Tag Archives: Qualcomm

Android, Mobile, News

ASUS Zenfone 8 & Zenfone 8 Flip Make Malaysian Debut

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It’s been quite a while since Malaysia saw a Zenfone. The last Zenfone officially launched in Malaysia was the Zenfone 5 – which, to be honest, was a stellar device. However, since then, ASUS hasn’t brought any of their smartphones – aside from the ROG Phone – to Malaysia. This year, it seems like ASUS will be kicking into gear bringing in not one but both of their Zenfone 8 offerings to Malaysia.

The Zenfone 8 series launched internationally earlier this month. The series brings two new Zenfones into ASUS’s portfolio – the Zenfone 8 and the Zenfone 8 Flip. The Zenfone 8 marks a new approach for ASUS when it comes to smartphones. The company is committing to creating smaller, palmable devices with killer specifications. Of course, to do this, they leave behind some of the defining features of the Zenfone including the flipping camera. That’s where the Zenfone 8 Flip comes in. With a larger body, it brings along the now signature flip camera of the Zenfone series.

Palmable Performance with the Zenfone 8

The Zenfone 8 still carries the honour of being the ASUS flagship. ASUS is packing a top of the line Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor into the smartphone with the Adreno 660 GPU. IT’s coming with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. The Zenfone 8 also packs a 5.9-inch, Samsung AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution and a 120HZ refresh rate.

Of course, being equipped with a flagship processor, it comes with support for WiFi 6 connectivity and Tri-band WiFi support on 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz. It also supports Bluetooth 5.2 and Qualcomm’s aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and NFC. It is also 5G ready.

On the camera front, the smartphone comes with a 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 sensor with 1/1.7-inch sensor size and 0.8μm pixel size equipped with Quad Bayer technology. The sensor has an f/1.8 aperture, with a 78.3° field of view and a 26.6mm focal length. This sensor is complemented by a Sony IMX363 12-megapixel ultra-wide, dual pixel sensor. It comes with 1/2.55-inch sensor size and 1.4 μm pixel size and f/2.2 aperture. This sensor supports dual phase detection autofocus and has real-time distortion correction. It also supports 4cm macro shots. On the front is a Sony IMX663 12-megapixel sensor with a 1/2.93-inch sensor with 1.22μm pixel size and 76.5° field of view. It supports Dual Phase Detection autofocus.

The smartphone also comes with an under-display fingerprint sensor. It runs on Android 11 with ZenUI 8. All of this runs on the Zenfone 8’s 4,000 mAh battery which is charged via a USB-C port. The hallmark is that all of these specifications and features are housed within a compact body measuring only 148mm x 68.5mm x8.9mm.

Zenfone 8 Flip – Flipping Bigger than its Flagship

The Zenfone 8 Flip shares most of the same specifications as its flagship brother. However, it comes with a larger 6.67-inch FHD+, AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It comes with only 8GB of RAM and only 256GB of internal storage. It’s also powered by a larger 5,000mAh battery.

The biggest difference comes in the form of the flipping camera. ASUS has imbued the Flip with a triple camera setup which functions as both the main and selfie cameras. The setup comes with the same sensors as the back camera on the Zenfone 8 but is further complemented by an 8-megapixel telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom and 12x hybrid zoom.

Pricing & Availability

The Zenfone 8 will be available starting from 28th May 2021 at all authorized dealers and ASUS Digital Stores. It will come in two configurations; one with 8GB RAM and 128GB onboard memory which retails for MYR2,699 and a 16GB RAM with 256GB onboard memory retailing for MYR3,299. The latter will be available exclusively on Shopee. It comes in Obsidian Black or Horizon Silver.

The Zenfone 8 Flip will retail for MYR2,999 for the 8GB and 256GB version in Malaysia. It will be available in Galactic Black and Glacier Silver.

Purchases made on ASUS’s Shopee Mall front will be entitled to early bird promos from 28 May to 11 June 2021. Purchases made within this period will be entitled to a SolidSuit Case. ASUS is also offering a trade-in deal where customers are able to trade in their old Zenfones for an MYR200 rebate on the Zenfone 8 series. However, this trade-in offer is only available at physical retail stores from 28 May until 25 June 2021.

Business, Computers, News

Qualcomm Announces Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 Compute Platform for Laptops

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Qualcomm is expanding its horizons with a new take on their Snapdragon 7c Compute Platform. The company started looking into mobile compute back in 2017 and introduced their first generation 7c back in 2019. Slightly over a year after, the company is bringing a new, improved take meant for an always connected future.

The new generation Snapdragon 7c compute platform takes aim at an emerging need for always connected PCs at an affordable price point. The new generation comes with the Snapdragon X15 4G LTE modem which provides on-the-go connectivity; allowing devices that come with the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 to switch seamlessly between WiFi and cellular networks. Qualcomm is looking to address the growing need for reliable, stable connections in the age of Work from Anywhere.

Source: Qualcomm

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c compute platform brings together performance, battery life and connectivity. It comes with an Octa-core Kryo 468 CPU which can be run at speeds of up to 2.55GHz providing enough compute for on-the-go work. Similar to its mobile counterparts, the compute platform comes with an Adreno GPU which supports QHD resolution at 60Hz. It also utilizes the Qualcomm Spectra 255 image signal processor which supports up to 14-bit image signal processing. The package, overall, should rival some of the entry level and lower mid range laptops we see in the market.

Affordable Performance for Entry Level Systems

Qualcomm isn’t just building the compute platform for performance, it’s looking at bringing value to a more affordable segment of laptops. To that end, they have been developing the 7c compute platform to bring performance which lasts. They are touting that the Snapdragon 7c is able to provide performance and multiday battery life. The new generation of the compute platform is built with up to 60% more productivity performance per watt compared to currently available laptops. However, they are also making things more affordable with a lower entry level when it comes to pricing. The 7c platform costs about one third of the currently available premium x86 systems.

Source: Qualcomm

The Snapdragon 7c compute platform isn’t just about the silicon either. Qualcomm is baking in AI features which help with on-the-go working. Their Hexagon 629 DSP in the 7c is able to handle over 5 trillion operations a second with its built-in AI engine. This AI enhances device security and even powers more accurate voice recognition and even features like gaze correction for video conferencing.

Working with OEMs for a Diverse Device Ecosystem

The emergence of Work from Anywhere and its acceleration in the midst of the current pandemic has necessitated Qualcomm and its partners to develop unique solutions. Qualcomm has been working with companies like Acer, ASUS, Lenovo and Samsung to create sturdy, affordable and powerful laptops built on the compute platform. This time, the company is working with manufacturers and even software companies for a more complete and optimised experience on the Snapdragon 7c Compute platform.

Manufacturers like Lenovo, HP and Acer are working on creating on-the-go work systems which take advantage of the compute system. They have Windows 10 laptops running on the 7c. Qualcomm has also been working to optimise the platform to better support all versions of Windows 10 for a better user experience.

That said, Windows isn’t the only operating system that Qualcomm is optimising the Snapdragon 7c for either. The company is also working with companies like Acer and ASUS to cultivate a Chrome OS ecosystem. Systems like the Acer Spin 513 Chromebook are already making their way to the market.

Android, Mobile, News

OPPO A74 Makes Malaysian Debut While the Reno5 Gets A Price Cut

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OPPO is getting really busy with more and more devices coming into the Malaysian market. Just a few weeks back, the company launched their most affordable 5G smartphone, the OPPO A74 5G. The 4G variant of the OPPO A74 is now set to make its debut on May 20, 2021. It will be coming as an exclusive to LAZADA. It will be retailing for MYR899 and will be available with freebies for its first sale.

Source: OPPO Malaysia

The OPPO A74 comes packed with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor complemented with 6GB of RAM. It will also have 128GB of UFS 2.1 memory and support for up to 512GB of extra memory via a microSD card. It supports 33W fast charging through a USB-C port. On the camera front, it has a triple sensor setup with a 48-megapixel main camera sensor with an f/1.7 aperture, a 2-megapixel macro sensor with f/2.4 aperture and a 2-megapixel depth sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. The OPPO A74 supports 4K video recording at 30 fps. The front camera is a 16-megapixel sensor with an f/2.1 aperture. The phone is powered by a 5,000mAh battery.

The affordable option from OPPO also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack and an under-screen fingerprint sensor. To complete the media experience, the smartphone comes with a 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a 1080×2400 pixel resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. It will be running ColorOS 11 atop Android 11.

Source: OPPO Malaysia

Together with the new smartphone, OPPO is also repricing the OPPO Reno5 5G. The mid-range offering will now be priced at MYR1,699, MYR200 cheaper than its launch price. The new pricing makes the smartphone one of the more affordable 5G devices available on the market now. It also comes with OPPO’s VOOC Charge 2.0 and a camera setup that brings all of OPPO’s signature camera features.

Mobile, News

Qualcomm Processors Have A Worrying Security Flaw

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Qualcomm provides processors for nearly every smartphone OEM you can think of. The company’s success in providing stable, powerful systems on a chip (SoCs) have made it one of the largest suppliers in the world. However, the dependency on a single provider may not bode well for OEMs with a crucial vulnerability being discovered in these SoCs.

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An Isreali cybersecurity research firm called CheckPoint Research has found a crucial flaw in Qualcomm’s MSM (Mobile Station Modems) that could potentially affect user privacy. The MSM is an SoC itself which allows smartphones using Qualcomm’s processors to connect to cellular networks such as 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G. It also enables a slew of features that complement the connectivity including high definition recording of calls.

The vulnerability affects a protocol called the Qualcomm MSM Interface (QMI) which facilitates communication between MSM’s software components and other systems on the device it’s been deployed in. This vulnerability allows malicious actors (ie hackers) to inject malicious code into the modem. They can do this by deploying apps or other more intricate ways to access data such as user call history and SMS. The fact that the vulnerability could even be exploited to listen in to you conversations and unlock the SIM on the phone is all the more alarming.

Photo by Daniel Romero on Unsplash

Given the proliferation of Qualcomm processors in the market, an estimated 30% of devices worldwide are affected by the security vulnerability. However, in a research note, CheckPoint does indicate that Qualcomm has been notified of the vulnerability since October last year. Since then, Qualcomm and manufacturers such as Samsung have already been deploying fixes for the vulnerability. Of note, the vulnerability will be listed in Google’s next monthly Android Security bulletin. Samsung has indicated that the May 2021 patch does address the vulnerability and has been patching the vulnerability silently since January 2021.

The vulnerability classified as CVE-2020-11292 and has been noted to affect smartphones from OnePlus, OPPO, Google, LG, Samsung and more.

Android, Gaming, Mobile, News

Qualcomm Working On Gaming Hardware Similar to the Nintendo Switch

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How do you know when you have a winning product? Well, if you’re Nintendo, it’s when everyone seems to be looking at mimicking it. In a report from Android Police, it looks like Qualcomm might be the latest in line with plans to create a gaming console similar to Nintendo’s money making Switch.

While it may seem like Qualcomm is looking to get into the console gaming space, the report says otherwise. Instead, the company is looking to spur innovation for its partners in adopting new, unconventional form factors for devices. This also means that the device could likely be a limited run – unless Qualcomm is working to get into the hardware space.

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The Qualcomm powered mobile gaming console looks to be mimicking the form factor of the Nintendo Switch. According to Android Police, it shares the same detachable “joycon” controllers. However, the console itself seems to be resembling a thicker smartphone. The chonky design choice is apparently meant to help with cooling which will allow Qualcomm to push the processor a little bit harder. Speaking of, it seems like the console will be coming with the next generation Qualcomm processor. This seems to be supported by the fact that Qualcomm is looking to release it sometime in Q1 of 2022.

The console will apparently be equipped with 5G connectivity albeit with the current generation X55 modem. It’s expected to come with the standard array of connectivity options we see in standard mobile phones. This includes GPS, Bluetooth, accelerometers and some haptics. However, it’s uncertain whether Qualcomm will be using a standard chip design or using specially customised one like the Snapdragon 855+ which was on the ROG Phone. It’s reported to have an SD Card slot as well and a large 6,000mAh battery. No screen size has been confirmed however, Android Police and XDA Editor in Chief Mishaal Rahman estimates it to be about 6.65-inches. It’s uncertain whether the console will comes with a dedicated port for TV out or go with the USB-C port like the Nintendo Switch. However, the console will be running Android 12 with a customised skin.

That aside, it looks like Qualcomm might be gearing up for some serious gaming content. The console will apparently be launching with Epic Game’s app. The company is also looking to build its own content library portal for the console. It’s still unclear if they will be teaming up with XBOX, NVIDIA or Google Stadia for even more content but it’s likely that they are looking to keep most of the gaming content offline to showcase the graphics capabilities of their SoC.

The move is an interesting one given the current landscape where we are seeing an increasing number of people gaming on mobile. However, it could also indicate that Qualcomm might be signalling that it’s ready to start making chips for portable consoles like the Nintendo Switch. This would be a big jump as the Switch currently uses a customised NVIDIA Tegra X1 processor while other consoles like the PS5 come with a customised AMD processor. The push for unconventional form factors is another interesting move from Qualcomm and could be the impetus we need to see an other N.Gage hit the scene.

Android, Mobile, News

Alongside the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro, the OnePlus 9R Launches in India and China.

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The OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro launched alongside a certain OnePlus Watch. There was a third OnePlus smartphone that launched on the side though. This was not part of the global launch for a simple reason. It will only be available mid-April onward in India and China for now. That device is the OnePlus 9R.

We talked about the cheaper variant of the OnePlus 9 series before. It is expected to be the least powerful version of the OnePlus 9 series, but still pack enough power to match most other flagships. We also expected it to be a 5G device, but not pack the state-of-the-art Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G System on a chip (SoC).

It packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 for that matter. It is still a very powerful flagship level chip with 5G capability derived from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 7nm chip of last year. You can opt for up to 12GB of RAM too with 256GB of storage in tow. With 4,500mAh in battery size and 65W with Wrap Charge 65T, the device will still impress.

That is not all that you get though from the OnePlus 9R. You get one more camera than the vanilla OnePlus 9. What you have is a 48-Megapixel main shooter (Sony IMX586), a 16-Megapixel ultra-wide lens, a 5-Megapixel Macro sensor, and 2-Megapixel depth sensor. Technically, you are getting the same camera array from the OnePlus 8T. In that case, it looks more like an enhanced OnePlus 9. It even packs the same 120Hz OLED display from the vanilla OnePlus 9 at 6.55-inch Full HD+.

The OnePlus 9R, as previously mentioned, will be available in India and China in mid-April onward. The device will be available with about the same colorways as the OnePlus 9 except that it also gets an exclusive matt black colourway. The OnePlus 9R will be retailing at IN₹ 39,999 or around US$ 550 (MYR 2,276*) for the 8GB + 128GB variant and IN₹ 43,999 or around US$ 600 (MYR 2,503*) for the 12GB + 256GB variant. They are cheaper than the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro. There are no mentions on whether or not the onePlus 9R will make it to markets outside China and India at the time being.

*Approximate value based on conversion rate IN₹ 100.00 = MYR 5.69 on xe.com as of 24/03/2021

Source: Android Central

Android, Mobile, News

POCO Unveils Two New Performance Oriented, Affordable Flagships – The POCO F3 & POCO X3 Pro

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POCO has finally revealed “The Real Beast” POCO F3 and the PCO X3 Pro. The new flagships are spearheading the company’s foray into providing value-oriented flagships that don’t only take their value seriously but also the performance they pack as flagships. Powered by flagship-class Snapdragon 800 series processors, they aren’t skimping on much when it comes to performance. 

POCO F3 

The new POCO F3 5G comes with a 6.67-inch, AMOLED display. The ultra-tiny DotDisplay also comes with 120Hz refresh rate. POCO has opted to go with the AMOLED E4 panel for better image performance. The F3 has opted for a FHD 1080p resolution and enhanced the display with 360Hz sampling touch and 1300nits of peak brightness. It has up to 5000000:1 contrast ratio and features what Xiaomi is touting to be “true color”. 

The POCO F3 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor along with Adreno 650 GPU at its core which provides better, more snappy performance compared to their X3 Pro. The processor and GPU are complemented by up to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of onboard UFS 3.1 memory.  

On the camera front, the POCO F3 features a tri-camera setup with a single sensor for the selfie camera. On the back, the triple camera setup comes with a 48-megapixel primary camera with f/1.79 aperture and 6P lens with a 1/2″ sensor size and 1.6μm 4-in-1 large pixel. This is complemented by an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor with 119° of field of view and an f/2.2 aperture together with a 5-megapixel tele-macro lens with f/2.4 aperture. On the front, it has a 20-megapixel sensor. 

While the device come with basic connectivity such as USB Type-C, NFC feature, Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi 6, 3.5mm headphone jack and other. However, POCO F3 is sound by Dolby Atmos, the dual speaker is able to enhance the performance and increase the immersive experience. It is packed with 4520mAh battery and an in-box fast charger at 33W. However, the device has a slimmer and light weight design at measure 7.8mm and 196 grams for weight compare to POCO X3 Pro.  

POCO X3 Pro  

Together with the F3, POCO also announced the new POCO X3 Pro which comes with a 6.67-inch FHD, LCD Dot Display. The display is capable of up to 120Hz refresh rate. It also packs a 240Hz touch sampling rate. The display is also equipped with HDR 10 technology, and is capable of 450 nits of brightness and a contrast ratio of1500:1. Don’t fret about your eyes as the smartphone also comes with reading mode 2.0 and Dynamic Switch which helps protect your eyes while keeping the colour true to life.  

It is powered by Snapdragon 860 octa-core processor, and paired with an Adreno 640 GPU. This is complemented with up to 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of UFS3.1 internal storage.  

When it comes to cameras, the POCO X3 comes with a quad-camera setup complemented with a single front camera. On the back, the camera comes with a 48-megapixel primary camera with an f/1.79 aperture, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor with 119° field of view as well as a 2-megapixel macro lens and a 2-megapixel depth sensor, both lenses come with f/2.4 aperture.  The selfie camera is a 20-megapixel sensor. 

The POCO X3 Pro is equipped with large, 5160mAh battery but remains fairly light weight coming in at only 215g. It comes with a 33W fast charger in the box. The POCO X3 Pro device comes with dual speakers with high-res audio certification. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack. Similar to the POCO F3, the X3 Pro comes with the latest version MIUI 12 for POCO based on Android 11.  

Pricing and Availability  

The POCO X3 Pro is available in three colour variants: Phantom Black, Frost Blue and Metal Bronze. The device will retail with prices starting at MYR 999 (USD$242.90) for the 6GB+128GB model while the 8GB+256GB version will retail at RM1299(USD$315.77) in Malaysia. Internationally, prices will start at EUR€199 (USD$153.72/MYR632.25) and EUR€249 (USD$296.72/MYR 1,220.65) respectively.  

In Malaysia, the POCO F3 will be available for purchase on the Xiaomi Official Store Global on Shopee starting from March 24, 2021. The POCO X3 will be available at a special price of MYR899 (USD$218.55) and RM 1099 (USD$267.20) from March 24 (00:00GMT +8) to 25 (23:59GMT+8) while stock last. 

Product  RAM  ROM Price Limited deal  
POCO F3 6GB 128GB RM999 (USD$242.90) RM899 (USD$218.55) 
 8GB 256GB RM1299 (USD315.80) RM1099 (USD$267.20) 
POCO X3 Pro 6GB 128GB RM1399 (USD340.12)RM1299 (USD$315.77)
 8GB 256GB RM1699 (USD$413.10) RM1499 (USD$364.41) 
Official Malaysian Pricing for the POCO F3 and X3 Pro

The POCO F3, on the other hands, will be offered in three colours: Arctic White, Night Black and Deep Ocean Blue.  The device will available with prices starting from MYR1,399 (USD$ 340.12) for 6GB+128GB and MYR1,699(USD$ 413.10) for 8GB+128GB. Internationally, it will be priced starting from EUR€299 (USD$356.42/MYR1,466.26) and EUR€349 (USD$416.02/MYR1,711.21). 

In Malaysia, you can purchase the POCO F3 on the Xiaomi Official Store Global on Lazada starting from 27 March 2021. Similar to the X3 Pro, the F3 will be available for a discounted price of MYR 1,299 (USD$ 315.80) for 6GB+128GB and MYR 1,499 (USD$ 364.41) for 8GB+256GB from March 27 (00:00 GMT+8) to March 28 (23:59 GMT+8) while stocks last.

Official Specifications

 POCO F3 POCO X3 Pro 
Display 6.67“AMOLED, ultra-tiny DotDisplay E4 material 2400×1080 FHD+  120Hz refresh rate, 360Hz touch sampling rate Contrast ratio: 5000000:1 Brightness: 900 nits (typ), 1300 nits (peak)   True Color  True Display HDR10+ MEMC (Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation) Sunlight display 3.0 360° Ambient Light Sensor 6.67″ FHD+ LCD DotDisplay 2400×1080 FHD+  120Hz refresh rate 240Hz touch sampling rate DynamicSwitch Contrast ratio: 1500:1 Brightness: 450 nits (typ) Sunlight display Reading mode 2.0 HDR10 
Body Arctic White Night Black Deep Ocean Blue Corning®️ Gorilla® Glass 5 front and back Phantom Black Frost Blue Metal Bronze Corning® Gorilla® Glass 6 front 2.5D glass front 3D curved back 
Dimensions 163.7mm x 76.4mm x 7.8mm 196g 165.3mm x 76.8mm x 9.4mm 215g 
Bands 2G: GSM: 850 900 1800 1900MHz         3G: WCDMA: 1/2/4/5/8         4G: LTE FDD: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/17/20/28/66         4G: LTE TDD: 38/40/41       5G*: n1/n3/n5/n7/n8/n20/n28/n38/n41/n77/n78     2G: GSM: 850 900 1800 1900MHz 3G: WCDMA: B1/2/4/5/8 4G: LTE FDD: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28 4G: TDD-LTE: B38/40/41 
Performance Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 870 Mobile Platform 7nm process technology Qualcomm® Kryo™ 585 octa-core CPU, up to 3.2GHz Qualcomm® Adreno™ 650 GPU Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 860 Mobile Platform 7nm process technology Qualcomm® Kryo™ 485 octa-core CPU, up to 2.96GHz Qualcomm® Adreno™ 640 GPU 
Storage LPDDR5  UFS 3.1 LPDDR4X  UFS 3.1 
Heat dissipation LiquidCool Technology 1.0 Plus D5 copper heat pipe + multi-layer graphite LiquidCool Technology 1.0 Plus D5 copper heat pipe + multi-layer graphite 
Rear camera 48MP main camera – 1/2″ sensor size, 1.6μm 4-in-1 large pixel – f/1.79, 6P lens, AF 8MP ultra-wide camera – f/2.2, FOV 119°  5MP telemacro camera – f/2.4, AF (3cm-7cm) 48MP main camera – 1/2“ sensor size, 1.6μm 4-in-1 large pixel   – f/1.79, 6P lens, AF 8MP ultra-wide camera – f/2.2, FOV 119°  2MP macro camera – f/2.4, FF (4cm) 2MP depth sensor     – f/2.4, FF 
Front camera 20MP in-display camera 20MP in-display camera 
Connectivity Multi-functional NFC  IR blaster Bluetooth 5.1 Wi-Fi 6 5G* Multi-functional NFC  IR blaster Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi 6 Dual SIM, Dual 4G standby 
Unlock Side-mounted fingerprint sensor Face unlock Side-mounted fingerprint sensor Face unlock 
Charging 4520mAh (typ) battery  33W in-box fast charger 52 mins*** to 100% USB-C 5160mAh (typ) battery  33W in-box fast charger USB-C 
Audio Dolby Atmos®** Dual speakers Hi-Res Audio  Hi-Res Audio Wireless certified  Dual speakers High-res audio certified 3.5mm headphone jack 
Motor X-axis linear motor Z-axis linear motor 
System MIUI 12 for POCO based on Android 11 MIUI 12 for POCO based on Android 11 
Storage 6GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB 6GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB 
Android, Editorial, Mobile

3 Reasons Why The vivo X60 Series with ZEISS Technology May Defy Your Expectations

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vivo isn’t a name you would necessarily associate with photography. However, the company has been honing its offerings over the past few years, becoming an innovator when it comes to developing new technologies in the smartphone photography space. Just last year, in 2020, vivo introduced one of the most compelling, feature packed smartphones – the vivo X50 series. The X50 series was also the first smartphone to come with built-in gimbal stabilization. This year’s vivo X60 Series is upping the ante even more with a new, camera centric collaboration with ZEISS.

Source: vivo

The collaboration isn’t just done on a whim. ZEISS and vivo are working together to develop technologies that will take smartphone imaging leaps and bounds. As part of this collaboration, the two companies have setup the vivo ZEISS Imaging Lab to research and develop new technologies that will improve smartphone photography. The new vivo X60 series is the first smartphone series to bring the fruits of this collaboration mainstream.

That’s enough of a history lesson. Let’s get into the fun parts! Here’s why the vivo X60 series will defy your expectation.

1.   ZEISS Lenses Help Capture Every Moment with Clarity

Source: vivo

As mentioned, the vivo X60 series is the first series bringing technology and innovations from the vivo-ZEISS partnership. This includes a whole new set of camera lenses and technologies which will up your photography game significantly.

ZEISS is bringing its Vario-Tessar lenses to the vivo X60 which will allow you to capture clear, crisp pictures. These lenses come with ZEISS’s T*anti-reflective coating which allows more light to be captured by the sensor on the vivo X60 Pro. vivo’s Extreme Night Vision 2.0 further enhances low light performance in the vivo X60 series. The AI algorithm helps reduce noise under low light, giving you crisp, rich details. Simply put, you’ll be able to capture amazing pictures even under low light!

These paired with apertures as large as f/1.48 on the customised Sony IMX598 sensor and vivo’s Pixel Shift Ultra HD Imaging you’ll be capturing pro-level, detail rich pictures with a single click.

2.   Steady Shot move aside, Gimbal Stabilization 2.0 is bringing the heat!

The vivo X60 Pro will be coming equipped with an improved version of vivo’s Gimbal Stabilization which debuted with the vivo X50 Pro. The improved Gimbal stabilization technology allows the smartphone to catch even steadier shots. So, you won’t have to worry about blurs thanks to shaking.

Source: vivo

The improved Gimbal Stabilization technology stabilizes the camera across four axes in addition to the pitch and yaw of the cameras. This allows the camera to remain still even when your hands are shaking or when you’re walking. It helps minimise sudden jerks and even allows you to take videos with cinematic movements. This is helped further by VIS 5 axis video stabilization technology.

3. 5G connectivity & Top of the line performance without breaking the bank thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 processor

vivo’s X60 series comes powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 processor. While it may seem like the Snapdragon 870 is a generation behind, that cannot be further from the truth. Announced earlier this year in January, the Snapdragon 870 brings improved performance over last year’s flagship Snapdragon 865. However, it also walks the tightrope when it comes to affordability.

Source: Qualcomm

It packs a super capable Qualcomm Hexagon 698 processor which not only boasts better performance over last year’s processor but also provides better power efficiency. It has a 10% boost in GPU and CPU performance and even supports 5G connectivity. The Qualcomm Spectra image signal processor allows you to capture even clearer images and supports multiple AI functions such as portrait mode. It also supports 4K videography at simultaneous 64MP image capture. The vivo X60 series will have a new ZEISS Biotar Portrait style which will allow you to capture artistic, centre-weighted portraits without the need for extra accessories.

That’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Source: vivo

That’s right, these 3 reasons are simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to vivo’s new X60 series. The features are still being revealed as we speak in leaks and even announcements. We’re definitely anxious to see what vivo has in store for us with the vivo X60 series. The smartphone is turning out to be one of the most exciting smartphones of 2021!

Don’t forget to tune in to the official launch of the vivo X60 series happening on March 22 2021 at 9.30 p.m.!

Android, Mobile, News

OnePlus 9R 5G – the Less Expensive OnePlus 9, Confirmed for India

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The OnePlus 9 series is upon us. We know that the new OnePlus ‘Flagship Killer’ flagship model is coming with a Hasselblad branded camera module. We also know that its specs will be very similar to OPPO’s latest Find 3X Pro, at least for the Pro variant of the device. What we did not know is that there is going to be a budget friendly version of the series, now we know it as the OnePlus 9R.

The OnePlus 9R, as per Pete Lau, CEO of OnePlus, is meant for the India market for now. The device is supposed to be going along the philosophy of the route of the OnePlus Nord. In that sense, the OnePlus 9R, while not technically a successor to the OnePlus Nord, is meant to sit in the mid-range spectrum of devices in the industry.

OnePlus says that the OnePlus 9R is going to feature 5G capabilities. That should be a welcome to emerging markets or at least for some future proofing. They also say that the OnePlus 9R should be a performer when it comes to games. That also means a display that refreshes at 90Hz at least.

Of course, to be a top gamer the OnePlus 9R needs some performance out of its hardware. That comes in the form of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 (rumoured). We could be wrong though.

As far as reports go though, these are the only details to be found so far. There are no other firm details on the OnePlus 9R. We do expect it to be priced a little higher than the Nord though, if we are to believe rumours of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865.

Whatever it is, the OnePlus 9 is soon launching. The device is scheduled to make a global debut on the 23rd of March 2021. The new OnePlus 9 series is supposed to come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 System on a chip (SoC) and will power two 50-Megapixel cameras. OnePlus has also formed a partnership with Hasselblad to optimise their camera even more. To watch OnePlus launch their new OnePlus 9 flagship series on the 23rd March 2021, you can head over to their YouTube channel.

Android, Hands On, Mobile, Video

Samsung Galaxy A72 Hands On

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Samsung just unveiled their latest entries into their Galaxy A series which bring with them a totally new approach for their midrange smartphones. The new Galaxy A72 spearheads the line up with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G and 8GB of RAM. It also has up to 256GB of internal storage.

The new Galaxy A72 will be coming to the market in the next few weeks and will retail at EUR€449 internationally. In Malaysia, the smartphone will set you back MYR2,299.

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