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jeudi 16 juillet 2020

[Update: Available in U.S.] LG’s new wireless earbuds have a self-cleaning charging case and Google Assistant

Update (7/16/20 @ 10:15 AM ET): LG’s self-cleaning truly wireless earbuds are available now in the U.S.

Like many companies that make smartphones, LG also has its own line of wireless earbuds. Last year, the company launched the LG TONE Free earbuds with Google Assistant support in the US. LG is back with another pair of wireless earbuds in this lineup and they retain one of the coolest features.

The new earbuds seem to be called LG TONE Free again (model HBS-FN6), but they feature an all-new design. Last year’s model had rubber ear tips and sort of a flat rounded rectangle that hung out of your ear. The new model also features rubber tips, but it has a more familiar stem design that is common in wireless earbuds. They come in black and white color options.

LG TONE wireless earbud LG TONE wireless earbud LG TONE wireless earbud

The charging case looks pretty much the same as last year. It’s a round “puck” with smoothed-over edges. The coolest feature of the case is LG’s “UVnano” self-cleaning technology. With the built-in ultraviolet light, the case can eliminate 99.9% of E. coli and S. aureus from the non-toxic, hypoallergenic ear tips and inner mesh. The case provides an additional three full charges for the wireless earbuds as well.

In terms of audio quality, LG’s TONE Free wireless earbuds feature customized EQ sound settings developed by Meridian. The four presets include Natural, Immersive, Bass Boost, and Treble Boost. Ambient Sound Mode lets wearers hear what’s going on around them with the press of a button. The earbuds also have dual mics which are useful for the Google Assistant integration.

LG will be launching the TONE Free wireless earbuds next month in Europe and North America. The company did not share pricing at this time, though last year’s model cost $199.

Key Specifications:

  • Earbud Size: 16.1 x 32.77 x 25.0mm
  • Charging Case Size: 54.6 x 54.6 x 27.5mm
  • Battery Capacity
    • Earbuds: 55mAh x 2
    • Case: 390mAh
  • Fast Charging Time: 5 minutes for 1 hour of play
  • Battery Life:
    • Talk: 5 hours
    • Play: 6 hours
    • Earbuds + Case: 18 hours
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 (Single Device Connection)
  • Speaker: 2 Layered Dynamic
  • Microphones: 2 Outer
  • Compatibility: Android / iOS
  • Bluetooth Audio Codec: SBC / AAC
  • Colors: Stylish Black / Modern White

Source: LG | Via: Droid-Life


Update: Available in US

Announced last month, the LG Tone Free (HBS-FN6) are now available in the U.S. for $149.99. They are only available in the black color option. LG has also released the $129.99 HBS-FN5W model without UV cleaning case and the even cheaper $99.99 HBS-FN4 model that lacks UV cleaning and wireless charging.

Source: LG Store | Via: The Verge

The post [Update: Available in U.S.] LG’s new wireless earbuds have a self-cleaning charging case and Google Assistant appeared first on xda-developers.



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NVIDIA GeForce Now adds Hyper Scape beta, Death Stranding, and 9 other games

NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW game-streaming service enjoys its share in the now-crowded game streaming market on the fact that it was one of the first to appear for end consumers. The service started beta testing for Android last year and opened up for everyone in February. NVIDIA had pledged to announce new games for GeForce NOW every week, and over the past months, it has kept to that promise. This week, NVIDIA is giving GeForce NOW 10 new additions, including titles like Hyper Scape beta, Death Stranding, Far Cry Primal, alongside Albion Online as a returning title.

These are the ten titles that have made their way to NVIDIA GeForce NOW this week:

  • Steam:
    • Death Stranding
    • Metin2
    • Surviving Mars
    • Unfortunate Spacemen
  • Epic Game Store
    • Enter the Gungeon
    • Far Cry Primal
    • Totally Accurate Battle Simulator
    • Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint
  • Uplay
    • Hyper Scape open beta
    • TrackMania 2 Stadium

Amongst these, Death Stranding and Hyper Scape are new game launches, having launched on July 12 and July 14 respectively on their platforms. Their addition adds freshness to the game streaming platform, so users don’t need to wait to play these games through the cloud. Also, Albion Online is making a return to GeForce NOW through the Albion launcher.

To play Hyper Scape, you do need to sign up for the open beta.

Here are all the previous title additions to GeForce NOW:

NVIDIA GeForce NOW  incorporates technology that utilizes AI and RTX GPUs to enable “the next generation of performance and visuals”. It’s NVIDIA’s improved deep learning neural network that “boosts frame rates while generating beautiful, sharp images for games”. Since the base technology is game streaming, games begin playing instantly when you fire them up. They also include an experience that has been optimized for cloud gaming and includes Game Ready Driver performance improvements, managed directly by NVIDIA.


NVIDIA GeForce NOW (Free, Google Play) →

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Tecno Pouvoir 4 is the first smartphone with a MediaTek SoC to get Android 11 Beta 1 build

The stable version of Android 11 is still months away, but Google has already finalized the relevant SDK, NDK APIs, and other components in the second beta of Android 11 that came out earlier this month. The beta testing initiative isn’t limited to Google’s Pixel lineup, as various other OEMs have released similar beta builds of Android 11 for their phones. Be it OnePlus, Xiaomi, OPPO, or even the Pixel phones themselves – so far all the recipients of Android 11 Beta are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon SoCs. While you can technically flash Android 11 GSIs on non-Snapdragon devices as well, an official build compiled by the respective OEM does ensure comparatively better stability. The good news is, we now have the first MediaTek phone in the roster.

TECNO, a subsidiary of Transsion, has released Android 11 Beta 1 build for the Tecno Pouvoir 4. The phone sports the MediaTek MT6761 SoC, which is more commonly known as the MediaTek Helio A22. Matter of fact, Tecno also took part in the Android Q beta testing in 2019. Back then, they rolled out a pre-release build of Android 10 for the Helio A22-powered Tecno Spark 3 Pro.

Talking about for the Tecno Pouvoir 4’s Android 11 Beta, it comes with the following limitations:

  1. The release might experience problems with apps, stability, battery, or performance on the device.
  2. Banking and finance apps might not work as expected.
  3. Some apps might crash or may not function as expected when running on this release. This includes Google’s apps as well as other apps.
  4. Some permissions managed through Settings may need to be set again after app re-installation or device reboot.
  5. The release contains some known platform-related issues such as performance and battery, access files in external storage, permissions.
  6. Some apps or icons may be obscured by the water drop screen.
  7. The camera may not be as good as expected.

Download Android 11 Beta 1 for the TECNO Pouvoir 4

Warning: The beta build is strictly meant for the developers. The flashing process completely wipes your device, thus it is highly recommended that you back up your data before proceeding. Users are advised to exercise caution.

Tecno provides a special firmware package for the Pouvoir 4 that utilizes the low-level download mode of the MediaTek chipset (equivalent to the EDL mode of Qualcomm Snapdragon SoCs) for installing the beta build of Android 11. In case you want to revert back to stable Android 10, the rollback package needs to be installed in a similar manner.

Tecno Pouvoir 4: Download Android 11 Beta 1 || Rollback File


Source: TECNO
Via: PR Newswire

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The Vivo X50 and Vivo X50 Pro launches in Europe and India alongside the Vivo TWS Neo Earphones

Vivo has been steadily making inroads in a lot of key markets, including India and its home market China. And the company has also been innovating with its product series. For instance, the Vivo X50 series sports an ambitious camera system, with the Pro variant coming in with a gimbal camera. The Vivo X50, Vivo X50 Pro, and X50 Pro+ were launched early last month in China. Now, Vivo is bringing over two of these devices to India and Europe, alongside the Vivo TWS Neo Earphones.

XDA Forums: Vivo X50 || Vivo X50 Pro || Vivo X50 Pro+

Vivo X50 Series: Specifications

Specifications Vivo X50 Vivo X50 Pro Vivo X50 Pro+
Dimensions and Weight
  • 159.54mm x 75.39mm x 7.49mm
  • 170g
  • 158.46mm x 72.8mm x 8.04mm
  • 181.5g
  • 158.46mm x 72.8mm x 8.04mm
  • 181.5g
Display
  • 6.56″ FHD+ AMOLED
  • 90Hz refresh rate
  • Flat display
  • Single-hole punch
  • HDR 10+
  • 6.56″ FHD+ AMOLED
  • 90Hz refresh rate
  • Curved display
  • Single-hole punch
  • HDR 10+
  • 6.56″ FHD+ AMOLED
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • Curved display
  • Single-hole punch
  • HDR 10+
SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
RAM and Storage
  • 8GB LPDDR4X + 128GB UFS 2.0
  • 8GB + 256GB
  • 8GB LPDDR4X + 128GB UFS 2.1
  • 8GB + 256GB
  • 8GB LPDDR4X + 128GB UFS 2.1
  • 8GB + 256GB
  • 12GB + 256GB
Battery and Charging
  • 4200 mAh battery
  • 33W fast charging
  • 4315 mAh battery
  • 33W fast charging
  • 4315 mAh battery
  • 44W fast charging
Rear Camera
  • Primary: 48MP Sony IMX598 custom sensor, f/1.6, four-axis OIS
  • Secondary: 13MP portrait, f/2.48
  • Tertiary: 8MP ultra-wide-angle, 120° FoV, f/2.2
  • Quarternary: 5MP macro, f/2.48, 1.5cm super macro
  • Primary: 48MP Sony IMX598 custom sensor, f/1.6, gimbal OIS
  • Secondary: 13MP portrait, f/2.46
  • Tertiary: 8MP periscope, f/3.4
  • Quarternary: 8MP ultra-wide-angle, 120° FoV, f/2.2, 2.5cm macro
  • Primary: 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN1 custom sensor, f/1.6
  • Secondary: 13MP portrait, f/2.46
  • Tertiary: 8MP periscope, f/3.4
  • Quarternary: 8MP ultra-wide-angle, 120° FoV, f/2.2, 2.5cm macro
Front Camera 32MP, f/2.48 32MP, f/2.45 32MP, f/2.45
Other Features
  • NFC
  • WiFi 6
  • Bluetooth 5.1
  • SA & NSA Dual-mode 5G
  • In-Display Fingerprint Scanner
  • NFC
  • WiFi 6
  • Bluetooth 5.1
  • SA & NSA Dual-mode 5G
  • In-Display Fingerprint Scanner
  • AK4377A Hi-Fi Sound chip
  • NFC
  • WiFi 6
  • Bluetooth 5.1
  • SA & NSA Dual-mode 5G
  • In-Display Fingerprint Scanner
  • CS43131 Hi-Fi Sound chip
Android Version Funtouch OS 10.5 on top of Android 10 Funtouch OS 10.5 on top of Android 10 Funtouch OS 10.5 on top of Android 10

Factsheets:

The highlight of the Vivo X50 series is the gimbal camera system on the X50 Pro. The main camera on this model utilizes a gimbal camera system that is modeled after a full-sized professional gimbal, which moves the camera module in the direction opposite to that of the shake, increasing the stability of the main camera. As against simpler OIS, a gimbal system widens the rotation angle and anti-shake area. Note that the Vivo X50 and X50 Pro+ do not have a gimbal camera — it’s only present on the middle phone. Consequently, the camera islands on the three phones have their own subtle differences — but otherwise, the design language is identical.

Vivo X50 Pro+ Vivo X50 Pro+

Vivo X50 Pro+

Vivo is also adding a Gimbal Radar within the camera UI, depicting it as an animated ball that reflects the gimbal’s movement. The idea behind it is to let users know when the frame is stable. There are other neat tricks at play too, like motion-deblur algorithms and continuous focus tracking to enhance the image and video clarity. Camera modes include Super Night Mode and Astro Mode, which enable users to capture photos of city and country scenes at night, respectively.

Vivo X50 Pro

Vivo X50 Pro

If the new Gimbal system is only on the Vivo X50 Pro, what is the draw on the X50 Pro+? It’s the new 50MP ISOCELL GN1 sensor that has a big 1/1.3″ optical format and 1.2μm pixels — the sensor size is actually bigger than the Galaxy S20 Ultra’s 108MP sensor. Further, you also get a bump up to the Snapdragon 865 — while the other two phones come with the Snapdragon 765G, as well as a 120Hz display. However, note that the Pro+ variant is currently not available outside of China.

Vivo X50

Of course, the standard Vivo X50 is the humblest sibling with a flat display, lack of gimbal OIS, and lack of a periscope lens.

Vivo X50 series: Pricing and Availability

India

In India, the new Vivo X50 series will be available for the following prices:

  • Vivo X50 — Glaze Black and Frost Blue with Snapdragon 730:
    • 8GB + 128GB: ₹34,990
    • 8GB + 256GB: ₹37,990
  • Vivo X50 Pro — Alpha Grey:
    • 8GB + 256GB: ₹49,990

Both the devices have already gone on pre-booking and will go on sale starting July 24, 2020, across offline retail partners including Reliance, Croma, Vijay Sales, and others. Further, the devices will also be available for purchase from Vivo India’s e-store, Amazon.in, Flipkart, Paytm Mall, Tata Cliq, and others.

Launch offers for the devices include these for online purchases:

  • Up to ₹4,000 Instant Cashback with HDFC & ICICI Bank
  • Up to ₹3,000 additional exchange bonus
  • V-shield – Exclusive complete mobile protection against all damages for a period of 6 months. Offer can be availed by paying ₹2,990 anytime during the first 6 months
  • ₹2,000 off on TWS Neo with X50 series
  • No Cost EMI up to 12 months
  • Vodafone Idea Ltd.: Additional 2GB Data Offer

Buy from Amazon.in: Vivo X50 || Vivo X50 Pro

Europe

The Vivo X50 series will be available in certain regions of Europe such as Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan.


Vivo TWS Neo Earphones

The Vivo TWS Neo mark Vivo’s entry into the truly wireless earphone segment, with a stemmed half in-ear design. These earphones are powered by Qualcomm QCC3046 platform and come with a 14.2mm driver unit, alongside AI noise cancellation. You also get Bluetooth 5.2 for a maximum range of 10m. Vivo is also claiming a latency of 88ms on its X50 series devices. For codec, these earbuds offer aptX Adaptive codec on supported devices.

Vivo TWS Neo

The Vivo TWS Neo will be available in two colors — Moonlight White and Starry Blue. The earbuds will cost ₹5,990 in India and will be available from July 24 onwards.

Buy Vivo TWS Neo Earphones from Amazon.in

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Energy Notch shows a battery indicator around the notch of the OnePlus 6T

Smartphone manufacturers have been pushing boundaries in the attempt to minimize bezels and increase the screen area as much as possible. In this crusade against bezels, companies have opted for wide or mini U or V-shaped bezels, or even hole-punch cutouts while also purging the notification LED. Notches aren’t preferred by everyone but if you wish to utilize the notch area constructively, Energy Notch is an application that lets you add a colorful and animated battery indicator around the notch of your phone. Energy Notch is created by the developer of Energy Ring which serves similar purpose for hole-punch cutouts and is now available for the OnePlus 6T.

OnePlus 6T XDA Forums

Energy Notch simply works by displaying a colored area in an overlay. The creator of the app, XDA Recognized Developer jagan2, notes in the Forum thread that the app has a negligible impact on the CPU and does not consume much battery on the OnePlus 6T. This is done by ensuring the app only wakes when the battery percentage is updated.

Energy Notch thread on XDA Forums

Besides adding single or multiple colors to the notch, you can also use a gradient and these configure these colors to change with the battery percentage. You can also add an animation that is displayed when the phone is charging and configure the flow of the animation between left-to-right or right-to-left. You can also modify the width of the notch as per your preference.

Energy Notch resembles Notch Pie and Battery Notch Indicator that serve the similar purpose of sprucing the notch area. However, unlike theses apps, Energy Notch is exclusive to the OnePlus 6T at the moment and will not work on any other device. This hopefully indicates that the app is well optimized for the OnPlus 6T and you can just install it and roll without having to adjust the width and the shape of the notch – something that is usually required for other apps.

Energy Notch - camera notch as battery indicator! (Free+, Google Play) →

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Samsung Galaxy M01s with MediaTek Helio P22 and Android 9.0 launched in India for ₹9,999 ($133)

Samsung’s Galaxy M-series attempts to capture the online sales segment in the entry-level for Samsung, clashing against the likes of Xiaomi and Realme on this end. Over the years, Samsung has launched many devices within the M-series lineup, including the Galaxy M01 and Galaxy M11 that were launched just last month in India. Samsung has now arrived with a new smartphone in the form of the Samsung Galaxy M01s, and it occupies a curious position within Samsung’s existing portfolio.

Samsung Galaxy M01s: Specifications

Specification Samsung Galaxy M01s
Dimensions & Weight
Display
  • 6.2″ HD+ LCD TFT
  • Infinity-V notch
SoC MediaTek Helio P22
RAM & Storage 3GB + 32GB
Expandable up to 512GB
Battery & Charging 4000mAh
Fingerprint sensor Rear
Rear Camera
  • Primary: 13MP, f/1.8
  • Secondary: 2MP, f/2.4
Front Camera 8MP
Android Version Android 9.0

Considering Samsung just launched the Galaxy M01 last month, the Galaxy M01s may not be intending to phase out the Galaxy M01 just yet, and may instead co-exist alongside as an alternative option. Though, we’d argue that it does dilute what the “s” moniker stands for, and confuses users on the underlying specifications. There are a few upgrades on the Galaxy M01s compared to the Galaxy M01, but there are a fair few downgrades as well.

Samsung Galaxy M01s

For one, the display on the Galaxy M01s is larger. Seeing that this is intended to be a budget device, we can’t fault the HD+ resolution, though obviously FHD+ would have been sweeter. Further, the front camera is also seeing an increase in MP count. There’s also a fingerprint sensor onboard. Unfortunately, the regression comes in the form of the MediaTek Helio P22 SoC, which is a mid-range SoC (at launch) that is two years old at this point. Also disappointing is the fact that the device comes with Android 9.0 Pie.

Pricing and Availability

The Samsung Galaxy M01 has also seen a price increase in recent days, so the Galaxy M01s slots in cheaper at ₹9,999 for the sole 3GB + 32GB variant. The device will be available in two colors — Light Blue and Gray — and will be available for sale across Samsung’s retail stores, Samsung.com, and other major e-commerce platforms.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy M01s from Amazon.in

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Realme’s 125W UltraDart brings along compatibility with multiple charging protocols

Chinese OEM OPPO recently unveiled its new 125W flash charge technology, which is capable of charging a 4,000mAh battery up to 41% in 5 minutes and 100% in 20 minutes. Now, just a few days since the announcement, OPPO’s sister company Realme has come out with its own 125W fast-charging solution called UltraDart. Realme’s new 125W UltraDart charging technology, which is most likely a rebranded version of OPPO’s tech, is capable of charging a 4,000mAh battery up to 33% in just 3 minutes and 100% in 20 minutes.

Much like OPPO’s flash charge technology, Realme UltraDart charging includes support for a variety of charging protocols, including USB-PPS at 125W, USB-PD at 65W, and QC at 36W. The technology is also backward compatible with older fast-charging solutions like OPPO’s VOOC, SuperVOOC, and SuperVOOC 2.0, Realme’s SuperDart, and OnePlus’ Warp charge.

In order to combat overheating, Realme’s UltraDart features ultra-temperature control with 14 temperature sensors and a vapor cooling system on supported devices. Along with that, Realme’s solution also makes use of a reversed battery layout, dual board-to-board connectors, and Multiple Tab Winding (MTW) battery cells to keep the temperatures low. Realme claims that its solution is designed to keep the average temperature at 40°C or less during the entire charging process and that without temperature control, it’s solution is capable of charging a 4,000mAh battery to full in approximately 13 minutes.

Along with the 125W UltraDart solution, Realme has also revealed plans to launch two SuperDart ultra-thin chargers rated at 50W and 65W. While the company hasn’t revealed any details about these upcoming chargers, the 50W SuperDart charger will, most likely, be based on OPPO’s 50W GaN mini SuperVOOC charger which was announced just a couple of days ago. The charger measures 1.05cm in thickness and it supports USB-PD at 27W and USB-PPS at 50W. While Realme’s charger may not feature the same design or dimensions, it might support the same charging standards as OPPO’s offering.

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