OPPO patents Find Z, could feature 10X optical zoom, in-display fingerprint sensor

OPPO at the MWC 2019 event is all set to announce a smartphone with a 10X optical zoom lens; possibly the F19 and F19 Pro. However, the company is also working on bringing the successor of the Oppo Find X; the Find X2. But the new patent file suggests otherwise.   Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications filed a trademark on 2 February 2019 with the EUIPO for the brand name Find Z. The last Find series phone before the Find-series was the Find 7a which was introduced in early 2014. Rumors suggest that the new model could come with a 10X optical zoom lens. The device would come with a punch-hole camera to accommodate the selfie shooter. This also means that it might come with water and dust resistance. In addition, the new Oppo Find smartphone will have an in-display fingerprint scanner. Now that Now that the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has filed a trademark application for the name Find Z, it seems plausible that the successor to the Find X will be Find Z, but not Find X2. It is also possible that the company might show the device at the MWC 2019 show later this month. We will know more in the days to come. Source | Via

Xiaomi Mi 9 with triple rear cameras spotted in the wild as the company confirms Snapdragon 855-powered flagship

Few days back Xiaomi's product director posted a photo of a smartphone with triple rear cameras on weibo, before removing it. Some users have managed to download it. This will likely be the Mi 9, the company's upcoming flagship. The image confirms vertical camera arrangement, similar to the predecessor, and this doesn't have a rear-mounted sensor, so it will likely feature an in-display fingerprint scanner. Lu Weibing, who was recently appointed as the president of Redmi and VP after a meeting at Xiaomi’s R&D facility in Shenzhen said that there are huge expectations for the Redmi Note 7 Pro and the comapny is working on its flagship smartphone powered by Snapdragon 855. This will probably be the Mi 9 which is expected to be announced sometime in Q2 2019. Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro with Sony IMX586 and Snapdragon 675 is expected to be introduced sometime later this month or early next month. Xiaomi will also showcase its 5G-powered Mi MIX 3 powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G modem at the MWC on February 24th. Source

Xiaomi teases launch of Mi Shoes in India soon

Xiaomi has been launch several lifestyle products in India. Last year it launched Mi Luggage, Travel Pillow and most recently it launched Anti-Pollution Mask and Mi Focus Cube Gold. Today is has posted a new teaser on its social channels with #BestFootForward hinting at the launch of its new Mi SportsShoes in India. It was introduced in China last year as Mi Sport Sneakers 2. Guess what's coming? #BFF pic.twitter.com/J6VFACcbu1 — Mi India (@XiaomiIndia) February 4, 2019 This uses Uni-Moulding process that has 5 different layers and different materials are fused into a single mould offering better stability and support to the feet. The upper part has three-dimensional seamless high-elastic knitting process. It has a durable design so you can use washing machine to wash the sneakers since this doesn't come with any chip to count your steps. The new Mi Shoes was introduced in Black, Blue, White and Grey colors at 199 yuan (US$ 29 / Rs. 2,115 approx.) in China. We should know the price in India when it is launched later this month.

NTT DOCOMO introduces first 360-degree 8K 3D VR system for live video streaming and viewing at 60fps

NTT DOCOMO has announced that it has developed the world's first 8K 3D virtual reality (VR) system for live video streaming and viewing at 60 frames per second (fps) over 5G mobile communications. Viewers will be able to use head-mounted displays to experience music and sporting events in highly realistic 3D VR. Docomo has announced its first 360-degree 8K VR system for live video streaming and viewing June 2018, and has further refined the system for a more immersive and realistic viewing experience. This new refined system features a new 8K encoder that supports frame rates of up to 60 fps, a special 3D camera for live video streaming, and an FPGA stitching device for extra-fast processing. It introduces ViReal 3D audio technology developed by Yamaha Corporation to achieve amazing omnidirectional sound through standard headphones. In collaboration with Hokkaido Television Broadcasting Co., Ltd., and NEC Corporation, DOCOMO successfully streamed video of the rehearsal of this year's Sapporo Snow Festival using NEC's trial 5G equipment to a special booth set up at the festival. The streaming trial was facilitated by the DOCOMO 5G Open Partner Program, under which DOCOMO is collaborating with leading partners, including Yamaha, HTB and NEC. Going forward, DOCOMO will continue to ...

Intex Wireless M-100, M110, M250, M200, M210 mice launched starting at Rs. 360

Intex Technologies has launched a range of 3D/4D/6D wireless Mice giving users a wide range of choice to choose from. This range includes Mouse Wireless M-100, M110, M250, M200, M210, and the company claims that the new range is High on quality and aggressive on pricing. The new range includes 5 mice and is targeted at users looking for accessories for their computer/laptop and expect efficiency and comfort owing to lack of wires while browsing. These come with a firm grip and adjust to a variety of hand sizes.  The mice have a great optical mouse sensor that will work on both hard and cloth pads and ha­s the ultimate body shape for a claw or hybrid claw/palm grip. The DPI range between 800-2000 DPI and are enhanced for efficiency and reduces repetitive forearm twisting. They come with  Anti-Slip rubber scroll wheel for better control and efficiency. The mice are available in Red, Black & Blue colors and are priced in the range of Rs. 360 to Rs.499.  Commenting on the launch, Nidhi Markandey, Director, Intex Technologies said:  Intex’s approach has been to continually bring wider range of products as per the changing needs of the customers and to have a stronger connect with them. The new range has been especially designed for the people who will ...

Xbox Live SDK for Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC cross-platform gaming to be announced at GDC 2019

At GDC 2019, Microsoft is set to debut a new cross-platform development with a goal of bringing Xbox Live support to games on Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, in addition to PC and Xbox consoles. The company currently has a few games with Xbox Live support across mobile devices, most notably via Minecraft, which requires an Xbox Live login on Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch. The company is planning on bringing Xbox Live cross-platform beyond its own games to play to even more titles. Developers will be able to integrate cross-platform Xbox Live achievements, social systems, and multiplayer, into games built for mobile devices and Nintendo Switch, as part of its division-wide effort to grow Xbox Live's userbase. This new information comes from the GDC 2019 scheduling website, describing Microsoft's future plans for Xbox Live. Microsoft also plans to leverage its PlayFab suite of backend tools as part of this package, aiming to streamline the process for developers building live games across multiple platforms. This will break down barriers for developers who intend to have cross-platform service. This combined with PlayFab gaming services means less work for game developers and more time to focus on making games. Source | Via

How to switch between multiple eSIMs on iPhone XS and XS Max with iOS 12.1

When Apple announced support for Dual SIM functionality on the iPhone XS and XS Max, a lot of readers were asking if they would have more than one eSIM on a device. Turns out, you can have save several eSIMs to the iPhone XS and activate any one SIM at anytime. This is such an awesome feature which is only available on the iPhone XS at this point. On a recent trip, I managed to activate several eSIMs on my iPhone XS Max and it worked like a charm. I managed to also try a couple of eSIM based data roaming providers Gigsky and Truphone. Welcome to the Multiple eSIM Party! As you can see in the above screenshot, I had several SIMs configured on my iPhone. I use an Airtel Postpaid connection in India which has uses an eSIM.  I was using Google Fi service on my physical SIM card slot. I had set up Gigsky and Truphone too using the eSIM and was currently using the Truphone service. I could toggle between the various eSIMs seamlessly and get access to various networks and plans without having to pop out physical SIMs. How to switch between eSIMs on the iPhone It would be ...

WhatsApp for iOS gets Face ID or Touch ID biometric authentication

Leveraging on the Apple's Touch ID and Face ID, Facebook-owned WhatsApp for iOS has gained with the ability to lock app and add an extra layer of security. Although it doesn't work per chat basis, it locks down the app for biometric authentication.  The feature can be toggled by updating WhatsApp to the latest version, 2.19.20, from the Apple App Store, head to “Settings” –> “Account” –> “Privacy” before switching “Screen Lock” on. However, users will still be able to view WhatsApp notifications and quick reply within iOS, the full app won’t be able to be accessed unless the standard iOS authentication process is successful. The official changelog on AppStore reads: You can now require Face ID or Touch ID to unlock WhatsApp. Tap "Settings" > "Account" > "Privacy" and enable Screen Lock. Facebook already confirmed that it is working on integrating Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp messaging by the end of this year or by early 2020. You can update the app from App Store.

Google bans several beauty apps from the Play Store that redirect users to phishing websites, steal pictures and more

According to security researchers, several beauty camera apps on Google Play are capable of accessing remote ad configuration servers that can be used for malicious purposes. What's not surprising is that some of these apps have millions of downloads given the popularity. A large number of the download counts originated from Asia, particularly in India. A user can't suspect any one of these apps immediately after downloading until after they decide to delete the app. These apps usually create a shortcut after being launched. However, it will hide its icon from the application list, making it more difficult for users to uninstall the app since it is hidden. Furthermore, these apps use packers to prevent them from being analyzed. Not stopping there, these apps push several full-screen ads when users unlock their devices, including malicious ads (such as fraudulent content and pornography) that will pop up via the user’s browser. The analysis found that a paid pornography player detected as AndroidOS_PornPlayer.UHRXA that was downloaded when clicking the pop-up. None of these apps give any indication that they are the ones behind the ads, thus users might find it difficult to determine where they’re coming from. Some of these apps redirect to phishing websites that ask ...

Meizu Note 9 with 6.2-inch FHD+ display, 48MP rear camera, Android Pie gets certified

After several rumors, Meizu's mid-range smartphone with the model number M923Q has been certified by TENAA in China. This is said to be released as Note 9 or M9 Note sometime later this month. This reveals a 6.2-inch FHD+ water-drop notch screen, Android 9.0 (Pie), 2GHz SoC which will likely be the Snapdragon 675, and a 48-megapixel rear camera, which is said to feature Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM1 sensor, along with a 5-megapixel camera for portrait shots. It also reveals a 20-megapixel front camera and a 4000mAh battery. Meizu Note 9 / M9 Note rumored specifications 6.2-inch (2244×1080 pixels) Full HD+ 18.7:9  2.5D curved glass display 2GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 675 Mobile Platform with Adreno 612 GPU 6GB LPDDR4x RAM, 64GB / 128GB internal storage Android 9.0 (Pie) with Flyme 7 Dual SIM 48MP rear camera with LED flash, f/1.8 aperture, 5MP secondary camera 20MP front-facing camera Fingerprint sensor Dimensions: 153.11×74.34×8.65mm; Weight: 169.7g Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz / 5GHz), Bluetooth 5 LE, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C 4000mAh (typ)/3900mAh (min) battery with fast charging We should get the rear image of the phone from TENAA as well as the announcement date soon. Source