Redmi K40 Gaming Edition confirmed to run Dimensity 1200

Xiaomi and its brand Redmi are going to unveil a brand new gaming phone, part of the flagship series K40, and so far we’ve only heard rumors about the chipset. Today the brand took it to Weibo and revealed the Redmi K40 Gaming will be powered by a Dimensity 1200 chipset. Xiaomi Redmi K40 Gaming Edition teasers The Mediatek chipset, built on the 6 nm technology, is faster on paper than the flagship platform Snapdragon 888, powering the Redmi K40 Pro smartphones. The CPU brings one Cortex A78 unit at 3 GHz, three more at 2.6 GHz, and the third cluster of four units is Cortex-A55 at...

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Oppo K9 teased with 65W fast-charging and 64MP camera

A new smartphone from Oppo has been teased via a poster published to Weibo. The newest entry to Oppo’s K-series is the K9. In the poster, the company teases a 64MP triple camera setup, and 65W Flash Charge. It’s expected that the K9 will be the top phone of the K-Series. The back of the phone reads “09-K Super Performance”. Although a specific chipset is not mentioned, MyFixGuide speculates that the Oppo K9 may be powered by a ‘sub-flagship’ chipset along the lines of either the Snapdragon 870 or the Dimensity 1100. The Weibo post mentions that the phone will be able to charge...

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Oppo's new R&D 'O-Tower' unveiled with 'Infinity Loop'

Danish architecture studio BIG designed a new skyscraper building for phone maker Oppo. Names the O-Tower, it features an infinity loop that was designed to “connect ground to sky in a continuous loop of collaboration.” As per BIG, the building aligns with Oppo’s brand identity and vision. The O-Tower will be located in Hangzhou, China and is the future home of Oppo’s research and development center. This Tower will feature an open-air courtyard (that will be open to the public) that will be surrounded by the building, and it will be built within Hangzhou’s “Future Sci-Tech City”. A...

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MediaTek sets sights on US market, not worried about the chip shortage

In a report by LightReading, Patrick Wilson VP of government relations for MediaTek USA answers a few questions about the general state of the smartphone industry, 5G, and there’s some talk about the global chip shortage. If you recall, MediaTek was crowned the number 1 chip maker in smartphone market share in 2020, surpassing Qualcomm for the first time. The Taiwanese chip maker is not concerned about the chip shortage and it does not expect the shortage to affect MediaTek’s shipments of chips to phone makers nor does it expect 5G devices to feel the effects. So far it’s been very good...

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iQOO 7 wins a Red Dot award for Product Design

The iQOO 7 has won the 2021 Red Dot Award for Product Design. The flagship was recognized for its aesthetic that evokes speed. The iQOO team was delighted that its efforts to deliver a product tailored to users needs have been recognized. They designed the 7 to last long gaming sessions and to survive accidental drops. The mid-frame is built out of durable marine aluminum, which resists corrosion from oils and perspiration from the user’s hands. The shape of the frame was carefully designed to provide the best ergonomics. The frosted AG glass on the back is also fingerprint resistant....

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HTC Vive Air wins iF Design Award before even being launched

While we still get the occasional HTC smartphone release from time to time, the Taiwanese company has long shifted its focus to the VR headset market. Earlier today an iF Product Design Award listing revealed the next Vive VR headset to the world and it’s targeted at fitness enthusiasts. HTC Vive Air The HTV Vive Air is described as a virtual fitness VR headset inspired by sports shoes and made in mid with high-intensity training. The headset features quick-drying knitted fabrics on its upper and headband and a lightweight design ideal for home workouts. The Vive Air also...

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vivo X60 Pro+ review

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Apple AirTag arrives for $29, uses Ultra Wideband and does Emoji

After many an Apple event came and went without an AirTag announcement, Apple finally unveiled the smart tracker. AirTag is a small and light tracker with built-in Ultra Wideband technology to communicate its location to Apple's Find My app. The AirTag is IP67 water and dust resistant, has a speaker and a user-replaceable CR2032 standard battery with over a year of endurance. The AirTag connects to Apple's Find My app on iPhone 11 and 12 series, which shows the tracker's last known location on a map. If it's in Bluetooth range you can ring it using the phone or Siri. If the...

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Apple introduces Purple color for the iPhone 12 and 12 mini

The iPhone 12 palette is getting a new hue – purple. It will be available for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini, which were always more colorful than their Pro counterparts. Pre-orders for the new color start this Friday, the first units will be available on April 30. Apple took pains to match the color of the aluminum frame to that of the back glass panel. The new Purple color for the iPhone 12 and 12 mini And all that care and attention to color perfection can’t be thrown away by using the wrong case, oh no. Apple is also launching a new MagSafe Leather Case and a new Leather...

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Apple announces Podcasts Subscriptions and a redesigned app

Today at its Spring Loaded event, Apple introduced Podcasts Subscriptions. While the name of this service really doesn't roll off the tongue, it is incredibly self-descriptive. Starting in May, people in more than 170 countries and regions will be able to sign up for premium subscriptions to their favorite podcasts. These will include "a variety of benefits curated by creators, such as ad-free listening, access to additional content, and early or exclusive access to new series". Initially, premium subscriptions will include Tenderfoot TV, Pushkin Industries, Radiotopia from PRX,...

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Tecno Spark 7P brings 90Hz display, 5,000mAh battery and Helio G70 chip

A week after coming out with the Spark 7, phone-maker Tecno has made the Spark 7P official. The key specs are a 6.8-inch 1640x720px display with 90Hz refresh rate, 16MP main camera, MediaTek Helio G70 chipset with 4GB of RAM and a 5,000mAh battery. Tecno Spark 7P The front camera has an 8MP sensor and you also get a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, a 3.5mm headphone jack and 64GB or 128GB of built-in storage that's expandable through the microSD slot. Buyers get a pick of four colors - Alps Blue, Spruce Green, Magnet Black and Summer Mojito. Tecno is yet to...

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Watch the Apple Spring loaded event here

It’s about time we see what Apple has cooked up in the past few months. The Spring loaded event starts at 10AM PDT / 5PM UTC and you can tune in to Apple.com or simply follow the livestream on Apple's official YouTube channel embedded below. Based on the rumor roundup we did, the all-new 12.9 iPad Pro with mini-LED display will be the star of the show. It should also debut the A14X chipset and a new 3rd gen Apple Pencil. There’s also talk of a new 11-inch iPad Pro and iPad Mini coming along to complete the tablet refresh across Cupertino’s iPad range. We’re still waiting for the now...

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Tecno Camon 17 surfaces with Helio G85 chipset and 48MP camera

While it hasn’t published it on its official site, Tecno has sent out the new Camon 17 to retailers in Kenya. You can’t have one yet, but you can pre-order it – here’s what you’ll get if you do. At first glance, it is not a straight upgrade over the Tecno 16. For starters, it has a smaller 6.55” screen, down from 6.8”. It’s still a 720p+ class display (though with 20:9 aspect ratio). The selfie camera (still living in a punch hole) has an 8MP sensor (down from 16MP). Tecno Camon 17 It has a slightly more powerful chipset than the previous generation, a Helio G85. The Mali G52 MC2...

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Realme UI 2.0 Open Beta available for Realme X3 and X3 SuperZoom

Realme's second iteration of its UI is on its way for some devices with more joining the Open Beta today. Recently Realme C3 and Narzo 10A were admitted to the program and the company has now announced that the X3 and X3 SuperZoom are the newest additions. First, you have to be on the latest version of Realme's UI found at the source link below for manual download. Secondly, you have to navigate to the Software Update section, select Trial Version and then tap on Early Access. A short questionnaire will appear and once you type in all the required details, Realme will review your...

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Romania passes a bill that may block Huawei from developing its 5G network

Last week Romania passed a bill that may leave Huawei out of the country's development of the 5G network. It goes in line with the Washington memorandum in 2019 that would restrict any Huawei-Romania partnership in the future. The Romanian bill requires all vendors participating in 5G rollout must not be subject to control by a foreign government, have a transparent ownership structure, and be subject to a legal regime that enforces transparent corporate practices. The bill is yet to be approved by the parliament, which should happen in the next few weeks. Source

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Apple's Spring Event: what to expect

Spring is here and the Apples are ripe – we expect to see new iPads, Macs and accessories be unveiled at the virtual stage from Cupertino. All kinds of new gadgets except for new iPhones, of course, those are coming later this year. The iPads are interesting because they are expected to introduce a new type of display, mini-LED, which will later spread its way to other products (like MacBooks). They will also bring a new chip, a mobile version of the M1 (or at least something very similar to it). As for the Macs themselves, the latest scuttlebutt claims that Apple will launch a new...

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SA: Smartphone market surges 24% in Q1 2021, Huawei no longer in Top 5

The first quarter of 2020 saw the first COVID-19 lockdowns, greatly impacting the smartphone market away by wiping away a massive amount of shipments from the planning board. Just twelve months later the industry has managed to get back on its feet, with the latest reports revealing a 24% increase in global smartphone shipments. According to Strategy Analytics, Samsung has kept its top spot in the first quarter of 2021, with a 32% increase in shipments on a yearly basis. Apple also increased its sales by 44%, retaining second place, but Xiaomi in third posted an even bigger increase and...

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Health Mate by Withings is now part of Huawei AppGallery

Huawei has announced a new partnership with Withings, bringing the app Health Mate to AppGallery. The French connected device company that was once part of Nokia now allows Huawei users to visualize their data with insights, and the app is also able to alert users for any health irregularities. Health Mate is just like any other health-related application and is instrumental for owners of Withings devices. It tracks physical activity, sleep, weight, and other vitals, as well as allowing users to improve their routine and track trends. Thanks to the integration with AppGallery,...

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 will be lighter, pack a Snapdragon 888 chipset

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fol3 will be powered by the flagship Snapdragon 888 chipset, says IceUniverse, not a surprise considering that the new foldable is expected cost the same as the Fold2. Also, the cat says that the new model will be 13g lighter than the Z Fold2 (which tipped the scales at 282g). The weight reduction might come from the new Armor Frame, there are rumors that this will be the name of a titanium or carbon fiber frame (which are lighter than steel and even aluminum). Part of that could be the smaller battery (4,275 mAh, down from 4,500 mAh) and the smaller external...

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Moto G60 and G40 Fusion and unveiled with 120Hz refresh rate displays and SD 732G

Motorola announced its latest Moto G members with the Moto G60 and Moto G40 Fusion in India. The two phones come with 120Hz LCDs, large 6,000mAh batteries and Snapdragon 732G chipsets. The big difference comes in the cameras where the G60 is outfitted with Samsung’s HM2 108MP sensor while the G40 Fusion gets a more pedestrian 64MP shooter. The accompanying 8MP ultrawide and 2MP depth sensors are identical. The selfie shooters also vary - the G60 comes with a 32MP module while the G40 Fusion settles for a 16MP unit. Both new Moto G phones feature 6.8-inch IPS LCDs with FHD+...

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Honor Play 5T Life launches with Helio P35 chipset

Honor has just unveiled the Play 5T Life without any fanfare. The smartphone (also translated as Youth/Vitality edition) has been listed on the Chinese store of the company without even a press release. Тhe Honor Play 5T Life is powered by a Mediatek Helio P35 chipset, coupled with 6GB RAM. There is 128GB storage, with room for microSD (up to 512GB) in the hybrid slot. At the front we have a 6.6” LCD with HD+ resolution and a waterdrop notch for the 8MP selfie camera. The fingerprint scanner made its way on the side, doubling as a power key. There are four cameras on the back...

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Huawei to bring more affordable foldable phones in H2

Foldable phones are slowly but surely making their way to more consumers and Huawei is looking to remain competitive by bringing more affordable offerings. A new Digitimes report details at least three foldable Huawei phones are due to launch in the second half of 2021. These devices are said to be priced below the brand’s current Mate X series which would certainly make them more appealing to consumers. The new Huawei foldable and Samsung’s upcoming Z Fold3 and Z Flip2 are expected to cause a boost in global foldable shipments to 7 million units for 2021. For comparison, last year’s...

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New Redmi gaming phone arriving on April 27, will be part of K40 series

The Redmi brand has just revealed more details about its new gaming handset, including the launch date. The phone will arrive on April 27 and will be part of the Redmi K40 family. The official (machine-translated) name is Xiaomi Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Version and will have some differences from its K40 siblings. The new phone will have shoulder on the side, so they are on top when the phone is held horizontally. The camera design is also different - Redmi will stick to the idea of two big lenses, but it will have a third big camera in the middle without an empty circle. The...

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MediaTek first to release a 4nm chipset, already has orders from OEMs

According to two separate sources, MediaTek is going to be the first chip maker to release a 4nm chipset. Production is supposed to start either at the end of this year (Q4 2021) or at the beginning of 2022. In fact, some major OEMs have already taken orders for MediaTek's high-end SoC. We are talking Oppo, Xiaomi, Samsung, and vivo. The downside is that MediaTek has secured the 4nm order from TSMC at a big cost - around $80 per unit compared to the current high-end 5nm chipsets that cost between $30 and $35. A famous Chinese tipster claims that MediaTek's hardware will be able to...

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