Tech News

Samsung had announced its extended partnership with Google during the unveiling of the Galaxy S21 series, making several Google services a native part of One UI. Google Discover Feed is readily available as an alternative to Samsung Free on devices running One UI 3.1, while Google Messages can be installed from the Play Store and run as a native app. Now, Google’s Android 11 smart home menu has appeared in One UI. With the launch of One UI 3.0, Samsung...

Xiaomi released the Mi 11 flagship in the final days of 2020 and rumors are pointing to two more phones joining the family - Mi 11 Lite and Mi 11 Pro. The first one is expected to be slightly less powerful and cheaper, and a leakster revealed some of the specs it might have. According to the Chinese source, the Mi 11 Lite will have an OLED screen with a punch hole for one selfie camera, a Qualcomm SM7350 chipset, 64 MP main cam, and 5x zoom. Previously...

The Galaxy S21 Ultra has the most versatile smartphone camera on the market right now. Thanks to its dual-telephoto cameras (3x zoom and 10x zoom) and the Zoom Lock feature, it is well-equipped to take clear images of faraway subjects. However, some consumers and experts have expressed doubts over its ability to take real photos of the moon. It was being alleged that Samsung is using AI trickery to fake images of the moon, similar to what Huawei...

The demand for affordable laptops and tablets was through the roof during 2020, thanks to the pandemic. Samsung managed to ship close to 10 million Galaxy Tab devices in Q4 2020 and over 31 million tablets over the course of the whole year. Now, the South Korean tech giant’s Chromebook shipment numbers have been published. The company managed to ship a million Chromebook devices in Q4 2020 according to market research firm Canalys. That’s a staggering...

Week four saw the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra at the top of our trending chart once more, but we've got a somewhat surprising silver medalist. The Sony Xperia Pro is more of a professional tool than a phone, but its market launch still got people talking about it. The Xiaomi Mi 11 retains its third spot, while the Poco M3 actually went up a position and captured fourth.. This leaves the Galaxy S21 as the big loser from this week's shuffle dropping...

Welcome to another week's recap. The biggest story of the fourth week of 2021 was the unveil of the Oppo A55 5G in China. Based around a Dimensity 700 chipset, 6.5-inch HD+ IPS LCD and a 5,000mAh battery. It costs CNY 1,599 (about $245/€200) in China and we expect it to launch globally soon. Xiaomi closed off the week with something truly unbelievable. Mi Air Charge technology promises to be able to wirelessly charge a phone from a distance of "several...

Motorola hasn't exactly been leading the pack on timely update delivery lately. In fact, some users are still waiting on Android 10 builds. However, things might be looking up, at least for owners of the Moto G Pro. There is already an official Android 11 update seeding to units in the UK. In fact, as per the official update portal the company set-up in a fairly-recent effort to try and assist faster and more transparent delivery, the particular...

In the previous Flashback post we mentioned that Ericsson produced a special Coca-Cola edition phone. And this was years before the Pepsi phone, mind you. But we won’t just focus on beverage-branded phones today, instead we’ll go for general weirdness. Here are some more weird phones from unexpected brands. The phone with a sweet tooth Launched at the end of 2000, a year after the “unflavored” model became available, the Ericsson A1018s Coca-Cola...

For many, headphones are an inseparable companion to their phone. However, headphones come in all shapes and sizes and we were curious which kind is your favorite. Smartphone makers have been pushing True Wireless (TWS) headsets, but are they really the best option? Over-ear headphones are hard to beat in terms of sound quality. They are also great at keeping distracting noise at bay, even without active noise cancellation. And they have the best...

LG released the Android 11 beta build for the Velvet 5G last month, and it seems the testing has gone smooth as the company has released the stable update of Android 11 for the smartphone. The Android 11 stable build is currently seeding in South Korea for the Velvet 5G - model LM-G900N. The firmware has software version G900N2C and requires a download of around 2.2GB. LG Velvet 5G Android 11 stable update We don't have a complete changelog of the...

Over 70% of people who voted in last week’s poll are interested in the vivo X60 Pro+ – that’s a very positive result, considering that some recent flagships have struggled to excite would-be buyers. The appeal of the Pro+ is concentrated in the camera and vivo knows it. The ZEISS logo, as small as it is, stands out on the black camera bump and you’ll see it on every promotional poster. vivo’s posts on social media are focused on promoting the phone’s...

The Poco M3 was introduced last November with 4GB RAM and two storage options - 64GB (UFS 2.1) and 128GB (UFS 2.2). However, the smartphone made it to Indonesia last week with a 6GB RAM option in addition to the 4GB variant. The Poco M3 will debut in India on February 2, and going by the wording in one of Poco's recent tweets, it appears the smartphone will come in a single 6GB RAM option in the country. There won't be a 4GB RAM model. More is never...

We finally got our hands on the Galaxy S21+ to complete our Galaxy S21 lineup and we've started work on its review. But in the meantime, let's size it up to its peers. Before we get to side-by-sides, here's a short unboxing - you get the phone, a SIM tool and a USB-C to USB-C cable. If you want the recommended 25W charger, you'll need to pay an extra €20 for it. What's in the box and what's not The Galaxy S21+ is the middle-sized option in the Galaxy...

Saying that the Xiaomi Mi A3 has had bad luck with its software updates would honestly be an understatement. Granted, the Chinese giant has historically struggled a bit more on its Android One device software in general, but even by those standard the whopping four attempts it took to bring Android 10 to the Mi A3 are a bit much. They have now been followed-up a no-less-than three Android 11 builds in quick succession. At the very end of last year,...

Straight off the bat, we don’t have any live photos or official images of the next Galaxy Z Fold as of yet. This render is probably the next best thing, though, since Ben Geskin is known for his quality work in the field and does appear to have based his design on most of the leaked information we already have on the alleged Z Fold3. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 render In no particular order, one of the first things that pops-out here is the distinctive...

Realme today opened the Realme UI 2.0 early access program for six smartphones in India - Realme 6, Realme C12, Realme C15, Realme X2, Realme X3, and Realme X3 SuperZoom. Realme UI 2.0 is based on Android 11, and those interested in getting a taste of it can apply for the early access program by heading to the Settings > Software Update menu on their smartphone, click on the gear icon in the top-right corner of the screen, then on Trial version,...

Cupertino's interest in the electric car business has been a constant presence in the rumor mill for a good few years now. Earlier this month Korean giant Hyundai actually put out a tentative statement that it is in ongoing talks with Apple on the matter, only to quickly scramble to alter the information multiple times. Nothing out of the ordinary, really, given Apple's track record of extreme secrecy on projects and products. One thing became clear...

The ongoing Xiaomi/US saga is quickly escalating. If you haven't been following it closely, basically one of the swan songs of Trump's government was to designate Xiaomi as a “Communist Chinese military company”. A title that would qualify it to fall under the administration's Executive Order from November that bars American securities and investment companies from putting capital in said companies. What being on the list currently entails in more...

We know Black Shark will soon unveil the Black Shark 4 as the company has already kicked off its teaser campaign. And while we don't have an announcement date yet, the Black Shark 4 has been certified by China's TENAA, moving it a step closer to the launch. The TENAA listing of Black Shark 4 sporting model code SHARK KSR-A0 reveals the smartphone will run Android 11 and pack a 6.67" screen, which according to Google Play Console, has a 2400x1080-pixel...

The latest gaming flagship from Asus inches closer to announcement as the phone passes through China’s TENAA revealing some key specifications and a couple of images of the incoming phone. The ROG Phone 5 (tentative name) with model number I005DA will be powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset and come with a 6,000 mAh battery. This battery will consist of two 3,000 mAh batteries, hinting at some super-fast charging speeds, possibly for a 65W charger...

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has two telephoto cameras, one is a 3X zoom and the other is a 10X zoom. Working with the phone’s AI, the S21 Ultra can capture a digitally enhanced photo of the moon’s surface. The conspiracy was that Samsung was able to apply a texture of the moon to anything that resembled it. Samsung denied this and explained that the camera’s AI Super Resolution takes multiple frames of the moon and assembles a more detailed final...

Never settle? When it comes to updates for carrier-branded devices, OnePlus is more like Sometimes settle. Or even - Always settle. We're talking about how long it takes carrier versions of its handsets to receive big new Android updates. Case in point, the OnePlus 8. Unlocked units have been bathing in the glory of Android 11 since mid-October. And yet, if you bought one from Verizon or T-Mobile, the rollout has only started today, more than three...

Remember when people went on trips? For fun? Yeah, those were the days. Samsung seems either unaware of the ongoing global pandemic and the measures taken by most Western governments to deal with it by restricting traveling, or wants you to forget about all that and just picture yourself on an epic trip. That's the theme of the company's latest TV ad for the Galaxy S21 and S21+, which just became available in stores today. The main focus (pardon...

Oppo just opened up the Android 11 beta program for three of its phones - the Reno2 F, the Reno 10x Zoom and the Oppo F15. However, this applies only to the Indian variants but will soon be available to other regions as well. Also, the registration for Reno2 F users has already ended. The Android 11 beta comes with ColorOS 11 on top and you can enroll your device by going to Settings > Software Update > Settings again and then "Trial version"....

Two new Weibo posts about ZTE's upcoming Axon 30 Pro hint that the phone might come with Samsung's yet-to-be-announced 200MP S5KGND sensor. The information comes from a Chinese tipster and an official ZTE representative. First, let's go through ZTE's official post. It says that the handset will feature a Snapdragon 888 chipset, which isn't really a surprise, but the text stresses the new Spectra 580 ISP and the fact that it supports 200MP cameras....

Telegram v7.4.0 is now making its way to users across Android and iOS and it brings the option to migrate chat history from other messaging apps like WhatsApp, Line and KakaoTalk. This move comes after WhatsApp’s controversial privacy policy change to share user data with Facebook which led millions of users to jump ship and switch to other platforms like Telegram. The new chat transfer feature works for both individual and group chats. Move your...

After a successful launch in China, the Xiaomi Mi 11 is ready to go global – that will happen on February 8. There’s no official word on the Mi 11 Pro (or Mi 11 Lite for that matter) yet, though. But that doesn’t mean the phone is coming alone to the party, it will arrive hand-in-hand with the global announcement of MIUI 12.5. Xiaomi will announce the exact details of Mi 11’s international rollout at the event, which starts at 12PM UTC. So far Spain...

Samsung launches its Galaxy S21 series today, and as is tradition, the new flagships got a new rendition of the “Over the Horizon” ringtone. The melody went through many changes since its introduction with the Galaxy S II back in 2011, and this year’s variant is a reflection of what we endured in 2020. The piece was created and performed by pianist and composer Yiruma, who wanted to “give users a sense of comfort and familiarity.” Check out the...

Exactly two weeks after it kicked in pre-orders, Samsung opened regular sales for its brand new Galaxy S21 series in over 60 countries across Asia, Europe and North America. Availability will grow to 130 countries by the end of February. Those who preordered their new Galaxy flagships will start receiving their phones today. You can head this way for a detailed comparison of all three models. Check out the table below for the base prices of all...

Xiaomi is working on the Black Shark 4 gaming phone, and the device has just appeared on Google Play Console with some key specs. The phone is codenamed Kaiser (the German word for emperor) and will have 8GB RAM and Android 11 out of the box. Xiaomi Black Shark 4 on Google Play Console The listing also revealed the Black Shark 4 would have Full HD+ resolution with a 20:9 ratio. While this is hardly a surprise, the listed chipset is listed as Qualcomm...

Samsung is getting ready to unleash a handful of new low-to-mid-range Galaxy smartphones, and support pages for five new models have already gone live in various regions. Samsung India’s portal now includes support pages for the Galaxy F12 and the Galaxy F62, indicating that the two new devices that were supposedly developed in collaboration with Flipkart will be released soon. Meanwhile, the...

Samsung’s foldable smartphone experiments will soon extend to at least two novel form factors based on rollable and slidable designs. The tech giant confirmed the said plans indirectly earlier today. I.e., its sister company Samsung Display did. Samsung Display’s tech was at the heart of every foldable Galaxy smartphone released to date. It should hence come as no surprise that this trend will continue...

A lot of business took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Samsung has a reason to be happy. Thanks to social distancing norms around the world and a sharp rise in demand for work-from-home and remote learning tools, Samsung saw increased profits in Q3 and Q4 2020. The South Korean tech giant shipped not only memory and storage chips for PCs, laptops, and servers, but also millions of tablets during the pandemic. Samsung managed to sell close...

The Realme 7 series in Europe includes three smartphones - Realme 7, Realme 7 5G, and Realme 7 Pro. Today the company added a fourth member to the lineup as it introduced the Realme 7i in the Old Continent. However, the Realme 7i arrived in Europe is not the same as the one announced last year in India and a few other Asian countries. The European 7i is actually a rebranded Narzo 20. That means the Realme 7i in Europe comes with a Helio G85 SoC,...

Apple is reportedly working on 1TB versions of the upcoming iPhone 13 – actually, the iPhone 12S, says leakster Jon Prosser. Current Apple phones top out at 512GB, have done so since the XS generation from 2018. The new model is still very much in the prototype stage of development. And some prototypes of the Pro models have 1 TB of memory built in – the cap for the vanilla models is, as usual, lower. Storage aside, Prosser quotes a source who stated...

The unusual times we live in today pushed customers towards PC, notebook, and tablet purchases for education and entertainment. According to the latest report by Canalys, manufacturers shipped 52.8 million tablets in Q4 2020 - the highest amount ever. The analysis also revealed Chromebook sales went through the roof, with 11.2 million shipments in Q4 2020 and 30.7 million for the calendar year. That’s almost two-fold increase over 2019 when makers...

Exactly two weeks after it kicked in pre-orders, Samsung opened regular sales for its brand new Galaxy S21 series in over 60 countries across Asia, Europe and North America. Availability will grow to 130 countries by the end of February. Those who preordered their new Galaxy flagships will start receiving their phones today. You can head this way for a detailed comparison of all three models. Check out the table below for the base prices of all...

Every year Apple makes a special short film to commemorate the Chinese New Year and every year it's "Shot on iPhone". This year the film is shot on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, but just like before Apple notes that additional hardware and software was used. The film itself is a nice heartwarming tale about a girl and the mythical Nian creature, which according to Chinese folklore is a beast that lives in the Sea or Mountains and comes out at the beginning...

An Oppo device with model designation CPH2203 was certified by Singapore's IMDA about two weeks ago, which we now know is the Oppo A94 as the smartphone has bagged NBTC certification. The Thai certifying authority reveals the A94 will be a 4G smartphone, but other than that, it doesn't divulge anything. Oppo A94 certified by Thailand's NBTC However, the A94 has also been certified by China's CQC, revealing 30W charging in the process. Oppo A94 certified...

Only four months after officially announcing the One UI 3.0 update, Samsung already brought its custom Android 11 implementation to quite a few of its Galaxy devices. At least compared to the pace of its Android 10-based One UI 2.x deployment efforts which have been ongoing until this very month. And assuming we’re counting Android 11 beta builds, which we are. As Samsung is expected to begin ramping...

The Meizu 17 series was unveiled last May, but we may see the company introduce its successors earlier this year since the Meizu 18 has appeared in a new hands-on video. The clip shows the Meizu 18 with an all-screen front. The smartphone has slim bezels, and we don't see the selfie camera, meaning it's likely under the screen. However, Meizu won't be the first brand to bring an in-display camera smartphone to the market. That honor goes to ZTE...

Motorola has introduced its understanding of how devices should charge wirelessly from a distance, just after Xiaomi introduced Mi Air Charge. The technology by the Lenovo subsidiary can charge from a one-meter distance, provided nothing stands in the way between the charger and the device. According to the official video, two Motorola Edge phones (likely modified for the test) are placed in a standing position 80 cm and 100 cm away from the charger,...

Galaxy S21 pre-order customers may have been feeling like time was slowing down on them but it’s only been a couple of weeks since the flagship series was unveiled at Unpacked 2021. Now the waiting is over, as today — January 29 — is the day when Samsung starts shipping the latest flagship phones to customers. Meanwhile, those who haven’t pre-ordered the Galaxy S21 can now purchase the phone outright from Samsung’s online shop as well as partner...

The Galaxy S21 series was unveiled a couple of weeks ago during the Galaxy Unpacked 2021 virtual event, and the new phones are going on sale worldwide starting today. Now, Samsung is making sure that the phones are fully ready out of the box for its customers. Samsung’s latest flagship smartphones—Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra—have now received HDR certification from Netflix. This means users can enjoy watching their favorite movies...