BlackBerry and Timex May Collaborate to Launch a Smartwatch

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Sep 18, 2017

In September last year, BlackBerry had confirmed that it won’t be building its own phones. China-based TCL reached an agreement with the Canadian firm in December last year and it confirmed that it will be producing BlackBerry branded smartphones. TCL has already launched BlackBerry KeyOne smartphone that has been received well by the audience and critics. In the last week, BlackBerry reached a patent licensing agreement with Timex. Speculations have it that the licensing deal could result in the debut of BlackBerry or Timex branded smartwatch

There is no information available on the different patents that are listed in the agreement between BlackBerry and Timex. The portfolio of the Canadian company has around 40,000 patents for technologies such as “wireless communications, networking infrastructure, acoustics, messaging, enterprise software, operating systems, virtualization and cybersecurity.”

Hence, the deal between the two firms does not necessarily mean that they will launch a smartwatch. The press release does not contain terms of the deal, but only includes a single information a that Timex is making on-going royalty payments to the Canadian firm for an unmentioned time period.

Raed More: No Nougat for BlackBerry Priv, Says Company’s Executive

BlackBerry’s senior director of Intellectual Property Licensing, Jerald Gnuschke has claimed that the patent portfolio and the licensing agreement with Timex will allow them to concentrate on further opportunities in the mobile communications market. Sarah McKinney, the corporate communications officer with BlackBerry refrained from sharing any other information apart from what’s mentioned in the press release.

In the recent past, Timex has recently launched hybrid smartwatches such as the Timex IQ+ Move. Blackberry seems to be gradually entering the wearable market as it has provided its UEM software to Vuzix M300 smart glasses in August. Hence, the BlackBerry-Timex deal could mean that there could be a Timex smartwatch secured with BlackBerry’s software.

In related news, BlackBerry is expected to debut a new smartwatch in October. Several details on the upcoming BlackBerry phone that is codenamed as Krypton has been revealed by the rumor mill. Rumors have it that it the new phone will be introduced under the DTEK line of smartphones. The company is also rumored to be working another phone that is codenamed as Juno. The BlackBerry Krypton is expected to get unveiled in the next month. However, there is no information on the launch of BlackBerry Juno.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 White Ceramic Version Looks Beautiful (Images)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 18, 2017

When Xiaomi officially unveiled the Mi Mix 2 on September 11, it did announce that there was going to be a special edition with a full ceramic body that is available in white and black. The all-ceramic body will not feature a metal frame like the regular versions and it is expected to have 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. A Xiaomi official has now afforded us an opportunity to have a peek at the Mi Mix 2 White Ceramic Special Edition by sharing a couple of photos of the special version via his Weibo handle. Cui Baoqiu who is the head of Xiaomi’s Cloud platform specifically indicated that the images were those of the white all-ceramic exclusive edition and it seems he was already using the device!

Taking a look at the device, what readily comes to mind is the beauty which it radiates. This isn’t meant to be an exaggeration but the white edition is a clear reflection of the beautiful design the Mi Mix 2 comes with. We can’t call this a bezel-less model, as the white color brings out clearly, the bezels on all sides but the fact remains that these are very tiny bezels except at the bottom edge where the selfie camera is situated. There is a black border on the edge of the display which could have hardly been noticed on the black variant but it is there.

The back of the white ceramic edition is no less beautiful, sporting a sleek mirror finish with curves reminiscent of the Mix 2 but the weight may vary since there is no metal fuselage on this version. The rear camera, LED flash and fingerprint sensor’s location wasn’t change but the inscription “Mix Built By Xiaomi” is conspicuously missing. This could either be because we are looking at a prototype here or Xiaomi won’t be including that in the body.

Apart from the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage which the special edition features, it is expected with the same 5.99-inch FHD+ display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 and is powered by a Snapdragon 835 chip with an Adreno 540 GPU. The Mi MIX 2 packs a single 12MP Sony IM386 sensor at the rear as well as a 5MP selfie camera. There is a 4,400mAH battery under the hood with QC 3.0 and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. There is also dual WiFi band support and it supports 43 bands, 22 of which are LTE bands, including band 20. The Mi MIX 2 runs on MIUI 9 based on Android Nougat.

The Mi Mix 2 Special Ceramic version is expected to carry a price tag of 4699 yuan (∼$721). Since it has a ceramic unibody, not too many quantities would be available due to the slow production process so, it won’t be easy grabbing one. Don’t forget there will also be a black all-ceramic special edition.

(source)

Apple Unlikely to Meet iPhone X Demand Until First Half of Next Year, Claims Kuo

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Sep 18, 2017

A recent report had revealed that the sales of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus may suffer in fiscal Q4. The probable reason behind it is that before buying an iPhone 8 or 8 Plus, customers may want to wait for the market release of the premium iPhone X that will happen on Nov. 3. It means that there will be stupendous demand for the iPhone X that sports an edge-to-edge display and other topnotch features. Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known analyst with KGI Securities claims that the Cupertino company will not be able to meet the demand of the iPhone X before the first half of next year.

According to Kuo, Face ID, full-screen design and AR support of the iPhone X will be main features that will drive the sales of iPhone X. Previously, he had speculated that Apple would be shipping 50 million units of the iPhone X in this year. His revised prediction for this year states that only 40 million iPhone X units will be shipped. It seems that buying an iPhone X will be very difficult during the upcoming holiday season.

However, the Cupertino company is expected to increase the shipments of the smartphone in 2018. The analyst added that the company may ship 90 million units of the iPhone X in the coming year.

Kuo is of the view that the Face ID system that includes proprietary structured light technology will provide the iPhone X users with consistent and acceptable security. The new Face ID feature that replaces the Touch ID biometric recognition feature on the iPhone X can not only be used for unlocking it but also for authenticating Apple Pay transactions.

He further stated that the iPhone X’s display offers the highest screen-to-body ratio. Hence, the iPhone X is the most impressive smartphone with edge-to-edge display available in the market. The iPhone X users are also expected to be impressed with Animoji (animated emoji). Animoji uses the Face ID hardware to let cartoon characters to match the facial expression and speech of the user. Also, the ARKit as well as the sensors available on the smartphone will provide users with the best AR experience that will not be easy for the rivals to replicate

The bezel-less OLED screen and advanced front-facing camera system are reportedly hampering the production of the iPhone X. Kuo had predicted in the previous week that Apple will be producing less than 10,000 units of iPhone X per day.

Micromax HS3 is Another Full-Screen Display Phone, Spotted On GFXBench

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 17, 2017

The Micromax Canvas Infinity was released about a month ago. The mid-range device is the first smartphone with a full-screen display from the Indian brand. It appears that another one will be arriving soon as a Micromax HS3 with a smaller but similar display has been seen on GFXBench.

The Micromax HS3 runs Android 7.1.2. It has a 5.1-inch display which is significantly smaller than the 5.7-inch screen of the Canvas Infinity. However, both devices have the same 1440 x 720 resolution which translates to a 2:1 display.

The HS3 is powered by a octa-core processor which is either the Snapdragon 430/435 with an Adreno 505 GPU. It has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.

GFXBench reveals the full-screen display will not be the only selling point of the Micromax HS3 when it hits shelves. Its front camera is listed as a 20MP sensor and the rear camera is a 16MP sensor.

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Xiaomi Chiron Appears on GFXBench With Flagship Specs, Is This The Mi Note 3 Pro?

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 17, 2017

A month ago, a device codenamed Chiron was seen on the Beijing Subway database. It was said to be the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2. The Mi MIX 2 was unveiled last week and the Xiaomi Chiron has surfaced again, this time on GFXBench. The specs are different which means this is another device entirely and not the Mi MIX 2.

The benchmarking site reveals the Xiaomi Chiron has a 5.6-inch full HD screen. It is powered by an octa-core processor clocked at 2.4GHz. The Adreno 540 GPU gives it away as the Snapdragon 835.

The Xiaomi Chiron packs 6GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It has a 12MP rear camera that can record 4K videos and a 5MP front facing camera. Just has reported the first time it appeared, the Chiron does have NFC support.

Now let’s analyse the specs. If Xiaomi hadn’t released a 6GB RAM + 256GB variant of the Mi MIX 2, we could assume this was it. However, the fact that the screen is even smaller at 5.6-inches completely negates that argument.

My guess is that this is the Mi Note 3 Pro. The 1st generation Mi Note came in two variants – a Snapdragon 801 variant and a Snapdragon 810 model that carried the Pro suffix.

Although the Mi Note 2 ditched the tradition, it doesn’t mean Xiaomi can’t resume it now. So I presume the plan was to first launch the Mi Note 3 with a Snapdragon 660 processor and then later release the Snapdragon 835-powered Chiron as the Mi Note 3 Pro. That way, those who want a bigger Mi 6 can purchase it without sacrificing the Snapdragon 835 processor like the Mi Note 3 does.

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Lenovo Tab 4 Series Launched, Brings Add-Ons But US Market Gets The Short End of The Stick

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 17, 2017

Lenovo has unveiled its Tab 4 series of tablets. The new series is available in 2 major models – Standard and Plus, and each one comes in 8” and 10” variants. Though the standard model has already been available for purchase for a while.

Lenovo Tab 4

The standard models feature IPS displays with 1280 x 800 resolution. There is a Snapdragon 425 mobile platform powering the tablets paired with 2GB of RAM. Storage is 16GB but can be expanded via a MicroSD card slot.

There is an 8MP camera on the rear and a 5MP front facing camera on the 10-inch model. The 8-inch model packs a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP selfie shooter.

For battery capacity, Lenovo has put a 7,000mAh battery in the larger model and a 4,850mAh battery in the 8” version. Both tablets have dual front facing speakers (Dolby Atmos) and run Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.

Lenovo Tab 4 Plus

The Tab 4 Plus offers more not only in terms of specifications, but also with respect to design. Both variants feature glass backs giving them a sleek appearance. The 8” model measures 7.15 mm in thickness and the 10” model is 8.4 mm.

The Tab 4 Plus is powered by the Snapdragon 625 with 3GB/4GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of expandable storage (128GB max). The display is full HD on both variants, so videos will appear sharper than on the standard model. There are dual front facing speakers as well as Dolby ATMOS.

The Plus models also have fingerprint scanners embedded in the power buttons and USB Type-C ports. However, battery capacity and software remains the same on both the Plus and standard models.

Lenovo Tab 4 US Models

If you live in the United States, irrespective of the variant you purchase, you only get 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. The 3GB/4GB RAM + 32GB/64GB ROM variants of the plus models are the international variants.

Kid’s Pack and Productivity Pack

Owners can purchase a kid’s pack that includes a blue-light filter, shock resistant bumper and pair of 3M stickers to guard against scratches.

There is also a productivity pack for the 10” models that is basically a Bluetooth keyboard with a kickstand on the hardware side and a productivity interface (taskbar, instant app switching and multi-window mode etc.) on the software side.

Home Assistant

Remember the teaser Lenovo released for IFA? We mentioned a product that looks like the Amazon Echo Show was partially shown in it. At the event, Lenovo unveiled the Home Assistant that is basically a speaker with a dock on the side. Mount any of the Tab 4 models onto the dock and you have a device like the Echo Show and which is also powered by Alexa

The dock has a USB type-C port on the side where the tablets clips into. Once it is connected, the smart assistant interface automatically pops up. The dock has a 3 watt speaker for improved audio and two built-in microphones. You can use it just the way you would use any other Alexa-powered device.

It will be available next month for $69.99.

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The ASUS Zenfone V is A Verizon Exclusive Device With A SD 820 & 23MP Camera

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 17, 2017

Yesterday, ASUS announced its Verizon exclusive ASUS Zenfone V. The design is reminiscent of last year’s Zenfone 3 series with the concentric circle design at the back but with some modifications. Fingerprint scanner has changed position and it doesn’t feature dual cameras like this year’s Zenfone 4 series.

The Zenfone V (model V520KL) is one of the few ASUS phones with an AMOLED display. The screen measures 5.2-inches with 2.5D Gorilla Glass protection and a full HD resolution. The display is also oleophobic and has a 178° viewing angle.

It is powered by the aging-but-capable Snapdragon 820 paired with 4GB of RAM and 32GB (eMMC) of expandable storage. The Zenfone V packs a 23MP Sony IMX318 sensor with a f/2.0 aperture, laser focus, EIS and OIS as the main camera. The front facing camera is an 8MP sensor.

If you are familiar with ASUS then you should know that their camera app comes with a lot of features like time rewind, smart remove, super resolution, panorama selfie, gif animation, miniature mode and even a portrait mode.

The Zenfone V packs a 3000mAh battery with support for Power Delivery 2.0 and ships with an 18W charger. There is a USB TYpe-C 3.0 port in addition to a 3.5mm audio jack at the bottom and a fingerprint scanner under the home button.

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Report Says Galaxy S7 Most Used Phone and Snapdragon 410 Most Used Chipset for Q2 2017

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 17, 2017

A new report by web traffic analysts, Device Atlas, has revealed its Mobile Web Intelligence Report for Q2 2017. The report covers a wide range of categories such as the most used chipset, most used GPU, and standard amount of RAM in devices to name a few.

The data is gotten from traffic to thousands of site and is limited to the second quarter of this year. There are some results that would leave you in surprise and others that are expected.

For the most used chipsets, Device Atlas says it is Qualcomm chips. It then adds that the Snapdragon 410 is the chip found in most Android phones. This is the chip in phones like the Lenovo K3, Honor 4 Play, and Galaxy A3.

The chip is indeed the most used globally, but it isn’t the top chip in places like the US or the UK. Apple chips reign supreme there with Snapdragon 9(SDM 820) coming in at the 4th position in the US. The data also reveals Nigeria is the only country with more MediaTek powered smartphones than Qualcomm.

Report on RAM says 512MB, 1GB and 2GB RAM devices are still very popular thanks to Apple devices which generally have less RAM. Some older Samsung phones also increased the number. Colombia, Nigeria, Russia, Brazil,and Egypt are the countries with the highest number of 500MB phones. 4GB RAM and above devices are common in Australia, Sweden and the US.

For GPU, the Adreno is the most common but in places like the US and the UK where iPhones are the most common devices, PowerVR by Imagination Technologies takes the lead.

Device Atlas says Android still has the largest market share, topping the list in 60 major markets. Although Android phones have increased in popularity in some markets, it has dropped over the last two quarters in countries like the USA.

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Xiaomi Mi Band HRX Edition Launched: Same Design, Cheaper But Lacks Heart Rate Monitor

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 17, 2017

Xiaomi has launched a slightly trimmed down version of the award winning Mi Band 2 which it called Mi Band HRX Edition. As the name implies, the new edition is the product of a partnership with HRX by Hrithik Roshan. The new product was launched in India as a new fitness band but is essentially an adaptation of the Mi Band 2. The Mi Band HRX Edition looks similar to the Mi Band 2 in design, except for the additional HRX logo now embedded on the strap and the Mi logo under the watch.

The Mi Band HRX Edition sports an OLED display with a design similar to that of the Mi Band 2. The devices shows the time and is also a fitness tracker which records the steps, distance covered, and calories burnt. It has an improved pedometer for more accuracy in steps and exercise measurement, and just like the Mi Band 2, it also alerts you if you have been sitting or standing in one place for too long. The Mi Band HRX Edition will remind you to take short walks and water breaks at regular intervals.

Furthermore, it also tracks your sleep, sends calls and notification alerts on a paired smartphone. It unlocks your paired Android smartphone without the need to put in a passcode or fingerprint as well. The Mi Band HRX Edition has support for Bluetooth 4.0 and is rated to offer 23 days of battery life as well, three days more than the Mi Band 2. That does not in any way mean the HRX Edition is superior to its progenitor. It actually lacks a heart rate monitor so is short of one feature which is considered important by some.

The Mi Band HRX Edition will be available from September 18 on Mi.com,and Mi Home offline stores. It will also be sold on Myntra, Flipkart, and Amazon in India starting September 20 and is priced at Rs. 1,299 (around $20), slightly cheaper than the Mi Band 2’s price in India.

Images Confirm Bose QuietComfort II Headphones A.K.A Baywolf Will Come With Google Assistant

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 17, 2017

Just as Amazon’s Alexa has been appearing on more devices, so also is Google Assistant. At CES, Sony unveiled the LG-S50 smart speaker and JBL has the Link 300, Link 20, and Link 10 smart speakers coming soon.

JBL Link Series (Image Source – Liliputing.com)

While these are all speakers, an unknown device codenamed Bisto was seen in the beta version of the Google app back in April. Over the past couple of months and over the course of several leaks. Bisto has evolved to refer to a set of bluetooth headphones with support for Google Assistant. A graphical image of one of them called Baywolf was seen recently, revealing details as to its possible design.

Baywolf has an over-the-head design with three buttons on the right cup and a single button on the left. The design is very similar to that of the Bose QuietComfort 35 and new images confirm that it is indeed an upgraded version of the popular headphones.

In the past few days, images of the Bose QuietComfort 35 II have been seen online revealing that the headphones will come with Google Assistant. A Twitter user (@jeremyjudkins) even posted images of the product seen on the shelf of a Best Buy store.

[envira-gallery id=”149453″]

The picture shows the headphones has the same button placement as Baywolf. The box says it has a noise-cancelling microphone array for clear calls and has Google Assistant built-in. It will also offer 20 hours of battery life in wireless mode and 40 hours in wired mode.

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Meizu M6 Live Images Leak, Reveals Metal Back

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 16, 2017

Meizu sent out invites for its upcoming smartphone the M6, a few days ago. The Chinese manufacturer has scheduled September 20 for the launch of the smartphone.

Specification details of the entry level phone leaked last week, revealing that the phone shares the exact specs as its predecessor. However, rumors say the only noticeable difference between both phones will be their overall design. The Meizu M6 is expected to ditch the polycarbonate body for a metal one and now there is an image that confirms it.

Pictures of the phone were posted on Weibo and one of them shows the rear of the phone. Truly, the design is different, not only from the Meizu M5, but from other metal-clad Meizu phones.

Unlike other Meizu phones that have chrome painted antenna lines for their gold units, this one has black, and the design is different. Instead of maintaining a straight line when it gets to the edges, it slopes downwards in the top antenna line and upwards in the bottom antenna line. The camera and LED flash haven’t changed. It doesn’t even get the quad led design.

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The iPhone X’s A11 Bionic Trumps Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 Phones on Geekbench

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 16, 2017

Apple’s new iPhones are powered by the A11 Bionic, a hexa-core chip with a 2.4GHz clock speed. The new processor was seen on Geekbench, appearing in the iPhone X and claiming the title of king of mobile processors.

This is not the first time the iPhone X has appeared on Geekbench. It was seen a few hours ahead of its launch on Tuesday scoring 4061 points in the single core test and 9959 points in the multi-core score. This time around, it takes things a bit further and in doing so trumps the other flagship phones on the list.

The Apple iPhone X scored 10069 points in the new multi-core test, leading the second device on the list, the Exynos-powered Samsung Galaxy Note8 with more than 3000 points. For the single-core test, it scores 4188 points. The second device on the list is the iPhone 7 Plus which is powered by the A10 Fusion. Samsung’s Galaxy S8 grabs the third position with 1991 points – a score that is even way less than that of the iPhone 7 Plus.

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Gizmochina Giveaway – Win Xiaomi Mi A1 Android One Phone

By

Shine Wong

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Sep 16, 2017

Gizmochina along with Gearbest is conducting a Xiaomi Mi A1 phone as Giveaway gift to one of our lucky readers. Like always, you just have to follow the steps mentioned on the Rafflecopter widget to get a chance to win this amazing phone.

GearBest is launching the biggest promotion this year, it called the Autumn Bumper Harvest which puts many of the products available in their store on sale.

How to entry this giveaway? Just follow these steps via Rafflecopter widget:

Visit Auntumn Bumper Harvest Promotion on Gearbest;
Share this promotion to your Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or other social media;

Here is some coupon codes for this promotion:

ALL, 10% OFF : GB10%
Tools, 12% OFF: GBHarvestE
Home, 12% OFF: GBHarvestH
Outdoor and sports, 12% OFF: GBHarvestO
LED Lights & Flashlights, 12% OFF: GBHarvestL
Mosquito Killer Lamp, $0.99: GBMMQ
Smartphones, GBMBP 8% OFF

Visit Auntumn Bumper Harvest Promotion on Gearbest

Buy Xiaomi Mi A1, Coupon Code: GBMBP, 8% Off

Terms & Conditions:

1. The giveaway is an international giveaway.
2. We are not responsible for lost shipments.
3. We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur.
4. We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
5. The prize will be shipped in a week when the giveaway end.

Just follow the steps mentioned in the Rafflecopter widget to participate in the giveaway.
Once again, good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Xiaomi Launches 20,000mAh Mi Power 2C Portable Battery

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 16, 2017

Apart from the Mi Note 3 and Mi MIX 2 released this week, Xiaomi also unveiled a new power bank. The Mi Power 2C like the Mi Power 2 has a 20,000 mAh battery capacity but costs less.

The Mi Power 2C has a PCB+ABS body with a rough surface for a better grip when held. The design is similar to that of the Mi Power 2 with an input port flanked by two output ports on both sides. Both the input and output ports support 18W fast charging and are located in front. Above the input port are four LEDs that indicate the charge on the device. On the left is a power/reset button.

The power bank uses high quality Li-Polymer batteries with a conversion rate of 93%. The Mi Power 2C can charge the Mi 5X 4.3 times, the Mi Mix 2 3.8 times and the iPad Mini 2.5 times. Each output port supports Quick Charge 3.0 and can provide up to 5.1V/3.6A.

The power bank can also be used to charge devices that require low current like the Mi Band (0.025A) and the Mi Bluetooth Headset (0.06A). To charge the above mentioned devices, all you have to do is double press the power button to switch to low power mode.

Since it supports 2-way fast charging, it will only take 8 hours to recharge the portable battery using a QC 3.0 charger.

Xiaomi has included a bunch of protective measures in the power bank. There is temperature protection, input/output high voltage protection, overcharge and discharge protection, and short circuit protection. The Mi Power 2C is also said to have a 90% retention rate even after 300 charge cycles and should last up to 3 years.

The Mi Power 2C comes in white and is priced at ¥129 (~$20). It is already available for purchase on the official Mi online store, Jingdong, Suning Tesco, Lynx, and at offline Mi Home stores.

[envira-gallery id=”149407″]

(Via)

Google May Have Leaked The Pixel 2 & Pixel XL 2 Camera Sample Via Latest Teaser

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 16, 2017

Google will go official with the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL on October 4 and they have shared a teaser to that effect on its Made By Google page. The page usually contains all Google’s products and the upcoming models have got their own page. A clever fan was able to dig up some clues by checking up the page and it is an image in the new event site. The image shows two cookies, which are both half black and half white, both on napkins covered with dots. While we cannot say what the image depicts, it could be that the device will only be available in white and black. This suggestion doesn’t look like the right one, though.

The image’s EXIF data was looked up before it was removed and it is shown below. The EXIF data shows Google added some bit of mischief to the beat. The data shows the image was shot with a Google phone but the model is listed as “Not that easy” with a winking smiley. What readily comes to mind is that the photo was shot using either the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL. Of course, both models will likely pack similar camera sensors. The image isn’t too spectacular but you never can tell, it could just be the first of many camera samples from the Pixel 2 that we’ll be seeing in due course. In addition, the image’s geotagging coordinates leads to Google’s Mountain View, California headquarters.

Google Pixel 2 XL is expected sport a 5.99-inch 1440p OLED display which will have a taller, bezel-less screen, while the Pixel 2 is expected to come in at 4.97-inch 1080p display with a lesser but equally good 1080p resolution and the display will have larger bezels. Both models are also expected to feature dual front speakers on both phones, squeezable displays similar to what we have on the HTC U11 as well as an always-on display mode. If rumors are anything to go by, then the second generation Pixel phones will not pack the 3.5mm audio jack.

(source)

Xiaomi Offers 249 Yuan One Year Insurance For Mi Mix 2 & Mi Note 3, Covers Screen Damage!

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 16, 2017

Just as it was done for the Mi Mix last year, Xiaomi is offering a 249 Yuan ($38) damaged screen insurance for Mi Mix 2 and the Mi Note 3. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 comes with a large screen without bezels and a ceramic body which are recipes for damage if the phone accidentally drops. The Mi Note 3 also comes with a glass-covered metal body which makes it also fragile.

It is very likely that many who would buy either of the two devices would buy a protective case as well as a screen protector along with it. But previously, some who did the same thing for the Mi Mix had the bitter experience of realizing the protective case wasn’t enough to keep it safe from damage. This sure does underscore the importance of getting an insurance for the phone which costs just 249 Yuan (~$38). That seems like a bargain for a phone with so much glass on it. The insurance covers the screen, water damage, and drops.

The insurance is available when buying the Mix 2 or Note 3 on Xiaomi Mall. The option to add the screen insurance appears when you’re checking out after adding the product to cart. It is also available when buying via Mi App and Official Xiaomi store on Lynx. If you’re snagging up the device from Mi Store, you’d have to ask a staff to add the insurance. Of course, both the Mi Mix 2 and Mi Note 3 are not yet readily available but whenever they are available, do ensure to add an insurance when buying. We don’t know if this cover will extend to units shipped by third-party retailers out of China. It is vital, though, with the proliferation of full-screen models to look for offers with an insurance package against screen damage.

(source)

It’s Official: Near Bezel-less Gionee M7 Will Be Launched on September 25

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 15, 2017

Gionee has officially confirmed via its Weibo page that its near bezel-less Gionee M7 will be launched on September 25 at 3PM (UTC+8). The company released a teaser poster to that effect which not only discloses the launch date but also that the device will first go official in China. Recall that Gionee had earlier released a poster which shows they would be launching an equally near bezel-less M7 and M7 Power in Thailand on September 28.

The Gionee M7 has featured in a couple of leaks so, it is pretty obvious it would pack a full-screen display with ultra-thin bezels at the sides and reduced bezels at the top and bottom. The display panel for the M7 leaked recently revealing in details how it would look like. This would be Gionee’s first device with such small bezels.

The Gionee 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 rear camera as well as an 8MP front camera n the M7. Providing the interface will be Android 7.1.1 Nougat.

(source)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A Top-End Version With 4GB+64GB Goes On Sale

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 15, 2017

Xiaomi launched the budget Redmi Note 5A last month with a build quality which it touts to be of flagship quality. The mobile phone was made available in two versions; a standard version which is powered by a Snapdragon 425 and has 2GB RAM and 32GB storage. There was also a higher variant with Snapdragon 435 and a variant with 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and another variant with 4GB + 64GB storage. All versions come with dedicated microSD slots and dual SIM slot unlike in the past when the second SIM slot double as a microSD slot.

The Redmi Note 5A immediately went on sale the same day it was launched but the top-most variant packing a Snapdragon 435 chip, 4GB + 64GB memory was not made available for purchase. But all that has changed as Xiaomi put up the 4GB + 64GB variant up on sale and it is priced at just 1199 Yuan (~$180). Xiaomi disclosed that the high-end version would be available for sale on September 15 at 0.00 hours. The sales apparently was a flash sale as the variant is no longer available on Mi Mall.

The tech giant is yet to disclose when next the variant would be available to buy but it obviously would be a while before this variant can be snapped up from online retailers outside of China. But as time goes on, Xiaomi will surely make it available in large quantity as it will be a hot selling product considering the price tag. For now, only the 2GB + 16GB and the 3Gb + 32GB variants are readily available.

(source)

InFocus Snap 4, Turbo 5 Plus Camera-Centric Mid-Range Phones Unveiled

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Sep 15, 2017

On Wednesday, InFocus unveiled two new camera-centric smartphones with budget pricing. The Global CEO of InFocus boasted about the Snap 4 as the first Indian smartphone to come with quad cameras. The Turbo 5 Plus is designed to shoot impressive photos with its rear-mounted dual-rear cameras.

InFocus Snap 4

The InFocus Snap 4 has a 5.2-inch IPS display that supports HD resolution of 720 x 1,280 pixels. The MediaTek MT6750N chipset and 4 GB of RAM is present under the hood of the device. It comes with a native storage of 64 GB and it also features a microSD card slot. It houses a 3,000mAh battery.

Undoubtedly, the front-facing and rear-mounted dual rear cameras are the USPs of the InFocus Snap 4. The frontal dual camera setup includes an 8-megapixel sensor and another 8-megapixel sensor. The rear side features a f/2.2 aperture 13-megapixel sensor and a f/2.2 aperture 8-megapixel sensor. It features a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

It is preinstalled with Android Nougat and comes with other features like v4.0 Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and 4G VoLTE. The handset measures 147.6 x 72.7 x 7.99 mm and sports a metal unibody design.

The handset will be go on sale on Amazon India with a pricing of Rs. 11,999 from Sept. 26 starting at 12 PM. Buyers will be provided with up to 30 GB extra Jio 4G data.

InFocus Turbo 5 Plus

The InFocus Turbo 5 Plus is fitted with a 5.5-inch IPS screen that produces a resolution of 720 x 1,280 with is coupled with a 2.5D curved glass. It is powered by MediaTek MT6750N chipset along with 3 GB of RAM. The native storage available on the handset is 32 GB and comes with a microSD card slot.

The rear side of the Turbo 5 Plus features a f/2.2 aperture 13-megapixel and a 5-megapixel dual rear camera system. The frontside features a selfie snapper. It is packed with a massive 4,850mAh battery. The other features of the phone include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, v4.0 Bluetooth and Android Nougat OS and front-mounted fingerprint scanner. It measures 154 x 76.8 x 8.96 mm and weighs 176 grams.

Amazon India will begin the sales of Turbo 5 Plus from Sept. 21 from 12 AM with a price tag of Rs. 8,999. The buyers of the smartphone will receive up to 30 GB additional Jio 4G data.

(source 1, 2)

Vivo X20A Appears On Geekbench Packing Snapdragon 660 SoC & 4GB RAM

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Sep 15, 2017

Vivo is expected to launch its latest bezel-less smartphone dubbed Vivo X20 on September 21. Already the Vivo X20 has been certified by TENAA alongside a Vivio X20A. The X20A which is believed to be the Vivo X20 Plus has now appeared on benchmark platform GeekBench.

Geekbench usually provides scanty details of the device so all we can grab is the presence of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor paired with 4GB of RAM. The SD 660 chip is reputed to be a premium mid-range chip and it first appeared on the OPPO R11 earlier this year. The listing also reveals the handset runs Android Nougat (version 7.1.1) out of the box.

Since these specs are similar to those of the X20, there is the possibility that the X20 Plus will only be different in the display size it utilises. The Vivo X20 is tipped to pack a 5.2-inch display while the X20 Plus will come with a 5.5-inch display. It could be bigger than that though, Vivo may stretch things up to 5.8 inches for the X20 Plus. The device is also expected to pack a 24MP camera at the front and rear while a 3,500mAh battery will provide the juice.

(source)