Nokia 6 Entirely Sold out in Just a Minute in First Flash Sale

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Jan 18, 2017

The much awaited Nokia 6 mid-range smartphone today went on its first flash sales in China and as was expected, the device was sold out in just a minute. The Nokia 6 was already headed to being a hot selling smartphone, considering the over 1 million persons that registered their intention to have the 1699 yuan smartphone.

As we hinted earlier, the Nokia 6 is on sale in China exclusively on e-commerce platform Jingdong (JD.com). The 1699 yuan price tag might be considered as expensive for some, considering the smartphone packs a lowly Snapdragon 430 chip onboard. However, such perceived deficiency is made up for by the premium, rugged build the device featured. The smartphone also comes with a large 4GB RAM, which could ensure it doesn’t lag when apps are installed. The smartphone is expected to go on a second round of flash sales in the coming days but Jingdong is yet to announce a date for that. However, the number of units sold on the first flash sale is noy yet disclosed, but we hope Nokia has enough units in stock.

As a reminder, the Nokia 6 sports a 5.5-inch display with 1080 pixels resolution. It is fired up by a Snapdragon 430 chipset which is backed by a huge 4GB of RAM. There is also 64GB of storage onboard with the option of expanding it further via microSD. On the camera end, the device packs a 16MP rear camera with a single LED flash lying just underneath it, as well as an 8MP front-facing camera for sleek selfies. There is an ample 3,000mAh battery crammed inside the smartphone as well.

(source)

Which brand Smartphone are you using as your daily driver (Poll)

By

Joel Joseph

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Jan 18, 2017

With the entry of Chinese companies into the smartphone industry, we have to agree that the market has become more interesting with plenty of different options available to consumers. While this may not be good news for existing companies (as cutthroat competition would mean less profits for them), consumers are definitely the ones benefiting from this.

So, we are conducting a poll to check out which brand smartphone are you using right now as your daily driver. We know many of you may have more than one smartphone (that could be a different brand as well) but here we are looking for phones that you use every day from making calls, watching videos to checking e-mails and messages.

iPhone 8 Concept Model Includes All Rumored Features Like Glass-on-Glass Design, Wireless Charging

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 18, 2017

After releasing iPhone 6, iPhone 6S and iPhone 7 with almost same design, Apple is expected to launch iPhone 8 with overhaul changes to its design. Handy Abovergleich, a Dutch company has reveal concept model of iPhone 8 based on all the rumors surrounding it.

The iPhone 8 concept model features an AMOLED display. There is an AMOLED status bar at the top that shows all the notifications and helps in providing ample screen space to the users.

The bottom features a Touch ID fingerprint sensor enabled virtual haptic Home button. There are two virtual shortcut keys on the left and right side of the Home button. The iris scanner is also present on the device for added security. It can seamlessly scan iris even when the user is wearing contact lenses, spectacles and sunglasses.

The iPhone 8 concept model sports dual camera sensors on its back panel. The 16-megapixel camera is equipped with an f/1.7 aperture that can shoot stunning photos in dim lighting conditions. It carries support 4K resolution video shooting. The images show that the iPhone 8 will be the first Apple iPhone to feature a USB Type-C port.

The concept images also reveal that the iPhone 8 will also get the much-awaited wireless charging feature. The iPhone 8 concept phone is powered by Apple A11 Fusion chipset.

According to Handy Abovergleich, the iPhone 8 would be arriving in three models, the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 8 Pro. These devices will be available in six finishes such as glossy white, space black, stainless steel gold, silver, jet black and rose gold.

The iPhone 8 Pro is expected to arrive with support for Apple Pencil stylus. The pressure-sensitive stylus will allow users to do everything that can be done through a conventional pencil.

As far as design is concerned, the iPhone 8 concept model features ultra-thin bezels and rounded edges. As iPhone 8 rumors have stated, it features a glass-on-glass design available on iPhone 4 and 4S and its frame is made up of stainless steel.

(Source)

Samsung Android 7.0 Nougat Update News: List of Eligible Smartphones Revealed

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 18, 2017

Several smartphone manufacturers have started rolling out Nougat update. Apart from Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, none of the Samsung smartphones have receive Android Nougat. Sam Mobile has compiled a list of Samsung smartphones that would be getting the latest Android software.

Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, S7 Active

Users of Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge in the U.S., the U.K and China are now able to update to Android 7.0. The update is gradually reaching other users of the world. Samsung is also expected to release Android N update for Galaxy S7 Active.

Samsung Galaxy A (2017)

The South Korean company announced new Galaxy A series smartphones at the start of this year. The Galaxy A3 (2017), Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) have arrived with Marshmallow OS pre-installed. However, these devices will be soon getting the Android N upgrade.

Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, Note 5, S6 Edge+, S6 Active

The Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy Note 5 were all found being tested with Android Nougat in the last quarter of 2016. Speculations suggest all the five devices will get Android N by the end of Q1 or in Q2 after the launch of Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus in April.

Samsung Galaxy A (2016)

In December 2016, rumors had started swirling that the 2016 versions of Galaxy A smartphones would be getting the Android 7.0 Nougat update. Hence, smartphones like Galaxy A3 (2016), Galaxy A5 (2016), Galaxy A7 (2016), Galaxy A8 (2016), Galaxy A9 (2016) and Galaxy A9 Pro (2016) are eligible to get Android N upgrade. These devices are expected the latest Android version after 2017 Galaxy A smartphones receives it.

Samsung Galaxy J (2016)

The Galaxy J5 (2016) and Galaxy J7 (2016) are the only two Galaxy J series smartphones to get Android N. It seems that the update for these smartphones would be arriving after all the above-mentioned devices get Android N.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, Tab A

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 and Galaxy Tab A are the only tablets that are rumored to receive Android Nougat update.

(Source)

Huawei Android Nougat-Based EMUI 5.0 Upgrade Schedule Released

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 18, 2017

Huawei announced a new Emotion UI version 5.0 based on Android Nougat around November last year and the new user interface made its debut onboard the Huawei Mate 9 flagship. As usual other Huawei smartphones are expected to get upgrades to the new interface as time goes on.

Huawei did recently release a time table that shows when it will push upgrades to EMUI 5.0 in China. The time-table shows earlier models like the Mate 8, P9, P9 Plus and others had started receiving upgrades to the beta version since November last year. While the full upgrade should have started rolling from January 6, 2017. Some models like the G9 Plus, Huawei Nova, Honor 6X, Honor Note 8 and M3 tablet would start getting their full upgrades between March and May 2017, according to the schedule.

Huawei recently released a poster on its EMUI Weibo page that announces that the Huawei P9 and P9 Plus will receive full upgrades to EMUI 5.0 before the Spring Festival which is just few days away. The Huawei P9 and P9 Plus have already started receiving beta upgrades since November which is usually for a few beta testers. But with this latest teaser, all owners of the P9 and P9 Plus would get the upgrade pushed to their smartphones before the Spring Festival. The company also hinted those who want to be among the first to get the upgrade can do so directly via the Mobile phone service app which has now been renamed Member Services app.

(source)

Huawei Executives Arrested For Allegedly Leaking Internal Info to LeEco

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 18, 2017

Unconfirmed reports from China say that Huawei has arrested six of is mid-level and top executives in the consumer business division for allegedly leaking sensitive internal information to LeEco. Those arrested are said to include some of Huawei’s product designers. The exact information leaked to LeEco wasn’t stated, but it may interest you to know that the six executives arrested were said to no longer work with the company as at the time of their arrest.

In a swift manner, LeEco whose name is mentioned in the debacle has responded that it did not receive any information from the arrested individuals but admitted that there are some patent disputes between both companies. LeEco has also issued a notice of its intention to take legal actions. The cause of the dispute is said to likely be related to two recent LeEco patent filings, one for children’s smartwatch and another for an antenna design which Huawei considered as an infringement of its patent. But LeEco claims the six individuals upon leaving Huawei, did not carry along any documents or drawings. Perhaps the accused executives cross-carpeted to LeEco from Huawei, but we are not sure about that.

Details are still sketchy about the issue, but we hope to bring you more information as they unfold.

(source)

Xiaomi Releases Roidmi Glasses with Anti-UV Protection

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 18, 2017

Remember the teaser image (below) Xiaomi released a few days ago? Turns out it was actually hinting at a pair of eyeglasses. The company took the wraps off the product today. The glasses is released under the Roidmi brand which is the same brand Xiaomi uses for its car charger line.

The Roidmi Glasses is not just your a fancy pair of glasses as its main function is to protect your eyes from ultraviolet rays from the sun. According to the product detail, the Roidmi Glasses can block 99.99% of UV rays. Overexposure to ultraviolet rays are said to be the cause of eye problems like cataracts and retinal damage.

Xiaomi has designed the glasses in a way that it appeals to the younger generation. The glasses comes in a white box which when opened reveals three separate compartments. One holds the frame, another holds the temples, and a third holds the nose pads. Sadly, there is no glass case in the box.

There are two pairs of temples in the box and both have the Roidmi name on it and the same applies to the nose pads as well. It seems you will not need a screwdriver to fix the temples as they clip into the frame easily. After fixing the temple and the nose pad, the weight of the glasses is just 21g.

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Xiaomi’s Second Gen Mi Notebook 2 Details Outed

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 18, 2017

Xiaomi announced its first Notebook laptop – the Mi Notebook Air, around the middle of last year and the laptop received lots of positive reviews from fans and pundits alike. The company later added a 4G LTE version of the Mi Notebook Air recently, exclusive to China mobile but with the same design. There are indications that the innovative tech company is already working on a second generation Mi Notebook 2 model.

Reports emanating from Taiwan quotes IDC vice-president as saying that they Mi Notebook Air came out with a good momentum and that sales reached 110,000 units in the third quarter alone, representing 2% of the market share. That share figure was said to have increased to 4% by the fourth quarter. The identified the Mi Notebook Air’s core selling points as its cost-effectiveness, good quality and the influence of the brand name.

Mr Wang Jiping also hinted that the second generation Mi Notebook Air’s production will kick-off in April this year. The IDC vice-president is further credited to have stated that the next gen. Mi Notebook Air 2 will feature the same thin build as its predecessor. The body will be manufactured using higher lithium-magnesium alloy which would bring down the weight of the device to jjst a quarter of an aluminum alloy. The Notebook PC will be manufactured in a more cost effective manner than its predecessor, but it is uncertain if that would make it cheaper than the Mi Notebook Air.

(source)

New Huawei P10 Render Images and Video by Concept Creator

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 18, 2017

Huawei is proud of its P9 flagship and according to recent news it has sold more than 10 million units. The company’s focus now is on the Huawei P10 which is expected to launch during Mobile World Congress next month.

New renders of the upcoming phone made by Concept Creator have been posted online and while the pictures do show more details they still share a similar design to the renders that were posted online last week.

From the images, we can see that the Huawei P10 has a very slim profile. The back of the phone and the dual-curved display are symmetrical with their curves meeting at the middle frame. The Huawei P10 is not focused on bezels and you can see that the top and bottom bezels look no different from that of the P9. Though the lower bezel can be excused for housing what appears to be an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner.

The P10 in this render has its audio jack at the bottom just before the USB Type-C port and speaker grille. There is also an antenna line on the side of the frame.

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Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro with 6-inch Display & 6GB RAM Lands India

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 17, 2017

Samsung has gone official with its mid-range Galaxy C9 Pro smartphone in India. The Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro is the company’s first smartphone with 6GB of RAM and was launched in China back in October 2016.

Basically, the specifications and design are consistent with the one released in China but the price tags differ slightly. The Galaxy C9 Pro arrived in Chian with a 3,199 yuan price tag (around Rs. 31,700, $470) but in India the smartphone starts at RS 36,900. The device will become available for pre-order or reservations from January 27 via select stores and online e-commerce websites. While it will be available for purchase towards the end of February 2017.

To refresh our memories, the Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro features a 6-inch 1080p AMOLED display and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 processor accompanied by 6GB of RAM. The smartphone also comes with 64GB of internal memory which can be expanded further via microSD slot. The C9 Pro sports a 16MP rear camera as well as a 16MP sensor up front which both promise better picture qualities. It is a dual SIM phone with support for 4G LTE connectivity. The Galaxy C9 pro also runs TouchWiz UI based on Android Marshmallow OS. Other features include a 4,000mAh battery with fast charge support, a front-mounted fingerprint sensor and USB Type-C data and charging port.

Lenovo Underestimated the Difficulty of Reviving Motorola During Acquisition

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 17, 2017

In an interview, Lenovo CEO Yan Yuanqing said that it underestimated the difficulty of reviving Motorola.

Motorola Mobility along with its smartphone series such as Moto X, Moto G, Moto E and Droid were acquired by The Lenovo Group in October 2014. Since then Motorola has been operating as a subsidiary of the Chinese company with its headquarters based in Chicago.

Motorola was acquired with its nearly 3,500 workers from all the overall the world. At that time, it was the world’s third largest smartphone manufacturer. In 2011, Google had acquired Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion and the search engine sold the company to Lenovo for $2.91 billion in 2014.

Back to the present, Lenovo has lost its top 3 global ranking. It went down to eighth position in Q2 2016. It has axed around 3,000 jobs and it is recorded its first financial loss since 2009. Hence, Yuanqing has said in an interview to Wall Street Journal, “we underestimated the differences of the culture and the business model.”

Lenovo’s successful acquisition of IBM created “a certain aura of invincibility” that resulted in the company making several miscalculated decisions. One of its major mistakes was selling Moto branded devices in China in 2015, but it failed to achieve impressive sales as the Chinese market was already saturated with affordable smartphones from various brands.

The Moto X carried a pricing of around $600 and $700. Apple iPhones also carried similar pricing in China. Moreover, the release of Moto phones clashed with the products from Lenovo. In 2015, Lenovo could sell only 200,000 Moto devices in China. Three years ago, Lenovo had a 12 percent smartphone market share in China. However, it has now declined to only 2 percent, according to IDC.

Lenovo’s strategy for the U.S. market was also unclear. The company had initially boosted advertising revenue for Moto X Force, a smartphone designed for U.S. customers. However, it took a quick decision to reduce the revenue on advertising and product development in the U.S. With an advertising budget of $21.6 million in the first half of 2015 in the U.S., it could never rival with Samsung that invested $187.8 for advertising in the country.

Lenovo’s reluctance to spend more advertising coupled with poor sales resulted in axing of 3,000 jobs in the U.S. Moreover, a major part of Motorola’s product movement has been shifted to China.

At present, Lenovo has upped the advertising revenue for Lenovo and Motorola products. In 2016, Motorola’s advertising revenue was increased by 30 percent. According to IDC, the company managed to climb up to sixth position in the global smartphone market share in Q3 2016. Moto Z flagship from 2016 has also received positive reception from audience and critics.

It seems that Lenovo now has a working strategy to increase sales of Moto branded devices. We hope that in 2017, Lenovo will manage to restore Motorola’s lost glory.

(Source)

Nokia P1 with Snapdragon 835, Sharp IGZO Display Rumored as Coming at MWC

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 17, 2017

MWC 2017 is just by the corner and one of the smartphones expected is the new Nokia flagship powered by a Snapdragon 835 chip. Earlier rumors had tipped the expected smartphone as Nokia 8 and later on, renders of a Qualcomm smartphone exhibited at CES 2017 was identified as the expected Nokia 8 until Qualcomm debunked that assertion. Now, it is rumored that the expected Nokia flagship smartphone is actually called Nokia P1 and it packs way more features than we thought.

The rumor seem to have emanated from Russia and it tips the Nokia P1 as packing the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset. Other key features of note is that the flagship would sport a 5.3-inch IGZO display with a refresh rate of 1 to 120Hz. The display is further protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

According to the rumor, the Nokia P1 is based on Sharp Aquos Xx3 and packs some features found on the Aquos Xx3. Recall that Foxconn now owns Sharp and Foxconn is the manufacturer of the Nokia phones for HMD Global, so the rumors carry some weight. Apart from that, the device is rumored to come with 6GB of RAM and two memory versions of 128GB and 256GB of storage respectively. There is also said to be a 22.6MP main camera at the rear identical to that of the Sharp Aquos Xx3 but the Nokia P1 comes with ZEISS optics certified by Carl. Other features include a 3,500mAh battery with Quick charge, ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, and Android 7.0 Nougat OS out of the box.

The Nokia P1 will also come in two versions based on the material used to manufacture the body. The high-end version with 256GB storage is said to come with a ceramic body, while the other version with 128GB storage will feature a metal frame. Both versions will have IP55/ IP 57 protection standard. Expect the 256GB version to come in with a hefty $950 price tag, while the 128GB version is said to be price around $800.

(source)

Scientists Develop Battery Packed with Fire Extinguisher Inside

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 17, 2017

In the quest to meet buyers’ yearning for smartphones with longer battery life, smartphone makers have developed several technological methods of battery manufacture. Smartphones are now packed with fast charging technology that delivers full capacity charge in just few minutes. But then, the rate of exploding phones seems to have increased as well, most times the phone’s battery is the culprit.

The case of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is perhaps the most notable smartphone till date to have been plagued by defective battery leading to the recall of the entire line. Although Samsung is yet to release the report of its findings on the exact cause of the Note 7 exploding incidence, local media allege that the report finds the battery as the cause.

However, there seem to be an end in sight as scientists at the Stanford University have published in the Science Advances journal that they have developed a battery that cools itself when it gets overheated. The battery is a lithium-ion battery built with flame-retardant triphenyl phosphate (TPP) inside a shell within the electrolyte fluid. The shell melts when the temperature reaches 150C (302F), releasing the chemical compound. The accompanying test result shows battery fires were extinguished in just 0.4 seconds.

Lithium-ion battery is the most popular battery that powers most gadgets, including smartphones and it gets affected by heat which turns it to a potentially explosive material. Attempts have been made in the past to incorporate TPP inside batteries without the shell and that have hampered their performance, so basically what they brought into the mix is the shell which they develop for the TPP compound inside the battery.

It is hoped that this development would lead to a break-through in lithium-ion battery manufacture which would eventually bring to an end cases of battery fire or explosions.

(source)

LG Files Patent for a Foldable Phone-Tablet Design

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 17, 2017

LG has received a patent for a foldable phone-tablet hybrid. It is likely to release in the second half of this year.

Samsung is reportedly working on a foldable device that can fold outwards and convert into a 7-inch tablet. LG has also received a patent for a “Mobile Phone” in the previous week for a new foldable design. This shows that even LG is keen on releasing a foldable phone.

LG’s patent (US D776,074 S) at USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) for a foldable device was filed on Jan. 7, 2015 and it was approved on Jan. 10, 2017. The patent details show that the device can be folded vertically. When unfolded, the device can be used a tablet. The device can be also used in a tent mode.

The device that uses this patent will have a touchscreen on the front and back. When unfolded, it will show a bar in the middle that will contain all the notifications. Alongside the additional display on its rear, it can have features like a camera along with LED, a fingerprint reader, and a rear-facing power button.

Recently, Microsoft was also granted for a foldable device. Speculations are rife that the much-awaited Surface Phone may arrive as a 2-in-1 foldable device that can function as a smartphone as well as a tablet. In the last week, Nokia’s patent for a foldable device was also approved which indicates even it is prepping up to enter foldable smartphone race.

Apple had also filed for a foldable iPhone in 2014. The flexible iPhone patent was approved in 2016. Samsung’ upcoming foldable devices are allegedly named as Galaxy X and Galaxy X1 Plus. Speculations are rife that Samsung may announce its foldable devices as early as in the second half of 2017. However, other speculations indicate that the device will be launched in first half of 2018.

Xiaomi Smart Home Kit Automatic Security System for just $52.99!

By

Linus

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Jan 17, 2017

Xiaomi is known for making all sorts of accessories and the smart home kit automatic security system is one of the most interesting things in the company’s portfolio. You can now get it for just $52.99 from lightinthebox.com using the coupon code that you will find at the end of this article.

The security system includes 5 components: an outlet, a wireless switch, a human body sensor, a gateway remote control and a window door sensor.

The multifunctional gateway can connect to all sorts of smart devices and it has some extra features like an FM radio, customizable bell, 16 million different colour options and so on.

One of the gadgets that can serve for both security and awareness is the door sensor. Basically, it sounds if someone opens up the door or the window.

The smart home kit automatic security system has a ton of other features and it aims to make your home more secure and smart. You can learn more about the Xiaomi’s 5 in 1 security system by visiting lightinthebox.com. In fact, you can grab this kit for just $52.99 using a COUPON CODE MI5512676.

Buy Xiaomi Smart Home Kit Automatic Security System for just $52.99 using a COUPON CODE MI5512676

E-Waste Level Rising Up Rapidly in Asia

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 17, 2017

A study carried out by the United Nations University in Japan has revealed that the amount of e-waste in the Eastern and SouthEastern parts of Asia has increased by 63% between 2010 and 2015. The waste currently sitting at 12.3 million tonnes has Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and the Chinese Mainland as major waste generators.

The huge surge in e-waste has been attributed to the rapid rate at which the middle class in countries like China is growing. People can now afford to buy more electronics and easily replace faulty ones or outdated ones. It has also become cheaper and easier to import products.

According to the research, some countries don’t have e-waste laws or don’t enforce them. It is also not unusual to see people uneducated about proper disposal of electronic wastes and those who are educated find it difficult to do so since recycling locations are far and few.

It is not all that bad though as countries like Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are doing well when it comes to e-waste management. Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and China have created laws related to e-waste disposal recently and should get better as public awareness increases.

(Source, Image Source)

ZTE Hawkeye Specifications Revealed

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 17, 2017

The ZTE Hawkeye is a crowd sourced smartphone born from ZTE’s Project CSX (Crowd Sourced X) where ‘X’ is the mobile device you want ZTE to build next. In this case X stands for Hawkeye.

The ZTE Hawkeye was unveiled at this year’s edition of CES and we got to learn of some of its major features. There is the eye-tracking feature labelled Senseye which lets you scroll through webpages using only your eyes and the self-adhesive back that lets you stick the phone up on walls for a hands-free usage. Today ZTE has unveiled the technical details of the Hawkeye.

The phone will have a 5.5-inch display, 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM, a snapdragon 625 processor and a 3000mAh battery. It will have Quick Charge 2.0 support, a USB Type-C port, and dual hybrid SIM slots.

Just like the ZTE Blade V8 and Blade V8 Pro, the ZTE Hawkeye will also have dual rear cameras. One will be a 13MP sensor and the other will be a 12MP shooter and both cameras will have optical image stabilization. Don’t be confused, we know renders of the phone released by the company shows a phone with a single rear camera but ZTE has confirmed that it will indeed have dual-cameras.

The Hawkeye will have a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and will ship with Android Nougat out of the box. ZTE has also provided the 4G LTE bands the Hawkeye will support, so if your operator uses any of these bands (B2/B4/B5/B12(MFBI)/B7/B13/B66), you might want to set your sights on the ZTE Hawkeye.

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You Can Now Buy LeEco Phones and TVs on Amazon US

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 17, 2017

LeEco launched in the US last year, bringing its phones and TVs to the North American country. After the launch, the company organised a number of flash sales for its phones and TVs on its LeMall website. But since the flash sales ended, the company has expanded sales of its products to other major shopping sites like Target and Best Buy.

In order to make its products available on more platforms, the Chinese manufacturer has now added online retail giant, Amazon to the list. So if you are an Amazon user, you can now purchase either the flagship LeEco Le Pro 3 or the mid-range Le S3 for $400 and $250 respectively.

You can also pick up the LeEco 55-inch 4K smart TV for $700 and the 65-inch variant for $1100. If you want something smaller, the 43-inch variant is also available for $450.

The LeEco phones are not bad at all. The Le Pro 3 for example has a snapdragon 821 processor, a 5.5-inch FHD screen with Gorilla Glass 3, a 16MP rear camera, 4GB of RAM,and 64GB of storage. It also has a USB Type-C port and a 4070mAh battery. The only downside is the lack of an audio jack and if Apple and Motorola can get away with not having one, LeEco should too.

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New Production Models of Redmi 4 Has Thinner Screen Borders

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 17, 2017

The Redmi 4 was released in November as the successor to the Redmi 3 and its many variants. It does sport a new design similar to its sibling the Redmi Note 4 and still maintains the low price the series is known for.

However, the Redmi 4 has that annoying black border that surrounds its screen, a feature common to low-priced Chinese phones. Seems Xiaomi has heard the complaints from users and has decided to fix the issue albeit to a certain degree and quietly too.

It has been noticed that new batches of the Redmi 4 sold at the company’s official mall since January 11 now have considerably thinner black border lines. It isn’t gone completely but it is thinner and if you look at the image below, you should notice the difference quite clearly. You will also notice that the phone looks shorter, so I guess the production mould must have been changed completely.

Redmi 4 New Batch — old version vs new version (leaked image)

It’s worth adding that the new version looks a lot like the Redmi 4a, which already came with thin bezels. So, we will have to wait and see if the new version ends up looking like the one shown on the right.

The price still remains the same and you still get a 5-inch HD display, a Snapdragon 430 processor, 2GB/3GB of RAM, and 16GB/32GB of storage. There is a 13MP rear camera with PDAF and a 5MP front facing camera for selfies. And even though the Redmi 4 has a smaller display, it still has the same 4100mAh battery capacity as the bigger Redmi Note 4.

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Nokia 6 Registrations Draw Closer to 1 million with Just 2 Days Left

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 17, 2017

HMD Global-controlled Nokia‘s first smartphone Nokia 6 is set to go on its first flash sales on January 19 and ahead of the sales, the device has been up for reservations since it was first announced in China last week. The smartphone has since then been making waves, recording up to 230,000 registrations in just 24 hours.

Presently, with just two days left before the smartphone goes up for sales via China’s popular flash sales method, registrations are almost hitting the one million mark on Jingdong. The Nokia 6 will be sold exclusively on Jingdong (JD.com), so it is easy to track the number of registrations so far. What we are not sure of is if there are enough units in stock to meet the huge number of interests in the smartphone. Although, we don’t expect the number of registrations to translate into actual sales, as some may end up not buying the smartphone. The huge number of interests in the Nokia 6 seem not to be misplaced, though, as the device comes with a mid-budget price tag and a design that reflects Nokia’s rugged, durable body build design trademark.

As a reminder, the Nokia 6 features a 5.5-inch display with 1080 pixels resolution. It is powered by a Snapdragon 430 chipset which is backed by 4GB of RAM. There is 64GB of storage onboard with the option of notching it further via microSD. On the camera end, the device carries a 16MP rear sensor with a single LED flash lying just underneath it. While up front, there is an 8MP front-facing camera for sleek selfies. There is a 3,000mAh battery crammed inside the smartphone which should do justice to keeping the lights on for a longer period. It carries a 1699 yuan price tag.