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Showing posts with the label Tech News

Deal: Unlocked LG V30 now costs less than $700

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Last month, LG officially released unlocked variants of its V30 and V30+ smartphones in the  US , selling them for around $800 and around $900, respectively. Now, the unlocked LG V30 can be bought for just $674.99 if you're getting it from B&H - that's at least $125 off the phone's original price. B&H does not say if this is a limited time offer, so we don't know if you should hurry up and order the unlocked LG V30. In any case, if you think you need this high-end smartphone right away, you can buy it via the source link below. The unlocked LG V30 works on pretty much all relevant  US mobile  carriers, including Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. The handset is available in just one color version: silver. While it's still running Android 7 Nougat, the LG V30 is about to be updated to Android 8 Oreo. The phone's Korean variant received its Oreo update at the end of December, so the  US  model will likely be updated in the

Will display aspect ratio affect your buying decisions in 2018?

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2017 brought us some pretty amazing phones and an entirely new form-factor and aspect ratio. Since manufacturers wanted to reduce all bezels — sides, top, and bottom — they introduced this new, elongated ratio (ranging from 18:9 to 19.5:9), making phone displays taller and more immersive. But then again, 16:9 is still pretty much the standard when it comes to online media, so it's a bit awkward when watching letterboxed t:YouTube clips on your extra-wide phone screen. So, some people like the new step, while others insist that 16:9 is good enough and there's no need to go in the ultra-wide territory. Also, the latter group of people happens to enjoy a phone that has a chin and maybe even a home button / fingerprint scanner. While most phone manufacturers are embracing the new standard and making not only flagships, but also mid-range phones with elongated displays, we can definitely see how some might decide to stay back in 16:9 territory to fill that niche and please tradi

No, this is not a leaked Samsung Galaxy S9 photo

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No, despite some reputable blogs portraying this blurry, low-res picture to be a   "real"   and   "leaked"   photograph of Samsung's next two flagship phones, this is NOT a leaked photo of the Samsung Galaxy S9. And it sure isn't real either. Just as other bloggers and journalists who received this picture in their mailboxes, we also got that initial kick of adrenaline that comes with having an early peek of a hot gadget that nobody has seen just yet. The low resolution of the photo suggested authenticity, as if someone was in a rush to take the picture, prosecuted by the secret Samsung police (yeah, we totally made this up), and the hard-to-trace link to a Chinese Weibo account directs us into depths that the average English speaker would not go into. BEWARE OF FAKE PHOTOS But after that first-look excitement, it was obvious that something was wrong. The angle the picture is taken suggests that a camera reflection should be seen, so

Nokia 6 (2018) could break cover sooner than expected, January 5th date tipped by big Chinese retailer

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The 2018 edition of the Nokia 6 could get unveiled sooner than expected. The mid-range phone, which recently passed certification with Chinese regulatory agency TENAA, might go official on January 5th. The latest information comes from Suning, one of the largest retailers in China.  Poster counting down the days left until the Nokia 6 (2018) gets announced Today, the official  Weibo  account of Suning shared the following poster. It basically counts down the days left until the announcement of the Nokia 6. Earlier expectations were that the unveiling will happen in the second half of January, so the latest developments are a bit surprising.  As you might know, HMD Global has a thing for releasing certain Nokia models in China before their global premiere. This approach gives us a very good idea of what to expect in the following months. If history repeats itself, we should see a global announcement for the Nokia 6 (2018) at MWC 2018 in February.  The new N

Is a Sandstone OnePlus 5T coming on January 5?

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A few days ago we mentioned that OnePlus could be prepping a snazzy Sandstone finish version of its recent OnePlus 5T flagship and it could be due out January 5. This got revealed a while ago thanks to a Weibo post which features a promotional poster stating that  "The classic returns" , followed by a stylized schematic of  Shi , one of the Chinese hieroglyphs for the ilk of "stone".  Furthermore, the dirty white color of the teaser itself could be a dead giveaway for the color of this intriguing finish, though that's a bit of a stretch. As the more memorable of you might recall, that same sandstone finish was a core design feature of the very first OnePlus device, the OnePlus One, which was a rather interesting finish choice back at the time. Later on, the OnePlus 2 also received the sandstone finish albeit the texture at the back was smoother and not as pronounced.  With the advent of all-metal devices like the OnePlus 3 and 3T, sandstone fin

Samsung planning to sell 320 million smartphones in 2018, foldable phone in development

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t:Samsung plans to sell as many smartphones in 2018 as it did in 2017: some 320 million phones. The information comes from Korean publication The Investor which cites leaked Samsung projections to suppliers. With 320 million smartphones sold in 2018, Samsung will keep sales flat and the reason for this lack of growth is a saturated phone market, according to leaked information from the company. Here are Samsung's sales projections for 2018 by different types of devices: 320 million smartphones 40 million feature phones 20 million tablets 5 million wearable devices If Samsung indeed succeeds with its projected sales of 320 million smartphones, it will easily retain the number one spot in unit sales in the global smartphone market. Its two biggest competitors, Apple and Huawei, are estimated to sell 200 million and 150 million devices accordingly. SAMSUNG CONTINUES WORK ON A FOLDABLE PHONE The really interesting part of the report, however, comes

Nokia 4, Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 1 rumored to be joining Nokia 6 (2018), Nokia 8 (2018) and Nokia 9

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A couple of newcomers might be getting ready to join Nokia's rumored 2018 smartphone lineup. An APK file for the default Nokia camera app has revealed that the Nokia 4 and Nokia 7 Plus will be joining the Nokia smartphone lineup this year. Other Nokia branded phones already leaked include the  Nokia 6 (2018) , Nokia 8 (2018),  Nokia 9  and the Nokia 1. The latter will be Nokia's first Android One (Go Edition) model. No specs belonging to the Nokia 4 and Nokia 7 Plus have been leaked, but judging by the name, we would expect that the Nokia 7 Plus will sport a display larger than the 5.2-inches seen on the Nokia 7. Additionally, the Nokia 7 Plus should be powered by a more powerful mobile platform than the Snapdragon 630 SoC that you'll find inside the Nokia 7. The Nokia 1 could come with an IPS LCD screen carrying a 720 x 1280 HD resolution. There could be 1GB of RAM and 8GB of native storage inside. On January 17th, we expect to see The Nokia 6 (2018), Nokia 8 (2018) and

WhatsApp for BlackBerry 10 didn't die right when 2018 arrived, but it will

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Last week, we told you that once 2017 came to an end,  messaging app WhatsApp would no longer be available for the BlackBerry 10 platform . So here we are, more than 21 hours into 2018, and the messaging app still appears to be functioning on BlackBerry 10 handsets like the  BlackBerry Passport  or  BlackBerry Z30 . But the truth is, as far as this particular platform is concerned, WhatsApp is a dead app walking. According to a statement made by WhatsApp, on BlackBerry 10 the app is now in "deprecation" mode." While it will still continue to function for a short time period, some behaviors will change. Let's say that you delete the app on BlackBerry 10, and hope to reinstall it on the platform. Since it can no longer verify your BB10 phone number, which is necessary to finalize the installation process, you can not bring it back once it is deleted. Now, once this two-week grace period ends on or around January 14th, WhatsApp for BlackBerry 10 will go into "ex

Audi Ditches Russian Doll Car Design So That You Can Differentiate All Its Model

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You don’t have to be a design expert to easily see that Audi’s designs have been quite repetitive in recent years, but all that is about to change. Plenty of automakers fall into the pattern of creating many different cars with the same look which makes it easier for the public to recognize the brand. Audi’s chief executive said the repetitive design process was used to make Audis more recognisable in newer and emerging markets. “Now we are well known in major markets like China, we can begin to change this philosophy and give each car its own look.” By getting rid of the internal combustion engine to adopt a fully electric powertrain, Audi’s designers believes the biggest step forward for design will come when the marque launches more electric cars after the E-tron quattro SUV, which will give them more freedom to alter the proportions and pave the way for a new design that will go in a very different way. Audi began the process of design differentiation

The End Of Globacom In Benin Republic

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Report has gathered that one of Nigeria’s biggest network ‘Glo’ which is a subsidiary of the Nigerian telecom group ‘Globalcom’ has refused to comply with the new payment obligation made by telecoms license in Benin Republic. This was reported by the Regulatory Authority for Electrical Communication and Posts (ARCEP) of Benin Republic, and so, the body also threatens to end Glo mobile and its operation in the West African Country. Globalcom company which has earlier been notified of their refusal to comply with their new dues on the 18th December 2017 following the failure in September 2017 of the negotiations initiated with the State since June 2017 for the renewal of its telecom license. It was revealed that Glo Mobile would have refused to pay the new price of the telecom license, set by the Beninese state. ARCEP of Benin Republic also stated that in refusal of the company’s compliance to the new payment, it  requires Globalcom operations around its state to s

Samsung patents a rollable display with fingerprint sensor

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Samsung is on a roll. The South Korean company has the most successful mobile display business, but that's not enough for Samsung. Although 2018 should be the year of the “foldable smartphone,” it appears that Samsung has a few more surprises in store for us. Samsung is on a roll. The South Korean company has the most successful mobile display business, but that's not enough for Samsung. Although 2018 should be the year of the “foldable smartphone,” it appears that Samsung has a few more surprises in store for us The company recently filed a patent for a rollable display that can be activated by fingerprint. Unlike LG's rollable display that uses a very small rotating motor, Samsung's features magnets that are positioned along the main body that houses the display. The patent shows two types of metallic bodies where the rollable display is pulled by the magnets: cylindrical and square. Both feature fingerprint sensors that allow users to unf

Budget-friendly LG Zone 4 for Verizon has been certified in the US

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Verizon plans to launch a sequel to LG's entry-level Optimus-branded smartphones: Optimus Zone 2 and Optimus Zone 3. However, according to Evan Blass , the new handset will drop the “Optimus” moniker in favor of a shorter naming scheme – LG Zone 4. We've learned about the LG Zone 4 two weeks ago, and the fact that it should be launched at Verizon very soon. Customers waiting for a budget-friendly Android smartphone will be happy to know that LG Zone 4 is very close to its debut. The smartphone has been recently spotted at FCC (Federal Communications Commission), which puts it one step closer to reveal. Sadly, no details about its specs are listed at the regulatory agency, but at least we know it will indeed come to Verizon since it features support for LTE bands 2, 4, 5 and 13. LG Zone 4 is listed at FCC with model number LM-X210VPP and comes with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS support. Just like its predecessors, the Zone 4 will be offered on prepaid probably for a pric

Citi analysts say that there's a 4-in-10 chance that Apple buys Netflix

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Apple is sitting with a vault so full of money that even Scrooge McDuck is jealous. Every now and then, Apple uses some of this money to make a small acquisition. For example, the company recently took $400 million out of petty cash to buy music discovery app Shazam. The largest acquisition that Apple has made by itself is the $3 billion it spent to purchase Beats Audio. But if a pair of Citi analysts are correct, there is a chance that Apple will top that record by a factor of approximately 34. According to Citi analysts Jim Suva and Asiya Merchant, there is a 40% possibility that Apple will buy streaming video content provider Netflix. The latter currently has a market capitalization in excess of $80 billion. Add on a 30% premium and you're talking about a $104 billion purchase. Before Disney's bid for Fox, the two analysts gave an Apple-Disney combination a 20% to 30% chance of happening. The analysts say that a Disney deal would have a larger impact on

Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra leaks in live images with rather thick bezels

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Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra The t:Xperia XA2 Ultra is one of the many smartphones that Sony plans to reveal in Q1 2018. Previously leaked as Sony H4233, the device was recently spotted at the Malaysian regulatory agency SIRIM with its real name. Now, we have a couple of live pictures showing the phone's front and back sides. Despite rumors that Sony will completely redesign its Xperia lineup, the Xperia XA2 Ultra doesn't show any signs of improvement from this point of view. It's true, the phone comes with really thin bezels on the left and right sides, but the chins are as thick as the previous Xperia models. Still, this seems to be a mid-range device, so previous reports claiming we should expect bezel-less Xperia phones this year might be accurate, but only when it comes to top-tier handsets. Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra is said to feature a 6-inch full HD (1080p) display and a t:Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor, paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB expandable storage. Also,

N193m Rolls-Royce Phantom Abandoned In Lagos Rots Away (Pictured)

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Nigerian voices out on instagram after He saw a $545,000 Rolls Royce Phantom Abadoned to rot in Lagos Nigeria calls it vanity; #nothinglastforever, see the caption of the photo Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Supercarofnigeria There is no point losing your integrity for anything, can there be anything that will last forever? This is a $535k Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead, I'm sure when it was living, police escorts would allow the shadow of a poor man to cross by it. Today, the children of the poor men defecate on it, don"t do cos you want a material thing. Samsung S9, S10 still dey come, don't let them show your face on instablognaija cos you stole Samsung S7edge

10 Most Searched Topics On Google In 2017

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The top global Google searches of 2017 are as follows: 1. Hurricane Irma 2. iPhone 8 3. iPhone X 4. Matt Lauer 5. Meghan Markle 6. 13 Reasons Why 7. Tom Petty 8. Fidget Spinner 9. Chester Bennington 10. India national cricket team

Microsoft now allows SMS Organizer for Android to monitor Bank Accounts and Vrtual Wallets

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Microsoft's free  app ,  SMS Organizer , filters out all of the crap that you don't need on your SMS  app . Spam is removed, reminder cards are sent with quick action links, and your incoming messages are classified into different categories like Personal, Transactions and Promotional. Doing this organizes your SMS inbox. Clicking on the unread filter quickly shows you which messages you have yet to read.  We first told you about this app, which is still only available in India , back in August, and there are many  Android  users hoping that SMS Organizer heads to their area.  Microsoft , are you reading this? The  app  has just been updated again, this time adding support for virtual E-Wallets and Bank Accounts. Transaction amounts are noted with a list of deposits and withdrawals. The  app  now features support for additional security to protect your Accounts view from being accessed by strangers. The complete changelist includes: Support for Accounts and Transactions. O

Telegram receives major update that adds multiple accounts support, themes, quick replies

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Telegram is one of the not so many messenger apps that are getting  major new features on a regular basis . The last update of the year brings Telegram users themes, support for multiple accounts, as well as quick replies. For iOS users, the developers have added a new Appearance setting, which allows them to choose between four different themes. Some of these themes even allow users to further customize the look of the app by picking an accent color. Now, for Android users,  Telegram  has brought support for multiple accounts. Starting with version 4.7, Telegram users will be able to add up to three accounts with different phone numbers to their app and switch between them from within the menu. It's worth mentioning that you will receive notifications for all three accounts even if you logged on a single one. However, you can change notification behavior from the settings menu. Last but not least, the quick replies feature is now available for both Android and iOS users. In order

OxygenOS 5.0.1 update for OnePlus 3 and 3T brings adaptive mode, more

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OnePlus continues to bring new features and improvements to the OnePlus 3 and 3Tsmartphones. There have been at least two important updates that these devices received this month only, but OnePlus doesn't seem to have finished and we can expect more to be released early next year. Although the last OnePlus 3 and 3T update of the year is nothing major, it still brings a couple of new features that were requested by fans. Also, the December security patch is making its way into both OnePlus smartphones less than a month after its official release. System Added support for aptX HD; Added Wi-Fi hotspot device manager; Added “adaptive mode” screen calibration; Updated Android security patch for December; General bug fixes and stability improvements. Since this is an incremental OTA (over the air) update, it will be available for a small number of OnePlus 3 and 3T owners, but a broader roll-out will begin in the next few days, so you should be able to benefit from th

LG G6 scheduled to receive Android 8.0 Oreo by February, but there's a catch

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LG G6  is one of the many flagships that has yet to be updated to the most recent version of Android. Although the South Korean company promised to deliver Android Oreo to the LG G6 as fast as possible, it looks like the update won't make it live until next year. As some of you probably know by now, LG has already kicked off an  Android Oreo beta program for the G6 , but it's only available in China. Now we have more information that indicates the Asian version of the LG G6 might be the first to receive the update. According to LG Customer Service, an Android Ore update for the  LG G6  will be released by February, which could mean that those who own the smartphone might get it as early as next month. However, as mentioned earlier, LG's customer service refers to the H870S model, which is specifically built for the Middle East region. It remains to be seen how long it will take LG to make the update available to other G6 models. LG G6 VIEW MORE + 12 imag