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This is Vernee’s answer to the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active

Alexandra Arici
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Little-know device manufacturer from China, Vernee has slowly started to emerge from the underground with products like the Mix 2, a phone which brings with a massive 6-inch edge-to-edge screen with 18:9 aspect ratio and a big 4,200 mAh battery under the hood.

Well, it seems the company has set its sights on the rugged niche and will soon unveil a new phone with a distinctive Samsung Galaxy S8 Active flavor to it.

According to the leaked images that made their way online, the Vernee Active will be a pretty sleek device coming with really thin bezels (on the sides) and frame, but rather noticeable chin and forehead.

We’re also told the handset will feature a 5.5-inch display with high screen-to-body ratio and will include a new, upgraded version of the Helio P25 octa-core processor which is expected to be 30% more powerful and consume 25% less than its predecessor.

Other details regarding the upcoming rugged phone are yet to emerge, but so far it seems like the Vernee Active could make for a decent Galaxy S8 Active alternative. Especially for people who don’t like in the US, where the phone is exclusively sold. Not to mention that Vernee won’t probably ask more than $300 for the phone. In contrast, AT&T is selling the Galaxy S8 Active for a whopping $849.99.

3 Chinese smartphones that want to make you forget all about the iPhone X

Alexandra Arici
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The iPhone X is probably way too expensive for the majority of customers out there. Fortunately, Chinese manufacturers are making sure those who want to give the iPhone X experience a try will be able to do so.

Three Chinese OEMs are currently working on producing iPhone X clones and when they arrive they’ll most likely be available for purchase for dirt-cheap prices (at least compared to the original). You can check them out below:

UMIDIGI Z2

Not much information is available about the UMIDIGI Z2 – poised to be the successor of the UMIDIGI Z1 and Z1 Pro – except for what can be extracted from a leaked image and video.

Apparently, the Z2 will not only bring the iPhone X-look to the table, complete with notch and full-screen front, but will also take advantage of a fingerprint scanner built into the display. Since the iPhone X comes without a Touch ID and Samsung has yet to implement such a technology into its high-end handset, we’re quite curious to see how UMIDIGI will manage to pull this off.

Furthermore, the phone appears to sport dual cameras on the front and will probably also take advantage of dual-cameras on the back. And with the UMIDIGI Z1 Pro currently available for $299.99, we expect the UMIDIGI Z2 not to jump over the $350 threshold.

Ulefone X

Even less is known about Ulefone’s upcoming device which for practical terms we dubbed “X”. According to a recent leak, the phone will come with a dual-camera arrangement on the front, and most likely on the back too.

Ulefone says the handset will incorporate a 3D face ID technology that will replace their previous fingerprint solution. The Android OEM will apparently employ the help of Chinese company Face++ to make this happen.

The remaining specs of the Ulefone X are expected to be pretty high-end too. The phone could launch with 6GB/8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage and take advantage of the most powerful MediaTek processor available.

Little Pepper S11

Little Pepper is an obscure Chinese brand that is eager to draw attention upon itself. And with the S11 they copied the design of the drool-worthy iPhone X, but up to a point.

Yes, the phone offers very thin bezels all around and a notch on top, but upon closer inspection, you’ll realize that the notch is part of the upper bezel. Also, the phone does not offer 18:9 aspect ratio, but the standard 16:9. What’s more, the Little Pepper S11 also has a fingerprint scanner located below the display.

The S11 appears to include dual cameras on the front and back (arranged in horizontal position) and a shell that’s made to look like glass, but is actually glossy plastic. It’s probably headed to the market with a price 10 times lower than the iPhone X’s.

Google’s Pixels now offer more accurate battery estimates

Alexandra Arici
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While everyone was busy feasting on Thanksgiving dinner, Google announced it was rolling out a new feature called “Smart Battery” which aims to provide Pixel users with more accurate battery estimates.

Previously battery estimates where generated based on basic assumptions. For example, if a Pixel owner was using 10% battery each hour over the past few hours, the algorithm simply assumed the trend will continue and provided its estimates based on that logic.

However, with “Smart Battery” Google has introduced a new on-device model that learns your personal habits in order to provide you with personalized battery estimates. So for example, if you normally spend your lunch break watching videos, Smart Battery will take notice of that and adjust its estimates accordingly.

To give the new feature a try, first go to Settings on your Pixel device, and under Battery, you should be able to see your personalized battery estimate. As you can see from the screenshots, the new feature will tell you how much battery you have left based on your habits in percentages and hours/minutes. What’s more, tapping the battery icon will reveal a graphic estimate.

The Google Product Manager who made the announcement did not specify whether the new feature is headed to the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL as well, but we have to assume it will. Let us know if you’re seeing Smart Battery on your Pixel in the comment section below.

What should Santa get you? OnePlus 5T vs Google Pixel 2 XL

Alexandra Arici
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A few days ago OnePlus announced the OnePlus 5T, its second flagship for the year. But how does it compare to other premium smartphones that were launched in 2017? Like the Pixel 2 XL for example? Continue reading below to find out which would make a better Christmas present.

On the outside

Four months later after the OnePlus 5 launched on the market, the OnePlus 5T shed the outdated design of its predecessor and finally stepped into the modern era with a 6-inch edge-to-edge AMOLED display with 18:9 aspect ratio and 2,160 x 1,080 resolution.

The OnePlus 5T boasts an anodized aluminum body with rounded corners and chamfered edges. It measures 156.1 x 75 x 7.3 mm, tips the scales at 162g and comes without an IP rating of any kind. Unlike the Pixel 2 XL, the OnePlus 5T includes a 3.5mm headphone jack which lives at the bottom, alongside the USB Type-C port. The fingerprint scanner has been moved to the back of the device.

The Pixel 2 XL is also part of the modern all-screen phone trend, but the bottom and upper bezels are substantial enough to be accommodating front-facing speakers. The phone is mainly made of aluminum with a bit of glass at the top of its back. Within the glass window lives the single lens camera + flash, while the fingerprint scanner is located below.

The Pixel 2 XL takes advantage of a 6-inch display with 2880 x 1440 resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio, but it measures 157.9 x 76.7 x 7.9mm and weighs 175g, so it’s a bit larger than the OnePlus 5T. It also includes an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

However, when considering to buy a Pixel 2 XL you need to take into account that the phone has been found to suffer from a large number of problems. From display issues to random reboots, touchscreen woes and clicking noises Google can’t seem to catch a break while this phone is concerned.

On the inside

Both smartphones take advantage of a Snapdragon 835 processor, but things are a bit different in the RAM and storage area. The OnePlus 5T is available in either 6GB of RAM + 64GB of storage or 8GB of RAM + 128GB of storage configurations.

The device also houses a 3,300 mAh battery which support’s the company’s fast charging technology, Dash Charge.

The Pixel 2 XL, on the other hand, supports 4GB of RAM with 64GB of storage or 128GB. None of the two models include a microSD card slot. Google’s larger Pixel 2 relies a slightly larger 3,520 mAh cell under the hood, which supports fast charging, as well.

Photography

Customers who want to try out the dual-camera experience will probably go for the OnePlus 5T which unlike the Pixel 2 XL boasts two sensors on the back.

The main one is of 16-megapixel variety, while the second is a 20-megapixel one. Both offer f/1.7 aperture. OnePlus has included features like Portrait Mode that allows users to get the bokeh effect, as well as a Pro Mode with manual controls. When it comes to selfies, the OnePlus 5T boasts a 16-megapixel shooter with f/2.0.

The Google Pixel 2 XL on the other hand still relies on a singular 12.2-megapixel rear camera that bundles f/1.8 aperture, dual pixel phase detection, optical and electrical image stabilization and laser autofocus. On the front, there’s an 8-megapixel secondary snapper with f/2.4 for your self-portrait taking purposes.

Software

Google’s Pixel devices are the pinnacle of what Android can be and that’s exactly the case for the Pixel 2 XL which runs (stock) Android Oreo out of the box. And like all of its Nexus/Pixels brothers and sisters, the Pixel 2 XL is bound to receive any news updates first. Pixel 2 users can also take advantage of exclusive features such as Google Lens which lets you use the phone’s camera to identify any objects you pinpoint it towards.

Meanwhile, the OnePlus 5T disappointingly went on sale with Android 7.1.1 Nougat (with OxygenOS on top) out of the box. Android Oreo will eventually be offered, but don’t expect the public build to arrive before early 2018.

OxgenOS is a modified version of Android which includes a few specific features like App Locker and Parallel Apps, which let you lock certain apps. There’s also a Do Not Disturb while Gaming mode and a new Face Unlock feature.

Value

The OnePlus 5T starts at $499.99 for the 6GB of RAM + 64GB of storage version. The Pixel 2 XL, on the other hand, is a lot more expensive, as it starts at $849.99 in the Google Store.

While you should definitely carefully weight all the advantages and disadvantages of buying a Pixel 2 XL or OnePlus 5T , your choice of carrier might also influence your decision.

Even if Verizon holds exclusivity over the Pixel 2 XL, the phone comes unlocked and is compatible with all major carriers. In contrast, the OnePlus 5 does not (fully) support Verizon and Sprint networks.

Motorola shaves $100 off the Moto Z2 Play and 25% off all Moto Mods this Black Friday

Alexandra Arici
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After HTC, Google, LG, and Samsung, Motorola also announced its list of Black Friday 2017 deals. So if you were planning to gift yourself with a new Motorola phone or a Moto Mod, now it’s the time to make the purchase.

Here’s the complete list of discounts which are available between November 22 and November 27 (Monday).

  • Moto Z2 Play – $100 off (now available for $399.99)
  • Moto X4 – $60 off (now available for $329.99)
  • Moto Z (2016) – $100 off (now available for $399)
  • Moto G5 Plus 32GB – $30 off (now available for $199.99)
  • Moto G5 Plus 64GB – $70 off (now available for $224.99)
  • Moto E4 Plus 32GB – $30 off (now available for $169.99)
  • 25% off any Moto Mods

In order to see the discounts, you will have to add the items you wish to purchase to the cart. Free shipping will be applied to orders over $75. But wait there’s more. Notice the pop up embedded below and you can get an additional 5% off your purchase.

These discounts are offered by Motorola directly, but other retailers and carriers that are selling Moto products are also offering promotions on them.

For example, for a limited time, T-Mobile is selling the Moto Z2 Force for only $375 outright. Given that other carriers like Verizon are currently asking $756 for the same phone, this is an incredibly good deal, so if you want to grab the device you best hurry up.

Who said smart speakers have to be boring? Check out Baidu’s Raven H

Alexandra Arici
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Bored of the unimaginative minimalism that dominates the smart speaker market? Are you done with dull cylinders like the Amazon Echo or unnoticeable donut-shaped gadgets like the Google Home Mini?

If smart speakers available on the market today have something in common – it’s that they are rather characterless and unexciting when it comes to design. But not all of them are like that. For example, Baidu’s first smart speaker dubbed the Raven H easily breaks away from the crowd.

Swedish designers, Teenage Engineering have partnered up with Baidu, China’s answer to Google, for this product, which was co-designed with Raven Tech, an AI startup that was acquired by the former.

At first glance, you probably won’t even be able to tell what the Raven H does, as the device looks like a stack of colorful plastic blocks with a red old telephone-wire attached. Even so, Baidu’s smart speaker can perform every function expected of a product in this category. It includes a LED display touch controller that can be detached from the device to be used to control the main base from a distance.

The Raven H is powered by the company’s conversational AI technology, DuerOS which is similar to Amazon’s Alexa or the Google Assistant, so users can do things like play music, control other smart devices around the house, call a taxi, schedule things (like turning on the TV when it’s time to watch an episode) or search for info – all by virtue of voice commands.

Unfortunately, the Raven H is a device destined for the Chinese market, but surely if it were to ever launch on the Western market, this smart speaker would certainly draw a lot of attention. The gadget is expected to go on sale next month for approximately $256.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will make their first public appearance at CES 2018

Alexandra Arici
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We previously heard that Samsung plans to launch the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ ahead of schedule, as early as January 2018. Now a new report surfaced from Venture Beat claims Samsung is looking to show off the successor of this year’s Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ a little earlier than previously thought, during the CES 2018 tradeshow (January 9 – 12).

However, the source who has apparently been briefed on the company’s plans claims the company will merely tease the new smartphone during the Las Vegas event, with the official launch scheduled for late February, perhaps at MWC 2018 (February 26 – March 1). So it’s unclear at this point how many details about the Galaxy S9 will be revealed during CES.

Some additional information about the new models were also shared with VentureBeat. For starters, Samsung’s next-gen flagships are expected to more a refinement than revolution, as the Galaxy S9 duo is said to be nearly identical in appearance to their predecessors.

The two handsets – codenamed Star 1 (SM-G960) and Star 2 (SM-G965) – will come boasting 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch curved InfinityDisplays, just like the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ before them did. Sources also claim the Galaxy S9 duo will be based on a chipset designed using 10-nanometer fabrication techniques, which probably means the flagships will take advantage of Qualcomm’s next-gen high-end SoC, the Snapdragon 845 (with Exynos models in select regions).

Current Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+

But unlike their predecessors, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will apparently differ between one another. Apart from having a larger display, the Galaxy S9+ is said to include more RAM (6GB) and to pack a dual-camera setup, while the smaller Galaxy S9 will feature 4GB of RAM and a single lens on the back. Where the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will coincide once more is the storage department – as they will include 64GB built-in storage.

Both models will also take advantage of redesigned backs. Yesterday we got a glimpse at how the Galaxy S9+ could look like thanks to the Ghostek case render leak . Other than that, the flagships will pack 3.5m headphone jacks and AKG stereo speakers.

Google Play Black Friday deals include up to 80% savings on premium games and more

Alexandra Arici
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Google has joined the ranks of retailers and carriers offering deals this Black Friday. The search giant wants you to stay entertained this holiday season, so it’s offering some interesting price cuts on Play Store content.

If you want to celebrate Black Friday by staying as far as possible from crowds, you’re going to love Google’s Play Store deals which run through November 27 (in select markets).

Starting today you’ll be able to get up 80% off on select premium games including:

Check the full list here.

What’s more, Google is offering special discounts, power-ups, and unlimited lives when you download and install Gardenscapes and Homescapes.

But maybe you’re more than a music person. That’s great because Google offers a free subscription to Google Play Music for four months.

There are also discounts on hundreds of apps, including a 50% discount on the monthly subscription to Colorfly.

And in order to make sure you’ll also get to relax this Thanksgiving, Google is shaving off 50% any movie to own and 25% off a TV season of your choice starting tomorrow. Only on November 25, users will be able to rent a movie for 99 cents.

Last but not least, Google is also offering $5 credit towards the purchase of any book over $5. For comic book fans, November 25 will be the day to shop as the most popular omnibus comic books will be available for $5 or less.

Samsung is prepping a Galaxy Note 8 Star Wars limited edition, leak suggests

Alexandra Arici
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Remember that a few years back Samsung released a Galaxy S6 edge Iron Man Limited Edition in celebration of the technological innovation and creative visual storytelling in Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron?

Well, now it appears Samsung is looking to pay tribute to another franchise. In anticipation of the release of the latest Star Wars episode “The Last Jedi”, Samsung is reportedly gearing up to launch a special Star Wars-flavored edition of the Galaxy Note 8.

The information was revealed by prolific (and often times reliable) leakster Ice universe on Twitter alongside an image showcasing the purported device. Judging by the picture, the alleged Galaxy Note 8 Star Wars edition won’t be so heavily customized as the Galaxy S6 edge Iron Man edition and will probably include only themed-wallpapers, ringtones, icon packs and possibly other Star Wars goodies. This is just speculation as the leakster notes the Star Wars Galaxy Note 8 will bring “deep customization”.

The image was captured during an event hosted by Samsung in China where it launched Bixby and to teased a new AI-driven user interface that will probably make a debut on the Galaxy S9, so it’s quite possible the company used to BB-8 droid character in the presentation to make a point about AI.

What we’re trying to say is that at the moment, we have no real guarantees the Galaxy Note 8 Star Wars edition is actually a real product, so we urge you to take this info with a grain of salt.

Like in the case of the leaked Star Wars OnePlus 5T edition, the Galaxy Note 8 Star Wars could also turn out to be the product of wishful thinking.

OnePlus confirms OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T won’t get Project Treble support

Alexandra Arici
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A few months ago, Google announced a new initiative dubbed Project Treble which aims to improve the Android update process.

A feature of Android Oreo, Project Treble splits off the vendor implementation (meaning device-specific stuff) from the core Android OS framework to help with delivering faster updates. But while devices that launch with Oreo (like the Sony Xperia XZ1) will come with Treble implementation, those that will get updated to Oreo won’t (the majority, at least).

Now OnePlus confirmed its latest and greatest OnePlus 5T, as well as OnePlus 5 won’t benefit from Treble. The OnePlus 5T just went on sale with the outdated Android 7.1.1 Nougat out the box, but an Oreo beta program is expected to launch for the OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T soon enough. This means that the stable build will most likely start rolling out in early 2018.

Project Treble was described as the “biggest change to the low-level system architecture of Android to date” by Iliyan Malchev, the project’s team leader, but unfortunately, OnePlus 5T owners won’t be able to take advantage of its benefits. Those who were really hoping to get a taste of Treble will have to wait until next year when the OnePlus 6 will make a debut into the world.

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