Leaked Redmi 5A Official Poster Reveals It Will Have 8-days Standby, Come With MIUI 9

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Oct 15, 2017

Just when you might have though Lenovo was done releasing Motorola smartphones for the year, it takes us by surprise with the Moto Green Pomelo – a “new” smartphone, probably under a brand new line.

One look at the device and you won’t be incorrect to say this is the Moto G5S. So you should understand why we though Lenovo was releasing the Moto G5S in China. The fruit sent alongside the invite is actually a pomelo and not a grapefruit. Both devices are nearly identical on the exterior save for the Pomelo fruit logo at the bottom of the rear plate.

On the inside, the Moto Green Pomelo shares lots of similarities with the Moto G5S as well. It has the same 5.2-inch 1080p display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. There is a Snapdragon 430 SoC clocked at 1.4GHz and an Adreno 505 GPU.

Where it differs from the international variant of the Moto G5S is in the RAM and cameras. Just like the Indian variant, the Green Pomelo packs 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It also has a 16MP front facing camera unlike the international/Indian variant that has a 5MP sensor. Rear camera remains a 16MP f/2.0 Samsung sensor and both cameras have LED flash.

New Details Reveal Helio P40 Will Be MediaTek’s Savior Next Year

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Oct 14, 2017

Mediatek is working on a new chip for mid-range phones. The octa-core chip called the Helio P40 will be built using TSMC’s 12nm process.

Helio P40

New report from Taiwan says the Helio P40 will be the semiconductor manufacturer’s savior chip come next year. This is because of its pricing which is between $11 – $12. It will take on Qualcomm’s own equivalent chip currently called the Snapdragon 660 Lite which will cost about $15.

Due to the lesser price of the Helio P40, MediaTek will be able to grab a higher market share and increase its shipment from 15% this year to 25% next year. MediaTek says OPPO, Meizu, and Xiaomi have signed up for the Helio P40

Xiaomi Mi 6C Render Leaked Showing Dual Camera Setup

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Oct 14, 2017

Xiaomi is allegedly working on a stripped down version of its Mi 6 smartphone. An upcoming smartphone from the company has been leaked, which is believed to be the Xiaomi Mi 6C.

The leaked photo reveals that the phone will feature a dual camera setup at the back, placed horizontally at the top left corner. The front side of the phone shows that Xiaomi has opted to offer fullscreen design, with minimal bezels.

There is also a home button on the front, which will also act as a fingerprint sensor. Earlier leak related to the smartphone had revealed that it will feature a double-sided 2.5D curved glass. It is expected to come with 5.15-inch Full HD display with an aspect ratio of 18:9.

For the dual camera setup at the back, it is speculated to have a 12-megapixel primary camera with Sony IMX386 CMOS sensor and a 5-megapixel secondary depth of field sensor. The smartphone will come in two variants — 4GB RAM + 64GB internal storage and 6GB RAM + 128GB internal storage.

The latest leak also reveals that the phone will be powered by Xiaomi‘s own Surge S2 octa-core processor. Notably, the Surge S2 is the successor of the Surge S1 — launched along with Mi 5C.

Xiaomi’s Surge S2 chipset is produced using the 16nm process node and is configured as octa-core with four Cortex-A73 clocked at 2.2 GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.8 GHz.

The leak also suggests that the Xiaomi Mi 6C will be priced at 1,699 Yuan for the base model. Currently, there is no information available regarding the phone’s launch or availability.

(Source)

Latest OxygenOS Open Beta Update Brings Android Oreo to OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T

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Oct 14, 2017

In its bid to stick to its schedule of updating its devices to Android Oreo before the end of the year, OnePlus has released an Android 8.0 open beta update for the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T.

The update is beta version 25 for the OnePlus 3 and beta version 16 for the OnePlus 3T. Apart from upgrading the OS to 8.0, it also brings September’s security patch.

The change-log mentions that users will get features such as picture-in-picture mode, autofill, smart text selection, and notification dots. In addition to those is a redesigned quick settings and the ability to upload photos directly to Shot on OnePlus.

Some known issues listed are a slower fingerprint sensor, no shortcut access to Google Photos, and stability issues with NFC and Bluetooth.

Report Claims Apple in Partnership With LG Display to Make Foldable iPhone for 2020

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Oct 14, 2017

Apple’s iPhone X may be the company’s biggest revolution since it began making smartphones but more is still to come. A report from South Korea says that the Cupertino-based company is working on a foldable iPhone set for 2020.

The report says that Apple is working with Korea’s LG Display to develop the foldable iPhone. LG Display will make the foldable screen for the phone, and its part making arm, LG Innotek will create the circuitry board for it.

LG Display is said to already have a flexible OLED display prototype and is working on making it better with respect to durability and yield rate.

This is not the first time LG has been linked to working with Apple. Before the release of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X (read ten), LG Innotek was linked as the supplier for the iPhone 8′ 3D facial recognition front camera. While that tech actually appeared in the iPhone X, there is no mention of who supplied the camera.

It is also surprising that the display is not coming from Samsung Display, the supplier for the iPhone X’s display. Samsung is also working on its own foldable smartphone set for launch next year, so it has the technology ready for market 2 years ahead of Apple. Sources however say that the reason is “due to concerns over tech leaks” at Samsung Electronics. Nevertheless, Samsung will supply the displays for next year’s iPhones.

Elephone S8 Looks Stunning In Elegant Red (Photos)

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Buy Elephone S8 on Gearbest

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Oct 14, 2017

Since Samsung launched the Galaxy S8 earlier this year, we have seen quite a number of S8s and chances are that we will still see more smartphones with the S8 suffix in the days ahead. The Elephone S8 is one of the full-screen models that are looking to leverage on the success of the Galaxy S8. The device features a tri-bezel-less, full-screen design with an 18:9 aspect ratio and is available in Black and Blue colours before now but Elephone has added a cool red variant.

The first sight of a smartphone is the appearance which is an indication that appearance is very important for a smartphone. Now, besides the Blue and Black version, Elephone has now released the engineering prototype of the red version. The red variant of the Elephone S8 got us attracted at first sight. Red is always an attractive colour and in this case, its amazing red crystal appearance shines like a ruby.

Elephone disclosed that this red version of the S8 doesn’t come easy as their designers and engineers spent 4 months on debugging and deciding on which shade of red would best suit the elegant design of the phone. Finally, they were able to get the shade of red that is deemed to be best suited for the S8 and the color variant is the best of the trio. That is why it is coming a bit later than the black and blue version.

As a reminder, the Elephone S8 sports the Helio X25 SoC along with 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage. In addition, the killer feature is its 6-inch 2560×1440 display that has no bezels. Usually, this kind of devices have a weak spot and it usually is the relatively small battery capacity. Thankfully, Elephone equipped the S8 with a 4000mAh battery that allows for excellent battery performance. Also, the main camera has a large 21MP sensor while there is an 8MP on the front. Lastly, it comes with the latest Android 7.1.1 out of the box.

Alcatel’s 2018 Lineup Revealed, Includes Alcatel 5 and 3 Series

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Oct 14, 2017

TCL has its hands full this year. The Chinese company has been pushing out phones under the Alcatel brand that it owns, as well as the BlackBerry brand licensed to it. It also signed a deal with luxury smartphone manufacturer, Vertu in June to build 30,000 handcrafted smartphones. However, that may no longer happen following Vertu’s shutdown of its UK manufacturing operation the following month.

Last month, TCL launched four new Alcatel phones – Idol 5S, Idol 5, A7 XL, and A7 at IFA Berlin. All these phones in addition to the ones released earlier this year all fall under the entry level and mid-range category.

Famous leaker Evan Blass took to Twitter yesterday to reveal some of Alcatel’s lineup for 2018. While there is no mention of the specs, we do hope one of them is a flagship.

First, there is the Alcatel 5 which looks like a high-end phone. It is shown to have a thin bottom bezel but a thicker top bezel packed with a bunch of sensors. We presume it will probably have dual front facing cameras. The back of the phone has a single camera and below it sits a fingerprint scanner.

Next is the Alcatel 3 series which includes the Alcatel 3V and 3X with their Idol 4S-like glass rear and vertically arranged dual rear cameras. Then there is the Alcatel 3 itself with a single rear camera but similar rear plate design. We can also see an Alcatel 3C which we presume is an entry level phone judging from its lack of a fingerprint scanner.

Last but not the least is the Alcatel 1X, another entry-level looking smartphone.

Huawei Mate 10 Lite Render Surfaces In Blue Color Showing Phone’s Front And Back

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Oct 14, 2017

Ahead of the official launch of Huawei’s Mate 10 smartphone series, renders and specifications of most of the models in the lineup have been leaked online.

After a series of leaks related to Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro, we now have more leaks related to the Huawei Mate 10 Lite. Evan Blass has posted a render of Mate 10 Lite in Blue color, showing the front as well as the back panel of the device.

From the leaked render, it appears that the device will follow the on-going trend of a bezel-less display. On the back, there are two vertically-stacked cameras just above the fingerprint sensor.

Previously, the device was accidentally listed on Dutch retailer Belsimpel. The listing revealed that the phone will be offered in November, at a price at €349 in Europe (approx. $412.66).

Apart from the dual camera configuration at the back, the Huawei Mate 10 Lite also features a dual camera setup for the front-facing camera. The rear camera is said to feature a 16-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel sensor, while on the front, it is expected to pack a 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel sensors.

The smartphone will feature a 5.9-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. It is expected to come with HiSilicon Kirin 659 SoC, clocked at 2.36GHz along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. There will a microSD card slot, allowing users to expand storage up to 256GB.

While the recent listing on the online retailer Belsimpel showed that the phone comes with Android 7.0 Nougat operating system, the company had said that the Mate 10 series will run on Android Oreo with EMUI 5.1 on top. The Mate 10 Lite will be powered by a 3,340mAh battery.

The Huawei Mate 10 Lite is all set to be unveiled on October 16, along with the rest of the models in the Mate 10 lineup, which includes Mate 10, Mate 10 Pro and the Mate 10 Porsche Edition.

(Source)

Qualcomm Files Another Lawsuit Seeking To Ban iPhones In China

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Oct 14, 2017

The legal war between two technology giants — Qualcomm and Apple, which started in the US, has now expanded globally. In the latest strike, Qualcomm has filed a new lawsuit against Apple in a Chinese court to block the sale and manufacturing of iPhones in the country.

As per the reports, Qualcomm has filed the suits in a Beijing intellectual property court. It is claiming patent infringement and is seeking injunctive relief. The chipmaker is claiming that Apple is in violation of three patents, none of which are essential to any industry standards. Thus, arguing that it is not obligated to license them.

The Qualcomm spokesperson says that Apple employs technologies that are invented by Qualcomm and is not paying for those technologies. The technologies in question are related to the power management and Force Touch feature on the iPhone.

However, in a statement, Apple said:

Apple believes deeply in the value of innovation, and we have always been willing to pay fair and reasonable rates for patents we use. In our many years of ongoing negotiations with Qualcomm, these patents have never been discussed and in fact were only granted in the last few months. Regulators around the world have found Qualcomm guilty of abusing their position for years. This claim is meritless and, like their other courtroom manoeuvres, we believe this latest legal effort will fail.

Notably, this is the second time Qualcomm is trying to get iPhones banned in China. Previously, in July, it filed a similar claim in the US, pointing to six patents that Apple was allegedly violating.

The legal battle between the two companies started in January when Apple filed a lawsuit claiming that Qualcomm was holding payments for ransom. Federal Trade Commission also claimed that Qualcomm was abusing its market position to get more money.

It seems that things are not going well for Qualcomm. A couple of days ago, Qualcomm was fined a record NT$23.4 billion ($774 million) by Taiwan’s Fair Trade Commission.

The company has also been fined $854 million in South Korea and $975 million in China. European regulators have also expressed antitrust concerns over its $38 billion bid to buy NXP Semiconductors.

Huawei Y6 Pro (2017) Launches In Europe For €179

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Oct 14, 2017

Huawei has officially launched its new smartphone — Huawei Y6 Pro (2017) in Europe. As the name suggests, it is an upgraded version of the Huawei Y6 (2017).

The smartphone comes with many notable changes, including the build material and the processor that powers the device. Unlike the original model, the Y6 Pro (2017) comes with a metal body.

Another major improvement comes in the form of the chipset. For this one, the company has opted for Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 425 processor. The Y6 (2017) was powered by the MediaTek chipset.

The phone also features a fingerprint sensor at the back. As per the company, the sensor can unlock the device in 0.5 seconds. The fingerprint sensor can also be used to control alarm clock, answer a call, control the notification bar or take a snapshot.

Apart from the above-mentioned changes, most of the remaining specifications of the device remain same. It features a 5-inch IPS LCD display with screen resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels.

It packs 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. There is also a microSD card slot, allowing users to further expand the storage capacity. Coming to the camera, it features a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

The smartphone, running on Android 7.0 Nougat OS with EMUI 5.1 on top, is powered by a 3,020mAh battery that is rated to last for more than 2 continuous days of listening to music, 15 hours to watch HD videos or 12 hours of 4G navigation.

The Huawei Y6 Pro (2017) is available in three colour options — Black, Silver and Gold. It is available for purchase in Germany, Italy and France for a price of around €179. It will be rolled out to other European markets in the coming weeks.

LeEco Le Max 3 Rear Image Leaks Sporting A Glass Back & Dual Camera Setup

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Oct 13, 2017

While LeEco continues to battle its financial quagmire and is yet to officially reveal it has any smartphone in the works, the rumour mill has continued to stay abuzz with talks of one LeEco model or the other in the works. The latest rumour surrounds the Le Max 3 phablet which has been in the mills for over six months now but is still yet to drop. A newly leaked real live image said to be that of the Le Max 3 has appeared online. The image shows only the rear view of the device but reveals some interesting features.

On close scrutiny of the leaked image, it can be noticed quite explicitly that it features a glass back and in this case, a silver coloured glass covering. The silver glazing gives the glass back a reflecting mirror finish. This is perhaps one of the variants the model would come in. Another important feature worthy of note on the leaked image is the presence of a dual camera setup on board the Le Max 3. The camera setup adopts an all too familiar design which resembles the face of the biscuit man character with the LED flash design as the mouth while the two sensors are like two eyes. This design has also featured on the Le Pro 3 AI Edition launched early this year. There is also a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor under the rear camera while LeEco’s logo is engraved at the lower half of the back cover.

The LeEco Le Max 3 is expected to take the reins from the Le Max 2 that was released in 2016 but we are yet to get any tangible detail as to when it will be launched. We can only rely on rumours for its specs which is said to include a 5.7-inch QHD display. The device is said to be powered by a Snapdragon 821 chipset backed by 6GB of RAM while there will be 128GB storage onboard. There are talks of a 4GB RAM + 64GB storage version. Further, the LeEco Le Max 3 will come with a 16MP selfie camera while the dual camera at the rear is said to have a 13MP main sensor. We’ll have to wait for an official disclosure to take this leak seriously, else we might as well wait for this until this year runs out.

(via)

Finland Gets The Nokia 8 With 6GB of RAM and 128GB of Storage

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Oct 13, 2017

HMD Global has launched a new variant of the Nokia 8 in its home country Finland. Unlike the first model that has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, this variant adds an extra 2GB of RAM and doubles the storage.

The launch of the new model provides an option for those who want the Nokia 8 but with more storage and RAM. There is no mention of when the model will be released outside of Finland though it was first seen last month getting certified by the FCC.

The 6GB Nokia 8 is available on DNA and Verkkokauppa for €648.72 and €649.90 (~$769) respectively. Both retailers also offer payment in monthly installments. Though the phone is only available in blue at the moment.

The Nokia 8 has a 5.3-inch QHD screen and is powered by the Snapdragon 853 processor. While it doesn’t have thin bezels like some of its competitors, it does feature dual rear cameras – two 13MP sensors in the monochrome + RGB format. There is also a 13MP in front for selfies.

Vkworld S8 Coming With Titanium Frame & Tempered Glass Body This October

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Oct 13, 2017

Vkworld S8 is yet another affordable smartphone with a full-screen design which would be released at the end of this October. The phone is the latest flagship model from Vkworld and it crams a large 5500mAh battery under its hood. In case you still don’t know, the phone comes with a glass covered body at the front and rear aspects just like most flagships we have seen this year. But instead of metal, the Vkworld S8 features a frame made of titanium alloy. It is the second titanium phone from Vkworld after T2 Plus. Flagship models having a titanium frame are not too common but one good example is the Essential phone.

However, the Vkworld S8 comes with an 18:9 aspect ratio which makes it the first 18:9 phone with a titanium frame. When compared with aluminium, titanium has the advantages of being more durable, more resistance, harder and more resilient. Also, titanium is much more expensive and difficult to process. Even if you drop it to the ground, the frame will not easily get a dent. In addition, the VKworld S8 comes with a tempered glass at the back which ensures that it doesn’t get damaged when it is dropped accidentally. That would depend on the extent of the fall but the Vkworld S8 looks much more resistant and durable than normal glass phone. Vkworld has lots of phones that are hard enough to crack walnuts. So Vkworld S8 may be able to do that too.

So, let’s go over the key specs of the Vkworld S8 once again. It sports a 5.99-inch LG in-cell display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2160 x 1080p. It packs a mammoth 5,500mAH Samsung high-density battery which should be capable of providing an adequate usage. The device also features a 4GB RAM as well as 64GB of onboard storage. The device doesn’t only come with the trending full-screen design but also has a dual camera setup at the rear which is a 16MP main sensor and a 5MP secondary sensor. The device also packs a 13MP selfie camera up front. There is also a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, USB-C port and providing the interface is Android 7.0 Nougat.

As stated earlier, the Vkworld S8 would be launched before the end of October and will be priced under $200. Th number of full-screen models priced under $200 are sure swelling.

Apple Likely to Introduce Stylus for 6.46-inch iPhone

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Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 13, 2017

The iPhone X is the most advanced Apple smartphone ever. It will be up for pre-orders starting from Oct. 27. However, the rumor mill has also started to speculate on the features that will be arriving on its successor. Fresh information suggests that the Cupertino company has started working on a new iPhone that will be supporting a digital pen.

An industry insider has revealed to The Investor that Apple is considering releasing the stylus enabled iPhone as early as 2019. The source has revealed that company is talking with a couple of stylus manufacturing companies to find a suitable partner.

Since Apple has filed several patents related to stylus in the past years, the rumor mill has been speculating that Apple may launch a stylus for its iPhones. The Cupertino company had introduced Apple Pencil stylus for iPad Pro devices in 2016. Also, it has added new handwriting related features for the iOS such as Notes and Makeup tools.

The S-Pen for Samsung Galaxy Note smartphones are based on electro-magnetic resonance technology which requires the South Korean company to add extra panels under the screen to work. Speculations are rife that the Apple will be adopting a supercapacitor enabled stylus that is not only cheap to manufacture but also delivers a real pen-like experience. The Cupertino company will also need to modify its mobile chipset drastically to support handwriting functions. Apple may also introduce plenty stylus friendly apps.

There is no information on whether the planned stylus will come integrated with the iPhone or may be available as an optional accessory. Previous reports have revealed that Apple is preparing a 6.46-inch iPhone. It is likely that the company is prepping a stylus for this rumored iPhone.

(source|via)

The Archos Diamond Omega is A Re-branded Nubia Z17S for Europe

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Oct 13, 2017

French smartphone company, Archos, is not new to rebranding phones and offering it in markets where it has a presence. For example, the Archos Diamond Alpha is a rebranded Nubia M2. If you like Nubia’s latest smartphone, the Z17S, but live in Europe, you should check out the Archos Diamond Omega.

Save for the Archos name that replaces the Nubia branding on the back of the phone, both devices are the same. Archos doesn’t do anything to even change the user experience.

On the official site, the Diamond Omega is said to run Android 7.1 based on NUBIA UI 5.0. It is also said to feature Nubia’s NeoPower 3.0 battery saving technology.

The Archos Diamond Omega has a 5.73-inch FHD display with a 2.5D Gorilla Glass on top. There is a Snapdragon 835 processor on board paired with 8GB of RAM. You also get 128GB of storage. These are the specs of the high end version of the Nubia Z17S.

There are dual cameras on both sides. You have a 12MP f/1.8 sensor paired with a 23MP f/2.0 sensor with 2X lossless zoom on the rear. The front cameras are two 5MP sensors with support for background blur effect.

The phone has dual SIM support (nano only), Bluetooth 4.1, dual band Wi-Fi, and a FM Radio. Supported LTE bands are 800/900/1800/2100/2600. Battery capacity is 3,100mAh and it comes with a 9V/2A fast charger.

Bezel-less Cubot X18 Limited Flash Sale For $115 On Cafago

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Buy Cubot X18 For $115 On Cafago

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Oct 13, 2017

Even though 2017 is still a few month from its end, the year is already crowned as the year of bezel-less, full-screen models. We have seen them in all shades, from flagship to budget models. Cubot X18 is one of such budget device with a premium body that could pass for a flagship model. The X18 is presently on flash sale on Cafago for just $115 and this is for a limited period.

The Cubot X18 is as close as it could get to a bezel-less model. It packs a 5.7-inch display with 18:9 screen aspect ratio and an impressive 83 percent screen to body ratio. The X18 is fired up by a quad-core 1.5GHz MT6737T chip backed by 3GB RAM and there is 32GB of expandable internal storage on board.

In the camera aspect, the Cubot bezel-less phone sports a 13MP rear sensor with LED flash while at the front, there is an 8MP selfie shooter also with LED flash. There’s 3200mAh battery on board and for software, the phone sheds all bloatware for a pure Android 7 Nougat experience. What the Cubot X18 lacks in specs, it gains in design and for just $115, this is no doubt a decent buy.

Continue Your Reading in The Shower With The New Amazon Kindle Oasis

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Oct 13, 2017

Amazon announced a new Kindle Oasis a few days ago. The e-reader brings a number of new features, key being an IPX8 rating and a larger screen.

Last year, Amazon launched the Kindle Oasis, one of its lightest readers so far and one of the most expensive. Its successor adds more features and gets a lower price. Sweet, right?

The new Amazon Kindle Oasis has a 7-inch screen but thinner bezels and a metal body. The resolution is 300ppi and it has 12 LEDs and an adaptive light sensor that adjusts brightness based on your surroundings. Its IPX8 rating means that it can survive immersion in 2 meters of water for up to 60 minutes.

The Kindle Oasis will come in 8GB and 32GB models as well as Wi-Fi only or WiFi + cellular connectivity. Amazon has also added Audible support – allowing you to listen to the audio versions of your favorite books via your Bluetooth speakers or headphones. Though you still have to buy each version of the book separately. Amazon says the device won’t pair to bluetooth devices that require PIN codes for pairing.

The battery is also bigger and will last 6 weeks on a single charge. Charge time is 3 hours if you connect to your PC or less than 2 hours with the 5W charger. However, unlike the last model, there is no leather case that adds extra battery life.

The new Kindle Oasis is bigger too measuring 159 x 141 x 3.4/8.3 mm (it’s thin on one side and thick at the other end). It is also heavier at 194g.

Details of Upcoming Xiaomi Redmi 5 Phones Released

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Oct 13, 2017

The Redmi Note 5A is the only phone from the 5th generation Redmi line that has been released. However, we have seen a couple more models get certified at the FCC and TENAA. Popular leaker, Roland Quandt whose previous leaks have turned out to be genuine took to Twitter to release details of some new models.

According to him, there will be a Redmi 5A with 16GB of built-in storage. The device will be available in rose gold, gold, black. and grey. The Redmi 5A already appeared on TENAA and specs revealed does confirm a 16GB model with 2GB of RAM in addition to a 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM model.

Roland Quandt also mentions a Redmi 5 which will come in 16GB and 32GB storage variants. It will be available in gold and black.

Another model mentioned is the Redmi 5 Plus which will come in 32GB and 64GB variants. Available colors will be gold, black, and grey.

Cyanogen Rebrands As Cyngn, Pivots From Mobile OS To Self-Driving Cars

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