Samsung Galaxy Note9 benchmark results against S9+ and Note8

Now that we've got our hands on the Samsung Galaxy Note9, we're able to make some comparisons between the Note8 and Galaxy S9+ in terms of performance. We've got some numbers from an international dualSIM variant of the Galaxy Note9, so this one is powered by the Exynos 9810 CPU. We're comparing it to both variants of the Galaxy S9+. Starting with graphics performance, the Exynos-powered Note9 wasn't at the top of any of the benchmark tests. The Galaxy S9+ with its Snapdragon 845 was able to get the best frame rates out of the graphic-focused GFX Bench tests. ...

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New Pixel 3 XL hands-on reveals even more details: 6.7" screen, 3,430 mAh battery

Although it's still almost two months away from becoming official, Google's Pixel 3 XL just can't stop leaking. Following a video unboxing, the same Russian tech blogger who somehow managed to get a pre-production unit is now back with a hands-on video of the phone. The pictures below are all extracted from that (since the video is on Telegram and only available as a download). Pixel 3 XL live images Here's the nitty gritty. The Pixel 3 XL will have a 6.7-inch 1440x2960 touchscreen, which is pretty huge even by today's notched standards. The phone will be powered by a 3,430 mAh...

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Our Oppo Find X video review is up

Our written review of Oppo's stunning Find X went up a few short days ago, and we hope you went through it already. If you didn't have time to, here's some good news: the video review of the Find X is now available on our YouTube channel, and embedded below for your viewing pleasure. Don't miss it if you want to find out all about the top features of Oppo's only new Find series member in years. It has definitely been a long time coming, this one. So was it worth waiting for? Our concise eight-minute video review should give you all the info you need in order to form your own opinion on...

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YouTube Signature Devices are handsets with the best YouTube watching experience

YouTube just launched a Device Report website that lists the best devices for enjoying its videos. The list isn't particularly long but includes all the flagships from the major manufacturers. The YouTube team claims that every device goes under extensive testing and it's working closely with the OEMs to provide the best possible performance and quality when streaming YouTube videos. The list consists of 18 smartphones from Samsung, LG, OnePlus, HTC, Huawei, Xiaomi, Google and Nokia. Samsung Galaxy Note9 Samsung Galaxy S9 Samsung Galaxy S9+ Samsung Galaxy Note8 Samsung Galaxy...

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Qualcomm reaches a deal with Taiwanese regulators

Qualcomm's legal department is working overtime lately. It's got Apple's lawsuits, Korea Fair Trade Commission's $927 million fine and the European Commission $1.2 billion fine to contest. Now at least the American firm reached a deal with the Taiwanese Fair Trade Commission. The dispute started back in 2017 and the original fine was $778 million because Qualcomm is refusing to sell chips to OEMs that wouldn't agree to specific patent-licensing terms. In addition, Qualcomm was making a royalty discount in exchange for exclusivity for the modem chips in iPhones. At the end, instead...

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Palm's return to be a 3.3" Android phone

In a world where smartphones don't go below 5", TCL is looking to revive the Palm brand with a 3.3-inch Android smartphone. Obviously, we are looking at a budget handset, but it makes our brains wrinkle when we look at the rumored specs. According to Android Police's inside source, the device will incorporate a 3.3-inch LCD with 720p resolution and will be powered by a Snapdragon 435 processor paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. Of course, memory variants may vary. Moreover, the smartphone will come with 800 mAh battery that's exceptionally small by today's...

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Motorola lists Moto P30, P30 Play and P30 Note ahead of August 15 unveiling

Motorola is hosting an event on August 15 in China and everyone is expecting the Moto Z3 and the Motorola One Power to land in the country but going by the company's official Chinese website, three other phones might be the stars of the show. Screenshots from the official website We are looking at the Moto P30, P30 Play and P30 Note - phones, which we haven't heard of before and don't know anything about. The pages reveal only the memory configurations and the color options - the standard P30 comes with 6GB/64GB and 6GB/128GB in Ice Jade White, Bright Black and Aurora. The P30...

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Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S Emerald Green unveiled

Xiaomi initially launched the Mi Mix 2S in Black or White color, but now it introduced a limited edition Emerald Green variant of the phone, developed in cooperation with Dunhuang Academy. The new color imitates the Jade gemstone that is popular in China and will be available for purchase on August 14. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S Emerald Green edition The internals of the phone remain unchanged - 5.99" tall screen with LCD panel and Full HD+ resolution. Since the phone is a luxurious edition, you can only get it in the highest available memory tier - 8 GB RAM and 256 GB...

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Samsung Galaxy Note9 is up for pre-order in India

With the Samsung Galaxy Note9 being out now, everyone is looking for the price and availability in their country. We already know about the US, UK and DE availability but what about India? Samsung is making an effort to retain its strong positions in the Indian market so it has already made the Note9 available for pre-order with some sweet deals. Those who reserve a unit can get the Samsung Gear Sport smartwatch for INR 4,999 ($72), instead of the usual INR 22,990 ($333). But if you are not in the market for wearables, Samsung has two more launch offer options - INR 6,000 ($87)...

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Shipments of in-display fingerprint scanners rise, to reach 100M in 2019

The front-mounted fingerprint scanner is being phased out as bezels keep shrinking. The trend led to the implementation of under-display fingerprint scanners, first introduced by vivo X20 Plus UD, later followed by the X21 UD, Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer, and a few other manufacturers. According to numbers from Sigmaintell, reported by Digitimes, shipments of in-display scanners will reach 42 million by the end of 2018, while in 2019 the amount will reach 100 million. The new type of technology comes either with an optical scanner or an ultrasonic scanner. For example, vivo uses the...

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Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium update adds new features to the camera

The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium is still fresh on the shelves and it's already getting its first firmware update that adds two much-needed features to the camera. Screenshots after the update The build number is now 51.1.A.12.27 and adds Bokeh and Monochrome modes to the camera app. You can switch to them by pressing the function key right below the shutter button. It's also important to note that the monochrome mode works with stills and videos and the OTA update bumps up the security patch to August 1 2018. The update is rolling out gradually as is normally the case with...

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Nokia 5.1, Nokia 3.1, Nokia 2.1 arrive in India

Nokia announced three entry-level and mid-range handsets back in May three smartphones in the lower price spectrum - Nokia 5.1, Nokia 3.1 and Nokia 2.1. Today HMD announced the arrival of the trio to India (the 3.1 has already been available with 2 GB RAM, now it makes its way with 3 gigs). The phones will be launched on August 12 across plenty of retailers and Nokia's own website. All three phones have Android Oreo 8.1 out of the box. HMD Global official told us back in spring the company is planning two-year OS updates and three-year security updates for the trio, so Android Pie...

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Meizu 16X shows up on Geekbench carrying Snapdragon 710 SoC

Meizu 16 and 16 Plus' unveiling went fairly unnoticed because everyone was focusing on the Galaxy Note9 launch yesterday. But that doesn't mean that the Meizu 16 lineup isn't worth our attention. A live photo of the device that's been circling around for a while now At first, we thought that Meizu is working on a plus-sized version with Snapdragon 845 and a regular one with Snapdragon 710, but when the company announced the phones, we were surprised to see the SD845 powering the small version as well. Shortly after the announcement, the company's CEO himself confirmed that a third...

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