Telegram update adds fully customizable chat backgrounds

Telegram has released version 5.3 of the app for iOS and Android and it brings with it a completely overhauled background image system. Users can now choose from a wide variety of built-in images for their chat background. If they don't find what they like they can use the search function built within the app to find more, or even upload and use their own images. The process of setting the image has also been updated. You can now choose to blur the image, which improves the legibility of the chat with some images. Unfortunately, the blur effect is rather strong and blurs the...

Read More

Huawei P Smart (2019) arrives in Japan as Huawei nova lite 3

Huawei introduced the P Smart (2019) for select European markets, but it appears the phone will change its name outside the Old Continent. The actual phone was just relaunched in Japan under the name Huawei nova lite 3. It is already available all over the Asian country for JPY26,880. The new phone is a follow-up to the Huawei P Smart, launched as nova lite 2 in Japan. We already reviewed the phone with its 6.21" LCD screen, plastic body and 20 MP primary camera. The RAM is 3 GB, and Japan will get the variant with 32 GB storage. There is also a 3,400 mAh battery, charged through a...

Read More

LG G8 ThinQ to come with 3,500 mAh battery

LG is going to showcase not one but two flagships at MWC later this month. Along with the LG V50 ThinQ with 5G capabilities it will also showthe LG G8 ThinQ. Latest reports from Brazil reveal that the new G-series flagship will have a 3,500 mAh power cell with a nominal capacity of 3,400 mAh. It is about 15% more than the G7 ThinQ battery and the biggest cell in a G smartphone since the G Flex, announced in November 2013. The LG G8 ThinQ will have a 6.1" screen with a notch. It will have a tall ratio of 19.5:9 and dual selfie cameras tucked in the cutout. And the G8 will keep...

Read More

Gboard adds 50 new languages, brings total beyond 500

Google's popular keyboard has extended its functionality by reaching over 500 supported languages. In its latest update Gboard has gained support for 50 new languages, most of which you'd likely not have heard of like Alas, Amis, Brahui, Choctaw, Gayo, Giryama, Gorontalo, Gusii, Hehe and Iban. Currently the new languages are live through an update on Android, iOS users should receive the update soon as well. Source | Via

Read More

New Nokia with Android One passes through the FCC

The FCC certified a new HMD phone - the Nokia TA-1157 - and revealed some of its specs. It will be one of the smaller handsets, measuring 149mm tall and 71mm wide (the Nokia 5.1 is 151.1 x 70.7mm, for reference). This Nokia will be available in two configurations - 2/16GB and 3/32GB. Both versions are dual SIM phones for GSM networks (so no Verizon compatibility). It's clearly an entry-level device, though not Android Go - the FCC label on the back clearly says Android One. Nokia TA-1157: FCC schematic of the back And there is a dual camera on the back, which hints that this...

Read More

vivo V15 Pro will feature a 48MP rear camera and a Snapdragon 675 chipset

The vivo V15 Pro teaser posters tend to focus on its 32MP pop-up selfie camera, but a new report shows that the triple camera on the rear shouldn't be underestimated. The rear camera will feature a 48MP main module (a Samsung GM1), which supports a 12MP pixel binning mode for night shots. The other two modules will have 8MP and 5MP sensors, though their purpose is unclear. This is only vivo's second triple camera phone after the NEX Dual Display (which had a depth sensor and a 3D ToF camera). Anyway, the vivo V15 Pro will be among the first to use a Snapdragon 675 chipset. This...

Read More

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 review

Redmi Note 7 lineup is the first one branded only as "Redmi" and the sub-brand company wants to come in strong. It advertises flagship-worthy build quality, great 48MP main camera on the back and powerful enough SoC no matter which Redmi 7 device you choose - the vanilla Redmi 7, the bigger Note 7 or the Pro. The one we have with us is the Redmi Note 7 - perhaps the most sought after model due to its low price and big screen.

Read More

6GB + 128GB Nokia 8.1 announced in India, pre-orders start today

The Nokia 8.1 launched in India in early December of last year but it was only available in the standard 4GB + 64GB configuration (priced at INR 26,999 or around €330). Today Nokia also launched the 6GB + 128GB Nokia 8.1 - pre-orders start immediately, shipments begin on February 6. The Nokia 8.1 with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage is priced at INR 29,999 (€365) and will be available exclusively through Amazon India. You'll get a choice of Blue Silver or Iron. The Nokia 8.1 has a 6.18-inch IPS LCD of 1080x2280px resolution, a 10nm Snapdragon 710 chipset, 12 f/1.8 regular + 13MP...

Read More

Sony video teases phones with 3D ToF cameras

Back in 2015 Sony acquired Belgium's Softkinetic, which produced 3D Time of Flight cameras called DepthSense. Yesterday, Sony posted an image titled "Life with DepthSense", which shows different possible applications for phones with 3D ToF cameras. The first imagines 3D virtual graffiti, friends and family can leave you drawings and notes which you can explore and even walk through using your phone. The next concept (1 minute in) puts the ToF camera on the front for enhanced animated selfies. There are entertainment opportunities too, like shooting robots with finger guns (1:15). Such a...

Read More

Nokia 2 V arrives on Verizon with Android Go

Verizon has just introduced the Nokia 2 V, an a rebranded Nokia 2.1 for its network. It is a phone on the Android Go program and costs just $69.99. The basic smartphone has a Snapdragon 425 chipset with has a quad-core 1.4GHz CPU and 1 GB RAM. The Nokia 2 V runs Android 8.1 Oreo (Go Edition) and comes with some pre-installed apps from the Go family, including Gmail Go, Maps Go, YouTube Go. The storage is 8 GB and there is a slot for up to 128 GB more. The screen of the Nokia 2 V is 5.5" in diagonal with HD resolution and 16:9 ratio. There aren't any physical buttons on...

Read More

Panasonic announces S1R and S1 full-frame mirrorless cameras

Panasonic has launched its new LUMIX S series of full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. The system is based on the L-Mount, initially developed Leica and now co-developed by Panasonic and Sigma. The first batch of cameras include the LUMIX S1R and the LUMIX S1. The LUMIX S1R has 47.3MP sensor, the highest resolution for a consumer full-frame mirrorless camera. The sensor has no low-pass filter, so you can get the maximum detail out of it. This model is intended more for landscape and wildlife photographers, who want the maximum detail in every shot. The LUMIX S1 has a...

Read More

Most detailed Galaxy S10 and S10+ images yet surface

Welcome to your best look yet at the Samsung Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10+, thanks to some crispy press renders. These come from the same batch we reported on earlier. The renders show off the more premium duo of Galaxy S10 phones from the front, the back and the sides. We're get three color versions - Black, Emerald and White Pearl gradient. The 6.1-inch Galaxy S10 shows off its single punch-hole selfie camera and its triple rear-mounted array of shooters - regular, ultra-wide and telephoto. Samsung Galaxy S10 The Samsung Galaxy S10+ has a bigger screen,...

Read More

Check out this awesome Moto RAZR 2019 concept

The latest rumor going around is that Motorola is preparing to revive the legendary RAZR series of mobile phones but so far, information is pretty scarce. Aside from the few reports one of which states that the handset will cost around $1,500. Now some cool concept renders just popped up online imaging the handset with a pretty cool and functional design. Its looks stick close to the original Motorola RAZR V3 - a pinch of nostalgia is never a bad thing. Moreover, it's in line with the patent filling from last week, so it might not be too far from the real thing. Foldable...

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S10 prices and memory options in Europe revealed

Samsung is announcing the Galaxy S10 smartphones at the Unpacked event in San Francisco on February 20, but we've learned a little something about their pricing in advance. At the end of 2018 some pricing for the UK market was leaked, and now we get intel on the costs of the flagships for Continental Europe. The most affordable of the bunch - Galaxy S10 E (or just Galaxy S10 5.8) will be €749, while the regular Galaxy S10 is going to start from €899. Samsung Galaxy S10 pricing in Europe The Galaxy S10 E (previously rumored as Galaxy S10 Lite) will come in at least four colors,...

Read More

Huawei shows teaser image of its 5G foldable phone as it announces MWC event

Huawei promised a foldable 5G phone for the MWC and is now backing that up with a teaser image, which sets the unveil date as February 24 at 14:00 CET. The phone will feature Huawei's new Balong 5000 5G modem, which will be hooked up to a Kirin 980 chipset. It looks like the phone folds down the middle and keeps the screen outside. Technically, the company promised "5G phones", plural, so we might see a non-foldable phone as well. Huawei's event invite for the MWC teases its 5G-enabled foldable phone Anyway, the event announcement mentions "Internet of Everything", so it's...

Read More

Oppo European rollout continues with Poland, Turkey

The European expansion of Oppo started from the United Kingdom on Tuesday, continued with Poland on Wednesday and wrapped up an eventful week yesterday in Turkey. The company brought at four phones to Poland - Oppo AX7, Oppo RX17 Pro, Oppo RX17 Neo, and Oppo Find X, while Turkey only got the first three of those. Oppo AX7 is actually the Oppo A7 that was announced back in November but with a new moniker due to licensing issues. It still has Snapdragon 450 chipset and a 6.2" HD+ screen with a waterdrop notch, along with a huge 4,230 mAh battery. The device comes with 3 GB RAM and...

Read More

HMD Global officially sets Nokia 9 announcement event

After the teaser from Juho Sarvikas the other day, we finally get an official invite from HMD Global for its event at MWC 2019 in Barcelona. Going by previous teasers, we suspect that Nokia will show a couple of hot smartphones. One is the much-anticipated penta-lens Nokia 9 and the other one is the rumored Nokia 8.1 Plus with a punch-hole camera on the front. The event will be held on February 24 at 4:00 PM CET. We'll be on site bringing you detailed coverage on everything that's being unveiled so make sure you are around when the time comes.

Read More

Samsung's foldable phone briefly shown in promo video, is it finally coming?

Someone managed to obtain a promo video that shows what the future of Samsung technology might look like. The video shows windows that double as huge displays, a Minority Report-styled touchscreen wall with air gestures, a bezel-less tablet and Samsung's foldable phone. The last one seems likeliest to come soon. Samsung's Galaxy F is coming this year and might even be shown at the MWC later this month - fingers crossed. Here's the video. The most interesting part is at 0:23.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy Sport gets certified, possible February release

The Samsung Galaxy Sport is the latest smartwatch from Samsung and the device was just certified with the Taiwanese NCC. For the record, the same device has already been cleared by the FCC in the US and the NRRA in South Korea. SM-R500 is the model number of this device, which is widely considered to be the Samsung Galaxy Sport, not to be confused with the Gear Sport. The device was codenamed "Pulse" and is rumored to be the first Samsung wearable to support Bixby Reminders before ultimately upgrading the Galaxy Watch with Bixby support. The Galaxy Sport is expected to have 4GB of...

Read More