Announcement of The Xiaomi Mi 5C Pinecone Processor Causes Huawei to Worry

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Feb 5, 2017

When we first heard of the Xiaomi Mi 5C last year, we were surprised at the choice of SoC it was going to have. It was not going to use a Qualcomm chip or one from Mediatek, neither was it going to sport Huawei’s Kirin processor or Samsung’s Exynos. Though we would still be surprised if it had used any of the last two. The Mi 5C was going to have a chip built by Xiaomi called Pinecone.

Pinecone is the result of a partnership formed in 2014 between Xiaomi-controlled Beijing Electronics Co. Ltd. and Leadcore Technology Ltd., a subsidiary of Datang Telecom. The partnership led to the formation of Beijing Pinecone Electronics Co. Ltd, a chip manufacturing company with Xiaomi owning 51% of the stake and Leadcore owning the remaining 49%. The new pinecone chip is actually not their first. It is said that the Leadcore L1860C in the Xiaomi Redmi 2A is the first chip from the company.

The Xiaomi Mi 5C will be the first device to launch with the new processor. Reports say there are two versions of the processor: one will be made up of 8 Cortex-A53 chips and will have a performance equal to Mediatek’s Helio P10 while the other called ‘Pinecone 2’ will be made up of 4 Cortex A73 chips and 4 Cortex A53 chips.

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Rumor: Moto G5 Expected to Go on Sale Mid-March

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 4, 2017

There is basically nothing hidden about the Moto G5 phone now save for the price. The most recent info is about a possible retail date leaked by a UK retailer.

The info was posted on twitter by Roland Quandt who tweeted about the BlackBerry Mercury’s camera about a week ago. The tweet includes a screenshot from the store some say is Clove Technology, a UK-based online shop that deals in smartphones, tablets and a bunch of other gadgets. The listing has the Moto G5 in Gold (MOT-G5GL) and Gray (MOT-G5GR) with 2GB of RAM and a mid-March date for availability. That puts it at roughly 2 weeks after MWC.

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New Huawei Phone Spotted on GeekBench, Said to Be Huawei Maya

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 4, 2017

Lately, a number of Huawei phones have been popping up on benchmarking site, Geekbench. New on the list is a phone said to be Huawei Maya with model number Huawei MYA-L03.

Judging from the specs, the Huawei Maya is a low mid-range phone. The device has 2GB of RAM and sports a quad-core MT6737T processor clocked at 1.4GHz. It also runs Android 6.0.

For the test scores, the Huawei Maya pulls in 658 points for the Single-Core test and 1815 points for the Multi-Core test putting it in the same category as the Snapdragon 425 toting Redmi 4A.

There have been comparisons between this new device and a similar one that was seen on the FCC’s website in December. The device on the FCC’s website whose model number is MYA-L23 is listed as a dual-SIM device with a 2920mAh battery and has support for LTE bands 2, 4, 5, and 7. A real image on the site also shows the device sporting a single camera with dual-LED flash.

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ZTE Blade A2 Plus Released in India

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 4, 2017

If you live in India and are on the search for a new mid-range phone, you should probably take a look at ZTE’s new phone, the Blade A2 Plus.

The ZTE Blade A2 Plus boasts the usual features you will find in an average mid-range device. There is a 5.5-inch full HD display, hybrid dual-SIM slots (nano only), a 13MP rear camera with PDAF and an 8MP front facing camera. However, while most of these mid-range phones offer very similar specs, ZTE has made an effort to stand out.

The Blade A2Plus’s has a fingerprint scanner mounted on the rear that is clickable. So apart from unlocking your phone, you can long press on it to turn on the flashlight; double click to take photos; and a single click will take screenshots. ZTE has also incorporated features similar to Google’s fingerprint gestures. So swiping down the fingerprint scanner on any screen will bring up your notification drawer and swiping up will bring up recent apps. The Blade A2 Plus also packs a massive 5000mAh battery.

ZTE’s Blade A2 Plus has a MTK6750T processor, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of built-in storage which can be increased via one of the SIM slots doubling as a microSD card slot. There is VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.0, a 3.5mm audio jack and a micro USB port.

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Apple Soon To Commence Manufacturing iPhones in India

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 3, 2017

There are indications that smartphone giant Apple is planning to commence manufacturing of iPhones in India. This was disclosed by the government of Karnataka, south-western region of India, who applauded the proposal of the Silicon valley tech giant to commence initial manufacturing operations in the state.

Times of India reports that the assembling plant would be located in the state’s capital, Bengaluru and that production would likely begin in June. The statement by the state’s official confirmed this but failed to state a timeline. The report went on to reveal that Apple had published job openings on its portal for several positions at its OEM in Bengaluru, in December. The job openings included an iPhone operations program manager, among others.

When Apple starts manufacturing iPhones in India, the vastly populated Asian country would emerge as the third country globally to assemble iPhones after China and Taiwan. Analysts believe it is a right move in the right direction, considering that Apple’s sales in China, one of its largest market, had taken a swift tumble from the top position for the first in a couple of years. India also has a vast market which Apple is obviously eyeing with this latest move. India will be a fitting alternative to China and Taiwan.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Pricing, Availability Surface Ahead of Preview at MWC 2017

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 3, 2017

The rumor mill is consistently spilling out leaked information on Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus smartphones that are pegged to get announce in March. A Chinese leakster has revealed more details on the pricing and availability of Galaxy S8.

Early rumors had stated that the Galaxy S8 would be featuring a dual camera setup, but fresher information and leaked photos have revealed that it would be coming with an improved version of the single camera that is present on Galaxy S7. A Chinese leakster has revealed that the Galaxy S8’s main camera would be coming with Dual ADC which probably indicates that it would deliver better color depth.

S8's CMOS may support Dual ADC.IMX204 support Dual ADC.But S8's CMOS is not IMX204,I think.BTW,IMX204 is 20MP 1/1.7,it's not for smartphones

— 萌萌的电教 (@MMDDJ_) February 1, 2017

The leakster has further stated that Samsung would be releasing only the 6 GB RAM variant in South Korea and China. It means its 4 GB variant won’t be releasing in these markets. The 6 GB RAM variant for Korean and Chinese markets would be coming in choices of 64 GB and 128 GB.

The Galaxy S8 is also expected to be available in 4 GB RAM variant with 64 GB of storage. This variant is expected to be available outside Korea and China.

maybe Chinese and Koran version are only with 6GB RAM,6+64/6+128.that's why I say a little different.

— 萌萌的电教 (@MMDDJ_) January 31, 2017

According to the leakster, the 64 GB model of Galaxy S8 would be priced at 6,088 Yuan ($885) and the 128 GB Galaxy S8 would be costing 6,488 Yuan ($943). The pricing of the 64 Galaxy S8 with 4 GB RAM has not been revealed.

In the previous month, another tipster had revealed that the Galaxy S8 would be costing $849. This could be the price of the base model. There is no concrete evidence available to confirm whether the pricing revealed by these leaksters are true. Hence, readers are advised to take these rumors with a pinch of salt.

The Galaxy S8 is expected to get revealed through a preview at MWC 2017. Samsung is expected to hold Galaxy S8 launch event at March end and make it available for buying in mid-April

Honor 6X Getting A Taste of Android 7.0 Nougat-Based EMUI 5 in March

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 3, 2017

The Honor 6X was first unveiled in China late last year and then Huawei launched the mid-range smartphone on the international scene at CES 2017. Among other features, the Honor 6X launched at both times running Android Marshmallow-based EMUI 4 with. It was particularly thought that the version unveiled at CES 2017 would come sporting Huawei’s latest EMUI 5 based on Android Nougat.

Huawei had disclosed during CES 2017 that the Honor 6X would get an upgrade to Android 7 Nougat and EMUI 5 later in Q2 of this year without fixing a definitive time frame. However, a recent mail sent out by Huawei has revealed that the Honor 6X would soon get the Nougat treatment, specifically in March. If this happens, it would be a lot ahead of the scheduled time frame for the upgrade.

Despite getting the upgrade over a year after Google unveiled its latest Android 7.0 Nougat OS, the Honor 6X would still make it as one of the early birds to get the operating system infused into it. According to Google, as of January 9th, only 0.7% of Android devices were running Nougat. The latest OS onboard the 6X would increase the standing of the mid-ranger which also comes with a dual-lens camera at the rear. The device is presently available for $249 in the US, while it launched with a $149 price tag in China.

(source)

Unofficial Version of Android 7.1.1 For Xiaomi Mi Note, Mi 4 & Mi Note Pro Spotted

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 3, 2017

Xiaomi MIUI 9 is still in development but it is believed the next-gen operating system would be based on Android 7.0 Nougat. A GFXBench result had appeared showing the Redmi Note 3 running Android 7.1.1, an indication that the latest Google OS would soon hit Xiaomi smartphones.

But before that would officially happen, an unofficial version of Android 7.1.1 for Xiaomi Mi Note, Mi 4 and Mi Note Pro has appeared. A screenshot of the Mi Note, Mi 4 and Mi Note Pro running Android 7.1 was shared recently on Weibo showing the security patch as having been updated on December 5, 2016.

According to the leak source, the ROM has been tested with no obvious bug and would become available for those interested in trying it out on their Mi Note. It is unofficial and only available on the three devices. Also, it may lack some of the features of the Android OS, so try it out at your own risk.

(source)

Nokia’s Next Smartphone Should Be Announced on Feb 26 According to Leaked Invite

By

Joel Joseph

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Feb 2, 2017

Nokia has made a comeback, but for now, it’s limited to the Chinese market. But with the company hinting its presence at MWC 2017, we can expect newer and faster smartphones to be announced at the big event and these phones could be even released internationally.

Ever since Nokia 6 became official, we have been getting reports about a true flagship in the works from HMD Global, most likely releasing under the Nokia P1 or Nokia 8 name. The phone is said to feature Snapdragon 835 but that may not be the case, because Samsung seems to be getting the sole initial supply of SD835, at least according to this report. This is why LG G6 could end up with last year’s Snapdragon 821 and even the Xiaomi Mi 6 is said to come with an underclocked version of Snapdragon 835. So, even the Nokia 8 could feature SD821 or an underclocked SD835. At this moment, it’s early to say for sure what’s going to be the case. Apart from a powerful chip inside, the new Nokia P1 flagship is said to feature a 2K display and IP57 dust resistance.

There have been a lot of other good things being said about the Nokia 8 / P1 model like Sharp IGZO 2K display, multiple variants for the body including one ceramic edition, 24MP rear camera etc. But how many features among these will actually end up on the flagship model is not yet sure.

Anyway, save the date, February 26, 2017. This will be a one-hour event according to the leaked invite, starting at 16:30 and going for an hour up till 17:30. If this is indeed the case, we will soon get to see invites being sent out to everyone in the next couple of weeks. So stay tuned!

(source)

Xiaomi Mi 5C To Feature Self-Developed Octa-core Pinecone SoC, Launching This Month!

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 2, 2017

The Xiaomi Mi 5C has turned out to be one of Xiaomi‘s rumored device that just refused to meet with us. The device has been popping in and out of the radar, even finding its way into e-commerce websites Jingdong (JD.com) and Taobao but yet wasn’t released. Perhaps Xiaomi was waiting for the right time to unveil the first device that would carry its self-developed Pinecone processor. But it looks like we’ll finally meet the Mi 5C soon if the latest rumor we are getting is anything to go by.

Coming from research analyst Kevin Wang, is the revelation that the Mi 5C would indeed feature an octa-core Pinecone processor developed by Xiaomi.The processor would be based on the Cortex-A53 cores in a 4×4 arrangement which place it in the mid-range category. The analyst also hinted that the Mi 5C could be released this month. In addition, another tipster added his voice to the discuss by revealing that there is another SoC with the more powerful Cortex-A73 cores still in a 4 x 4 architecture which would be released later on.

The Xiaomi Mi 5C had earlier been revealed to sport a 5.5-inch display with 2.5D curved glass, 3GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, a 12MP rear camera, and 8MP front-facing selfie shooter. The device, which also goes by the codename Meri, will run on MIUI 8 based on Android Marshmallow 6.0. Earlier rumors had also tipped the device for launch this February, so we hope to finally get to meet the device soon.

LG G6 Real Live Machine Leaks, Reveals Dual Rear Cameras, Glass Body

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 2, 2017

While the Chinese smartphone market is on holidays, LG is obviously one of the beneficiaries of the huge media attention that has been diverted from China this week. The upcoming LG G6 flagship has courted lots of media attention and that seems not to be on the verge of abating. We keep getting more leaks and the latest happens to be the real live photo of the G6. Yeah, finally we get to see what the flagship phone looks like in real life.

The leaked live shot of the flagship shows only the rear view of the flagship but it looks stunning all the same. The render shows that the G6 will indeed sport a horizontally aligned dual-lens rear camera setup with the dual-tone LED flash sitting in between both lenses. There is also a fingerprint sensor located at the rear, just under the rear camera. Another prominent feature on display is the glossy looking body the device packs. The metal body frame is said to be covered with glass and it indeed looks premium. Finally, just at the bottom part of the rear, the model name G6 is engraved on the all-black body.

You can check out our previous articles on the LG G6 to get the full specs details of the device. The device is set to be unveiled at MWC 2017 on February 26 and LG had already sent out press invites for the event.

(source)

Samsung Galaxy S8 Batteries to be Supplied By Samsung SDI, Japan’s Murata Technology

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 2, 2017

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus smartphones are expected to feature larger batteries than their predecessor models. New information suggests that the battery of S8 and S8 Plus will be manufactured by a Japanese firm.

The faulty batteries for the Galaxy Note 7 came mainly from Samsung SDI and the secondary supplier Amperex Technology based in China. According to Reuters that cites information from Nikkei, a Japanese publication, Samsung is likely to replace Amperex Technology with a Japanese firm named Murata Manufacturing Works.

Murata Technology Works is the same firm that has been providing batteries to Sony since June 2016. It is expected to work as secondary supplier for Galaxy S8 batteries. However, Samsung SDI will continue to be the main supplier. In other words, the Samsung SDI is expected to provide 80 percent of batteries for Galaxy S8 whereas the secondary supplier will account for 20 percent of batteries for it.

As far as safety quotient of Samsung SDI batteries are concerned, Samsung is expected to thoroughly inspect the batteries that will power its future batteries through its new 8-point battery check plan. In October 2016, rumors started swirling that LG Chem would be supplying batteries for Galaxy S8. However, it is unlikely to happen now.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is rumored to be coming with a 5.8-inch display and its larger sibling, the Galaxy S8 Plus, is pegged to include a 6.2-inch display. Both the devices were previously expected to respectively feature a 3,000 mAh and a 3,500 mAh battery. However, newer details indicate that the Galaxy S8 will be packed with a 3,250 mAh battery and a 3,780 mAh battery will be present inside the Galaxy S8 Plus.

Apart from featuring larger batteries, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus are heavily pegged to be powered by the energy efficient Snapdragon 835 chipset. Hence, both the phones are expected to deliver stellar battery performance.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus smartphones are expected to be previewed at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 on Feb. 27. However, it is pegged to launch officially on March 29 and go on sale by mid-April.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 Renders Boast Dual-Edge Curved Display Like Galaxy S8

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 2, 2017

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 was expected to launch in September 2016. However, its debut was pushed to the first quarter of 2017. Finally, the Galaxy Tab S3 release date is finally close at hand as the tablet is slated to get announced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) later this month. A leaked render of the tablet suggests it may be equipped with a dual-edge curved display present on the Galaxy S7.

The Galaxy Tab S2 from August 2016 will be replaced by the newer tablet as it has been already certified by Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The drawing of the Tab S3 that was sent to FCC by Samsung has revealed the design of the back panel.

The schematic of the rear panel of the Galaxy Tab S2 for FCC and the design of the real device shows are very similar. Comparing the FCC drawing of the back panel of Tab S3 to that of the real Tab S2 shows that the newer model may be arriving with a slightly refreshed design. Even though the schematics sent to FCC are not 100 percent accurate, but considering the details provided by the Seoul-based company in the past to the certification body, it can be guessed the drawing for Tab S3 is accurate.

Galaxy Tab S3 Renders

Coming to the most interesting part of this report, the front side of the Galaxy Tab S3 is also expected to sport a refreshed design. By looking at the following render it can be guessed that Samsung would be raising the competition bar higher by releasing the Galaxy Tab S3 with a dual-edge curved display like the one present on Galaxy S7 Edge.

It means the tablet may not feature a flat screen. Also, the appearance of the tablet indicates that its industrial design may be very similar to Galaxy S7 Edge and the upcoming Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus phones. However, the authenticity of the image cannot be confirmed.

Galaxy Tab S3 Specifications

The Tab S3 would be equipped with an AMOLED screen of 9.6 inches that will produce a resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 pixels. It will provide an aspect ratio of 4:3.

The tablet is expected to be running on Snapdragon 820 and 4 GB of RAM. Previous rumors have stated that an Exynos 7420 chipset with 4 GB of RAM is slated to arrive in select markets. It is expected to come in 32 GB and 128 GB native storage choices.

Its other specs include 12-megapixel rear camera with single LED flash, a 5-megapixel selfie camera, Android 7.1 Nougat OS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB Type-C. The tablet is rumored to be powered by 5,870 mAh battery. It is expected to be available in Wi-Fi only and LTE + Wi-Fi variants.

(Source)

LG G6: LG Trademark Applications Reveal G6 Compact, G6 Lite, Others Coming

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 2, 2017

Looks like we are not going to see only the LG G6 when the Korean giant chooses to take the wraps off the flagship on February 26. A recent trademark filing by LG has revealed that the LG G6 might actually get a couple of other variants that might not be as studded, specs-wise, like the G6 itself.

The LG trademark filing included names such as G6 Compact, G6 Lite, G6 Sense, G6 Young, G6 Fit, G6 Forte, G6 Prix and G6 Hybrid. Well, the company might not launch devices bearing all the names trademarked but one or two of the trademarks will likely find their way in as actual gadgets. The most likely are the G6 Compact and G6 Lite. While the G6 Compact may come with perhaps a smaller screen size, the G6 Lite may keep the same screen size as the 5.7 inches the G6 is rumored to sport, but with a slightly inferior specs lineup. Both may be unveiled together with the G6 or at a later date.

This isn’t the first LG flagship that would have more than one versions, so the news doesn’t sound plausible. The LG G5 launched with a G5 SE version, the G3 S came as a mini version of the G3, as well as a G Pro Lite for the first gen LG Optimus G Pro.

(source)

Apple iPhone 6 Plus Catches Fire at Night while Owner was Asleep

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 2, 2017

From Palm Harbor, Florida comes a shocking story about how a couple escaped being consumed by an inferno when the wife’s iPhone 6 Plus that was left in the nightstand suddenly caught fire. According to the story, the woman had left the Apple phone on the nightstand which was close to her head and both herself and her husband were fast asleep when the smartphone went up in flames.

Usually, most of us like keeping our smartphones close to us while we are asleep and the woman ‘s case wasn’t different as her nightstand was located close to her head by the side of the bed. Luckily, she wasn’t a deep sleeper as the flames quickly woke her up. She, in turn, alerted her husband who put off the fire by smoldering it with a shirt. If not for their quick response, the story has it that the curtain close by might have been set on fire by the burning iPhone 6 Plus. In a curious coincidence, the couple’s neighbor also told the news station that his own iPhone 6 Plus refused to charge one of the nights, and the next day the battery was all swollen. Luckily, that one didn’t explode or ignite.

This isn’t the first time one of Apple’s flagship device is catching fire and in particular, isn’t the first time the iPhone 6 Plus is getting caught up in this kind of scenario. A couple of months back, an iPhone 6 Plus belonging to a student was reported to have exploded while in his back pocket. The student, Darin Hlavaty, in his words said he felt this crazy hot burning in his leg right as class was starting, only for him to see his pocket smoking and realized it was on fire. He said he was able to remove the phone and kick it away. The fire was already out before the fire service arrived and there was no reported case of an injury.

There were several other reports of exploding iPhones last year mostly related to the battery but make no mistake, it isn’t limited to iPhones as other brands have been enmeshed in cases of battery explosion. The most prominent among the lot was the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 which topped the headlines last year. It is hoped that OEMs would get busy in developing smartphones with safer batteries just like LG says it is doing on the upcoming flagship- LG G6. But before that happens, it is best we keep our phones far away from our sleeping area, keep devices in well-ventilated areas and if a bulge or swelling is noticed on the battery, do well to replace it as soon as possible.

(source)

LG G6 Could be Priced $50 Higher than LG G5 at launch

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 2, 2017

The media is reverberating presently with news concerning the two major smartphone makers in Korea, taking about LG and Samsung. LG is expected to launch its next-gen flagship LG G6 on February 26 and we have been fed daily with leaks concerning the flagship.

The rumor mill is agog once again with news that the LG G6 would launch with a higher price tag than its predecessor. The increment is said to be to the tune of between $40 – $50 and the reason for this is said to be tied to the new features the G6 brings along with it. One of the rumored inclusion is an IP 68 certification which allows the G6 to be able to withstand submersion in water of 5 feet depth for up to 30 minutes. The G6 is also rumored to come with a premium glass chassis with a sealed battery compartment. Don’t forget also that the G6 is touted as packing a battery that just won’t explode even under heat.

Related: LG G6 Real Live Render Revealed Showing Large Display with Less Bezels

Further, the LG G6 will sport a 5.7-inch LCD display with 1440×2880 pixels resolution which would also have an unorthodox Univisium aspect ratio. The device would also feature ultra thin bezels at the top and bottom which would allegedly be shrunk to take up only 4mm of space at the front in total, giving the device a very high screen-to-body ratio. There is also likely to be a dual camera setup and of course, a fingerprint scanner. The latest rumor monger also tips the G6 as coming with similar 32-bit audio DAC that featured on the V20.

(source)

Honor 6X Durability Test: Scratch, Bend and Burn!

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 2, 2017

When you purchase a phone, you expect it to be able to survive the occasional falls and scratches. But how do you know a phone is durable? You can’t go buying a phone just for the sake of knowing how durable it is unless you are JerryRigEverything.

Popular Youtuber, JerryRigEverything whose real name is Zack puts the Honor 6X through a durability test. The results are astonishing.

First let’s run through the specs of the device. The Honor 6X is a mid-range dual camera phone with a 5.5-inch 1080p display. It has 4GB/3GB of RAM and 64GB/32GB of built-in storage. There is a 12MP and 2MP camera combo on the rear for depth of field images and an 8MP shooter in front. Huawei has equipped it with a fingerprint scanner on the rear and a 3340mAh battery. The Honor 6X comes with Android 6.0 out of the box but will be upgraded to Android Nougat.

Back to the test. First on the list is the scratch test. If you noticed, I didn’t mention any form of protection for the display above. No Gorilla Glass nor Dragontrail Glass. The result shows that you will be wise to invest in a tempered glass as the display starts scratching from level 4. Do make sure that the screen protector covers the front camera too.

The scratch test also includes the glass covering the rear cameras which fares well, and the fingerprint scanner which fails to work anymore.

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Apple is Building Its Own MacBook Chip to Reduce Dependence on Intel

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 2, 2017

There have been rumors in the past that Apple is building its own chips for use in MacBooks. The reason for doing so is explained in a report by Bloomberg reporters Mark Gurman and Ian King who have been provided details by unnamed sources.

The report says Apple’s chip codenamed T310 will be based on the T1 chip used in the new MacBook Pro to power the Touch Bar. The T310 which is built on ARM technology will carry out low-power functions currently assigned to Intel chips. Some of these functions which include email and calendar syncing, and installation of software updates are carried out when the MacBook is in a state called Power Nap.

These tasks are currently carried out by Intel processors and consume little battery life, but the switch to an ARM chip like the T310 will require a lesser amount of power. And most will agree that the new MacBook Pro would do well with a better battery life.

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Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) Benchmarked Ahead of MWC 2017 Announcement

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 1, 2017

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) with a model number of SM-J727A has been spotted on GFXBench. The smartphone that is pegged to get unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 is also expected to debut in the U.S.

On GFXBench, the Galaxy J7 (2017) is listed with a 5.5-inch display that offers an HD resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels. It will be fueled by Exynos 7870 chipset that includes a 1.5 GHz octa-core processor and Mali-T830 graphics. The SoC is coupled with 2 GB of RAM.

The native storage of the device is of 16 GB. It is pegged to feature an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel selfie camera. Other rumors indicate that it will be featuring a 13-megapixel rear camera. It will be arriving with Android 7.0 Nougat OS.

Earlier in this month, the smartphone was spotted on Geekbench benchmarking platform with Snapdragon 625 chipset onboard along with 2 GB of RAM and native storage of 16 GB. Hence, rumors indicate that the Exynos and Snapdragon chipset editions of Galaxy J7 (2017) would be available in different markets. It will be packed with a 3,000 mAh battery.

A video based on leaked renders of Galaxy J7 (2017) suggests that it will be coming with a revamped design compared to the predecessor model. It seems to sport a horizontal metallic strip on the place where the rear camera is located. The smartphone is expected to come in color choices of dark grey and white.

There is no information available on the pricing and the availability of Galaxy J7 (2017). The smartphone has been recently certified by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the U.S. Well-known leakster, Evan Blass, has revealed that it would be arriving with AT&T, U.S. Cellular and Verizon.

The smartphone is slated to get announced at MWC 2017. The Seoul-based firm has teased that it will be announcing the much-awaited Galaxy Tab S3 tablet during the Feb. 27 press conference. The company is also rumored to run a preview video of Galaxy S8 flagship smartphone at the upcoming press meet.

(Source)

LG’s Latest Design Patent is a Smartphone with Wrap Around Display

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 1, 2017

A fresh set of LG patent filing has been revealed, giving an insight into what the Korean company has on the drawing board. The patent filing shows LG is working on a display design where the screen wraps around the body of the phone.

Previous patent filings had revealed LG’s intent on exploring the numerous possibilities which curved OLED display brings to the table, so this recent filing isn’t much of a surprise. The design, which sees the display wrap around the upper body of the smartphone, results in a two-screen looking display. There are no physical buttons for power and volume controls at the sides, while the bottom part features a circular element which could likely house the home button or even fingerprint sensor.

Although we wouldn’t mind having this concept looking design come out someday soon, the patent filing doesn’t really mean that LG will release a smartphone with this design in the near future. But we sure look forward to a surprise from LG, after all, we have seen quite a lot of patents on flexible and curved displays from the Korean company.

(source)