Author: Chris Eilers

Well, our smartphone market has just got hotter and hotter due to the appearances as well as information of many mini handsets, including iPhone SE, Samsung Galaxy S7 mini and now a Xiaomi’s 4.3-inch model…

Xiaomi mini smartphone – New direct rival to iPhone SE

After Apple iPhone SE was launched, many big smartphone manufacturers also jump into the race. First of all, we just heard about a mini version of Samsung Galaxy S7, and now it is another one from Xiaomi. Although some of its specifications have been revealed, the name is still a mystery. How about Xiaomi Mi5 mini? Anyway, back to the machine’s hardware, according to the news source, it will pack a small screen measuring 4.3 inches and the latest, strongest chip of Qualcomm – Snapdragon 820. Well, impressive, rite?!

Speaking more specifically, not long ago, there was a post on Weibo claiming that the new Xiaomi device will be mainly aiming at Apple iPhone SE. Besides the 4.3-inch HD display and the SD820 processor, Xiaomi mini specs will own 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and a 13MP rear camera. For other features, there has been no word made for them, so we’d better wait a bit more for the firm’s announcement.

We are glad that more sub 5.0-inch handsets are being considered and probably will come soon in the H1 of 2016. They will be very handy and strong enough to do any task we want. As we know, iPhone SE price starts from $400 and Samsung Galaxy S7 mini is predicted to cost around $450. So, you may wonder how much is the Xiaomi mini. Check out the next part now!

Xiaomi Mini smartphone price and availability

Despite the unknown name, Xiaomi mini price has been unveiled, 1,799 Yuan (or $276) to be specific. That is very affordable and we bet it can draw a lot of people’s attention. Besides, the phone is also said to be released in June 2016, which means there are just two more months to go!

The flagship Huawei Honor 7’s successor will debut on March 30? Check out what has been said about the upcoming phone Huawei Honor 8!

Huawei Honor 8 can be released on March 30 with powerful hardware?

Just on March 28, 2016, Huawei gave out an invitation for their event which is going to be held in Paris on March 30, 2016. Previously, many sources claimed that a drone would be introduced there and it still has not been confirmed yet. However, one thing is for sure that two new smartphones are coming soon: KNT-AL20 plus KNT-AL10 (which is said to be Huawei Honor 8 and its variant) and VIE-AL10 plus VIE-AL20 (Huawei Honor 5c & its variant).

The above information was spotted on the list of radio transmission approval in China. Besides, they were also seen with global network coverage but no other features. Though, we guess Huawei will equip the flagship Honor 8 with many strong specifications to compete with lots of new handsets on the shelves now. Specifically, Huawei Honor 8 specs should have an at least 5.5-inch Full HD screen, Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS, a Kirin 935 chipset, 4GB RAM, a 20MP/8MP camera combo, plus a 3,500mAh battery (bigger one will be even better).

Apart from those two models, there are also devices coded as TIT-AL, TIT-CL00 and TIT-TL00 in the listing. And they can be Huawei Enjoy 5 (aka Huawei Y6 and Huawei Honor Play 6). Like the Honor 8, no words have been made for their detailed specs but launch date and price. Apparently, they will probably debut in April for around 2,000 Yuan (or $300). So, let’s wait and see!

Huawei Honor 8 price and availability

About Huawei Honor 8 launch, we hope it will happen at the March 30 event. Then, we’ll know how the phone looks like and what it can do exactly. As for Huawei Honoe 8 price, we predict it will range from $350 to $400. What do you think? Is it a reasonable cost for a smartphone like that? Share with us your opinions!

Do you want to know Antutu scores of some well-known current flagships such as HTC 10, iPhone SE, Meizu Pro 6, etc.? They are here in the following list!

1. HTC 10: 156,091 points

HTC 10 is the main flagship of the company in this H1 of 2016. It has been drawing much attention due to its beautiful design and strong hardware. And now, it can even get more famous thanks to its super high Antutu score: more than 150,000 points. Although the result has not been confirmed by the manufacturer yet, it is still a great hint for the true power of HTC 10.

Spec-wise, the HTC 10 will be unveiled on April 12, 2016 with a 5.15-inch Quad HD screen, Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS, 4GB of RAM paired with 32GB of internal storage. In addition to HTC 10 specs, there can be also a USB Type-C port and a decent 3,000mAh battery. There are just a few days left before the official HTC 10 launch. So, let’s wait and see!

Last year, we see a lot of smartphones equipped with octa-core processors and this year, we’ll see many more modern handsets with up to deca-core chips, thanks to the appearance of Helio X20…

Helio X20 and X25 for 2016 flagships are coming!

On March 16, the world’s first deca-core processor Helio X20 was officially introduced. Besides, Helio X25, considered as an “enhanced version” of the Helio X20, was also released. Speaking more specifically, the X20 uses ten cores plus tri cluster architecture including dual-core 2.3GHz Cortex A72, quad-core 2.0GHz Cortex A53 and quad-core 1.4GHz Cortex A53. Additionally, the Helio X20 also supports up to 32MP single camera with 24fps and 25MP one with 30fps. Meanwhile, if it is a dual cam setup, the chipset can support two 13MP sensors simultaneously.

In addition to the X20’s capabilities, it can bring users 10-bit color depth, 2K/4K video recording display, as well as fast charge QC 3.0 tech. More importantly, a machine run by this processor will “consume 30 percent less power than conventional dual cluster design and offer 15 percent more computational power than the competitors”, one of which is Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chip. That sounds great!

As for Helio X25 specs, it is not different from the Helio X20, except for the X25’s CPU clock speed capable of up to 2.5GHz for Cortex A72 and GPU clock speed up to 850MHz (compared to the X20’s 2.3GHz + 780MHz, respectively. In general, their system performance per watt and power consumption are alike. And good news is that Helio X20 together with X25 will hit the market next month. Can’t wait!

What devices sporting the powerful deca-core Helio X20 do we have?

At MWC 2016, we saw Zopo reveal the world’s first smartphone packing a 64-bit deca-core chip called Zopo Speed 8, priced at $299. And in MediaTek’s Xi Force conference, Meizu CEO Bai YongXiang announced that they are preparing their next flagship Meizu Pro 6 powered by a MediaTek X25 chip. Furthermore, lately, a piece of news has informed us of the coming of a new Huawei Mate model also owning a deca-core processor and up to 6GB RAM.

(Source: xiaomitoday)

OnePlus 3 has once again been leaked on the internet with more details of specifications. Check out what they are!

OnePlus 3 to come with 4GB RAM, 16MP camera and… Is it gonna aim at Samsung Galaxy S7?

As we know, OnePlus company has become one of the most well-known Chinese smartphone manufacturers nowadays thanks to releasing OnePlus 1 and OnePlus 2 as “flagship killers” and OnePlus X as an excellent affordable handset. That is why many people are looking forward to the firm’s next flagship called OnePlus 3. Not long ago, the device was spotted on Antutu with some detailed features.

Speaking more specifically, the OP3 will be equipped with a 5.5-inch Full HD screen, a Snapdragon 820 chipset, 4GB RAM, and 32GB of internal storage. In addition to OnePlus 3 specs, there are an 8MP front-facing/16MP rear camera combo on board to assist in taking photos, and Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow OS under the hood to run the machine. Well, in general, OnePlus 3 seems powerful and can compete well with Samsung Galaxy S7.

However, the whole OP3’s hardware including battery, microSD card, SIM, etc. has not been revealed yet, so we cannot say anything for sure at the moment. Hopefully more information will come in the next days, and the team will show us something special, like a “new design” as the co-founder Carl Pei mentioned on CNET’s Spanish website.

OnePlus 3 price and availability

According to some news sources, it was said that OnePlus 3 would debut at an event held in Beijing on April 7, 2016. Though, after that, OP claimed OnePlus 3 launch would most probably occur in the second quarter of the year, which means they are going to announce something else on April 7. As for OnePlus 3 price, with such specs, we predict it will range from $350 to $400. Do you agree?

Have you ever seen Sony Xperia XA with Lime Gold color in person. Well, we have to say it is very beautiful, very elegant and…

Sony Xperia XA hands-on: Eye-catching and powerful enough!

Sony Xperia XA is one of the three first models of the brand new Sony Xperia X series. It was launched at MWC 2016 and able to draw much attention thanks to its gorgeous design. Although we’re not sure if the Xperia X line-up is really going to replace the Z one for good, looking at the Xperia XA makes us think its future is gonna be bright. The phone sports a more rounded corners, making the phones more comfortable to hold.

Besides, the screen packs a slight curve towards the edges for swiping across the glass surface more smoothly. And the back is made of a textured metal without any antenna lines. It looks pleasingly clean, right? So, that’s about appearance. How about Sony Xperia XA hardware? In fact, the XA is lower-end than its other siblings, but still a strong competitor in its kind. Specifically, the handset owns an edge-to-edge 5.0-inch HD display, a MediaTek MT6755 chipset, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage (expandable up to 200GB).

Under the hood, there are Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS, a set of 8MP selfie plus 13MP primary camera and a 2,300mAh batt helping running the machine. In general, Sony Xperia XA specs are decent and able to do most tasks well. So, if you want a pretty Sony device with an affordable price tag, Sony Xperia XA can be a great choice.

Sony Xperia XA price and availability

Despite having already been introduced at the MWC 2016, Sony Xperia XA has not gone on sale yet. Though, its cost is predicted to be about $320. Overall, the phone has whatever it takes to be your beautiful, loyal and excellent companion! Do you agree? Share with us your opinions! 

(Source)

Ever since Apple iPhone SE was launched, the question being asked has been: what are the differences between this smartphone and the previous generation iPhone 5S. Here is how to distinguish between the two.

iPhone SE VS iPhone 5S: see the differences

Although both iPhone SE VS iPhone 5S feature the same 4 inch display, there are significant differences you can spot, either visually or in terms of specs. First of all, iPhone SE is launched with rose gold color variant, which is lacked from its counterpart. This special color is a great selling point Apple just adapt for their current iPhone generations. Secondly, the branding on the back is another obvious sign to tell whether this handset is iPhone SE or its predecessor. If you take a closer look, iPhone SE 12MP camera has a darker color, as taken from iPhone 6S, while iPhone 5S 8MP camera has a clearer and brighter glass on its sensor.

Thirdly, another visual difference is that, the Apple logo on iPhone SE has solved the problem of that on iPhone 5S. Usually, the “Apple” on the back of iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S scratches very easily, it is now made of stainless steel for iPhone SE. Forth of all, let’s talk about the difference in terms of specs. iPhone SE is equipped with Live Photos and Retina Flash, both new features produced for iPhone 6S. These functions help boost image quality under low light condition and offer better photo experience for users.

Next, the fifth difference we found when it comes to iPhone SE VS iPhone 5S is that, with 12MP camera on the back, iPhone SE clearly takes better pictures and capable of 4K video record, which totally beats iPhone 5S 8MP camera. Last but not least, not only does iPhone SE has smoother performance with 2GB RAM and A9 chip set, but it also comes with NFC – a function iPhone 5S lacks.

iPhone SE VS iPhone 5S: same size, 2 levels

While both come in the same display size, iPhone SE is clearly stronger than its counterpart in terms of features and performance. This makes the “mini iPhone 6S” becoming more and more popular among Apple users. If things keep going this direction, will iPhone 5S be killed by its competitor soon?

This year, the smartphone trend seems to be the camera-centric one. Here are 9 best products with gorgeous cams you need to know!

1. Motorola Moto X Play

If you remember, Moto Xplay once appeared in “Top 7 smartphones with high-quality displays available for March” thanks to its 5.5-inch IPS LCD Full HD screen (403 ppi) able to bringing users excellent colors and touch performance. Now, its is here to be one of “the best camera smartphones to buy in the H1 of 2016.”

Specifically, the main snapper is capable of 21 megapixels with f/2.0, PDAF plus dual LED flash. Other Motorola Moto X Play specs contain a Snapdragon 615 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of ROM (expandable up to 128GB), a 5MP selfie shooter, a 3,630mAh batt, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS.

Everyone knows iPhone SE is a qualified smartphone with a tiny 4 inch display. But it is not alone. Here are some other awesome handset with a compact screen size.

1. iPhone SE

iPhone SE is called “mini iPhone 6S” for a reason. Apart from a smaller screen, the mobile features mostly similar specs to its bigger brother: 2GB RAM, Apple A9 chip set, 12MP main camera and 1,642 mAH battery. The only thing that misses out is 3D Touch sensor. The phone comes in 2 variants: 16GB and 64GB and can be chosen between Gray, Silver, Gold or Rose Gold options.

iPhone SE price starts at INR 30,000 (which is equivalent to PHP 21,000 and around USD 450) and will be slightly different in different markets. Recently, the smartphone scored up to 134.358 points on Antutu Benchmark,  which is slightly higher than iPhone 6s/6s Plus (with 132.620 points) and making it the most powerful 4 inch smartphone up to date.

LG G5 is considered one of the most premium flagships of this 2016. And to reach out to more customers, the company is launching a more affordable variant of this smartphone: LG G5 Lite

LG G5 Lite: 3GB RAM variant of the flagship

LG G5 Lite, with a model code LG H848, has been spotted from a source in China. The smartphone is said to have a reduction is specs, and of course, a cut in price compared to its original LG G5 variant. The most significant change spotted is the processor, which went from Snapdragon 820 to Snadragon 652. The 4GB RAM is also reduced into 3GB RAM for the “Lite” variant. This way, LG make sure the new mobile still perform smoothly yet save a great deal of money for those who prefer a more affordable phone.

Other LG G5 Lite specs we know for now include: the same 5.3 inch display, QHD resolution, a 16MP/8MP camera duo, 32GB of storage and Android 6.0 Marshmallow. LG G5 Lite, or LG H848 still sports  a modular design that looks pretty much the same with its bigger brother. For now, we have heard no word about other features the smartphone will have to offer, like “Always on Display” mode and so on…

It is becoming more of a common trend that, after releasing a premium flagship with powerful machine and a rather high prices, smartphone producers will launch more affordable variants of those beasts, with either a smaller display, smaller RAM or processor. This LG G5 Lite and the recently announced Samsung Galaxy S7 Lite make 2 awesome examples.

LG G5 Lite: Price and release

For now, LG has not confirmed yet about the release date and price of this LG G5 Lite machine. But they did reveal that, China will be the first country to try out this variant. We are expecting an LG G5 Lite release sometimes in Q2 2016 and predicting a price tag of around USD 350 – USD 400. Your opinion about this mobile?

At first sight, this device looks like a perfectly normal smartphone. But when we got to learn a bit more about it, the truth is rather shocking. This is a brand new doubled barreled …. gun with a harmless design of a mobile

Ideal Conceal: a weapon that looks like a smartphone

Ideal Conceal is the name of this crazy project by a start-up in Minnesota, USA.  Right now, the company is waiting for patent approval to produce a double barreled, .380 caliber pistol that is able to fold down in a shape of a smartphone. The company promotes their product as am “effective” gadget to carry in your pocket for self defense – a raising issue in the United States.  According to Ideal Conceal, their weapon ensures high level of safety, with the trigger being hidden and carefully protected.

Visually, as you can see from the picture below, this gun perfectly mimics a smartphone design, so cleverly that it even features a mock camera lens and headphone jack. And the internet has been reacting variously about this piece of news from Ideal Conceal. While many people appreciate the idea of a disguised gun to always carry with and protect them in unexpected situations, others argue that this will be a very dangerous product, as it can be abused by bad guys and people won’t know the threat is coming close.

The gun hasn’t been produced yet since the company is still waiting for patent. However, there has been 2,500 people sign up for inquiry, merely in the US. This is an alarming news we think should be spread wide, to raise people awareness of all the possible threats such an invention can bring about to human race.

Ideal Conceal: clever or dangerous invention?

It is exciting to see new innovations in the technology world. However, a controversial product like this Ideal Conceal weapon should be thoroughly examined before any further license is supplied. If the “smartphone” is launched for sale, a campaign should definitely be held to raise people’s awareness and ensure safety for the community.

(Source)

As Apple iPhone SE with a 4 inch display is becoming a trend, Samsung is announcing that after the release of Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, there will be a mini version coming up the way.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Mini – direct rival to iPhone SE

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge were launched not long ago, and have received very positive feed backs for their awesome features. With a 12MP and f/1.7, 26mm lens, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge camera was entitled the best among all current smartphones. But they are not going to take a rest any time soon. As iPhone SE has made smaller sized smartphones more of a trend again, Samsung is about to manufacture their own handset to join the competition.

Samsung Galaxy S7 mini specs is said to include a 46 inch display with 720p resolution. The smartphone will use the same hardware from its bigger sibling: either Snapdragon 820 or Exynos 8890 (or both), but with a slightly smaller RAM of 3GB. The whole handset measures 9.9 mm in thickness yet rumored to sport a “periscope lens” with 3x optical zoom. The camera of this phone will also has 12MP resolution on the back. There will be 2 internal memory variants: 32GB and 64GB, both expandable to another 200GB.

There is no hint about Samsung Galaxy S7 mini price yet. Nor is there reveal about its release. However, with similar powerful features and a smaller RAM, this mini version will definitely cost less than its bigger sibling. We are predicting a price tag of around USD 450 – USD 500, which is equivalent to around PHP 21,000 and RS 30,000

Samsung Galaxy S7 Mini: smaller doesn’t mean weaker

As you may have already noticed, more and more smartphones are launching with a small display that falls into the 4-inch category. Being one of the pioneers to join the game, Samsung Galaxy S7 mini targets to raise direct competition with the famous iPhone SE. If you are the one who decides, which among the 2 is a better deal?