Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 leaks with 18:9 display, dual cameras, and huge battery

Last month, we covered the possibility of a new Redmi Note 5 smartphone for global markets. Two Xiaomi devices have passed through China's 3C earlier last month, which we suspected were two versions of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 (one with less RAM, Storage, and a slower CPU). Fast-forward to now, some alleged renders of the phone have leaked. The renders show a device with very thin top and bottom bezels, akin to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S9. There is also a vertically-placed dual-camera setup above a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. We've seen mockups of this device from before,...

Read More

Video shows off official Galaxy S9 and S9+ cases, suggests purple version

The folks over at Mobile Fun have posted a video taking a close look at the official Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ cases. These cases are identical to the current Galaxy S8 and S8+ flip cases (sometimes called "S-View standing cover") with the only difference being the name of the smartphone on the packaging and, of course, the placement of the cameras and fingerprint sensor. The case is so similar, in fact, that the host of the video put the S8 into the case and found that it was almost an exact fit, so we can expect the S9 and S9+ to be identical in size and button placement as their...

Read More

Microsoft introduces cheaper Surface Laptop and Surface Book 2 variants

Microsoft has introduced new price points for each of its Surface Laptop and Surface Book 2 models. Both now start at a lower price, albeit with reduced specs. Starting with the Surface Laptop, the new base model comes with an Intel Core m3 processor with Intel HD Graphics 615, 4GB RAM and 128GB storage and is priced at $799. Previously, the point of entry for this computer was $999, which has a more powerful Core i5. Surface Book 2 Similarly, the Surface Book 2 now starts at $1199 for the 13.5-inch model, and has an Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. Previously, the...

Read More

YouTube TV app now available on the Apple TV

The YouTube TV app is now available for tvOS. Google revealed this information in a tweet from the YouTube TV account. The app is available for the 4th and 5th generation Apple TV devices in supported regions only. Hey @AppleTV users, check the app store.— YouTube TV (@YouTubeTV) February 1, 2018 YouTube TV is Google's live TV streaming service that debuted last year. For $35/month, you can stream live TV from networks such as ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, AMC, BBC, CNBC, CW, Disney, ESPN, FX, MSNBC, National Geographic, and more. For an additional fee, you can also get networks like...

Read More

Nokia 8 long-term review

Past the initial hype and a few months after our initial review full of benchmarks and tests, we're ready to tell you what the Nokia 8 feels like when used as a daily driver for a longer period of time. Hopefully, this would give you a fuller picture of the device is capable of.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active gets Wi-Fi certified with Android 8.0 Oreo on board

Samsung is almost ready to release the update to Android Oreo for its S8 and S8+ smartphones, following a lengthy beta testing period that has recently ended. The company even put out an infographic today detailing the new features you can expect to see in the Oreo-infused Samsung Experience 9 software. In the US, T-Mobile is already testing the new release, but it now looks like a third model may be joining the aforementioned S8 duo in tasting the treat pretty soon. We're talking about the other member of the S8 family, the S8 Active. This rugged handset launched last year as the first in...

Read More

Google doubles its devices shipment in 2017, revenue goes up 38%

The parent company of Google, Alphabet, posted Q4 2017 and fiscal year 2017 results. The report said the 2017 revenues were $110.9 billion, which is a 23% increase year over year. The October-December period accounted for $32.3 billion, $4.69 billion of them coming from Google other revenues that include Pixel phones and Play Store sales. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, while not disclosing any numbers, said in its earnings call that shipments of devices doubled in 2017, including "tens of millions" Chromecast, Chromebook and Google Home speakers. Other revenue category posted 38%...

Read More

Nokia sales grew throughout 2017, reached a total of 8.45 million units

HMD took it slow when it resurrected the Nokia brand. It initially launched the Nokia 6 in China and managed to sell 100,000 units in the first quarter (per IDC numbers). Its confidence grew and expanded to more regions and introduced more models. Q2 saw the introduction of the Nokia 5 and 3. Sales jumped up significantly as those two (along with the 6) went on the international market - New Nokias don't seem to do well in China. The number of smartphones sold per quarter kept growing and in the last three months of 2017, HMD had a 1% share of global smartphone sales - a total of 8.45...

Read More

Xiaomi updates Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime to MIUI 9

The global MIUI 9 rollout continues with Xiaomi Redmi 3s and Xiaomi Redmi 3s Prime getting the Nightly update. The firmware version is MIUI V9.2.2.0.MALMIEK and is 376 MB in size and is based on Android Marshmallow with an April 2017 security patch. Bear in mind that this is a Nightly build. Xiaomi pushes Stable update to random users and if feedback is going well, the company will roll it out to everybody else. MIUI 9 already arrived to plenty of devices - from current flagship Xiaomi Mi 6 to the Redmi 1s from 2014. The new user interface version brings Smart app launcher,...

Read More

Limited Razer Phone 2018 Gold Edition celebrates the Spring Festival

Razer has made a special edition of its Phone to celebrate the Chinese New Year (also known as the Spring Festival). The Razer Phone 2018 Gold Edition comes in a special red-sleeved box with golden Razer stickers. The phone itself is the same as the regular Razer Phone save for the logo on the back, which has been died in gold. The Gold Edition will start selling today through the International RazerStore and through Three Hong Kong retail stores. It's price is $699.99.

Read More

Huawei patents smartwatch gestures for the back of your hand

Less than a month after the approval for a touch-sensitive bezel patent, Huawei now holds the rights for smartphone gestures performed on the back of your hand. This means ultrasonic or infrared sensors follow the finger. This solution takes care of the limited touch area on the smartwatch display. According to the patent, the device can sense movements in four zones around the watch, meaning you can draw even in the air. The sensor will detect when you started writing or swiping and when you stopped. All you need to remember is keeping the finger at the same height as the...

Read More

Samsung stays on top with 317M shipments in 2017

International Data Corporation and Strategy Analytics published their reports on the global smartphone shipments in Q4 and the full year 2017. The data reveals that Apple shipped 77.3 million iPhones in Q4 2017, most of any other manufacturer. For the full year, Samsung held its top position, shipping more than 317 million phones. Xiaomi impressed analysts by almost doubling its shipments - 28.1 million between October and December 2017 versus just 14.3 million for the same period in 2016. Data from Strategy Analytics The holiday season brought anything but smiles to manufacturers...

Read More

Shuffle at the top - Sony CEO Kaz Hirai steps down

After 6 years as Sony CEO, Kazuo "Kaz" Hirai is stepping down to a more sidelined position as chairman and will be replaced by current CFO Kenichiro Yoshida. Yoshida will take the reigns on April 1, vacating the spot of CFO, which will be taken by current Sony Mobile CEO Hiroki Totoki. Image credit: Sony Kaz Hirai was the one who hired Kenichiro Yoshida as Strategy Chief at Sony and has worked closely with him since. Hirai will remain an active voice in Sony as chairman and vows to "facilitate a smooth transition". Sony's mobile division has been struggling for a while now...

Read More

Samsung details Oreo-based Experience 9 update

Samsung is edging ever closer to seeding the final Oreo firmware to the Galaxy S8 and S8+ and has put together an infographic, detailing all that's new about Samsung Experience 9, which is the software suite for Oreo Samsung smartphones. There are plenty of improvements, including the keyboard or Bixby. The former has 4 new High Contrast modes and a new toolbar above the numeric row with shortcuts for emoji, stickers and GIF search. The Samsung keyboard has also received a new simplified settings menu. Improved keyboard The Bixby briefing panel can now play background music...

Read More

New Samsung Galaxy Note8 update brings security improvements

Shortly after rolling out the January security patch to the Galaxy Note8, Samsung has started pushing out a new update to its flagship smartphone. Carrying the build number of N950FXXU3BRA8, the update is currently hitting units in Brazil and France. The change-log only mentions "improved security." It's quite possible that the update includes fixes for the Meltdown and Spectre security vulnerabilities, as Verizon Note8 recently received these fixes through an update. Have you received the update? If you noticed any changes let us know in comments below. Via

Read More