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mardi 24 mars 2020

Xiaomi launches the Redmi K30 Pro with a notchless pop-up camera design and Snapdragon 865

The Redmi K20 series was the premier foray of the Xiaomi sub-brand into the flagship killer space. With two products, the Redmi K20 and the Redmi K20 Pro — Redmi used the same design language but different specifications to capture two adjacent segments in the smartphone market. But with the successors, the Redmi K30 series, Redmi is doing something different. Xiaomi launched the Redmi K30 in 5G and 4G variants in China in January 2020, of which the Redmi K30 4G was subsequently launched in India as the POCO X2. Now, Xiaomi is launching another entrant to the Redmi lineup, in the form of the Redmi K30 Pro and Redmi K30 Pro Zoom Edition.

Redmi K30 Pro: Specifications

Specification Redmi K30
Dimensions and Weight
  • – mm
  • – g
Display
  • 6.67″ FHD+ AMOLED
  • 180Hz touch response rate
  • Max brightness of 800 nits and peak brightness of 1200 nits
  • HDR10+ support
  • Notchless display with pop-up camera
  • Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on front and back
SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 865:
  • 1x Kryo 585 (ARM Cortex-A77-based) Prime core @ 2.84GHz
  • 3x Kryo 585 (ARM Cortex-A77-based) Performance core @ 2.4GHz
  • 4x Kryo 385 (ARM Cortex A55-based) Efficiency cores @ 1.8GHz

Adreno 650

RAM and Storage
  • Redmi K30 Pro:
    • 6GB LPDDR4X + 128GB UFS 3.0
    • 8GB LPDDR5 + 128GB UFS 3.1
    • 8GB + 256GB
  • Redmi K30 Pro Zoom Edition:
    • 8GB + 128GB
    • 8GB + 256GB
Battery & Charging
  • 4,700 mAh battery
  • 33W fast charging
Rear Camera Photo:
  • Primary: 64MP Sony IMX686 sensor, 1/1.7” sensor, 0.8μm pixels, EIS, OIS
  • Secondary: 5MP, Macro
    • Zoom Edition: 8MP, telephoto, 3x optical zoom, 30x digital zoom, support 50mm macro, OIS, EIS, four-axis image stabilization
  • Tertiary: 13MP, Wide-Angle Camera, 123°
  • Quaternary: 2MP, depth sensor

Video:

  • 8K video recording (resolution of 7680 × 4320)
Front Camera 20MP
Other Features
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Wi-Fi 6
  • Bluetooth 5.1
  • IP53 water and dust resistance
  • 5G Multi-link
  • Game Turbo 3.0 with voice changer
  • Multi-function NFC
  • IR Blaster
Android Version MIUI 11 based on Android 10

The Redmi K30 Pro had most of its information released prior to the launch, thanks to official posters on Redmi’s Weibo account (1, 2, 3). So, we already have a clear idea of what to expect out of the newest flagship. The face of the device gets a clean look, with full focus on the — ” FHD+ AMOLED display as Redmi has chosen a popup camera instead of opting for a hole punch or a notch. The display supports HDR10+, and has a 180Hz touch response rate. Curiously, the Redmi K30 Pro skips out on the high refresh rate display trend, as the company has chosen to omit this crucial specification, which indicates that we get the ordinary 60Hz refresh rate on this display.

On the inside, we get the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC with 5G support. There’s LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage on most variants, though the base variant gets a slight downgrade on these technologies. You also get a decent-sized 4,700 mAh battery with support for up to 33W fast charging that can charge the battery completely in about an hour.

Redmi K30 Pro Redmi K30 Pro Redmi K30 Pro Redmi K30 Pro

For the camera, the highlight of the device is 64MP Sony IMX686 sensor, with a large 1/1.7” sensor size, 0.8μm pixels pre-binning, and dual stabilization through EIS plus OIS, as well as HEIF image format support and 8K video recording support. There’s a 13MP wide-angle camera sensor too, as well as a 2MP depth sensor. The fourth sensor is different on the two variants. The regular Redmi K30 Pro gets a 5MP macro camera that supports 50mm macro photography. The Redmi K30 Pro Zoom Edition replaces this with an 8MP telephoto sensor that is capable of 3x optical zoom, OIS and four-axis image stabilization. The front camera within the popup is a 20MP shooter capable of 120fps slow-motion.

Other notable features on the device include a larger vapor-chamber to aid in cooling and sustaining peak performance, improved vibration motor, Game Turbo 3.0 with night vision and voice changer, a 3.5 mm headphone jack,

Pricing and Availability

The Redmi K30 Pro will go on sale in China in four color variants. You can get the device for CNY 2,999 ($423) for the base 6GB + 128GB variant (which has slightly downgraded speeds on storage and RAM), CNY 3,399 ($480) for the 8GB + 128GB variant, and CNY 3,699 ($522) for the 8GB + 256GB variant. The Redmi K30 Pro Zoom Edition will cost CNY 3,799 ($535) for the 8GB + 128GB variant, CNY 3,999 ($564) for the 8GB + 256GB variant. Pre-orders begin on 27th March 2020. International availability is unknown at this stage.

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lundi 23 mars 2020

HMD Global’s bootloader unlock server for the Nokia 8 has been down for days

HMD Global wasn’t the fastest to jump onto the 5G bandwagon, but they did bring the first Android One smartphone with global 5G support. The company has a clear Android 10 update roadmap for their users, and they are not shy to explore the possibility of running a touchless version of Android on feature phones. However, the brand hasn’t caught on among a segment of power users due to its controversial bootloader unlock policy. HMD Global took a long time to set up an official method to unlock the bootloader – and it only did so for the Nokia 8 – but it seems that they have now pulled the plug.

Nokia 8 XDA Forums

According to recent user reports from our own forums as well as on Reddit, the unlocker app recently started to fail to communicate with the token generator server. This is different from the error you could get by running the same app on Android Pie, which can be solved by downgrading the firmware to a specific Android Oreo build. HMD Global might have closed down the server altogether, thus the popular NB1-Collision bootloader unlock method, created by XDA Senior Member hikari_calyx, for first-generation Nokia phones is now non-functional as well.

nokia_8_bootloader_unlock_network_error

It is worth mentioning that HMD Global unintentionally shipped an unlockable bootloader inside the initial factory firmware for the Nokia 6.2 and Nokia 7.2. The community also discovered a few loopholes to bypass roadblocks and unlock the bootloader of select Nokia phones, such as the Nokia 3.2 and Nokia 4.2, but the complexity involved and stability issues of those methods were enough to prevent the modding community from picking up those phones for tinkering. Now that HMD Global’s official unlock server went offline, there is virtually no hope left for Nokia power users.

The existing unlock token received via email can theoretically be reused by Nokia 8 owners in the future, which is the only silver lining to this news. This is not the first time an Android OEM has abruptly stopped giving out the bootloader unlock codes or unnecessarily complicated the unlocking mechanism, and it is no good for aftermarket development.


Thanks to XDA Senior Member hikari_calyx for the screenshot (via Twitter)!

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New Google Play, Firebase, and Android Studio tools announced for game developers at Google for Games

Although the Game Developers Conference (GDC) was canceled to limit the spread of COVID-19, Google is hosting its “Google for Games” Developer Summit entirely online. Today, the company announced many new tools in Google Play, Firebase, Android Studio, and more for mobile game developers. Here’s what’s new.

What’s new in Google Play

  • Google Play Asset Delivery: With Asset Delivery in Google Play, game assets can be dynamically delivered to users so they can start playing much more quickly. This feature builds upon Google’s App Bundle infrastructure. Learn more here.
  • Android vitals native crash symbolization: You can now upload native debug symbols to the Google Play Console to debug native crashes, with the added benefit of getting data from Android Vitals. This feature is now in open beta.
  • Android vitals performance insights with Android Performance Tuner: New performance insights in Android Vitals in the Play Console make it easier to optimize your game’s frame rate and fidelity across many different devices. This feature can be unlocked by joining the developer preview and integrating the new Android Performance Tuner library in the Android Game SDK.
  • Play Billing Library 2 for Unity developers: If you use the Android SDK in Unity, you can now access all of Google Play Billing Library v2’s features. This includes the ability to allow users to pay with cash and show in-app purchases outside the game. Learn more here.
  • Day 1 auto-installation for pre-registered games: Google will soon enable day 1 auto-installation of pre-registered games.

New Android Tools for Game Development

  • Android Studio Profilers: The System Trace profiler has been overhauled to “allow you to inspect and visualize in fine detail how your code is being executed.” Google has also added native memory profiling capabilities to help you find memory leaks. This feature is available in Android Studio 4.1, now in Canary. Learn more during the live stream session.
  • Android Game Development Extension for Visual Studio: Google is introducing a new tool that integrates with your Visual Studio workflow. This tool will make it easier to generate APK files from your project, deploy your game to an Android device or an emulator, or debug your Android game from within Visual Studio. This feature is now in developer preview. To learn more, watch the live stream session.
  • Android GPU Inspector: The new Android GPU Inspector tool will enable you to see your game’s render stages and GPU counters. Google hopes this will allow graphics engineers to optimize their games’ frame rates and power use. Google and Qualcomm worked together on the Android GPU Inspector, which supports the GPUs found in most Android devices, including the Adreno GPUs of Snapdragon SoCs. As a result of this partnership, game developers will be able to directly give feedback to Qualcomm so they can improve the Adreno GPU software drivers. Qualcomm will make a beta driver (the Adreno Graphics Development Driver) available to select developers so they can quickly test their optimizations and suggest enhancements. Then, the final driver will be made available on select devices through the Google Play Store. This feature is in developer preview but is already being tested by several game studios on the Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Samsung Galaxy Note 10, and Samsung Galaxy S10. Watch the live stream to learn more.
  • Game Package Registry for Unity: Google is introducing a package registry that puts Google APIs such as Google Play Billing, Android App Bundles, Google Play Asset Delivery, Google Play Instant, and Firebase for Games all in one place. The documentation is available here but will be explained in detail during Google for Games.
  • Crytek announces Android support: Crytek’s CRYENGINE is adding a full Android pipeline later this summer. You can learn more from Crytek’s website.

Everything new in Firebase announced at Google for Games

  • Cloud Firestore for C++ and Unity: A version of Google’s Cloud Firestore SDK, a cloud-based NoSQL database with features like multi-region reliability, atomic transactions, and realtime listeners, is now available for C++ and Unity developers. Since this is an open alpha release, Google warns that the Cloud Firestore SDK for Unity is missing some advanced querying features and that the API has a good chance to change in the next few months. Google says that Firebase Realtime Database won’t be going away as Cloud Firestore is merely another alternative that’s better suited for certain situations.
  • Firebase Unity SDKs are now compatible with Unity Package Manager: In supported versions of the Unity SDK, Firebase will be kept up-to-date and the plugin will no longer have to be mixed in with your game’s assets. This process is automated through an open-source tool called External Dependency Manager for Unity (EDM4U).
  • New analytics in Google Analytics: Google has added new reports in Google Analytics that could be useful for game developers. Some of the new dashboards focus on user acquisition, user retention, user engagement, and user monetization, while some of the new reports include First-time Buyers, Revenue Heartbeat, User Engagement, and trending Daily Active Users/Monthly Active Users (DAU/MAU). To get started with these new reports, you must link your Firebase project to a Google Analytics account and then open the Google Analytics console. For more details, visit the Analytics help center.
  • New landing page: To coincide with Google for Games, Google has updated the Firebase for Games product page with a fresh design.

Keep an eye out on the Android Developers YouTube channel, Android Developers Blog, the Firebase Blog, and the Google Developers Blog to catch the latest news from Google for Games.

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Xiaomi launches the Redmi Note 9 Pro globally as the Redmi Note 9S

Xiaomi unveiled the Redmi Note 9 Pro and the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max in India two weeks ago. The two devices are the collective successors to the Redmi Note 8 Pro (review), which first introduced in August 2019. Out of the two, Xiaomi is bringing the Redmi Note 9 Pro to other markets but rebranding it as the Redmi Note 9S. The Redmi Note 9S will soon be available in Malaysia and Thailand as well as for global shipments via AliExpress.

Redmi Note 9 Pro/9S XDA Forums

We recently reviewed the Redmi Note 9 Pro and were really impressed by its performance and battery backup. Among the features that really excited us include the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, the new “Aura Balance Design,” and the massive 5,020mAh battery which easily lasts for two days. The phone also features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner instead of one mounted on the back.

xiaomi redmi note 9 pro review

The phone comes with a 48MP Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM2 sensor. Besides the primary camera, there’s an 8MP wide-angle camera, a 5MP macro camera with autofocus, and a 2MP depth sensor, nested in a square arrangement. There’s a 16MP hole-punch camera on the front.

The Redmi Note 9S also features a 6.67-inch Full HD+ “DotDisplay” with a hole-punch in the center. The display, as well as the back panel, are protected under a layer of Gorilla Glass 5.

Redmi Note 9S Max Specifications

Specification Redmi Note 9S
Dimensions and Weight
  • 165.7 x 76.6 x 8.8 mm
  • 209g
Display
  • 6.67″ FHD+ (2400 x 1080) LCD;
  • Center-weighted Punch-hole “DotDisplay”
  • Corning Gorilla Glass 5
SoC
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G
    • 8nm process
    • 2 x Kryo 465 based on Arm’s Cortex-A76 @ 2.3GHz
      6x Kryo 465 based on Arm’s Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz
  • Adreno 618
RAM and Storage  
  • 4GB + 64GB
  • 6GB + 128GB
  • Dedicated microSD card slot for up to 512GB cards
Battery & Charging
  • 5,020 mAh battery
  • 18W fast charging
  • Fast charger included within the box
Rear Camera Photo:
  • Primary:
    • 48MP Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM2 sensor,
    • f/1.79
  • Secondary: 8MP 119° Wide-Angle Camera, f/2.2
  • Tertiary: 5MP, Macro with autofocus
  • Quaternary: 2MP, f/2.4, Depth Sensor

Video:

  • 4K @ 30fps
  • 1080p @ 60fps
  • Ultra-wide: 1080p @ 30fps
  • Slow-motion: 1080p @ 120fps, 720p @ 960fps
Front Camera 16MP
Other Features
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • IR Blaster
  • Side fingerprint scanner
Android Version MIUI 11 based on Android 10

Price & Availability

The Redmi Note 9S will available in two different RAM/storage configurations. It will be available in Malaysia and Thailand starting March 27th via Lazada, Shopee, and JD Central while users will also be able to order it globally via AliExpress.

The prices for the different variants and regions are:

Configuration Malaysia Thailand AliExpress
4GB+64GB RM 799
(~$180)
6,499 TBH
(~$200)
$249
6GB+128GB RM 899
(~$205)
7,999 TBH
(~$245)
$279

You will be able to order the smartphone on AliExpress April 7th onwards, starting midnight, Pacific Time.

Xiaomi is also offering early-bird discounts only for the first sales across all platforms. During this sale, Note 9S will have the following prices:

  • Malaysia: RM 699 for 4GB+64GB
  • Thailand: TBH 5,999 for 4GB+64GB
  • AliExpress: $199 for 4GB+64GB and $239 for 6GB+128GB

redmi note 9s mff 2020 edition

Xiaomi also showcased the limited-edition MFF (Mi Fans Family) 2020 of the smartphone and will sell only 2020 units of the same as part of its 10 year anniversary in the month of April.

The post Xiaomi launches the Redmi Note 9 Pro globally as the Redmi Note 9S appeared first on xda-developers.



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Score 10TB of Lifetime Cloud Backup for under $85

From family photos to important tax records, some files are too precious to lose. While many of us keep local backups, cloud backup is arguable the better, more convenient option; but it can be pretty expensive. If you are looking for a more affordable option, Degoo is worth your attention. Offering huge amounts of storage space and strong encryption, this platform provides a secure home for your files. Right now, the Lifetime 10TB Backup Plan is just $84.99 when you use coupon code SPRINGSAVE15 at the XDA Developers Depot.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/lvH0SSsrVcs

According to data loss experts, around 140,000 hard drives fail each week. If you happen to be one of these unlucky victims, your files could be gone forever. Degoo helps you avoid disaster by storing a copy of all your files online.

Available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, the Degoo app lets you choose which files to back up. Thanks to automatic file change detection, every new version is uploaded automatically — useful when you are working from home.

To ensure your data remains private, the platform applies 256-bit AES encryption. You can access uploaded files online, and easily share them with friends via email or link.

Normally worth $3,600, the lifetime 10TB Backup Plan is now 15% off until 3/24. Use code SPRINGSAVE15 to grab your subscription for just $84.99.

 
Degoo Premium: Lifetime 10TB Backup Plan – $59.99

See Deal

Prices subject to change 

 


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Unofficial TWRP enables true dual boot on the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro

OnePlus phones are often touted as the spiritual successors to the Google Nexus lineup due to their hackability. The debutant OnePlus One can run Android 10 or even Ubuntu Touch without any issue. Advanced mods, such as multi-booting, is quite a well-known hack among the community. Now XDA Recognized Developer Zackptg5 has expanded the concept of multi-booting on OnePlus phones to a whole new level by rebasing the idea on the A/B Partition Scheme and released a brand-new dual boot solution for the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro (including the 5G variant).

OnePlus 7 XDA Forums || Buy the OnePlus 7 from Amazon.in

OnePlus 7 Pro XDA Forums || Buy the OnePlus 7 Pro from Amazon.in

Back in 2016, XDA Senior Recognized Developer Dees_Troy i.e. the lead developer on the Team Win Recovery Project, hinted about the idea of utilizing the second set of partitions in the Google Pixel series to dual-boot. Zackptg5’s method basically does the same, as it offers a custom version of TWRP that allows splitting the userdata partition into two separate slots for true dual-booting. For enthusiast users, another layout featuring A/B/C userdata is also available, where ‘C’ is a common data partition shared by both ROMs.

Dual boot compatible TWRP for OnePlus 7/7 Pro/5G — XDA Thread

According to the developer, the custom build of TWRP is based on the regular TWRP for the OnePlus 7 lineup maintained by XDA Senior Member mauronofrio, which is itself a mandatory prerequisite for installing the mod. XDA Senior Member cosmicdan is also credited, as Zackptg5 might be inspired by his works on Project Treble bringup for the Xiaomi Mi A1. Last but not least, we can also find XDA Recognized Developer topjohnwu‘s name in the credit list, as the almighty Magisk is absolutely needed to create the A/B/C userdata layout.

The source code of this mod is hosted on GitHub. Zackptg5 has also posted common troubleshooting methods as well a guide to revert back to the stock partition layout in the XDA discussion thread. While repartitioning is always a risky job, one can use the device-specific unbrick tool (OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro) if things go south. Keep in mind that any repartitioning will wipe all of your data.

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Samsung, OPPO, Vivo temporarily suspend smartphone production in India due to COVID-19

As the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) tightens its grip and forces upon the world an inevitable lockdown, businesses have no other option but to let employees stay at home. While the internet empowers most of the workforce to operate remotely, many other commercial operations including manufacturing are being hampered significantly. Taking the surging number of Coronavirus cases into consideration, several electronics manufacturers including Samsung, OPPO, Vivo have halted the production of smartphones in India till at least March 25th.

These announcements come after the several state governments including the one ruling India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh (UP), announced a lockdown on commercial activities including manufacturing in their respective state. The orders, therefore, also impact the manufacturing plants of Samsung, OPPO, and Vivo located in Greater Noida, a suburban city in UP and close to India’s national capital, New Delhi. As per the state government’s orders, the factories must remain closed at least till March 25th or until further notice.

Samsung’s Greatest Noida factory is its largest manufacturing facility in the world where it produces 120 million smartphone units every year. Other than smartphones, the factory also produces a wide range of Samsung’s home appliances like smart TVs, air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, etc. Samsung India’s spokesperson shared the following statement with ZDNet:

Following the Indian government’s policy, we will temporarily halt operations of our Noida factory until the 25th. We will work hard to make sure there is no setback in supplying our products.

The company also shut down production in Gumi, South Korea and shifted production to Vietnam recently after a factory worker tested positive for Coronavirus.

Another source told The Economic Times that besides temporarily shutting operations at its Greater Noida factory, Samsung has instructed the R&D employees working at the factory to work from home. Vivo, meanwhile, has asked all non-factory workers to work from their homes. We reached out to Vivo but were decline any comment on the impact of this lockdown on production.

LG has also reportedly stopped production at its home appliances plants in Greater Noida and another one in Pune, located in the state of Maharashtra in Central India, until March 31st. Similar to Samsung, LG also had to shut down production at one of its plants in Korea after a few employees were found to have been infected by the COVID-19 virus.

In contrast, the operations of Ericsson and Nokia, two of the largest telecom equipment manufacturers in India, are continuing with production at their factories in Pune and Chennai, located in states of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, respectively. Ericson told The Economic Times that the factory is currently operating with 50% workforce under “exemption granted by the relevant authorities“.

We can expect other smartphone and electronics manufacturers to follow the suit and halt production at their plants across the country to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We’re awaiting similar statements from other companies and will update the article when we hear from them.

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