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ZTE USA debuts Tempo Go as first Android Go phone for US market

Scott Webster
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ZTE USA on Sunday announced the ZTE Tempo Go, a variation of its Tempo X phone, for Google’s Android Go platform. The first of its kind for the United States, the handset will be sold unlocked with support for AT&T and T-Mobile networks.

A stripped-down and less demanding version of Android, Android Go requires less hardware than conventional phones and lends to lower price points. As indicated earlier this week, Android Go is starting to make its way into the US.

The Tempo Go features a 5-inch display at 854 x 480 pixel resolution, a 5-megapixel rear camera, and 2-megapixel front-facing camera. Internally we locate a Snapdragon 210 processor with 1GB RAM and 8GB of storage. Other specifications include a 2,200mAh battery , microUSB port, 3.5mm headphone jack, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.

The ZTE Tempo Go will retail for $79.99; a launch date is not yet known.

HUAWEI announces a 5G endpoint for telecom carries and the MediaPad M5 tablet

Donovan Jeska
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At MWC 2018, HUAWEI announced a new tablet for 2018: the MediaPad M5. It also announced the world’s first 5G commercial terminal device, the 5G CPE (Consumer Premises Equipment).

MediaPad M5

The new MediaPad M5 will come in two sizes (8.4″ and 10.8″) and two colors (Champagne Gold and Space Grey). The latter size will also include a Pro version. All models will run Android 8.0 with EMUI 8.0, featuring a custom Desktop Mode exclusive to Huawei devices. The MediaPad 5 will also have audio tuned by Harmon Kardon, Hi-Res Audio when connected to a wired headset, and are the first tablets worldwide to feature a 2K display with 2.5D glass. The Pro model will also include a HUAWEI M-Pen, featuring 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity.

All three models of the MediaPad M5 run a Kirin 960 processor. They will be available in different storage capacities (32/64/128 GB for the 8.4″ and 10.8″ models, 64/128 GB for the Pro model). The MediaPad M5 features LTE, 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2, 13MP front/8MP rear cameras, and USB-C charging.

It appears HUAWEI is attempting to jumpstart the Android tablet market while also competing the Microsoft’s Surface Pro line. It’s a bold move, and in a tablet market that floundering pitifully, one that could either pay off in spades or sputter and die. With HUAWEI running into some trouble stateside lately, it really needs a win to break into the market. The HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro was announced for the US market to much fanfare at CES 2018, but the US Government has much to say about HUAWEI phones – much of it not good. This comes as a blow to the Chinese company, which has been trying to break into the market for years.

5G CPE

In a bid to win the 5G race, HUAWEI unveiled its new chipset, the Balong 5G01. This new, custom chipset supports the new 3GPP telecommunication standard, which will bring up to 2.3Gbps to the masses.

“5G technology will underpin the next leap forward for our intelligent world, where people, vehicles, homes and devices are fully connected, delivering new experiences, insights and capabilities. Since 2009, Huawei has invested $600million in research and development into 5G technologies, where we have led the way with innovations around network architecture, spectrum usage, field verification and more. From connected vehicles and smart homes to AR/VR and hologram videos, we are committed to developing a mature 5G ecosystem so that consumers can benefit from a truly connected world that transforms the way we communicate and share.”

– Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group.

It’s worth noting that Huawei has partnered with more than 30 global telecommunications carriers – notably, T-Mobile here in the States. As such, T-Mobile could potentially be the first of the major Stateside carriers to have a true 5G network. Such an accomplishment would be an absolute coup for the 3rd place telecom carriers. It would also be a win for HUAWEI: who, as mentioned above, is currently struggling in the US.

ZTE dials up mid-range Blade V9 and Blade V9 Vita

Scott Webster
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ZTE on Sunday added a pair of smartphones to its Blade portfolio of devices. The Blade V9, and its counterpart, the Blade V9 Vita, are mid-range hardware but in a more current design that’s more in line with other 2018 handsets.

The pair of phones run Android 8.0 Oreo and share a number of basic specifications with each other. Each has an 18:9 aspect ratio for the display, dual rear cameras, 3.5mm headphone jacks, microUSB, memory card slot, and the usual fare of connectivity.

ZTE Blade V9

With a 5.7-inch display at 2160 x 1080 pixel resolution, the Blade V9 has an aluminum frame with glass panels on both the front and back.

The phone is powered by an octa-core processor and comes in two builds: 2GB RAM with 16GB storage, 4GB RAM with 64GB storage.

ZTE Blade V9 Front and Back

In terms of cameras, the Blade V9 has a rear combo of 16-megapixel and 5-megapixel shooters; around front is a either an 8-megapixel or 13-megapixel camera.

According to ZTE, the cameras boast improved low-light performance and the dual-lens cameras offer better bokeh and portrait images. The front camera supports Faceb detection for unlocking and waking. Other stand-key specs include NFC, fingerprint reader, and a 3,100mAh battery.

ZTE Blade V9 Vita

Slightly smaller with a 5.45-inch display, the variant has a 1440x x720 pixel resolution. Internally we find a Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage.

Rather than glass and aluminum, the Blade V9 Vita employs polycarbonate for its shell. The back offers up a 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel dual camera configuration; the front has an 8-megapixel selfie camera. In terms of battery, the Blade V9 Vita includes a 3,200mAh power source.

Availability

The Blade V9 will be sold in black and gold options; the Blade V9 Vita will sell in black, blue, dark blue, and pink. ZTE hasn’t said that either of these phones will come to the United States any time soon but they could arrive under different names. Cricket and MetroPCS would be two likely candidates to offer the Blade V9s.

Xiaomi confirms the Mi MIX 2S is coming, will run the cutting-edge Snapdragon 845

Donovan Jeska
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In a recent tweet, Xiaomi’s official Spokesperson Donovan Sung unveiled the upcoming Mi MIX 2S, along with a short message about the device:

As you can see, the device will run the bleeding-edge Snapdragon 845 – the latest and greatest from Qualcomm. The Mi MIX 2S will join the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus as the first devices to run the Snapdragon 845. Sung also confirmed that the device will release on March 27th, though he revealed little else about the device.

Mi Mix 2S Theories and Hypotheses

Android Authority muses that the Mi MIX 2S may have similar specifications to the current Mi MIX 2. That stands to reason, given the “-S” branding, which has come to designate an incremental update of an existing smartphone. In addition, AA also hypothesizes that the number in the mysterious image Sung tweeted could be a reference to the Mi Mix 2S’s AnTuTu score – a score of 273,741 would put it squarely atop the AnTuTu rankings, handily beating out Apple’s iPhone 8 Plus’ current-best score of 217,385.

We’ll find out more in the coming days, I’m sure – possibly even by the end of MWC.

Samsung unveils the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus

Matt Adams
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After one of the most successful launches in recent history with the Galaxy S8, Samsung is back again. Today at Mobile World Congress 2018, Samsung officially debuted the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus to eager fans and tech press. How do the devices differ from last year’s models? Let’s take a look.

Samsung appears to be embracing Apple’s iPhone strategy. Apple releases two devices with very small, yet meaningful differences. Samsung previously released two devices that were basically identical except for screen size. That’s all changing this year with the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus.

The Galaxy S9 will come with 4 GB of RAM and a 5.8-inch display. It’ll also feature a single 12 MP camera. However, the Galaxy S9 Plus will feature 6 GB of RAM, a larger 6.2-inch display, and a dual camera setup. The cameras on the S9 Plus are a Dual Pixel 12 MP sensor with a dual f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures. Owners will get a 12 MP wide-angle lens and a 12 MP telephoto lens.

The devices will also be slightly smaller than last year’s models. Samsung was able to shave off a little more than 1 mm by reducing the top and bottom bezels on both devices. Samsung stated that the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus had one of the most popular designs in company history, so why try to fix something that isn’t broke, right?

In addition to making the devices smaller, Samsung also finally moved the fingerprint scanner. One of the most frustrating aspects of the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8 Plus, and Note 8 was the placement of the fingerprint scanner. Too high up the phone and too close to the camera, it was almost impossible to reliably hit the scanner. Now, Samsung has finally moved it under the camera to a more sane position.

One of the biggest changes to the devices this year is in the camera technology. Samsung is using a new technology to mimic how the human eye processes light. When in a bright environment, the Galaxy S9 will use a f/2.4 aperture and let in less light. In lower light situation, it’ll flip over to a wider f/1.5 aperture and let in more light. This should result in more true to life shots.

Samsung has also included a new Image Sensor Processor in the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus that aims to help bring down the noise in your shots. The device will process pictures in groups multiple times until it comes up with it thinks is the best photo. The process happens in the background so you can continue snapping shots or using other functions on your device.

Read more: Five clones that can offer the Samsung Galaxy S8 look on the cheap

The new ISP also means that the devices can shoot in super slow-mo. This has been rumored for awile now, but now we’re finally getting confirmation. The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus will be able to shoot at 960 fps at 720p resolution. The devices have an automatic slow-mo feature so you never have to toggle it on. As long as you’re shooting video, the camera is also capturing it in super slow-mo mode so you can go back and see it later.

In addition to a better camera, the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus will also have an improved speaker setup. For years, Samsung has only had a bottom firing speaker on its flagships. It sounded okay but certainly not great. Now, Samsung is upping its game and using a dual buttom + front facing speaker. The headset earpiece will act as a second speaker. Samsung says the speakers are 1.4 times louder than the speakers on the S8 and S8 Plus.

So, when can you get them? Pretty soon, actually. Pre-orders will start March 2 and the phones hit stores on March 16.

Samsung is hosting a pre-order promotion called Trade Up and Save where customers can trade in their old devices for credit toward a new Galaxy S9 or S9 Plus. Flagships that are a year old and newer, you can expect to get about $350 toward your new device. The offer is available to customers switching to the Galaxy S9 or S9 Plus from non-Samsung flagships.

What do you think of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus? Let us know down in the comments.

The Huawei P20 will have three cameras and be unveiled next month

Dan Bartram
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The Huawei P20 has been hovering on the rumor mill for some time, but Huawei has now confirmed the device exists and will launch at its event next month.

Huawei’s next device has been going backwards and forwards between being called the P11 or P20 with arguments warranting each direction. Huawei has finally settled the debate confirming the P20 name. It also sent out a reminder about its event to launch the Huawei P20 next month just before the focus turns to MWC 2018 next week.

In addition to confirming the name, Huawei also revealed in the teaser that the P20 will have three cameras. Yep, you read that right. The three cameras will work together to offer a unique feature for the camera experience that will focus on AI.

According to Richard Yu, the product chief of Huawei, claims that the P20 will wipe the floor with the iPhone X in an interview with Forbes.

“Next month, the P20, we will have some big, bold innovations of camera technology. It will be much much better than all the other phones…”

Yu then picks up someone else’s iPhone X from the table and says, “including this.”

He continues: “I know I may not be humble, but [the P20] will be much better. It’s not going to be a little bit better, but much better.”

He continues to state that the P20 has been subject to heavy R&D and is presumably referring to the enhanced AI features.

Huawei will announce the P20 on March 27 in Paris.

Google ARCore 1.0 released publicly to 100 million devices

AndroidGuys
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To sustain the competition in the AR market brought in by Apple in the form of ARKit, Google announced a similar AR based platform for Android devices called Google ARCore a few months back.

While initially it was made available to only to the Google Pixel devices, Google later partnered with other OEMs and app developers to expand ARCore to more devices and services.

Google has now announced version 1.0 of ARCore ahead of the Mobile World Congress 2018 and it is initially made available to over 100 million devices across the world.

Google ARCore allows you to use your phone’s camera to integrate virtual content to the real world as seen through your camera. This platform gives the developers to integrate augmented reality apps to Android smartphones without the help of any additional hardware.

Google ARCore 1.0 Availability

Currently, ARCore 1.0 is rolling out to a list of 13 Android smartphones which includes Google’s Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL; Samsung’s Galaxy S8, S8+, Note8, S7 and S7 edge; LG’s V30 and V30+ (Android O only); ASUS’s Zenfone AR; and OnePlus’s OnePlus 5.

These 13 flagship smartphones of the most popular Android OEMs constitute a total of over a 100 million devices making Google’s promise to bring ARCore to a 100 million devices at the MWC 2018 come true.

Google is also working with other OEMs like Huawei, Motorola, Xiaomi, HMD/Nokia, ZTE, Sony Mobile, and Vivo to bring ARCore to their existing and upcoming flagship devices.

The version 1.0 of Google ARCore comes with improved environmental understanding which enables the developers to place virtual object on any kind of surface irrespective of the shape of texture unlike Apple’s ARKit which is primarily designed for flat horizontal and vertical surfaces.

Google ARCore

Google will also be partenering with non Google Play devices like Xiaomi and Huawei to bring the functionality of ARCore to China, making it one of the first Google based service to launch in China as they have virtually no Google service not even the Google Play Store or any of the other popular Google apps.

Google Lens preview update

Besides ARCore, the company is also working on to bring the Google Lens which was previously only available to Google Pixel devices to other Android devices. It is embedded into the Google Photos app and allows you to get more details about the images you capture using your device’s camera.

The new update to Google Lens preview might make your device’s camera more smarter by adding features like recognizing the breeds of animals, types of plants and so on. It can currently detect events, contact numbers and even translate in some instances from the photos you capture.

ARCore app and experiments

The ARCore app is now available for download from the Google Play Store here. You can download and install it on your device and can use it to try out the latest AR based apps and stickers using your device’s camera.

Google ARCore

You can also go through the list of AR experiments of Google based on ARCore here. Google might showcase the ARCore features and the compatible Augmented Reality based apps desgined based on it in the upcoming weeks at the Mobile World Congress.

LG will unveil K8 and K10 series smartphones at MWC 2018

Dan Bartram
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LG confirmed that it will unveil the K8 and K10 at Mobile World Congress 2018 next week in Barcelona with advanced features that it says will rival premium flagships.

Both models will roll out globally in key regions such as Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. The new K series focuses on advanced camera features such as high-speed autofocus and noise reduction for better performance in low light conditions. Both the K8 and K10 feature a 2.5D Arc Glass design and will be available in Aurora Black, Moroccan Blue, and Terra Gold.

The LG K10 comes with a 13-Megapixel camera which is the same as found in the LG G6, despite being aimed at the mid-range price tier. The K10 is also equipped with Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF) which is 23 percent faster than traditional autofocus.

The LG K8 will come will some improved camera UX features new for the 2018 model that will offer better low-light performance. Low Light Noise Reduction feature and High Dynamic Range (HDR) look to provide the advanced features usually found on a flagship at an affordable price.

“LG’s 2018 K Series range of smartphones is focused on delivering even more value to consumers looking for the right device that fits their lifestyle and needs,” said Ha Jeung-uk, senior vice president and business unit leader for LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “We’re confident we can capture the hearts and minds of consumers in the fast-moving market with our smartphone camera technology and other convenient features.”

You can see the K8 and K10 in all its glory at MWC 2018 next week at LG’s booth in Hall 3 of Fira Gran Via from February 26 until March 1.

K10 Key Specifications:

  • Chipset: 1.5 GHz Octa-Core
  • Display: 5.3-inch HD In-cell Touch (1280 x 720 / 277ppi)
  • Memory:
    • K10+ : 3GB RAM / 32GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
    • K10: 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
    • K10α : 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
  • Camera:
    • K10+ : Rear 13MP / Front 8MP or 5MP (Wide)
    • K10: Rear 13MP / Front 8MP or 5MP (Wide)
    • K10α : Rear 8MP / Front 5MP
  • Battery: 3,000mAh (embedded)
  • Operating System: Android 7.1.2 Nougat
  • Size: 148.7 x 75.3 x 8.68mm
  • Weight: 162g
  • Network: LTE / 3G / 2G
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11 b, g, n) / Bluetooth 4.2 / USB 2.0 Type B / NFC
  • Colors:
    • K10+: Moroccan Blue / Terra Gold
    • K10 : Aurora Black / Moroccan Blue / Terra Gold
    • K10α: Aurora Black / Terra Gold
  • Other: Fingerprint Scanner / FM Radio / Flash Jump Shot / Music Flash /

K8 Key Specifications:

  • Time Helper / Quick Capture / Quick Shutter
  • Chipset: 1.3 GHz Quad-Core
  • Display: 5.0-inch HD On-cell Touch (1280 x 720 / 294ppi)
  • Memory: 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM / microSD (up to 32GB)
  • Camera: Rear 8MP / Front 5MP
  • Battery: 2,500mAh (removable)
  • Operating System: Android 7.1.2 Nougat
  • Size: 146.3 x 73.2 x 8.2mm
  • Weight: 152g
  • Network: LTE / 3G / 2G
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11 b, g, n) / Bluetooth 4.2 / USB 2.0 Type B
  • Colors: Aurora Black / Moroccan Blue / Terra Gold
  • Other: FM Radio / Flash Jump Shot / Music Flash / Time Helper / Quick Capture / Quick Shutter

Smart Launcher 5 update comes with a pool of new features

AndroidGuys
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Smart launcher is one of the popular Android launchers that has been around from the Gingerbread days. The initial layout of the launcher was designed to go with smartphones with screen size of 3.5 inch or less allowing the user to access all the apps and features within a single screen.

Over the years, smartphones have grown a lot in terms of size and features and maintaining the same old layout for devices over 5.5 inches in size didn’t make much sense as users wanted the most important things to be at the bottom of the screen, easier to reach.

Keeping this mind, Smart Launcher has finally released the beta update to the 5th version of their popular Android Launcher after working on it for almost 2 years, this time with a complete overhaul of the user interface changing every possible aspect of the launcher to make it future proof.

If you have used Smart Launcher in the past and have shifted to some other launcher because you felt it lacked something you wanted, you might reconsider coming back once you know about the new features that has been added to the latest update.

New Acrylic Design

Just like the Material design language the stock Android is based on Smart Launcher 5 is based on a design guideline they named Acrylic Design. This makes sure that all the elements of the launcher including the fonts, icon shapes and sizes and the layout looks consistent.

Smart Launcher 5

The new design also brings all the important stuff like app icons and folders to the bottom of the launcher while reserving the top most part for visual information and widgets. This makes sense as most Android devices these days come with a large display making it difficult for the users to reach the top to access the apps they want to use.

Ambient Theme

With the new Ambient theme, the launcher will now automatically change the background and colours of the folders and other UI elements to match the colour that has been extracted from your current wallpaper. By this way you can get an unified and an ambient look across the launcher

Adaptive Icons

Google introduced the concept of Adaptive icons to Android Oreo 8.0 as an attempt to give a consistent look to all the app icons on your launcher despite the difference in their shapes and logos. This means all icons could either be circular, square or a combination of both.

Smart Launcher 5

While this feature is currently available only in Android Oreo, Smart launcher 5 brings it to other versions of Android with its new adaptive icons feature supporting upto Android 4.0 making it extremely backward compatible. You also have the option to disable it if you want.

Smart Search

This is probably one of the best new features added to the Smart Launcher 5, the new search bar has been moved from the top of the launcher to the bottom making it easily accessible and it now comes with a few smart features.

For instance, you can directly use it as a calculator, to add new contacts to your device or even perform a web search. Of course it is still used for searching for apps, files and contacts across your device.

New homecreen layout

The homescreen now comes with a new design where instead of the classic side bar for automatically created categories of your app, there is now a new bottom bar in the launcher making it easier to access.

Also, there is also now a new clock widget which comes with weather information, alarm and even your upcoming events. Smart Launcher 5 has also redesigned the preferences page which now has a cleaner look with more organized options.

Sorting icons by colour

Besides the usual name, size and install time for sorting the icons that are normally found on launchers, Smart Launcher 5 introduces an option to sort your icons by colour, making it easier to find and awesome to look at.

Smart Launcher 5

Notification Plugin

Just like the Touchwiz launcher of Samsung and other popular OEM launchers, Smart Launcher 5 now comes with integrated plugin for displaying the notification count on the app icons.

Smart Launcher 5

Apart from these most important changes, the new update has brought in a lot of minute but noticeable changes across the app, like new animations, popup menus, new wallpaper picker, option to share your homescreen layout, backing up your wallpaper and many more.

If you want to try out the new Smart Launcher 5 update right now on your device, just head over to the app page here on the Google Play Store and sign up for their beta program at the end of the page.

You should be able to download and install the beta update after a few minutes. Let us know in the comments below what you think about these new features of Smart Launcher 5 and would you consider selecting it as your default Android Launcher.

Mark your calendar: Google I/O 2018 will be held May 8-10

Dan Bartram
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Google has opened up ticket purchases for Google I/O 2018, which will take place between May 8 and May 10 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA.

Google I/O is an opportunity for developers around the globe to come together and see demonstrations of all the new software features and APIs Google is working on. For consumers, it is also of notable interest as Google I/O is also typically where we get sight of the next version of Android.

General admission to Google I/O costs $1,150, similar to last year. Academic admission remains the same at $375 for full-time students, professors, faculty and staff at a high school or higher education institution. There is also a new “Community partners” tier at $750.

The specific themes called out by Google on the I/O landing page is Grow & Earn, Building on Mobile, and Beyond Mobile. The consumer-focussed keynote will be on Tuesday, May 8 at 10 AM and runs until 11:30 AM, before breaking out into the developer focused sessions.

You can apply for tickets here. Applications for tickets closes on February 27 at 5 PM PST.

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