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Redmi Note 7, Note 7 Pro Key Specs Leaked; India Launch On February 28
Xiaomi has been teasing what could be one of the most anticipated budget devices in India, the Redmi Note 7 and the Redmi Note 7 Pro. The Redmi Note 7 was the first device by the brand after it separated to become an independent brand. Xiaomi has since then, released teasers and has confirmed that the smartphone will be launched in India on February 28. Fresh reports suggest that the elder sibling, the Redmi Note 7 Pro will also make an appearance at the event.

Redmi Note 7

Redmi Note 7 will be the new budget offering by the Chinese manufacturer. The device is expected to have an identical design to its namesake launched in China in January. It will have a glass sandwich design with a polycarbonate frame. The smartphone will feature a 6.4 inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 px. With an edge to edge display, it will have minimal bezels and a waterdrop notch up top. There is also a fingerprint sensor and an attractive gradient colour scheme on the back of the device.

The Redmi Note 7, unlike the one released in China, will reportedly run on the Snapdragon 636 SoC which is manufactured using a 14nm fabrication process. The chipset has an Octa-core CPU and an Adreno 509 GPU. Interestingly, this processor has been present in the last year’s Redmi Note 5 Pro and the Redmi Note 6 Pro. The device will also differ in the optics department from its Chinese counterpart. The dual rear camera setup consists of a 12MP f/2.2 sensor and a 5MP f/2.4 depth sensor for portrait mode. For selfies, the smartphone will have a 13MP camera placed in the notch on the top of the display.

The Redmi Note 7 will be powered by a 4000mAh battery with support for fast charging. It will be available in Black, Blue and Red colour options in India. In terms of memory and storage, it will be available in two variants which are as follows:
- 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM
- 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM
Redmi Note 7 Pro

As the name suggests, the Redmi Note 7 Pro will be an upgraded version of the Redmi Note 7, with significant improvements in the performance and optics department. Notably, this device will be the rebranded version of the Chinese Redmi Note 7. It will feature the same design as the device, complete with glass on the front and the back and a gradient pattern on the rear panel. It will have a 6.3 inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 px. The device will also feature a waterdrop notch on the front.

Like the Redmi Note 7 in China, the Indian version of the Note 7 Pro will run on the Snapdragon 660 SoC which is manufactured using a 14nm fabrication process. The chipset has an Octa-core CPU and an Adreno 512 GPU. In terms of the optics, the smartphone will feature a dual rear camera setup consisting of a 48MP f/1.8 Samsung ISOCELL GM-1 sensor combined with a 5MP f/2.4 depth sensor for portrait mode shots. Like the Indian version of the Redmi Note 7, the elder sibling will also have a 13MP selfie camera housed in the notch on the top of the display.

The Redmi Note 7 Pro, like the regular variant, will be powered by a 4000mAh battery with support for fast charging via the bottom mounted USB Type-C port. It will be available in Black, Gradient Blue and Gradient Red colour options in India. For memory and storage, the smartphone will be available in two variants:
- 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM
- 6GB RAM and 128GB ROM
Pricing & Availability

Also read: Samsung Announces The Galaxy A30 And A50 At MWC 2019

The Redmi Note 7 and the Redmi Note 7 Pro will be launched in India on February 28 and are expected to go on sale soon afterwards. The reported prices of both devices are mentioned below:

Redmi Note 7 Redmi Note 7 Pro

3GB + 32GB Rs. 9,999 –

4GB + 64GB Rs. 11,999 Rs. 13,999

6GB + 128GB – Rs. 16,999
February 26, 2019
Samsung Announces The Galaxy A30 And A50 At MWC 2019

Samsung fans had their eyes on the Galaxy S10 lineup from the very start of the MWC. But the Korean electronics company had more to offer at the event, which they did by unveiling two new devices from the Galaxy A series, the Galaxy A30 and A50. While these phones offer a step-down from the S10 series, they are packed with some neat features to impress Samsung users out there.

Samsung Galaxy A30

The Samsung Galaxy A30 has a 6.4 inch Super AMOLED Infinity-U display with an 85.1% screen-to-body-ratio. The screen has a resolution of 2340 x 1080 px with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and a pixel density of 403 ppi. The device combines rounded edges with a front glass panel and a plastic back. The Galaxy A30 retains the 3.5 mm headphone jack. The smartphone runs on the 14nm Exynos 7885 chipset consisting of an octa-core CPU and a Mali-G71 GPU. It is available in 3GB and 4GB RAM variants with 32GB and 64GB of storage options respectively. Internal memory is further expandable via a dedicated microSD slot (up to 512GB). The Galaxy A30 runs on Android 9.0 (Pie)

The handset has a dual camera setup on the back, which comprises of a 16MP (f/1.7) sensor and a 5MP (f/2.2) sensor. The 16MP (f/2.0) front camera is housed in the notch and is positioned below the earpiece. The Galaxy A30 has a 4,000 mAh battery, which can be charged via the USB Type-C connector located at the bottom of the handset, right next to the loudspeaker grille and audio jack. The smartphone is also IP68 certified which makes it dust and water resistant. Furthermore, the device sports a rear mounted fingerprint scanner and is available in 3 colour options, Black, White and Blue.

Samsung Galaxy A50

The Samsung Galaxy A50 is the elder sibling of the A30. It sports a similar 6.4 inch Super AMOLED Infinity-U display with an 84.9% screen-to-body-ratio. With a resolution of 2340 x 1080 px and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, the display panel has a pixel density of 403 ppi. Samsung claims that the back of the device has a “3D glasstic” design, which is a ‘combination’ of glass and plastic. Like the Galaxy A30, it also has IP68 dust and water resistance. The smartphone runs on the 10nm Exynos 9610 chipset consisting of an octa-core CPU and a Mali-G72 MP3 GPU. It is available in 4GB and 6GB RAM variants with 64GB and 128GB of storage options respectively. Internal memory is expandable via a dedicated microSD slot (up to 512GB). The Galaxy A50 runs on the lates Android 9.0 Pie which is skinned with Samsung’s UI.

The handset has a triple camera setup on the back, which consists of a 25MP (f/1.7) sensor, an 8MP (f/2.2) ultrawide sensor and a third 5MP (f/2.2) depth sensor. The 25MP (f/2.0) front camera is housed in the notch and is set below the earpiece. The Galaxy A50 is powered by a large 4,000 mAh battery, which can be charged via the USB Type-C connector located at the bottom of the handset, right next to the loudspeaker grille and a 3.5 mm audio jack. Noteworthy, the device features an in-display fingerprint scanner, unlike the Galaxy A30. It is available in four colour options which include Black, White, Blue and Coral.

Also Read: Sony Unveils Xperia 10 Plus & Xperia 10 With 21:9 Display At MWC 2019

Samsung will launch the Galaxy A50 in Netherlands for a price of EUR 349 (roughly Rs. 28,100) in March. The price for the A30 is not out in the open yet, but the devices can be expected to roll-out soon.

February 26, 2019
Nubia Alpha Foldable Smartwatch Launched At MWC 2019

In a quest for a foldable future, many OEMs have showcased their offerings in the market. Samsung announced the Galaxy Fold and Huawei showed off the Mate X a few days ago. Probably in a bid to stand out from the competition, Nubia has launched the Alpha, foldable wearable. The device features specifications that are commonplace for a run of the mill smartwatch but fits in a big screen and has calling capabilities.

Nubia Alpha

The Nubia Alpha’s design is unlike anything that is present in the market currently. It has a 4 inch flexible OLED display which is produced in collaboration with Visionox; which is a Chinese company that makes OLED displays. The screen has a resolution of 960 x 192 px and a pixel density of 245 ppi. According to the Nubia, the display has been tested to withstand the test of time and should be good for at least 1,00,000 bends. The device is made out of stainless steel and has two buttons on the right side and the sensors housed up front. Unlike most smartwatches, it has a camera built-in. There is a 5MP f/2.2 sensor for taking selfies and making video calls from the device.

Under the hood, the Nubia Alpha is specced like a regular smartwatch. It runs a dated Snapdragon Wear 2100 SoC which is manufactured using a 28nm process. The chipset has a Quad-core CPU and Adreno 304 GPU. Notably, the processor was released in 2016 and since has been succeeded by the new Snapdragon Wear 3100. The device features 1GB of RAM and 8GB of onboard storage. It also has an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance.

The Nubia Alpha is powered by a 500mAh battery, which the company claims can last up to two days dependent on the usage. It has features like fitness tracking, mobile payments, and voice calls either through its built-in speaker or a connected Bluetooth headset. The smartwatch also has gesture controls. These allow a user to scroll the content on the display in all four directions by waving a finger over the front facia.

Nubia Alpha: Price & Availability

Also read: Huawei Launches MateBook 14, Upgraded MateBook X Pro At MWC 2019

The Bluetooth version of the Nubia Alpha will be sold for €450 (around Rs 36,400). The Black coloured eSIM model will be available for €550 (around Rs 44,400), while the Gold clad version will retail for €650 (around Rs 52,500). The device will go on sale in the month of April in Europe and China.

February 26, 2019
Huawei Launches MateBook 14, Upgraded MateBook X Pro At MWC 2019

Huawei’s popularity at the MWC was not just limited to its foldable smartphone, the MateX (which gathered a lot of attention) because the Chinese Brand also unveiled their latest MateBook 14 notebook, along with a revamped version of their MateBook X Pro. The MateBook 14 is a new standalone launch from the company, whereas the MateBook X Pro is just an upgraded version from its previous model.

MateBook 14

The Huawei MateBook 14 has a touchscreen IPS display with a resolution of 2160 x 1440 px and thin bezels at 4.9 mm. The company claims that the notebook has a 90% percent screen-to-body ratio with a 3:2 aspect ratio. The screen has features like a ‘three-finger screenshot gesture’ and ‘Eye Comfort’. The MateBook 14 weighs at 1.49 kg and is 15.9 mm thick. To keep the bezels as minimal as possible, Huawei has placed the webcam in the ‘function key’ row of the keyboard. The camera just pops up when a user needs to use it, and also feels robust from a security viewpoint for those people who usually tape up their webcams.

Under the hood, the MateBook 14 packs an 8th Gen Intel Core processor, which is available in two variants – an i5 variant clocked at 1.6 GHz and an i7 variant with 1.8 GHz. The CPU is paired with NVIDIA Geforce MX250 graphics. Both the variants have up to 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD and 16GB of RAM. The company claims that the Shark Fin 2.0 design in the MateBook 14 allows for 18% better cool air intake. Besides this, the notebook also includes a fingerprint scanner, Bluetooth 5.0 support and Dolby Atmos loudspeakers. The MateBook 14 has a USB Type C port and an HDMI port, which can be found right next to the 3.5 mm headphone jack. The Huawei MateBook 14 is available in three colours, Space Gray, Pink Gold, and Mystic Silver options. The base i5 variant is priced at €1,199 (around Rs. 96,700), while the i7 variant (with touch screen) costs €1,499 (around Rs. 1,20,800)

MateBook X Pro

The upgraded laptop retains the same design from the original MateBook X Pro, but the specifications have been revamped to make the notebook faster than the previous version. The new MateBook X Pro runs on Intel’s latest core i7-8565U and core i5-8265U processors, which offer increased efficiency and clock speeds. The processor is paired with bumped-up Geforce MX 250 graphics with 2GB of GDDR5 VRAM. The notebook is available in 8GB+512GB and 16GB+1TB provided by a PCIe NVMe SSD.

The MateBook X Pro features a 13.9 inch IPS touchscreen display with a 3000 x 2000 resolution. The touch panel is surrounded by extremely thin bezels, which give the notebook a premium look. It has the same webcam placement as the MateBook 14, with the pop-camera camera placed amongst the function keys. The laptop has a single USB-C Thunderbolt port 3, 2 standard USB-C ports and 1 regular USB-A 3.0 port.

Also Read: Lenovo Unveils The Tab V7 With a 6.9 inch display, 5180mAh Battery

The new MateBook X Pro is available in two colour options, Space Gray and Mystic Silver. The Core i5 variant with 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB storage is purchasable for €1,599 (around Rs. 1,29,000), whereas the more powerful Core i7 version with 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage is available for €1,999 (around Rs. 1,61,000)

February 25, 2019
Sony Xperia 1

Sony Xperia 1 is the latest flagship from the Japanese electronics giant. The smartphone is the world’s first device to feature a display with a 21:9 aspect ratio which the company calls ‘CinemaWide’ display. It has a massive 6.5-inch display with a 4k OLED panel. Xperia 1 is also the first device by Sony to sport a triple rear-camera setup.

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February 25, 2019
Lenovo Unveils The Tab V7 With a 6.9 inch display, 5180mAh Battery
While major smartphone manufacturers are moving towards foldable smartphones, Lenovo has launched the Tab V7, a smartphone and tablet hybrid. It was launched at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 in Barcelona. The device, as the name suggests, has a larger than usual display and a massive battery.

Lenovo Tab V7

The Lenovo Tab V7 fits into an entirely new lineup of smartphone-tablet hybrid by the company. The device measures 177.9 x 86.5 x 7.89mm and weighs 195g. It has a 6.9 inch IPS display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 px and an aspect ratio of 18:9. The screen to body ratio of the hybrid is 81% which suggests thin bezels around the display. The device has a polycarbonate construction surrounded by metal rims. The device has dual front-facing speakers with Dolby Audio.

Under the hood, the Lenovo Tab V7 runs on the dated Snapdragon 450 which is manufactured using 14nm fabrication process. The chipset has an Octa-core CPU and Adreno 506 GPU. For optics, the device is equipped with a single 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera for selfies. It also has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and supports face unlock via the front camera. In terms of storage and memory, the Tab V7 will be available in two storage variants which are as follows:
- 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM
- 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM
The Lenovo Tab V7 is powered by massive 5180mAh battery with fast charging support. The device runs on the latest Android 9 Pie and has a near-stock interface. For connectivity, there is support for dual 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.2 and bottom mounted USB Type-C port. The Tab V7 also supports MicroSD memory expansion up to 128GB.

Lenovo Tab V7: Price & Availability

Also read: Sony Launches The Xperia 1 With 21:9 CinemaWide Display

The Lenovo Tab V7 will be available in Europe from the month of April for the starting price of €249 (around Rs. 20,000) for the base model. Unfortunately, the company hasn’t disclosed the Indian availability and price of the smartphone yet.
February 25, 2019
Sony Unveils Xperia 10 Plus & Xperia 10 With 21:9 Display At MWC 2019

Unconventionally tall displays were never a trend in the smartphone arena, but it seems that Sony is challenging the same niche with their latest devices, which were showcased at the MWC 2019. The Xperia 10 and 10 Plus are the latest additions to the Xperia family, and both the devices sport a tall 21:9 display. Noteworthy, the devices may have a 21:9 aspect ratio, but they don’t feature the CinemaWide display which is present in the Xperia 1.

Design & Display

Both the Xperia 10 and 10 Plus look identical, except for the fact that Xperia 10 Plus is a bit larger than its counterpart. The Xperia 10 has a 6 inch full HD+ display with a distinct 21:9 aspect ratio, whereas the 10 Plus features a larger 6.5 inch display with the same aspect ratio. The device has a visibly large ‘forehead’ which holds the front camera, earpiece and an ambient light sensor. The rear camera setup is horizontally aligned. The volume rockers, the power button and (this time) a separate fingerprint sensor are present on the right edge of the smartphone, whereas the left edge houses the SIM card tray. The 3.5mm headphone jack can be found on the top edge of the device, while the USB Type-C port is located at the bottom of the device.

Specifications

The Xperia 10 runs on the 14nm Snapdragon 630 SoC, which consists of the 64 bit 8x ARM Cortex A53 CPU clocked at 2.2 GHz. It is paired with the Qualcomm Adreno 508 GPU. The device has 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage, which is expandable via the microSD slot (up to 512 GB). The elder sibling of the Xperia 10, the 10 Plus is equipped with the Snapdragon 636 chipset, which comprises of the Kryo 260 octa-core CPU, with four cores clocked at 1.8 GHz and the rest of the cores clocked at 1.6 GHz. The SoC also packs the Adreno 509 GPU. In terms of memory, the smartphone is available with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB of storage, which is expandable upto 512 GB.

Camera

The Sony Xperia 10 has a dual camera setup, with one 13 MP (f/2.0) wide-angle sensor and a second 5 MP (f/2.4) sensor, whereas the Xperia 10 Plus has a combination of a 12 MP (f/1.75) primary sensor and a secondary 8 MP (f/2.4) sensor. Both the devices have the identical 8 MP (f/2.0) front camera equipped with an LED flash. Camera features include hybrid autofocus, bokeh effect, HDR, 5X digital zoom and 4K video recording.

Features

The Sony Xperia 10 is powered by a 2,870 mAh battery, whereas its larger variant packs a 3,000 mAh battery. Both the devices have fast charging support, in addition to features like 4G VoLTE, NFC, USB Type-C etc. In terms of audio, it supports high-resolution audio, LDAC, Smart Amplifier and Qualcomm aptX HD audio. The Xperia 10 weighs in at 162 g, while the Xperia 10 Plus weighs 180g.

Availability

Also Read: Sony Launches The Xperia 1 With 21:9 CinemaWide Display

The Xperia 10 has a price tag of US$ 349.99 (around Rs. 24,800) and will be available in Black and Silver colour options. On the other hand, the Xperia 10 Plus has a price tag of US$ 429.99 (around Rs. 30,500) and will have the same colour options as the Xperia 10. Both the smartphones will go live on sale on March 18 in the US. Indian pricing and availability are not confirmed as of now.

February 25, 2019
Sony Xperia L3 Launched, Helio P22 SoC & 3 GB RAM in Tow

The year’s biggest technology convention, MWC (Mobile World Congress) has begun. Companies from around the globe are showcasing their latest smartphone innovations. Japanese electronics giant, Sony has unveiled several smartphones which include the high end Xperia 1, mid tier Xperia 10/10+ and the budget oriented Xperia L3. Except for the L3, the other three smartphones have an unconventional 21:9 aspect ratio display while the former has a traditional 18:9 aspect ratio display.

Sony Xperia L3 Looks and Specifications

The Sony Xperia L3 measures 154 x 72 x 8.9mm and weighs 156 grams. The front of the smartphone accommodates a 5.7 inch display which is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The display panel has an aspect ratio of 18:9 and resolution of 1520 x 720 px. The device has thin left and right bezels while the top and bottom bezels are comparatively thicker. The top bezel on the front of the smartphone houses the earpiece grille and an f/2.0 aperture equipped 8 MP selfie camera.

The right side of the Sony Xperia L3 is occupied by the volume rockers, fingerprint sensor and a separate power button while the left side is occupied by the hybrid dual SIM + SD card slot. The microphone hole, loudspeaker slit and the USB Type C port is housed on the bottom of the device. The smartphone also has a 3.5 mm audio jack which is present on the top of the handset. The smartphone is kitted with the Helio P22 SoC which is also present on devices like Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Nokia 3.1 Plus. The chipset consists of an Octa-Core CPU and PowerVR GE8320 GPU.

The rear panel of the Xperia L3 houses the Sony branding, NFC logo and dual camera setup. The rear camera setup consists of an F/2.2 aperture equipped 13 MP sensor and an f/2.4 aperture equipped 2 MP sensor. The smartphone is powered by a 3300 mAh battery which also supports Sony’s proprietary Xperia adaptive charging. Connectivity options on the smartphone include dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS+ GLONASS, and NFC. It runs on the Android 8.0 Oreo operating system which is skinned with Sony custom skin.

Xperia L3 Colour, Storage and Price

Also Read: Sony Launches The Xperia 1 With 21:9 CinemaWide Display

The Sony Xperia L3 is available in three colour options which include Silver, Black and Gold. It is available in a single 3 GB RAM + 32 GB ROM storage variant which is further expandable upto 500 GB via a microSD slot. Although Sony has not revealed the price of the device yet, going by its specifications it will be a sub 15k smartphone.

February 25, 2019
Sony Launches The Xperia 1 With 21:9 CinemaWide Display
Sony has been striving hard to find its foothold in the smartphone business lately. Once a really popular brand among technology enthusiasts, the past few years have seen the company release some forgettable products. In a bid to change that, Sony has launched its newest flagship Xperia 1 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. The smartphone has been launched alongside Sony’s mid-range offerings, namely the Xperia 10, Xperia 10 Plus and the Xperia L3.

Sony Xperia 1: Build & Features

The Sony Xperia 1 is the latest flagship from the Japanese electronics brand and will succeed the Xperia XZ3. The device measures 167 x 72 x 8.2mm and weighs 180g. It has a glass sandwich design with minimal bezels on the front. The right side of the device has a power button, a separate fingerprint sensor, volume rockers and the camera shortcut button. The top side of the smartphone houses the SIM card + MicroSD card tray while the bottom of the device is occupied by the USB Type-C port and a loudspeaker grille. It has a 6.5 inch OLED display with a resolution of 3840 x 1644 px. It has a tall aspect ratio of 21:9 which the company calls a ‘CinemaWide’ display.

In terms of optics, the rear of the Xperia 1 houses the triple rear camera setup consisting of a 12MP f/1.6 sensor; combined with a 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide sensor; and a 12MP f/2.4 telephoto sensor. For selfies, it has an 8MP f/2.0 camera on the front. Under the hood, the device runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC which is manufactured using 7nm fabrication process. The chipset has an Octa-core CPU and Adreno 640 GPU. For memory and storage, the smartphone has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The handset is IP68 certified for water and dust resistance, features stereo speakers and has Dolby Atmos for better audio output.

The Sony Xperia 1 is powered by a 3330mAh battery with support for USB Power Delivery (PD) fast charging. It has the company’s proprietary Battery Care technology which charges the device slowly overnight to avoid battery deterioration in the future. The smartphone will run on the latest Android 9 Pie and will be available in the following four colours:
- Black
- Purple
- Grey
- White
Sony Xperia 1: Price & Availability

Also read: LG Announces The G8 ThinQ At The MWC 2019

The Sony Xperia 1 is expected to be available starting in the month of May. Unfortunately, the company has not disclosed the price of the smartphone, but it is expected to retail at US $1099 (around Rs 78,000).
February 25, 2019
Oppo Shows Off Its Foldable Device On The Internet

Probably encouraged by Samsung and Huawei after they showcased their foldable smartphones the Galaxy Fold and Mate X respectively, Oppo has teased what a foldable device from the company may look like. The images of the handset were shared by a senior Oppo executive of on Chinese social networking website Weibo.

Oppo’s Foldable Smartphone

The foldable smartphone from Oppo was unveiled in a set of images which reveal the device in its full glory. Unfortunately, the company didn’t provide any specifications, launch date or the price of the foldable device. The Oppo smartphone due to its outward folding display is reminiscent of Huawei Mate X. It features a futuristic design with a glass front and a metal back. The large OLED display on the front can be folded outwards to create two individual displays. Like the Mate X, the device also has a display housing on the left side of the device. The rear metal halves are consolidated with the help of a flexible rubber like material that provides the device with its foldable characteristic.

While the specifications of Oppo’s foldable smartphone are unknown as of now, it is expected to run on the latest Snapdragon 855 SoC which is manufactured using 7nm fabrication process. The chipset is comprised of an Octa-core CPU and Adreno 640 GPU. The image also suggests that the device will feature a dual camera setup. It is also expected to have screen mirroring feature which will allow the user to utilise the rear display as a viewfinder. The UI of the device affirms that it runs on Oppo’s ColorOS, which is likely to be built on top of the latest Android 9 Pie.

Also read: LG Announces The V50 ThinQ 5G At MWC 2019

The executive also cited in his post that the foldable smartphone from Oppo will only be mass produced if the company sees a lot of demand for the product. This may be the reason for sharing the images in the first place. Therefore, it is not certain if the device will ever see the light of the day.

February 25, 2019
LG Announces The G8 ThinQ At The MWC 2019

LG announced its premium smartphones for this season, which are the LG V50 ThinQ 5G and the LG G8 ThinQ. The highly-anticipated devices are finally released and their first impressions are very promising. Both the smartphones run on Snapdragon 855 SoCs and are targeted towards the premium smartphone segment. The LG G8 ThinQ is the successor to last year’s G7 ThinQ, and the device brings some really nice features to the table.

Design And Display

The G8 ThinQ stands out owing to its glass-sandwich design built around a metal frame. Glass panels adorn both the front and the back of the device, which are protected by Gorilla Glass on both the sides. Interestingly, the rear of the device has Gorilla Glass 6, while the display is covered by Gorilla Glass 5. The bezels are thin, but not thin enough, giving the G8 an 83.5 percent screen-to-body ratio.

It has a 6.1 inch QHD+ FullVision OLED display, which has a resolution of 3120 x 1440 px. The screen has a 19.5:9 aspect ratio with a pixel density of 537 ppi and HDR 10 support. The device has a similar notch to the newly announced LG V50 ThinQ, which looks a tad bit like the iPhone X. The reason behind the conservative notch is the 3D ToF sensor, which is housed in the notch with the front camera.

Specifications And Memory

The G8 ThinQ runs on a 7nm Snapdragon 855 chipset, which comprises of an octa-core processor (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 485, 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 485 and 4×8 GHz Kryo 485) and the Adreno 640 GPU. In terms of memory, the smartphone packs 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB internal storage, which can be further expanded using the microSD slot with support for up to 2TB microSD cards. It will run Android 9 Pie out-of-the-box.

Camera

The triple camera module on the back panel of the LG G8 ThinQ is almost identical to the setup on the V50 ThinQ. The module is housed under the Gorilla Glass panel, implying that it doesn’t protrude from the surface at all. It comprises of a 12MP (f/1.5) camera sensor, a 12MP (f/2.4) telephoto sensor and a 16MP ultra-wide-angle camera. It is speculated that the device may be sold in another ‘market dependant’ variant with only a dual camera setup. In terms of the front camera, the device has a single 8 MP (f/1.7) sensor, but the highlight is the 3D Time of flight sensor placed right next to the front camera. The sensor has some really interesting capabilities, which will be discussed later.

Hardware And Features

The device has a 3.5 mm headphone jack, which lies next to the USB Type C port and a ‘grille’ at the bottom of the device. One of the highlighting aspects of the LG G8 ThinQ is the resonating panel that can produce sound. Known as the CSO (Crystal Sound OLED), LG claims that the panel act as stereo speakers and adds an acoustic touch to the sound quality. Moreover, the CSO also acts as an earpiece for receiving phone calls, so users can literally listen to any part of the screen while conversing. The beforementioned ‘grille’ may be a part of the resonating chamber beneath the screen which is used to redirect audio. 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC is integrated with in addition to DTS:X 3D Surround Sound for headphones. The device packs a 3,500 mAh battery which supports Quick Charge 3.0. It is also IP68 dust and water resistant and meets 14 MIL-STD 810G standards, which means that it can survive drops of over 8 feet without taking any damage.

The LG G8 ThinQ has support for Portrait Video Recording in the front camera. It is really intriguing to see how the device will record videos with the bokeh effect. Also, as mentioned previously, the handset has a front facing 3D ToF sensor. Positioning it at the front ensures more functionality from the sensor. Also called the ‘Z Camera’, it claims to be more precise than a dot projector and faster than Apple’s current ‘Face ID’ technology. Also, the ToF sensor can capture an accurate image of a user’s palm – complete with wrinkles and the blood flowing through the veins. Since every person has unique wrinkles and veins, placing the hand in front of the sensor will instantly unlock the smartphone. It can also be used for hand gestures to control various apps in the device. It is still unclear how practical can this be, but sure, it’s an example of ‘useful innovation’ by LG.

Also Read: Budget Oriented Nokia 1 Plus With Android Go Launched

The South Korean company has not made an official statement regarding the release date and price of the G8 ThinQ. However, the device can be expected to hit the market soon.

February 25, 2019
TCL Showcases Foldable ‘DragonHinge’ Display For Smartphones

Chinese electronics company TCL has showcased its new ‘DragonHinge’ foldable technology for smartphones. The company used the Mobile World Congress(MWC) event in Barcelona to announce the aforementioned tech. It also claimed that the first devices with DragonHinge foldable technology will arrive in the year 2020 as a retail product.

DragonHinge Foldable Technology

While TCL hasn’t launched or even announced a device at the event, the company has showcased different types of prototype smartphones and what they would look like with the DragonHinge foldable technology. The company claims its ultimate goal is to make affordable foldable devices for the mass market. All the designs that it showcased differ from each other in the style of the fold, which is either horizontally or vertically. The TCL DragonHinge uses a system of gears to aid in the folding and unfolding mechanism of the devices. The hinge of the device is designed in a way which doesn’t allow it to fold completely flat. All the demo units that were shown at the event also feature multiple rear cameras.

Interestingly, TCL is better known for making TVs and display panels so the foldable display technology that it has shown off might be sold to OEMs in the future for their foldable smartphones. Notably, the company also manufactures smartphones under brands like Blackberry, Alcatel, Palm and its own. Its upcoming foldable smartphone may be launched under any of the aforementioned brands or through an all-new brand.

Also read: Nokia 3.2, Nokia 4.2 Android One Smartphones Launched At MWC 2019

Unfortunately, any specific details about the launch date or price of a device with this technology are currently unavailable. However, TCL has claimed that it will release a smartphone with a foldable display and DragonHinge technology in the year 2020.

February 25, 2019
LG Announces The V50 ThinQ 5G At MWC 2019

Amidst the plethora of smartphones being showcased at the MWC 2019 in Barcelona, LG announced its flagship smartphones for this season, which are the LG V50 ThinQ 5G and the LG G8 ThinQ. The much-anticipated devices are out in the open and their first impressions are very promising. Both the smartphones pack Snapdragon 855 chipsets with multiple rear cameras and are aiming towards targeting the premium smartphone segment. The V50 ThinQ is LG’s next big leap after the V40 ThinQ. The smartphone gathered a lot of attention at the event.

Design And Display

The V50 ThinQ is a dual glass smartphone with a glass-sandwich design, which gives the smartphone an elegant look. The device sports a 6.4 inch OLED screen with a resolution of 3120 x 1440 px and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The display panel has a pixel density of 537 ppi, and supports HDR 10. It has a similar notch to the iPhone X and very narrow bezels that allow the display to seamlessly blend into the aluminium frame of the device. The device has a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a regular USB-C port, and a stereo-speakers setup.

Specifications And Memory

The LG V50 ThinQ runs on the 7nm Snapdragon 855 chipset, which consists of an octa-core processor (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 485, 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 485 and 4×8 GHz Kryo 485) and the Adreno 640 GPU. The device also features Qualcomm’s 5G modem. In addition, the V50 has an advanced cooling system to keep the temperature of the device under check. It runs on Android 9 Pie out of the box, with a layer of LG UX on top. The device has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, which can be further expanded via the microSD slot.

Camera

The V50 ThinQ features a triple rear camera setup, which comprises of a 12MP (f/1.5) camera sensor, a 12MP (f/2.4) telephoto sensor and a 16MP ultra-wide-angle snapper. The camera also supports Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) for taking high quality blur free images. In addition, the smartphone sports a dual front camera module which is housed in the notch along with the earpiece. The selfie camera setup consists of an 8MP (f/1.9) standard sensor and a 5MP (f/2.2) wide-angle camera.

Additional Features

Unlike its premium contenders, the LG V50 ThinQ does not support an in-display fingerprint sensor. Instead, it has a rear mounted fingerprint sensor and face unlock for security purposes. The device is IP68 dust and water resistant and meets 14 MIL-STD 810G standards, which means that it can survive drops of over 8 feet without taking any damage.

The smartphone packs a large 4,000 mAh battery, which is surprising considering the fact that the V50 ThinQ is just 8mm thin. Furthermore, the device promises to deliver high quality audio using 2-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC, DTS and Surround sound. LG has also introduced a dual screen accessory with the smartphone, which enables the LG V50 ThinQ to essentially act as a foldable device. It is actually a case with a 6.2 inch 2160 x 1080 px display that can be attached to the V50 ThinQ via the pogo pins present on the rear end of the device. Although the case adds an extra 131 g of weight to the device, it can enhance multitasking experience and act as a gaming controller – of sorts.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S10+ Unboxing And Hands On Video

LG has not provided an official statement regarding the availability date/price of the device, but the device may be purchasable soon.

February 25, 2019
Nokia 3.2, Nokia 4.2 Android One Smartphones Launched At MWC 2019
HMD Global owned brand Nokia launched several smartphones at an event on February 24. The newly launched devices include the Nokia 9 PureView, Nokia 1 Plus, Nokia 3.2 and Nokia 4.2. Out of the four smartphones, the Nokia 9 PureView is focused towards photography while the Nokia 1 Plus is targetted towards the budget segment. Both, the Nokia 3.2 and Nokia 4.2 are targetted towards the mid-tier segment.

Nokia 3.2

Nokia 3.2 is the successor of the Nokia 3.1 which was launched last year. It is a budget device featuring a polycarbonate body. The display of the device sports a 6.26 inch TFT LCD panel with a resolution of 1520 x 720 px. The display has a pixel density of 269 ppi and features a waterdrop notch on top. In terms of optics, the handset is equipped with a single rear camera which has a 13MP f/2.2 sensor; while the front has a 5MP f/2.2 sensor housed in the notch up front. It also supports face unlock for easier access to the device.

Under the hood, the Nokia 3.2 is kitted with a Snapdragon 429 SoC which is manufactured using the 12nm fabrication process. The chipset is comprised of an Octa-core CPU and Adreno 504 GPU. The smartphone runs on Android 9 Pie and is Android One certified; which states that it will receive Android updates for two years and monthly security updates for three years. For memory and storage, the device will be available in two variants:
- 2GB RAM and 16GB ROM
- 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM (Also features a fingerprint sensor)
Nokia 3.2 is powered by a 4000mAh battery which the company claims can last up to two days on a single charge. There is also a dedicated Google Assistant button present on the left side of the device. The smartphone will retail at US $139 (around Rs. 9,900) for 2GB + 16GB variant and US $169 (around Rs. 12,000) for 3GB + 32GB variant.

Nokia 4.2

Nokia 4.2 is another budget offering by Nokia which features in a completely new lineup. It features a glass sandwich design with a polycarbonate frame. The display of the device sports a 5.71 inch TFT LCD panel with a resolution of 1520 x 720 px. The display has a pixel density of 270ppi and features a waterdrop notch on top. In terms of optics, the handset has a dual rear camera setup. This consists of a 13MP f/2.2 sensor paired with a 2MP f/2.2 sensor for depth information. For selfies, the device has an 8MP f/2.0 sensor housed in the notch on top of the display. It also supports face unlock for easier access to the device.

Under the hood, the Nokia 4.2 runs on a Snapdragon 439 SoC which is manufactured using the 12nm fabrication process. It has an Octa-core CPU and Adreno 505 GPU. The smartphone features Android 9 Pie and is also Android One certified; which suggests that it will receive Android updates for two years and monthly security updates for three years. For memory and storage, the device will arrive in two variants:
- 2GB RAM and 16GB ROM
- 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM
Also read: Budget Oriented Nokia 1 Plus With Android Go Launched

Nokia 4.2 is powered by a 3000mAh battery which can be charged using the MicroUSB port on the bottom of the smartphone. Like the Nokia 3.2, it also features the dedicated Google Assistant button which is present on the left side of the device. The handset will retail at US $169 (around Rs. 12,000) for the 2GB + 16GB version and $199 (around Rs. 14,200) for the 3GB + 32GB version.
February 25, 2019
Budget Oriented Nokia 1 Plus With Android Go Launched

At an event held in Barcelona, HMD global unveiled several Android smartphones which include the remarkable Nokia 9 PureView, Nokia 4.2, Nokia 3.2 and the Nokia 1 Plus. The Nokia 1 Plus is the successor to the Nokia 1 which was launched last year. Out of the newly launched smartphones, the Nokia 1 Plus is the most affordable and is targetted towards the budget segment.

Nokia 1 Plus Design and Specifications

The Nokia 1 Plus has a classic design with a 5.45 inch display on the front. The display of the device is surrounded by narrow bezels on the top and bottom while the left and right bezels are negligible. Like its siblings, the top bezel of the Nokia 1 Plus house the Nokia branding, earpiece grille, ambient light sensor, and front facing camera that uses a sensor with 5 MP resolution.

The rear panel of the Nokia 1 Plus is made out of plastic with easy to grip texture. Noteworthy, the rear panel of the device is swappable and users can buy separate panels of different colours dependent on their choice. The rear of the device harbours the Nokia branding, 8 MP autofocus camera with flash and slit for the loudspeaker. The smartphone is kitted with the ‘Mediatek 6739WW’ chipset which consists of quad-core CPU and PowerVR GE8100 GPU. The quad CPUs use Cortex A53 cores which are clocked at 1.5 GHz.

The Nokia 1 Plus has 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of inbuilt memory. It also supports memory expansion upto 128 GB via a microSD card which uses SIM 2 slot in the dual SIM hybrid tray. The smartphone runs on the Go edition of Android 9 Pie operating system which is developed to run smoothly on devices with low end specifications. It is powered by a 2500 mAh battery which can be charged via the bottom mounted Micro USB port.

Connectivity options on the Nokia 1 Plus include 3.5 mm audio jack, 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS and GLONASS. The sensors present on the smartphone include proximity sensor, ambient light sensor and gravity sensor.

Nokia 1 Plus Price and Colour Options

Also Read: Foldable Huawei Mate X With Falcon Wing Design Launched

The newly launched Nokia 1 Plus is available in three colour options which include Black, Red and Blue. The smartphone is available at a price of US $ 99 (around Rs 7000).

February 25, 2019