iPhone 8 Durability Test Reveals the Strength of its Design; Teardown Shows its Easy to Replace its Screen, Battery

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Sep 25, 2017

Taiwanese tech company ASUS has officially announced the Zenfone 4 series smartphones which are comprised of five models, all with dual cameras and a couple of other distinguishing features. The series is made up of the Zenfone 4 Pro, Zenfone 4, Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro, Zenfone 4 Selfie and Zenfone 4 Max. Of the lot, the Zenfone 4 Pro is the flagship model but we’ll take a look briefly at the specs and features of the models.

ASUS ZenFone 4 Pro

ASUS ZenFone 4 Pro features an advanced dual-camera system designed to take mobile photography to new heights. It comes with a 16MP Sony IMX362 main sensor with a large 1/2.55-inch size, 1.4µm pixels and a wide, f/1.7-aperture lens to capture brighter and clearer photos in low light. The phone comes with 2X zoom and a 10X total zoom that brings distant subjects closer, putting the main subject in sharp focus while background details are softened. The camera also comes with optical image stabilization (OIS) that enables blur-free handheld exposures of up to 1/4 seconds. With this powerful camera setup, the ZenFone 4 Pro is able to capture sharper, brighter and clearer photos at night and in low-light environments.

In other specs, the ZenFone 4 Pro is powered by the flagship Snapdragon 835 processor which is designed to deliver powerful performance. Te processor is backed by 6GB of RAM and the phone packs a front fingerprint sensor among other things.

ASUS ZenFone 4

The ZenFone 4 sports a 5.5-inch display and equally packs a dual camera setup where the main sensor is the flagship Sony IMX362 image sensor and with a large, f/1.8 aperture lens that offers incredible low-light performance to let users capture gorgeous photos at night or indoors. The camera also packs a 120° wide-angle lens.

The device is powered by the latest Snapdragon 630 mid-range processor backed by 4GB of RAM. The device also pack a high-capacity 3300mAh lithium-polymer battery with ASUS’ BoostMaster fast-charge technology.

ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie

ZenFone 4 Selfie is one of the two members of the Zenfone 4 Selfie series and it features a high-quality, dual front-facing cameras and intuitive yet powerful image-processing software that enables users to easily capture beautiful selfies and super wide-angle. The selfie-centri model also comes with a new SelfieMaster app which lets users apply real-time beautification effects to selfies, videos, and live-streams. There are also several modes in the camera including Beauty mode which enables professional-quality adjustments — such as skin softening, eye enhancement and facial-feature balancing.

ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro

ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro is the flagship model of the ZenFone 4 Selfie series and it is touted as having the world’s most advanced selfie camera. It features a Sony IMX362 dual-pixel image sensor and there’s also a SuperPixel Engine that enables users to capture 2X brighter low-light selfies and astonishingly detailed 4K UHD selfie video. The ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro also comes with a 120° super wide-angle “wefie” camera that makes it easy to fit multiple people or the surrounding environment into the shot.

In addition to its dual selfie cameras, the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro features a rear 16MP camera with a Sony image sensor and the SuperPixel Engine to let you capture every precious moment with vivid clarity and stunning detail. This rear camera also shoots video at up to 4K UHD resolution (3840 x 2160) which is 4 times the quality of Full HD. Further, the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro is powered by a 64-bit, 2.0GHz Snapdragon 625 processor paired with a 4GB RAM. The ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro is available in three beautiful colors: Rouge Red, Sunlight Gold and Deepsea Black.

ASUS ZenFone 4 Max

ASUS ZenFone 4 Max wll be available in two different sizes in Europe; the ZenFone 4 Max (ZC554KL) features a 5.5-inch display and a high-capacity 5000mAh battery with ASUS PowerMaster technology for an incredible 46 days of 4G standby time. ZenFone 4 Max (ZC520KL) features a 5.2-inch display with a fast-charging 4100mAh battery for up to 37 days 4G standby. With the large battery capaciity, both Zenfone 4 Max models can double as a power bank for charging other devices. The phone is designed not to chrge when its own battery power is down to 30%.

The Zenfone 4 Max models either get their juice from a Snapdragon 425 chipset in the case of the 5.2-inch version and a SD 430 chip for the 5.5-inch model. Both versions are designed to be the perfect all-day photography companion, featuring a dual-rear-camera system with a 13MP main camera and a 120° wide-view camera.

Pricing & Availability

ASUS is yet to reveal the retail prices of the Zenfone 4 series models as well as details of their availability in the region.

HMD Global Reportedly Confirms Nokia 8 with 6GB RAM & 128GB Storage Coming Next Month

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Sep 24, 2017

A new report from Germany indicates that HMD Global has officially confirmed the launch of a top-end variant of its Nokia 8 flagship next month. Originally, the Nokia 8 was launched with 4GB +64GB storage but the new variant would come with 6GB RAM and a mammoth 128GB storage size. The Nokia 8 variant in question recently appeared in a US FCC document showing it has been certified by the US agency.

The Nokia 8 6GB + 128GB variant will be launched in Europe, specifically in Germany on October 20 this year. The variant will also be available only in Polished Blue color option. The device will carry a price tag of €669, which is €90 more than what the regular 4GB+64GB version carries.

Apart from the new memory type, all other specifications of the Nokia 8 6GB + 128GB variant are said to be similar to that of the first model. There is no word yet on when the new variant will launch in other markets.

Gionee GN5007 Seen On TENAA With 6-inch 18:9 Display and 5000mAh Battery

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Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 23, 2017

On Monday, Gionee will unveil its first full-screen smartphone, the Gionee M7. There will also be another version called the M7 Power which will be launched in Thailand on September 28. We want to believe the Gionee M7 Power is the Gionee GN5007 seen on TENAA.

The Gionee GN5007 is a 6-inch smartphone with a 1440 x 720 resolution (2:1 aspect ratio). It has 4GB of RAM and is powered by a 1.4GHz octa-core processor. There is 32GB of storage with a MicroSD card slot that takes up to 256GB cards.

Unlike the Gionee M7 which has two rear cameras, the GN5007 has only one – a 13MP sensor. The front camera is an 8MP sensor. We believe the Gionee GN5007 is the M7 Power due its large 5,000mAh battery capacity.

https://twitter.com/Gioneeglobal/status/910672126117502976

Gionee has also taken to twitter to tease its upcoming smartphone as having a long lasting battery alongside a great selfie camera.

The Gionee GN5007 measures 156.3 × 75.6 × 8.6 (mm) and weighs 187g. It has support for VoLTE and runs Android 7.1.1.

The accompanying images reveals the phone has thin front bezels and its back has a two tone color design.The top where the camera sits is black as well as the base. The area with the fingerprint scanner has a gray color. Although TENAA says the phone itself is black.

Come Monday or Thursday, we should know if this is indeed the Gionee M7 Power.

https://twitter.com/Gioneeglobal/status/907785180655452160

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1 Million Xiaomi Phones Sold in 48 Hours During Indian Mega Sales

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 23, 2017

Flipkart is running a promo currently, so also is Amazon India. Both online stores have several items on sale including phones. Yesterday, Xiaomi India announced via Twitter that it has sold 1 million phones on both platforms in just 48 hours!

Xiaomi also released the stats for the sales. The Redmi Note 4 was the highest selling smartphone on Flipkart. On Amazon, the lower priced Redmi 4 and Redmi 4A were the bestsellers.

The Redmi Note 4 has a discount of up to INR 2,000 (~$31) off on Flipkart. On Amazon, its the Mi Max 2 that gets INR 2000 (~$31) off on each variant. Other items that have been discounted include the Mi Air Purifier 2, Mi Routers, Mi Power Banks and earphones.

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Micromax Selfie 3 Announced: 16MP Selfie Camera, Smaller Screen & Snapdragon Processor

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Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 23, 2017

Just two months ago, Micromax announced the Seflie 2, an entry level mid-range phone. Yesterday, it launched its successor, the Selfie 3, which brings a bunch of upgrades for a higher price tag.

Just like its predecessor, the focus is on the selfie camera. This time it has a 16MP Samsung sensor with portrait mode and a 52MP Super Pixel mode. It still has the front flash but it’s now on the left. The rear camera remains a 13MP sensor with a fingerprint scanner below the LED flash.

The Selfie 3 is not just upgrades though as the screen is smaller at 5.0-inches but now has a full HD resolution. There is a Snapdragon 435 mobile platform on board and an Adreno 505 GPU. RAM is 3GB and there is 32GB of expandable storage.The Micromax Selfie 3 keeps the battery at 3000mAh. It runs Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, has dual SIM support, VoLTE and Bluetooth 4.2.

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Amazon’s First Wearable Product Could Be An Alexa-powered Smartglasses

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Sep 23, 2017

A report carried by the Financial Times alleges that U.S online retail giant Amazon is working on its first wearable device and it is going to be a pair of smart glasses powered by its voice-activated Alexa assistant. Amazon has quite a large catalogue of products to its name and under the brand but its consumer electronics products include just the Amazon Kindle, Amazon Echo and Fire TV. The Amazon Echo smart speaker is the first product powered by the Alexa voice assistant but now the wearable will be joining the list.

The smart wearable would be designed just like a regular pair of spectacles and will come with wireless connectivity which will allow it to connect to a smartphone wirelessly. Also among its features would be a bone-conduction audio system which would allow the wearer to hear the voice prompt by Alexa even without having a headphone in his or her ears.

The rumour speculated that Amazon may be looking to enter the emerging market for “augmented reality” goggles. In addition, what readily comes to mind is Google’s own augmented reality glasses which was discontinued last year but has been re-introduced earlier this year. It may not feature a camera and virtual screen which created a storm of controversy for Google Glass but some of the personnel involved in its development have been closely associated with Google Glass in the past. There are also indications that Magic Leap, Apple and Facebook are working on various headsets that would display digital images in front of the viewer’s eyes.

Amazon is yet to comment on this report nor have they revealed such product is in development.

(via)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A Review – Revolution or More of the Same?

By

Linus

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Sep 22, 2017

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note series has been one of the most successful among budget smartphones. I have the cheapest version of the Redmi Note 5a that costs just about $120 but it offers a lot of features for the price. Learn more in the full Xiaomi Redmi Note 5a review.

Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 5a

VIDEO REVIEW

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ugRUq8XLKQ[/embedyt]

UNBOXING

The phone ships in a rather unusual for Xiaomi red box. Inside of it, you can find all the usual stuff, no extras included.

DESIGN and DISPLAY

As far as design goes, the Redmi Note 5a is kind of plain looking and it is very similar to the Redmi 4a. The phone is made entirely of plastic and while it does not look or feel premium, the build quality is excellent.

The 5.5” display sports only 72op resolution but it is still quite sharp for everyday use.

We do have an IR blaster, a notification LED light and 5MP selfie shooter but the buttons are not backlit.

There is no fingerprint scanner on this phone whereas the Prime model has this feature.

As for the camera, we have a 13MP shooter with a single LED flash.

The sound quality via the headset jack is pretty good and the loudspeaker is not bad at all for the price of the phone.

HARDWARE and PERFORMANCE

The hardware configuration is not really impressive on the Redmi Note 5a but this is what you have to expect at this price point.

The phone has a Snapdragon 425 chip, just 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. What is awesome, is that there is a dedicated microSD card slot along with a dual-SIM card tray. I think this should become a standard feature on each phone.

The gaming performance is pretty good overall. However, you should expect some skipped frames in some of the 3D games if you play them on the highest graphics settings.

BENCHMARKS

USER INTERFACE

My Redmi Note 5a shipped with the original Chinese ROM, meaning that I had to install Google Services myself but it takes just a minute to do that. MIUI 8.5 is based on Android 7.1 and if you used any Xiaomi phone before, you will feel right at home as nothing has really changed much. We have the same looks, features, customization options and little tweaks to make the phone look your own.

I’ve installed a lot of apps as usual and I found the phone to be snappy and responsive all the time and that’s the most important thing on any phone.

IMAGE QUALITY

The image quality is quite good considering the fact this is a $120 phone. However, even at this price point, I would love to see more detail and sharpness in the pictures.

The low-light camera performance is quite good but again, this is a budget phone camera after all.

The selfies look nice and clear, I don’t have many complaints here.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8Nw9uWms7M[/embedyt]

The 1080p video is above average as the footage could look sharper but that is the case with most of the phones in this price range.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO9DFaAdNsA[/embedyt]

The 1080p selfie video looks great. The sound recording quality could have been decent but there is a lot of background noise, which is caused by a poor implementation of noise reduction or other stuff.

Download full resolution camera samples

CONNECTIVITY

As far as connectivity goes, I have no complaints. Everything, including Wifi, Bluetooth, and GPS works fine. Also, the call quality and signal reception are decent.

BATTERY LIFE

A 3080mAh battery performs very well, like on most of the Xiaomi phones. Depending on how you use the phone, you should expect to achieve 8 or 9 hours of screen-on time. Well, these were my results.

The phone supports Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ 2.0 technology but it ships just with a regular charger. It takes about 2 hours to fully charge the device.

CONCLUSIONS

The Redmi Note 5a is another budget phone made Xiaomi. Again, it offers quite a lot of value for the price but honestly, I don’t see any significant upgrades over the last generation models.

I would love to see a slightly better camera and a fingerprint scanner even at this price point but overall, I still think that the Xiaomi Note Redmi 5a is a solid phone for the price but you can also check out the older Xiaomi phones, as they are very similar to this one.

What do you guys think about the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5a?

Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 5a

Real Photos of Nubia Full-Screen Phone Leak

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Sep 22, 2017

The renders of a near bezel-less, full-screen Nubia phone recently made the rounds online which showed that ZTE’s elite Nubia brand was planning to release a full-screen phone. The model also appeared on TENAA very recently which gave us an idea of the specifications the device will come with. Again, the Nubia full-screen phone has appeared online, this time around in live shots.

The leaked photos could be seen as a teaser because the Nubia phone is encased in what looks like a protective shell which masks the extent of the side bezels the device comes with. Nevertheless, we can still see that the phone is far from being a bezel-less phone because apart from the reduced bezels on the chin, the top and bottom edges still have bezels which some will term as too much.

The Nubia phone appeared on TENAA with the model number NX589J and is rumoured to go by the name Nubia Z17s. The TENAA listing reveals the Nubia phone features a 5.2-inch 1080p display, 6GB RAM, 64GB expandable storage, a dual camera setup in which the main sensor is 13MP, a 16MP sensor, and a 3100mAh battery capacity. In addition, it runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat OS.

Buy Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 on Giztop

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 Camera Samples Reveal A Good 12MP Rear Camera But There’s Room For Improvement

By

Joel Joseph

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Sep 22, 2017

One of the biggest launches for Xiaomi this year was none other than the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2. The phone undercuts rivals like the Galaxy S8 and the LG V30 by a significant margin, offering a similar full-screen design at a much cheaper price tag. The phone is a beast on paper, powered by the same Snapdragon 835 chip that’s found inside most top-end flagships in the market this year along with 6GB of RAM. While Xiaomi has consistently managed to give us the best specs at the most competitive price tag, one area where the company is still lagging behind mainstream phone makers like Samsung, Apple, and Huawei is in the camera department.

After our initial hands-on with the phone, we were excited to check out the camera at the back of the phone, a 12MP 1.25 µm sensor with PDAF and OIS. This is quite a decent setup, featuring a slightly tweaked primary sensor of the Mi 6 but is it good enough to take on the big players?

Well, not exactly. The 12MP at the back of the Mi Mix 2 is good for most occasions. But often you are left wanting for more details in the pictures. Don’t get me wrong, the Mi Mix 2 has a pretty good camera, but now that it’s a mainstream flagship that’s more like a cheaper replacement to devices like the V30 and the S8, I personally feel the company could have done better.

Xiaomi Mi Mix vs Mi Mix 2 03 — mi mix 2 (L) vs Mi Mix (R)

But as an independent smartphone, the camera samples reveal that the phone manages to do well, with good levels of detail and punchy colors. Even autofocus is pretty quick and impressive. So, you will be able to take great photos, even better than the Mi 6. What’s disappointing though is the lack of the secondary camera for background blur ‘bokeh’ photos. Given that almost everyone has jumped onto the dual camera bandwagon, it was a surprise to see Xiaomi stick with a single camera module on its top-end flagship.

Check out the samples below and let me know what you feel about the phone’s image quality.

Smartisan M2L Coming With “Sony IMX 258 Flagship Dual Camera”, Sample Photo Leaks

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Sep 22, 2017

It has been almost a year since Chinese phone maker Smartisan released the flagship Smartisan M1L. The device turned out to be a stunner as it came with a well-studded specs lineup which included a Snapdragon 821 processor. The design was also another unique feature with its close resemblance to Apple’s iPhones, especially the round home button. The M1L is about getting a successor as a new leak suggests Smartisan M2L is on its way.

The leak which appeared on Weibo recently is that of the camera sample of the M2L and it gives us an idea of the sensor that would be onboard the M2L. We really can’t say if the inscription on the camera’s sample photo is a watermark or if it was just included to pass across the message. However, it reveals that the device will be named Smartisan M2L and that it would pack a dual camera setup at the rear and the main sensor will be a Sony IMX258 sensor!

This will be the company’s first model with dual cameras and IMX258 is just powerful enough for a flagship camera. The sensor is found in models such as Redmi Pro, Mi 5S Plus, Nokia 8, Nubia Z17 Mini, LG G6 and others and is mostly used in a RGB + mono dual camera combination. The Sony IMX258 is a 13MP sensor with 1.12um pixel size and also supports RGB and black and white mode. Of course, it is not restricted to RGB + monochrome combination. It could also function in a telephoto + wide angle sensor combination among others. Talking about the camera smaple, it isn’t out of this world but the performance isn’t bad either.

No word yet on when the M2L will be launched but it may drop along side a Smartisan M2 just like the first generation M1 and M1L. The M-series models are presently missing on Smartisan’s official online shop which could be an indication that a launch is imminent.

Huawei Maimang 6 Launched with Quad Cameras, 18:9 Full Screen Design

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Sep 22, 2017

Huawei has been officially announced the Maimang 6 smartphone in China today. The key features of this smartphone are dual front and rear cameras and a large display that offers an aspect ratio of 18:9.

The Huawei Maimang 6 is fitted with a 5.9-inch display that produces a Full HD+ resolution of 2,160 x 1,080 pixels. The screen is overlaid with a 2.5D curved glass. The Chinese manufacturer has powered the Maimang 6 with Kirin 659 chipset and 4 GB of RAM. It features a 3,340mAh battery and includes a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner below the display.

The smartphone features a hybrid SIM slot that allows user to either use a microSD card or nano-sized SIM on the second slot. It features an internal storage of 64 GB. The Android 7.0 Nougat OS available on the smartphone is skinned with EMUI 5.1.

The front side of the handset includes dual selfie snappers of 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel. It is coupled with a soft LED flash. The backside of the phone has a dual-tone LED flash enabled dual camera setup that comprises of 16-megapixel and 2-megapixel sensors. The other features of the smartphone include Bluetooth 4.2, 4G LTE and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n.

The Maimang 6 measures 156.2 x 75.2 x 7.5mm and its weight is 164 grams. The handset sports a metal unibody design and comes in three colors like Obsidian Black, Streamer Gold and Aurora Blue.

The pre-orders of the Huawei Maimang 6 has started from today in China. It is priced at 2,399 Yuan (~$365) in the country. Its shipments will begin on Sept. 30. Rumors are rife that the smartphone would be debuting globally as Huawei Mate 10 Lite in October.

Huawei Maimang 6 Key Specs Appear on GFXBench

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Sep 22, 2017

Maimang 6 is one of the forthcoming smartphones from Huawei. The smartphone has now appeared on GFXBench benchmarking site to reveal its key specifications.

The Huawei RNE-AL00 smartphone that had received certification from TENAA in China earlier this month is speculated to debut as Maimang 6 or Huawei G10. The alleged smartphone has appeared on GFXBench as “Huawei Maimang 6 (RNE-xxx).” According to the benchmarking site, the handset features a 5.4-inch display that offers a full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. However, the TENAA listing suggests that it would be coming with 18:9 aspect ratio display that will support FHD+ resolution of 2,160 x 1,080 pixels.

The handset is powered by HiSilicon Hi6250 chipset that includes a 2.3 GHz octa-core processor and Mali-T830 graphics. This suggests that the smartphone could be powered by Kirin 659 chipset. It includes 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage.

For photography, it features a 16-megapixel rear camera and a 13-megapixel front camera. These cameras are capable of shooting full HD videos. Recent reports have revealed that the Maimang 6 would be equipped dual camera at its front as well as rear sides. GFXBench does not specifically mention the exact configurations for dual camera sensors. Hence, the Maimang 6 listing on GFXBench does not include details of dual rear and front snappers.

The TENAA listing has revealed that the Maimang 6 has 16-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual camera setup on its rear side and the frontside features 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual camera system on its front. GFXBench listing reveals that the handset will arrive preinstalled with Android 7.0 Nougat overlaid with EMUI skin.

Blass has recently revealed juicy details on the specifications of the Huawei Mate 10 Lite. He claims that Mate 10 Lite is codenamed as Rhone and it would be releasing in China as Maimang 6 or Huawei G10. He has stated that the Mate 10 Lite would be priced at 379 euros (~$455) at launch and it would be available in three color choices like blue, black and gold. The handset is expected to include 3,340mah and arrive in 4 GB and 6 GB RAM options, claims the leakster.

The Mate 10 Lite is expected to debut alongside the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro on Oct. 16 through a launch event in Munich, Germany. The Huawei Maimang 6 is slated to get announced in China later today.

Android One Moto X4 for Project Fi is Official, Promised to Receive Android P

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Sep 22, 2017

Earlier in this month, reliable leakster Evan Blass, had predicted that an Android One version of Moto X4 would be debuting soon. The rumor has come true as Google has officially announced its first Android One smartphone for the U.S. – the Android One Moto X4.

Android One smartphones that have released in the past have carried modest specs. However, starting with Xiaomi Mi A1 that was unveiled in the previous month, Google aims to launch Android One smartphones with better specs. The Android One Moto X4, a Motorola smartphone, is the first non-Google device that supports its Project Fi network.

Lenovo had launched the Moto X4 smartphone at IFA 2017 tech trade show that was held at the start of this month. Its Android One edition carries identical specifications. However, instead of the customized software from Motorola, the Android One Moto X4 is packed with the purest version of Android. However, it comes with minimum preinstalled apps such as Google Assistant and Google Duo.

Android P Promise, Project Fi Support

Android One Moto X4 is promised to be blessed with Android One before the end of 2017 and it will be one of the first smartphones to receive Android P next year. And with Google Project Fi mobile virtual network, users of the Android One Moto X4 can seamlessly switch between Wi-Fi and cellular networks like Sprint, T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular depend on network signal strength and speed.

Android One Moto X4 Specifications and Pricing

The smartphone features a 5.2-inch FHD display. It is powered by Snapdragon 630 chipset and 3 GB of RAM. The native storage provided on the handset is 32 GB of storage. It is packed a 3,000mAh battery.

It includes a 12-megapixel + an 8-megapixel dual camera system. It has a front-facing camera of 16-megapixel. It features an IP68 certified chassis.

The Android One Moto X4 carries a pricing of $399 in the U.S. and it comes in two color options like Super Black and Sterling Blue. The pre-orders of the smartphone have already started in the country. As of this writing, there is no confirmation on other markets that will be receiving the Android One Moto X4.

In the U.S., users of select Nexus phone can take advantage of the trade-in program to avail the Android One Moto X4 with discounts of up to $165. Buyers who trade-in by Oct. 5 will be also providing $50 Fi credit.

Motorola has also confirmed that it will be soon making the unlocked Moto X4 available in the U.S. However, there is no information available on its pricing. However, it is expected to be priced at $399.

Gionee M7 Real Photos Give A Preview of Its Premium Design Ahead of Official Launch

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Sep 22, 2017

Gionee will be taking the wraps off the Gionee M7 in a ceremony scheduled to hold in China on September 25. The Gionee M7 is the company’s entry flagship product in the full-screen category. This year has seen quite a number of full-screen phone emerging into the scene. From the Galaxy S8, Mi Mix 2, to the iPhone X the list continues to expand. Ahead of the launch, Vivo has released some real photos of the M7.

The photos give us an up-close view of the M7 captured from all angles. The device is presented in Champagne Gold color which is one of the colors the device is expected to come with. The M7 features an all-metal unibody with reduced bezels on all four sides but most prominently on the chin. There is also the presence of dual selfie cameras on the device. The photos of its rear show the presence of U-shaped antenna design and a dual camera setup which is aligned in a horizontal direction. One spectacular aspect is its metal wire drawing process which is even more beautiful than the brushed metal design.

The M7 is expected to sport a 6.0-inch display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080pixels giving it an 18:9 aspect ratio. The device will be powered by a MediaTek Helio P30 chip backed by 6GB of RAM and there is 64Gb of storage onboard. Talking about the cameras, Gionee has put a 16MP main sensor on the rear camera as well as an 8MP front camera n the M7. Providing the interface will be Android 7.1.1 Nougat.

We still don’t know how much the M7 will cost but all that will be known next week. Meanwhile, have a look at more of the photos from below.

Razer to Release Gaming Smartphone Before the End of 2017?

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Sep 22, 2017

Rumors have been claiming that Razer would be soon entering mobile gaming market. In a recent interview with CNBC, the CEO of the company Min-Liang Tan, has confirmed that the company is working on a mobile gaming device.

According to Tan, Razer’s upcoming mobile device will focus on gaming and entertainment. However, he did not reveal any information on its specifications and features. He has confirmed that the device would be made official by the end of 2017.

Razer, a company that specializes in gaming oriented computer hardware had released Razer Edge tablet in the past. The Razer Edge was promoted as a gaming tablet even though the device even though it could users with its entertainment capabilities.

Razer has been rumored to be working on a mobile gaming device since 2016. In January this year, Razer had acquired Nextbit which is better known for its cloud storage driven Robin smartphone. At that time, rumours started swirling that the Razer is working on a smartphone designed for gamers. However, these speculations were put to rest quickly. After the acquisition, Nextbit is a working as an independent company.

In July, Bloomberg had reported that Razer was again rumored to be working on a gaming-focused smartphone. The report had claimed that the company is raising funds for its upcoming gaming smartphone. Since Tan has not used the “smartphone” word to describe its upcoming mobile device, there is a possibility that it could be a gaming tablet and not a smartphone.

Nintendo Switch is one of the most exciting tech products of this year. It is a handheld console that allows users to not only play games on the device, but also on a TV. The controllers that are present on its left and right sides can be removed can be used as gamepads. The device has been available for buying in the U.S. with a price tag of $299.

Rumors are rife that other brands are working on launching devices to take on the Nintendo Switch. Hence, the mysterious mobile gaming device is also speculated as a competitor product for Switch. It is a known fact that many of the companies that have attempted to rival with Nintendo in the portable / handheld market have only encountered defeat.

Will Razer release mobile phone with high-end gaming capabilities or a device that will arrive to rival with Switch? Share us your thoughts by adding your comments.

Xiaomi Mi 7 May Support Qi Wireless Charging

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Sep 22, 2017

None of the Xiaomi phones released so far are enabled with wireless charging. Fresh information suggest that Xiaomi has joined the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) that will make it possible for the next flagship smartphone from the company to support Qi standard wireless charging.

The Chinese company has not released any official to confirm that it will be joining the consortium. However, it has been found listed on in the WPC member list on the official site of WPC. Even though there is no official statement from the Chinese firm, the WPC listing suggests that next flagship from the company will support wireless charging.

WPC was formed in 2008 and as of this writing, it has 243 members including companies such as Apple, Samsung, LG, Sony and more. Apple had joined the WPC in February this year which made it possible for the 2017 smartphones from the company such as iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X to arrive with wireless charging.

It is likely that the Xiaomi Mi 7 may arrive with Qi standard wireless charging. Recent reports have revealed that the Mi 7 would be housing a 6-inch AMOLED display and it will be driven by Snapdragon 845 chipset. The SoC is expected to be accompanied by 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM. Information coming from China claim that that Mi 7 would be launching in Q1 2018.

In order to make wireless charging feature available on iPhone, Apple had to launch 2017 iPhones with glass chassis. The presence of wireless charging on Mi 7 could mean that it will be arriving with glass chassis. Qualcomm had claimed in 2015 that it its WiPower technology can allow metal-bodied smartphones to support wireless charging. However, none of the smartphone with metal bodies feature WiPower wireless charging.

The Qi system of charging allows users to place their wireless charging enabled device on a charging pad that is connected to a power outlet. A magnetic field is created when the coils present inside the device and pad comes into contact with each other. The magnetic field in turn produces electricity that charges the device. Qi standard wireless charging is now available at restaurants and airports that allow users to charge their smartphones by simply placing them on the charging pad.

Do you want Xiaomi phones to arrive with wireless charging? Share us your thoughts by commenting below.

(source|via)

Vivo Launches the Selfie-Focused Vivo V7+ In Other Asian Markets Outside China

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Sep 22, 2017

Vivo has launched its selfie-focused Vivo V7+ in several markets across Asia, including India. The Chinese tech giant announced the introduction of the V7+ to the expansive India market last week and had even commenced pre-orders on September 7. The launch itinerary across Asia wasn’t disclosed but it is believed that Vivo will take the model to other markets outside Asia. The device was launched in the Philippines and became available on September 20. Vivo also indicated that the V7+ will enter other markets across Asia.

The Vivo V7+ features a premium body with an impressive 5.99-inch FullView display with a resolution of 720 x 1,440 pixels. The display has an aspect ratio of 18:9 and a screen-to-body ratio of 84.4 percent. You also get ultra-thin bezels at the chin and highly reduced bezels at the top and bottom edges. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 450 chipset which was introduced by Qualcomm in June this year. The processor is paired with 4GB of RAM and the phone has an internal storage of 64 GB. The V7+ packs a 3,225mAh battery, dual SIM slots and runs FunTouch OS 3.2 based on Android Nougat. It features a rear-mounted fingerprint reader.

The Vivo V7+ is already on sale in India at Rs. 21,990 (~$343) on Amazon and Flipkart. Vivo has not disclosed the price it would carry in other Asian markets but only disclosed that pricing will be determined on a per-market basis outside of the regions it has already been launched in.

HTC U11 Plus Tipped to Unveil on November 11 with 6-inch 18:9 Full Screen Design

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Sep 22, 2017

Even though HTC’s R&D division has been taken over by Google, the Taiwanese company has confirmed that it still has an R&D team that had designed the HTC U11 flagship phone. The company has also said that it is working on its next flagship phone called HTC U11 Plus that will be arriving with a full screen design. A French publication has revealed some juicy details on the upcoming HTC flagship.

Recent rumors have revealed that the HTC U11 Plus is codenamed as Ocean Master. Like the premium flagship phones, the U11 Plus is speculated to come with a full screen design flanked with minimal bezels.

According to the French publication, the U11 Plus will be housing a 5.99-inch panel manufactured by Japan Display. It will be supporting an aspect ratio of 18:9. The Snapdragon 835 chipset will be present under the hood of the smartphone.

It will be coming in two variants. The first model will feature 4 GB of RAM with 64 GB of UFS 2.1 storage and the second one will be coming with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of UFS 2.1 storage.

A 12-megapixel camera is present on the rear side of the smartphone. It will be featuring the same rear camera that is present on the HTC U11. The frontside will be fitted with an 8-megapixel selfie snapper. The exact size of its battery is not available, but what is known is that it will be carrying support for Quick Charge 3.0 (9V/2A).

Like the HTC U11, the upcoming flagship will be coming with squeezable frame for supporting the Edge Sense feature. The handset is also expected to arrive with IP68 certified water and dust resistant chassis. We speculate that like the HTC U11 and HTC U Ultra smartphones, the U11 Plus will be also arriving with a premium design.

The French publication has also revealed that the HTC U11 Plus would be launching in China on November 11 as the Taiwanese company is reportedly working on regaining its market share in the country. As of this writing, there is no information available on its launch date for other markets. The publication also hints that the HTC U11 Plus may arrive with an attractive pricing.

A recent report has revealed that HTC may unveil two other smartphones that are codenamed as Ocean Lite and Ocean Harmony before the end of 2017.