Meizu 15 Lite may also feature the same SoC. A report from last week had claimed that the upcoming Xiaomi Mi 6X may feature the Snapdragon 626. However, fresh information reveals that it could be powered by Helio P60 SoC.

According to the TENAA listing of the Xiaomi Mi 6X, it is driven by an octa-core processor that clocks 2.2 GHz. Even though earlier reports had claimed that the Mi 6X would be featuring the new Snapdragon 636 SoC, a recent report had claimed that it may feature the older Snapdragon 626 chipset under its hood. New rumors claim that the Mi 6X has Helio P60 onboard. However, there is no concrete evidence that supports this claim. A recent report had revealed that the SD636 powered Redmi Note 5 Pro and Helio P60 driven OPPO F7 deliver similar performance on benchmarks.

Yesterday, XDA Developers Editor-in-Chief Mishaal Rahman had revealed some key information on the cameras of the upcoming Mi 6X. He claims that the handset may feature Sony IMX486 + IMX36 dual camera system and Sony IMX376 front-facing camera.

Camera sensors for what I believe is the Xiaomi Mi 6X (taken from "camera_config.xml" for code-name "wayne" where TENAA certification code M1804D2SC matches "IS_D2S=wayne"):

BACK: imx486
BACK_AUX: imx376
FRONT: imx376

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) April 7, 2018

The Redmi Note 5 Pro phone that was launched in India in February features 20-megapixel Sony IMX376 sensor as its selfie camera. Also, it has 12-megapixel Sony IMX486 has the main sensor in its dual camera setup. Hence, the Mi 6X may feature the 20-megapixel Sony IMX376 as its frontal snapper and its dual camera module may comprise of a 12-megapixel Sony IMX486 sensor and a 20-megapixel Sony IMX376 sensor.

As far as other specs are concerned, the TENAA listing of Mi 6X have revealed that it house a 5.99-inch FHD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio. It may come in models like 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage. It may house a 2,910mAh battery and may come loaded with the Android 8.1 Oreo overlaid with the latest MIUI skin.

Since the handset has already been certified by TENAA authority in the hoe market. It is speculated that Xiaomi may hold a launch event on April 25 to make it official. If this rumor is true, the Chinese manufacturer may confirm on the official launch date soon. Xiaomi is expected to release this phone as Mi A2 Android One outside of China. Fresh information reveals that the Mi A2 may debut in soon in the near future.

(via)

Buy AGM X2 SE 4G Phablet For Only $429.99 On GearBest; Flash Sale To End Soon

By

Vinay Patel

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Apr 10, 2018

As part of its latest Flash Sale promo, GearBest is offering the AGM X2 SE 4G phablet at a lowered price of just $429.99 for a limited period of time. Note that the site normally sells the device for $449.99 without the discount.

At $429.99, the AGM X2 SE is a powerful phablet, given that it packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 Octa Core 1.95GHz processor along with an Adreno 510 graphics processing unit, under the hood. Moreover, it offers 6GB of RAM and 64GB ROM which makes it a bargain under $450.

On top of that, the X2 SE phablet is backed by a 6000mAh high capacity battery which not only delivers more talk time but also gives you more time to play and watch. The device boasts a fingerprint identification feature which warrants the safety of your personal data.

The AGM X2 SE phablet sports a 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel dual camera setup on the back and there’s a 16-megapixel selfie camera mounted on the front. Furthermore, the dual-SIM phablet runs on Android 7.1 Nougat operating system.

The AGM X2 SE is currently up for sale in black color version. On the downside, there were only 87 pieces left at the time of writing.

The phablet is likely to retain its original asking price as soon as the Flash Sale ends in 5 days. You can head straight to this link in order to avail the deal before the promotion wraps up.

Get 8% Off On AGM X2 SE 4G Phablet On GearBest Check More Deals and Promotions From Other Shops

Xiaomi Mi A2, Redmi Y2 Likely to Launch in India Soon

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 10, 2018

Xiaomi is reportedly working on a successor model for the Mi 5X phone that was introduced in July last year. Its successor phone – the Xiaomi Mi 6X has been already certified by TENAA authority in China. Just as the Mi 5X was introduced as Mi A1 Android One phone outside of China, the Mi 6X is also pegged to be available as Mi A2 outside of the home market. A tipster was able to find references of Mi A2 and the upcoming Redmi Y2 phone in the source code of the Indian version of the official site of Xiaomi. This suggest that the Xiaomi Mi A2 and Redmi Y2 may debut in India soon.

Texts such as “Mi A2 Hard Case”, “Redmi Y2 Perforated Case Black” and “Redmi Y2 Perforated Case Blue” has been spotted in the source code of Xiaomi’s site. As of this writing, they are no longer available on the website as they have been removed. However, the tipster was able to capture the following screenshots.

‘

The Xiaomi Mi A2 could be an Android One phone like its predecessor. It is likely to arrive with same specs that are available on Mi 6X. Hence, it is rumored to arrive with a 5.99-inch IPS LCD screen that supports FHD+ resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio. It is expected to be available in 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage variants. For photography, it may feature a dual camera module that may include a 12-megapixel sensor and a 20-megapixel sensor. For shooting selfies, it may house the same 20-megapixel front-facing camera that is available on the Redmi Note 5 Pro that was launched in February in India. It is speculated to be powered by Snapdragon 636 SoC and it may feature a 2,910mAh battery.

Last year, Xiaomi had launched the Redmi Note 5A and Redmi Note 5A and Note 5A Prime in China. The same phones later made their way to India as Redmi Y1 Lite and Redmi Y2. The appearance of Redmi Y2 in the source code of Xiaomi’s site hints that its arrival is drawing near. The comapny may also debut the Redmi Y2 Lite alongside the Y2. However, as of this writing, there is no information available on the specs, features and pricing of Y2 and Y2 Lite.

(source)

Get Big Discounts On Zeblaze, LYNWO And Bakeey-Branded Smartwatches On Banggood

By

Vinay Patel

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Apr 10, 2018

If you’ve restlessly been waiting to get your hands on a high-end smartwatch without emptying your pocket, we have good news for you. Banggood is selling a broad range of well-received smartwatches at a considerably lowered price.

In a bid to facilitate the search process, Banggood has divided smartwatches on the basis of their brands including Zeblaze, LYNWO, and Bakeey. Let’s check out what the aforesaid smartwatch brands have to offer.

Zeblaze

China-based fitness products manufacturer, Zeblaze focuses on improving your health by letting you track your sleep, weight, exercise and a slew of other activities. In this category, you can find multiple Zeblaze-branded smartwatches that you can buy at the lowered price.
For instance, you can get a considerable 43% off on Zeblaze PLUG C smartwatch, which normally sells for $69.99 on Banggood. The first 1000 pieces will sell for just $39.99, while the remaining 2000 pieces will be up for grabs for $49.99.

LYNWO

This category is crammed with LYNWO-made smartwatches that are currently available at a slashed price on Banggood. Lining with this, the site is giving 35% discount on LYNWO I9 smartwatch which Banggood usually sells for $28.99.
Thanks to the aforesaid discount, which will be valid for 6 days, you can now buy the LYNWO I9 smartwatch by shelling out just $18.89. You can choose from a broad range of color options including blue, purple, green, white, and black.

Bakeey

Banggood is rolling out noteworthy discounts on a slew of Bakeey-branded smartwatches as well. For the sake of an example, the site is offering the Bakeey G16 smartwatch at a reduced price of just $22.99.

This is a significant 32% reduction in the device’s original asking price. It’s worth noting that the Bakeey G16 normally sells for $33.99 on Banggood.
You can choose from sky blue, purple, red, green and black color option. However, it is imperative for you to ber in mind that the promotion sale is slated to end on April 16.

You can head straight to this link to avail the deal and check out rest of the smartwatches that are currently available at lowered price on Banggood.

Get Big Discounts On Smartwatches On Banggood Check More Deals and Promotions From Other Shops

Apple Patents Display Tech For Self-Driving Cars Using AR To Enhance Driver Safety

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Apr 10, 2018

U.S tech giant, Apple has got its sight set at developing technologies for self-driving cars. A recent Apple patent filing has been unravelled giving insight to what the tech giant has conceived for the advancement of self-driving cars. The patent application is for an “Adaptive vehicle augmented reality display using stereographic imagery”. The details of the display system include an AR system that can use a pre-generated 3D model of the world in improving how it generates 3D content for its users.

The patent application suggests that the system can be used to provide users with even more information about the world around them, while on the move. The 3D model that is pre-generated could also include data about road routes, points of interest, and other areas useful to drivers, and these data could be held remotely in cloud storage. The entire 3D model could be collected together into smaller chunks, like 3D versions of tiles used by online mapping services. When needed, relevant sections of the 3D model may be provided to the car’s AR system.

The system would also provide information about areas that are far beyond the range of the car’s sensor arrays and the driver’s own vision. This can then allow for data that isn’t immediately visible to be included in the displayed image, such as showing the path ahead in an AR view, including parts of the road obscured by buildings or hills in the distance. This could come in handy in cases where visibility is poor, like fog or heavy snow, where the car’s sensors may find it difficult to create an accurate picture of the immediate area outside. The pre-existing cloud data could help give what would be an expected route and important notifications that the sensors are unable to create for themselves, in an emergency.

This system, if it comes to reality, will greatly enhance the assist system avaiabe in a self-driving car with extra data for the road ahead. This potentially makes these systems more useful and safer. Giving a self-driving car more data potentially means it will be more capable of planning manoeuvres it may need to perform in the coming miles, with the advanced warning providing more time for processing these types of decisions.

(source)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Will Be Launched in Indonesia on April 18

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Apr 9, 2018

Xiaomi‘s Redmi series has been one of its most successful product range. The Redmi 4A is perhaps the cheapest and most successful smartphone under the series but the Note models have carved a niche for themselves globally. Recently, Xiaomi added the Redmi Note 5 to the lineup and it really wasn’t a disappointment in any aspect. The smartphone is already on sale in China and now, it is about to land other markets overseas.

Xiaomi’s international Product and Marketing director, Donovan Sung has revealed that the Redmi Note5 would be launched in Indonesia on April 18. The Xiaomi exec made this disclosure o his official Weibo page. This announcement thus effectively confirms that China’s Redmi Note 5 is the global version. Recall that the Redmi Note 5 was first launched as Redmi Note 5 Pro in India with a slightly different specs line up.

China’s Redmi Note 5 features a 5.99-inch FHD+ display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 636 processor paired with 4GB of RAM. The major marketing feature of the Redmi Note 5 is the AI dual cameras which it packs at the rear. The Redmi Note 5’s AI Dual Camera comprises of a 12MP primary sensor that has a pixel size of 1.4micron and f/1.9 aperture along with a 5MP secondary depth of field sensor. It is equipped with features like dual autofocus, EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization), HDR, Burst Mode and Panorama. The dual rear cameras can also capture amazing AI driven portrait shots by naturally blurring the background. Apart from shooting full HD videos, it can also record 720p slow-motion videos.

At the front, the phone features a soft LED flash-enabled 13MP selfie camera that carries support for AI portrait mode. This is different from the Redmi Note 5 Pro’s 20MP selfie shooter. There is also a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor as well as a Face ID technology to unlock the device using face recognition.

(source)

ZTE A530 Silently Launches With 5.45” HD+ Screen For ¥799 (~$127)

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Apr 9, 2018

ZTE has silently taken the wraps off a new phone – the ZTE A530. It is an entry-level phone with a full-screen display but is a bit pricey for what it offers.

The A530 packs a 5.45” display with a 1440 x 720 resolution. The 18:9 display means it has smaller bezels which gives it an 82% screen-to-body ratio.

The ZTE A530 is powered by a 1.5GHz MediaTek A530 processor paired with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. There is a 5MP camera on the rear and a 2MP front-facing camera.

The phone runs Mifavor 5.2 based on Android Oreo and packs a 2,660mAh battery. It also has dual SIM slots and a dedicated microSD card slot. There is a 3.5mm audio jack, a micro-USB port, Bluetooth 4.1, 4G LTE support, and dual VoLTE for connectivity.

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