Gadgets News Archives

Gadgets Weekly: Redmi K20, Oppo Reno, ZenBook and more

Several tech majors such as Amazon, Apple, Xiaomi, and Oppo, among others unveiled a new line of phones, laptops, music players and accessories in India, as well as global markets.

DH lists a prominent product that made their debut this week (May 26-June 1):

Black Shark 2
Xiaomi-backed Black Shark made their debut in India with the launch of flagship gaming phone Black Shark 2.
It sports a 6.39-inch full HD+ display with 19.5:9 aspect ratio and in-display fingerprint sensor.

On the back, it flaunts eye-catching chiselled textured shell case, resembling an armoured tanker and most importantly offers good grip for hands to hold on to the phone while playing a game.

Inside, Black Shark 2 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 octa-core backed by Andreno 640 graphics engine and to control the overheating, the company has incorporated Liquid Cooling 3.0 technology. It is based on Tower-wide global liquid cooling system that utilises liquid-cooled plate and liquid-cooled tube, which will be covered on all components that are susceptible to overheating under heavy processing particularly while playing graphics-rich games. It is capable of reducing the CPU’s core temperature by up to 14° C, the company claims.

It also boasts a feature-rich 48MP+12MP (with Samsung sensors) dual-camera on the back and a 20MP selfie snapper on the front.
Other stipulated features include Android Pie OS, 6GB RAM/12GB RAM, 128GB/256GB (UFS 2.1) storage and comes with 4,000mAh battery, which is more than enough to keep the phone running for a full day under mixed usage. It also supports 27W fast charging Type C port.
The new Black Shark 2 come in two options– 6GB RAM + 128GB storage and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage–for Rs 39,999 and Rs 49,999, respectively. It will available for purchase from June 4 onwards exclusively on Flipkart.

Oppo Reno series
After Realme, Oppo introduced a new sub-brand Reno in India by unveiling two phones- Reno and Reno 10X Zoom.
Oppo Reno 10X Zoom sports 6.55-inch full-view AMOLED display with 93.1-per cent screen-to-body ratio, Corning Gorilla Glass 6 shield

It boasts unique shark-fin inspired rising front camera with 16MP sensor to capture selfies. On the back, it comes with a triple camera module with a 48MP primary sensor, 13MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide angle sensor.

New Reno 10X Zoom and Reno; picture credit: Oppo India

under-the-hood, it comes with 4,0065mAh battery with VOOC 3.0 fast charging, Dolby Atmos, Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 octa-core processor with tri-cooling control to dissipate overheating, Android Pie-based ColorOS 6 (with Hyper Boost 2.0-Frame Boost and Touch Boost for gaming).

Whereas the generic model Reno features same design language as the 10 X Zoom including the shark fin rising pop-up selfie camera, but differ in terms of internal hardware.
It comes with Android Pie-based ColorOS 6, a 3,765 battery with VOOC charging, 48MP+5MP dual camera on the back, 16MP front camera, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor.

As far as the pricing is concerned, Oppo Reno 10X Zoom comes in two configurations–6GB RAM + 128GB storage and 8GB RAM + 256GB storage–for Rs 39,990 and Rs 49,990, respectively.

On the other hand, the Oppo Reno (8GB RAM + 128GB storage) costs Rs 32,990. All the new phones will be available exclusively on Flipkart from June 7 onwards.

Xiaomi Redmi K20
After weeks of speculations, Xiaomi finally pulled the wraps off the Redmi K20 and the K20 Pro.

Redmi K20 Pro sports a 6.39-inch full HD+ AMOLED HDR display with an in-screen fingerprint sensor. It also comes with Gorilla Glass 5 shield and 3D glass cover. On the back, it boasts a glossy premium shell with gradient finish.

Inside, it comes with a powerful 7nm-class Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, 6GB/8GB LPDDRX4 RAM, 64GB/128GB/256GB storage (UFS 2.1) and a 4,000mAh battery with 27W fast charging support.

Redmi K20 Pro series; picture credit: Redmi India/Twitter

As far as the photography hardware is concerned, it boasts feature-rich triple camera, 48MP (with Sony IMx586 sensor, F1.85 aperture), 13MP ultra wide angle lens and 8MP telephoto lens on the back. And, a 20MP pop-up selfie camera.

On the other hand, the generic Redmi K20 comes with pretty much same design language including internal hardware as the top-end model but differs in a couple of aspects. It houses

Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 octa-core and supports 18W fast charging.

Rest including the display, battery capacity, and the camera remains the same as the Redmi K20 Pro.

In India, the Redmi K20 and the K20 Pro are expected to come with Poco F2 and F2 Pro branding.

Apple iPod Touch (7th gen)
After four years, Apple finally refreshed its iPod Touch line with upgraded hardware. The new iPod Touch (7th gen) sports a slim body form with the premium metallic shell on the back and a 4.0-inch display with bezels, home button, and camera at the top centre in the front side.

Inside, it houses an Apple A10 Fusion chipset, which makes the device support Augmented Reality (AR) games offering an immersive experience, which the previous iteration lacked.

With this, the iPod Touch now users can be able to subscribe to Apple Arcade and enjoy exclusive gaming titles like the top-end iPhone and iPad users.

Apple iPod Touch (7th gen); picture credit: Apple

The iPod Touch (7th gen) comes in three storage variants-32GB,128GB and 256GB– for Rs 18,900, Rs 28,900 and Rs 38,900 in India. It will be available in six colour options–space grey, white, gold, blue, pink and (PRODUCT)RED.

Amazon Echo Show 5
The new Amazon Echo Show 5 flaunts a 5.5-inch display, which compact and yet big enough for a perfect kitchen TV or in a living room or children room.

Users can simply wake the device with ‘Hey Alexa’ and start asking to play movie trailers, news snippets from popular channels, the sports update such as Champions league goal score or of a cricket match in the ongoing World Cup.

He/she can also look for recipes and the Echo Show 5 will start a step-by-step guide to on how to make traditional or an exotic dishes.
Also, consumers can listen to the latest songs on Amazon Prime Music and watch the latest TV shows on Amazon Prime Video. People can also play music from Hungama Music, Saavn, Gaana, and TuneIn – without additional cost.

Echo Show 5; picture credit: Amazon India

And, children can enjoy fun skills like Chu Chu TV, Chhota Bheem, and more.

With a 1MP camera, user can video chat with the spouse or parents or children at home at any time. The Echo Show 5 is now available on Amazon for Rs 8,999.

Syska Beat Pro
Emerging consumer electronics major Syska launched a new line of earphone HE1100 Beat Pro series. It comes with a built-in microphone, multi-function button which can be used to play, pause, control volume, track speed and answer calls.

The Syska Beat Pro earphones also come with a 1.2 metre anti-winding TPE (Thermoplastic elastomers) round cable which provides a tangle-free experience. These earphones are compatible with all devices that include mobiles, laptops, gaming & music devices. It costs Rs 899 and will be available in two colours– black and white.

Motorola Moto Z4
Motorola unveiled the new Moto Z4 in the US. It sports 6.4-inch OLED full HD+ display with dot-notch design. Like the current crop of flagship phones, it boasts an in-screen finger sensor in addition to the face unlock capability. On the back, it flaunts a sturdy shell with a metallic frame.

Under-the-hood, the Moto Z4 houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 octa-core chipset backed by Android Pie OS, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage and a 3,600mAh battery, which is more than enough to run the phone for a whole day easily under mixed usage. It also supports TurboPower charging, which enables the device to quickly charge within minutes and offer several hours of talk time.

It boasts a 48MP sensor with F1.7 aperture, meaning the camera will be able to absorb more light and capture stunning images at any type of environments. On the front too, Moto Z4 comes with an impressive 25MP selfie snapper. It will be released first in the US on June 6 for $499.99

Asus ZenBook series
Taiwan-based technology major Asus unveiled a new line of ZenBook, Duo and also anniversary special ZenBook Edition 30.

The ZenBook Edition 30 flaunts luxurious Pearl White genuine Italian leather — hand-crafted and hand-stitched. It sports a 13.3-inch full HD NanoEdge display and comes with Intel Core i7-8565U/Core i5-8265U processor, Windows 10/ 10 Pro OS, 3D IR HD camera, ScreenPad (5.45-inch FHD+), 8GB/16GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce® MX150, 2GB GDDR5 VRAM/Integrated Intel® UHD Graphics 620 and a 50Wh 3-cell lithium-polymer battery with up to 14 hours of power backup.

On the other hand, the ZenBook Duo series comes with a secondary display dubbed as ScreenPad Plus, a 14-inch full-width secondary touchscreen that expands and enhances the interactive capabilities. They come with 9th generation Intel Core processors, combined with up to 32GB RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, with ultrafast storage provided by up to a 1TB PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD.

[“source=deccanherald”]

Best Bike Tech And Cycling Gadgets 2019

In the same way that it’s influenced the fitness industry through wearable tech and innovative studio spaces, advances in technology have had a massive impact on cycling culture across the world over the last few years. Thanks to an influx of innovations making cycling safer, easier and more fun, people are cycling around more than ever before, be it a lengthy commute, adventure trip in the outdoors or just an occasional jaunt to the shops.

But with so many devices on the market claiming to improve your cycling experience, it’s hard to know which are worth the investment. So I’ve picked out some of the best bike gadgets for anyone looking to pimp their (two-wheeled) ride.

Blubel bike navigation

Smart bike navigation when you don’t have a clue where you’re goingBLUBEL

Blubel is an innovative Bluetooth-connected bicycle bell that doubles up as a navigational guide to tell you how to get from A to B via the safest bike-friendly routes, meaning you no longer have to follow confusing directions on your phone.

Using your phone’s sat nav tech, Blubel displays simplified directions using the bell’s LED design and your phone can stay in your pocket or bag, meaning fewer dangerous distractions, phone accidents or theft. Blubel works by using gestures on its 12 LED dial. All you have to do is type your destination into the supporting app and follow the lights on the bell, which indicate where to go.

There are also audio signals that prompt you when turns are coming up so you can keep your eyes safely on the road the rest of the time. The bell will also show the direction of your final destination, so you never lose your bearings, using responsive routing that quickly recalculates if you take a different route or a wrong turn.

Beryl lights system: Pixel, Burner Brake and Laserlight Core

Beryl’s lighting system is the best in class for cyclingBERYL

Navigating yourself through busy city streets at rush hour on a dark evening can be stressful enough to get any cyclist’s handlebars in a twist. Enter Beryl’s extensive lighting system, a range of rechargeable LED bike lights with bonus safety features. There are three main lights in the offering. The first is the Pixel, a small round clip-on light that you can put anywhere that takes your fancy, and the second is the Burner Brake, a rear light which is able to tell other road users behind you that you’re coming to a stop. It does this by detecting when you slow down, accurately warning other road users that you are putting your brakes on by intensifying the light.

The core product to the firm’s series, however, is the Laserlight Core. Thanks to “forward projection” technology, Laserlight combines a white light and a bicycle laser image to beam out of blind spots, junction, and situations where you’re otherwise unseen. The laser projects a bike symbol six meters in front of you, visible by fellow road users from various perspectives and increasing your safety.

Garmin Edge 1030

Garmin Edge 1030 is a GPS-genius when it comes to road cyclingLEE BELL

The Garmin Edge 1030 is the perfect companion when doing longer cycling journeys, such as sportives or challenges, as opposed to simple commuting. It’s the firm’s most advanced Edge computer to date and sits on your handlebars and thanks to built-in GPS, doesn’t rely on your phone to tell you where you are or which way to go. Like a sat nav for bikes. Its feature list is never-ending and it even can record your biking route. There’s also the addition of Bluetooth Smart connectivity for the first time in a device like this, alongside Bluetooth and ANT+.

It really does do it all and was able to measure everything I needed as it tracked my cycle adventure during a sportive in the New Forest last year, from the speed I was going as I bombed down the country lanes, to the miles I’d covered when I got back home. If you’re serious about cycling and want to keep a dedicated track your rides, the Garmin Edge 1030 is an ideal companion.

Lumos

Lumos is a helmet and light system in oneLUMOS

Ever forgotten your bike lights? Lumos is the gadget for you; it’s a next-generation bicycle helmet that goes out of its way to make sure you’re seen when cycling thanks to integrated LED lights with brake and turn signals. A tap of the helmet’s Bluetooth handlebar-mounted remote control means you can communicate your intentions to drivers and people around you. It’s probably one of my most-used gadgets in this list and it means you don’t have to remember to take your bike lights with you whenever you leave the house.

CYCL Winglights

Cycl Wing lights could save you from any accidents while turning corners int he darkCYCL

Making its first appearance on our telly boxes as a pitch on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, the CYCL WingLights is a pair of bright LED’s that give cyclists 360-degree visibility in all lighting and weather conditions for a safer ride. But the really cool thing about WingLights is that you can use them to tell fellow road users which direction you’re going to turn. No more stretch your arms out in the dark and hoping they’re seen, simply tap a button on the side and it will flash, acting like a car’s indicator lights.

[“source=forbes”]

Samsung Galaxy A10 to be company’s first phone with UD fingerprint reader

It seems that Samsung is sticking to its plan of implementing new features to its mid-range A-series first and the most recent rumor is a testament for that even though it sounds like a long shot.

According to a Chinese leakster, Samsung is working on an upper-mid-range Galaxy A10 smartphone with an under-display fingerprint reader. The tweet doesn’t reveal anything else although, this is not the first time we hear of a Galaxy A10 coming.

The same account on Twitter reported that Samsung is working on a Galaxy A model powered by a Snapdragon 845 SoC. The Galaxy A10 seems like the perfect fit for the FP reader and the flagship SoC given that the Galaxy A8s, for example, is rocking a Snapdragon 710.

We hope that more evidence will pile up soon because at this point we are just speculating and guessing.

[“source-gsmarena”]

Huawei announces 65 million sold nova smartphones

Huawei held an event today, introducing the nova 4 with a hole in the screen for the 25 MP selfie camera. The unveiling was supported with some neat slides, revealing that over 65 million people bought devices from the nova series that was launched two years ago.

The nova series is a mid-range lineup for Huawei that is highly marketed in China and other Asia-Pacific markets. It always relied on being pretty, starting from the 2016 Huawei nova with a design, inspired from the Nexus 6P. Later Huawei nova 2 and nova 2 Plus came in trendy colors like the flagship P10 – Grass Green, Streamer Gold, Aurora Blue, among others.

The nova 2s tried the Mate 10 approach with a fingerprint scanner and a big screen on the front while running the flagship chipset Kirin 960. Huawei nova 3 kept the tradition, but the nova 3+ arrived in Europe as Huawei P Smart and the lower-powered Kirin 710.

And now we have Huawei nova 4 – the first official device of the company with a punch hole for the selfie camera. We’ll have to wait and see how this phone will perform in adding to the 65 million tally.

[“source=gsmarena”]

Nokia 8 gets Android Pie beta, complete with the new gesture navigation

The Nokia 8 was supposed to be updated to Android 9 Pie in November, but there was an unforeseen delay. It’s getting closer, though, and HMD can use your help with the final touches – it released a beta version of the update.

You need to join Nokia Beta Labs if you want to participate. And make sure to back up your data first, since although rolling back to 8.1 Oreo is possible, it wipes the storage.

Here’s the change log for the update:

Android 9 Pie update for the Nokia 8

Pie-style navigation gestures are enabled, but those don’t mix well with the hardware buttons below the screen – it makes the smallish screen seem even smaller.

As for the Nokia 8 Sirocco, that got a Pie beta in June, but the final version still isn’t ready.

[“source=gsmarena”]

Moto G7 Specifications and India Launch Details Leaked

After the Moto G7 Play and Moto G7 Power were spotted on FCC (Federal Communications Commission) a few days back, the Moto G7 has also now made its way to the US certification website. As per the leaked FCC listing, the Moto G7 is seen to sport model number Motorola XT1962. The listing suggests that the NFC-enabled variant of the Moto G7 will be limited to the EU, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand regions. Additionally, the XT1862-6 will apparently be available in the Indian market at launch.

The FCC listing, as reported by 91Mobiles, reveals that the Moto G7 will be launched in 3GB RAM/ 32GB storage and 4GB RAM/ 64GB storage models. The leaked listing also shows that the Moto G7 will sport an electronic compass and NFC (in certain regions). Apart from that, the Moto G7 is seen to come with support for dual-band Wi-Fi — both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. The listing also shows that the phone will support fast charging at 5V, 3A; 9V, 2A; or 12V, 1.5A.

Photo Credit: FCC/ 91Mobiles

While the listing does not seem to reveal much information around the specifications, the report claims that the phone will come with features such as an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC, 4GB of RAM, a 6-inch 19.5:9 IPS LCD panel, a dual 16-megapixel+5-megapixel rear camera setup, a 12-megapixel selfie camera, a USB Type-C port, and a 3,000mAh battery with Turbo Charge fast charging support.

Renders of the smartphone from last month show a waterdrop-style display notch and a large bottom chin, the latter with a Motorola logo. The photos also reveal the presence of a horizontally stacked dual rear camera setup with LED flash and a fingerprint sensor embedded into the Motorola logo on the back.

[“source=ndtv”]

Polaris Blue Galaxy S9+ and Alpine White Galaxy Note9 hit India

Samsung Mobile India

✔ @SamsungMobileIN

It’s time to add some uber-cool hues to your style. The #GalaxyS9+ now also in enchanting Polaris Blue. Buy now and get an exchange bonus of Rs. 9000.

[“source=ndtv”]

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 gets an update as company seeks 25 testers

Xiaomi introduced the Mi Mix 3 slider with a ceramic back and promised a global arrival, but not before it gets beta testers to clear out any bugs. The company relaunched today its Global Mi Explorer Program, which is aiming to recruit 25 people across the globe to test the newest Mi Mix 3.

To be part of the program, you have to be a registered member of the Mi community. Then you should just follow the link provided in Source below. The company has prepared “series of missions” specially designed for Mi Explorers, and then select the lucky 25 participants. Application are accepted until Sunday, and all qualified applicants should receive an email by December 10.

While the company is gathering its fans, it also launched an update to its Mi Mix 3 devices in China. The latest package with version number MIUI 10.0.12.0 weighs about 2.1 GB and brings slider sound effects, fixes some slider settings and takes care of bugs. They all can be found in the Settings menu under Slide Settings.

[“source=moneycontrol].

ZTE wants to do display holes for the earpiece now

The hate for notches and the push for higher screen-to-body ratios are about to create the latest craze of punch holes in the displays. There aren’t smartphones with camera holes in their front panels yet Samsung, Lenovo and Huawei are about to launch a trio of those next month. And now we learn ZTE is looking into holes in the display for tackling another problem – the earpiece. Although, to be fair, Huawei might have thought about that first.

Anyway, going by the latest patent from ZTE, the OEM is trying to reduce the upper bezel and potentially eliminate the need for a notch by making a hole for the earpiece. The patent doesn’t picture the front-facing camera which could mean there isn’t one to begin with – like the ZTE nubia X – or it will hide behind the display.

Unlike the camera pinholes this is still at the patent stages of its development so it will take way longer to materialize. If at all.

[“source=cnbc”]

OnePlus 6T reportedly passes Verizon certification

OnePlus is set to launch its mid-cycle refresh after the OnePlus 6 next week in New York City. The company will announce the OnePlus 6T and rumors have surfaced that the GSM unlocked device for the US could support Verizon bands and T-Mobile will possibly sell the device in-stores.

The news comes from PCMag.com where sources claim that the OnePlus 6T has indeed passed Verizon’s certification process so that the unlocked model could be activated on the carrier. Should this be true, it would mark a milestone for OnePlus presence in the United States – which is a big deal for any Chinese company given the current political climate surrounding the US Government’s stance on ZTE and Huawei handsets.

OnePlus 6

On the flip side, we’ve also heard that T-Mobile might be partnering with OnePlus to sell the 6T in T-Mobile stores which exposes OnePlus to the mainstream in the US – since most wireless customers in the US buy their mobiles directly from the carrier.

It seems that Verizon’s certification process has become easier for manufacturers since a proper CDMA radio is no longer required to work with Verizon. CDMA (3G) was a fallback when VoLTE was not available but since Verizon’s coverage is almost purely LTE, this is no longer a problem for phones connected to Verizon.

Razer customers have just recently been having issues getting a Razer Phone 2 activated due to being one of the first CDMA-less unlocked devices for Verizon. We’d imagine a similar kind of situation for the OnePlus 6T, only Verizon should have it figured out by then.

In any case, we’ll be hearing about OnePlus’ plans in the US at their NYC launch event next week on October 29. The phone is rumored to have a smaller notch with a bigger 6.4-inch AMOLED display, a microSD card slot, and a 3,700 mAh battery.

[“source=gsmarena”]