iPhone SE 2 with iPhone X Design Seems to be a Fake Device

By

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Mar 16, 2018

Macotakara, a Japanese tech blog has shared a video of the alleged iPhone SE 2 smartphone. What’s interesting about the video is that it shows the iPhone SE 2 sporting an iPhone X-like notched design along with vertically stacked dual rear cameras. In China, there are many iPhone clones in the country that run on Android OS. The video has also surfaced from the same country. Hence, the device that has appeared in the video could be just another clone of iPhone X.

The iPhone X clone that has appeared in the leaked video features the same sort of notch and dual rear cameras. Even the animations on the device appear suggests that it is running on iOS.

Rumors have it that the Cupertino company is working on a second-generation iPhone SE that will be coming to replace the original model that was launched in 2016. The original iPhone SE had borrowed specs from iPhone 6S from 2015. In the same way, the iPhone SE 2 is expected to include some of the features that are available on the iPhone 7. It is unlikely to come with flagship specs that are available on the iPhone X, the first OLED smartphone from Apple. Also, the iPhone SE 2 is unlikely to arrive with an updated design.

Apple will be holding the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2018 in June. It is speculated that the company may announce the iPhone SE successor at WWDC 2018. Conflicting rumors also claim that Apple may not launch an iPhone SE 2 this year.

The Cupertino company is rumored to launch three iPhones in September. These include a 5.8-inch iPhone X successor and a 6.5-inch iPhone. These models are expected to feature OLED panels. It is speculated that the third iPhone would be a budget-friendly device featuring a 6.1-inch LCD screen. These models are expected to arrive with full screen design enabled with a notch that features the TrueDepth Camera system for Face ID.

(source)

Xiaomi Blackshark Gaming Phone Geekbench Listing Appears with SD 845, 8 GB RAM

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 16, 2018

Black Shark Technology Incorporated, a smartphone manufacturer that has been existing since August 2017 is reportedly owned by Xiaomi. It is speculated that the upcoming gaming phone from Xiaomi could be codenamed as Blackshark. In the previous month, a handset named as Blackshark had appeared on AnTuTu. Today, the Blackshark SKR-A0 smartphone has surfaced on Geekbench.

According to the Geekbench listing, the Blackshark SKR-A0 is running on Android 8.0 Oreo. The Snapdragon 845 chipset is powering the alleged gaming-centric phone along with 8 GB of RAM. In single-core and multi-core tests, the Blackshark SKR-A0 has respectively scored 2452 and 8452.

The AnTuTu listing of Blackshark had revealed that it would be arriving with an 18:9 aspect ratio supporting display that supports Full HD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The Razer Phone gaming-centric smartphone that was launched in November last year features a 120Hz refresh supporting screen. Hence, the upcoming gaming phone from Xiaomi may also feature an 120Hz screen. The Xiaomi Blackshark is also expected to arrive with a massive battery.

It had scored an impressive benchmarking score of 270,680 on AnTuTu. The handset was listed with an internal storage of 32 GB. It is likely that the 8 GB RAM variant of the phone may include higher storage like 64 GB, 128 GB or 256 GB. As of this writing, there is no information available on the specs and launch date of Xiaomi Blackshark.

(source|via)

Buy DROCON X708W Drone For Only $55.99 On Amazon [Coupon Code]

By

Vinay Patel

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Mar 16, 2018

If you’re a beginner looking to buy your first drone without shelling out a lot of money, you’ve come to the right place. The DROCON X708W high-quality drone is currently up for grabs at a heavily discounted price on Amazon.

Ideal for beginners, the DROCON X708W drone comes with an HD camera and is geared with a real-time Wi-Fi transmission. Despite brimming with an array of awe-inspiring features, it normally sells for just $129.99 on Amazon.

On top of that, the electronic commerce giant is currently offering a considerable 31% off on the device’s original asking price. Thanks to the aforesaid discount, you can now buy the device for an even lower price of $89.99 for a limited period of time.
In other words, Amazon is giving drone enthusiasts an opportunity to save $40 on the top-notch drone. But if that doesn’t impress you much, you can save an additional $40 simply by using coupon code ‘CLUTGFOK’ at the time of checking out. After applying the coupon code, your grand total drops down to only $55.99.

You can visit this link in order to check the full features of the DROCON X708W drone and buy it at a discounted price. Apart from taking advantage of the discount, you can use the coupon code to save an extra $40. It’s worth noting that the coupon code is slated to expire on March 21 at 11:59 PM PDT.

Get 31% Off On DROCON X708W Drone On Amazon

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Launched in China for 1,099 Yuan (~$173); Features AI Dual Camera, 18:9 Display, Snapdragon 636, 6 GB RAM

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Updated Mar 28, 2018

Xiaomi has unveiled the Redmi Note 5 smartphone in China today. The AI driven dual rear cameras is the USP of the Redmi Note 5. The other vital features of the phablet include 18:9 aspect ratio display, Snapdragon 636, 6 GB of RAM, LED flash enabled selfie camera and a massive battery.

Redmi Note 5 Specifications and Features

The metal-bodied Redmi Note 5 measures 158.6 x 75.4 x 8.05mm and weighs 181 grams. It comes in multiple colors like Lake Blue, Black, Gold and Rose Gold. The Note 5 is fitted with a 5.99-inch display that supports Full HD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. It supports a maximum brightness of 450-nits. The screen is tucked under a 2.5D curved glass.

The Snapdragon 636 chipset is present under the hood of the Redmi Note 5. At the launch event, Xiaomi revealed that the handset has scored an impressive benchmarking score of 115,247 on AnTuTu. The 32 GB eMMC 5.1 storage model of the phablet includes 3 GB of LPDDR4X RAM. There are two 64 GB eMMC 5.1 models that respectively feature 4 GB and 6 GB of LPRDDR4X RAM. The handset includes 4,000mAh battery that carries support for 5V/2A fast charging.

The Redmi Note 5’s AI Dual Camera comprises of a 12-megapixel primary sensor that has a pixel size of 1.4micron and f/1.9 aperture along with a secondary sensor of 5-megapixel that captures depth. It is equipped with features like dual autofocus, EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization), HDR, Burst Mode and Panorama. The dual rear cameras can 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.

The front panel of the Redmi Note 5 includes an soft-LED flash enabled 13-megapixel selfie camera that carries support for AI portrait mode. The inclusion of pre-HDR allows it to intelligently detect the background light to capture amazing selfie shots in dim-light conditions by accordingly configuring the front LED flash. The front-facing camera can also capture full HD videos.

The front camera offers AI-based facial recognition feature that can be used to unlock the Note 5 instantly simply by looking at it. The selfie snapper and dual rear cameras of the Redmi Note 5 are also enabled with AI Smart Beauty that helps in shooting impressive shots by intelligently enhancing the skin tone.

The Redmi Note 5 comes loaded with MIUI 9. As Xiaomi President Lin Bin had recently revealed, it comes enabled with full screen gestures. Its other features include hybrid SIM slot for microSD card and dual SIM, 4G VoLTE, 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, ~~USB-C~~ MicroUSB 2.0, 3.5mm audio jack, GPS, AGPS, Beidou positioning, GLONASS, rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

Redmi Note 5 Pricing and Availability

The 3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage Redmi Note 5 is priced at 1,099 Yuan (~$173). The 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage variants are respectively priced at 1,399 Yuan (~221) and 1,699 Yuan (~$268). The handset will be available for buying starting from March 20 at 10 AM in China through the official online store of Xiaomi as well as through its partnered e-commerce sites.

Xiaomi Redmi 4 Gets Price Cut In India, New Pricing Starts At Rs. 8,499

By

Jeet

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Mar 16, 2018

After launching the Redmi 5 smartphone in the Indian market, Xioami has now slashed the pricing of its predecessor — Redmi 4 in India by Rs. 500 (approximately $8). With this price cut, the 3GB RAM model of the Redmi 4 will now cost Rs. 8,499 while the 4GB RAM model costs Rs. 10,499.

The base model of the series, which comes with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage has not received any price cut and will continue to be available at Rs. 6,999. The Redmi 4 series is available for purchase in India through Amazon and the company’s own online store.

The announcement regarding this price cut was made by the company through Twitter. While the company said that the new pricing will be applicable on Mi.com and Amazon India, it is not clear if the revised pricing will be applicable to offline channels or not.

Xiaomi Redmi 4 was launched in India last year to counter the offerings from rivals in the budget segment. The phone features a 5-inch HD display with 720 × 1280 pixels screen resolution and 2.5D curved glass protection on top.

Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by a 1.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor. It comes in three RAM options — 2GB, 3GB, and 4GB. The 2GB RAM model comes with 16GB of internal storage, while the 3GB RAM and 4GB RAM model packs 32GB and 64GB of internal storage respectively.

All three models come with microSD card support, which enables the user to further expand the phone’s storage capacity. Coming to the camera department, the phone has a 13-megapixel rear camera with an LED flash while on the front, it features a 5-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling. The phone runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow based MIUI 8 out-of-the-box and is backed by a 4,100mAh battery.

Xiaomi India had revealed that the company sold over a million Redmi 4 units in just 30 days of launch in India. The revelation was made by Manu Jain, Xiaomi India’s Managing Director through his Twitter handle.

Recently, the company launched Redmi 5 in the Indian market which comes with a full-screen display and is powered by Snapdragon 450 processor. It is available in three models — 2GB RAM, 3GB RAM, and 4GB RAM with price starting at Rs. 7,999.

Xiaomi Mi TV 4A 40-inch Available with Lowest Ever Price of 1,499 (~$237) in China Only on March 16

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 16, 2018

Xiaomi has slashed the prices of the 40-inch and 49-inch Mi TV 4A in China. After the price cut, the 40-inch Mi TV 4A is now selling with a cost of 1,499 Yuan (~$237). It is the lowest ever price for the 40-inch model. On the other side, the 49-inch Mi TV 4A is now available for 1,999 Yuan (~$316). The offer is valid only on March 16.

The above image shows that the 40-inch Mi TV 4A has a regular price of 1,699 Yuan (~$268). However, after the discount of 200 Yuan (~$31), it is now available for 1,499 Yuan (~$237).

The Mi TV 4A features a 40-inch Full HD display that offers a viewing angle of 178 degrees along with a refresh rate of 60 GHz. It is fueled by Amlogic T962 quad-core processor that clocks at 1.5 GHz. The SoC is assisted by 1 GB of RAM.

The Mi TV 4A 40-inch runs on PatchWall OS and comes with a voice support enabled remote control. It has a native storage of 8 GB. It also includes 2 USB 2.0 ports,2 HDMI 2.0 ports, AV out, 3.5mm audio jack, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2.

The 49-inch Mi TV 4A now comes with a discount of 400 Yuan (~$63) over its regular price of 2,399 Yuan (~$379). Its pricing for March 16 is 1,999 Yuan (~$316).

The 49-inch model also features a 49-inch Full HD screen. It is fueled by Amlogic T962 SoC and 1 GB of RAM. It also includes 8 GB of native storage. Its connectivity features are 2 USB 2.0 ports,2 HDMI 2.0 ports, AV out, 3.5mm audio jack, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2. It also runs on PatchWall OS and comes with a remote control that supports voice command.

The 40-inch and 49-inch Mi TV 4A can be availed with its their discounted through Xiaomi’s online and offline official stores.

Samsung Galaxy S10 To Have 3D Facial Recognition And In-Display Fingerprint Sensor: Report

By

Jeet

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Mar 16, 2018

It’s been just a few weeks since Samsung launched its flagship smartphones — Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus. While both the phones are going on sale from today, we have already started getting information related to its successor.

The successor of the Galaxy S9-series, which is expected to be the Galaxy S10-series, will come with Apple‘s Face ID-like 3D facial recognition feature for added security purposes, claims Korea-based media publication.

For this 3D sensing camera technology, Samsung will be working with Israeli startup Mantis Vision, which is also teaming up with camera module maker Namuga which currently supplies Samsung with camera modules for its low-end and mid-range smartphones, such as the Galaxy A-series and Galaxy J-series.

The report further adds that the next-generation Galaxy S-series smartphone will also have an in-display fingerprint sensor similar to the one we saw on Vivo X20 Plus UD and Vivo Apex. Samsung was expected to use the under display fingerprint sensor for the upcoming Galaxy Note 9 smartphone but has dropped the idea as the technology does not meet the company’s standard.

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is shaping up to become an interesting offering from the South Korean giant. Previous reports indicate that the next-generation Galaxy S-series device will pack a 7nm chipset and 5G connectivity.

It will make the Galaxy S10 first smartphone to have 5G connectivity support. Also, Qualcomm and Samsung have recently announced a ‘strategic relationship’ agreement, which specifically mentions the “transition to 5G”.

If leaker Roland Quandt is to be believed, then the upcoming Galaxy S-series smartphone will be powered by Snapdragon 855 processor. The phone will also have a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) similar to the one found on Huawei’s Mate 10 Pro.

While reports have started emerging about the upcoming S-series phone, there’s no certainty about the phone being named S10. In a press conference last month, reported by The Investor, Koh Dong-jin, President of Samsung Mobile, suggested that they are thinking about whether to keep the S moniker or the numbering system.

(Source)

Huawei P20 Lite Unboxing Video Leaked Before Official Announcement

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 16, 2018

Huawei is yet to officially launch the P20 Lite smartphone, but the real handset has been spotted in multiple leaks in the recent past. Moreover, it also available on pre-orders in some European countries like Italy and Poland. HDBlog.it, an Italian tech blog has already done an unboxing video of the P20 Lite.

Huawei P20 Lite Design

It looks like the iPhone X – that’s what anyone would say by looking at the P20 Lite. It comes in a simple and compact package. It includes the handset, a charge, a USB-C cable, earphones, a warranty card and a user manual.

The frontside of the phone features notched enabled full screen design. The notch is smaller than one present on the iPhone X. The backside of the phone seems to be made out of glass. Its top-left corner is fitted with vertically arranged dual camera setup. The rear panel also features a fingerprint reader.

The above video is in Italian language.

The right side of the device features a volume rocker and a power key. The 3.5mm audio jack, a USB-C port and an external speaker are available on the bottom edge of the P20 Lite.

Huawei P20 Lite Specifications

According to the Italian tech blog, the Huawei P20 Lite includes a 5.84-inch display that produces 2280 x 1080 pixels (FHD+) resolution. It offers an aspect ratio of 19:9. The screen is tucked under a 2.5D curved glass.

The Kirin 659 chipset powers the P20 Lite along with 4 GB of RAM. Apart from internal storage of 64 GB, the handset also features a microSD card slot. The dual camera placed on the back panel of the phone includes a 16-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel sensor. For snapping selfie shots, it is fitted with a frontal camera of 16-megapixel.

The Huawei P20 Lite is fueled by 3,000mAh battery. Other features of the phone include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS and GLONASS. The device is preinstalled with EMIU 8.0 that is based on Android 8.0 Oreo. It measures 148.6 x 71.2 x 7.4mm and its weight is 145 grams. Previous reports have suggested that it would be arriving in colors like Blue, Black and Pink-Gold.

(source)

Huawei P20 Camera Samples Appear to Reveal its Photography Prowess

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 16, 2018

The P series smartphones from Huawei are known for carrying stellar camera features. The Huawei P10 that was launched in 2016 became one of the first smartphones to arrive with dual rear cameras. Huawei will be launching the P20 and P20 Pro flagship phones on March 27. Recent reports have revealed that the P20 will be arriving with dual rear cameras whereas the P20 Pro will be an advanced device featuring three rear cameras. CNET has obtained some new photos that seems to have been snapped using the Huawei P20 smartphone. Here are the images:

Previous leaks have revealed that the EML-AL00 is the model number of the upcoming Huawei P20 phone. Here EML stands for Emily, the codename of P20. The P20 Pro is codenamed as Charlotte while the mid-range P20 Lite has a codename of P20 Lite. Hence, it is quite evident that these camera samples belong to P20.

The Exif details of one of the photos show that the EML-AL00 handset was used to capture the photo that was taken on Feb. 23. The images appear as it was taken using a professional camera. However, the exact configuration of the Huawei P20’s dual rear cameras are not known. It is expected to arrive with 16-megapixel primary sensor with f/1.6 aperture and f/2.4 aperture lenses. It has been also revealed through the P20 teasers that the smartphone will be able to capture impressive shots in dim-light conditions.

As far as other specs are concerned, the P20 is expected to arrive with an IPS LCD display that will support FHD+ resolution. It will be delivering an aspect ratio of 19:9 because of the notch present on the topside of the display. The Kirin 970 chipset is rumored to power the phone. It may come in 4 GB / 6 GB RAM variants and 64 GB and 128 GB storage models. It may not feature a microSD card.

The P20 is pegged to arrive with a selfie camera of 24-megapixel. The handset will be running on Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with the latest EMUI 8.1. It will be fueled by a 3,320mAh battery. It may arrive with a pricing of 679 euros. The metal-bodied P20 may come in colors like Black, Blue and Pink-Gold.

What’s your opinion on the camera samples of Huawei P20? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(source)

Huawei P10 & P10 Plus Finally Get The Android Oreo Update

By

Michele Ingelido

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Mar 16, 2018

Huawei has just announced the arrival of Android Oreo update for Huawei P10 and P10 Plus through a post on Facebook. A short video is finally confirming that the long-awaited update is now available to download. The video is from the Philippines page, but the update should be gradually expanding in other countries and it should reach every part of the world soon.

The update customized with EMUI 8.0 comes via OTA, so with a simple notification on the status bar you can start downloading it. And it comes after a long beta testing phase with the most important beta firmware released in January. If you still did not receive the notification on your Huawei P10 or P10 Plus, you can try to force the arrival of the update by heading to the Settings menu.

Android 8.0 Oreo in Huawei P10 & P10 Plus

Aaaand it’s finally here!😁 Get yourselves a taste of our Oreo by updating your Huawei P10 and P10 Plus devices today. Start downloading now!🙌🙌 #MakeItPossible #ThursdaySuperstar

Posted by Huawei Mobile on Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Just tap on System updates, then on Check for updates to see if it is already available. If so, leave a comment in the box below and tell us your home country to let us know if the rollout is already expanding. An official changelog of the Android Oreo update for Huawei P10 and P10 Plus is still not available, but in the images above you can see the changelog of the beta version.

(Via)

Buy Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Smartphone On LightInTheBox And Get 49% Discount

By

Vinay Patel

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Mar 16, 2018

You can now get the global version of Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus smartphone without shelling out a lot of money on LightInTheBox. The international online retail company is currently giving a 49% discount on the phone’s original asking price for a limited period of time.

The golden color version of the Redmi 5 Plus normally sells for $325.48 on LightInTheBox; however, you can now get your hands on the gold-tinted model for just $164.99. But if you’re willing to shell out $20 more, you can go for the black color version of the mobile phone.

Bearing a massive 49% discount, the black color version of the Redmi 5 Plus smartphone is currently available on LightInTheBox for just $184.99. It’s worth noting that the original asking price for this version is $362.73.

The Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus smartphone was launched in September 2017. In terms of specs, the phone sports a 5.99 inches IPS, LCD, FHD+ display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels.

The global version of the smartphone offers 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage that can further be expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card slot. The phone packs a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor along with an Adreno 506 GPU (graphics processing unit), under the hood.

For photography enthusiasts, the Redmi 5 Plus offers a 12-megapixels rear-mounted camera with dual-LED flash and AF. Moreover, it gives selfie addicts something to cheer about in the form of a 5-megapixel front shooter. The phone is backed by a robust 4,000mAh lithium-polymer battery and runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat operating system with MIUI 9 on top.

You can visit this link to check out the full specification and take advantage of the promo, which is slated to end in 3 days.

Get 49% Off On Black And Gold Version Of Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus On LightInTheBox

Buy The Well-Received Xiaomi MI A1 Smartphone For Just $182.97 On LightInTheBox

By

Vinay Patel

-

Mar 16, 2018

Xiaomi released its long-awaited Mi A1 smartphone in September, last year. Much to the delight of the Chinese handset maker, the phone garnered a considerable amount of popularity among smartphone users.

The well-received MI A1 smartphone is currently up for grabs on LightInTheBox at a heavily discounted price. While the device normally carries a price tag of $299.99 on LightInTheBox, you can now buy it for only $182.97 on the Beijing-based online retail company’s website for a limited period of time.

The site is giving a noteworthy 39% discount on the Mi A1’s selling price as part of its latest Lightning Sale promo. The discount will be valid for both gold and black color version of the smartphone.

The Mi A1 sports a 5.5 inches LTPS IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels at a pixel density of 403 ppi. It comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for added protection.

Furthermore, the Xiaomi-branded 4G smartphone offers 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. It packs a powerful Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625 processor, under the hood and comes with Adreno 506 graphics processing unit.

On the photography front, the Mi A1 sports a 12-megapixel+12-megapixel dual camera setup at the back and a 5-megapixel front shooter for selfies. Moreover, the phone is crammed with useful features such as panorama, HDR, face detection, touch focus, and geo-tagging.

The Mi A1 smartphone runs on Android 7.1.2 (Nougat) operating system, which can be upgraded to Android 8.0 (Oreo) OS. It draws its juices from a robust Li-Ion 3080 mAh battery.

You can visit this link to check out the full specification and take advantage of the Lightning Sale which is on the verge of wrapping up. It is also worth noting that there were only 107 pieces left for Lightning Sale at the time of writing.

Get 39% Off On Xiaomi MI A1 Smartphone On LightInTheBox

Suspected Samsung Galaxy A6 & A6+ Spotted on GeekBench

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 16, 2018

Two Samsung A series models have been spotted on GeekBench database. The models appeared as Samsung SM-A600FN and SM-A605G. Both models are suspected to be the Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ considering the closeness of their model numbers to that of the Galaxy J8 (SM-J800FN) and J8+ (SM-J805FN).

The Galaxy A series have existed before now with an A6 model despite the presence of A5 and A7. So these models are likely going to be the first A6 models that would be launched. The benchmark results are very similar despite the presence of two different chips on both smartphones. The GalaxyA6 scores 2605 on the multicore test and 723 on the single core test. While the Galaxy A6+ scored 739 points on the single core test and 3469 points on the multi-core test.

On the specs, the Galaxy A6 (SM-A600FN) is powered by an Exynos 7870 chipset with eight Cortex-A53 cores and a Mali-T830 MP1 GPU paired with 3GB of RAM. The chipset was used on the Galaxy A3 (2017) and several J-series phones. On the other hand, the A6+ (SM-A605G) utilizes a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset with Adreno 506 GPU and has 4GB of RAM onboard. Furthermore, both Android models run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.

(source 1, 2)

China’s Redmi Note 5 Stunning Camera Samples Shared Before Launch

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Mar 15, 2018

Xiaomi is set to officially unveil the Redmi Note 5 China version which has been the subject of several teasers. Ahead of the launch, the tech giant has again shared some details of the device as it pertains to the camera setup. The details are backed by some camera samples shot by the Redmi Note 5’s front and rear cameras.

Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun says the Redmi Note 5 is a well-balanced smartphone with little or no deficiency but that is left for us to decide after the smartphone has been experienced hands-on. However, among the features the device is expected to pack include an AI dual camera, AI face unlock, AI smart beauty feature, AI portrait mode, soft light self-timer, background blur, etc. In essence, both the selfie camera and rear dual shooter would be AI-driven. The main rear camera is also said to feature a full-pixel dual-core fast focus and a PPI of 1.4um. The samples test the various shooting modes including portrait, Bokeh and others and the shots are pretty impressive. This should be the best we may be seeing from a smartphone in the 1000 Yuan price bracket. It is not a very spectacular performance matching up with the hype about AI cameras.

The camera configuration on China’s Redmi Note 5 include a 13MP front shooter and a 12MP+5MP dual rear camera sensors. In other aspects, the Redmi Note 5 sports a 5.99-inch FHD+ display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080p. The device will also be the first model in China to utilize the Snapdragon 636 chipset and would have 4GB RAM and 6GB RAM versions only. Both versions will pair up with 64GB of internal storage. In due course, Xiaomi might introduce new versions with smaller memory sizes. The device is also expected to come with a 4000mAH battery, full Netcom 5.0, dual 4G SIM slots and dual standby. Check out some of the camera samples below.

(source)

Wieppo S8 Review – 18:9 Display on a Budget

By

Linus

-

Updated Mar 21, 2018

Wieppo is a rather young Chinese phone maker as it hasn’t produced many phones. The S8 is one of their latest models and it offers 18:9 ratio display, low-end specs and more.At the moment, the pricing is not announced but check out the product page for that. Learn more in the full Wieppo S8 Review.

VIDEO REVIEW

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVeUrGzy6r0[/embedyt]

UNBOXING

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

DESIGN, DISPLAY, BATTERY LIFE

A pretty nice-looking 5.7” display with 18:9 aspect ratio. Also, the phone has a metal frame that goes all around the device and a removable backplate that lets you swap the batteries and SIM cards quickly.

The overall build quality and design are pretty good. Also, the buttons are quite nice and the phone feels nice in the hand.

Speaking of the battery, I was not impressed by its performance as I was able to get just over 3,5 h of screen-on time.

Also, it takes about 4.5h to fully charge it with the supplied charger. This is a ridiculously long time.

Other things you need to know about this phone include a 13MP main and 5MP selfie cameras, quite an accurate fingerprint scanner, a headset jack, mediocre sounding loudspeaker, and USB type C port with the OTG support. Finally, there is a notification LED light.

Wieppo S8 in pictures:

HARDWARE and PERFORMANCE

As for specs, this is a low-end phone as it ships with the MTK6737 chip, just 2GB of RAM and just 16GB of storage.

As you may guess, the gaming performance is not so great but you can expect to play a few games on reduced graphics settings. I tested the phone while playing Asphalt 8, Shadow Fight 3 and Injustice 2 games.

USER INTERFACE

What is pretty good though, the day to day performance thanks to almost stock Android 7 out of the box that is not overloaded with extra features. Besides all the stock goodness, you can use a few gesture and motion controls that work quite well but that’s about it.

IMAGE QUALITY

I was able to take a few decent-looking pictures with this phone but don’t expect stellar results since this is a budget phone after all.

Obviously, the camera collapses in low-light.

Selfies look surprisingly decent.

1080p video quality shot using the main camera is kind of mediocre and same can be said about the footage shot using the selfie camera. Finally, sound recording quality could be better.

Download full res camera samples

CONNECTIVITY

I found the call quality to be decent and signal reception is great. Also, other connectivity options work just fine. However, there aren’t too many sensors on board, which is quite frustrating.

CONCLUSIONS

The Wieppo S8 is yet another budget phone that aims to attract your attention with the 18:9 aspect ratio.

We didn’t like that the phone has just 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, the gaming performance could be better and the camera struggles a lot in low light. Finally, the battery life is pretty bad and it takes forever to charge the phone.

What we did like is the design and overall build quality, pretty nice display, good day to day performance and some nice extras like the LED notification light.

Overall, this phone has its own pros and cons and hopefully, you will find our review useful before making the buying decision.

Buy Wieppo S8

Broadcom Withdraws Its Bid To Acquire Qualcomm

By

Jeet

-

Mar 15, 2018

Broadcom has officially withdrawn its $117 billion bid to acquire its rival chipmaker Qualcomm. This development comes after US President Donald Trump blocked the acquisition efforts citing national security risk.

In a statement, Broadcom said that is would comply with the order from the US Government. In line with that, the company is formally withdrawing its bid for Qualcomm, which would have been the biggest takeover in the history of the technology industry.

The company launched its unsolicited bid in November last year, which was quickly and repeatedly rebuffed by Qualcomm’s management and board members. After that, the Singapore-based company had been gathering support from investors to overturn resistance to the deal.

In February, Qualcomm increased its bid for the acquisition of NXP Semiconductors. Broadcom had urged Qualcomm not to do so and when the US-based chipmaker increased the offer, Broadcom responded by reducing its offer for the acquisition of Qualcomm.

The chief executive of Qualcomm, Steve Mollenkopf stated that the deal offers “no real path to value” to Qualcomm. Chinese smartphone manufacturers, including Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo were also against the deal and voiced their opinion at an event hosted by Qualcomm.

In the statement, Broadcom said that along with withdrawing the bid for acquisition of Qualcomm, it has also withdrawn its slate of independent director nominees to Qualcomm’s board.

An investigation related to the Broadcom-Qualcomm deal by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., which reviews purchases of American companies by foreign business, confirmed national security threats related to the acquisition.

Earlier, Broadcom had revealed its plans to move its legal headquarters from Singapore to the United States. Even though the deal was blocked by the US, the company said that it will continue with plans to relocate its headquarters to the United States.

OPPO R15 Official Selfie Camera Samples Show Some Amazing Potentials

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 15, 2018

OPPO will officially unveil the OPPO R15 premium midrange smartphone later this month. OPPO has already revealed the photos of the device via promotional videos and posters. The R15 comes with a notch on its display while adopting the full-screen 19:9 aspect ratio design. The device is also expected to feature a dual rear camera setup while at the front there will be a 20MP shooter which OPPO claims have been optimised for better selfie captures.

Wondering how that will pan out? Well, we won’t have to wait until the smartphone is official to find that out. OPPO has shared a couple of sample photos shot by the R15’s selfie camera. OPPO claims the selfie camera’s enhancement includes the ability to analyse the subject’s facial features and analyze them based on age, gender, skin colour, and skin quality in order to properly beautify the portraits.

Indeed the portrait shots come out with vivid clarity. It’s a marvel that such crisp clear captures were possible using a selfie camera. We’d have to wait for an independent evaluation or review before we can be sure the camera is as powerful as portrayed by these samples.

The OPPO R15 is expected to feature a 6.28-inch Super-view display with the 19:9 aspect ratio and resolution of 2280×1080 pixels. The device also has up to 90% screen-to-body ratio and features an all-glass body. It will be available in Red, White and Purple colours alongside other colour options.

(source)

TP-Link Launches Neffos N1 Smartphone In Malaysia

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Mar 15, 2018

TP-Link is a company associated with networking products like routers and range extenders but a lot of people do not know it is also a smartphone maker. Its phone brand, Neffos, just unveiled a new phone in Malaysia called the Neffos N1.

Neffos N1 Design

The Neffos N1 is a phone that doesn’t join the band wagon when it comes to design. It doesn’t have a notch in its display or even a “normal” 18:9 screen as its display has a traditional 16:9 aspect ratio. There are also thick bezels at the top and bottom.

On the rear, TP-Link has gone for a familiar design but with some few changes to make it stand out. The back is made of metal with curved corners and visible antenna lines. To distinguish it from similar looking devices, the camera area has a polycarbonate/glass covering it in a fashion similar to the Nexus 6P.

Another cool addition is a dedicated mute button on the left for silencing calls and notifications. The phone also comes in only one color variant.

Neffos N1 Specs

The Neffos N1 has a 10-point multi-touch 5.5” FHD display covered with 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3. It has support for “double-tap-to-wake” and also works with gloves. There is a Helio P25 on board with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage.

Dual Sony IMX386 12MP sensors grace its back in a RGB + Monochrome configuration. While improved low-light photography is usually the aim with this kind of configuration, it can also take portrait photos. An 8MP 86° wide-angle camera sits in front for selfies.

The phone has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner that works with wet and oily hands. It also has dual band Wi-Fi with TP-Link’s Smart Wi-Fi technology, hybrid dual SIM support, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a 3260mAh battery with support for fast charging. The Neffos N1 runs NFUI 7.0 based on Android Nougat.

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HTC U12+ Expected to Launch Instead of U12 Around Early May

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 15, 2018

HTC is expected to launch fewer phones in 2018 as it is speculated to focus more on advertising. The recent layoffs and selling off a portion of its smartphone making division to Google also hints that the company will not announce many phones this year. In the previous year, HTC had launched U11 in the first half of 2017. At the end of the year, it had announced the U11+ flagship. Fresh information revealed by popular tipster Evan Blass states that the upcoming HTC flagship that is codenamed as Imagine would arriving in the market as U12+. This suggests that the company may not launch the U12 phone this year.

Blass claims that the U12+ will be coming with a 6-inch LCD screen that will support WQHD+ resolution. The top bezel will be housing 8-megapixel dual front-facing cameras. The backside of the phone is also expected to a dual camera setup featuring a 16-megapixel sensor and a 12-megapixel sensor. The dual rear cameras will be arranged horizontally above the LED flash and fingerprint reader.

The HTC U12+ will receive power from Snapdragon 845 chipset. Its 64 GB and 128 GB storage variants are expected to include 6 GB of RAM. Both the models will also feature a microSD card slot. It will be fueled by 3,420mAh battery. The U12+ will be equipped with second-generation Edge Sense pressure-sensitive frame and it will come preloaded with Android Oreo. Here is a fresh render of the phone shared by the tipster.

Blass had previously claimed that the U12+ would be launching in late April. Fresh information shared by him states that the development of the U12+ had met with a minor hurdle recently because of which its arrival has been delayed to early May. Apart from the U12+ flagship, the Taiwanese company will be bringing Desire 12 and Desire 12+ budget-friendly phones to the market in the near future.

(Source)

Pre-order is Live For Lenovo Mirage Solo & Mirage Camera, Ships May 11

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Mar 15, 2018

Lenovo and Google announced the Mirage Solo standalone Daydream VR headset and the VR180 Mirage Camera at CES 2018. Although they did announce a Q2 release for both devices, they didn’t reveal a price. Now they have both have a price and you can pre-order them.

The Mirage Solo which is the first standalone Daydream VR headset and the first with Google’s Worldsense technology will sell for $399 according to a listing on B&H Photo.

It is listed as “Coming Soon” and looks like it will only still be available in white when it starts shipping. B&H expects it to be available by May 11 but you can go ahead to pre-order now.

The Lenovo Mirage VR Camera is also listed on the same store but with a $299.99 price tag. It is one of two VR180 cameras announced at CES, the other is the Yi Horizon. The camera is for taking VR photos and recording 3D VR180 4K videos. It can also be used for live-streaming. You can pre-order it too with the hope that it ships on May 11.

$400 may seem like a lot for the Mirage Solo but considering that it packs specs found in flagships released in 2017, you can’t fault the price. Inside is a Snapdragon 835 processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage. It also has a 4,000mAh battery for powering that QHD display and comes with a Daydream remote.

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