Huawei’s new GPU Turbo technology roll out timeline revealed

Huawei earlier this month has unveiled GPU Turbo technology, which according to the company would increase device performance by 60% while reducing power use by 30%. The company would enable this tech on a Huawei phone via a software update and it promised that it will roll out to several of their smartphones.  Now the company has revealed a detailed schedule for the rollout, sharing which devices, as well as regions, will get the update and when. The GPU Turbo technology is already present on the Honor 9i, and the beta testing for Huawei Mate 10 series and Honor 10 is underway. It is also looking for Huawei P20 and P20 Pro users to start beta testing the tech.  Here's the schedule for Huawei and Honor phones. Phone Region Availability Huawei P20 and P20 Pro Europe, Russia, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa August 2018 Huawei Mate 10, Mate Pro, Mate RS Europe, Russia, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa August 2018 Huawei P20 Lite Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa September 2018 Huawei P Smart All Markets September 2018 Huawei Nova 2i, Mate 10 Lite All Markets September 2018 Huawei Y9 2018 All Markets September 2018 Huawei Mate 9 All Markets November 2018 Huawei Mate 9 Pro All Markets November 2018 Huawei P10 Plus All Markets November 2018 Huawei P10 All Markets November 2018 Phone Region Availability Honor 10 Europe, Russia, Asia Pacific, India, Middle East August 2018 Honor 9 Lite Europe, Russia, Asia Pacific, India, Middle East September 2018 Honor V10 Europe, Russia, Asia Pacific, India, Middle East September 2018 Honor 7X All ...

Microsoft foldable Surface tablet ‘Andromeda’ surfaces in leaked documents

Microsoft has been working on a new mysterious Surface device; codenamed Andromeda for at least two years. Though the device appeared in patents, reports, and in operating system references multiple times and will include a dual-display design, it never saw the day in the light. According to a Microsoft internal document, the device is said to be a pocketable Surface device. @zacbowden @h0x0d @windowscentral #Surface Andromeda Render according to the latest patents pic.twitter.com/CmbvlfETtU — David Breyer (@D_Breyer) December 18, 2017 Microsoft describes the Andromeda project as something that it has been quietly incubating internally, and that will create a “new and disruptive” device category to influence the overall Surface roadmap. It will also blur the lines between a PC and mobile. The company details "It’s a new pocketable Surface device form factor that brings together innovative new hardware and software experiences to create a truly personal and versatile computing experience.” The Andromeda is still under development and it is said to come with a wraparound display that bridges the gap of the hinge when it’s fully opened. The company is also experimenting with stylus input for Andromeda. The prototype device includes styluses and notepad-like apps to capture notes. It will come with ARM processors, but it’s not clear if the ...

Apple is rebuilding Maps from ground up by using first-party data gathered by iPhones

 Apple is said to be working on re-building its Maps from the ground up, and the company is said to be using first-party data gathered by iPhones with a privacy-first methodology and its own fleet of cars packed with sensors and cameras. This new product from Apple will be introduced in San Francisco and the Bay Area with the next iOS 12 beta and will cover Northern California by fall. With every version of the iOS update, Maps gets updated with improvements, more responsive to changes, rich visuals. It's been four years since Apple began to develop its new data-gathering systems and this will eventually help Apple cut down the reliability on third-party data to provide the basis for its maps. Though the redesign will roll out in the San Francisco and the Bay Area with the next iOS 12 beta, the rest of the US will receive the new maps “section by section” “over the next year.” Post the transition to the new design; Apple will avoid using all third-party mapping data, which is the same data it has been using for the vast majority of Apple Maps since the launch in 2012. Apple will be relying on sensor-packed vans that it’s been driving around the US ...

Xiaomi Mi A1 Android 8.1 Oreo stable update finally starts rolling out [Download link]

Xiaomi launched Mi A1 back in September last year under Android One programme in collaboration with Google with an aim to keep the Android version updated for next couple of years. At the event, Xiaomi and Google promised regular security patch updates every month along with Android Oreo in 2017 itself for Mi A1. The company started closed Beta Oreo 8.0 testing in mid December and rolled out Oreo 8.0 update to public on 31st December. Xiaomi managed to keep the promise made during launch event but company suspended Oreo 8.0 update due to stability issues within two weeks. Couple of weeks back we reported that the company has started rolling out Android 8.1 closed beta update. Yesterday the company has finally started rolling out stable update for the Mi A1 users. The Xiaomi Mi A1 Android 8.1 OTA update is 1.15GB in size, has the build number OPM1.171019.019.V9.6.3.0.ODHMIFE and also includes Android security update for June 2018, but it doesn't have Treble support. As reported by the users, the update SMS bug that wipes entire SMS history being wiped after updating, after you swipe away the messages app. It is recommended to backup SMS to the cloud using third-party apps like Microsoft SMS Organizer before updating. If you can't wait, you ...

OnePlus to launch first 5G phone in 2019, commits to carrier relationships

OnePlus CEO and founder Pete Lau at the Mobile World Congress Shanghai this week, confirmed that company is working with US carriers and that it aims to launch a 5G smartphone next year. This new 5G smartphone could be OnePlus 7/7T. Furthermore, the company's relationship with Qualcomm is allowing OnePlus to become one of the first 5G mobile phone makers. This launch will sync with the first year of 5G being available in the US. OnePlus currently launches two phones a year; the regular version in May/June and a T-variant at the end of the year around November. Carrier support would be a huge step forward for OnePlus in the U.S. as it will give users more time to spend before buying. The company has recently started selling phones through European carriers. However, Lau didn't confirm which carrier they will be partnering with, or if the support will come to more than one carrier. OnePlus 6 currently works well on AT&T's and T-Mobile's networks, but with Qualcomm chipsets, it's conceivable that it could bring a phone that works with any US carrier. As for the bloatware, Lau said "burdenless is the core of the company's phones and it means that OnePlus prioritizes speed and a bloatware-free experience." Source

Vivo V9 6GB with 6.3-inch FHD+ 19:9 display, Snapdragon 660, 6GB RAM, dual rear cameras announced

Vivo has introduced V9 6GB, a new version of the V9 smartphone.It has the same 6.3-inch FHD+ 19:9 2.5D curved glass display with a notch, 90% screen-to-body ratio and 1.75mm slim bezels and runs Android 8.1 (Oreo) with Funtouch OS 4.0, but this is powered by Snapdragon 660 AIE with 6GB of RAM. However the cameras have been downgraded. This packs a 13-megapixel rear camera along with a 2-megapixel secondary camera and a 12-megapixel front-facing camera. Vivo V9 6GB specifications 6.3-inch (2280 x 1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19:9 IPS display Octa Core Snapdragon 660 14nm Mobile Platform (Quad 2.2GHz Kryo 260 + Quad 1.8GHz Kryo 260 CPUs) with Adreno 512 GPU 6GB RAM, 64GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD Dual SIM (nano + nano + microSD) Funtouch OS 4.0 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo) 13MP rear camera with LED flash, f/2.2 aperture, secondary 2MP camera 12MP front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture Fingerprint sensor Dimensions: 154.81 x 75.03 x 7.89mm ; Weight: 150g 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, USB OTG 3260mAh battery Vivo V9 6GB comes in Black and Red colors, is priced at 4,299,000  Indonesian Rupiah (US$ 301 / Rs. 20,625 approx.), available for pre-order till July 5th, ...

Qualcomm introduces QCC3026 Bluetooth Audio SoC with Qualcomm TrueWireless Stereo for entry-level and mid-tier wireless headsets

Qualcomm today introduced Low Power Bluetooth SoC QCC3026, a flash-programmable with enhanced Qualcomm TrueWireless Stereo protocols . Qualcomm also said that it reduces power consumption by up to 50% compared to previous generation entry-level flash devices. Highlights of Qualcomm Low Power Bluetooth SoC QCC3026 Low power design and ultra-small form factor Up to 32MHz 32-bit processor application subsystem 1x Qualcomm Kalimba DSP Qualcomm Broadcast Audio technology, Qualcomm TrueWireless Stereo technology, Qualcomm TrueWireless Stereo Plus technology, Qualcomm aptX audio technology, Qualcomm cVc audio technology Voice Assistant Services with support for voice services available via button-press activation, relaying the audio stream and voice control capabilities to a handset to process and execute commands. Bluetooth 5.0 and 2 Mbps Bluetooth Low Energy support, Dual-mode Bluetooth Suppressed background noise and echo feedback with Qualcomm cVc™ Noise Cancellation Technology for a quieter and more seamless user experience. Reference designs based on the QCC3026 SoC are expected to be available in the second half of 2018. The OPPO O-Free that was introduced today is the first Bluetooth headset to use the SoC. Anthony Murray, senior vice president and general manager, voice & music, Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd, said: Consumers are eager for earbuds they can use all day, when they are at home, in ...

Comio X1 Note Review

A few weeks back, Comio launched its mid-range smartphone dubbed as X1 Note in the Indian market at price tag of Rs. 9,999. This smartphone comes in Royal Blue and Sunrise Gold colors and is now available across online platforms as well as through retail stores across the country. At a price of Rs. 9,999, is Comio X1 Note a worthy contender? Let's check it out. Display, Design, and Hardware The Comio X1 Note sports a 6-inch (2160 x 1080 pixels) Full HD+ 2.5D Curved Glass display. The display is bright, vibrant and the color reproduction is good to an extent. The viewing angles are good and the sunlight legibility is average as well. Talking about the design, the Comio X1 joins the club of premium design smartphones. This device comes with a plasticky mirror finish on the back making it lightweight and has a curvy edge around the corner. It measures 8.05mm in thickness and weighs around 218 grams. [gallery link="file" columns="2" size="large" ids="257106,257102"] Talking about the placement, this smartphone has an 8MP front-facing camera, earpiece, LED flash and a bunch of sensors above the display. With this device, the company has opted for on-screen navigation instead of capacitive buttons. [gallery link="file" size="medium" columns="2" ids="257096,257099,257097,257098"] Moving right, ...

WhatsApp ‘Send Messages’ feature lets group admins restrict other members from sending messages

WhatsApp today is rolling out a new feature to its app, like with many recent updates to groups, this also bring a new feature to the group. If you are a group admin, you can now disable the chat features from the group settings. This means that except for the group admins, members cannot send messages within the group. All other participants, when the group settings are set to “Only Admins," won’t be able to send any messages in the group. This applies text to messages, images, videos, voice messages, etc. If you’re a group administrator, you can configure this setting from the Group Info menu. Once you have changed the permission to all participants, group members will be notified with a particular message right above the message box. The same chat box will be hidden from members if the group admin enables the option. However, despite the roll out to Android, iOS, and Windows, the feature is available only to iOS as of this moment, but other platforms should be getting it pretty soon. Once the feature is available to you, it can be accessed from WhatsApp Web as well. You need to update your WhatsApp version to the 2.18.201 beta for Android and 2.18.70 for iOS. Via

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition and ‘Show Mode’ hands-free Alexa experience, Show Mode Charging Dock for Fire Tablets announced

Amazon today is introducing the All-New Fire HD 10 Kids Edition; it is Amazon’s Largest and Fastest Kids Tablet Fire HD 10 Kids Edition. It packs 10.1-inch 1080p Full HD screen, 32 GB of storage, and up to 10 hours of battery life, plus a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited. The tablet comes with Quad-Core processor, 32GB of storage with up to 256 GB of expandable storage via a microSD card slot. The company is also bundling it with Includes a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, which offers more than 15,000 books, videos, educational apps, and games that have been curated for age-appropriateness. After the first year, Amazon FreeTime Unlimited starts at $2.99 per month for Prime members and $4.99 per month for customers non-Prime members. As a layer of protection, the company is offering Fire Kids Edition tablets with a kid-proof case available in blue, pink, or yellow, and a two-year worry-free guarantee. Not just that, Amazon today announced Show Mode; a new, immersive hands-free Alexa software experience for Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10 tablets. It lets you ask Alexa to see trending news, weather, camera feeds, and more. The company is also announcing new Show Mode Charging; it is a docking station for current generation ...