Expert reviews and news on laptops, smartphones and tech innovations

The Mi 8 Explorer Edition can now be upgraded to MIUI 12. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Mi 8 Explorer Edition and Mi 9 Lite gain MIUI 12 update as Xiaomi expands upgrade eligibility for the Mi 9 SE

The Mi 8 Explorer Edition, Mi 9 Lite and Mi 9 SE have all grabbed the MIUI 12 update. The update is rolling out to the Global, European and Russian versions of the Mi 9 SE.

Alex Alderson, 17 Aug 2020 22:36

The Redmi Max 98 features XiaoAI voice assistance. (Image source: Redmi TV/Xiaomi - edited)

The Redmi Smart TV Max 98's specs and price help Xiaomi outsell the competition by over 16 to 1 in a single day

Xiaomi has revealed that it managed to sell 1,660 units of the 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max in a single day thanks to the attractive combination of decent specifications and reasonable price (19,999 yuan; about US$2,877). The giant 4K Redmi Max 98 seems to be completely unrivalled in the domestic market at the moment.

Daniel R Deakin, 17 Aug 2020 22:21

The Nokia 8.3 5G is one of six devices that HMD Global is releasing before the end of the year. (Image source: HMD Global)

The Nokia 2.4, Nokia 3.4 and Nokia 8.3 5G are right around the corner as the Nokia 6.3, Nokia 7.3 5G and Nokia 9.3 PureView remain on track for Q4 2020 release

The unveiling of the Nokia 2.4, Nokia 3.4 and Nokia 8.3 5G are imminent, according to a new rumour. The trio of devices will be joined next quarter by the Nokia 6.3, Nokia 7.3 5G and Nokia 9.3 PureView too.

Alex Alderson, 17 Aug 2020 21:06

EMUI 10.1 is on the verge of being replaced by EMUI 11. (Image source: Huawei)

Huawei refreshes EMUI 10.1 upgrade plans in four regions

Huawei has updated its EMUI 10.1 upgrade plans for Africa, the Middle East, Western Europe and North-East Europe. The OS upgrade has now commenced for almost all handsets, albeit only those that Huawei has deemed capable of running EMUI 10.1 anyway.

Alex Alderson, 17 Aug 2020 20:59

Xiaomi has torn down the Mi 10 Ultra to reveal its complex interior. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Mi 10 Ultra teardown reveals the impressive hardware of Xiaomi's latest flagship smartphone

Xiaomi has published a teardown video of the Mi 10 Ultra, and boy is there a lot of copper. The battery in the Mi 10 Ultra should be simple to replace thanks to the inclusion of battery pull tabs, while the size of the device's periscope and 48 MP cameras are a sight to behold.

Alex Alderson, 17 Aug 2020 20:52

Insiders could find it hard to justify sharing info when some community members react with destructive and toxic outrage (Image source: TweakTown)

The backlash against PlayStation 5 tipster Dusk Golem says more about the toxic “console war” mentality than about the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X

The internet backlash against industry insider Dusk Golem and the revocation of his status as a moderator on the ResetEra forums says much about the problematic nature of the “console wars” mindset and could impact the willingness of insiders to share information in the future.

Column by Arjun Krishna Lal, 17 Aug 2020 19:54

The new MateBook X will launch on August 19 in four colours. (Image source: Weibo)

Huawei MateBook X official marketing renders leaked ahead of August 19 release

Marketing renders of the upcoming Huawei MateBook X have been revealed ahead of its release on August 19. The renders confirm that Huawei has developed four colours for its premium laptop, which will have minimal bezels and a large trackpad. Huawei has started releasing promotional videos for the MateBook X, too.

Alex Alderson, 17 Aug 2020 19:07

The new Chargeasap Omega. (Source: Kickstarter)

Chargeasap's new up-to-200W USB type C power brick garners over US$450,000 on Kickstarter

Chargeasap, the maker of the Indiegogo hit the Flash power bank, is back on crowdfunding with another potentially groundbreaking power accessory. This Omega wall-wart has 2 versions: one that rated to charge at up to 100 watts (W), and one at 200W. It had a goal of US$10,000 on Kickstarter, but left this threshold behind a long time ago.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 17 Aug 2020 19:02

The iQOO 5 Pro is the world's latest Snapdragon 865 phone with a 120Hz screen and 120W charging

The iQOO 5 series is a new line from this Vivo sub-brand that has been hyped with its novel spec of 120 watt charging. Now, on their launch, it is revealed that the Pro variant is the one with this new ability. However, the iQOO 5 still offers its Snapdragon 865 SoC, 120 hertz refresh rate and 12GB RAM top-end SKU.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 17 Aug 2020 18:22

The Google Pixel 5 may have terrible battery life. (Image source: XDA Developers)

Underwhelming specifications for the Google Pixel 5 leak: A miniature battery with a high-resolution and high-refresh-rate QHD+ display?

Additional specifications about the Pixel 5 have leaked online. Apparently, Google will equip the Pixel 5 with a QHD+ display, which reportedly supports a 120 Hz refresh rate. The Snapdragon 765G-powered device will be underpinned by a lowly 3,080 mAh battery, too.

Alex Alderson, 17 Aug 2020 17:52

Ghost of Tsushima: Legends will be available for download later this year

Ghost of Tsushima: Legends coming this fall; will feature new online co-op missions, game modes, and more

Sucker Punch Productions just announced a new online, co-op mode for Ghost of Tsushima. It is called Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, and will come with four unique character classes, a host of missions, and a survival mode. The game mode is multiplayer-only and will be available for everyone who owns the base game.

Anil Satyanarayana, 17 Aug 2020 17:50

Here's what the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition 5G will look like

Here's our first look at the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition 5G

We now have an idea about the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition 5G's looks, thanks to some renders of the device that showed up online. The renders confirm that the phone will come with three rear camera sensors and a hole-punch selfie camera. Samsung is expected to unveil the ~US$750 phone later this year.

Anil Satyanarayana, 17 Aug 2020 15:48

Has Honor partnered with Intel for its first gaming laptop? (Image source: Honor)

The Honor Hunter may be lumbered with Intel's 14 nm Comet Lake-H processors

Honor has hinted of a renewed partnership with Intel for its first gaming laptop, the Hunter. The company has released several AMD Ryzen 4000 Renoir machines this year, but it has seemingly looked to Intel to supply 14 nm processors for its foray into the gaming laptop market.

Alex Alderson, 17 Aug 2020 13:59

The Asus Zenfone 6. (Source: AndroidPit)

Asus Zenfone 7 series finally confirmed for August 26 launch

The Asus Zenfone 7 series finally has a launch date: August 26. Asus is expected to unveil two phones on that date—the Zenfone 7 and Zenfone 7 Pro—with the phones slated to take on the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro, while being a tad more affordable, hopefully.

Ricci Rox, 17 Aug 2020 13:56

ThinkPad T15g: Is Lenovo preparing a gaming ThinkPad with RTX 2080 Super Max-Q?

ThinkPad T15g: Is Lenovo preparing a gaming ThinkPad with the GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q?

A new ThinkPad laptop has appeared online: The Lenovo ThinkPad T15g Gen 1 appears to be a variation of the workstation ThinkPad P15 Gen 1. Different from the workstation model, the Lenovo T15g appears to feature Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs, making it a gaming ThinkPad.

Benjamin Herzig, 17 Aug 2020 13:53

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 ran as high as 2.1 GHz on its first official UserBenchmark outing (Image source: Overclockers.com)

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 hits a blazing-fast 2.1 GHz core clock with 19 Gbps GDDR6X memory in first public UserBenchmark test

Tipster @_rogame shared what appear to be the first public NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 UserBenchmark results. While the graphics card scored low on the test, likely due to test drivers, it ran at a high 2.1 GHz

Arjun Krishna Lal, 17 Aug 2020 13:12

The world's first smartphone with under-display selfie cam will launch September 1. (Image: ZTE)

ZTE's Axon 20 5G smartphone with under-display selfie camera to launch on September 1

The first smartphone to launch with an under-display selfie camera will launch on September 1. First seen in prototypes over the past twelve months or so, the ZTE Axon 20 5G will eschew punch-holes or pop-up cameras to achieve the dream of a no-compromises all-screen phone.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 17 Aug 2020 12:11

Comes with improved battery life: The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 with Intel Core i5-10210U

Lenovo ThinkPad X13: nothing new even with the new Intel CPU

Even with Intel's current Comet Lake CPUs, the new ThinkPad X13 model only has a slight edge over its predecessors. Owners of the Kaby Lake version of the X390 do not need to worry about upgrading.

Mike Wobker, 17 Aug 2020 11:10

The Huawei MateBook X 2020 will allegedly come in these four color options. (Image source: Technology du)

Huawei MateBook X 2020 will feature a novel fanless design, come with an Intel CPU/Nvidia GPU combo, and could be priced under 10,000 yuan (US$1,438)

More details about the upcoming Huawei MateBook X 2020 laptop have started being shared online. It’s believed the device sports a novel cooling solution that doesn’t rely on fans. It is also rumored that the MateBook X 2020 could sport Intel CPUs and an Nvidia GPU, come in four different colors, and cost less than 10,000 yuan (US$1,438).

Daniel R Deakin, 16 Aug 2020 23:50

The Galaxy Z Fold2 on TENAA. (Source: TENAA)

Samsung gets the Galaxy Z Fold2 through TENAA testing ahead of its Chinese-market launch

The Galaxy Z Fold2 is Samsung's second-generation book-form flexible tablet. It is slated to launch in the US on September 1, 2020, followed by a debut in China eight days later. The device has appeared on the database of the regulator TENAA ahead of this event.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 16 Aug 2020 23:48

The Moto G 5G Plus combines a huge 5,000 mAh battery with a Snapdragon 765 at an RRP of just under 350 Euros.

Gamers should not use the Motorola Moto G 5G - Anomalies with the Snapdragon 765

The Moto G 5G Plus proves to be a solid mid-range phone in our test. The Snapdragon 765's gaming performance suffers in the Motorola smartphone.

Marcus Herbrich, 16 Aug 2020 23:41

MediaTek's Dimensity series offers class-leading performance. (Source: MediaTek)

MediaTek Dimensity 820 vs Snapdragon 765G: MediaTek stamps its authority on the competition

At the moment, the Snapdragon 765G leads the rest of Qualcomm's pack below its flagship Snapdragon 800-series, so how does it perform when pitted against MediaTek's similarly positioned offering, the Dimensity 820?

Ricci Rox, 16 Aug 2020 23:09

Wearable payments may really take off in the coming decade. (Source: Samsung)

Wearable payments might fund a near-US$1.4 trillion market by 2027

The ability to complete point-of-sale transactions using wearables alone represented a market worth US$285.47 billion in 2019, according to new market research. However, this value is also now thought to grow until it reaches $1.37 trillion by 2027. This trend may be influenced by an increasing demand for novel ways to pay that are contactless as well as cashless.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 16 Aug 2020 23:09

The Redmi Max 98 has sold out again and fans can buy Xiaomi gold coins. (Image source: YouPin/Xiaomi - edited)

The 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max sells like hotcakes as 1,000 units go in a minute and Xiaomi moves into gold for its anniversary celebrations

Xiaomi has been celebrating its 10th anniversary in business this week and has decided to issue its own pure gold commemorative coins as an expensive keepsake for fans. The company can afford to dabble in gold when it can boast of selling 1,000 units of the 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max in just one minute at 19,999 yuan (US$2,877) apiece.

Daniel R Deakin, 16 Aug 2020 20:27

The 120W iQOO 5 may look like this. (Source: Weibo via MySmartPrice)

The iQOO 5 is allegedly caught in a live-image leak ahead of its launch

iQOO is setting a whole new phone series up in order to introduce its latest and most powerful mobile-device charging standard, Flash Charge 120W, on August 17, 2020. However, one of these new products has allegedly been spoiled in terms of its appearance prior to this event. Should this be the case, it will have a single punch-hole camera and packaging that hints at its reported BMW branding.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 16 Aug 2020 15:54

The Wildfire E Lite's new leak. (Source: Google via MySmartPrice)

HTC is now rumored to launch the Wildfire E Lite, a study in basic Android phones, soon

A new listing on the Google Play Console reportedly points to the imminent launch of a new HTC Wildfire E series member. This Lite variant apparently runs on an appropriately budget MediaTek processor and has 2GB of RAM. It may even have a traditional chin and forehead on its front panel.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 16 Aug 2020 15:31

The P30 Pro's days as a normal Android device may be numbered. (Source: Huawei)

Google's temporary license to work with Huawei has expired, which may be bad news for the OEM's older phones

Google applied for a temporary general license (TGL) in order to keep older Huawei devices compatible with its Android app ecosystem even after this OEM was placed on the US administration's Entity List in May 2019. However, this TGL has now expired, leaving the future function of many phones worldwide in some doubt.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 16 Aug 2020 15:07

The Mi 10 Ultra ditched the Mi 10 Pro's 108 MP Samsung sensor in favor of an OmniVision sensor - Why?

While the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro both use the same 108 MP Samsung ISOCELL Bright HMX sensor, the new, improved Mi 10 Ultra sports a lower-res 48 MP sensor made by...OmniVision. There are reasons for that, of course.

Ricci Rox, 16 Aug 2020 14:55

The CAT S42 is a really cheap rugged smartphone with a few noteworthy limitations.

CAT S42: Cheaper than the predecessor, but is it better?

You can buy the new CAT S42, which is a classic rugged smartphone, for 250 Euros ($294). We have already reviewed the device and share the results of our review here.

Florian Schmitt, 16 Aug 2020 12:19

The Android 10 update for the Redmi Note 7 may have introduced some notable bugs

The Redmi Note 7 finally received the stable Android 10 update for the European models a few days ago. The update bears the build number "V11.0.1.0 QFGEUXM" and weighs 2.0 GB. Sadly, it also appears to come with a few bugs.

Ricci Rox, 16 Aug 2020 10:00

Microsoft's method for allowing touch input emulation on a non-touch display (Source: Patent Scope).

Microsoft designs method to emulate touch input on non-touch displays

While Windows supports touch displays, many laptops are still released without touch and support on desktops is rare outside of some AiO devices. Microsoft has now patented a process for supporting touch input on devices with traditional display panels.

Craig Ward, 16 Aug 2020 09:18

Aorus 15G XB in review: Successful gaming machine with mechanical keyboard

The Core i7 processor in the Aorus 15G XB puts the pedal to the metal

The Aorus 15G XB brings all modern computer games smoothly onto the matte 15.6-inch screen (240 Hz, Full HD, IGZO). The equipment is also right: NVMe SSD, 16 GB of RAM (dual-channel mode), a mechanical keyboard, and a Thunderbolt 3 port.

Sascha Mölck, 16 Aug 2020 06:27

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in Mystic Bronze has been particularly popular. (Image source: Samsung)

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 pre-order numbers down on Galaxy Note 10 figures but still reach 1.17 million at the halfway point thanks to the Mystic Bronze Ultra

A report out of South Korea has stated that over 1.17 million devices from the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series have now been pre-ordered, with a few days of the pre-order period still remaining. Although the Mystic Bronze Galaxy Note 20 has already sold out, the total is still just short of the Galaxy Note 10’s record pre-order figures.

Daniel R Deakin, 15 Aug 2020 23:29

The Galaxy S20 Plus lacked a headphone jack. (Source: ZDNet)

New leak suggests a return of the 3.5mm headphone jack on the Samsung Galaxy S21 series

Word on the grapevine claims that Samsung could be set to bring back the 3.5mm headphone jack on the Galaxy S21 series, after ditching it for the Note 10, S20, and Note 20 lineups. Apparently, the company may do that to gauge how much it influences sales.

Ricci Rox, 15 Aug 2020 22:45

The Dell G7 15 7590 offers a lot of gaming power for a reasonable price. (Image source: Dell)

Deal | Dell G7 15 7590 gaming laptop with 6-core i7-9750H and powerful GeForce RTX 2080 reduced by over US$1,200 with applied coupons

Dell is currently offering a very tempting deal with its G7 15 7590 gaming laptop with Intel Core i7-9750H CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q GPU. By applying a couple of coupons, shoppers can snap up the impressive Dell G7 15 gamer for over US$1,200 less than its estimated value price. Free shipping is also included.

Daniel R Deakin, 15 Aug 2020 21:46

The Huawei Mate 40 series could be unveiled in early September. (Image source: OnLeaks/Pricebaba)

Huawei Mate 40 and Mate 40 Pro specs and screen protectors leaked; prices for the Mate 40 Pro allegedly starting from 5,999 yuan (US$863)

A lot of supposed information about the upcoming Huawei Mate 40 series has been leaked, with more details appearing in regard to the specs of the Mate 40 and Mate 40 Pro. A few images of screen protectors for the phones have also been shared, and the alleged prices for three variants of the Huawei Mate 40 Pro have turned up.

Daniel R Deakin, 15 Aug 2020 19:49

Intel announces a new tie-in with the Avengers game. (Source: Twitter)

Intel unveils Marvel's Avengers "Collector's Edition" packaging for certain 10th-gen processors

Intel has taken to its official Twitter account to announce a collaboration with the muralist Tristan Eaton resulting in new "Collector's Editions" of some of the 10th-generation Core desktop CPUs. However, that is all that differentiates them from existing SKUs, apparently. The company has yet to reveal whether they also stay the same in terms of price or not.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 15 Aug 2020 19:33

LG offers free TWS earbuds with select TVs. (Source: LG USA)

LG is now throwing a pair of TONE Free TWS earbuds in with every puchase of most 2020 OLED TVs

LG USA has announced that every customer who buys an eligible OLED TV from its 2020 line-up will also get a pair of TONE Frees as a promotional gift. They are this OEM's latest TWS earbuds that are tuned by Meridian and are rated for up to 18 hours of battery life. This offer is valid until the end of August 2020.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 15 Aug 2020 19:02

Offers wireless charging with the QI standard: The Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus (2020)

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus (2020): Do we really need two Fire HD 8 versions?

In addition to the update of the Fire HD 8, Amazon is also bringing a Plus version of the affordable Android tablet to the market. However, the low price difference leads us to the question: why?

Mike Wobker, 15 Aug 2020 17:46

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has taken to Twitter to explain its lawsuit against Apple. (Image: Epic Games)

Epic's Tim Sweeney outlines his case against Apple in a Twitter thread

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has posted a thread on Twitter outlining some of the basic thoughts behind the company’s lawsuit against Apple, in particular. At its core, Sweeney’s argument is that Apple’s approach to the App Store fundamentally undermines both consumer rights and the rights of developers.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 15 Aug 2020 13:23

The Redmi K30 Ultra proves to be a monstrous hit as it sells 100,000 units in one minute

The Redmi K30 Ultra is the modern redefinition of value for money and it appears to already be a resounding success for Xiaomi, with the company confirming it took 100,000 orders for the device in just one minute when it went on flash sale.

Ricci Rox, 15 Aug 2020 10:33

Will Sony's new Bravia TVs be showing PS5 gameplay in 4K or upscaled Full HD? (Image source: Sony - edited)

Updated | PlayStation 5 lumbered with displaying some games in "fake 4K" and possibly struggling with SmartShift setbacks according to PS5 observers

The PlayStation 5 could end up showing some 4K titles in “fake 4K” according to one commentator while another has opined that the next-gen console might be giving developers some headaches because of its AMD SmartShift technology and variable processing frequencies. The PS5 has already been under the microscope lately because of similar concerns.
The "fake 4K" source has admitted to bias.

Daniel R Deakin, 15 Aug 2020 05:23

Apple will apparently release an ARM-powered MacBook Pro 16 next year. (Image source: Apple)

Leaker outlines possible ARM transition roadmap for Apple; ARM MacBook Pro 16 to arrive in 2021

A leaker has outlined a possible roadmap for Apple's transition away from Intel processors. According to the post, an ARM-powered MacBook Pro 16 will arrive in 2021, while the company will not bring ARM versions of the iMac Pro or Mac Pro to market until 2022.

Alex Alderson, 14 Aug 2020 23:56

The MateBook X will be unveiled on August 19. (Image source: Huawei)

Huawei MateBook X: August 19-bound premium ultrabook to feature an Apple-inspired FreeTouch trackpad

Leaker Digital Chat Station has offered new details about the MateBook X. According to their information, the MateBook X will have a 13-inch display and a FreeTouch trackpad, which will replicate the feel of Apple's Force Touch trackpads. The MateBook X is said to weigh around 1 kg too and will arrive on August 19.

Alex Alderson, 14 Aug 2020 23:49

Telegram unveils video calling for its anniversary. (Source: Telegram)

Telegram celebrates its seventh anniversary with the announcement of video calling for Android

The popular messaging app Telegram marks its seventh year of business today (August 14, 2020). It has ushered this anniversary in along with a new feature: video calling. It now exists in alpha form, boasting picture-in-picture and end-to-end encryption, but only for its Android app thus far.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 14 Aug 2020 23:31

The PS5 will require a powerful cooling system. (Image source: Sony)

Potential PS5 cooling solution patent utilizes liquid metal as a thermal conductor

A newly published patent for a cooling system component has sparked speculation that it might relate to the upcoming PS5 console. The patent offers up the idea of utilizing “metal having fluidity” as a “heat conductive material”. The PlayStation 5’s powerful CPU and GPU require the next-gen console to have the best possible cooling solution.

Daniel R Deakin, 14 Aug 2020 23:30

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