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Happy New Year 2017!

Another year passed and it was a good one for the mobile world. Time truly flies when you are doing the things you love and with another year behind us, we can't help but feel happy about what we achieved. Thank you for being with us and we hope to remain your preferred tech website for 2017 as well. Our YouTube channel now has over 180K subscribers. We'll be looking to expand our video presence further still in 2017 so if that's your thing you have a lot to look forward to. Our Facebook page has also grown and now has over 860K likes and so has out Twitter account, with over...

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OnePlus Bullets V2 review

The market for affordable earphones is unfortunately littered with the same sort of options; cheaply made in-ear designs with bass-heavy sound that has forever tainted the perception of the masses for what good sound is. Even when the big brands enter this space, they don't try too hard to make something good because they are afraid they will jeopardize their more expensive products. But like with other product categories, some of the Chinese companies are now trying to revolutionize this segment as well, offering competitively priced products with performance that you'd expect...

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New OnePlus 2 update fixes network drop issue

Last week, the OnePlus 2 received an update in the form of OxygenOS 3.5.5. Shortly after the update started hitting units, users started complaining about their phone dropping network signal frequently. This lead to the company pulling that update. OnePlus 2 The good news is that the Chinese company has fixed the issue and has also started pushing out the fix in the form of OxygenOS 3.5.6. As is usually the case, the roll out is incremental, so be patient if you haven't received the update already. Source

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Asus X00GD with 4,850mAh battery and Android 7.0 clears TENAA

A new Asus smartphone has been certified by the Chinese telecommunication authority TENAA. Listed as X00GD, the device is powered by an SoC with octa-core 1.5GHz processor, and sports a 5.2-inch HD display. RAM options include 2/3/4GB, while storage options include 16/32/64GB. In terms of camera, the phone features a 13MP rear unit and an 8MP front shooter. Measuring 149.5 × 73.7 × 8.85mm and weighing in at 169.5g, the X00GD runs Android 7.0 Nougat, and packs in a large 4,850mAh battery. A home button-embedded fingerprint sensor is there as well. Color options for the phone include...

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December security update starts hitting Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)

Samsung has started pushing out a new security update to its Galaxy A5 (2016) smartphone. Weighing in at under 11MB and arriving as firmware version XXS3BPLA, the update brings along Android security patches for the month of December. The update is currently hitting units in Europe, although other regions should get it soon as well. If you are a Galaxy A5 (2016) user in Europe, and haven't received the update yet, be patient, as OTA toll outs are usually staged. Alternatively, you can also check for the update by heading to your handset's Settings menu. Via

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Samsung Gear VR (2016) currently going for $60 in US

The Samsung Gear VR (2016), which was unveiled alongside the ill-fated Galaxy Note7, has received a price cut in the US. Specifically, Amazon US has the headset listed on its website for just under $60, or $59.99 to be precise. A quick look at the South Korean company's US website reveals that the VR headset is being officially sold for $99.99, so you get to save to save around $40 (or at-least around $35 if you include shipping charges). No word on when the deal ends. The headset, in case you aren't aware, is compatible with the Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy Note5, Galaxy S6,...

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Microsoft Surface Pro 5 to arrive before the end of March with 4K screen

Back in June a rumor told us that Microsoft was only aiming to launch the Surface Pro 5 2-in-1 device in spring of 2017. This apparently has to do with the company waiting for Intel's Kaby Lake processors to become available, since they will draw less power hence aiding battery life. Months have passed and today we get a new rumor on the matter, which goes into a little bit more detail. The Surface Pro 5 is now said to be launching in the first quarter of next year, so before the end of March. Additionally, the device will reportedly have a 4K UHD touchscreen and magnetic charging...

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Moto X (2017) or Moto C gets pictured in leaked renders and video

For a long time now Motorola has been rumored to be reviving the Moto X line. Once these were its flagship smartphones, but now that job is reserved for the Moto Z. So the next Moto X, if there will ever be one, will sit in the company's portfolio right below the Z. That means the new X should have upper-midrange specs. At the beginning of this month we brought you a couple of purported leaked hands-on images of the Moto X (2017), and now it's time for a bunch of renders of it that were created based on factory CAD schematics. Moto X (2017) or Moto C renders As you can see,...

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IP68-certification confirmed for Galaxy A (2017) series, A3 and A5 appear online

The new Galaxy A (2017) lineup is going to be announced on January 5. The date has been confirmed officially by Samsung via press invites and social media posts. And while we saw the Galaxy A5 (2017) and A7 (2017) make appearances on a pre-order poster, we still know nothing about those. It turns out Samsung has uploaded support pages on its official Dutch website for the Galaxy A3 (2017) and the Galaxy A5 (2017), so we now know for sure those two will be definitely present at the announcement. And thanks to the leaked Chinese poster we can also add the Galaxy A7 (2017) to the certain...

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Official Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge Nougat manuals are now available

Earlier today, we learned that the beta program for Nougat on Samsung's latest flagship pair is officially over. This was shared along with a suggested release time frame of January 2017 for the consumer version. But, if that wasn't enough to prove Samsung is really working hard on the OTA, it appears the support documentation for both models has now been updated to reflect the OS change and is already spreading across Samsung regional servers and websites. The originals in English can be found at the source links, if you want to dig through them, but from what we managed to gather,...

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7 reasons I prefer the Galaxy S7 edge over the Google Pixel XL

The Galaxy S7 edge has been on the market for 9 months now (it was released in stores on March 11th), but it has become the standard with which all other so-called high-end Android flagships must compete. So, it’s natural that some Galaxy Note 7 users in particular are having to decide between the Galaxy S7 edge and the Google Pixel/Pixel XL. I own both the S7 edge and the Pixel XL and have had a good two months with the Pixel XL. At this point, though my time with the S7 edge has been 4 times as long, I’m ready to provide some answers for former Galaxy Note 7 customers wondering whether or not they should stick with Samsung or jump ship for Google.

I think that, in the absence of the Galaxy Note 7, the Galaxy S7 edge from Samsung is the next best thing, but the following seven reasons will include information I’ve gleaned from the Pixel XL.

Without further ado, here are seven reasons why I prefer the Galaxy S7 edge over the Google Pixel XL.

Design 

The design is the first noticeable feature of these two handsets, but I find the Galaxy S7 edge design to be better than that of the Google Pixel XL. Google’s design makes sense, seeing that the search engine giant wanted to use glass for the back-mounted fingerprint sensor and metal for the bottom two-thirds of the back cover. And yet, Google could’ve solved the design problem by placing the fingerprint sensor at the bottom bezel portion of the display on the front of the phone. This way, the bezel would’ve served a purpose other than sitting there, and the back cover design wouldn’t appear conflicted.

In contrast, the Galaxy S7 edge just has a design where everything seems in place. The dual-edge display has been a change from the single-edge display design of the Galaxy Note Edge that now looks complete, unified, whole. Again, I understand why Google designed the back cover with one-third glass and two-thirds metal, but it still appears haphazard and whimsical with an absence of design focus.

Water resistance vs. Splash resistance 

The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge feature IP68 water and dust resistance, while the Pixel and Pixel XL feature only IP53 splash resistance (and some dust resistance, though not nearly enough). Google says it ran out of time to add full-blown IP68 water and dust resistance to the Pixels, and this, in addition to the glass-and-metal design of the back cover, indicates that the final product was rushed to market.

I shouldn’t have to question whether or not my smartphone can survive the elements, and, for 99% of the water situations I’ll encounter, the Galaxy S7 edge can more than hold its own. Splash resistance is more hypothetical than real when it comes to water amounts (what constitutes a splash or a jet stream of water, exactly?).

The S7 edge charges faster than the Pixel XL

The Galaxy S7 edge has a 3,600mAh battery, and the Pixel XL has a 3,450mAh battery, so you’d assume the Pixel XL would charge faster. Unfortunately, you’d be wrong to assume so.

In my own tests with wire charging for both phones (the Pixel XL utilizes USB Type-C charging while the S7 edge still holds on to micro-USB charging), the Pixel XL takes 128 minutes (2 hours, 8 minutes) to charge. The Galaxy S7 edge, in contrast, takes 100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes) to charge. The S7 edge, mind you, has 150mAh more battery but charges nearly 30 minutes faster, not a good sign for USB Type-C charging. Even the now-deceased Galaxy Note 7 took only 92 minutes (1 hour, 32 minutes) to charge with its 3,500mAh battery.

I expected the Pixel XL to charge faster than the Galaxy S7 edge, but I was surprised. And you will be too, should you purchase the Pixel XL. In charging, though, the numbers matter, and I’m giving the nod to the S7 edge.

Samsung pushes forward with wireless charging, Google retreats

The Galaxy S7 edge, as was the case with the Galaxy Note 5, has not only wireless charging but fast wireless charging that helps your device charge even faster when on the charging pad. Google once implemented wireless charging into its Nexus 5 and Nexus 6, for example, but decided against it for the LG Nexus 5X and Huawei Nexus 6P. This year’s Pixels lack wireless charging as well, a sign that Google seems more content with abandoning wireless charging than returning it to its smartphone lineup.

I understand that for many, USB Type-C charging is the trend of wire charging, but it’s possible to keep USB Type-C charging and implement wireless charging. One need not be compromised for the other, so Google’s resistance to wireless charging in its last few smartphones seems out of place. I want charging options for my daily driver, so I’m going with Samsung’s Galaxy S7 edge here. Oh, and, yeah, I’ll be sure to throw my old Nexus 5 on my Samsung wireless charging pad to charge it up from time to time.

Samsung’s design brings added functionality you won’t find elsewhere

Google’s glass-and-metal design has been done, according to Google, to add an excellent back-mounted fingerprint sensor. Samsung placed a home button on the Galaxy S7 edge that didn’t encounter that problem, but Samsung has also incorporated a dual-edge display for more than just design – but to bring new edge functions that didn’t exist on flat-paneled smartphones.

These edge panels and functions don’t merely imitate the features and functionality of other smartphones but bring a new dimension to a new design. The Netflix edge panel (called Edge Flix) puts you one tap away from your favorite movies and TV shows, no matter what you’re doing on your smartphone, and the tasks edge lets you send an email or record a voice memo. The SoftKey Edge brings the one-stop-button-shop Assistant Menu to the edge panel lineup.

This isn’t to say that the Pixel XL doesn’t bring some functionality of its own that has been rare on many high-end Android smartphones. The nice gestures with the fingerprint sensor utilize the sensor for more than just the smartphone unlock, but the “app shortcuts” feature is Google’s take on Apple’s 3D Touch – and the landscape desktop mode draws heavy inspiration from the feature Apple brought to its iPhone 6 Plus two years ago.

The win in functionality goes to the Galaxy S7 edge, since its edge panels and tasks aren’t heavily derived from the work of others. You won’t hear buyers of other OEMs say “I have the same on my phone” when you buy the S7 edge.

Battle of the cameras

As always, great smartphones have great cameras, and that holds true with both the Galaxy S7 edge and the Pixel XL. I’m aware that mobile photography expert DxOMark has given the edge to the Pixel XL between these two 12MP rear cameras, but the close race between them and the one-point win for the Pixels show that these smartphones provide the best cameras you’ll get in 2016.

With that said, though, in my in-depth testing and comparisons between both phones, I’ve found that the Pixel XL  doesn’t have the yellow “tungsten” look of Samsung photos indoors, and the warm color tones they provide for human skin are commendable. The Pixel XL also has some really great camera performance outdoors and can capture scenes well at times.

And yet, the Pixel XL doesn’t have the consistent true-to-life colors of the Galaxy S7 edge. The Pixel XL takes great photos when it does, but it tends to wash out photos when it doesn’t. In contrast, Samsung’s cameras can be colder than the actual image or scene at times, but Samsung’s photos can never be said to “wash out” anything. I prefer that photos oversaturate at times than undersaturate, but I’m also opposed to warm tones in a scene that doesn’t support them.

The Pixels provide warmer tones than Samsung’s Galaxy S7 edge does at times, but the issue with the Pixels’ warmer tones is that they don’t match real life. The Galaxy S7 edge didn’t struggle with hot pinks, for instance, but the Pixel XL turned them to a “neon orange” color.

Greens on the S7 edge that look vibrant turn bluish with the Pixel XL at times, and even photos of reddish/pink roses turn into a light pink color on the Pixel XL. Gray gravel transforms into a “sunbaked brown” when taken with the sun in the background. Yellow dandelions look sunbaked as well, a sign that the Pixel XL “photoshops” and smooths over photos instead of trying to render an accurate assessment of the scene and/or object.

Samsung’s Galaxy S7 edge still holds its own well, despite the Pixel XL’s strength in indoor lighting at times and its photoshopping abilities. In the end, though, real life is appealing in its own way and, while having some photography touch-ups, doesn’t need the ultra-warm tones of the Pixel XL. The camera battle here goes to the S7 edge.

Samsung Pay vs. Android Pay

You knew it was coming. You can’t talk about Samsung’s and Google’s latest without talking about their mobile payment systems. Android Pay runs on NFC or Near Field Communication, mandating that stores have updated NFC terminals to operate.

Samsung Pay, in contrast, works whether or not your favorite local store can afford to upgrade and get NFC terminals or not. Samsung Pay runs on MST (magnetic secure transmission) and allows you to make mobile payments at traditional card readers. As you’ve likely heard it said, Samsung Pay works at about 90% of all stores. And, in my experience, that’s held true to this day.

Samsung has the winner with MST and Samsung Pay; after all, I shouldn’t be prevented from using state-of-the-art technology because the store I frequent isn’t as up-to-date. Samsung removes that barrier, which makes using the Galaxy S7 edge far more appealing. And yes, while I can still use the Gear S3 Frontier and my Pixel XL for Samsung Pay, Samsung Pay is one aspect of a great smartphone. I don’t want part of the Samsung experience but all of it, though your view on this may differ.

Conclusion 

The Galaxy S7 edge and the Pixel XL are both excellent smartphones, and I deem the Pixels the best of the pack behind the Galaxy S7, S7 edge, and S7 Active because of their fast updates, Daydream VR platform, and their more-than-competent 12MP cameras.

At the same time, however, the security patches have proven problematic for me because, when the Pixel XL battery died on a few occasions, the November 5th security patch reverted back to the October security patch (which doesn’t bode well for the fast updates bragging right). Daydream VR and the Daydream View headset are a nice peak into virtual reality, but the Daydream View headset isn’t as user-friendly as Samsung’s Gear VR. Last but not least, Samsung provides battery modes, TouchWiz, faster wire charging than the Pixel XL, as well as a compelling design and unique functionality.

If I could choose one phone and leave the other at the store, I’d choose the Galaxy S7 edge.

What do you think? Do you own both, or one? If only one, which one? What made you pick that over the other?

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Huawei forecasts slower revenue growth this year, greater uncertainties for 2017

For 2015, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei had reported a revenue growth of 35%. However, for the ongoing year, the company expects the rate to be somewhere around 32%. This was revealed by Eric Xu, Huawei's chief executive, in a New Year's message to company employees. "The year 2016 has seen a flock of black swans - both political and economic - sweep across the globe," the CEO said. "Nevertheless, we have remained focused on our strategy and have patiently applied ourselves to making breakthroughs and creating real value for our customers." The company doesn't seem too...

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Flyme 6 comes tomorrow with "Time Machine" feature

Meizu's OS Flyme is known as simple and easy to work with. In order to keep being relevant and useful to everyone, the newest Flyme 6 will come out tomorrow with a big update. Meizu already revealed the system update a month ago along with a list of devices that will get it. The most interesting feature is called "Time Machine" and will feature backup for contacts details you deleted two years ago. It looks a lot like Apple's feature that has the same name and functions on OSX. The Chinese company reveals that "Time Machine" will work and record current actions only if you turn it...

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HTC Ocean Note is getting rid of the headphone jack

We told you about a leaked HTC device named Ocean several weeks ago and now thanks to a Taiwanese source we have more info about it. Being named HTC Ocean Note, the device will have between 5.5 and 5.7-inch display and as far as we see in the renders, there is no physical keys on the front. But something else is also missing and this is big - the 3.5 mm audio jack is gone. This will be the second device for HTC without the feature after they ditched the headphone jack in the HTC 10 evo or as Sprint customers know it HTC Bolt. But the leaks tell us even more - HTC Ocean Note will...

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Mysterious Meizu press renders surface online

As per a few recent and rather interesting leaks, Meizu has a few intriguing devices already in the works and a slew of announcements allegedly planned for 2017. Considering all this, it is hardly surprising that a new and mysterious device has now been brought to our attention with a pair of official-looking renders. Sadly, the source shares little about the actual model, and its hardware and is a bit less reputable than we would have liked, but we will give it the benefit of the doubt. What we do know is that the alleged device should come out next year, withing the budget Blue...

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Daily Deal: Buy a new Gear VR for the New Year in just $60

Throughout the entire year we’ve brought you some fantastic deals on Samsung products as part of our Daily Deal program. This is going to be our last deal for 2016 and it’s a good one, particularly if you’ve been meaning to try out Samsung’s virtual reality headset. If you have been on the fence about picking one up, head over to Amazon right now and buy a new Gear VR for the New Year in just $60.

The Gear VR 2016 (SM-R323) is compatible with the Galaxy S6 series, the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge as well as the Galaxy Note 5. It’s marginally better than its predecessor and is also a bit more comfortable to wear. You obviously need one of the handsets mentioned above if you want to experience VR with this headset. The Gear VR 2016 normally retails for $99.99 but it’s available for a limited time only for $60. Go on, buy yourself a New Years present.

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Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge user manuals revised with Android Nougat changes

Samsung has confirmed that the Nougat beta program for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge is at an end, and the company has said that it will do its best to release the final update by the end of January. Samsung isn’t promising anything, but it certainly seems confident of meeting the provided time frame, as revised user manuals based on Android 7.0 are now available online for both devices.

The revised Galaxy S7 edge manual is available in English, Dutch, and German, while the S7 manual seems to have been updated only in English for the time being. The manual gives us a good look at the new user interface that will grace the two devices with the Nougat update, and our What’s New With Nougat series is what you should be reading to see the major changes that it brings to the S7 and S7 edge.

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YI to showcase new action camera and drone at CES 2017

Xiaomi's YI division is set to showcase two new products at CES 2017, the YI 4K+ action camera and the YI Erida drone. The YI 4K+ is the third action camera from the company and will be the first in the world to have 4K recording at 60fps. Meanwhile, the YI Erida drone is the world's first to have a full carbon fiber body. The drone is capable of reaching 120 km/h speeds and 40 minutes of flight time. It includes the YI 4K action camera that can record for 120 minutes. The drone is controlled using YI Erida mobile app and you can manually control the shutter speed,...

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KitKat-powered ZTE ZMAX on T-Mobile gets November security update

The ZTE ZMAX was made official for T-Mobile way back in 2014. The phone launched with Android KitKat and never got updated to even Lollipop - yes, it still runs KitKat. However, that hasn't stopped ZTE and T-Mobile from pushing out security updates to the device. After receiving an Android security update in May, the ZMAX has now started getting November's security patch. Weighing in at over 17MB, the update arrives as software version Z970V1.0.0B35. Going by the size of the update as well as the description on T-Mobile's website, it's safe to assume that nothing else is included in...

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Samsung confirms Galaxy S7/S7 edge Nougat beta ends today, final rollout likely in January

While we already knew it's happening soon, Samsung has now confirmed that the Galaxy S7/S7 edge Nougat beta program is ending today. The confirmation came in the form of a notice issued to those who are part of the program. The Galaxy Beta Program was launched by the South Korean company in the second week of November, and the firm released five updates as part of the program, with the latest one coming just a couple of days ago. With the beta program ending today, it'd now be reasonable to assume that the final roll out will begin sometime early January - the beta notice does say...

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Two Windows 10-powered Samsung tablets rumored for CES 2017

According to a new rumor, Samsung will launch a couple of Windows 10-powered tablets at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017. One of the tablet will carry the model number SM-W720, the other will be SM-W620. Galaxy TabPro S Gold Edition Nothing else is known about the tablets at the moment, but going by their model numbers, the SM-W720 seems to be the successor to the existing Galaxy TabPro S (SM-W700), while the SM-W620 is said to be a smaller, low-end variant of the SM-W720. Via

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Deal: Buy LG V20 (unlocked) and get 200 GB memory card for free

If you are in the US and are planning to purchase an unlocked LG V20 smartphone, here's a deal for you: LG is currently running a promo where-in it's offering a 200GB memory card (worth $249) for free with each purchase of the smartphone. A quick look at the South Korean company's official US website reveals that while both silver and titan color variants are available for purchase, the deal is only available on the latter. There is currently no information on when the promo ends - LG just says it's a limited time deal that's available until supplies last. So those interested in...

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Galaxy S7 Nougat beta program ends today, official release in January

We picked up a post on Weibo yesterday which suggested that Samsung might be ending the Galaxy S7 Nougat beta program soon. The company has released five versions of the Android 7.0 beta firmware for the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge so far and it has now confirmed that the Galaxy S7 Nougat beta program will indeed be ending today.

Samsung has posted a beta notice for members of the program in the Galaxy Members app confirming that the program is going to end on December 30 at 24:00. The company thanks all of the members who showed interested in this exercise and promises to apply most of the opinions that it received during the course of this program in the official Nougat release.

After today, the company will not release a new beta version and will not provide any individual feedback related to “Error report” and “Suggestion” in the app. Feedback will only be managed via “community” from now on.

Samsung previously confirmed that the official release of Nougat will start from Android 7.1.1. The company promises to do its best to release the official version of Android 7.1.1 for the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge in January.

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Screenshot of Nougat-powered BlackBerry Mercury leaks

The BlackBerry Mercury smartphone has leaked again. Specifically, a screenshot of Android 7.0 on the device has been leaked, allegedly confirming a display of 1620x1080 pixel resolution (420 ppi density). The leak came in the form of a tweet from popular tipster Roland Quandt. Here's a screenshot of Android 7.0 on the BlackBerry "Mercury" BBB100-x. 1620x1080 resolution 420dpi. http://pic.twitter.com/yoevL8IHc4— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) December 29, 2016 A quick look at the comment section of the aforementioned tweet reveals Quandt as saying that the handset is "highly likely" coming to...

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Blu Vivo XL2 revealed by FCC

Looks like a successor to the BLU Vivo XL will be outed soon. Dubbed Vivo XL2, the yet-to-be-announced device has been spotted on the website of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The image of the phone shows the white colored variant, clearly revealing the placement of camera sensors and flash. The FCC documents also reveal that the handset will offer expandable memory support and run Android OS, although specific details weren't outed. The Vivo XL, for those who aren't aware, is powered by a MediaTek chipset, sports a 5.5-inch screen, and packs in a 3,150mAh...

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Just in: Meizu Pro 6 Plus hands-on

The Meizu Pro 6 was less from the flagship phone I expected. It was an ill-focused combination of high-end features with second-rate hardware, and despite the force touch gimmickry, the Pro 6 couldn't achieve its Pro 5 predecessor coolness. Eventually, Meizu understood it made some bad decisions down the road and tried to make up for those with the Pro 6s and Pro 6 Plus. Although the Pro 6s shrank the size, and returned to the Super AMOLED screen, it continued to stick to the controversial MediaTek chipset. The Meizu Pro 6 Plus on the other hand got everything right - there is a big...

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Sprint's LG V20 is 50% off until the end of the year

If you're interested in the LG V20 but so far haven't bought one because of how expensive it normally is, here's something for you. A word of caution, though - you need to be OK with having Sprint as your carrier. If that's not a problem, and you act fast, you can pick up a V20 for half its usual price. The offer is valid for both new customers as well as existing ones looking to upgrade. The catch is that you have to use the device payment plan, so you're required to keep that line for two years in order to get the full savings. Oh, and the deal expires when the year ends, so you have...

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Meizu's 2017 roadmap purportedly leaks

A new leak from China today claims to show us Meizu's smartphone launch roadmap for 2017. The image you can see below is said to depict an internal document from the Chinese company, neatly detailing every single smartphone it plans to launch next year, along with the month of its introduction and the chipset used. So let's dive in. The first announcement is coming in February, when the M5S is reportedly coming, powered by MediaTek's MT6753 SoC. The M5 has the MT6750, so this isn't surprising. Next up, in June the Meizu Pro 7 will arrive with the Helio X30 chip on board. Then in...

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Verizon is now sending security updates to 11 Android smartphones

Lately more and more device makers have started taking Android security patches seriously, deploying them only a few weeks after Google releases them, and making them available for at least their high-end handsets. To drive that point home, today Verizon has started sending out over-the-air updates for a whopping 11 Android smartphones. All of the updates contain nothing more than the latest security patches, but this is quite a feat - owners of these 11 devices will be up to date in terms of security fixes after installing the new software. The phones in question are the HTC 10, Moto Z...

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Rumor: Samsung will launch 2 Windows 10-powered tablets at CES 2017

It has been a while since Samsung launched a Windows-powered tablet and we have now received unconfirmed information that the company is going to launch two Windows tablets at the Consumer Electronics Show 2017 in Las Vegas next month. Not much is known about the tablets at this point in time.

One of the tablets is likely going to bear model number SM-W720 which suggests that it’s going to be a successor to the existing Galaxy TabPro S (SM-W700). The Galaxy TabPro S is a high-end Windows 10-powered tablet with specs that include an Intel Core M processor with 8GB RAM and 256GB of SSD storage, 5,200mAh battery with fast charging support, 12-inch 2160×1440 pixel resolution Super AMOLED display, 5-megapixel front and rear camera, USB Type-C and more.

The second tablet Samsung is expected to unveil at CES 2017 is likely going to be the SM-W620. It’s possibly going to be a smaller version of the SM-W720 and might feature a smaller display and slightly less impressive specifications.

As previously mentioned, not much is known about these tablets right now but seeing as how CES 2017 is just a week away, we’ll find out for sure soon enough if they really are on Samsung’s agenda for the Consumer Electronics Show.

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HTC says it's not announcing the Vive 2 at CES

Yesterday a rumor talked about HTC unveiling the second generation Vive VR headset at CES in just a few days. The new model would be wireless, making it a much more interesting design compared to its predecessor. While the Vive 2 may turn out to be wireless after all, it's certainly not coming at CES. This has been stated in clear terms by HTC itself to UploadVR. Here's the full official statement on the matter: There is no truth to the rumor of launching Vive 2 at CES 2017. At Vive, we are laser focused on building out a strong and growing ecosystem for current and future Vive owners...

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Samsung is rumored to out wireless in-ear headphones alongside the Galaxy S8

Will the Samsung Galaxy S8 have a 3.5mm headset jack, or won't it? We've already heard some rumors saying the Korean company will once again emulate Apple and ditch the analog connector, and today a new report might have confirmed that. Not directly, though. Samsung is now said to be launching wireless in-ear headphones alongside the Galaxy S8, whenever the smartphone becomes official. It's still unclear whether these will be bundled with the smartphone, or sold separately (or both). The rumor also doesn't explicitly say we're talking about truly wireless headphones, like Samsung's own...

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Samsung to save 1 trillion won annually from FTC ruling against Qualcomm

The Korea Fair Trade Commission isn’t afraid to throw down the hammer when necessary (Samsung SDI became one of its victims during the Samsung C&T-Cheil Industries merger back in September) against those who seek unfair and unethical practices in business. According to the antitrust watchdog, Qualcomm has been found guilty of collecting 1 trillion won (around $825 million USD) in dishonest profit from both Samsung and its fellow South Korean rival, LG, each year.

The events surrounding this FTC ruling have to do with patents that the Commission says are unnecessary and have been charged based on smartphone prices instead of standard patent pricing. Qualcomm has also been found guilty of not licensing its modem chip patents in order to restrict its competition each year. The FTC made its decision after interviewing companies such as Intel, Nvidia, Apple, and even Samsung and LG regarding their agreements with Qualcomm.

While Samsung and rival LG will save 1 trillion won annually, there won’t be a drop in smartphone prices as a result. But, the FTC has shown that it isn’t afraid to make companies pay when their practices are called into question. We don’t know how this will impact Samsung and its relationship with Qualcomm (or whether this will have a direct bearing on the Snapdragon 835 SoC that’s headed to market for the Galaxy S8), but, as “a penny saved is a penny earned,” the same can be said for 1 trillion won.

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ZTE Blade V8 with dual rear cameras leaks ahead of CES unveiling

Dual rear cameras are starting to appear on more and more smartphones lately, and the next one to sport such an arrangement is ZTE's Blade V8. The phone will be made official at CES in early January, but it's been leaked today in Russia in a few live images. The Blade V8 is apparently going to be positioned by ZTE as a direct competitor to Huawei's Honor 8, which is an affordable handset with good specs (and, incidentally, a dual rear camera of its own). ZTE Blade V8 ZTE's answer to the Honor 8 comes with a brushed metal body and its fingerprint scanner embedded in the...

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Samsung to be exclusive supplier of AMOLED panels for one of three new iPhones coming in 2017

Ready for a new rumor regarding Apple's iPhone lineup for 2017? Well, here we go. According to some unnamed "Taiwan-based supply chain makers", Apple will release not two, but three new iPhone models next year. The usual 4.7" and 5.5" sizes will come with LCD screens just like every single one of their predecessors. However, a new 5.8-inch model will be outed too, and this one will feature an AMOLED display. Samsung will be the sole supplier of those AMOLED panels for what will certainly be Apple's highest-end (and most expensive) iPhone ever. The Korean company can reportedly supply a...

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Samsung Malaysia confirms final Galaxy Note 7 update, set for December 31st

2 million Galaxy Note 7 devices worldwide have been returned as part of Samsung’s global recall, but slightly less than 1 million devices remain in the wild – a testimony to the resolve of some users to hold onto a phone despite the metaphorical handwriting on the wall. While US carriers have confirmed their final Galaxy Note 7 update release dates and are making good on them (T-Mobile is the first in the US), Samsung is still taking measures to reel in other Galaxy Note 7 devices from around the world. The latest concerns Malaysian Note 7 owners.

Samsung Malaysia has confirmed that 8,000 pre-order Note 7 units will meet their end on December 31st at 9PM. Samsung is sending out push notifications to all Samsung smartphones in Malaysia, with detailed information about the final update and what it will do to remaining Note 7s. In short, as is the case with the T-Mobile update two days ago, the Samsung Malaysia update will drain the phone’s battery to zero and disable its charging capabilities. Once this update is downloaded, the Note 7 will no longer reboot.

Samsung Malaysia final Note 7 update

For Malaysian customers wondering where to turn after returning their Note 7, you can look no further than Samsung’s own Galaxy S7 edge that brings a free Gear VR along for the ride (virtual reality headsets, alongside of the word “free,” are never a bad thing). Additionally, Samsung is beta testing Samsung Pay in the country - so new Galaxy S7 edge owners who take advantage of the free deal won’t have to wait too long before they can start paying with their new phone.

As of now, we continue to urge all Galaxy Note 7 owners to return their recalled phone and exchange it for another. We also have a list of six Galaxy Note 7 substitutes to guide your purchase decision.

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Prices for Galaxy A series (2017) revealed

Samsung isn't great at keeping secrets. After we told you about the specs of the 2017 Galaxy A phones, their design and announcement date, now we also know their price. Malaysian department of Samsung has revealed Pre-order prices for Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) - the first is 1699 RM or almost $380 and the latter is 1899 RM / $425. With any purchase there is also free Level U PRO wireless headphones which otherwise costs 399 RM or about $89. The event is next week is and we are waiting to see if Samsung could surprise us or all the information about the forthcoming...

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Game Mode coming soon on Windows 10

Windows 10 quickly made gamer fans thanks to perks like DirectX12. Now a new report has it the OS will become even more game-friendly. According to Microsoft tipster WalkingCat, the latest build of Windows 10 (14997) has a DLL file named "gamemode.dll". Of course this doesn't mean that such feature is ready but he already voiced opinions about such mode months ago. It appears as if the mode will allow Windows to adjust resources allocated to the CPU and graphics card to prioritize games giving better framerates. According to sources the mode will work much like Xbox One's handling...

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Nokia TA-1000 receives 3C certification

A new Nokia phone has passed China Compulsory Certification (3C). Listed as TA-1000 from HMD Global, the device comes with standard 5V/2A charging support, but that's about all the info we get here. While 3C doesn't reveal any of the handset's key specifications, it is likely not a flagship smartphone given the lack of fast charging support. So, it's possible that we're looking at the Nokia E1 here. The device is rumored to be powered by an entry-level Snapdragon chipset and sport a 5.5-inch display. Other rumored specs include 1GB RAM and Android 7.0 Nougat. Via

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Galaxy A5 (2017) and A7 (2017) pricing leaks, A7 firmware and user manual online

How much will the Galaxy A5 (2017) and the Galaxy A7 (2017) cost? Between all the leaks that have given us details on Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy A smartphones, information on the phones’ pricing has eluded us. Rightly so, as pricing and availability are two valuable nuggets that don’t usually rear their heads before a device gets launched. But that isn’t going to be the case for the A5 (2017) and A7 (2017), as we now have the pricing for at least one market, thanks to an official Samsung ad for the two devices.

In Malaysia, where the A (2017) lineup will be announced on January 5, the A5 (2017) and A7 (2017) will be priced at RM1,699 and RM1,899, which equate to around $378 and $424. Those are pretty impressive prices for the features we’re expecting to see on the 2017 editions of Samsung’s Galaxy A devices, such as 16-megapixel front cameras and a water resistant design. Samsung Malaysia will also be offering a free Level U Pro wireless headphone for those who pre-order the devices between January 6th and January 15th, and it is likely the handsets will go on sale soon after the final pre-order date.

Firmware for the Galaxy A5 (2017) recently became available on Samsung’s (and our) servers, and we are now seeing a few Asian firmware for the Galaxy A7 (2017) making their way online as well. Over at Samsung Russia’s website, the user manual for the A7 (2017) is already available for download, so it sure looks like the Korean giant isn’t trying too hard to keep its newest mid-range smartphone under wraps.

161229-samsung-galaxy-a5-a7-2017-price-malaysia

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Official: Qualcomm launching Snapdragon 835 next week at CES

Qualcomm officially announced via a series of tweets the debut of Snapdragon 835 at a CES keynote next week. The highly anticipated chipset will come with Quick Charge 4 technology which will give devices 5 hours of battery life with 5 minutes of charging. Qualcomm also claims that a smartphone with the CPU could be charged from 0 to 50% within 15 minutes. The Technologies division of the San Diego-based company stated that every fourth consumer thinks time for charging is too long and their engineers aimed to solve specifically this problem. QSnapdragon 835 will provide...

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Nougat beta update for Huawei Nova starts rolling out

Huawei has started pushing out the Nougat beta update to its Nova smartphone. Currently rolling out in China, the update arrives as firmware version B321 and is being rolled out to select 500 Nova (B153 variant) units. It's worth mentioning that the Huawei G9 Plus started getting the same beta build a couple of days ago. The P9 Plus, on the other hand, also started receiving a Nougat beta build (version B352) yesterday. In case you missed, the P9 and Mate 8 have already received the final Nougat update. Via

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Exclusive: Samsung will launch wireless in-ear headphones with the Galaxy S8

We reported a few weeks back that Samsung might remove the 3.5mm headphone jack from the Galaxy S8, similar to what Apple, Motorola, and LeEco have done this year. Later, we reported that the company has multiple prototypes, and some of them do have 3.5mm headphone jacks. Still, the company might be pushing towards wireless audio. We’ve received information about the company’s plans to launch a wireless headset alongside its next flagship smartphone.

According to the information we’ve received, Samsung will launch new wireless in-ear headphones alongside the Galaxy S8. We’re not sure whether they would be bundled along with the smartphone or sold separately, but Samsung is surely looking to put out a product that competes with Apple’s AirPods. Whether or not these new headphones feature Harman audio remains to be seen.

We wish that Samsung sticks with a 3.5mm headphone jack for the Galaxy S8. We reviewed the Gear IconX, Samsung’s first completely wireless headphones, and found that it was a great concept but nowhere near an ideal solution to replace wired headphones. So it would be better if the company can show us proof (through its upcoming wireless headphones) that it is truly ready for a wireless audio future before yanking out the headphone jack from its smartphones.

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Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge Nougat beta program is ending

The last days have been quite interesting for Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge users. Samsung rolled out several updates to the Android Nougat beta program with the 5th version being available in UK and South Korea since yesterday. According to a Weibo source the beta updates are going to end soon as Samsung is now ready to deliver a stable version to all flagship devices. The Korean manufacturer didn't officially confirm the end of the test program. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge with Android 6.0 Marshmallow Of course wrapping up the project doesn't mean an update is going to happen...

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Daily Deal: Get 20% discount on 3.1-channel wireless soundbar from Samsung

It’s still not too late to get yourself a New Year’s gift, and a wireless soundbar can be a pretty good purchase. A wireless soundbar setup not only improves the audio experience in your living room but also keeps it pretty neat as there are no wires running down your carpet or floor. If you’re interested in adding a soundbar to your TV setup, have a look at this 3.1-channel wireless soundbar from Samsung which is currently being sold at 20% discount on Amazon.

The HW-K650 is a 340-watt, 3.1-channel wireless soundbar from Samsung, and it is currently being sold for just $397.99 on Amazon. This is a discount of 20% over its regular price of $499.99. It features six speakers (integrated into the soundbar), a built-in amplifier, and a wireless subwoofer. You can throw in two additional speakers (SWA-8000S) to convert it into a full 5.1-channel setup. Go ahead and click the source link to grab the deal before stock runs out!

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Samsung's new CH771 is a curved, quantum dot monitor, aimed at gamers and pro users

Samsung is having a few cool monitor announcements lined up for CES 2017. The centerpiece seems to be the CH711. The particular model offers a significantly curved (1,8000R curvature) 2560 x 1440 pixel panel in 27-inch and 31.5-inch sizes. Other notable features on the monitor, include a wide 178-degree viewing angle and 125% sRGB coverage. The ergonomics also seem well thought-out, with a stand that can be used for cable management and an optional 90-degree panel rotation for a somewhat awkward vertical curved experience. Judging by the looks, promotional photos and general...

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Themes Thursday: Five best themes from this week

We’re back with this week’s Themes Thursday! Out of dozens of themes released that were released this week for compatible smartphones, we’ve shortlisted five that you might end up liking.

Samsung has designed Field, Simple Desert, and Yellow Boat themes, and all of them are free to download. If you’re still in a Christmas mood, you should check out the cute Greeny Christmas theme pack. Too bad that most of the New Year themes are too flashy to recommend.

Which themes did you like from this week?

Field | Free
Samsung Galaxy Theme - Field - Free

Greeny Christmas | Paid
Samsung Galaxy Theme - Greeny Christmas - Paid

Mountain – THENEW | Paid
Samsung Galaxy Theme - Mountain - THENEW - Paid

Simple Desert | Free
Samsung Galaxy Theme - Simple Desert - Free

Yellow Boat | Free
Samsung Galaxy Theme - Yellow Boat - Free

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Super Mario Run coming soon to Android

Those waiting for Super Mario Run on Android are about to get their prayers answered. The game has landed on the Play Store, although for nowit is only available for pre-registration. All this does is alert you when the game is available for download. There is no information on when the game will actually be available for download. Super Mario Run released on iOS earlier this month to a lot of fanfare. The first proper game from Nintendo for the mobile platform, it shot to the top of the most downloaded lists on the App Store around the world. Eventually people realized that the...

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Galaxy A7 (2017) launch nears as retail mode video appears

Samsung will soon unveil the new Galaxy A (2017) series. The company’s Malaysian arm has already sent out invitations for the launch event on January 5th which takes place a few hours before Samsung’s CES 2017 press conference. Official press renders of the Galaxy A3 (2017) and Galaxy A5 (2017) were leaked online yesterday. We’ve now come across the retail mode video for the Galaxy A7 (2017) so it’s evident that this handset is coming soon as well.

Renders of the Galaxy A7 (2017) haven’t leaked online yet but it’s only a matter of time before we get to see them as well. The retail mode video that we’ve found is a good indication that the Galaxy A7 (2017) is also going to be launched in the near future. One thing you’ll note in the video is that the camera is particularly highlighted so it appears that the high-end model of this series will be geared towards those who like to use their handset’s camera quite a bit. The video also points out that this new series is going to be water resistant.

Expect Samsung to confirm details about the pricing and availability of this handset on January 5th.

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Samsung to introduce three Exynos 8895 versions

The puzzle that is Samsung Galaxy S8 is coming together piece by piece. Today we get to learn more about the chipset. Report from China claims that Samsung's Exynos 8895 will come in two or even three different variations. The Exynos 8895M and Exynos 8895V will feature octa-core processors with four Exynos M2 cores at 2.5GHz and four Cortex A53 cores at 1.7 GHz. The GPU will be ARM's finest unit Mali-G71. The 8895M edition will be using a 20-core version of the graphics processor while the 8895V will go with the 18-core configuration. Both chipsets will support LPDDR4 RAM and Category 16...

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Periscope can now stream live 360-degree video

Twitter announced that a new feature is coming to the popular livestreaming app Periscope. Users will soon be able to stream live video in 360-degree glory. Starting today, everyone will be able to view and interact with 360 videos in both Twitter and Periscope. These videos are marked with a "LIVE 360" badge. 360 Sunset in Florida. First ever #Periscope360 with @Brandee_Anthony http://ift.tt/2hQ4QOf Alex Pettitt (@Alexpettitt) December 28, 2016 The caveat, however, is that not everyone can broadcast in 360 degrees just yet. Only select broadcasters will get access on the new...

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