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Monday, December 18, 2017

Sony Xperia XZ2 alleged render shows the bezel-less design

Sony Xperia XZ2 alleged render shows the bezel-less design


Specs of a Sony flagship, codenamed H8216, . Now we have the first alleged render of the phone that might arrive as the Xperia XZ2 or the Xperia XZ1 Premium. The image suggests the device will have no bezels on three sides of its screen akin to the . The phone appears to have the power button on the side, most likely with the fingerprint scanner embedded. There is also a volume rocker and dedicated camera button on the right side. The tall screen spans all the way to the bottom, leaving a small bezel on top for the speaker, proximity sensor, and earpiece. We already know to expect the first bezel-less Xperia phones in 2018, but at this point it isn't clear if the image is legit or not. So until we get an official announcement, or at least more solid evidence, don't take anything for granted.


Kirin 960-powered Huawei MediaPad M5 leaks

Kirin 960-powered Huawei MediaPad M5 leaks


A new Huawei tablet has been spotted in Bluetooth certification documents. The device carries the 'MediaPad M5' moniker, with documents revealing SHT-W09 and SHT-AL09 model numbers. The previous MediaPad M series tablet Huawei launched was the , so it's likely the company will stick to Chinese practices and skip number 45. Some of the key specs for the slate were also confirmed, including Kirin 960 SoC with octa-core CPU, 8.4-inch 2560 x 1600 pixel display, Bluetooth 4.2, and Android 8.0 Oreo. No information on the tablet's pricing and availability was provided, though. |


LG V30+ goes on sale in India

LG V30+ goes on sale in India


As , the has been launched in India. It is now available to purchase exclusively from Amazon, which has the device listed for INR 44,900 ($700). Color options include silver and black. Specs-wise, the V30+ differs from the standard V30 in terms of storage it comes with 128GB storage, compared to the vanilla model. The variant was first made official in August, and released the next month.


LG Pay to debut on company's mid-range phones with K10 (2018)

LG Pay to debut on company's mid-range phones with K10 (2018)


It was back in July this year when LG that it will allow its mobile payment system LG Pay to work with the company's mid-range devices. Now, a recent report from South Korea has confirmed that the LG K10 (2018) will be the first mid-range device to feature LG Pay. The mobile payments service was in June this year, with in Korea being the first one to get it. LG Pay is based on Wireless Magnetic Communication tech, compared to Samsung Pay which uses the Magnetic Secure Transmission technology. The LG K10 (2018) is at CES next month.


Sunday, December 17, 2017

Hey Google wakeup command for phones seeing more widespread roll out now

Hey Google wakeup command for phones seeing more widespread roll out now


It was a couple of months ago, when Google the ability to activate Search or Assistant on phones by saying Hey, Google. It was a limited roll out initially, but the command is seeing a more widespread roll out now. You'll need to re-setup the voice model for this new setting to work a notification asking the same should appear on your Android phone (if haven't already). Manually, you can do this by heading to Settings -> Google -> Voice. Once done, you can use both Okay, Google and Hey, Google to perform Google searches or bring up the Assistant.


Nokia 2 in for review

Nokia 2 in for review


The is here and enters the line for review. It packs modest specs in a modest package 5-inch LCD, 1GB of RAM, a Snapdragon 212 chipset but comes at an attractive price 99/$99. So who is it for? And what does it offer in exchange for that attractive price? The Nokia 2 is for the buyer that needs the cheapest smartphone, but also wants good battery life. Traditionally, low-end phones had pretty poor endurance, but HMD aims to change that. Our review will include a detailed battery test of the Nokia 2 but the specs sheet is promising. Couple a 4,100 with a low-res 5-inch screen and a low-power Snapdragon 212 and you have a good recipe for long-lasting battery. HMD promises you'll get 2 days of use, which sounds quite impressive for this price range. When you get your hands on the Nokia 2 you're immediately surprised by its build quality. It feels solid and well made. The entry-level price means there are no luxuries like a fingerprint scanner or stereo speakers, but there is a metal frame and a grippy plastic back. The retail box has the necessities covered a charger and cable it's microUSB as the Nokia 2 didn't make the switch to USB-C. The display is surprisingly good too. It's resolution is only 720p but at 5-inches wide you won't see any pixelation. The panel is contrasty and gets decently bright too. The Nokia 2 comes with Android 7.1.1 that's almost purely stock. Sadly that isn't enough to make the Nokia 2 a snappy device. Even UI animations stutter a bit on the Nokia 2 while running intensive apps like YouTube causes noticeable lag. We guess a bit of lag is par for course in this price range but it may put some buyers off. Of course the performance issues can turn out to be an issue fixable through software we'll check it out in detail in our full review. Expect a complete rundown of software, performance, camera, battery life and more, coming soon.


Saturday, December 16, 2017

Weekly poll results: the 3.5mm headphone jack is the eternal fan favorite

Weekly poll results: the 3.5mm headphone jack is the eternal fan favorite


Users never asked for phones without a microSD slot is a disappointing realization. Will manufacturers listen to consumers who feel strongly about the 3.5mm headphone jack? Several makers have already bailed but the result of show that their products will not be terribly popular. Of course, Apple seems exempt from this it locks down its devices tighter than any other maker, but its trendy (and admittedly high-quality) ecosystem of accessories keeps users happy. Can Google and HTC say the same? Actually, it was exactly HTC that sold Beats to Apple so the days of the bundled Beats headphones are gone. To its credit, the HTC U11+ comes with an excellent pair of in-ear USonic plugs, complete with noise canceling. But if you want over-ear, youll have to reach for the USB-C to 3.5mm adapter. Or buy a Bluetooth pair... but then you have to remember to keep them charged. Most Bluetooth headsets can just work with a cable when their battery dies. So its really about having options you may be fine with Bluetooth/USB-C headphones most of the time, but phones have had a 3.5mm jack for over a decade, why stop now?