Xiaomi Mi Powerline Wi-Fi HomePlug Review: Extends Your Wi-Fi Network With So Much Ease!

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May 12, 2017

Earlier today we reported on the addition of two trendy new colour variants to the Huawei Mate 9 lineup which already had six attractive colours before now. The Mate 9 just got a Topaz Blue and Agate Red colour variants and quite honestly they look more beautiful in these photo tour courtesy Sina Technology.

Huawei seems to be emulating the strategy used on the highly successful P9 and P9 Plus on the Mate 9. First, the Mate 9 featured the same dual Leica camera setup which was first introduced on the P9. And now, the Mate 9 is being refreshed just like the P9, getting the two colours which were introduced into the P9 lineup and was very well received. Coincidentally, the duo is Huawei’s top grossing devices presently. The Mate 9 ‘s colour options now include Champagne Gold, Moonlight Silver, Mocha brown, Ceramic White, Gray, Black, and now Agate Red and Topaz Blue, eight amazing colours.

The Huawei Mate 9‘s new Agate Red and Topaz Blue variants are available only on the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage version. The two trendy colours will be available for grabs from Huawei’s official flagship store on Jingdong (JD.com) for just 3899 Yuan on May 14 by 10 AM. You can check out more tour photos of the Mate 9 Topaz Blue and Agate Red variants from below.

Huawei Honor 9 Arriving with 20MP + 12MP Dual Rear Cameras Like Mate 9, May Launch at June End

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May 12, 2017

The Huawei Honor 9 is in works as its leaked images have already surfaced in April as well as earlier in this month. The Honor 8 came with rear-facing dual cameras and the leaked shots of Honor 9 have revealed that it will continue to feature dual rear cameras.

The dual rear camera module of Honor 8 includes a pair of 12-megapixel sensor. According to a Chinese leakster, the Honor 9’s rear-mounted twin camera setup would include 20-megapixel + 12-megapixel sensors.

The 2016 Huawei Mate 9 flagship smartphone features Leica branded 20-megapixel monochrome + 12-megapixel RGB sensors. Like the Mate 9, the Honor 9 is also expected to feature 20-megapixel monochrome and 12-mgeapixel RGB sensors. There is no confirmation on whether the Honor 9 will feature Leica branded dual rear snappers.

As far as the design of the phone is concerned, the leakster claims that the Honor 9 appears quite similar to the Xiaomi Mi 6. Leaked photos of the Honor 9 has revealed that is has a glossy appeal as it appears to feature glass rear and has curved edges like the Mi 6. It seems to be a hybrid of Mi 6 and Honor 8. Like the predecessor phone, dual rear cameras are placed on the left corner which is accompanied with laser focus module and dual-LED flash.

The major change in the design is that the fingerprint scanner is no longer present on the backside of the Honor 9. It is now present under the physical Home button at the frontside. On Honor 8, the fingerprint reader could function as Smart Key to start any desirable function such as open any app, launch camera, take screenshot and so on. Since the fingerprint scanner is moved at the front of Honor 9, it is likely that the company may have axed the Smart Key feature.

Recent information has revealed that the Honor 9 could be the first phone from the Chinese company to come without a 3.5mm audio jack. The bottom side of the phone has a USB Type-C port placed between a pair of two identical speaker grilles.

The leakster has claimed that the Huawei Honor 9 would be unveiled at the end of the coming month. The launch of the Honor 9 at June seems likely because the predecessor phone was launched in July last year.

This Google Pixel 2 Concept Teaser Suggests Dual Camera Setup & Full Screen Display

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May 12, 2017

Following the successful launch of Google Pixel and Pixel XL which received so much positive attention, Google is said to be working on its next gen Pixel smartphone which rumor claims is called the Google Pixel 2. A new concept teaser by Concept Creator has come out to give us an idea of the design the Pixel 2 would likely feature.

Google Pixel 2 is pretty much a mystery at this time but one thing is known for sure, this device will be bigger and a lot better than the Pixel. There would be improvement in its design, water-resistance, iris eye scanner and it will most likely come with a bigger battery. The Pixel and Pixel XL did not feature dual cameras but Google may just go for dual lens rear cameras on the Pixel 2 in line with the current trend for smartphone manufacturers and that is captured on the concept teaser. If Google considers dual lens ‘too trendy’, it may just adopt a 16MP camera that offers better image quality without dual-lens. In addition, the Pixel 2 is also teased to feature a full screen design which would make it look more premium. There is also likely going to be an OLED display just like the Pixel had.

So far, all information on the Pixel 2 suggests that Google will improve on the Pixel and Pixel XL which was released in the Q4 of 2016. These devices are already high budget smartphones and the Pixel 2 will even be costlier but it is sure to give you a good run for your money.

The Google Pixel 2 is expected to run on Snapdragon 835 processor, backed by 6GB RAM. At this time, it is best we keep our fingers crossed while we await the unveiling of this amazing device. You can check out the short video teaser from down below. We expect a more elaborate teaser from Concept Creators soon showing the device more clearly.

LeEco Le X920 Appears on Geekbench With Snapdragon 820, 4 GB RAM

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May 12, 2017

The rumor mill has been talking about the leaked specs of the LeEco Le X920 since the last quarter of 2016. Speculations have it that the Le X920 was expected to launch earlier, but the financial woes of the company have delayed its arrival. Recent rumors have suggested that it will be launching as LeEco Le Max 3. The alleged smartphone has now appeared on Geekbench to confirm some of the specs that have been already surfaced in previous rumors.

The “LeMobile Le X920” appearance on Geekbench indicates that the company may be internally testing the prototype unit of the alleged Le Max 3. Even before the appearance of the Le X920 on Geekbench, rumors have claimed that the phone would be powered by Snapdragon 820.

Apart from SD 820 chip, the benchmarking platform has revealed that the Le X920 has 4 GB of RAM and it is running on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow OS. On Geekbench’s single-core test, the Le X920 has scored 1774 points and it has scored 3955 points on the multi-core test.

In the past week, live images of the alleged Le Max 3 had surfaced. The snapshot showing the “About Phone” screen of the phone revealed that it features Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow OS customized with EUI 5.6 and Snapdragon 820 chipset with 2.15 GHz quad-core processor.

The Le Max 2 that was launched last year has a model number of Le X820. Hence, the Le X920 is rumored to launch as Le Max 3. The Le Max 2 came in 4 GB and 6 GB RAM variants. So, the Le Max 3 is also speculated to be available in 6 GB RAM option. However, what’s strange about the alleged Le Max 3 is that it features the same Snapdragon 820 chipset which powers the predecessor model.

Speculations have it that the Le X920 would be featuring a 6.3-inch quad HD display, 22.5-megapixel Sony IMX318 sensor for rear camera, 8-megapixel selfie camera, USB Type-C port and 3,700mAh battery. Rumors claim that the phone may launch within the ongoing second quarter of 2017 and it is expected to cost 1,388 Yuan ($201).

(source|via)

Meizu’s Full Screen Phone With High-End Qualcomm Chip Said To Arrive In 2018

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May 12, 2017

Meizu recently restructured its internal operations just as we reported, with Meizu president Jack Wong said to be in charge of the R&D for high-end phones while the Blue Charm division will be overseen by VP Li Nan. Now, the latest news is that the much anticipated Meizu full-screen phone will be coming in 2018. Recall that Meizu President Jack Wong had hinted that no full-screen phone will be coming from Meizu this year.

According to the report, the Meizu full-screen phone will only take one year to manufacture and would be priced around 4000 Yuan (around $580) or more. The device is tipped to have a stunning design which would take on Samsung and Apple models and isn’t comparable to what is obtained on the current Charm Blue models. As to the processor, the Meizu bezel-less phone will use a Qualcomm flagship chip and since Meizu and Qualcomm have put an end to their rift, this is very much possible.

In addition to the design that needs to be put up, Meizu also needs time to adapt the internals to Qualcomm’s processor, the source also hints. Concept renders of Meizu’s bezel-less phone has been a regular lately in leaks and that could be an affirmation that the company is actually planning for one. 2018 is still a while away and we don’t know if the said launch will be in the first or second half. So. we won’t advise you to get your hopes up just yet.

(via)

OnePlus 5 Price, Full Specs Listed on Geekbuying and GearBest

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May 12, 2017

OnePlus has recently confirmed that the OnePlus 5 moniker and its summer launch. However, in the previous week, the OnePlus 5 was found listed on OppoMart even though the flagship killer has not been officially announced. Today, other Chinese retailers like Geekbuying and GearBest have listed the OnePlus 5 with its full specifications and pricing.

The OnePlus 5 listing on Geekbuying states that it has a 5.5-inch screen that supports quad HD resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. The 64-bit Snapdragon 835 chipset that has a 2.35 GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 540 powers the OnePlus 5. The SoC is coupled with a whopping 8 GB of RAM and the native storage of the phone is 64 GB. It comes with support for microSD storage.

The listing further claims that it has a dual rear camera of 23-megapixel and a 16-megapixel front-facing camera. It has a front-mounted fingerprint scanner and a USB Type-C port. It is running on Android 7.1 Nougat OS and is packed with a 4,000mAh battery.

As far as pricing is concerned, the regular price of OnePlus 5 is mentioned as $621.99. The pre-order price of the phone is $449, but its shipping date is not mentioned. The retailer has listed only the black color variant of OnePlus 5.

GearBest too has listed the Global Version of OnePlus 5 with Arrival Notice button. The retailer has mentioned the price of the phone as $689. The OnePlus 5 specifications on GearBest is almost same as that on Geekbuying. However, GearBest has also mentioned the dimensions of the phone as 6.01 x 2.94 x 0.28 inches and its weight as 156 grams.

The Geekbuying and GearBest listing of OnePlus 5 cannot be completely trusted as some of the specs do not match with the rumored specs of OnePlus 5. Except for OnePlus X, no other OnePlus smartphone have featured a microSD card slot. Rumors have also claimed that the OnePlus 5 would continue to sport a full HD screen, but these retailers have mentioned that it features a quad HD display.

The listing of OnePlus 5 on aforementioned retailer sites cannot be trusted since OnePlus is yet to officially unveil the OnePlus 5. The company is expected to launch the OnePlus 5 in June or July this year.

(source 1,2|via)

Xiaomi Mi 6 Ceramic Edition Could Be Available in 11 Different Colors TENAA Listing Reveals

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May 12, 2017

When Xiaomi took the wraps off the Mi 6, it was announced that it would have a high-end ceramic version. It has been a few weeks since the Mi 6 went on sale and the ceramic version is still not available.

The main reason for the unavailability of the ceramic version is said to be due to the low capacity of ceramic CNC machining. In addition to that, an insider revealed that the Snapdragon 835 processor is still in short supply.

A recent TENAA listing of the Xiaomi Mi 6 appears to be that of the ceramic edition and hints at it being available in multiple colors. The reason we believe it is the ceramic version is because the images on TENAA show the phone with a reflective body. The reflective back is most likely ceramic, plus it even appears to be curvier.

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We can’t tell if it is the light bouncing off the surface that gives it that effect or the ceramic version truly has more curves. The image also shows a China Mobile branding on the back. We have added the images of the new listing and the one before the launch to show you what we are talking about.

Sharp Launching A Bezel-less Phone On May 24 in China?

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May 12, 2017

Japanese electronics giant Sharp has thrown up sort of a controversy with its latest press invite. The company recently released a poster hints at a launch event coming up on May 24 in Beijing, China.

The press invite didn’t state what the media event was for but it had the image of what looks like the edge of a bezel-less smartphone. The invitation also has as its theme a write-up which is in Chinese but talks about creating an unbounded media communication. The image and the caption of the invitation both points at the likelihood of a borderless Sharp smartphone coming.

Sharp is not new to bezel-less screen technology as its Aquos series have been rumoured severally to have a completely bezel-less phone coming. But the problem is usually that Sharp’s mobile phones are not readily available outside China. So, we cannot say if this is actually a new bezel-less phone coming. It could as well be another smart gadget like a SmartTV. We can’t say for sure so, we’ll have to wait until May 24 when the pack will be unwrapped. We do hope, though, that this is a bezel-less phone with Sharp’s awesome display technology at work inside.

iPhone 8 May Get World’s First 3D Facial Recognition Front Camera from LG Innotek

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May 12, 2017

Rumors have it that the upcoming iPhone 8 will be equipped 3D facial recognition feature. Fresh reports coming from South Korea has revealed that LG Innotek, a branch of the company that specializes in manufacturing electronic components, will be supplying world’s first 3D facial recognition camera modules to Apple. In order to manage Apple’s order, LG has reportedly invested $238.5 million on a completely new facility for manufacturing the new 3D camera modules.

The 3D facial recognition camera would be able to sense depth. This would allow users to unlock their smartphone in a more secure way. Samsung has already introduced facial recognition feature on Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. However, the facial recognition feature available on the Galaxy S8 duo that relies on 2D technology are not that secure as it can be fooled easily by using a photograph of the subject’s face.

Since last year, Apple and LG Innotek are reportedly working together on a 3D facial recognition camera system that will not only work as security feature but also it can be used on entertainment applications and augmented reality. LG Innotek is the same company that provides dual rear cameras for the iPhone 7 Plus. The probable reason behind why LG has invested such a huge amount in a new facility for the 3D facial recognition camera for iPhone 8 is the new 3D camera will be smaller in size in comparison to the cameras on the iPhone 7 Plus.

The 3D camera will be slotted on the frontside of the upcoming iPhone. Considering the fact that the 3D camera will be smaller in size, there is a possibility that Apple may reduce the bezels on the iPhone 8 as it can be seen on Galaxy S8 and LG G6.

The iPhone 8 is speculated to come with a 5.8-inch edge-to-edge OLED display. The physical Home button is expected to be replaced by a virtual one. Recent reports had revealed that the Cupertino company had encountered problems in embedding the Touch ID sensor under the display. Hence, the rumor mill started claiming that the iPhone 8 would arrive with only have eye-based biometric recognition feature. These rumors have faded away but Apple is heavily pegged to bring retina scanning on the next iPhone.

(source|via)

Google Taimen Gets Benchmarked on Geekbench with Android O, Snapdragon 835, and 4 GB RAM

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May 12, 2017

A Google device with label “Google Taimen” has been spotted on Geekbench benchmarking site. It could be the third Google Pixel 2 device of the year apart from the other rumored models such as Walleye (codename for Google Pixel 2) and Muskie (codename for Google Pixel 2).

1.9 GHz octa-core SoC from It seems that someone having a prototype unit of Google Taimen has tested it on Geekbench. Even though the benchmark does not reveal the name of the chipset, but the Qualcomm driving the Google Taimen is speculated as the Snapdragon 835. The SoC of Taimen is accompanied by 4 GB of RAM and it is running on Android O which is the next version of Android OS after Android 7.0 Nougat.

The Google Taimen has recorded an impressive single-core score of 1804 and multi-core score of 6248 on Geekbench. The first news about the existence of Google Taimen had surfaced around two months ago. Google is known for codenaming its devices with names of fishes. Taimen is the largest salmonid in the world which hints that the Google Taimen would be a larger device than the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 phones. The older report had claimed that the Google Taimen is a “separate” device hinting that it may be a non-Pixel device or it may be a tablet or a true successor of Nexus 6 that came with a huge display of 5.96 inches.

In the previous month, Walleye, Muskie and Taimen codenames were found on Android Open Source Project which confirmed the existence of the third Google device. And now it has appeared on Geekbench to further confirm the rumors on the existence of Taimen device.

The upcoming Google Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 smartphones are speculated to launch in October this year. There is a possibility that Google Pixel 2 phones may get announced a bit early. The upcoming Pixel 2 smartphones are rumored to come with waterproof chassis. These phones are also rumored to come with improved cameras that would include large-sized megapixels for shooting high quality images in low-light conditions. Rumors also claim that the Pixel 2 phones will not be featuring the standard 3.5mm headphone jack.

(source|via)

Huawei Mate 9 Gets Two New Trendy Color Options: Blue & Red (Pictures)

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May 12, 2017

Huawei has silently updated its flagship Mate 9 lineup, adding two new, attractive and trendy colours. Turns out the Huawei Mate 9 is getting two new colours which were very popular in the P8 and P9 series, namely, Red Agate and Topaz Blue. Huawei first introduced the two colours on the P9 and P9 Plus which already had a long array of colour options then and records show the two colour options were instant hits. Coincidentally, the P9 and Mate 9, both feature dual Leica cameras.

The two new Huawei Mate 9 Red Agate and Topaz Blue variants are only available on the 4GB + 64GB model and they both are listed to officially go up for sale on Huawei’s official flagship store on Jingdong (JD.com) for 3899 Yuan on May 14 at 10 AM. With this last additional two colours, the Mate 9 is now available in 8 different colours namely, Gold, Silver, Mocha brown, White, Gray, Black, and now Red Agate and Topaz Blue.

Other specifications are the same with the variants already available and as a reminder, the Mate 9 packs a 5.9-inch 1080p and is powered by a Kirin 960 chip. The Mate 9 features a dual camera setup designed by Leica at the rear which is a 12MP + 20MP combo. There is also a large 4,000mAh battery on board the device.

[envira-gallery slug=”huawei-mate-9-topaz-blue-red-agate”]

Report: Apple A11 Chip Production Using 10nm TSCM Process Commences

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May 11, 2017

The production of Apple A11 chip for iPhone 8 was scheduled to kick off in April but faced with yield issues, TSMC which may ultimately be the sole supplier of the 10nm chip for the upcoming iPhone, could not begin production of the chips. However, TSMC has finally officially begun the production of the next generation Apple SoC, set to feature in the iPhone 8 later this year, according to report from Taiwan.

The production process by TSMC was said to have been affected by some issues ranging from the stacking of components in the backend to the integrated fan-out packaging process. However, these setbacks have now been addressed and the company is ready to roll. With respect to performance, Apple’s custom CPU designs are the best in the smartphone industry and as is customary with Apple, they have designed the A11 chip pattern according to their specifications but the fabrication of the components will be done by TSCM. The A11 chip will be used on Apple’s next flagship, the iPhone 8.

Apart from the A11 chip, it is also expected that the new iPhone 8 would incorporate a 5-inch (could be slightly more) OLED display into the same physical case size as a 4.7-inch iPhone 7 with thin chins on the top and bottom edges. This means the device will have smaller bezels allowing the screen to dominate the front face. Other expectations from the iPhone 8 include a dual camera setup (12-megapixel and 7-megapixel sensors), a 3D front camera, better speakers, waterproofing and stainless steel will be used in the production with glass sandwich design. New information suggests that the AirPods will be bundled inside the box.

The commencement of mass production of iPhone 8 is uncertain, but a recent report by security firm KGI claim that it may not start until October or November. Another report has also suggested that the device may not go on sale until October.

The Planet Cup is A Cute Little Teacup With A Wooden Handle

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May 11, 2017

A few days ago, Xiaomi’s Mijia platform launched the Cottonsmith Underwear to keep you fresh and clean when you sweat. Yesterday, they released the Planet Cup whose unique design is its cute little wooden handle shaped just like a planet.

The Planet Cup has a diameter of 65mm and a volume of 140ml. It is made from porcelain and comes with a polished wooden saucer. But the cool thing about the teacup is its wooden planet-shaped handle made from rosewood, walnut, boxwood, or birch. The handle has a diameter of 28mm and is screwed to the body of the cup. So you shouldn’t worry about it falling off.

Xiaomi Has Sold Over One Million Mi VR Headsets in The Last Six Months

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May 11, 2017

Yesterday was the 10th China VR and AR International Summit and Xiaomi was recognized as the leader in the industry. Xiaomi’s foray into VR started last year with the launch of the Mi VR Play and Mi VR headsets. Last month, they followed it up with the Mi VR Play 2.

Today, the General Manager of Xiaomi’s VR platform announced via his Weibo account (@Don Mu Thomas) that Xiaomi has sold over a million Mi VR headsets in the last six months. This news follows Samsung’s announcement that it has sold 782,000 Gear VR units in Q1 2017 alone.

Xiaomi knows its not at the top of the industry chain but it isn’t doing badly. Don Thomas also states that statistics show users are willing to pay 13% more on their VR platform because of the quality of the games available.

Gionee S10 is Joining The Green Revolution, Green Coloured Variant Leaks

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May 11, 2017

Smartphone makers are adopting trendy new color variants for their high-end devices which usually come with a metal body. Gionee isn’t likely going to be left out of this trend as a set of images of the quad-camera packing Gionee S10 having a green paint job has appeared online.

The Green coloured Gionee S10 appears alongside the Gold variant in the images and is quite attractive. Even the antenna band seems to be coated in green also. Gren is one gentle colour and it plays out on the overall looks of the leaked green S10. The device looks super cool in this new paint job, and would be a hot selling one if actually, Gionee releases this.

With this colour variant, Gionee will be joining ranks with Huawei who released a green variant for the P10 and OPPO who recently added a new green variant to the R9s and R9s Plus. The Gionee S10 features a camera design that ordinarily would make it capture the headlines, a green coloured smartphone who further attract more attention to the device. The internal hardware is also not disappointing, as the S10 packs a 2.5GHz octa-core processor backed by 6GB of RAM while there is a 64GB storage onboard. You’ll get a 3,450mAH battery while the interface is provided by ANdroid’s latest Nougat OS. The Gionee S10 may likely come in other trendy colors, where there’s green, red is also likely present.

Samsung 5100mAh Fast Charge Power Bank Now Official in The US

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May 11, 2017

Just before the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ were launched, a list of official accessories for the phones leaked online. The list included a bunch of cases, chargers and a power bank. Today, Samsung officially launched the power bank in the US.

The power bank has a capacity of 5100mAh that Samsung says should provide up to two full charges. If you own the Galaxy S8, you sure wouldn’t be getting more than a full charge and half; and for the Galaxy S8+, maybe a little more than a full charge.

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Available in blue and white, the Samsung battery pack has a strap in the middle that makes carrying it around easy. While it can deliver up to 2A charging speed, it will also charge Samsung phones that support fast charge up to 1.5x faster.

The battery pack has a power button, a USB Type-C input port and a standard USB output port. There is a LED indicator that shows you how much charge you have left. It also comes with a micro USB cable and a USB Type-C adapter. The Samsung power bank supports pass through charging, so you can plug your phone to it while the power bank itself is charging.

Samsung is charging $59.99 for this battery pack and while you may want to buy it to compliment your Galaxy S8 or S8+, you should consider other power banks too. An example is Xiaomi’s Mi Mobile Power 2.

The Mi Mobile Power 2 has a 20,000mAh capacity, that is almost 4 times that of the Samsung power bank. That also means its a lot bigger but you’ll get more charge out of it. It also supports Quick Charge 3.0 (5.1V/2.4A, 9V/2A, and 12V/1.5A) via any of its two output ports and 5V/2A, 9V/2A input fast charging. The latter means you will spend less time charging the power bank.

ZTE Nubia Z17 AnTuTu Screenshot Reveals A Ridiculous 8GB of RAM Inside

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Joel Joseph

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May 11, 2017

Even when 6GB of RAM is just getting standard on flagship smartphones, it looks like ZTE’s subsidiary, Nubia, is all set to take things to another level with its upcoming Nubia Z17 flagship. The phone is said to come with all the bells and whistles of a 2017 flagship device, but what will reportedly make it special is the amount of RAM inside — a whopping 8GB of RAM!

According to the screenshots obtained by Forbes’ Ben Sin, which by the way is said to be from a reliable source in Shenzhen, the Nubia Z17 scores an impressive 180,049 points on the AnTuTu benchmark test. That’s much higher than the already powerful Galaxy S8 with Snapdragon 835 inside. This score is actually not that surprising given that the phone is said to run on the latest Snapdragon 835 chipset and along with it, there’s 8GB of RAM to make it the multi-tasking king (at least on paper).

Now note that the screenshots confirm the model number to be: NX563J, which unsurprisingly is the same model that showed up on TENAA today and on Geekbench a few days back. With so many sightings, there’s very little doubt that the Nubia Z17 flagship will be announced in the coming weeks.

Nubia seems to have done a good job with its dual camera setup on the Nubia Z17 Mini (our review here!), but with the Z17 flagship, the company is said to take the dual camera setup to the next level with the use of a 23MP + 12MP camera combination. Further, the phone is said to feature the latest version of Android 7.1.1. And yes, the Nubia Z17 flagship is said to continue the bezel-less design seen on its predecessor, the Nubia Z11.

Overall, with 8GB of RAM, Snapdragon 835 and a powerful dual camera setup, the Nubia Z17 could turn out to be a formidable 2017 flagship giving high-end phones like the Galaxy S8 and Huawei P10 Plus a run for their money.

Samsung’s Refurbished Galaxy Note 7R Could Sell At Half The Original Cost

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Joel Joseph

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May 11, 2017

Back when the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 launched in the market, it was very well received by reviewers and fans all around the globe. Now, if I were to tell you that the same phone, with its battery problems being fixed, would retail at less than $500, what would be your reaction?

Korea’s the investor was first to reveal this information to the public. The report from the website states that this premium phablet is widely rumored to be released at around 50% discount as compared to the original price tag. If true, this would take the Note 7R’s price tag to as low as $440 since the same phone launched at around $850 – $870 in the US and the South Korea. It’s interesting to note that the earlier rumors stated Note 7R’s price tag at around 700,000 KRW (~$620).

While a price tag of less than $500 would make the Galaxy Note 7R an attractive choice for Android lovers, it’s unlikely that Samsung would price it so cheap. The refurbished Note model is expected to feature the same premium specs as the previous generation, except for the battery, which is said to be reduced to 3200mAh capacity. Another change would be the new Android 7 version on the model.

Note that the investor’s report states that the “the phone is widely rumored to be priced about 50% cheaper” and does not directly confirm this super cheap price tag.

As for the release, the Galaxy Note 7R is currently in the stage of obtaining safety certification in South Korea, and we can expect the phone to be launched in the coming months, maybe around early June, a good few weeks before the Note 8’s launch.

So what do you think? Will Samsung take the leap and price the refurbished model at 50% discount than original? Also, would you be interested in the phone if the price is so low?

I sure would love to get my hands on the refurbished Note 7R if it’s below $500.

(Source)

Analyst Reveals Details About Mediatek’s Helio P23

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May 11, 2017

Qualcomm is Mediatek’s biggest competitor and it is usually a tough race between both rivals. Following the announcement of the new Snapdragon 660 and Snapdragon 630, Mediatek seems to be planning to announce a new processor that will rival both chips. According to tech analyst, Pan Jiutang, Mediatek’s new chip is called the Helio P23.

In his Weibo Post, Pan Jiutang says the Helio P23 is similar to the Helio X30. The latter which has been announced since last year is Mediatek’s 10nm chip but has failed to surface in phones more than 4 months after its announcement due to production issues.

Helio P23

The Helio P23 is built on a 16nm architecture but incorporates the main features of the Helio X30 such as the PowerVR 7XTP GPU. It will support Cat. 7 LTE, LPPDR4X RAM, up to 2K displays, and dual cameras. The Helio P23 will make use of eight core-A53 cores and will be easier and cheaper to make.

Mediatek is hoping that when the Helio P23 launches it will help it recover some of the mid-range market it has lost to Qualcomm. Last year, Mediatek had suffered a loss in market share due to the inability of its chips to support Cat. 7 LTE.