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vendredi 5 mars 2021

XDA Forums are now open for Redmi Note 10 Pro, Realme X7, Galaxy A32, Galaxy F62, Moto G30 and more

There’s been a flurry of new smartphone launches in the last couple of weeks, with the likes of Xiaomi, Realme, and Samsung bringing their latest budget and mid-range options to the market. To help owners get the most out of their devices and to stay on top of the latest trends and developments, we have opened up XDA forums for several new smartphones. The list includes both recently launched devices as well a couple of devices that were launched a while ago including the Redmi Note 10 Pro, Realme X7 series, Galaxy F62, Moto E 2020, Moto G10, Moto G30, Galaxy A32 4G, and more.

Redmi Note 10 Pro

The Redmi Note 10 Pro was recently launched in India as part of the Redmi Note 10 series. Of all three devices, the Redmi Note 10 Pro appears to be the most attractive option as it strikes a sweet balance between specs and price. You get a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 732 SoC with up to 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, a 64MP primary camera, and a 5,020mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. The Redmi Note phones have always garnered tremendous community support on XDA forums and that’s likely going to be the case with the Redmi Note 10 Pro as well.

Redmi Note 10 Pro XDA Forums

Realme X7 series

The Realme X7 and X7 Pro were launched in India last month to take on Xiaomi’s Mi 10i. The Realme X7 packs a 6.4-inch AMOLED display, MediaTek Dimensity 800U chipset, up to 8GB RAM with 128GB storage, a 64MP primary camera, and a 4,310mAh battery with 50W fast charging support. The Realme X7 Pro on the other hand has a 6.5-inch AMOLED 120Hz display, MediTek Dimensity 1000+ chipset, 8GB RAM with 128GB storage, a quad-camera setup with a 64MP primary sensor, and a 4,500mAh battery with a 65W fast charger.

Realme X7 XDA Forums ||| Realme X7 Pro XDA Forums

Samsung Galaxy A32 4G and A32 5G

The Galaxy A32 4G and 5G are pretty much identical, save for a couple of differences. The Galaxy A32 4G variant has a 6.5-inch full HD+ AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, MediaTek Helio G80 SoC, a 64MP primary shooter, a 5,00mAh battery, and an in-display fingerprint reader. The 5G model, on the other hand, has a slightly bigger 6.5-inch HD+ AMOLED 60Hz display, a 48MP primary camera, a 13MP primary shooter, and a side-mounted fingerprints scanner, with the rest of the hardware being the same as its 4G counterpart.

Galaxy A32 4G XDA Forums ||| Galaxy A32 5G XDA Forums

Samsung Galaxy F62

Samsung grabbed headlines when it launched the Galaxy F62 last month with a monster 7,000mAh battery. The rest of the specifications are just as impressive with the device packing a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, Exynos 9825 octa-core SoC, a 64MP Sony IMX682 primary camera, and up to 8GB RAM and 128GB UFS 3.0 storage.

Galaxy F62 XDA Forums

Moto G30 and Moto G10

The Moto G30 and Moto G10 are the latest budget-oriented smartphones from Lenovo-owned company. The Moto G30 comes with a 6.5-inch HD+ LCD with a 90Hz refresh rate, Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 SoC, 4GB/6GB RAM, and 128GB storage, a quad-camera setup with a 64MP primary shooter, and a 5,000mAh battery with 20W fast charging support. Meanwhile, the Moto G10 has a 6.5-inch HD+ LCD, Snapdragon 460 SoC, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage, a 5,000mAh battery, and a 48MP primary camera.

Moto G30 XDA Forums ||| Moto G10 XDA Forums

Moto E 2020

The Moto E 2020 was launched last year alongside the Moto G Fast as an entry-level offering. It packs a 6.2-inch HD+ display, Snapdragon 632 chipset, 2GB RAM, 32GB expandable storage, a 13MP camera in a dual-camera setup, and a 3,550mAh battery.

Moto E 2020 XDA Forums

Sony Xperia Pro

The Xperia Pro is perhaps one of the most eccentric smartphones from Sony yet. It’s primarily aimed at professional photographers and broadcaster and doubles as a 4K camera monitor and a 5G phone. It features a 6.5-inch 4K HDR AMOLED display, Snapdragon 865 chipset, a trio of 12MP cameras, 12GB RAM, 512GB storage, a 4,000mAh battery, IP68 rating, and a micro HDMI port.

Sony Xperia Pro XDA Forums

Honor V40

The Honor V40 is the first smartphone from Honor after it became an independent brand. So far it’s only available in China, but should be arriving in international markets in the coming months. In terms of specifications, it packs a 6.72-inch curved OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ chipset, 8GB RAM, 128GB/256GB storage, a 5oMP primary camera, and a 4,000mAh battery with 66W fast charging support.

Honor V40 XDA Forums

Huawei Mate X2

Huawei’s 2nd gen foldable goes head to head against the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, featuring an 8-inch foldable OLED display, a 6.45-inch outer display, Kirin 9000 SoC, a 50MP primary camera, 8GB RAM, 256/512GB storage, and a 4,500mAh battery with 55W fast charging support.

Huawei X2 XDA Forums

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Instagram will soon offer an affiliate program, keyword muting in DMs, and more

After rolling out Reels support in the Instagram Lite app late last month, the Facebook-owned image sharing platform is now working on a host of new features. These include a new affiliate marketing program, an option to mute specific keywords in direct messages, and more.

Android developer and reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi recently shared screenshots highlighting all the aforementioned features. As you can see in the attached tweets, Instagram is working on an affiliate marketing program that will let influencers monetize their content on the platform.

The new Affiliate setting will appear in the Creator section on the app, and users will be able to sign up for it by following a few simple steps. However, the affiliate marketing feature may not be available for all users at launch.

Additionally, Instagram is working on a new “Content controls” setting that will let users block specific keywords in their direct messages. The setting will show up in the Privacy section of the app, and users have the option to add keywords they wish to mute. The app will then block all direct messages containing said keywords automatically. Users will also get the option to choose if they want to turn on keyword blocking for everyone or for specific accounts.

Furthermore, Paluzzi has discovered that Instagram is working on a new post editing option called Brightness.AI. While we don’t have any concrete information about this feature at the moment, it’s safe to assume that it will likely help users adjust the brightness of their posts automatically.

All the features mentioned above are currently in development and there’s no official word from Instagram regarding their release. We’ll update this post as soon as we learn more about them.

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OnePlus 9 series: Here’s everything we know about the next flagship series from OnePlus!

2020 was a monumental year for OnePlus. The company started it off with the launch of its first “true” flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 8 Pro, which was followed by the company’s first mid-ranger in five years — the OnePlus Nord. OnePlus then further expanded its portfolio to include a couple of budget-friendly devices in the Nord lineup, and the company even dipped its toes in the TWS earbuds space. This year, we’re expecting the company to dial things up a notch and bring some much-needed refinements to its wide range of products, starting with its flagship lineup for 2021 — the OnePlus 9 series.

OnePlus is expected to unveil the OnePlus 9 series sometime next month, and the series is rumored to feature three devices this time. Over the last few months, we’ve seen plenty of leaks about these devices, and here’s everything we know about them so far!

OnePlus 9 series: Release Date

Shortly after the launch of the OnePlus 8T last year, we saw the first leak about the OnePlus 9 series. The leak revealed that OnePlus was planning on launching its next-gen flagship devices four weeks ahead of schedule. If that is, in fact, the case, the OnePlus 9 series could be unveiled sometime next month. While OnePlus has neither confirmed nor denied this rumor, Samsung’s move to launch the Galaxy S21 series much earlier than usual gives OnePlus plenty of reason to prepone its timeline as well.

OnePlus 9 series — Regular, Pro, and Lite variants

Unlike previous years, OnePlus is expected to launch three new devices as part of the OnePlus 9 series — the regular OnePlus 9, the flagship OnePlus 9 Pro, and a more-affordable OnePlus 9 Lite/9E/9R. While we’ve already seen plenty of leaks confirming the existence of the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro, details about the OnePlus 9 Lite have been scarce so far. Rumors suggest that the affordable flagship will either be called the OnePlus 9 Lite or the OnePlus 9E and that it will feature similar hardware to the OnePlus 8T. Latest leaks reveal that the affordable flagship may be called the OnePlus 9R.

It’s also worth noting that the OnePlus 9 series is, most likely, codenamed “lemonade,” according to evidence spotted in the Settings APK from Open Beta 3 for the OnePlus 8 series late last year. The lineup will include five variants, including lemonade, lemonadev, lemonadev, lemonadep, and lemonadept. Based on our understanding of OnePlus codenames, we believe that these devices would be:

  • lemonade — OnePlus 9
  • lemonadet — T-Mobile OnePlus 9
  • lemonadev — Verizon OnePlus 9
  • lemonadep — OnePlus 9 Pro
  • lemonadept — T-Mobile OnePlus 9 Pro

The existence of five variants has also been confirmed by a separate leak, which lists the model numbers of the devices. According to the leak, the OnePlus 9 will go by the model numbers LE2110, LE2117, and LE2110, and the OnePlus 9 Pro will go by the model numbers LE2120 and LE2127. As of now, we haven’t been able to confirm the codename or model number of the OnePlus 9R.

It’s worth mentioning that when information first started popping up about the OnePlus 8 series last year, we saw plenty of leaks and rumors about a third, more affordable, device in the lineup. While this device did exist, it wasn’t launched alongside the OnePlus 8 series and it debuted as the OnePlus Nord later in the year. Therefore, it’s possible that the alleged OnePlus 9R is nothing but a OnePlus Nord successor that may not launch alongside the OnePlus 9 series next month.

Along with the three devices, OnePlus will also launch its first smartwatch at the upcoming event. The OnePlus Watch has leaked extensively over the last few months, and you can read more about it by following this link.

Design

Over the last few months, we’ve seen several leaked live images and renders of the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro that have given us a good look at their updated design. Here’s a brief overview of everything we’ve learned from the leaked images so far:

OnePlus 9

We got our first look at the OnePlus 9 in November last year when leaked renders of the device first popped up online. The renders revealed that the OnePlus 9 would feature a new back panel design, more in line with other phones that we’ve seen in the last couple of months. As you can see in the attached image, the device features a new rectangular camera island in the top-right corner with 3 sensors and an LED flash.

Leaked CAD renders of the OnePlus 9 on black background

Over on the front, the OnePlus 9 features a flat display with a hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera in the top left corner. The leak also revealed that the OnePlus 9 would feature a 6.55-inch display that will offer a peak refresh rate of 120Hz. It’s worth noting that while a prominent OnePlus leaker had expressed his doubts about these leaked renders, the design was confirmed shortly thereafter when we first saw leaked live images of the device.

OnePlus 9 leak OnePlus 9 front OnePlus 9 back OnePlus 9 hand-on leak

The live images shed more light on the design, showcasing the glossy back panel finish, Ultrashot branding on the camera module, and an unusual logo instead of OnePlus branding. The live images also revealed that the device would feature a secondary noise-canceling mic on the top edge, a USB Type-C port at the bottom sandwiched between the speaker grille and SIM card slot, and the usual button layout on the left and right edges.

OnePlus 9 SIM tray OnePlus 9 bottom

Furthermore, the report revealed that the device would feature a 6.5-inch hole-punch display with a peak refresh rate of 120Hz and FHD+ resolution (2400 x 1080p). It’s also worth mentioning that a prototype of the OnePlus 9 5G was sold on eBay for a whopping $6,000 late last year. The listing included a couple of live images of the device, which appear to be the same as those attached above.

OxygenUpdater recently unearthed information about all OnePlus 9 series color variants that will be available at the time of launch. According to them, the vanilla OnePlus 9 will be available in three colorways — Astral Black, Arctic Sky, and Winter Mist. The T-Mobile version of the device, on the other hand, will be available in two colorways — Astral Black and Winter Mist — and the Verizon version will be available in Gloss Black and Gloss gradient purple variants.

OnePlus 9 Pro

Renowned leaker OnLeaks first shared renders of the OnePlus 9 Pro back in November last year. The renders revealed that the device would feature a design similar to the OnePlus 9, albeit with a larger camera island containing an additional sensor and a rectangular LED flash. We also learned that it would feature a larger 6.7-inch curved display with a left-aligned hole-punch cutout.

OnePlus 9 Pro leaked CAD renders OnLeaks OnePlus 9 Pro leaked CAD renders OnLeaks

Recently, YouTuber Dave2D gave us our first look at live images of a OnePlus 9 Pro prototype with Hasselblad branding on the camera module. The video confirmed that OnePlus’ flagship model would feature a curved display with a left-aligned hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera, a quad-camera setup on the back with two large and two small sensors, a circular LED flash (unlike the rectangular one seen in the previous renders), a laser AF sensor, and a rear-facing microphone in the camera island.

OnePlus 9 Pro Hasselblad branding OnePlus 9 Pro Hasselblad branding OnePlus 9 Pro Hasselblad branding

The live images also confirmed that the device would feature a QHD+ 120Hz display, a slimmer metal frame, and the same glossy gray finish like the one we saw in the leaked OnePlus 9 live images.

The leaked information shared by OxygenUpdater suggests that the OnePlus 9 Pro will launch in three colorways — Stellar Black, Forest Green, and Morning Mist. However, the T-Mobile variant of the device will only be available in the Morning Mist colorway.

OnePlus 9R

We currently haven’t seen any leaked renders or live images of the OnePlus 9R. We’ll update this post as soon as they surface online. The only bit of information we have about the OnePlus 9R’s design is that it may feature a plastic back panel and a “more mainstream design” to differentiate itself from the OnePlus 8T.


OnePlus 9 series: Leaked Specifications

Specifications OnePlus 9 OnePlus 9 Pro OnePlus 9R
Build Plastic back
Dimensions & Weight
Display
  • 6.55″ FHD+ AMOLED
  • Left-aligned hole-punch
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • Flat panel
  • 6.7″ QHD+ LTPO AMOLED
  • Left-aligned hole-punch
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • Curved panel
SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Qualcomm Snapdragon 870
RAM & Storage
  • 8GB LPDDR5 + 128GB UFS 3.1
  • 12GB LPDDR5 + 128GB UFS 3.1
Battery & Charging
  • 4,500mAh
  • 65W wired fast charging
  • 30W wireless charging
  • Reverse wireless charging
  • 65W charger included in the box
  • 4,500mAh
  • 65W wired fast charging
  • 45W wireless charging
  • Reverse wireless charging
  • 65W charger included in the box
Security In-Display Fingerprint Scanner In-Display Fingerprint Scanner
Rear Camera(s)
  • Primary: 48MP
  • Secondary: 48MP ultra-wide
  • Tertiary: 
Front Camera(s)
Port(s) USB Type-C USB Type-C
Audio
Connectivity
Software OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11 OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11 OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11
Other Features
Colors Astral Black, Arctic Sky, Winter Mist, Gloss Black (Verizon), Gloss gradient purple (Verizon) Stellar Black, Forest Green, Morning Most

OnePlus 9

As mentioned earlier, the OnePlus 9 allegedly features a 6.55-inch HD+ display with a peak refresh rate of 120Hz. The device will, most likely, feature Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888 chip, which will be paired with at least 8GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage. A recent leak from reliable OnePlus leaker Max J. suggests that it will pack a 4,500mAh battery, with a leak from late last year revealing that it will support 65W wired fast charging, 30W wireless charging, and even reverse wireless charging. The leaker also claimed that the device will ship with a 65W charger in the box.

While information about the camera setup on the OnePlus 9 has been scarce so far, a report from 91mobiles claims that it will include a 48MP primary camera with a focal length of 6mm, a 48MP ultra-wide camera, and an unspecified third sensor. We suspect that the third camera could either be a monochrome sensor or a macro sensor. Currently, we haven’t seen any details about the selfie camera.

An APK teardown of the OnePlus Camera app has also revealed that the company may introduce several new camera features with the OnePlus 9 series. These include a Tilt-shift mode, Focus peaking, a Moon mode, and more. You can read more about these features by following this link.

A separate leak from TechDroider has shed more light on some of the key specifications of the OnePlus 9. The leak confirms that the device will feature Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888 chip, coupled with 8GB of RAM, a 6.55-inch FHD+ display that will offer a peak refresh rate of 120Hz.

The leak also reveals some details about the camera hardware, claiming that the device will sport a 12MP rear-facing camera and a 4.1MP front-facing camera. However, based on previous leaks, we suspect that these numbers signify the output resolution of these sensors and not the resolution of the sensors themselves. The OnePlus 9 will likely employ quad pixel binning to deliver the aforementioned 12MP and 4.1MP images, meaning that the device will feature a 48MP rear-facing camera and a 16MP front-facing camera.

OnePlus 9 Pro

The flagship model in the OnePlus 9 lineup will feature a larger 6.7-inch QHD+ curved display with a peak refresh rate of 120Hz. As with the OnePlus 9, the 9 Pro will most likely feature the Snapdragon 888 SoC. However, live images of the device suggest that it will come with up to 12GB of RAM. As far as the storage is concerned, OnePlus will probably include at least 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage on the device, and it may go up to 512GB on the top model.

Surprisingly, the OnePlus 9 Pro is rumored to feature the same battery capacity as the non-pro variant — 4,500mAh. If that’s the case, the device may struggle to last a full day with its QHD+ display running at 120Hz. However, the rumored 65W wired fast charging support will address this to a great extent. As with its predecessor, the OnePlus 9 Pro will also feature wireless charging support. But this time around, it’s rumored to include support for much faster 45W wireless charging.

While we don’t know much about the OnePlus 9 Pro’s camera hardware, we can expect it to be better than what the company will offer with the OnePlus 9. For now, we only know that OnePlus is working with Swedish camera manufacturer Hasselblad to develop the camera system for its upcoming flagship. OnePlus’ CEO Pete Lau has inadvertently confirmed the Hasselblad partnership via a post on the OnePlus Community forums. The post, which has since been deleted, reveals that it was posted via a “OnePlus 9 Pro co-developed with Hasselblad.”

A new leak from prominent OnePlus leaker Max Jambor reveals that the OnePlus 9 Pro may feature an LTPO display, instead of the standard LTPS AMOLED panel used on older models. For the unaware, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and the Galaxy S21 Ultra also feature an LTPO display, which draws less power and supports adaptive refresh rates without requiring additional hardware. Therefore, we can expect to see variable refresh rate support on the OnePlus 9 Pro.

OnePlus 9R

Back in December last year, an Android Central report revealed that the OnePlus 9R will feature similar hardware to the OnePlus 8T. The report claimed that the device will come equipped with a Snapdragon 865 chip, a 90Hz or 120Hz AMOLED panel, and 65W fast charging support. It further added that the device would feature the same camera setup as the OnePlus 8T.

Although we can’t confirm or deny the display and fast charging specifications at the moment, we have reason to believe that the OnePlus 9R will come equipped with the new Snapdragon 870 chip. The new chipset, which is merely a faster version of the Snapdragon 865, was unveiled earlier this year, and during the launch announcement, Qualcomm had revealed that it will make an appearance on a OnePlus device later this year. This, coupled with information shared in the aforementioned report, leads us to believe that the device will pack the newer Snapdragon 870 chip and not the Snapdragon 865.


OnePlus 9 series: Price & Availability

The price of OnePlus phones has crept up steadily over the years, and we expect the same to happen this year. While we haven’t seen concrete leaks about the pricing yet, OnePlus may launch the OnePlus 9 around the same price as the OnePlus 8T. The device will likely go on sale at a starting price of around $750 for the 8GB/128GB variant.

The OnePlus 9 Pro, on the other hand, might be slightly more expensive than the OnePlus 8 Pro. The device could launch around the $950 mark, given the fact that it’s expected to feature a premium camera setup. The OnePlus 9R will be priced around $600, according to a report from Android Central.

Noted leaker Evan Blass has revealed that the OnePlus 9 series will be available for pre-order starting March 23rd and those who pre-book a OnePlus 9 will get a free pair of OnePlus Buds Z with the device. Those who pre-book the OnePlus 9 Pro, on the other hand, will get a free pair of Buds Z Steve Harrington Edition with the device.

Based on the leaks and rumors that we’ve seen so far, the OnePlus 9 series is shaping up to be quite a compelling lineup. While I am looking forward to testing the new camera system on the OnePlus 9 Pro, I’m most excited about the OnePlus 9R. It’s expected to usher in a new breed of affordable flagship killers that OnePlus fans have been clamoring for over the last few years, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

What’s your opinion of OnePlus’ upcoming flagship lineup? Is there any particular feature or improvement that you’d want to see on the devices? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Alphabet’s Wolverine project won’t give you adamantium claws or enhanced healing

Alphabet’s X division isn’t new to wearables. It not only worked extensively on the genre-defining Google Glass but its life sciences wing, Verily, has developed some innovative products, including smart contact lenses and shoes, in the past. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that it’s now working on a new wearable device that will give you superhuman hearing. The device, internally called Wolverine, has already gone through multiple prototypes, and it will let users “focus on one particular speaker in a group setting with overlapping conversations”.

According to a report from Insider, Alphabet’s X division started working on the Wolverine project back in 2018 to develop a wearable device that would offer speech segregation capabilities. Sources familiar with the matter have told the publication that over the last two years the team has come up with multiple prototypes of the in-ear device, which is “packed with sensors” and microphones. While the project started with the idea of providing speech segregation capabilities, Wolverine may not be limited to a single application if it becomes a successful business, the sources added.

The report states: “One recalled a meeting where a Wolverine team member emphasized that the project needed to go beyond speech segregation. Insider could not learn what the other applications might be.”

Insider further reveals that the Wolverine project is being spearheaded by Jason Rugulo, a former ARPA-E director who joined Alphabet’s X division in 2017. The team has reportedly pulled in other industry experts, including Raphael Michel, the founder of hearing-aid company Eargowho joined the project as a business strategist.

Although Alphabet hasn’t confirmed the existence of the Wolverine project, an X spokesperson told Insider that it was working on an early-stage project that is “exploring the future of hearing.” However, the spokesperson didn’t reveal any further details of the project.

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Samsung launches Galaxy XCover 5 rugged smartphone with military-grade certification

Samsung is bringing a new rugged smartphone for its European customers. The new Galaxy XCover 5 is a successor to the XCover 4 that was launched back in 2017. The new smartphone comes with an improved design that continues to be tough, yet comfortable to use in a tough working environment. The new touchscreen offers increased sensitivity allowing users to use the smartphone even while wearing gloves, and also comes with a removable battery making it easy to swap or replace.

Measuring at 147.1×71.6×9.2mm, the Samsung Galaxy XCover 5 features a 5.3-inch TFT display with an HD+ (1600 x 720-pixels) resolution with fairly large bezels all around. The smartphone will ship with Android 11 out of the box and is powered by the Exynos 850, Samsung’s entry-level octa-core processor. The handset comes with 4GB of RAM along with 64GB of storage that can be expanded using a microSD card. For photography, there is a 16-megapixel single rear camera with an f/1.8 lens, while at the front there is a 5-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 lens for taking selfies or video calls. Apart from the USB Type-C port, the smartphone comes with Pogo pin connectors and 15W fast charging. Other features include face recognition, a 3,000mAh battery.

Samsung Galaxy XCover 5 product image

The smartphone offers IP68 water and dust resistance as well as MIL-STD810H military certification allowing it to withstand drops of up to 1.5-meter and submersion in fresh water to up to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. The XCover 5 also comes with a programmable button on the left edge of the device which can be used to perform a variety of tasks.

The Galaxy XCover 5 comes with a price tag of £329 and is expected to launch in European markets starting 12th March from the Samsung Business shop. Samsung is yet to confirm whether the smartphone will be launched in markets outside of Europe.

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Microsoft Whiteboard is now available on the Google Play Store

Microsoft Whiteboard, a handy collaboration tool for students and professionals, is now available on the Google Play Store as a Public Preview. The app offers a freeform intelligent canvas that can be used to “ideate, create, and collaborate visually via the cloud.” The tool has been available on Windows and iOS for quite a while, and it’s now finally rolling out on Android.

Microsoft Whiteboard’s Play Store listing reveals that the tool is designed for touch, type and pen input, and it lets you draw, enter text, or add sticky notes on a freeform canvas. The app also offers Microsoft’s Intelligent inking technology, which can transform your doodles into professional-looking tables and charts automatically.

Microsoft Whiteboard Microsoft Whiteboard Microsoft Whiteboard Microsoft Whiteboard

The canvas is updated in real-time, which helps scattered teams work together without any issues. Since this is a cloud-based solution, all your notes are liked to your Microsoft account and you can access them on any supported device, including Windows and iOS devices, at any time.

If you’re interested in trying Microsoft Whiteboard on your Android device, you can download it by following the Play Store link below. Do note that the service is not available for personal accounts at the moment, and it only supports education and enterprise accounts. Since the app is currently available as a Public Preview, you can expect to encounter unwanted bugs and other issues. As some of the early reviews point out, in its current form Microsoft Whiteboard on Android is merely a web app. But that may change by the time a stable version rolls out on the Play Store.

The Microsoft Whiteboard preview on Android comes just weeks after the company released a major update for its scanning app — Microsoft Lens. As part of the update, Microsoft not only gave the app a new name but also changed its logo and introduced a host of new features. You can read more about it here.

Microsoft Whiteboard (Free, Google Play) →

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Samsung details ISOCELL 2.0 for its next-gen camera sensors

Samsung’s ISOCELL image sensor lineup has done remarkably well in the last few years. Although it’s still behind Sony’s IMX sensors in terms of overall market share, the company’s 64MP and 108MP sensors have seen great adoption on budget and premium mid-range smartphones. The company refreshed its ISOCELL lineup last year with the introduction of five new sensors, including the showstopper 108MP ISOCELL HM2, 64MP ISOCELL GW3, and 48MP ISOCELL GM5. All sensors used a 0.7μm pixel size, but Samsung incorporated their ISOCELL Plus and Smart ISO technologies to compensate for the smaller pixel size. At the time, Samsung said they would be announcing a new pixel technology called ISOCELL 2.0 in their upcoming 0.7-micron sensors, which the company said would improve the light sensitivity by up to 12% over the ISOCELL Plus. Six months later, the company is finally detailing its new pixel technology.

Samsung promises enhanced light sensitivity and color fidelity with ISOCELL 2.0. Samsung says the current ISOCELL technology uses a metal grid to physically isolate each pixel. This is to reduce the light cross-talk between each pixel and produce images with vivid colors. But one of the cons of using metal is that it absorbs some of the incoming light, which leads to slight “optical loss”.

Samsung ISOCELL 2.0

ISOCELL 2.0 addresses this issue by replacing the upper phase of the metal grid, which acts as a physical barrier between color filters, with a “new material”. Meanwhile, the lower portion of the barrier has been replaced by more reflective material. These new upgrades help minimizes the optical loss and increases the light sensitivity, Samsung says.

All of these changes allow Samsung to get the most out of the smaller 0.7-micron pixels and deliver improved low-light performance on its high megapixel count sensors. The ISOCELL 2.0 technology is expected to debut on the next range of ISOCELL sensors, but Samsung hasn’t detailed anything on that front yet. Last month, Samsung launched the new 50MP ISOCELL GN2 sensor with faster autofocus and improved low-light performance. However, it still uses the ISOCELL Plus pixel technology.

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