LeEco popped into the news yesterday as a result of a new box casing initially thought to be that of a bezel-less LeEco smartphone which is in the works. The phone was rumoured to be the Le Max 3 which has been expected for several months now. The photo looks like a truly bezel-less device even though all that was on display was a render. Turns out the device isn’t a bezel-less phone, it isn’t even a smartphone but a power bank LeEco is perhaps working on.
The full poster has now appeared online showing the part where there is an inscription that it is a 10,000mAh battery capacity. The power bank also comes with a two-way fast charge. Apart from these little details, nothing much is known about the LeEco power bank. We don’t even know if it has been produced or how the once buzzing tech giant hopes to sell the gadget in the face of dwindling smartphone sales.
We still expect LeEco to go official with the Le Max 3, though, with a bezel-less full-screen design. The LeMax 3 is expected to sport a 6.3-inch QHD display as well as 6GB of RAM while there will be 128GB storage onboard. Further, the LeEco Le Max 3 will come with a 16MP selfie camera while the dual camera at the rear is said to be a 13MP dual camera. The device will get its power from a 3.700mAh battery. LeEco has been silent for a while now since the launch of the Le Pro 3 AI Edition in the first quarter of 2017. Thus, we can’t say for sure when the phone maker will release a new smartphone or even the power bank.
There are plenty of budget phones out there but not all of them have a full-screen design and decent specs for less than $110. Learn more in our Vkworld Mix Plus review.
The phone ships with all the usual stuff and some extras include a screen protector and a soft TPU case.
DESIGN and DISPLAY
Design is definitely the key selling point of this phone as it has an almost full-screen display. The phone looks gorgeous. That display sports only 720p resolution and its definitely not the sharpest out there but it gets the job done for a budget phone. There was no space on the top, so 8MP interpolated camera sits on the bottom.
As for optics, we have a 13MP interpolated camera on the back. There is also a fingerprint scanner that is pretty accurate but the display could light up a bit faster.
The screen takes so much space that there is no place for LED notification light and the loudspeaker quality is just mediocre.
Overall, the build quality is solid and a metal frame adds sturdiness and premium look. The only thing you would need to deal with is fingerprints – just like on any other glass-made phone.
HARDWARE and PERFORMANCE
You can’t really expect much at this price point when it comes to hardware but the Vkworld Mix Plus has decent specs for the price.
The phone ships with an MTK6737 chipset, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage.
However, this kind of specs does not translate into a good gaming performance. Expect quite a bit of stutter even if you play 3D games on medium graphics settings.
BENCHMARKS
USER INTERFACE
When it comes to day-to-day performance, the phone is quite fast even though I installed quite a lot of apps.
There is a custom skin that is built on top of Android 7.0 that adds some features customization options. Just to name a few, you can change the transition effects or use gesture controls that work quite well. There are also some fingerprint gestures that I didn’t really use because I kept accidentally tapping the fingerprint reader.
IMAGE QUALITY
The camera can take pictures that will look okay on social media but in general, the results are mediocre. Sure, some photos look pretty good if they were taken in good light but the camera collapses at night. A usual scenario for all budget phones.
Since the camera is implemented on the bottom, you need to hold the phone upside down to take a selfie. Also, you need to learn how to take a better angle for that perfect selfie. The quality of pictures is again, just mediocre.
The call quality is not so great and the earpiece volume output could be better. Other connectivity options, including Wifi, Bluetooth, and GPS, work fine.
BATTERY LIFE
The phone ships 2850mAh battery that performs pretty well. I could get about 5 hours of SOT, which is a pretty much standard result. However, it takes about 2 hours to fully charge the phone.
CONCLUSIONS
The Vkworld Mix Plus is definitely one of the best-looking budget phones out there and it is built like a more expensive handset. It is also quite fast on the daily basis and has a decent battery life.
However,the phone is not your best choice if you love playing a lot of 3D games and the phone fails to impress with the basic stuff like the call quality.
Overall, the Vkworld Mix Plus offers exceptional design for the price that will draw a lot of attention but make sure to consider all the shortcomings, just like with any budget phone.
One of the key features is that the watch sports IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. Also, it has replaceable watch bands to customize the look and feel. In addition, it supports 3G, so you can make calls right from your wrist.
What’s more, the Microwear H2 has quite a few connectivity options and sensors that include Wifi, Bluetooth, Heart Rate monitor, Pedometer, Sleep Monitor, Sedentary, Massage Reminder and so on.
After the launch of OLED panel enabled iPhone X, speculations started swirling that all the next-generation iPhones coming next year would be feature OLED screens. However, according to a new report on The Wall Street Journal, some of the iPhones arriving next year would be equipped with full screen LCD panels from Japan Display (JDI).
The publication has reported that the Cupertino company has expressed interest in using Full Active LCD panel from Japan Display that was unveiled in June this year. The Full Active display technology can offer the features of OLED panels at a reduced price. This can effectively allow Apple to earn profits without investing more money on OLED panels for all iPhones.
JDI’s Full Active panel is a 6-inch flexible LCD screen that offers an aspect ratio of 18:9 and produces full HD+ resolution of 2,160 x 1,080 pixels. OLED panels have 1mm bezel, but Full Active LCD panels have slimmer bezels of 0.5mm. Moreover, it can produce deep black colors.
Full Active LCD panels are already present in some of the smartphones. The edge-to-edge display available on the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 smartphone features the Full Active LCD panel. Hence, it sports a full screen design like OLED-based smartphones such as Apple iPhone X and Samsung Galaxy Note 8.
Apple is solely dependent on Samsung’s OLED panels for iPhone X because other manufacturers like LG and JDI are unable to mass produce OLED panels to meet the requirements of the Cupertino company. It is spending around $120 to $130 on each OLED panel from Samsung for the iPhone X. However, it is spending nearly $45 to $50 for LCD panels of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
It is now speculated that until other suppliers such as LG and JDI do not start mass productions of OLED panels, the Cupertino company may continue to rely on Full Active LCD panels from JDI. Reports have revealed that JDI will be mass producing OLED panels in April 2019. This indicates that all the iPhones that will be launched in 2019 may come with OLED screens. As far as 2018 is concerned, one of the iPhones may possibly feature a 6-inch display.
It remains to be seen if LeEco’s mobile and smart TV arms will rise again. These subsidiaries alongside a number of others have suffered heavy losses. Debts have been left unpaid and assets have been frozen. In the midst of all these negative news, leaks of smartphones that should have been launched have surfaced online. Today, we have images of a prototype LeEco Le X7 smartphone.
The LeEco Le X7 doesn’t have any bells and whistles that will make you wish for it to be released. The design is typical LeEco – bezels, a metal body, and the black bars around the screen to create a pseudo edge-to-edge appearance.
The top bezel has the sensor, earpiece and a front facing camera. There are no visible capacitive buttons on the chin, but if you are familiar with LeEco phones, you’ll know they are there but are just not lit up.
The unit is rose gold and there are antenna lines in the familiar U-design at the top and bottom. The phone looks like it has dual rear cameras but we think the circle at the bottom is a LED flash and not a second camera. The camera setup is a bit raised and below it is LeEco’s signature mirror fingerprint scanner.
The LeEco Le X7 has an IR blaster at the top sitting beside a secondary mic. Volume rocker and power button are positioned on the right. We can’t see the left side and bottom of the phone but they should house the SIM tray slot and USB Type-C port respectively.
One of the images shows the about section of the phone. We see that the model number of the Le X7 is LEX550. The phone is running EUI 5.8 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with a July 2016 security level patch. It also reveals the processor as a deca-core chip clocked at 2.3GHz.
We have six more days before Google takes off the wraps on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. There have been a number of fresh leaks in the last few days about both phones.
One of the details mentioned in recent leaks says both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will have stereo front-facing speakers. Images of screen protectors for the phones have surfaced online confirming this info.
The pictures show that the Pixel 2 will have its stereo speakers embedded in the chin and forehead of the phone with bezels surrounding them just like the Nexus 6P. The Pixel 2 XL’s stereo speakers are closer to the edges similar to the design of the Nexus 9.
Huawei released a poster confirming that its dual camera mid-ranger, the Honor 6X will be getting a successor come October 11. The new phone called the Honor 7X will keep the dual camera feature that made its predecessor popular. However, it won’t have the same low price tag though it does pack some interesting new features.
According to leaked info, the Honor 7X will have a much larger 5.93-inch full-screen display. It will be powered by the Kirin 659, the same chip in the Maimang 6. Unlike the Honor 6X that is available in three variants, the Honor 7X will be available in two – a 3GB RAM + 64GB model and a 4GB RAM + 64GB model.
The dual rear cameras are a 12MP + 2MP combo just like those of the 6X. The 2MP sensor is definitely for depth sensing when taking portrait images. Front camera is an 8MP sensor.
The Honor 7X will come with a 3240mAh battery with a 5V/2A charger. We are a bit concerned about the battery as it is smaller than that of the 6X and its powering an even larger screen.
The Honor 7X is codenamed Bond and its 3C-certification shows two variants – one has model number BND-AL10 and the other is BND-TL10.
Pricing for the Honor 7X has also been leaked ahead of the launch. The price was accidentally seen on the computer of a fellow in a bus who was working on a presentation slide for the Honor 7X. The Honor 7X will start at ¥1799 (~$300) for the 3GB model and rise to ¥2099 (~$315) for the 4GB model.
Xiaomi has announced a new product under its MIJIA crowdfunding platform and the product happens to be Xiaomi’s 118th MIJIA product. The product is dubbed 70 Minutes Smart Car DVR camera and it comes with a fairly decent price tag of 189Yuan ($28).
The 70 Minutes Car Dashcam is equipped with a powerful Sony IMX323 image sensor which supports 1080p video recording and would deliver pictures with vivid clarity. The camera also comes with a130 ° wide angle lens which can cover up to three lanes. The gadget comes with a conical shape with the camera located on the side of the cone. The camera itself has a spherical lens made wholly of glass with 7 layer coating which enhances the light transmission, reduces reflection and prevent the glass from cracking from extremely high temperatures.
The 70 Minutes Dashcam also comes with a rotating bracket which lets users rotate the tilt angle to that which soothes the glass angulation of the car. The dashcam also features voice support and can be controlled using voice prompt. The voice is said to have been tested using different persons in order to ensure that it recognises different accents. The camera power button is located at one end of the dash camera and is surrounded by light. The light indicator comes with three different colors, blue, green and red. The blue color indicates the device has been switched on and the green blinks when the camera is recording. The red color is indicative of an abnormal recording session.
The Smart Dashcam gets its power supply from the car’s cigarette lighter and has support for WiFi. the Wi-Fi enables the dashcam to connect with a smartphone and this allows for real-time viewing of the camera shooting session.
On Monday, Gionee announced the M7 and the Steel 2 Plus. Both phones are the first to come with its 18:9 FullView display. In its plans to penetrate more markets, Gionee launched the Steel 2 Plus in Thailand today but under a different name – the M7 Power.
The M7 Power has a 6.0-inch HD+ display. It is powered by the Snapdragon 435 mobile platform and has 4GB of RAM. Built-in storage is 64GB but can be further increased via a MicroSD card slot.
Apart from the 18:9 display of the phone, another selling point of the M7 Power is its non-removable 5000mAh battery. This should be more than sufficient for a day.
The M7 Power has a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front facing camera that can take bokeh selfies. Gionee has also pre-installed it with Android 7.1 Nougat with the latest version of its UI, Amigo 5.0 on top.
HMD Global has already confirmed that the Android 8.0 Oreo update would be released for Nokia 3, Nokia 5, Nokia 6 and Nokia 8. In the previous week, HMD Global Chief Product Officer Juho Sarvikas had shared official images that revealed that the company is working on Android 8.0 Oreo update for Nokia 8. However, he did not reveal the exact timeline for the release of Oreo update. Today, the company has made officially confirmed that the Android 8.0 Oreo would be released for its smartphones before the end of 2017.
Mark Trundle who is the HDM Global’s General Manager for multiple regions like Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia has confirmed in a recent interview that the Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 would be updated to Android 8.0 Oreo before the end of this year. This means that the Nokia 3 will become the cheapest smartphone to receive Android Oreo.
As far as Nokia 8 is concerned, since the company has hinted that it is testing Android 8.0 Oreo update for the smartphone, it is likely that it could become the first Nokia phone to receive the latest Android version. The Android 8.0 Oreo update is expected to be first available for unlocked variants of Nokia 3, 5, 6 and 8. Next in line would be the carrier variants of these phones.
The upcoming Nokia 2 entry-level phone is expected to come loaded with Android 7.1 Nougat. There is no information on whether it will be receiving the Oreo update.
The last quarter of this year will be starting soon and HMD Global is speculated to unveil couple of devices during the period. Apart from the rumors of the launch of a bezel-less Nokia 9 flagship phone, the Finnish firm is also expected to unveil Nokia 2 entry-level phone. Fresh information suggests that the company may debut MD-22 wireless speaker alongside the Nokia 2.
Well-known leakster, Roland Quandt had claimed that the Nokia 2 phone won’t be launched alone, and many speculated that the company would unveil Nokia 9 phone alongside it. Fresh information suggest that a wireless speaker would be accompanying the Nokia 2 phone.
Nokia MD-12 wireless speaker
In 2014, when Nokia smartphones were running on Windows Phone 8.1, the Finnish firm had unveiled MD-12 wireless speaker. The rumored Nokia MD-22 wireless speaker is said to arrive as a successor device for MD-12.
The MD-22 wireless speaker is expected to be priced between 30 euros to 40 euros. The MD-12 had arrived with a pricing of 39 euros. Its successor model is expected to be available in all the markets where HMD Global is selling its products.
The MD-12 offered wireless connectivity through Bluetooth and NFC and it also provided users with audio-out connector. The MD-22 is also expected to arrive with similar connectivity features.
Earlier in this week, Nokia Myanmar seems to have accidentally revealed that the Nokia 2 would be available in the country in November. However, some rumors have claimed that the Nokia 2 would be made official as early as Oct. 5.
The Nokia 2 is speculated to feature a 5-inch HD screen. It is rumored to feature Snapdragon 210 / 212 chipset and 1 GB of RAM. Other rumored specs include 8-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front camera, and 4,000mAh battery. It is pegged to cost around $105.
As of this writing, the Finnish firm has not confirmed on launch events for the remaining months of this year. Since the Nokia 2 is entry-level phone, it may get announced through a press release.
Smartphones with a customised body reminiscent of the Vertu models are very popular in some parts of the world despite the huge price tag they usually come with. One country where such premium smartphones are collectors’ items is Russia and it might interest you to know that Apple’s latest iPhone X is already available in a Titanium body in Russia courtesy of design outfit – Caviar.
The iPhone X will not be available for sale until November and isn’t even available to pre-order just yet. Apple will start receiving pre-orders for iPhone X on October 27 while the device will ship on November 3, 2017, but Caviar is open to receive pre-orders for the Titanium coated limited edition of the iPhone X priced at 202 900 R ($4,500). The Russian company has a reputation for manufacturing customised phones and its cache includes the Nokia 3310 Putin-Trump Summit Edition released a few months back. The iPhone X is made of titanium, a material used by the Russians to manufacture MiG-35 fighter jets, Satan ICBMs (missile launch platforms), and T-14 tanks.
Apart from the iPhone X, Caviar also has customised versions of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus models up for pre-order. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus is available for slightly reduced prices which start at around $3,000.
Nokia had resurrected the Nokia 3310 feature phone by launching its revamped version during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 event in February. Since the Nokia 3310 (2017) supports only 2G connectivity, its unusable in some markets like the U.S., Canada, Australia and Singapore. HMD Global has now launched the 3G edition of the phone and has confirmed that it will be available for buying from next month.
Nokia 3310 (2017) with support for 3G connectivity has been launched in Australia. The handset will be available for buying in the country with a price tag of AUD 89.95 ($70) starting from Oct. 17. It will be available through carriers like Optus and Vodafone in Australia.
It is expected to be available globally with a pricing of 69 euros ($81.17). Its global release is also pegged to happen in mid-October. There is no information on the specific markets that will be getting the Nokia 3310 3G. However, Singapore is the other market that will be getting it in October.
The new 3G model is enabled with new customization options such as rearranging of icons and modifying color themes. It is also loaded with a refreshed customizable retro UI. The phone has been slightly redesigned as there is more spacing between the buttons.
As far as the 2G model is concerned, the Chief Marketing Officer of HMD Global Pekka Ranatala has claimed that the company sold “millions” of units of Nokia 3310 (2017). The specifications of the Nokia 3310 (2017) 3G version are same as its 2G variant. It will be coming in color choices like Azure, Charcoal, Warm Red and Yellow.
The Nokia 3310 (2017) has a 2.4-inch color display that supports 240 x 320 pixels resolution. It is running on “Feature OS powered by Java” and comes with 64 GB ROM and external storage support. It features a LED enabled 2-megapixel rear camera. It carries support for dual-SIM connectivity and is packed with a 1,200mAh battery that offers up to 27 days of standby time. For connectivity, it provides options like Bluetooth 2.1 and microUSB port. The phone comes preinstalled with the classic Snake game that is optimized for new color display.
LG has unveiled the LG K7i entry-level smartphone at the ongoing India Mobile Congress event in New Delhi. The smartphone has a very unique feature that can assist in controlling mosquito-borne diseases in the country.
LG K7i comes with a feature called Mosquito Away that uses ultrasonic sensor available on the backside of the smartphone to create 30KHz ultrasonic sound waves. These sound waves are not audible to humans. However, mosquitoes and insects are unable to withstand the noise which helps in driving them away. Hence, the LG K7i can protect its users from mosquito bites. At the launch event, the company said that there are no harmful chemicals on the phone and neither were any used while manufacturing it.
LG has launched air conditioners and televisions with Mosquito Away feature in the past and now the feature has been made available on a mobile phone. The company claims that the LG K7i is the first smartphone in the world that comes with an ultrasonic technology to shoo away the mosquitoes.
Coming to the specifications of the LG K7i phone, it features a 5-inch display that supports an HD resolution of 720 x 1,280 pixels. It is driven by an unspecified quad-core processor that clocks at 1.4 GHz. The processor is coupled with 2 GB of RAM and it comes with inbuilt flash storage of 16 GB. It can support up to 128 GB of microSD card. It features a rear-mounted fingerprint reader.
It is preloaded with Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS. The rear camera of the LG K7i is of 8-megapixel and it houses a frontal shooter of 5-megapixel. It includes a decent battery of 2,500 mAh capacity . The connectivity features of the LG K7i include 3.5mm audio jack, dual-SIM support, v4.2 Bluetooth, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802 b/g/n and NFC connectivity. It sports a full plastic design that has a thickness of 8.1mm and it weighs 138 grams.
LG is also proving Mosquito Away stand along with the smartphone. Buyers who do not want the Mosquito Away feature can swap its rear cover with a normal one. The smartphone comes in brown color and carries a pricing of Rs. 7,990 (~$121). The handset will be available through offline retailers across India.
Do you think that the LG K7i smartphone will be well-received in India? Share us your thoughts by commenting below.
Earlier in this month, the rumor mill had revealed the key specs that would be arriving on the Xiaomi Mi 7. The report had revealed that the upcoming flagship phone from the company would be driven by Snapdragon 845 chipset. Today, an industry insider from China has claimed that the Chinese firm and Qualcomm are currently working on optimizing the Snapdragon 845 v2.
He has added the development progress is proceeding at a steady pace as Xiaomi is expected to begin the testing of Mi 7 in November this year. The final testing of Xiaomi’s upcoming flagship may happen in February next year. The Mi 7 may come with a large-sized OLED screen. However, the smartphone is unlikely to feature an in-screen fingerprint reader.
In June, reports had claimed that the upcoming Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL would be the phones to feature the new Snapdragon 836 chipset. However, newer information has revealed that the Snapdragon 836 chipset does not exist and the next premium SoC from Qualcomm would be the Snapdragon 845.
Rumors have it that the Snapdragon 845 is manufactured by Samsung through its 10nm Low Power Early (LPE) FinFET process. It is speculated to include a combination of Cortex A75 cores, Adreno 630 graphics and X20 LTE modem that is capable of delivering download speed of up to 1.2 Gbps.
The Xiaomi Mi 7 rumors suggest that it will be featuring a 6-inch OLED screen from Samsung. It is expected to support an aspect ratio of 18:9. The Mi 7 could be the first smartphone from the company to carry support for wireless charging.
When it comes to the design, the Mi 7 is expected to feature the same glass and ceramic chassis that is available on the Mi 6. As far as the pricing of the Mi 7 is concerned, it is pegged to cost around 2,999 Yuan for the 6 GB RAM model. Previous reports have suggested that Xiaomi may unveil the Mi 7 in the first quarter of 2018. Rivaling brands like Samsung and LG are also rumored to debut their respective flagships such as Galaxy S9 and LG G7 in Q1 next year.
A lot of information on the upcoming Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones have been revealed in the past weeks. Today, Android Authority has shared fresh details on the specifications of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL that it has received from an exclusive source.
Google Pixel 2 XL Specifications
The Pixel 2 XL will be coming with a curved edge-to-edge display that will support QHD resolution. The display is expected to carry support for Wide Color Gamut. The publication claims that it is not sure of the exact size of the display for Pixel 2 XL. However, its source has stated that it will be supporting a screen-to-body ratio of about 80 to 85 percent. Previous rumors have claimed that it will be fitted with a 5.99-inch OLED panel from LG.
The Pixel 2 will be driven by Snapdragon 835 chipset and it is expected to arrive in 64 GB and 128 GB models. It is going to be equipped with a battery of 3,520 mAh capacity. The publication has added that the Pixel 2 XL won’t be featuring a 3.5mm audio jack, but it will be flanked with dual stereo speakers.
Just like the original Pixel phones, Google is expected to include stellar cameras on the Pixel 2 XL and Pixel 2. At least, one of the camera sensors of the smartphone is going to feature OIS. The Pixel 2 XL is going to feature a e-SIM card that would allow users to seamlessly switch between networks in the U.S.
The Pixel 2 XL is likely to feature Google’s second-generation fingerprint reader. As far as the durability of Pixel 2 XL is concerned, it will feature an IP67 certified dust and water-resistant along with Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
The Active Edge feature that will function like the Edge Sense feature on HTC U11 will be available on the left side of the Pixel 2 XL. Hence, squeezing the Pixel 2 XL will allow to launch Google Assistant or dismiss an alarm.
Google Pixel 2 Specifications
The Google Pixel 2 is expected to arrive with identical specs as its larger sibling. However, the Pixel 2 will have some key differences. Since the Pixel 2 will be arriving with a smaller display that supports FHD resolution, it is unlikely to support Wide Color Gamut. It will be featuring a battery of 2,700 mAh capacity. Previous reports have revealed that it will be coming with a 4.97-inch display.
Customers of Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will be provided with unlimited Google Cloud storage for free until 2023. The Pixel 2 duo will be unveiled on Oct. 4.
Earlier in this month, the rumor mill had revealed that ZTE will be announcing a foldable smartphone with dual screens called ZTE Axon Multy in the next month. Today, Android Authority has revealed a leaked photo to show the semi-unfolded view of the alleged smartphones.
The ZTE Axon Multy features a pair of full HD displays. When the device is unfolded, these screens join together to form a larger display of 6.8 inches with a resolution of 1,920 x 2,160 pixels. It suggests that the unfolded screen would offer an unconventional aspect ratio of 1:1. As it can be seen in the image below, the two displays are connected by means of a hinge.
The leaked logo of the smartphone had suggested that the smartphone would be unveiled as ZTE Axon Multy. However, newer information suggests that the handset may debut as ZTE Axon M. It is expected to deliver superior multi-tasking experience as it will allow users to run different apps on both screens simultaneously
Previous reports have revealed the thickness of the device when kept in the folded state would be less than 10mm. The dual screen phone would be driven by Snapdragon 820 chipset and 4 GB of RAM. It is pegged to arrive with an internal storage of 32 GB. It is expected to include a 3,120mAh battery. It is speculated to feature a 20-megapixel camera and a 3.5mm audio jack.
The ZTE Axon M is rumored to be unveiled on Oct. 17 in New York. The Chinese firm had already confirmed that it would be holding an unveil event on that day. The Axon M is expected to be exclusively available in the U.S. through AT&T. As far as pricing is concerned, it is expected to cost around $650. Initial reports suggest that the smartphone may not be available outside of the U.S.
What do you think about this smartphone? Will it be able to entice buyers even though it does not feature high-end features like Snapdragon 835 and dual rear cameras? Share us your thoughts by posting your comments below.
Meizu has tremendously picked up the pace with its smartphones released in the second half of the year. The first half of 2017 saw quite a few models released by the tech giant but now, soon after the launch of the Pro 7 and Pro 7 Plus as well as the Meizu Flow headset, the company has launched the M6 Note and recently, the M6. Now, there are signs the Meizu MX7 will be launched on October 11 by the tech giant.
The Meizu MX7 is supposed to be a flagship model considering that the MX series was Meizu’s flagship series until the birth of the Pro-series. The MX7 will take the reins from the MX6 launched around July last year packing an Helio X20 chip and a powerful 12MP Sony IMX386 rear camera sensor. The MX7 was expected to launch in September this year packing an Helio P30 chip, according to the leaked Meizu product schedule for this year that has so far been fairly accurate.
In this case, September is almost gone leaving the possibility of the MX7 launching in October. However, it must be noted that the teaser posters were not released officially by Meizu and cannot be found on any of Meizu’s official Weibo handles. This leaves room for speculation that they are likely fake. Moreso, we can’t vouch for the pedigree of the leaker. The teaser posters are also suggestive of the MX7 packing an in-display fingerprint sensor which Qualcomm says will only find its way into smartphones next year. You can check out the posters from below.
Huawei recently filed a patent application for a selfie toning flash which is believed to find its way into smartphone cameras soon. Apparently, the tech giant is also planning to have its own 360-degree camera as a recent patent filing for an EnVizion 360 Panoramic VR Camera has been made by the Chinese tech giant before the U.S Patent and Trademark Office. A similar patent application was also filed in the EU Intellectual Property Office.
As with other patent applications, not so many details of the product are revealed but the name is suggestive of a panoramic camera likely similar in function to the Samsung Gear 360 camera which made its debut in 2016 and is in its second generation. The Gear 360 has a portable design and is capable of capturing 360-degree photos and videos. The EnVizion 360 Panoramic VR Camera may go beyond just 360-degrees photos and videos, though, as it is also a Virtual Reality camera which would work with a VR headset. Huawei already has a 360-degree camera to its name so, it is most likely there are more innovative features wrapped with this one.
The Huawei patent application also indicates the presence of an Android app which would be used for controlling the EnVizion 360. This is also similar to the Gear 360 which has a dedicated app that lets owners control the camera and stitch the 360-degree photos. The patent filing is pretty recent and so, we might not be seeing the EnVizion 360 camera anytime within this year.
Amazon unveiled a bunch of new products today. Five of the products are Echo related and the last is a new Fire TV.
Amazon Echo 2nd Gen
The Amazon Echo was the first Alexa powered device released by the retail giant in 2014. Then it announced the Amazon Tap and Echo Dot. While the Echo Dot already got a second gen model almost a year ago, the Echo is just getting its own three years later.
The new Amazon Echo is smaller with a height of 148mm but wider with a diameter of 88mm. The biggest change is in its appearance as it now comes in six new styles – Heather Gray Fabric, Charcoal Fabric, Sandstone Fabric, Oak Finish, Walnut Finish and Silver Finish.
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It still has 7 microphones that can pick up instructions from all corners of the room in addition to 360° audio. The top is different as you now have volume buttons in addition to the microphone off and Action buttons. You also do not have a microphone grille for the 7 microphones.
The 2nd Gen Amazon Echo will sell for $99.99 and will start shipping in November.
Amazon Echo Plus
The Echo Plus is just like the first gen Echo. However it has a built-in ZigBee smart hub for controlling your home. It is perfect for those who do not already own a smart hub.
The Echo Plus is priced at $149.99 and is available in black, white, and silver. It will ship next month and buyers will get a free Philips Hue bulb.
Amazon Echo Spot
The Echo Spot is a blend of the Echo Show and Echo Dot. You get a smaller circular screen in a compact body along with other features of the Show such as the front camera.
It has a 2W speaker but external speakers can be connected via the 3.5mm audio jack. It comes in black and white and will sell for $129.99 and will be available in December.
Echo Connect
The Echo Connect is a black rectangular box for voice calling. Since Amazon already added voice calling to its Echo speakers, those who have a home phone service and want to connect it to their Echo device need to buy this. All you have to do is plug in your phone line into the Echo Connect and sync your contacts with the Alexa app.
Ask your other compatible Echo devices to call a contact and it places the call using your home line number. It will sell for $34.99 and be available in December.
Echo Buttons
The Echo Buttons are a fun way to use Alexa. They are the first of the Alexa Gadgets and are deigned to provide users with a physical way to interact with other Echo devices.
Other Alexa gadgets will be released and they will be able to perform actions just like the buttons, sync, react to notifications, and send input to your echo device.
The Echo Buttons for now can be used during an Alexa trivia game just like on a Quiz shows. It will come in a pack of two for $20.
Fire TV (4K)
Details of the new Fire TV leaked two weeks ago. The Chromecast-like device will provide 4K content at 60fps as well as HDR and Dolby Atmos audio. It comes with the same remote we saw in the image which has voice control for Alexa once you pair any of your Echo devices to the TV.
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