US Customs and Border Protection defends its seizure of OnePlus Buds

Monday’s news started with what seemed to be a harmless and hilarious mixup as the CBP (US Customs and Border Protection) tweeted an image of OnePlus Buds coming through US customs. The Tweet revealed that that 2,000 units of OnePlus Buds were seized from cargo that arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, identified as counterfeit Apple Airpods. It turns out that the CBP made no mistake as per its statement to The Verge Upon examining the shipment in question, a CBP import specialist determined that the subject earbuds appeared to violate Apple’s configuration...

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Verizon announces plans to acquire Tracfone Wireless in 2021

Verizon is officially announcing its plans to acquire Tracfone (from Mexican telecom company America Movil), the largest reseller of mobile service in the US for more than $6 billion between cash, common stock, and future cash. Among the Tracfone brands combined, there are about 21 million subscribers in the US (most of which are in the low-income segment) and the parent brand already connects 13 million subscribers to Verizon towers. Tracfone services (and sometimes even devices) is(/are) sold at more than 90,000 retail locations in the US, including Walmart, Dollar General, CVS Pharmacy,...

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Motorola Moto G9 Play in for review

Another day, another new device at the office - this time we got the recently announced Motorola Moto G9 Play which is the international variant of the Motorola G9 launched in India. The big deal about this handset is its aggressive price, it comes in at just €169/$155 and covers most of the check boxes for a solid entry-level device. The phone arrived in compact packaging with in-box contents consisting of a Type-C cable, 20W charging adapter and SIM ejection tool. Our review unit is in the Forest Green color and also came outfitted with a clear TPU case out the box. As for the...

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OnePlus 8T renders leak, showing new placement for the rear cameras

The upcoming OnePlus 8T has been in the news quite a bit recently, and now it's decided to be the star of some newly leaked renders, which you can see below. The main standout is clearly the newly arranged camera island on the back, with a rectangular design that's unlike anything OnePlus has done before - but, coincidentally or not, resembles a lot of recent (and upcoming) Realme and Oppo phones - not to mention Samsungs left and right. So it looks like, for better or for worse, this is what phone makers have settled on this year. On the front we see a screen that doesn't seem to...

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Google is announcing the Pixel 5 on September 30

The rumors were right. Today Google has officially announced when its next hardware announcement will take place: on September 30, at 11 AM PT, and as usual during these times it's going to be an online-only event. Hence the tagline you can see in the invite below - "your couch is the best seat in the house". This "launch night in" is clearly about hardware, considering which Google Twitter account outed it. So we're expecting the Pixel 5 to make an appearance, alongside the Pixel 4a 5G. Names might change, but the idea here is that there should be two new phones becoming...

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No plus: OnePlus 8T is getting the vanilla S865 chipset, OnePlus Watch and power bank certified

The OnePlus 8T is making the rounds and collecting the necessary certifications and some info leaked out in the process. It seems that the phone will use the vanilla Snapdragon 865 chipset, just like the current OnePlus 8 (previous T models upgraded to the Plus version). CPU details for the KB2001 - most likely the OnePlus 8T Earlier, the 8T passed through Geekbench running Android 11 on 8GB of RAM, but that left inconclusive evidence of which chip is used. While it will be powered by the older chipset, the T may upgrade to a 120Hz display. Also, the camera department should be...

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The global launch of the Huawei Mate 40 flagships may be delayed until next year

Huawei appeared all set to announce the Kirin 9000 chipset at its September 3 IFA keynote and to follow that with the full reveal of the Mate 40 flagships. Neither of these announcements came to pass and there was nothing concrete during HDC 2020 either. Now rumors are cropping up, saying that we may have to wait until 2021 to see the new flagship. Evan Blass tweeted as much, though that seems to relate only to the global model - the Huawei Mate 40 phones are still expected to be available this year in China. Huawei has not unveiled concrete plans about when it will introduce the new...

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Apple's September 15 'Time Flies' event: what to expect

Apple's first big fall event is upon us but it's nothing like past September events. For starters there won't be any iPhone announcements, despite this being the usual time iPhone announcements happen. Instead Apple will release a pre-recorded video through its website, YouTube and Apple TV. The event titled 'Time Flies' - a subtle hint at the centerpiece of the event - will be all about the Apple Watch, the iPad Air, Apple software and a few interesting announcements. Apple Watch Series 6 The Apple Watch Series 6 will be the star of the show. It's expected to build on the...

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Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro will have 144Hz LCDs with motion interpolation

When Amazon Spain leaked the Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro, it revealed their prices and chipsets. However, that leak did not confirm one of the more interesting rumors about the new T-phones, the 144Hz display. Now leakster Digital Chat Station reiterates that the Apollo – that’s the code name for the 10T models – will indeed have a 144Hz LCD. It will support MEMC, aka motion interpolation from low frame rate footage to high frame rate. For comparison, the screens on the original Mi 10 top out at 90Hz and even the Mi 10 Ultra only goes up to 120Hz. Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro (left) and Mi 10T...

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Samsung Galaxy S20 FE listed on Orange Slovakia, priced at €700

Orange Slovakia was so eager to list the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE that it used images from @evleaks. However, if the rest of the information on the page comes from Samsung itself (rather than something the Orange web admins found on the Internet) we’re looking at a €700 phone. For context, the Galaxy S20 4G is sold for €900 by the same carrier. Still, this is for a 4G model with with only 6 GB of RAM, two gigs short of what the basic S20 packs. There’s no mention of chipset, unfortunately. Rumors claim that the 4G model will use the Exynos 990 chip while the 5G model is the one getting a...

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US customs seize 2,000 OnePlus Buds pairs in hilarious accident

The US Customs and Border Protection proudly announced it seized a shipment of counterfeit Apple AirPods at the end of August. The company was so proud, that it issued a press release on Friday, and today made everything public with a post on Twitter. While the confiscated earbuds look similar to the ones by Apple but after a quick glance everyone familiar with the matter realized they are not counterfeit at all - they are the actual OnePlus Buds, launched in late July. Hey, give those back! 🙃— OnePlus USA (@OnePlus_USA) September 14, 2020 Troy Miller, Director of CBP’s New York...

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LG Wing goes official with swiveling design, Snapdragon 765G

LG is opening a new page in its smartphone history with the Wing 5G. The company felt that the current candybar smartphone design has been stagnant and could use a refresh with a swivel. We’ve seen phones with two screens and swiveling was a thing back in the early 2000s on several feature phones but LG is re-imaging how and what you can do with a secondary screen. LG’s Explorer Project an initiative that aims to breathe new life in smartphone design. It’s about taking risks and bringing practical innovations to customers and the Wing is just the beginning. LG also revealed it will...

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Tecno Spark Power 2 Air unveiled: 7" display, 6,000 mAh battery, coming to India next week

The Tecno Spark Power 2 launched in India in late June, a INR 10,000 phone with a massive 7.0” display and an equally massive 6,000 mAh battery. But if you want a slightly more affordable option with most of the same specs, then the new Spark Power 2 Air may be for you. The sizable 7.0” display covers more than 90% of the front of the device. The resolution is on the low side, 720p+, but that will work just fine with Netflix’s HD plan (INR 350/month). The phone packs stereo speakers to enhance the viewing experience to boot. Tecno Spark Power 2 Air The Tecno Spark Power 2 Air...

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Watch the LG Wing announcement live here

LG is embarking on a new journey today as it plans to launch its Wing smartphone. The notable part is that it features a swiveling display which in turn makes room for a secondary screen and a unique T-shaped form factor. Today’s announcement will be the very first step of the Explorer Project - LG’s new line of smartphones with distinctive and yet unexplored designs. The keynote tips off at 1PM KST time (2PM UTC) and you can watch it directly from the link below: The Wing saw its fair share of leaks in the past month and based on the current rumors we’re expecting a curved 6.8-inch...

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Global ColorOS 11 announced, rollout schedule released

As expected Oppo unveiled its latest Android UI overlay dubbed ColorOS 11. As the name implies, it's based on Android 11 and makes Oppo one of the first manufacturers to bring its UI up do date with the latest build of Android. We also got the full rollout schedule for 28 Oppo phones. Visually, ColorOS 11 look even more streamlined than its predecessor ColorOS 7 with its own unique styling and more customization options for users. You also get all the new Android 11 standout features including one-time permissions, grouped message notifications and media controls. Oppo is bringing a...

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ByteDance will not sell TikTok US business

TikTok, the leading social platform with over 100 million users in the United States, will not be sold to Microsoft or Oracle, latest reports claim. According to CGTN, an English TV station owned by the Chinese state, ByteDance will not sell its business to Oracle or Microsoft and won’t give its source code to any US firm. Multiple sources report Oracle is working on a more complicated deal with ByteDance, including becoming technology partners and stakeholders in each other’s entities. TikTok interface CGTN revealed China has issued a revised catalog of technologies that...

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The Infinix Note 7 will be available on Flipkart in India this Wednesday

The Infinix Note 7 was unveiled back in April and its journey to India proved to be a long one as the phone is only now ready to go on sale – it will be available on Flipkart this Wednesday. More details about the launch should be revealed tomorrow. The retailer has not unveiled the price yet, but the Note 5 from a couple of years ago has an MSRP of INR 11,000 (the Note 6 from last year is not available on Flipkart). The new Note 7 is available in the Philippines in the same price segment – PHP 8,000, which works out to INR 12,000 or so. Here’s what you’ll get for your money: a 6.95”...

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Nokia 7.3 will launch on September 22, claims rumor, Nokia 9.3 probably not ready yet

The wait continues – a leakster claims that the Nokia 7.3 is coming later this month and that it’s unlikely that the flagship Nokia 9.3 will launch alongside it (instead, it will arrive by the end of the year). As proof of those claims, the leakster points out that the Nokia 7.2 (which was announced last September) is being discontinued. Indeed, the Nokia online stores in Germany, France, Spain, Finland, India and other countries say that the product is no longer available. It is available in the UK (of course, that may change in a day or two). And you can still find it at third-party...

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Realme C17 major leak confirms key specs

Last week we got our first sighting of the upcoming Realme C17. We already know it will be powered by the entry-level Snapdragon 460 chipset paired with 6GB RAM and now we have the rest of the spec details through a set of leaked press renders. The C17 will house a 6.5-inch LCD with HD+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. The panel will also house a punch-hole cutout for the 8MP selfie cam. The back has a square plate for the quad-camera setup which is headlined by a 13MP primary shooter and 8MP ultrawide snapper. The remaining two sensors are a 2MP monochrome lens and a 2MP macro...

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Samsung to host Unpacked event for Galaxy S20 FE on September 23

Samsung unveiled the Note20 family, the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, and the Galaxy Z Fold2 in a span of one month, but the company is about to add yet another premium phone to its roster. The latest one in the pipelines is the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE and it is coming next week. The company scheduled an Unpacked event for September 23 where we are going to see the Fan Edition come to life - after all, even the file names in the source code say “S20 FE”. The unveiling will be live-streamed and is expected to appear on all major platforms and Samsung.com. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is not a...

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Nvidia acquires Arm in $40 billion deal

In an open letter to employees, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang confirmed the rumors that the company is indeed acquiring British based chip designer Arm. According to reports, the deal is worth $40 billion, making it the largest in the semiconductor industry. Arm will function as a separate division within Nvidia and its HQ will remain in Cambridge, England. In addition, Arm will retain its neutral and open licensing model with its array of established partners. However, we could finally see an Nvidia mobile chipset after years of absence, even though the initial focus will be on data...

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Samsung to manufacture all Snapdragon 875 chipsets

Qualcomm is on pace to introduce its next flagship chipset in December, and we expect the name to be Snapdragon 875. According to reports from South Korea, Samsung Semiconductor Company has managed to offer a better deal than TSMC and will manufacture the whole batch of chipsets for next-year's flagship phones. Samsung Semiconductor factory in Pyeongtaek, South Korea Samsung Semiconductor Company is a division of Samsung Electronics and is the biggest semiconductor manufacturer in the past 20 years. The latest deal will help the Korean giant to reinforce this position, and reports are...

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