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Monday, 25 June 2018

Qualcomm Snapdragon 1000 said to be exclusively designed for windows 10 PCs

Microsoft and Qualcomm is said to be working on a new platform exclusively for more powerful notebooks and 2-in-1 tablets based on ARM chipsets. The new processor in question is the Snapdragon 1000 and it is intended for Windows 10 based on the ARM with performance equal to Intel’s U and Y Core processors. Now according to a new job listing by a Qualcomm engineer on LinkedIn, has confirmed that the processor is in testing for various Windows 10 on ARM applications, including desktop, Andromeda, and HoloLens. Furthermore, according to information from import databases, the developer platform has up to 16 GB of LPDDR4X RAM on board and has two 128 GB memory modules connected via UFS 2.1. It also includes Gigabit WLAN and is also said to feature a newly developed power management chip to handle increased power and power consumption. The new SDM1000 could be a "socketed" chip for the first time. The chipset might not be soldered firmly on the motherboard, instead, it will be built-in desktops processors from Intel and AMD housed in a special socket. The size of the new chip might be around 20x15 millimeters and surprisingly, Intel is working on a device with the codename "Primus", based on the SDM 1000 reference design developed by Qualcomm. Source

Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 with 8-inch Full HD display, Snapdragon 660, 4G LTE, AI Face unlock announced

Xiaomi has finally announced the Mi Pad 4, as it had promised. It has an 8-inch Full HD screen with 16:10 aspect ratio, and the company says that it is 9.4% smaller than the previous generation making it comfortable for one-handed usage. It is powered by Snapdragon 660 AIE  with 4GB of RAM, runs Android 8.1 (Oreo)  comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel camera on the front with AI Face unlock .  It has a metal body, comes in WiFi and 4G versions that has a nano SIM slot and packs a 6000mAh battery. Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 specifications 8-inch (1920 x 1200 pixels)  FHD+ display with 16:10 aspect ratio,1200:1 contrast ratio, Octa-Core Snapdragon 660 14nm Mobile Platform (Quad 2.2GHz Kryo 260 + Quad 1.8GHz Kryo 260 CPUs) with Adreno 512 GPU 3GB (LPDDR4x) RAM with 32GB (eMMC 5.1) storage, 4GB (LPDDR4x) RAM with 64GB (eMMC 5.1) internal storage Android 8.1 (Oreo) with MIUI 13MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, OV13855 sensor 5MP front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture, Samsung S5K5E8 sensor Dimensions: 200.2 x 120.3 x 7.9mm; Weight: 242.5g 4G LTE (optional), WiFi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C 6000mAh battery The Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 comes in ...

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro with 5.84-inch FHD+ 19:9 display, AI dual rear cameras, Android 8.1 announced

Xiaomi has announced the Redmi 6 Pro the company's latest mid-range smartphone in the Redmi series, as it had promised. It packs a 5.84-inch FHD+ 19:9 aspect ratio display with a notch, is powered by Snapdragon 625 with up to 4GB of RAM, runs Android 8.1 (Oreo) with MIUI on top, a 12-megapixel rear camera with flash along with a secondary 5-megapixel camera for AI portraits and AI scene detection. There is also a 5-megapixel front camera with AI portrait and AI Face unlock. It has dedicated dual SIM and microSD slots and packs a 4000mAh battery. Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro specifications 5.84-inch (2280×1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19:9 2.5D curved glass display with 500 nits brightness, 1500:1 contrast ratio, 84% NTSC Color Gamut 2GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 625 14nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 506 GPU 3GB RAM with 32GB storage, 4GB RAM with 32GB/64GB storage, expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD Android 8.1 (Oreo) with MIUI 10 Dual SIM (nano + nano + microSD) 12MP rear camera with LED Flash, Sony IMX486 sensor, 1.25um pixel size, PDAF, f/2.2 aperture, secondary 5MP camera with Samsung S5K5E8 sensor, 1.12um pixel size, f/2.2 aperture 5MP front-facing camera Fingerprint sensor, Infrared sensor Dimensions: 149.33×71.68×8.75mm; Weight: 178g 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi ...

Saturday, 23 June 2018

Xiaomi is looking to raise up to $6.1 billion in Hong Kong IPO

After postponing Shanghai IPO, Xiaomi today confirmed that it will list in Hong Kong first offering a total of 2,179,585,000 Shares (subject to the Over-allotment Option), comprising initially 108,980,000 Hong Kong Offer Shares (subject to adjustment) and 2,070,605,000 International Offer Shares (subject to adjustment and the Over-allotment Option). The offer price range is from HK$17 to HK$22 per share, so the company could raise anywhere between US$ 4.72 billion and US$ 6.1 billion. Even though this is less than $10 billion, which Xiaomi was reportedly hoping to achieve a few weeks ago, this would still make it the world's biggest initial public offering (IPO) in nearly two years. Xiaomi said that it intends to use the proceeds from the offering for the following purposes: Approximately 30% for research and development as well as other efforts to develop the Company’s core in-house products, including smartphones, smart TVs, laptops, AI speakers and smart routers; Approximately 30% for investments to expand and strengthen the Company’s ecosystem primarily in the fields of IoT and lifestyle products and mobile internet services, including AI; Approximately 30% for global expansion, including but not limited to hiring local teams across business functions and investing in its retail partners; and Approximately 10% for working capital ...

Google expands verification eligibility to more entities with Knowledge Panel

Google today announced that it is expanding its verification eligibility to more entities. It says that any person, organization, sports team, event and media property with a Knowledge Panel is eligible to get verified and suggest edits to the information shown. Anyone with the said eligibility can simply search for your name or organization on Search and click or tap the prompt below the Knowledge Panel to begin the verification process. Once the verification is done, you can suggest factual changes to information in your Knowledge Panel and suggest a featured image. Knowledge Panel will show up when you search for well-known people, organizations and things on Google on the results page. It is a box with an overview of key information and links to resources to help you go deeper. Prior to this change only individuals and organizations with Knowledge Panels can use the verification process to claim their panels and provide authoritative feedback on the information and images presented. Source

Facebook said to be working on ‘Your Time’ tool to manage time spent on app

After Instagram, Facebook is now said to be working on 'Your Time' tool to manage the time spent on the Facebook app. The code is found lying underneath the Facebook Android app and it shows the total amount of time you spent on the Facebook app on your phone in the last seven days, and your average time spent per day. Facebook is working on "Your Time on Facebook" which could help users to manage their time spent on Facebook app. Instagram is also working on helping users to improve their digital wellbeing: https://t.co/y38mV3RtqB as previously spotted: https://t.co/D26M9RuSxG pic.twitter.com/YqSyH0fpII — Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) June 22, 2018 Furthermore, the feature also lets you set a daily reminder that alerts you when you’ve reached your self-imposed limit, plus a shortcut to change your Facebook notification settings. Facebook confirmed the feature and said: “We’re always working on new ways to help make sure people’s time on Facebook is time well spent.” This feature would help Facebook users stay aware of how long they’re active on the app. Tech giants like Apple, Google have already introduced their own screen time monitoring dashboards that will list out the time you spend using the phone and which apps are dominating your attention. These functionalities ...

Samsung Galaxy S10 said to feature 3D face-scanning; might ditch iris scanner

Rumors are not stopping from flowing despite we are months away from the official launch of the Galaxy S10. In fact, we are hearing more about the S10 which is slated for 2019 launch rather than the Galaxy Note9 which is just a couple of months away from the official launch. Fresh rumor to join the list is that the company said to be ditching the Iris scanner on the Galaxy S10. According to a report The Bell, the Galaxy S10 will be the first Samsung device to feature an in-display fingerprint reader. Apart from the in-display fingerprint sensor, Samsung in collaboration with the Israeli firm Mantis is also reportedly working on a 3D face-scanning module of its own, similar to the one found in the Apple iPhone X. If in case Samsung succeeds in bringing the 3D face-scanning module, it would be ditching the iris scanner entirely for cost and weight savings. It is also reported that Samsung has ordered sample parts for the Galaxy S10 from all the component suppliers except those who supply for the iris sensor. With an in-display fingerprint sensor and 3D face-scanning, it makes complete sense for Samsung to remove the iris scanner module. This module will also help Samsung ...

Apple finally acknowledges ‘sticky keyboard’ issues on MacBooks, to offer free fix and refunds for past repairs

Apple today has introduced a new MacBook & MacBook Pro service program that will cover a small percentage of users who might be facing ticky, repeated characters or unresponsive keys. The program says that the process “may involve the replacement of one or more keys or the whole keyboard. Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will service eligible MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards, free of charge. However, the type of the service will be determined after the keyboard is examined and may involve the replacement of one or more keys or the whole keyboard. As for those who have already experienced the problem and had to pay for services through Apple, the company will be refunding customers the cost of the repair. The program will cover eligible MacBook and MacBook Pros for 4 years from the date of purchase. The service turn-around time may vary depending upon the type of service and availability of replacement parts. A list of specific models eligible for the program is below: MacBook (Retina, 12-­inch, Early 2015) MacBook (Retina, 12­-inch, Early 2016) MacBook (Retina, 12-­inch, 2017) MacBook Pro (13­-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MacBook Pro (13-­inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MacBook Pro (13-­inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MacBook Pro (13-­inch, ...

Weekly Roundup: OPPO Find X, Xiaomi Mi Router 4Q, Mi Pocket Speaker 2, Vivo Y81 and more

This week OPPO introduced its flagship Find X smartphone along with the  Lamborghini Limited Edition version at its Paris event, Xiaomi introduced Mi Router 4Q and launched the Mi Pocket Speaker 2 in India, Vivo introduced Y81, Jabra and Garmin introduced accessories, and lots more in this roundup. OPPO introduced its flagship Find X smartphone with 6.42-inch Full HD+ AMOLED Panoramic Arc Screen with 19:5:9 aspect ratio and 93.8% screen-to-body ratio, Snapdragon 845 with 8GB of RAM and Android 8.1 (Oreo) with ColorOS 5.1. It has a motorized sliding dual rear cameras with a 16-megapixel primary and a 20-megapixel secondary camera set up with LED flash, OIS, AI portraits and AI Scene Recognition technology that can identify 800 scenes. It has 3D face unlock, which it calls O-Face Recognition. This uses 3D Structured Light Technology which scans 15,000 facial points. It is 20 times safer than fingerprint recognition for unlocking the phone, says OPPO.  It has a 25-megapixel front camera with AI that intelligently analyzes features such as face, nose, and eyes, etc. to naturally personalize selfies. The 3D lighting technique offers artistic portraits. It comes in Bordeaux Red and Glacier Blue colors, which offer gradient effect so that the phone shines elegantly at different angles. It is priced at 999 Euros ...

Friday, 22 June 2018

TSMC said to make 7nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC starting from 2018-end

Snapdragon 845 10nm SoC manufactured on second generation 10LPP process from Samsung was introduced back in December last year. Earlier reports said that TSMC will be making the 7nm (FinFET) chips for the Snapdragon 855 SoC, now new report corroborates this, and also says that the production will start by the end of 2018 or early 2019. MediaTek's latest Helio M70 5G Modem is also based on TSMC's 7nm FinFET tech.  Earlier this year Qualcomm introduced Snapdragon X24 as the world’s first 7nm LTE modem with up to 2Gbps download speeds as the successor of the Snapdragon X20. The Snapdragon 855 SoC will likely use this modem. Earlier report said that Qualcomm is going with TSMC since the fab uses normal steppers while Samsung is going with 7nm EUV lithography tech which is riskier, and might not be ready on time. Samsung recently announced that is working on 7LPP (Low Power Plus) with EUV (extreme ultra violet) lithography technology for smartphones that is targeted for initial production in the second half of 2018, but it will be risk production, and it might take up to one year to transition to full volume production. This is probably the reason Qualcomm decided to go with TSMC's FinFET tech over Samsung's EUV tech. The Snapdragon 855 SoC is expected to be introduced by the ...