Amazon launches an AI camera and machine learning tools for businesses

Amazon launches an AI camera and machine learning tools for businesses

Amazon might be the biggest online retailer, but the company wants to be even more influential, launching a set of AI products. The subsidiary Amazon Web Services introduced a $250 AI camera called DeepLens, a new platform named SageMaker for deploying machine learning and a new AI service for transcription and translation, all aimed at developers and businesses. The DeepLens camera comes with pre-installed AI tools, including object, image and character recognition. According to AWS press release, it can detect cats, dogs, faces, everyday objects, motions and even hot dogs. Some examples how the DeepLens would come in handy is having a warehouse and the cameras scan and keep track of the inventory. It is powered by an Intel Atom chipset and takes videos in 1080p resolution. Theres also Wi-Fi connectivity as well as USB, and microHDMI ports. Amazons products Echo with Alexa are an example how well AWS AI tools work. The new products are a statement that the company is willing to take the step and make the everyday life even more AI-integrated.

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Rumored Snapdragon 845 specs point to next-gen Kryo cores, but old process

Rumored Snapdragon 845 specs point to next-gen Kryo cores, but old process

Qualcomm should announce the Snapdragon 845 chipset by the but some unconfirmed info is making the rounds. The new flagship chip will be built on a 10nm Low Power Early process (from TSMC rather than Samsung). So we cant expect performance gains due to the process. Gains will be had, however, as new chip will use 3rd gen Kryo cores four of them, based on Cortex-A75. Those will be paired with four A53 cores for efficiency. The graphics will be upgraded to Adreno 630, though little is known about it beyond further AR and VR optimizations. The Snapdragon 845 will allegedly support dual cameras up to 25MP both on the front and back (four total). No word on 2160p @ 60fps video recording, however. The new X20 modem will push theoretical download speeds up to 1.2Gbps, up from the 1Gbps speeds we saw demoed earlier this year with the 835 chip (X16 modem). Makers are already lining up for the Snapdragon 845. Samsung reportedly the initial supply for the Galaxy S9 (and will also use the for Exynos 9810). Xiaomi also wants to use the new chip . LG may adopt a two-tier approach with both Snapdragon 845 and 835.

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YouTube unveils stories-like feature for creators called Reels

YouTube unveils stories-like feature for creators called Reels

YouTube has unveiled a new feature for creators called Reels. This is YouTubes official spin on the popular stories format first popularized by Snapchat before it took off on Instagram. The feature is an expansion to YouTubes efforts to join creators with their fans on a more intimate level with YouTube Community, a place where creators can post updates and snippets between video releases. Unlike Instagram and Snapchat stories, YouTubes Reels will not necessarily expire after 24 hours. They can be kept forever, and they can be organized into different events or projects. For instance, a creator can post video Reels to a folder from an all-day event. Subscribers can view these stories and find past stories. This way, creators can compile multiple clips into a single collection. A nifty feature is the ability to link to videos within Reels. Currently, the feature is rolling out to creators with more than 10,000 YouTube subscribers. This is certainly a new approach to stories that expire after 24 hours. YouTube figured that many creators followers use Snapchat and Instagram to keep up with what they are up to and Reels is definitely a great way to host more content from creators.

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ZTE Axon 7 is no longer in production

ZTE Axon 7 is no longer in production

Its the end of the road for the , certainly the US version. A company representative told an inquiring customer that the product has reached its end of life and will no longer be manufactured. There are no units left at zteusa.com, stock in Europe seems to be almost depleted as well. For a while, the Axon 7 was one of the cheapest ways to get Snapdragon 820 power. And it was definitely the cheapest if you wanted Google Daydream VR support its QHD AMOLED display gave it a leg up on the OnePlus 3. Not to mention the stereo speakers. The Axon line skipped the Snapdragon 835 generation, there was only the launched early this year though that was a China exclusive. Its safe to say that its time for a successor and one .

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HDMI 2.1 detailed: up to 10K resolution, 120fps and Dynamic HDR

HDMI 2.1 detailed: up to 10K resolution, 120fps and Dynamic HDR

The HDMI forum has published the specs for version 2.1 and give gamers and multimedia perfectionists everything they could ever want for years to come. Many, many years. 4K, 8K and even 10K video streams can be pushed up to 120fps (with the new Display Stream Compression). Without compression, the maximum is 8K/60 and 4K/120. It will be a long while before broadcast TV (even movie studios) adopt 8K, but these will be awesome for VR gaming... though theyll require beastly GPUs. Another cool feature for gamers is Variable Refresh Rate think AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync. Quick Frame Transport promises to reduce latency, important for fast-pace games and VR. Then theres Dynamic HDR, which will deliver video at its ideal values for contrast and color gamut. 10, 12 and 16-bit color is possible and you can use 4:4:4 chroma sampling. The cable has a raw bandwidth of 48Gbps, more than 4 times what HDMI 1.4 offers! The HDMI 2.1 Compliance Test Specification will come out before the end of 2018, so dont expect hardware anytime soon.

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Samsung begins mass production of 10nm LPP chips for early 2018 phones

Samsung begins mass production of 10nm LPP chips for early 2018 phones

Samsung Foundry Business has begun mass production of chips built on the second generation 10nm FinFET process. This is a refinement on the current 10nm chips offering up to 10% higher performance or 15% lower power use. The new chips will be ready for early 2018 phones and become more and more available by the end of the year. Qualcomm over Samsung for the Snapdragon 845 so the first 10nm LPP chips out of the factory will likely be Exynos models as well as chipsets like the . Samsung wants to continue improving this technology, eventually reaching 8nm LPP. This continually-improved process allows new chips to be designed without major overhauls. The company also has plans for 7nm FinFET chips in the future built with EUV technology. These will be made at the same S3 facility as the upcoming 10nm chips.

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Xiaomi to launch Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus on December 7

Xiaomi to launch Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus on December 7

We already saw the , but now we have official information about the Xiaomi Redmi 5. The manufacturer posted an image on Weibo, revealing the launch date of the Redmi 5 and the Redmi 5 Plus December 7. The phone will be introduced by members of the pop band SNH48. Twelve of them are pictured holding the . The front panel is mostly occupied by a FullView screen, while on the back we see one camera and a fingerprint scanner. The headline of the poster says A phone for a thousand, implying the Redmi 5 will cost as low as CNY1,000 or about $150/130. For comparison, the predecessor costs around CNY800 in China. |

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Honor V10 posts an impressive AnTuTu score

Honor V10 posts an impressive AnTuTu score

The Honor V10 was . The phone matches the Kirin 970 chipset and 6 gigs of RAM of the Mate 10 duo, so it's no wonder that it can deliver all the performance you need. Today the phone appeared on the Chinese benchmark AnTuTu, where it posted an impressive score of 165,587. The is a mix of Huaweis phablets and , but costs significantly less than either. It almost perfectly matches their AnTuTu scores of 175,426 and 178,510 . It is ahead of the (128,755) and (143,583), mostly because of the newer SoC and latest EMUI 8.0, based on Android Oreo. Huawei presented the Honor V10 in China, and on December 5 it will make its European debut. |

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Some Samsung Galaxy S8 units get camera focus bug

Some Samsung Galaxy S8 units get camera focus bug

A significant number of / users are reporting a camera-related issue with their units. Specifically, those affected say their phone's camera struggles to focus while taking photos, both with the native Camera app and third-party ones like Snapchat. The issue persists even if you try using manual focus. Needless to say, this behavior results in blurry photos. Here are a couple of samples shared by users: There's a dedicated thread at the South Korean company's official forums discussing this issue. Complaints started pouring in months back, but reports have been more frequent lately. Recently, a Samsung moderator replied on the thread, listing out some basic troubleshooting steps that users should try out first. And if these doesn't work, the moderator is suggesting that users should send their units in for an evaluation and repair. Sadly, they didn't provide any details on whether it's a software bug or a hardware issue.

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AT&T offering $100 reward card with each ZTE Axon M order

AT&T offering $100 reward card with each ZTE Axon M order

ZTE's foldable, dual touchscreen smartphone launched earlier this month as an AT If you are planning to purchase this $725 device, you'll be glad to know that the carrier is now offering a $100 reward card with each purchase. It's a limited time deal that requires you to purchase the handset on an eligible postpaid monthly service with voice & data (minimum $50/month). The reward card will arrive 8-10 weeks after service activation, and is valid for 6 months. If you are interested head to the link below.

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New Verizon Galaxy Note8 update brings Krack security patch, camera changes

New Verizon Galaxy Note8 update brings Krack security patch, camera changes

Verizon has started pushing out a new update to units on its network. Arriving as software version NMF26X.N950USQU2BQJA, it's mainly a security update but also includes some camera-related changes. Specifically, the following changes have been introduced in the Camera app: the Live focus ready button now has a bright yellow background, light and distance guidance is now easier to read, and the back button now takes you to normal Camera mode. As for security-related changes, the update includes Android security fixes for the month of October as well as fix for the Wi-Fi WPA2 security issue (a.k.a the KRACK vulnerability).

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Google has identified a fix for Pixel 2 and 2 XL random reboots, rollout in the coming weeks

Google has identified a fix for Pixel 2 and 2 XL random reboots, rollout in the coming weeks

Over the past few days yet another problem surfaced with regard to and . Namely, some users' handsets are plagued by random reboots, which occur while on LTE. It's been happening even in Safe Mode, so it's clearly not an app-caused issue, and you may lose some data when this happens (such as the latest pictures and videos you captured before the reboot). Hundreds of frustrated Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL owners reported this issue, and today Google has announced that it has identified a fix. The patch will be rolled out in the coming weeks. We assume it will be baked into the update that's coming in the first Monday of December that's next week, by the way. One of the affected users has seemingly identified that the random reboots only occur when the phones are in a low LTE signal area. Changing the network mode in Settings so that LTE isn't used has apparently made the reboots go away, so the problem may have had something to do with the modem, which could be causing a kernel panic when in LTE mode and connected to a cell amplifier. All of this being said, note that Google hasn't officially revealed what the underlying issue was only that a fix is on the way. | | |

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Instagram now lets you remix the photos your friends send you

Instagram now lets you remix the photos your friends send you

Instagram has added yet another new feature today. We're talking about the ability to 'remix' the photos your friends send you through Instagram Direct. Now when you view a photo message from a friend in Direct, if you tap the camera icon at the bottom you capture a reply. This reply includes a sticker of the image you're replying to. The sticker can be moved or resized, and then your own stickers, text, and drawings can be inserted on top. Once you sent your reply created in this way, the recipient can then remix your remix and send you that... and so on. In addition, you now have control over replays you can pick one view for the messages you only want seen once, or allow replay if that's no issue. The photos and videos you send with allow replay loop automatically, you need to tap and hold to pause. All of these updates are now live in Instagram version 24 for Android and iOS.

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 leaks pour in

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 leaks pour in

Today brought a whole swath of leaks. A teaser image appeared suggesting that the 18:9 mid-ranger may be getting close to launch. Thanks to TENAA are no secret and neither is the design. Still, Xiaomi has been holding this one back and theres not much left of 2017. This next image also appeared, showing off the rounded corners of the 6 screen (1,080 x 2,160px). It also touts gaming performance though the Snapdragon 625 chipset is better at going long than running fast. The 4,000mAh battery certainly helps with the former. Anyway, the expected price of the Redmi Note 5 could be as low as ($150) or ($175). (in Chinese) | (in Greek)

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SA: Apple leads in Q3 smartphone sales revenue, but Samsung is catching up

SA: Apple leads in Q3 smartphone sales revenue, but Samsung is catching up

Strategy Analytics posted its smartphone sales report today for the July-September 2017 period. The analysts, quoted by Yonhap, said that Apple leads the smartphone market both in operating profit and sales revenue, but Samsung managed to close the gap in the past 12 months. Regarding operating profit, Apple snatched a staggering 69.9% of operating profit in the three-month period that included of and . Samsung came second only 21.8% of the operating profit. Sales data shows that Apple accounted for 32% of the revenue, with Samsung trailing with 23.1%. Analysts say the information should not be surprising since Cupertino enjoys highest profits in Q3 and Q4 of the year when new iPhones appear. In terms of shipment volume, Samsung is still a leader with 21.2%, followed by Apple with 11.4%. This is due to the diversification of the Samsung portfolio and because of the delay of the that missed on Q3 entirely.

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Samsung fixes major issue in Galaxy S8 Oreo beta 3 build

Samsung fixes major issue in Galaxy S8 Oreo beta 3 build

The Android Oreo Beta 3 build for the and out last week. It brought the November security patch and major improvements to Bluetooth stability. However, it turns out that it also included a major issue. The bug basically prevented some applications from opening. The apps in question are those that were put to sleep (to save battery) by the system after they were found unused for more than three days. Well, the good news is that the problem has been quickly fixed by the South Korean company, and a new hotfix update has been pushed out already. No other changes are included in this update.

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Samsung officially launches Burgundy Red Galaxy S8

Samsung officially launches Burgundy Red Galaxy S8

A Burgundy Red first appeared in a and then industry sources . Today Samsung officially launched the new color option in South Korea, which will be followed by select markets. Samsung says the new luxurious hue accentuates the elegance of the Galaxy S8s ergonomic glass and metal form, creating a seamless and refined aesthetic that will resonate with a wide range of tastes. This is the seventh color option after the initially launched Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Coral Blue, Arctic Silver and Maple Gold that were by Rose Pink.

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OnePlus 5T arrives in China, gets an impressive Lava Red color

OnePlus 5T arrives in China, gets an impressive Lava Red color

Just a week after its , the OnePlus 5T , and now China. The twist is that China gets an exclusive Lava Red color. The official price around the world is $499/449/499 for the 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage version, but in China it is a bit cheaper at CNY2,999 or around $454. The catch is that it arrives without Google services. OnePlus optimized the OS for the Chinese market (which doesn't play well with Google services) and instead of OxygenOS 4.7, it will ship with HydrogenOS, still based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat. The 8 GB + 128 GB option is also cheaper CNY3,499 or $530, as opposed to the global version, which costs $560. The phone is available in the original Black in addition to the China-exclusive Lava Red color.

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OnePlus 5T now available in India

OnePlus 5T now available in India

The is now available for purchase in India. You can get the phone through as well as the . The phone costs 32,999 INR (430) for the 6GB/64GB model and 37,999 INR (495) for the 8GB/128GB version.

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Snapchat rolls out context-specific filters

Snapchat rolls out context-specific filters

Snap, the company behind Snapchat, has rolled out a new feature in the app that automatically suggests filters to users based on context. The app can now analyze the image that has been captured and then suggest relevant filters to the user. To give this a try, we opened up some images in Google and tested them on the app. The app was able to correctly recognize the picture of the dog, the burger, the beach and the sky and suggest appropriate filters for them. In case of the sky, Snapchat does this interesting thing, that has been around for some time now, where it adds filter over just portion in the image that is the sky. It will usually overlay stars or clouds or some other things and it's smart enough to figure out exactly what part of the image is the sky. The stars is just one of the effect and depending upon the sky it can come up with multiple versions. These seem limited for now. For example, there aren't any filters for cats or for a glass of drink but replacing the burger with a pizza still popped up the food related filter. We expect more of them to roll out eventually.

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Essential PH-1 now just $400 with the 360 Camera included

Essential PH-1 now just $400 with the 360 Camera included

Back when the dropped $200 down to then to , some people speculated that this signals the end of the company. What will they say now that the phone is $400? Never mind that. You can get both the Essential PH-1 and the 360 Camera for just on . has a similar deal, though its . This makes the Essential PH-1 the cheapest Snapdragon 835 phone in the US, not to mention the high-resolution screen (near QHD). Take that, OnePlus 5T. Anyway, Oreo is already and the 360 Camera can .

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India pre-orders for Oppo F5 6GB RAM variant are now live

India pre-orders for Oppo F5 6GB RAM variant are now live

The 6GB RAM variant of the smartphone is now available in India. The model comes in black and red color options and is already offered by etailer Flipkart. The 6GB RAM Oppo F5 costs INR 24,990 ($385). For comparison, the 4GB RAM variant, which in the country earlier this month, costs INR 19,990 ($308). Pre-order window closes December 1, with shipments beginning the same day. However, currently only the black model is available. The Chinese company says the red variant will be available through Flipkart around December 9. Meanwhile, both colors are available to pre-order through offline channels (OPPO showrooms and some partner stores). |

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Gionee unveils eight smartphones, including S11/S11S and M7 Plus

Gionee unveils eight smartphones, including S11/S11S and M7 Plus

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Gionee has unveiled eight new smartphones at an event in its home country. The list includes S11S, S11, S11 lite, M7 Plus, M7 mini, and F205. Let's begin with the Gionee S11, which the company says is its flagship product for overseas markets. The phone is powered by Mediatek's Helio P23 SoC with octa-core CPU and features a 5.99-inch, 18:9 FullView display with 2160x1080 pixel resolution. Press release says RAM is 6GB (although the presentation slide above says 4GB), while internal memory is 64GB. The handset features dual-camera setup on both back and front 16MP+5MP and 16MP+8MP, respectively. The device also features hardware-level real-time bokeh. Measuring 159.577.77.8mm and weighing in at 170.5g, the S11 packs in a 3,410mAh battery and runs Android 7.1 based Amigo 5.0 UI. Color options include blue, gold, and rose gold. Coming to the Gionee S11S, the device is currently aimed at the China market. It is powered by Mediatek's Helio P30 SoC, and features a 6.01-inch FullView display with 2160x1080 pixel resolution. It also comes with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage. The S11S also features dual camera setup both on the back and at the front 16MP + 8MP and 20MP + 8MP, respectively which Gionee says is best in its portfolio. Among other features, the device includes customized photo processor DSP, provides enhanced HDR Effect and wider dynamic range as well as hardware-level bokeh. It also offers NFC payments capability and data security features such as Anti-theft 2.0 and Private Space. Moving on to the M7 Plus, it's a security focused device that's powered by Snapdragon 660 SoC and sports a 6.43-inch, 18:9 FullView display. It also comes with 6GB RAM, and offers 128GB storage. A large, 5,000mAh battery is there to keep the lights on. The phone which is also aimed at the China market lets you transfer amounts via Alipay IFAA2.0 standard. Other features include wireless charging and artificial intelligence (a first for a Chinese brand phone, Gionee claims) as well as Automatic Speech Recognition to cancel orders and fast payments with a single touch. Next up is the S11 lite, which like the S11 will also be available overseas. The device is powered by a Snapdragon SoC with octa-core, 1.4GHz processor, and sports a 5.7-inch, 18:9 FullView display with 1440x720 pixel resolution. It comes with 4GB RAM and 32GB storage, and features a dual camera setup (13MP+2MP) on the back. On the front is a 16MP selfie shooter. The handset runs Android 7.1-based Amigo 5.0 skin and packs in a 3,030mAh battery. Color options include gold, dark blue, and black. As for pricing, the M7 Plus, S11S, S11, and S11 lite carry a price tag of CNY 4,399 ($665), CNY 3,299 ($500), CNY 1,799 ($272), and CNY 1,299 ($195), respectively. While the S11 and S11S will be available next month, availability for the other two is set for January 2018. Among the remaining devices, while the and have already been by the Chinese company, the last two devices that have been made official are the M7 Mini and F205. Nothing much is known about them, except their price tags CNY 1,399 ($210) and CNY 999 ($150), respectively and December availability.

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Deal: 128GB Google Pixel 2 XL down to $900

Deal: 128GB Google Pixel 2 XL down to $900

Theres a face we didnt expect to see this Black Friday the . The phone is so hard to find that eBay units usually cost more than the original asking price rather than being offered at a discount. And yet here we have a deal that lets you have the 128GB Pixel 2 XL for $899.99 with sales taxes charged only to those living in Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey and Texas. Even if you do live in one of those four states, however, you will be saving $50 compared to what youd need to pay if you ordered from the Google Store. Just as with Google though, you only get the Just Black version of the phone with the Black and White one unavailable. The seller also offers international shipping, but transport and import costs will probably make it all too expensive to be worth it. Anyway, if you feel like treating yourself to Googles latest and greatest follow .

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Oppo F5 Youth goes official with 16MP selfie camera

Oppo F5 Youth goes official with 16MP selfie camera

Oppo has launched a more affordable version of its F5 mid-ranger. Dubbed , it retains the 6 18:9 display with minimal bezels and FHD+ resolution (2160x1080 pixels), but comes with a downgraded camera setup. The Oppo F5 Youth is powered by the same MediaTek Helio P23 chipset as the regular F5, featuring an octa-core Cortex-A53 CPU and ARM Mali G71 MP2 GPU, but has its RAM reduced to 3GB. Storage is 32GB, but theres a microSD card slot for adding to it. The memory expansion slot comes in addition to the two nano-SIM slots, so you dont have to sacrifice the second line to get enough room for your files. The rear camera has a 13MP sensor and F/2.2 lens, while the front one has 16MP imager and faster F/2.0 aperture. Theres an LED flash on the back, while the selfie snapper offers screen flash feature, where the screen brightness is boosted so it can illuminate your face. Oppo F5 Youth boots Color OS 3.2, based on Android 7.1 and draws its power from a 3,200 mAh battery, matching the . It has a fingerprint sensor on the back, but also supports Face unlock. The Oppo F5 Youth is available immediately in the Philippines in Black and Gold color options for PHP13,990 ($275). |

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Sony Xperia XZ and XZs are now receiving Android 8.0 Oreo too

Sony Xperia XZ and XZs are now receiving Android 8.0 Oreo too

The has been since last month, and now two more Sony smartphones are finally ready to join in the fun. The Japanese company has started sending out the update to Android 8.0 to the and the . In both cases, the new software arrives with the build number 41.3.A.0.401. You're looking at a 1.2GB download necessary for the installation, so make sure you have enough mobile data if you grab it that way or just use Wi-Fi. The update bakes in the November security patches too. The same release should be headed to the in a short while, so it looks like Sony wants to end the year on a high note with regard to software updates. As you can see from the screenshots above, the company mentions it's included a Reminders feature that consists of useful prompts for unfinished tasks such as draft emails and messages, while Xperia Actions are intelligently suggested settings based on your usage, now gaining new gaming and commuting functionality.

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Oppo R11s Plus is now available

Oppo R11s Plus is now available

Oppo announced the R11s and R11s Plus in the beginning of the month with the small version going on sale two weeks ago. Now, the Plus variant joins it on the shelves as the company announced the starts of its availability in China. The shares plenty of hardware with the regular . The chipset is the same Snapdragon 660, as well as the 20 MP + 16 MP dual camera setup on the back. The Plus in the name indicates bigger 6.43 screen, more RAM and mightier power cell. The memory combo is 6 GB + 64 GB, while the battery capacity is 4,000 mAh. The price is also different Oppo R11s Plus costs CNY3,699 (around $560), and is offered in Black or Champagne Gold.

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Here are Sony's Black Friday deals

Here are Sony's Black Friday deals

Sony has started its Black Friday deals across its online stores and retail partners. You can save big on smartphones, headphones, smart bands and accessories. The flagship is 100/100 off in both the German store (where it's the only smartphone currently on offer) and the UK store. The UK Sony store has the biggest selection of smartphones on discount 549 (down 100) 149 (down 80) Xperia L1 99 (down 70). The PlayStation store has its own Black Friday deals you can go check them out too.

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Verizon is offering Asus Zenfone V for free

Verizon is offering Asus Zenfone V for free

was as a Verizon-exclusive in the US in September. The phone carried a launch price tag of $240, while the carrier has also been offering it on monthly plans for $10/month. Now, as a part of the carrier's Black Friday promotions the device is offered for free when purchased on a contract. You need to active a new line of service and shell out $240 initially. You'll however get promo credits worth that amount applied over the period of 24 months. It's a limited time deal that ends today. For more info, head to the link below.

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OnePlus 5T gets first update, KRACK fix and fingerprint/face unlock optimizations included

OnePlus 5T gets first update, KRACK fix and fingerprint/face unlock optimizations included

Just days after it , the has started receiving its first update. Weighing in at 107MB and arriving as Oxygen OS 4.7.2, the update brings along fix for the Wi-Fi WPA2 security issue (a.k.a the KRACK vulnerability). Multiple other changes are also included, like optimizations related to fingerprint and face unlock and improvements related to EIS during 4K recording as well as accuracy for screen off gestures. Of course, some usual stability and bug fixes are there as well.

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Deal: LG G6 for 363 on Amazon

Deal: LG G6 for 363 on Amazon

The V30 may be the hottest LG phone these adys, but the , introduced in February, is still a pretty solid device. And now you can own one for as low as 363.20 on Amazon. This is a 42% discount from the original asking price for a 32 GB unit in either Astro Black or Platinum Ice color. Sure, its the smaller memory option, but LG G6 has a microSD that can take up to 256 GB storage. With and one of the first 18:9 ratio screens, the LG G6 sure sounds like a steal if you can overlook the fact that it's rocking a Snapdragon 821 chipset, which was last year's top dog.

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Android Oreo Beta 3 for Samsung Galaxy S8 may arrive very soon

Android Oreo Beta 3 for Samsung Galaxy S8 may arrive very soon

Looks like / users who are part of the Oreo beta group may soon get to test the third beta build of the Android 8.0 firmware. The information comes courtesy of a Samsung representative who is part of the company's UK Beta Team. In the rep's own words, the update will be released very very soon. To quickly refresh, the Oreo beta program for the Galaxy S8/S8+ officially called Samsung Experience 9.0 Beta earlier this month. The second beta build just a week later, bringing some minor improvements as well as stability and bug fixes. The beta program is currently limited to the UK, US and South Korea. The second wave of countries that'll get access to it include Germany, Spain, France, Poland, India and China no info on exactly when will that happen though.

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Deals: Grab T-Mobile Moto Z2 Force for $375, Google Home for under $65

Deals: Grab T-Mobile Moto Z2 Force for $375, Google Home for under $65

If you are a Motorola fan in the US, and are planning to purchase a high-end smartphone, you'll be glad to know that T-Mobile is currently offering a solid discount on the Snapdragon 835-powered . The magenta carrier currently has the handset listed for $375, down from the usual $500 price tag the device usually carries there. It's worth mentioning that Motorola is officially selling the T-Mobile variant for $720, so purchasing directly from T-Mobile will currently save you around 50%. Moving on, if you are planning to purchase a voice controlled smart speaker instead, you might want to check the deal an eBay seller is offering on the Google Home. Specifically, is selling the device for $79. Given that officially, the device is still being sold for $129, that turns out to be a discount of $50. However, if you want, you can take that discount up to $65 by purchasing the speaker through eBay's Android app and applying the code PSHOPAPP during checkout. So that means you can currently get a Google Home unit for just $64. No information on when both these promos end (and the eBay listing says limited quantities are available), so those interested in availing any of the deals may have to act fast. |

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The iPhone SE sequel tipped to launch in Q1 next year

The iPhone SE sequel tipped to launch in Q1 next year

A portion of Apple fans still believe in the companys original stance a 4 screen is as big as youll ever need. They are still clinging to the but that will soon turn 2-years old right on time for ? Several reports say yes. The latest claims that the iPhone SE 2 will launch in the first three months of 2018, agreeing with the earlier rumors. The new phone is said to keep the 4 screen (or going up a tick to 4.2) and use an older chipset the A10 chipset of the iPhone 7 (still an improvement over the A9 in the original SE). Besides the size, people seek out the SE for its price its Apples cheapest phone. So older components are to be expected, the original SE itself was a mix of iPhone 6s and 5s components (e.g. 6s chipset, 5s TouchID). Dont hold your breath for a bezel-less design like the iPhone X. The new iPhone SE will reportedly be manufactured in India (which is one of its target markets), but will be sold worldwide. If this rumor pans out, it will mean Apples 2018 lineup will be its broadest yet with as many as devices and the new SE.

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The Honor V10 shows its bezel-free face in the wild

The Honor V10 shows its bezel-free face in the wild

The will be announced on but we are already seeing a lot of it in the rumor mill. The photo below allegedly shows the Honor V10 being handled in the wild. It doesn't look exactly like the images we've seen from the of the V10 but the Honor badge underneath the screen gives it some credibility. The Honor V10 will pack flagship-class specs when it arrives. On the front it will pack a 5.99-inch 18:9 display of 2160x1080px resolution. On the back it will have a 16MP+20MP camera combination. Inside there will be a Kirin 970 chipset with 6GB of RAM.

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Samsung may be working on a Star Wars-themed Galaxy Note8

Samsung may be working on a Star Wars-themed Galaxy Note8

Samsung has done superhero-themed phones but with the it may branch out into space opera. The BB-8 bot had a cameo in promo materials focused on upcoming upgrades to the Bixby AI assistant. Before you get too excited, the phone does not seem modified in any way. No , no . At best it looks like a theme. Last week we heard about Star Wars-themed phone a OnePlus 5T. Seems like a popular choice, though we suppose both of these will wait for the premiere of The Last Jedi (December 15), if these devices exist at all. Still, Samsung does make a vacuum bot with storm trooper and even Darth Vader skins, so why not a Galaxy Note8?

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Android Wear updated to version 2.6 with Recent App complication and more

Android Wear updated to version 2.6 with Recent App complication and more

Android Wear got bumped up to version 2.6 with several helpful improvements. The Recent App complication is handy for multitasking and Google improved touch algorithms to reduce the chances of accidental side-swipe and long-press gestures. Reading text on the tiny watch screens will be a bit easier now. The font size changes depending on message length, which should give you an extra line of text. You also get a better view of what the mobile connections are doing. Swipe down in Quick Settings to check Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cell connection status. Theres also a download progress indicator in the notifications.

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Xiaomi Mi 7 to feature 16MP dual camera, new report suggests

Xiaomi Mi 7 to feature 16MP dual camera, new report suggests

A new report out of China is suggesting that Xiaomi's Mi 7 flagship will feature a Samsung-manufactured 6.01-inch screen with 18:9 aspect ratio, and will be powered by Snapdragon 845 SoC. The report also says Xiaomi will eventually adopt the 3D face recognition technology, but the Mi 7 won't have it on board. The Chinese company reportedly feels the technology needs to be improved further before it's ready for use in its smartphones. Other specs revealed by the report include 16MP dual-rear camera setup, 6GB RAM, rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and fast charging. It also mentions a CNY 2,699 price tag, which currently translates to around $405. |

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Global stable MIUI 9 hits Xiaomi Mi Mix 2

Global stable MIUI 9 hits Xiaomi Mi Mix 2

Xiaomi continues with the MIUI 9 global rollout. All owners of the new should be getting the stable update of the platform with version V9.1.1.0.NDEMIEI. The package is 1.4 GB in size. MIUI 9 brings plenty of new features like Split screen, Search for apps in the Dual apps settings and plenty of design changes. The icons are new, animations for launching and exiting apps are also updated. Xiaomi also did a lot of performance optimizations. With the new MIUI 9, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 joins the company of , , and , all of them already having the latest version of MIUI.

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HTC U11+ UK pre-orders are now live

HTC U11+ UK pre-orders are now live

The is now available in the UK. Pre-orders for the device are now live on the company's official UK website. The phone costs 699, and it'll start shipping sometime in December. You can get a 10% discount on the purchase of the handset if you sign up to the HTC Club. So that'll bring the price down to 629.10. | |

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Android Oreo soak test for Moto Z and Z2 Force begins in Brazil

Android Oreo soak test for Moto Z and Z2 Force begins in Brazil

Some of the readers over at have been notified via email to participate in a survey to apply as candidates to test an early build of Android Oreo for the and . The readers that were notified were signed up for Motorolas testing program called the Motorola Feedback Network. Theres no word as to when the public release of Android Oreo will begin to hit Moto Zs and Moto Z2 Forces everywhere, as the selection process for testers is still underway. reports the possibility that the first beta build could come as early as within 48 hours. Speculation suggests that Motorola could launch the Android Oreo update from the third week of December onwards. The gist of the email: those invited were notified to take the survey on a computer, as some of the questions require entry of data from (presumably) various areas of the phones settings. ( )

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Deal: Moto $60 off the Moto X4 at Best Buy

Deal: Moto $60 off the Moto X4 at Best Buy

Even though we havent quite gotten to Thanksgiving yet (which is when a lot of the Black Friday Sales begin), Best Buy is holding a discount on the this week. You can grab either a Super Black or Sterling Blue Moto X4 for $340, thats $60 off the regular price. This is for the unlocked variant of the phone, which works on T-Mobile, AT, Sprint, Verizon, and all other prepaid networks in the US. The Moto X4 features a 5.2 inch IPS LCD display with 1080p resolution. Behind the phone are dual-12MP cameras combined with a front-facing 16MP camera. Theres a 3,000 mAh battery powering everything, and a Snapdragon 630 ensures the phone will run smoothly and efficiently. Source:

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Android devices collect location data for Google despite privacy settings

Android devices collect location data for Google despite privacy settings

Location sharing is one of these services that some users keep turned off for one of two reasons either battery saving or privacy protection. But according to a research by Quartz, Android devices have been collecting and sending data even when the option was off. Since the beginning of 2017, the data was gathered by cell towers and was used for managing push notifications or alerts. According to Google, Cell ID codes help the cell tower to improve speed and performance of message delivery on Android phones. Quartz estimates that the location of basically all modern Android devices was collected, even phones coming off factory reset and ones without SIM card. Once there was a cellular or Wi-Fi connection, a package of data from the cell tower was sent to Google. Google spokesman assured the company never incorporated Cell ID into the network sync system and data was immediately discarded, and Google updated it to no longer request Cell ID. The company also said that the cell tower data is generally encrypted. Still collecting data when the user has explicitly toggled it off is not a nice move by Google.

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Black Friday: Xiaomi Spain gives away 10 Mi 6 units for 1

Black Friday: Xiaomi Spain gives away 10 Mi 6 units for 1

Xiaomi had a on November 11 and is now preparing for the Black Friday weekend this week. The Spanish division of the manufacturer is launching a raffle throughout the whole weekend and will give away 50 phones for 1 each and over 10,000 in vouchers for Xiaomi phones. On November 24 10 people will get the chance to buy the for 1. The next day 20 units will go for the same price, while on November 26 20 phones will follow. In order to compete for the raffle, you have to play a simple game with a hammer and smashing bricks where sharing increases the chance of winning. Throughout the weekend Xiaomi will also give away plenty of vouchers, with one of them being for a free Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 and another one equalling the price of Xiaomi Mi A1 229.

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Amazon releases Product Red version of Amazon Echo

Amazon releases Product Red version of Amazon Echo

Amazon has launched a new variant of the Echo in collaboration with Red. This Product Red version dons the familiar bright red shell to differentiate itself from the other colors in the range. For every purchase of this Product Red version, Amazon will donate $10 to support Red's fight against AIDS. Apart from the color, this version of the Echo is identical to others. Product Red is an initiative by Red to collaborate with brands to help support the fight against AIDS and bring it to more people's attention. Over the years, Red has worked with many brands, one of the most notable example being Apple that partnership going for eleven years now.

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Global Xiaomi Redmi 4 receives stable MIUI 9

Global Xiaomi Redmi 4 receives stable MIUI 9

The continues. Today is getting the MIUI stable update. The firmware version is V9.1.1.0.NAMMIEI and it brings Android 7.1 Nougat, Xiaomi's Smart app launcher, image search, split screen multitasking and much more. MIUI 9 already hit a number of devices the , and among them, and is rolling out to its second wave of devices, which includes the Redmi 4 and the original .

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Misfit Command is a smarter hybrid watch

Misfit Command is a smarter hybrid watch

So-called hybrid watches are often just glorified fitness trackers. The Misfit Command may be the first to combine the classic looks of an analog watch with some more advanced functionality than buzzing when your phone is ringing. The command can vibrate on call, of course, but the sub-dial at 6 oclock offers more info. The hand will point at an appropriate icon when an event occurs a call, text, notification and so on (its customizable). When theres nothing of note, the hand indicates your progress for the day. The watch can track steps taken, distance traveled and calories burned. Its also waterproof up to 50m (it tracks swim distance and counts laps) and can monitor the duration and quality of your sleep. With the Smart button, you can trigger simple actions on your phone control the music player, snap a selfie and so on. It can also switch to a second time zone. The Misfit app will making sure the watch is set to the correct time. All this and you get a full year of battery life (thanks, Bluetooth LE). Its a standard CR2430 coin cell. Anyway, the Misfit Command itself has a 44mm case made out of stainless steel (its 15mm thick). The watch uses standard 20mm straps, so you can swap them out whenever you like. It comes in Black, Silver and Gold. The Silver version is available with a metal bracelet, the others come with a sport strap. You can pre-order the Command now, it will ship in a week (November 28). It costs $112 / 150 with a sport strap. The metal bracelet brings the price up to $128 / 170 -it seems like theres a promo in the US.

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Cheaper version of Xiaomi Mi Note 3 now available

Cheaper version of Xiaomi Mi Note 3 now available

Xiaomi the a few months ago in September with two memory configurations: 6GB/64GB and 6GB/128GB. The 64GB model runs CNY 2,299 ($346) while the one with double the storage capacity goes for CNY 2,699 ($406). These numbers reflect prices after Xiaomi discounted them shortly after launch. The new variant brings the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 to a lower price point to attract more customers. The new tier features 4GB of RAM instead of 6GB. Storage capacity remains the same at 64GB for the entry-level model and it will run CNY 1,999 ($301). This new model will only be available in the pretty, blue option starting on November 23. Other than the RAM reduction, theres nothing else different about the cheaper Mi Note 3 tier. It has the same Snadragon 660 CPU, 5.5-inch 1080p LCD display, and dual-12MP cameras.

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Deal: Save $350 on Samsung Galaxy Note8, S8/S8+

Deal: Save $350 on Samsung Galaxy Note8, S8/S8+

Purchasing any of Samsung's latest high end phones , , or can now be $350 cheaper. Best Buy is offering the deal on Sprint and Verizon variants if you opt for monthly payment plans. For Verizon S8, S8+, and Note8, you'll have to pay $15.41/mo, $19.41/mo, and $24.41/mo, respectively. For the Sprint models, you'll have to shell out $16.66/mo, $20.83/mo, and $25.41/mo, respectively. There's a deal on AT models as well, allowing you to net a free Galaxy S8 on purchase of an S8, S8+, or Note8. There's, however, a catch: one of the units should be on a new line. For more details, head to the link below.

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OnePlus 5 confirmed to be discontinued once stock runs out

OnePlus 5 confirmed to be discontinued once stock runs out

In an interview with , the General Manager of OnePlus India Vikas Aggarwal offers insight on what will happen to the and why the company released the so soon. Aggarwal says the changes on the OnePlus 5T are not significant enough to classify as a whole new product. Instead, the OnePlus 5T is a variant that offers a better display for improving the overall experience. He also notes that the premium segment is difficult to compete in since there are so many other phones that compete for the top spot. On top of that, he also confirms the OnePlus 5s to be the same as the s: discontinuation. OnePlus appears to have a very interesting strategy, one that weve already seen happen in two consecutive years: The new-generation flagship model is released: (OnePlus 3/5). Then, about halfway into the product cycle, the phone maker launches a new model with a minor update over the initial launch in both cases, a T is added to the end of the name: OnePlus 3T/5T. This is a strategy that other phone makers already use. Samsung and LG have two phone releases that stagger the other. Samsung released its Galaxy S in the spring and then its Galaxy Note in the fall. LG releases the G flagship in the spring and then the V flagship in the fall. The strategy of staggering the releases is one that keeps the company's smartphones relevant in an industry where things get forgotten after a few months. Check out the full interview, where Aggarwal discusses OnePlus ongoing presence in India, as well as the companys future in the mid-range segment We are not looking to launch a mid-range device just to expand the market share, but concentrating on the premium end market.

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