Chinese Tech

Huawei launched the nova 6 yesterday, its latest Kirin 990 handset. While the Chinese company has released marketing pictures on the 5G handset, some hands-on shots that appeared online before the launch event give a better idea of what the device looks like.

Xiaomi obviously took plenty of inspiration from Apple when designing its Mi Watch. While the Apple Watch clone initially only supported Android, the Chinese company has now updated it to make it compatible with iOS. In short, iPhones owners now have a new cheaper alternative to the Apple Watch. Xiaomi will launch the Mi Watch in Europe in the new year.

The Huawei Nova 6 is a device that has been anticipated for a long time. Now, it has finally been launched, alongside a 5G and SE variant. The first 2 of these are powered by the Kirin 990, whereas the last has the Kirin 810 instead. The new line also features high-res cameras, Android 10 and 8GB of RAM.

iQOO has finally unveiled its refresh of the original Neo smartphone. This new variant is based on the Snapdragon 855 processor, rather than the 845 of its predecessor. There is also a second option: a “Racing” edition that upgrades further to the 855 Plus SoC.

Oxygen OS 10.0.1 is live, and it is here to upgrade your OnePlus 6 or 6T to Android 10. Following the arrival of a stable Hydrogen OS Android 10 build last week, OnePlus has now started quietly rolling out Oxygen OS 10.0.1 globally. The update comes in two forms and is available OTA now.

Redmi boss Lu Weibing has announced that the Xiaomi RedmiBook 13 will launch on December 10 at the Redmi K30 series showcase. Chinese retailer JD.com is even offering pre-orders for the device before Xiaomi has officially unveiled it.

Aside from the move to the Snapdragon 855 Plus and faster UHS 3.0 storage, the Red Magic 3S doesn't introduce much else to the table. The display, for example, remains relatively dim compared to the competition at under 300 nits maximum even though colors are slightly more accurate this time around.

Some images of a new Motorola phone with the legend "64MP Quad Pixel" embossed on its main camera module have emerged. Rumored to be called the One Hyper, this device also has a single pop-up selfie shooter that leaves its front panel with a minimal chin and bezels on 3 sides. It is also thought to be powered by the Snapdragon 675 SoC.

Huawei joins the "technological independence" move with its Kunpeng 920 ARMv8 quad/octa-core CPUs and the associated desktop motherboards that offer PCIe3.0 integration along with support for up to 64 GB of quad-channel DDR4-2400 RAM. There are plans for server CPUs with up to 64 cores coupled with up to 1 TB DDR4-3200 RAM.

Xiaomi introduces its ultra-affordable Mi Band 3i to the Indian market at Rs. 1299 (US$18). The Mi Band 3i offers feature parity with the Mi Band 3, only giving up heart rate tracking. At this price-point, is the Mi Band 3i a viable first wearable for Indian users?

There's been conflicting information on what SoC the upcoming Redmi K30 will feature. Some say it'll be the Snapdragon 730G, while others tout the MediaTek Dimensity 1000 5G. New developments debunk all of those, and we're almost definitely going to see a Redmi K30 powered by the just-announced Snapdragon 765.

Huawei has sent out the EMUI 10 update to its Kirin 980-powered premium phones, and is now setting its sights on the mid-range. Owners of the Huawei P Smart (2019) are now receiving the Android 10-based EMUI 10 update, and we expect other Kirin 710-powered devices like the Honor 8X and P30 Lite to get the update in the near future.

Xiaomi's CEO Lin Bin today announced the Xiaomi Mi 10, one of the first phones to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. Bin offered few details, but it's likely the Mi 10 will carry flagship specifications and use the same 108 MP camera sensor used in Xiaomi's other phones, particularly the Mi CC9.

Yet another leak has surfaced, painting an extremely attractive picture of the supposed upcoming Mi Mix 4. Some major touted features include a variable 120 Hz display with a QHD+ resolution, a 108 MP main shooter, quad rear camera setup, and an under-display dual selfie camera system. Sadly, dreams are just that...dreams.

Just three months after the phones were launched, Xiaomi has confirmed that it has sold ten million units of the Redmi Note 8 series. That is, the Redmi Note 8 and Note 8 Pro. This means that the Note 8 phones are actually outselling the Redmi Note 7 phones, which is incredible considering the phones’ relatively lackluster reception by the enthusiast community.

Xiaomi's next mid-range smartphone may arrive as soon as tomorrow, according to new information posted online. The Redmi K30 series will also be 5G capable, throwing up questions about the SoC that will underpin the smartphones. The K20 series successors will sport a radically different design too, along with a new high-resolution Sony camera sensor.
Updated: New marketing photos confirm fingerprint scanner question and confirm launch date. Two Redmi-branded smart devices have been teased too.

You can shop smarter by knowing where resellers like Walmart are getting their laptops. ODMs often sell the same white label laptop to multiple resellers who will then reskin and rebrand the laptop as their own. By shopping around different resellers, you can often find the exact same laptop under different names but at cheaper prices.

The Realme 1, 2, C1 and U1 were all released at various points in 2018. Despite this, their maker has just announced that they will not receive an update to ColorOS 7. This is an upcoming software skin based on Android 10 that the company shares with OPPO.

Huami has released a statement on how its latest device, the Amazfit GTS, did in the recent November 2019 sales event. It claims that the smartwatch was a hit on numerous regional online sales platform. The GTR and Bip Lite wearables also allegedly sold out in 1 hour in 1 store.

DxOMark has shared its thoughts on what it considers to be the best smartphone cameras of 2019, grouped into specific sub-categories. There are a few iffy choices, but one major takeaway from the list is just how impressive the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Pro is.

Huawei has announced that it will introduce its Watch GT 2 to Indian customers on December 5, 2019. This will be the first device with the new Kirin A1 processor for wearables released to this market. This smartwatch also boasts a 2-week battery life and a bezel-less display.

The smartphone OEM Realme started life as a spin-off from the company OPPO. Now, however, it has emerged that the 2 brands are effectively going their separate ways. The younger firm is now its own private company with its own CEO and R&D unit.

We genuinely believe the Redmi K20 and K20 Pro—and the Mi 9T rebrands—to be the best-value premium smartphones on the market. Xiaomi is set to release a successor this month, the Redmi K30, but things aren't looking quite as exciting as one would expect.

A Chinese user has reportedly claimed that a Redmi Note 7 Pro caught fire, resulting in the complete destruction of the phone. This would be the second time in two weeks that a mobile device from this OEM has apparently ended up in such a state. The company has denied the incident is related to the quality of the phone in question.

Mobvoi's Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale has started. It includes a 25% discount on its Ticwatch Pro and Pro 4G/LTE models, which are normally US$249.99 and $299 respectively. The OEM is also offering other smartwatches at up to $50 off.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro has now started receiving Android 10-based builds of MIUI 11, having been spotted on Geekbench running Android 10 earlier this month. The 1.9 GB update contains the November 2019 set of security patches too, along with a few MIUI 11-related optimisations.

Huawei is finalising EMUI 10 for the Mate 20 Lite, and has now made the OS update available to download via its HiCare app. The build has a few minor bugs, but that it is to be expected from a release preview.

While we're fans of the Mi Note 10, its US$610 MSRP was rather off-putting, and we recommended potential buyers to wait for a sale if they planned to buy the device. Well, here's one such deal. The Mi Note 10 can now be had for just US$466, about US$140 off its MSRP.

The MateBook D is back, and it is shipping with Windows 10. Huawei has upgraded the MateBook D 14 and MateBook D 15 to 10th generation Intel Core and third-generation AMD Ryzen processors. Both models are configurable with up to 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD, while Intel versions also come with an NVIDIA GeForce MX250 GPU.

The Red Magic 3 wants to prove that you don't have to spend $800+ on a high-end gaming smartphone. The latest model with the Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC and UFS 3.0 storage will be only $450 USD until December 3.

Lenovo has some very impressive doorbuster deals running at the moment that offer consumers savings that reach into the thousands of dollars. Various ThinkPad P53 mobile workstations have been discounted by nearly 50%, and there are hefty savings to be had on ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptops, ThinkPad X1 Extreme notebooks, and ThinkPad X1 tablets. The mind-boggling deals are time restricted and stock limited.

A Redmi Note 7S owner has reported a fault with his device that he believes caused it to explode. The user claimed that the smartphone was treated in a normal manner and wasn’t even charging when it caught on fire. However, after a thorough examination of the melted handset, Xiaomi has concluded it was caused by “customer induced damage”.
Xiaomi has provided Notebookcheck with an updated statement in regard to this incident.

Huami is a smartwatch OEM that has developed a habit of releasing titanium-cased variants of its products. Now, it has given one of its latest releases, the GTS, the same treatment. Its new edition costs about US$185, or about $58 more than the original.

Oppo’s VP of Global Marketing Brian Shen has tweeted out the first official teaser for the forthcoming Reno3 Pro 5G handset. According to Shen, the device is 7.7 mm thin putting it on track to be the thinnest dual-mode mid-range 5G handset on the market when it launches next month.

Xiaomi has secured 3C approval for a new smartphone with dual-band 5G. Furthermore, this device - which comes in 2 variants - has a maximum charging rate of 66 watts. Therefore, it is likely that this product may be a new flagship, or a high-value mid-ranger at least.

Honor India has announced a new beta program for the 8X. It allows participants to test a new version of EMUI based on Android 10, on their devices. However, it is only open to the phone's 4GB RAM/64GB internal storage variant at present.

Xiaomi already announced a 50X zoom lens, but Vivo now wants to push the limits even further with a 60X hybrid periscope lens. The latest teasers show that periscope lens is separated from the other rear cameras and is also not protruding thanks to system that includes light prisms. Vivo also plans to release a Pro version for the X30, which will feature more powerful rear cameras.

Huawei and Honor began sending out the Android 10-based EMUI 10 and Magic UI 3.0 updates to their current-gen flagships. At the Honor V30 launch yesterday, Honor revealed its release roadmap for the Android 10 update and there are a few surprises in store, with just 13 devices billed to get the update.

Huawei sub-brand Honor has taken the wraps of the all-new V30 and V30 Pro. The new devices both sport support for 5G with the Pro model equipped with the latest HiSilicon Kirin 990 with integrated 5 G modem.

A new report from market analysts Canalys has revealed incredible results for Xiaomi in the European smartphone market: The Chinese manufacturer has witnessed annual growth of 73%. In India, Xiaomi is currently the number 1 smartphone brand for overall market share, on 27.1%. This is likely to increase with the impending release of the Mi Note 10 with its 108 MP camera.

Huawei has unveiled the MatePad Pro today (November 25, 2019). It is a 10.8 tablet with a resolution of 2560x1600 and a punch-hole selfie camera. This new slate comes in 6GB or 8GB RAM SKUs and has LTE or Wi-Fi only options. It can be pre-ordered from today, but only in its home country.

Realme's CEO, Xu Qi Chase, has announced the X50 via Weibo. This upcoming phone is to be the first phone to launch under this brand-name with 5G. This phone may also have a dual punch-hole selfie camera, and may offer an "advanced experience".

Intel has reportedly patented its own game controller. It is liberally provisioned with joysticks, buttons, a D-pad and what could be shoulder triggers. Furthermore, its design also includes a touchpad, which is apparently associated with a patent of its own. This new in-house controller could be related to this company's cloud-gaming partnership with Tencent.

The gaming-centric Android smartphone launched in gray, red and purple color options for a more striking visual appeal. Users who just want a simple black option have finally gotten their wish with the new subtle Eclipse Black color option.

Xiaomi has been busy rolling out its MIUI 11 firmware on devices from its lineup, delivering many welcome changes to the previous iteration. However, one potential hiccup has been spotted in regard to the updated fast charging symbol. The new icon, which consists of two lightning bolts placed together, looks somewhat reminiscent to the insignia of one of history’s most reviled organizations.

A phone called the Vivo V1938T has gained 3C certification in China. Given that it has dual-band 5G, this device is most likely the X30 or its Pro variant. This series is also now rumored to have quad cameras with a 60MP sensor, a 4500mAh battery and at least 8GB of RAM.

Microsoft has announced that it has secured a license from the US government that allows it to sell its products to Huawei again. This will, for example, enable the OEM to put Windows on future generations of its MateBooks. The Redmond giant is among the 25% of the companies who have had their applications to work with the Chinese company approved.

The pieces of the Redmi K30 puzzle are falling into place, with Xiaomi having said to expect the series to arrive next month. Leaked images and China Compulsory Certificate documentation have seemingly confirmed several aspects of Xiaomi's next mid-range offering, including a display capable of 120 Hz refresh rates.

The time has come for Huawei fans to act, as the Chinese company has officially brought the Mate 30 Pro to EU shores. The handset comes without Google Mobile Services, while its release is limited to Spain for the time being. However, this could well prove to be a trial run to see whether Europeans are prepared to pay flagship prices for a smartphone without Google Mobile Services.

Lenovo has posted a promo clip of the foldable ThinkPad X1 on YouTube that was filmed at the company’s recent Tech World event. A rendered marketing video for the folding laptop was already released earlier this year, but this latest clip shows the actual device going through a thorough hands-on workout. The foldable PC looks impressive but is clearly in an unfinished state.