There are plenty of companies pumping out Chromebooks, but Lenovo has some of the more popular options. The Lenovo Chromebook Duet, for example, has been very highly regarded in reviews. The company recently updated its 14-inch Chromebook 3 and now it’s releasing an 11-inch model as well. The smaller model includes a few improvements.
The 11-inch Lenovo Chromebook 3 actually has a few upgrades over the 14-inch model. The 11.6-inch laptop has a slightly better display rated at a maximum brightness of 250 nits, though it is only 1366×768 in resolution. The 11-inch model also has more storage with 64GB onboard. 32GB is pretty standard for Chrome OS devices in this price range, so it’s nice to see double the storage. The laptop has 4GB of RAM as well.
In terms of ports, the Lenovo Chromebook 3 11-inch model has 2 USB-C ports (3.1) and 2 USB-A ports (3.1). There is also a 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack and a microSD card slot. The processor is an Intel Gemini Lake-R N4020 Celeron. The laptop supports Android apps, of course, but also Linux apps via “Crostini”.
As mentioned, this is a very affordable Chrome OS device. That means it doesn’t have any of the fancy 2-in-1 or hybrid features that are becoming common with Chromebooks. The display can be folded flat, ie. 180-degrees with the keyboard, but it’s not a touchscreen. The entire package weighs only 2.47 lbs. The Lenovo Chromebook 3 11-inch costs only $229 and it’s actually available right now, which can’t be said for many laptops. If you’re looking for a small, simple Chrome OS device for basic web browsing and computing, this is a pretty nice deal.
Citing multiple sources with knowledge of the matter, Reuters mentions that Amazon.com is in early-stage talks to buy a stake, which is worth at least $2 billion, in Bharti Airtel. This investment would mean that Amazon would have acquired about a 5% stake in the company, which has more than 328 million subscribers in India and controls more than 28% more of the Indian telecom market. The report does mention that the deal terms could change or that an agreement may not be reached, underscoring the early-stage nature of these talks.
In April 2020, Facebook bought a 9.99% stake in Reliance Jio for $5.7 billion, or ₹43,574 crores. Reliance Jio then went on to close several other investment deals, raising over $10 billion in the process. Reports had emerged in March 2020 that both Google and Facebook were separately interested in stakes within Reliance Jio, but we haven’t heard further on the Google-Jio deal. Instead, a new report in May 2020 suggested that Google is looking at scooping up a 5% stake in Vodafone Idea, even while keeping the discussions active and ongoing for the Google-Jio deal. Amazon’s interest in Bharti Airtel now covers up all three major players of the Indian telecom sector, all of whom have now attracted attention from Silicon Valley.
The focus also comes amid the persistent pressure of repaying the entire AGR dues and the precarious balance sheets two of these three telecoms are left with after accounting for the Supreme Court judgment. If these deals indeed materialize, it would inject much-needed working capital into the telecom sector to continue smooth operations and work towards future expansions and the imminent setup of 5G infrastructure. On the other hand, these investments also give an “in-road” to these significant Silicon Valley players into the Indian telecom sector.
It feels like ages ago, but back in January there was a little tech event called the Consumer Electronics Show, also known as “CES.” During this event, TCL announced a slew of wireless earbuds and headphones. It’s taken a while, but these products are finally available for purchase on Amazon and the prices are very low. Expand the chart below to see a full side-by-side breakdown of all the models.
TCL MTRO200BT & MTRO200NC
We’ll start with the MTRO series, which comprises of two new on-ear headphones. Both models have built-in microphones, but the 200NC also features noise-cancelation. The design of the two headphones are essentially identical and they’re available in the same four color options. Noise cancelation is the main differentiator and it shows in the price. The MTRO200BT costs just $39.99 and it’s available now, while the MTRO200NC is $79.99 and will be available June 5th.
Sound
• Frequency range: 10 – 22 000Hz
• Sensitivity: 102dB
• Impedance: 32Ohm
• Maximum power input: 30mW
• Speaker drivers: 32mm
Connectivity
• Bluetooth 4.2 version
• Reception range: 10M
• Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
Convenience
• Built-in control for: end calls, play/pause music, change tracks, change volume, switch between music and calls
• Voice assistant (Siri, Google Assistant, etc., mobile phones operating system dependent)
Power
• Battery type: Lithium Polymer
• Battery weight: 7.5g
• Music playtime: 20 hours
• Talk time: 18 hours
• Standby time: 350 hours
• Fast charge time: 15mins for 3 hours play
• Low battery warning
Accessories
• Quick start guide
• USB charging cable
Packaging dimensions
• Packaging dimension (WxHxD):
19.5 x 22.5 x 5.5cm
• Gross weight: 272g
• Net weight: 146g
Product dimensions
• Product dimensions (WxHxD):
16.5 x 18.5 x 3.8cm
• Weight: 137g
Sound
• Frequency range: 10 – 22 000Hz
• Sensitivity: 100dB
• Impedance: 32Ohm
• Maximum power input: 30mW
• Speaker drivers: 32mm
Connectivity
• Bluetooth 4.2 version
• Reception range: 10M
• Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
Convenience
• Built-in control for: end calls, play/pause music, change tracks, change volume, switch between music and calls
• Voice assistant (Siri, Google Assistant, etc., mobile phones operating system dependent)
Packaging dimensions
• Packaging dimension (WxHxD):
19.5 x 22.5 x 5.5cm
• Gross weight: 320g
• Net weight: 187g
Product dimensions
• Product dimensions (WxHxD):
16.5 x 18.5 x 3.8cm
• Weight: 137g
TCL ACTV200BT & ACTV500TWS
Next up is the ACTV series, which you can probably guess is geared toward being active. The TCL ACTV200BT features a neck loop design and heart rate monitoring, while the ACTV500TWS is a more traditional truly wireless design. Since both models are made for activities, they also offer sweat and splash resistance. The 200BT are IPX4 rated, while the 500TWS are IPX7. The ACTV series will be available later this month starting at $79.99 for the 200BT and $99.99 for the 500TWS.
ACTV200BT Full Specifications
Color
• Color: Copper Dust, Copper Ash
Sound
• Frequency range: 10 – 22 000Hz
• Sensitivity: 100dB
• Impedance: 16Ohm
• Maximum power input: 20mW
• Speaker drivers: 8.6mm
Connectivity
• Bluetooth 5.0 version
• Reception range: 10M
• Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
Convenience
• Built-in control for: Answer/reject calls, play/pause music, change tracks, change volume, switch between music and calls
• Voice assistant (Siri, Google Assistant, etc., mobile phones operating system dependent)
• Heart rate monitoring
• Clear calls echo cancellation
Power
• Battery type: Lithium Polymer
• Battery weight: 5g
• Music playtime: 14 hours (no HRM), 6 hours (with
HRM)
• Talk time: 11 hours
• Standby time: 100 hours
• Fast charge time: 15mins for 2 hours play
• Low battery warning
Packaging dimensions
• Packaging dimension (WxHxD):
17.3 x 9.5 x 2.5cm
• Gross weight: 63g
• Net weight: 32.2g
Product dimensions
• Product dimensions (WxHxD):
4.5 x 5.5 x 1.9cm
• Weight: 14.5g
ACTV500TWS Full Specifications
Color
• Color: Copper Dust, Copper Ash
Sound
• Frequency range: 10 – 22 000Hz
• Sensitivity: 100dB
• Impedance: TBD
• Maximum power input: 20mW
• Speaker drivers: 5.8mm
Connectivity
• Bluetooth 5.0 version
• Reception range: 10M
• Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
Convenience
• Built-in control for: Answer/reject calls, play/pause music, change tracks, change volume/switch between music and calls
• Voice assistant (Siri, Google Assistant, etc., mobile phones operating system dependent)
Power
• Battery type: Lithium Polymer
• Battery weight: Approx 16.5g
• Music playtime: 33 hours
• Talk time: 27 hours
• Standby time: 55 hours
• Fast charge time: 15mins for 1 hour play
• Low battery warning
• 5W Wireless charging
Packaging dimensions
• Packaging dimension (WxHxD):
9.5 x 15 x 4cm
• Gross weight: 135g
• Net weight: 98g
Product dimensions
• Product dimensions (WxHxD): 6.2 x 7.2 x 3 cm
• Weight: 75g
TCL SOCL500TWS
Lastly, we have the TCL SOCL500TWS, which are truly wireless earbuds in some vibrant colors. The SOCL headphones also feature IPX4 sweat and splash resistance and gold plated contact points for more protection against perspiration. Total playtime with the included charging cases is said to be up to 26 hours. The SOCL earbuds will be available in four colors, but right now you can get the black model for $79.99. The Purple, Orange, and Blue models will be available later this month.
Sound
• Frequency range: 9 – 22 000Hz
• Sensitivity: 100dB
• Impedance: 16Ohm
• Maximum power input: 20mW
• Speaker drivers: 5.8mm
Connectivity
• Bluetooth 5.0 version
• Reception range: 10M
• Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
Convenience
• Built-in control for: end calls, play/pause music, change tracks, change volume, switch between music and calls
• Voice assistant (Siri, Google Assistant, etc., mobile phones operating system dependent)
Power
• Battery type: Lithium Polymer
• Battery weight: Approx 15g
• Music playtime: 26 hours
• Talk time: 22 hours
• Standby time: 55 hours
• Fast charge time: 15mins for 1 hour play
• Low battery warning
There are many phones that market themselves as “Gaming Phones” but these phones often skip out on essential gaming features. If you’re looking for a real gaming phone that implements features that truly make it stand out as a gaming device, look to the Nubia RedMagic 5G. This new phone was announced on March 12th of 2020 and implements several important features to make this the ultimate gaming phone.
Nubia RedMagic 5G
Specs
Chipset
Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 (7 nm+)
RAM
8/12GB
Display
144Hz 6.65″ AMOLED Display at 1080x2340p
Storage
128/256GB
Main Camera
64+8+2MP [8K Video]
Selfie Camera
8MP
Battery
4500mAh with up to 55W Quick Charge
OS
Android 10, Redmagic 3.0
The 144Hz Display Captures More Action than Other Phones
You may be familiar with the 144Hz displays found in many desktop gaming PCS. Well now, this type of display is is possible on Android devices. Nubia included this high-performance display to meet the heightened standard of gamers today. The RedMagic 5G is the world’s first mass-produced phone with a 144Hz display. This brings the 144Hz display to the average person at an affordable price. It’s a bold move that will help to change the standard for smartphone displays. The higher refresh rate means your games will look much smoother when played at higher FPS. The 1080x2340p display has a pixel density of 387ppi making your gameplay crisp and detailed.
This advanced display will give you a clear advantage over players with other phones. The ability to see more detail on a small mobile screen will help you in popular competitive games like PUBG. On regular 90Hz displays, the lower framerate makes elements of a game blend together. It becomes more difficult to differentiate players from the background or surrounding graphics. At 144Hz, you’ll notice that you have a much easier time seeing enemies from further away and maintaining clear visuals when the camera is moving quickly.
Active Liquid Cooling Lets you Play Longer Without Feeling the Heat
Anyone who has played graphics-intensive games on a phone knows that this can lead to heating issues. Gaming on an Android can become difficult as the phone gets hot and uncomfortable to hold. The Nubia RedMagic 5G solves this problem with the integrated liquid cooling system. An L-shaped liquid-cooling pipe runs through the phone, assisted by a small 16,000 RPM fan. Cold air is sucked in through one side of the phone while hot air is pushed out the other. This ends up keeping your phone 200% cooler.
While some other phones offer similar specs as the Nubia RedMagic 5G, without an active liquid cooling system, they fall short of the new gaming standards set by Nubia. All the power of these specs fitted into a phone will result in higher temperatures while gaming. This makes the Nubia RedMagic 5G a superior gaming experience when compared to other flagship devices.
Nubia RedMagic 5G Liquid Cooling
Nubia RedMagic 5G 16,000 RPM Fan
Controls and Performance that Enhance your Gameplay
A popular accessory with mobile gamers is a Bluetooth controller. The ability to use 4 fingers instead of just your thumbs, means you can now aim, shoot, and move at the same time. The Nubia RedMagic 5G added trigger buttons on the side of the phone to remove the need for a third-party controller. You now have some of the benefits of a full controller, without the need to pair an additional device. These trigger buttons are flush with the rim of the phone and don’t add any bulk to the device. The triggers are customizable as well, meaning you can map different actions to these buttons.
Nubia RedMagic 5G with Built-in Pro Triggers
4D Shock is a feature that gives you realistic vibration feedback during your gameplay. It’s another feature that makes your phone feel more like you’re holding a gaming controller.
The Nubia RedMagic 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 865 chipset with options of up to 12GB of RAM. These specs are enough to not only run the most powerful games, but to keep your Discord voice chat going in the background and even have several other apps running at the same time.
To push these specs even further, Nubia offers Game Space 2.1. This game launcher allows you to control your cooling fan, use the Game Booster technology, and take advantage of the RedMagic Time game recording.
4500mAh Battery to Keep you Powered for Longer
The RedMagic 5G has a large 4500mAh battery with 18W Quick Charging. You can upgrade this is a 55W quick charging option to charge your phone much faster. You can comfortably have several gaming sessions throughout your day, without needing to recharge. For games that often have over 30 minutes for a match, you won’t be worrying about finding somewhere to hide while you run and grab your charger.
“Rocking an 18W quick charging and upgradable to 55W quick charging, the RedMagic 5G charges fast and keeps you playing longer. Don’t let a weak battery hold you back.”
Nubia RedMagic 5G Fast Charging
The Best Valued Gaming Smartphone
One of the best features of the RedMagic 5G is the pricetag. While the phone features specs that stand up to almost any flagship phone on the market, this phone will only cost you $579.00 for the base model. For a phone that features a 144Hz display and the Snapdragon 865, this pricepoint is amazing.
If you compare the RedMagic 5G to other phones at this price range, like the OnePlus 8, Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro, or Google Pixel 4, you’ll find that Nubia is the only option the features a 144Hz display. The additional gaming features, premium build, and latest specs, make the RedMagic 5G the best-valued phone starting under $600.
Nubia RedMagic 5G
Price
8GB+128GB/ Eclipse Black
$579.00
8GB+128GB / Hot Rod Red
$579.00 (Pre-order now)
12GB+256GB / Pulse
$649.00
Pre-order the Hot Rod Red version of the RedMagic. It will be available from June 1 to June 8, 2020. 1% of pre-order sales of the Hot Rod Red will be donated to Child’s Play, a non-profitable charity organization.
We thank Nubia for sponsoring this post. Our sponsors help us pay for the many costs associated with running XDA, including server costs, full time developers, news writers, and much more. While you might see sponsored content (which will always be labeled as such) alongside Portal content, the Portal team is in no way responsible for these posts. Sponsored content, advertising and XDA Depot are managed by a separate team entirely. XDA will never compromise its journalistic integrity by accepting money to write favorably about a company, or alter our opinions or views in any way. Our opinion cannot be bought.
Back in April, the team behind the CarbonROM project released CarbonROM revision 8.0 (code-name “PAX”) – the first stable Android 10-based build of this custom ROM — for a handful devices from different manufacturers. The initial roster contains legacy smartphones like the Google Nexus 4 as well as current-gen devices such as the Xiaomi Redmi K30/POCO X2. The developers also committed to bring official support to many more devices after finding a proper recovery solution for them.
Now, the CarbonROM team has successfully integrated the June 2020 security patches and rebased the project on top of the latest Android 10 Release 37 (QQ3A.200605.001) branches. The developers are well aware of a mysterious freezing issue on existing CarbonROM 8.0 builds, and they have requested end-users to provide relevant logs via their support platforms. They also added 5 new phones to their list of supported devices since we covered their Android 10 announcement. Here are the new entries:
Not all of today’s news is good news, though, as the team has decided to pull the plug on Android Oreo-based CarbonROM “Noct”. According to a recent post on the team’s blog, the May release of Noct builds will be the last official one. While there is no concrete assurance, the maintainers might pick some of the unsupported devices in the future in an effort to resume official support.
Regarding Android Pie, the team plans to keep maintaining the CarbonROM “Opal” branch of builds until they successfully merge CarbonROM-specific features on top of Android 11‘s stable release. As a consequence, users will still get monthly security updates on devices that do not support Android 10 yet.
We already know that Sony is prepping up to launch the successor to its highly acclaimed WH-1000XM3 Bluetooth headphones. The upcoming headphones have previously been spotted in leaked live images shared by our Editor-in-Chief Mishaal Rahman and we’ve also got a good look at all the new features that Sony will be introducing with the headphones, thanks to an APK teardown of the Sony Headphones Connect app. While the company is yet to announce a launch date for the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, Walmart has now listed the headphones on its website.
According to a recent report from TheWakmanBlog, the upcoming Sony WH-1000XM4 has been listed on Walmart’s website at a price of $348. Even though the listing doesn’t include an image of the headphones, the about section lists down all of its features, thereby confirming some of the information we gathered in our APK teardown. Here are all the features and benefits mentioned in the Walmart listing:
Industry-leading digital noise cancellation
Industry-leading noise cancellation technology means you hear every word, note, and tune with incredible clarity, no matter your environment. Additional microphones also assist in isolating sound while talking on the phone, resulting in improved phone call quality and the reduction of even more high and mid frequency sounds.
Ambient sound control
Adjust ambient sound with the Sony Headphones Connect app to cancel noise while still allowing through essential sounds, like transport announcements, when you’re listening on the move.
Proprietary technology for premium sound
LDAC transmits approximately three times more data (at the maximum transfer rate of 990 kbps) than conventional Bluetooth audio, allowing you to enjoy high-resolution audio content in exceptional quality, as close as possible to that of a dedicated wired connection. Powered by DSEE Extreme technology, the 40mm drivers with Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) diaphragms are Hi-Res Audio Compatible, reproducing a full range of frequencies up to 40 kHz.
Real-time restoration of all your compressed files
Using Edge-AI (Artificial Intelligence) co-developed with Sony Music Entertainment, DSEE Extreme (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) upscales compressed digital music files in real time. Dynamically recognizing instrumentation, musical genres, and individual elements of each song, such as vocals or interludes, it restores the high-range sound lost in compression for a richer, more complete listening experience.
All-day power with quick charging
The WH-1000XM4 headphones are made to last all day and then some, whether you’re focused on your work or flying around the globe. Up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge keeps you listening instead of charging. Low on battery? No problem – 10 minutes of charge time gives you an amazing up to 5 hours of playback.
Touch control
Change the track, turn the volume up or down, activate your phone’s voice assistant, and take or make calls by tapping or swiping the panel with your fingertip.
Clear hands-free calling
Conversation flows freely with easy, hands-free calling. Leave your phone where it is, just speak with a double tap. Thanks to Precise Voice Pickup Technology, which combines five built-in microphones with advanced audio signal processing, WH-1000XM4 delivers clearer voice quality to the other person on the phone. Precise voice pickup technology implemented in WH-1000XM4 optimally controls the five microphones built into the headphones and performs advanced audio signal processing to pick up your voice clearly and precisely for hands-free calls.
Multipoint connection
For total convenience, the WH-1000XM4 headphones can be paired with two Bluetooth devices at the same time. So, when a call comes in, your headphones know which device is ringing and will automatically connect to the right one. You’ll also be able to quickly and smoothly switch your headphones to either of the two devices at the touch of a button.
Adaptive Sound Control automatically adjusts to your location and behavior
Adaptive Sound Control is a smart function that can learn to recognize locations you frequently visit, such as your workplace or favorite cafe, and tailor sound for the ideal listening experience. In addition, it automatically detects what you’re up to – for example, walking, waiting, or traveling – then adjusts ambient sound settings to best suit the situation.
Wearing comfort
WH-1000XM4 headphones blend sophisticated styling with exceptional comfort. Super-soft, pressure-relieving earpads in foamed urethane evenly distribute pressure and increase ear/pad contact for a stable fit. And with a lighter- weight design, you’ll barely notice you’re wearing them.
What the Walmart listing doesn’t mention, however, is the new Smart Talking/Speak-to-chat feature that we spotted in our APK teardown. The feature is expected to allow the Sony WH-1000XM4 to automatically enable ambient sound when voice is detected. So if you’re trying to talk to someone, the headphones will let ambient sound come through and let you continue your conversation without any efforts on your part. After a user-defined time (Fast, Mid, Slow, or None), noise cancellation will return back to the original setting. The headphones will also let you adjust the voice detection sensitivity to prevent it from activating too often.
Sony is yet to reveal any official information about the upcoming WH-1000XM4 headphones. However, since the headphones have now appeared on Walmart, we expect the company to make them official in the coming days. It’s also worth noting that Walmart has still not taken down the listing and the headphones are currently listed as ‘Out of Stock’.
The Color Filter camera on the OnePlus 8 Pro has been in the news for a fair few reasons. At first, most reviews wrote off the 5MP color filter camera and its existence as a gimmick, one with very limited use cases that a lot of users would quickly forget. Then, some users found that the color filter camera can actually see through very thin plastic objects and very thin clothing. OnePlus then mentioned in a Weibo post that they would be disabling the camera through a software update, with a clarification coming later that this would only be for the Chinese market. Surprisingly, an OTA went out to global units which ended up disabling the camera, only for OnePlus to come out and clarify that this was an accidental rollout and that the change was reverted shortly thereafter.
As it turns out, customers who purchase the OnePlus 8 Pro in India might not get to witness the color filter camera, not initially at least. We have evidence that suggests that the mode will be disabled on the Indian units as well.
In OnePlus Camera 4.0.267, which is to be found within OxygenOS 10.5.10 that has rolled out for the OnePlus 8 Pro in India, we spotted a few things. One, this update adds video filters and prepares to add a “Smart Scene Enhancement” toggle. In addition to this, we also discovered that the property “InfraredCameraBuilder.ModelsToDisableInfraredCamera” was modified to include model names “IN2020” and “IN2021“. IN2020 refers to the Chinese OnePlus 8 Pro, while IN2021 is the Indian OnePlus 8 Pro.
We decompiled the app and discovered that this camera app update now checks the system property ro.product.model. If this property matches either IN2021 or IN2021, then the color filter camera and the Photochrom mode is disabled.
We do not have access to an Indian OnePlus 8 Pro to test this out. But, we could replicate the same by changing the value of ro.product.model to IN2021 on a rooted OnePlus 8 Pro Global variant.
We can confirm that enabling this property will disable the color filter camera on the camera app update.
What does this mean for customers in India?
The OnePlus 8 Pro has launched in India, but it has not gone on open sale in the country yet, as the company had to deal with production issues because of COVID-19. There is no date announced yet for the first sale of the device, so no consumers actually have the device in their hands yet.
It is likely that OnePlus could preload this software update on retail units, which means that consumers will not have access to the color filter camera out-of-the-box (note that other cameras and modes will remain functional). Even if they do not preload the update, most users will accept the OTA updates on their phones anyway, especially since the update does have other meaningful additions, meaning the mode will be disabled through an update shortly after unboxing.
Our internal sources suggest that this disabling of the color filter camera is a temporary measure and that OnePlus is already working on an update that will “fix” and re-enable the camera, with an expected rollout ETA of end of June 2020.
We’ve reached out to OnePlus India for comments or statements on the same. We will update our article when we hear back from them.
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