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LeEco’s Android Powered Smart Bikes to Hit the U.S. Roads by Q2 2017

LeEco has unveiled two new smart bikes powered with Android at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2017. The Smart Road Bike and Smart Mountain Bike will be coming to the U.S. by Q2 this year.

The China-based tech company had showcased the Android powered bikes at a press conference in the U.S. At that time, the company had not revealed many details. However, the specifications and features of both bikes have been announced at CES 2017.

Both the bikes are powered by Snapdragon 410 chipset and they also feature 4-inch touchscreens. A 6,000 mAh removable and rechargeable battery is present on the bikes. The Android Marshmallow OS is customized with BikeOS from LeEco.

LeEco Smart Road Bike

The BikeOS makes it easier for users to track their rides, health data and physical and share the information to their friends. Both the bikes have some more common features such as fingerprint scanner, bike security tracker, inbuilt alarm, GPS/GLONASS, Here Maps, walkie-talkie, music player 30-speed shift, lights, horn and a barometer.

Both Smart Road Bike and Smart Mountain Bike are equipped with Toray T700 carbon fiber frames and handlebars. They also feature 11-speed drivetrain.

Related: LeEco’s Financial Troubles Continue, Defaults in Payment For EPL Broadcast

The Smart Road Bike is designed for daily commute on streets as it weighs 18.5 pounds whereas the weight of Smart Mountain Bike meant for cycling in rough terrain is 26.9 pounds. The two bikes have respective seats, wheels and carbon fiber frames for the type of rides they have been designed for.

LeEco Smart Road Bike

LeEco has not confirmed the pricing of its new super bikes for the U.S. audience. However, the company has been known for launching products with aggressive pricing, both bikes are expected to come with attractive pricing. The company has been selling similar Android powered bikes with a price range of $800 to $6,000.

As far as the availability is concerned, the Smart Road and Smart Mountain Bikes are expected to be available for purchase by the second quarter of this year.

Huawei Honor 6X Official in The US & EU For $249, Higher Than China’s!

Huawei, over the weekend, teased what is billed to be the launch of a new interesting Honor phone that would drop on January 3 in the US ahead of CES 2017. Turns out the expected smartphone is the dual camera-packing, budget Huawei Honor 6X that was launched in China a few months back.

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The Honor 6X is an upgraded version of the equally spectacular Honor 5X which was launched in 2015 with all-metal body, well studded specs lineup and yet a cheap $157 price tag. But then Huawei launched the Honor 6X with an upgraded specs tablet and the mid-ranger even packs a stunning dual-lens camera at the rear, yet was placed in the budget price category.

Design & Hardwares – Honor 6X

Talking about the design, the Huawei Honor 6X features an all metallic built, with 2.5D glass on the front. The phone has smooth and well chamfered edges with less design bezels at the sides, giving it a premium flagship look. It also has a compact body with a dimension of 150.9 x 72.6 x 8.2mm and weighing in  at 162 grams.

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Read Also: Huawei Honor S1 Smartwatch Launched Priced at 699 Yuan ($104)

As for the specs, the Honor 6X is powered by the Kirin 655 octa-core chipset clocked at 2.1GHz with Mali-T830 MP2 GPU which is a decent offering for a budget smartphone. The device sports a 5.5-inch display with 1080p resolution.  Only the 3GB + 32GB storage version is available for both markets right now, but Huawei has said the 4GB RAM version will hit select markets in due course.

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Going further, the phone features a dual camera setup at the rear consisting of one 12MP primary sensor and another 2MP secondary sensor. Huawei teased a photo captured by the Honor 6X’s rear cameras at dusk and the image was crisp clear, meaning it packs a powerful sensor onboard. Up front, there is an 8MP camera. Inside, the phone features a decent 3340mAh battery. As for the software, the device runs on Android 6 Marshmallow with Emotion UI 4.1 on top. Other features include fingerprint sensor at the back, dual SIM dual standby, 4G LTE, WI-Fi n and GPS.

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Pricing

The Honor 6X comes in five different colors namely gold, rose gold, silver, gray, and navy. As for the price in the EU and US, the Honor 6X starts at $249 in the US for the 3GB RAM version. This is slightly higher than the $149 price tag it clutched on launch day in China a few months back. Pre-orders will open at Honor’s web portal on January 4, while the official sales would kick off on January 15. When the 4GB version enters the market, it will be priced at $300. Meanwhile customers in the U.S. can get the Honor 6X 3GB for a reduced price of $200 during flash sales at 10 a.m. (PT )on January 10, 17, 24, and 31.

Related: Honor 6X With Dual Cameras & Kirin 655 Official, Starts At Just $149

For Europe, the Honor 6X will be available in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Russia and others with sales starting January 4th for €249.

Synaptics’ All-In-One Fingerprint & Facial Recognition System for Mobile Devices Announced

Human interface solution developer Synaptics has announced a new multi-factor biometric platform that can be used on smartphones, notebook PCs and tablets. The engine was developed in collaboration with KeyLemon, another facial recognition company.

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The new platform is coming ahead of the CES 2017 and is said to use both fingerprint and facial recognition, thus allowing mobile devices to be unlocked in several ways, based on the user’s preference. Apart from the feature of unlocking the device, the platform also provides some level of security for financial transactions as well as unlocking of other sensitive information in the device because users will be required to go through two modes of authentication.

Read Also: Asus Could Beat Samsung & Xiaomi To Release The First Snapdragon 835 Flagship

One good thing about the system is that it features anti-spoof technology and uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to differentiate between the real owner of the device and any other imitation. So, it doesn’t only take note of the facial features but reflex actions like eye blinking and pattern of  head movement in order to prevent spoofing or imitation.

Synaptics has hinted that it seeks to expand the platform to include additional biometric and security factors. The company also went on to introduce a fingerprint sensor technology which allows for scanning of the fingerprint through glass, thus opening up the potential for button-free display designs with embedded fingerprint recognition sensors. This isn’t new though as we’ve already got the Xiaomi Mi 5S with underglass  ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.

Related: Synaptics Announces Its Own Under-Glass Fingerprint Scanner

Since Synaptics sells its patents and inventions to smartphone and tablet makers, the new technology could find its way inside smartphones in the near future. As to when exactly, that we cannot say.

(via)

Lenovo Launches New ThinkPad X1 Series Aimed at Business Professionals

Lenovo, today announced a refresh to its ThinkPad X1 series. The ThinkPad series is a line aimed at business professionals and the new series doesn’t fall short of that. The new line includes the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the ThinkPad X1 Tablet, and the ThinkPad X1 Yoga.

ThinkPad X1 Carbon

The new ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the 5th generation notebook in the ThinkPad line. Now available in silver for the first time, the Carbon still maintains its light weight, coming in at just 1.14 kg. Although equipped with a 14-inch display, the X1 carbon has a 13-inch form factor. The small form doesn’t mean ports are sacrificed. There are USB 3.0 ports, Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a HDMI port too. The battery life has also been upgraded as it now offers up to 15.5 hours.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

The Carbon also has enhanced biometric authentication and now boasts an IR camera with face recognition support. According to Lenovo, the Carbon is the first business-class notebook to support FIDO-enabled biometric authentication for PayPal. The feature allows you to authenticate your PayPal via fingerprint instead of a password.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon will launch in February with pricing starting at $1,349.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet

The new ThinkPad X1 Tablet with its 2-in-1 design weighs less than 1kg and passes the MIL-SPEC durability test. You can attach a number of modules to increase productivity such as a projector module; a battery expansion module that offers up to 5-hours of extra battery life and also additional ports; or you can settle for a keyboard dock. There is also LTE-A for connectivity so that you can keep working when on the road.

The ThinkPd X1 Tablet will be available in March for $949.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet

READ MORE: Lenovo Smart Assistant with Amazon’s Alex Announced

The SpeedX Unicorn Bike Can Measure How Much Effort You Put While Riding

SpeedX, a smart bike company that launched its first bike the SpeedX Leopard in March last year is back with another one called the SpeedX Unicorn. The SpeedX Unicorn was unveiled today at CES.

The Unicorn is an upgrade to last year’s Leopard road bike and boasts some new and interesting features. There is a detachable computer on the stem of the bike that runs a custom version of android and sports a 2.2-inch display. The computer displays your current, average, and maximum speed allowing you to measure your performance.

SpeedX Unicorn

Unicorn Speedforce

SpeedX says the new Speedforce computer apart from being visible under direct sunlight also has a strong battery life, lasting for more than 20 hours on a single charge. You also don’t need to take your hand off the bars to switch the screen as there re wireless buttons embedded in each handlebar.

The major upgrade in the SpeedX Unicorn is the integrated power meter which helps cyclists measure the effort on each ride. Other bikes require you to buy a power meter separately but SpeedX already has one built in.

Want to buy the SpeedX Unicorn? Then you’ll have to back it up on Kickstarter like their last bike the Leopard, which if you still remember is the most funded bike campaign on Kickstarter. The SpeedX Unicorn has three models: the Unicorn Di2, The Unicorn Pro, and the Unicorn X.

SpeedX Unicorn

The lower-priced Unicorn Di2 has a Fizik R3 saddle, a pair of Xero SpeedX Carbon wheels and a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset for $3,499. The more expensive Unicorn Pro has a Fizik R5 saddle and a SRAM eTap Hydro groupset and costs $4,599. The Unicorn X priced at $5,899 has a Fizik R7 saddle and a pair of Zipp 303 wheels.

Backing it up on Kickstarter will get you a discount. The Unicorn Di2 is $3,199 for the early backers after which it will sell for $3,299; the Unicorn Pro is $3999 for the early birds and will sell for $4099 when all the early bird units are out of stock; while the Unicorn X is $5,299 for the early bird and $5,399 for the special price.

Just to let you know, the units set aside for the early bird price for all three models will soon be out of stock. Early birds will get their bikes by April while those who buy at the special price will get theirs in May.

You can check out the Kickstarter here.

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Umidigi Bluetooth Speaker Review

Umi, which has changed the name to UMIDIGI, has been known for producing quite a lot of smartphones but the company also makes other gadgets. We just came across their brand new Bluetooth speaker that costs just about $33. Learn more in our full review.

UNBOXING

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The speaker comes in quite a nice box. Inside of it, you can find some paperwork, AUX cable and the micro USB cable.

DESIGN

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The very first impressions you’re going to get is that the speaker is very tiny and lightweight.

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It is made entirely out of aluminium and the build quality is top-notch. Also, the buttons feel nice and tactile.

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On the bottom, we have a silicone pad to prevent the speaker from sliding on the table.

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Overall, this speaker definitely exceeded my expectations in terms of the build and the overall looks and feel.

PAIRING

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Pairing the UMIDIGI Bluetooth speaker is very easy as the pairing mode turns on automatically once you power on the device. All you have to do is turn on the Bluetooth on your smartphone and select it. All other times the speaker will connect to your smartphone automatically in just a second.

SOUND QUALITY

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For such a tiny speaker, the sound quality is pretty good. If you have tested hundreds of speakers like me, you will not be surprised that these tiny cheap speakers can sound pretty well.

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The UMIDIGI speaker has a decent sound quality with some rich tones and clear vocals. Also, there is a decent amount of bass. However, the sound gets distorted quite a lot at the highest volume settings.

TEST NOTES

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The built-in battery allowed us to listen to music for about 7 hours, which is a decent result.

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The built-in mic lets you use the speaker for handsfree calling. The call quality is pretty good as we were able to make a clear conversation.

CONCLUSIONS

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Overall, the UMIDIGI Bluetooth speaker is a pretty good device for the price. We cannot say that this is the only speaker you should check out in this price range but the UMIDIGI speaker has a premium design and build, it sounds pretty well and we did not have any connectivity issues.

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Therefore, we can recommend this speaker to buy, even if it is not the only great option for this price on the market.

Gizmochina Giveaway – Win An Elephone S7 Phone

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Gizmochina along with Elephone official is conducting a Elephone S7 phone as Giveaway gift to one of our lucky readers. Like always, you just have to follow the steps mentioned on the Gleam widget to get a chance to win this amazing phone.

First of all, Elephone wants to express their gratitude to their customers for their support for the year,and they say it’s your support that make them stronger and better day by day and they want to share the journey with you in the future.

What expect for elephone of 2017? Please leave comments under this article. Elephone will get better with your suggestions.

In order to thank Elephone for sponsoring the Elephone S7 giveaway, the one lucky winner will be selected among those who follow on Elephone Twitter:

Just follow the steps mentioned in the Gleam widget to participate in the giveaway.

Once again, happy new year everyone and good luck.

Gizmochina Giveaway – Win A Free Elephone S7

Lenovo Smart Storage Comes Packed with Dual-band Wi-Fi & 6TB capacity

Launched along with its other CES 2017 surprises, Lenovo took the wraps off its Smart Storage device. The Lenovo Smart storage is a storage device that offers up to 6TB storage space and comes as a smart gadget with Dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity.

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The Smart storage can be said to be ultra-smart as it also features a facial recognition for better sorting of synced photographs based on the faces in the photos in addition to the dual-badn Wi-Fi that allows peer-to-peer access.

Read Also: Lenovo Miix 720 2-in-1 PC with Active Pen 2 unveiled, Surface Pro Killer!

Powering the Smart storage is an Intel Celeron N3060 dual-core processor with a clock frequency of 1.6GHz. The processor is backed by 2GB of RAM and there is 8GB of internal storage. The unit takes a 3.5-inch SATA hard drive and can offer 2TB of storage as well as up to 6TB. There is a pair of USB 3.0 ports onbaord for connecting other devices as well as a button to upload stuffs and another to reset the device. There is also an RJ45 1000M port on the device.

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The functions offered by the Lenovo Smart Storage are enormous. It can be used to watch movies over Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) platform and it also supports wireless data transfer between devices. If the wireless data connectivity is running at snail speed, you can also use a wired connection by connecting the two devices via USB ports. There is also the issue of confidentiality as files can be kept private and secured and it also auto Sync if that function is set up, and this enables the device transfer data to the hard drive automatically.

RelatedLenovo Smart Assistant With Amazon Alexa Announced

The Smart storage also enables users to print photos stored inside using Kite Photo Service and it is also compatible with the Lenovo Smart App. Talking about the price, the Lenovo Smart Storage device is priced at $139.99 USD and will be available for purchase in May, 2017.

ZUK Z2 Pro 6GB+128GB Version Gets Slashed to ¥1999 ($287)

The Snapdragon 820 might be a year old already but it is still a powerful processor and since new phones sporting the new Snapdragon 835  processor will soon be released, phones with the older Snapdragon 820 are getting price cuts. One of them is the ZUK Z2 Pro.

Lenovo’s ZUK Z2 Pro is the more powerful variant of the Z2 series. It has a larger 5.2-inch Super AMOLED full HD display, 4GB/6GB of RAM, and 64GB/128GB of storage. The rear camera is a 13MP f/1.8 sensor with OIS, PDAF, and dual LED flash; and there is an 8MP f/2.0 shooter up front. You also get a front-mounted fingerprint scanner and the built-in 3100mAh battery also supports Quick Charge 3.0. Unlike some other flagships released last year, the ZUK Z2 Pro has an audio jack and sports a version 3.1 USB Type-C port.

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READ MORE: ZUK Edge Uses Display from Domestic Supplier, Tianma

Lenovo Miix 720 2-in-1 PC with Active Pen 2 unveiled, Surface Pro Killer!

Lenovo has unveiled a new verson of the Miix 700 2-in-1 tablet which was released last year at CES 2016. The Lenovo Miix 720 unveiled just before CES 2017 takes on the Microsoft Surface Pro and it even takes the notch higher when compared to previous Miix tablets.

Lenovo Miix 720

The Lenovo Miix 720 is actually a detachable PC that boots Windows 10 form the go. The gadget has a design where it easily transforms from a laptop design to a tablet just by detaching some parts. The tablet PC also comes with Lenovo’s Active Pen 2 and has a light weight design. The Lenovo tablet laptop is touted as an all-purpose digital vehicle and besides it being light weight, the stylus can be used for hands-on creations.

RELATED: Lenovo Smart Assistant With Amazon Alexa Announced

Lenovo Miix 720

On the hardware, the Lenovo Miix 720 features a 12-inch touchscreen display with QHD+ resolution (aka 2880 x 1920 pixels). Lenovo touts the display as being ultra crisp with “graphics-enriched pitch”.  The tablet weights just 2.4lbs and is somewhat thin at 14.6mm of thickness.

Lenovo Miix 720

Still on the hardware, the Miix 720 is powered by the 7th generation Intel Core i7 “Kabu Lake” processor, tagging along with an Intel HD 620 graphics card.There is a 16GB of RAM onboard and a storage of up to 1TB. The device also carries a facial recognition feature and a powerful battery that can last up tp 8 hours of usage. Other features include a USB port, Thunderbolt 3, a rear camera and a kick-stand that can extend up to 150-degrees.

Lenovo Miix 720

The new Active Pen 2 which comes with the Miix 720 is said to be ultra-sensitive with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. The keyboard is backlit, so you don’t have to worry about operating the device in the dark.

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Read More: Lenovo Phab2 Pro AR Phone Launched in China For 3999 Yuan ($575)

The Lenovo Miix 730 2-in-1 Windows PC carries a price tag of $999.99 USD and would become available for purchase in April starting at $999.99. The Active Pen is sold separately and costs just $59.99 USD. It will be available from February 2017.

Lenovo Smart Assistant with Amazon’s Alexa Announced

When Amazon released the Amazon Echo back in 2015, everyone was blown away. The speaker with a built-in smart assistant called Alexa performed a variety of functions. You could ask it questions, order items from Amazon’s website, set alarms and even control your other smart electronics with it. Other companies such as Google seeing how successful the Echo is launched their own version called Google Home with Google’s Assistant baked in.

But what if you do not want to buy Google’s Home and you don’t like Amazon’s Echo because it’s only available in black and white? Lenovo has got you covered. The PC manufacturer just launched its own smart home speaker before CES 2017, called the Lenovo Smart Assistant which comes in very cool colors and the best thing about it is that it has Amazon’s Alexa built-in.

Lenovo Smart Assistant

Lenovo Smart Assistant Design

Lenovo’s Smart Assistant can be said to be a cross between the Echo and Google Home. The top half looks like an Echo and the lower half like the Google Home’s replaceable base. The top has just a single button but has a circular speaker grille similar to that of the Echo, although just one set of holes in the Lenovo.

The top part has a ‘floating design” from the rest of the body and has an aluminium frame around it. Just below it is the remaining part of the first half that has Lenovo’s branding hanging like a banner outside a castle. The lower half is the part that looks like the Google Home with its fabric design which we believe is covering the speaker(s). While the Google Home has a removable base, the Lenovo Smart Assistant isn’t and you are stuck with whatever color you purchase.

The underside of the speaker has a cut-out groove for the power cord and a reset button that can be activated using a sim ejector tool or office pin.

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RELATED: Lenovo has just unveiled the stylus-equipped Microsoft Surface Killer

Lenovo Smart Assistant Features

The Lenovo Smart Assistant equipped with eight 360° far-field microphones with noise suppression and acoustic echo cancellation is designed to pick up users’ voice commands from up to 5 meters away. Lenovo says there is a special Harman Kardon Edition of the Smart Assistant for those who want premium audio quality when streaming music.

The Smart Assistant not only answers questions and takes commands but can also be used to control other Lenovo smart home devices as well as a number of existing 3rd part products.

Lenovo Smart Assistant Pricing and Availability

The Lenovo Smart Assistant will be available in May 2017 for $129.99 in White with either a Light Gray, Green, or Orange base and Black for $179.99 if you want the Harman Kardon Edition.

Note that our CES coverage can be read at CES 2017 Hub

(Sources: 1 and 2)

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Xiaomi Follows Suit, Increases Prices of Its Mi TVs

The increase in cost of electronics from China has started and major manufacturers are already adjusting prices. First to effect the change is Meizu who have increased the price of the M5 Note and also their android TV box. Xiaomi is following suit and is starting with its smart TVs.

According to the source, LeEco was the first to increase the price of TVs before Xiaomi increased theirs. The price increase affects only two models though but there is no assurance that the rest will remain the same for long. The price changes are listed below:

  • Mi TV 3S 48-inches: initially priced at ¥1999 ($285), now ¥2299 ($331)
  • Mi TV 3S 55-inches: initially priced at ¥3499 ($503),  now ¥3699 ($532).

READ MORE: Xiaomi Confirms The release of Its White Bicycle in January

More Images of LeEco’s Dual Camera Le 2S Dual

Yesterday we reported that a LeEco smartphone with dual cameras was seen online. The phone called the Le 2S Dual sports Mediatek’s Helio X25 processor and two 13MP sensors on the rear. Today, more pictures of the phone have been posted on Weibo by a user who goes the name of 搞机王腾霄 (Wang Tengxiao Engage Machine).

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The Le 2S Dual in the pictures has a champagne gold coating with the unusual design of the dual camera setup standing out in a not so attractive way. Below the camera setup sits LeEco’s signature mirror fingerprint scanner. Up front, the first thing that hits you is the annoying black band around the screen (we hope Chinese manufacturers remove it from their phones this year). The top bezel has the sensor, speaker, and the 12MP front camera setup in the usual arrangement employed by LeEco.

While the images don’t show the top and bottom of the phone, the Le 2S Dual likely doesn’t have an audio jack. So you are left with the USB Type-C port as the only port on the phone.

READ MORE: LeEco’s Financial Troubles Continue, Defaults in Payment for EPL Broadcast

Samsung Patents Dual Camera Tech, Could We See It On the Galaxy S8?

A recent Samsung patent filing in South Korea has shown what the tech giant has in the offing as regards dual lens camera. The patent application was published today in Samsung’s home country and it bears the title, “Digital photographing apparatus and the operating method for the same”.

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A perusal of the patent document reveals a pair of attached images and on one of the images we could see a smartphone with dual cameras at the rear. While one of the lens is a wide-angle lens, the other seems to function as a magnifier to optimize the image in focus.

 

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The dual camera setup seems to make it easy to take shots of a very wide angle and still capture a particular object as the focus object. Samsung demonstrated this feature using a snowboarder who is the main focus and yet the camera still captured a wide scenery of the snowy environment where the snowboarder surfs.

Read Also: Samsung Files Patent for Bendable Smartphone Display

It is not known if the new Samsung patent filing will find its way into the Galaxy S8 expected this year. There were already rumors of the Galaxy S8 using a dual-lens camera at the rear but that isn’t certain. Perhaps if we don’t see the dual-lens technology on the Galaxy S8, it might just find its way into the Galaxy Note 8 except Samsung kills that line as is already rumored. We can’t eait to have Samsung’s first dual-lens camera packing device on our hands. If it is going to be the Galaxy S8, time will tell.

(via)

Meizu Quietly Increases Price of Meizu M5 Note

The Meizu M5 Note was released towards the end of last year. The all-metal phone with a 5.5-inch FHD display, 3GB of RAM and a Helio P10 processor is available in different storage variants with pricing starting at ¥899 ($130 ) and moving up ¥1499 ($218). Barely a month later and the prices are no longer the same.

If you head to Meizu’s official website, you will notice that there has been a price increase for all the M5 Note models. The 3GB + 16GB model priced at ¥899 ($130) now sells for ¥999 ($144) and the 3GB + 32GB version selling for ¥999 before is now ¥1099 ($158). However the 3GB + 64GB variant remains priced at ¥1499 ($248).

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READ MORE: Meizu and Qualcomm Finally Settle Their Issues, Sign Patent Licensing Agreement 

Xiaomi’s Second Teaser for CES 2017: Let the World Experience Innovative Technology From China!

Xiaomi has once again teased the unveiling of a new innovative product during a Xiaomi news conference holding at CES 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US. The recent teaser is coming on the heels of the one earlier teased by Xiaomi VP, Hugo Barra. Mr Barra’s teaser did no good in enabling us know what the product will likely be.

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Going by the information contained in the teased post, the new technology from Xiaomi would be unveiled officially on January 6, 2017 at 3.00 for the world to witness. While we cannot really pinpoint what the so called new innovative technology from China is, we can only take a cue from the content of the teased image.

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The poster contained some set of programming code using the C programming language which means the product has something to do with computer programming, perhaps on mobile devices. Perhaps this could be a new operating system, it could be AI, it could be something out of this world!

Read More: Xiaomi to Unveil Yi Erida Drone and Yi 4K+ Action Cam at CES 2017

Xiaomi is an innovative start up, so it is always striving to improve its standing and considering the company’s interest to enter the US market, this could be a perfect spring board to achieve that. Already the company has got the Yi Erida drone an Yi 4K+ action cam under its sleeves for release in CES 2017. However, as to what the product really is, we’ll have to wait till January 6 to find out.

(source)

Vernee to Unveil World’s First Helio X30 Powered Smartphone at MWC 2017; Is it Apollo 2?

Vernee has confirmed that it will be present at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 to unveil its upcoming flagship that will be powered by MediaTek MT6799 Helio X30 chipset.

The Chinese company has confirmed that it will be unleashing its next flagship at MWC 2017 at booth number 7G60. The Helio X30 chipset is the most powerful SoC from MediaTek. Vernee could possibly unveil world’s first smartphone running on the next generation MediaTek SoC.

Rumors have it that Vernee’s next flagship will come in 6 GB /8 GB RAM variants along with 64 GB and 128 GB storage sizes. However, there is no confirmation whether the Vernee Apollo 2 will be announced at MWC 2017 as the world’s  first Helio X30 powered smartphone.

Vernee MWC 2017

In September 2016, MediaTek had announced three chipsets, Helio P20, Helio P25 and Helio X30. Among these, the Helio X30 is designed to power flagship devices while others are pegged to drive midrange smartphones.

The Helio X30 is a 10nm SoC that features a deca-core processor. It features two Cortex A73 processors working a 2.8 GHz. The four Cortex A53 processors run at 2.2 GHz and the other four Cortex A35 processor have a clocking speed of 2 GHz

It includes IMG 7XTP-Mt4 GPU working at 820 MHz. It can support 4 GB to a max of 8 GB RAM. It also carries support for eMMC 5.1 and UFS 2.1 flash storage.

It can support up to WQXA display that offers a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. It supports up to 28-megapixel (Dual ISP) camera, 4K video shooting at 30 fps and Ultra HD video playback.

Related: Is Vernee Apollo 2 the first Helio X30 powered device?

The Vernee Apollo 2 is under the wraps. Since it is expected to feature Helio X30, it may come with features like a quad HD display, 6 or 8 GB of RAM and Android 7.0 Nougat. Previous rumors have also stated a device dubbed as Apollo Pro 2 is under works with Snapdragon 830. However, none of the specs mentioned here for Apollo 2 have been officially confirmed by the Chinese manufacturer.

Apollo is the first flagship from Vernee that was released last year. It features a 5.5-inch quad HD display, Helio X20 SoC, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB storage, 21-megapixel rear camera, 8-megapixel selfie snapper and 3,180 mAh battery. It is now selling for $249 through flash sale.

Asus Could Beat Samsung & Xiaomi To Release The First Snapdragon 835 Flagship

Qualcomm had promised to unveil details about its latest Snapdragon 835 chip during CES 2017 but recent benchmark data have revealed the enormous power of the flagship SoC. The Qualcomm chip was hitherto expected to be used by Samsung first on its Galaxy S8 flagship earlier billed for MWC in February and then on the Xiaomi Mi 6 also.

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However, there are indications that Taiwanese smartphone maker ASUS may beat the duo of Samsung and Xiaomi to use the flagship Snapdragon 835 chip on its smartphone. The company recently teased via Twitter, the launch of a flagship Asus Zenfone model during CES that would be powered by the world’s best processor. The launch will take place on January 4, 2017.

We are not entirely sure if the Asus Zenfone expected would actually feature the Snapdragon 835 chip, as it is not categorically stated but don’t forget that the ASUS Zenfone 3 Deluxe was the first Snapdragon 821-powered phone.In addition, it is sure going to be a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip on board and the best so far Qualcomm has got is the Snapdragon 835. It is possible, though, that the SD 821 which is also one of the best around is being referred to.

Asus Zenfone

Read More: ASUS X00GD Shows Up AT TENAA: Sports 4850mAh Battery and Runs Android Nougat

From earlier teaser, the Asus Zenfone model would likely feature a dual camera set up on board but other details are a bit sketchy right now. We’ll keep you updated here on Gizmochina as more details emerge.

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Galaxy S8 Rumors: Samsung Desktop Experience, a Continuum-Like Feature Leaked

Fresh information suggests that Samsung will introduce Microsoft Continuum-like on its upcoming Galaxy S8 flagship smartphone.

Continuum feature was revealed by Microsoft on its Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 smartphones from 2015. The feature allows Windows 10 Mobile powered Lumia 950 and 950 XL to deliver full-fledged desktop experience by connecting the smartphone to a monitor by using a Display Dock.

Samsung Desktop Experience Arriving on Galaxy S8?

A leaked presentation slide with the title ‘Samsung Desktop Experience: Next Mobile Workspace,” the South Korean company will be introducing a feature like Continuum from Microsoft. The Samsung Desktop Experience feature will allow Galaxy S8 users to connect it to an external display and enjoy desktop experience by using wireless keyboard and mice.

Samsung Desktop Experience for Galaxy S8

The Samsung Desktop Experience will provide extended workspace along with multi-window multi-tasking. If the South Korean company is really going to bring the new feature on Galaxy S8, it must have also developed a new UI for seamless experience once the device is connected to a display.

It is not sure whether the leaked slide is real or fake. Hence, we advise you to take this rumor with a pinch of salt. If it comes true, the Galaxy S8 will become the first Android smartphone to deliver a proper PC experience.

It is likely that the Android powered Galaxy S8 would come loaded with Microsoft Office productivity software. With Samsung Desktop Experience, Galaxy S8 will be able to work seamlessly on Word, Excel, PowerPoint on so on.

Related: Samsung to Reveal Galaxy Note 7 Investigation Results This Month

Samsung Galaxy S8 Rumored Specs

Samsung Galaxy S8 is expected to come in two sizes with dual-edge curved screens. Rumors have it that the Galaxy S8 will feature 5-inch display whereas the Galaxy S8 Plus will have 6-inch display. Both the phones are expected to come with higher screen-to-body ratio along with no hardware buttons.

The Galaxy S8 models are pegged to feature USB Type-C headphone connectivity instead of the standard 3.5 mm audio jack. Other rumored specs of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus include Snapdragon 835 SoC, 6 GB of RAM, autofocus enabled selfie cameras, dual rear camera, USB Type-C ports, iris scanners, smart AI assistants, S-Pen stylus and more. The Galaxy S8 is speculated to get unveiled in April 2017.

(Source)

Faraday Future ELectric Car Likely Price Revealed

As the CES 2017 draws nearer, more details about LeEco-backed Faraday Future electric car are emerging. Before now, it had been established that the car would be unveiled in Las Vegas on January 3 during the Consumer Electronic Show (CES). It was also revealed that the car isn’t just a concept piece anymore but what we’ll be seeing during CES 2017 is a production version ready to go on sale in 2018.

faraday future electric car

Further details on the likely price tag of the Faraday Future electric car have now emerged, with suggestions in some quarters that the car is likely to carry a price tag of around $150K – $200K USD.

faraday-future-teaser

The LeEco-backed electric car is said to have a range of up to 300 miles (482 km), thanks to the large 92-kWh battery it packs inside. The car is even faster than the Tesla Model X.

Faraday future electric car

Read More: Faraday Future SUV Outruns Tesla Model X in Drag Race Video

It is likely, though, that the company is looking to get buyers to key into the concept car so as to help boost its finances. Already, LeEco is swimming in troubled waters financially and Faraday Future is also said to be battling financially. It is reported that the company is hoping to bring in new investors during the CES 2017 unveiling, if not it would go bankrupt in February. We hope the company survives, though, as there are rumors that the innovative company is also planning a midrange electric car to debut in 2020, codenamed Project 81.