Lenovo Flex 5G launches in the U.S. with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G and Windows 10 on ARM

Earlier this year at CES 2020, Lenovo announced the Yoga 5G 2-in-1 convertible laptop. This laptop featured the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm’s highest-end ARM-based SoC designed for “Always On, Always Connected” PCs (ACPCs). As such, the Lenovo Yoga 5G runs Microsoft’s Windows 10 on ARM, much like the Microsoft Surface Pro X and Samsung Galaxy Book S. Unlike the Surface Pro X and the Galaxy Book S, however, the Yoga 5G will support 5G NR connectivity (hence the name). Today, Lenovo has announced that they have partnered with Verizon to bring the Yoga 5G to the U.S. under the name “Lenovo Flex 5G.”

	Lenovo Flex 5G Specifications
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G (8C, 8x Kryo 495 @2.84GHz)
Graphics	Integrated Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU
Chipset	Qualcomm SoC Platform
Memory	8GB Soldered LPDDR4X-1866
Storage	256GB UFS 3.0
Display	14″ FHD (1920×1080) IPS 400nits Glossy, 10-point Multi-touch
WLAN + Bluetooth	11ac, 2×2 + BT5.0
WWAN	Foxconn T99W175 5G
SIM Card	Nano-SIM Card Verizon 5G
Case Material	Aluminum (Top), Magnesium/Aluminum (Bottom)
Camera	720p + IR
Microphone	2x, Array
Ports	2 x USB 3.1 1 x Type-C Gen 2 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack, nano-SIM
Color	Iron Grey
Keyboard	Backlit, English (US)
Fingerprint Reader	Touch Style
TPM	FW TPM 2.0
Battery	Integrated 60Wh
Size	12.65″ x 8.46″ x 0.57″ (321.4mm x 215mm x 14.7mm) Starting at 1.35 kg / 2.97 lb.
Power Adapter	45W USB-C
Operating System	Windows 10 Pro 64, English

 

Like the Surface Pro X and Galaxy Book S, the Lenovo Flex 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G compute platform. The Verizon version of this laptop is designed to support the carrier’s Ultra Wideband mmWave 5G NR network in addition to sub-6GHz 5G networks.

Looking beyond 5G, the Lenovo Flex 5G is a very attractive laptop. It has a sleek design with a 360-degree hinge and touchscreen. It weighs just 2.97 lbs and has a 14-inch 1080p display with very slim bezels on three sides. The Flex 5G packs 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. In terms of ports, you’re looking at two USB-C 3.1 ports, a headphone/microphone combo port, and a nano-SIM slot. The battery is rated at 60Wh and Lenovo claims “up-to-24-hour” battery life. There is also a fingerprint scanner for biometric security.

Pricing & Availability

The Lenovo Flex 5G will be available in the U.S. on June 18th at Verizon for $1,399 or $58.33 per month for 24 months on the Verizon Device Payment Plan. The Lenovo Yoga 5G will be available later this year outside of the U.S. through Lenovo.com and carriers including EE in the United Kingdom, Sunrise in Switzerland, and China Mobile in China.

Verizon is launching some new 5G plans to coincide with the launch of the Flex 5G. The new 5G Ultra Wideband Connected Device Plan starts at $30 per month. Verizon will also be offering several accessories to go along with the device, including a USB-C hub, Incase sleeve, and Logitech Pebble mouse. Anyone who buys the Flex 5G from Verizon will get a free year of Microsoft 365 as well.

The post Lenovo Flex 5G launches in the U.S. with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G and Windows 10 on ARM appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/37FTI0X
via IFTTT

A new Google Nest smart speaker may be coming to replace the original Google Home

Google announced a successor to its widely popular Google Home Mini smart speaker late last year in October. While the new smart speaker is virtually identical to the Home Mini, Google launched it under its Nest brand of smart home products and called it the Nest Mini. Now, according to a recent report from 9to5Google, the company is preparing to launch a successor to the original Google Home, which will also be launched as part of the Nest brand.

The report cites sources familiar with the matter, who have revealed that the upcoming Google Nest smart speaker will look “unassuming and familiar”, with a fabric-based design similar to that of the Nest Mini, Nest Hub, and the Google Home Max. The device, which goes by the codename ‘prince’, doesn’t include a display and will feature speaker drivers larger than the ones in the original Google Home. In effect, this would put the audio capabilities of the upcoming device somewhere between the Google Home and the Google Home Max.

Much like other smart speakers in Google’s lineup, the new Google Nest speaker will be powered by the Google Assitant. However, we’re not aware of any unique software capabilities that the device may offer. As of now, the sources have revealed no further information regarding the upcoming smart speaker, its final marketing name, or the expected launch date. Along with the new smart speaker, Google is expected to launch the Pixel 4a, a mid-range Pixel 5, and an Android TV dongle this year.

---

Source: 9to5Google

The post A new Google Nest smart speaker may be coming to replace the original Google Home appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2Y3iWmO
via IFTTT

Sony Xperia 10 II added to Sony’s Open Devices Program

Sony Mobile’s Open Devices program is popular among Android hobbyists and aftermarket developers, given Sony’s current market position. The OEM provides necessary tools and guides to the development community, which makes it possible to bring Android Open Source Project (AOSP) builds to select Xperia devices. This initiative can also be used as a base to port well-liked custom ROMs. The Sony Xperia 10 II (pronounced as Xperia 10 “Mark 2”) has now become the latest addition to the Open Devices program.

Sony Xperia 10 II XDA Forums

Matter of fact, Sony released the kernel source code as well as the device tree for Xperia 10 II a few weeks ago. Now that the AOSP software binaries are available for download, third-party developers should be able to modify and build vanilla Android 10 to boot on this smartphone with minimum effort. Interestingly, Sony’s official bootloader unlock page doesn’t list the Xperia 10 II as a compatible device as of yet, which means there is no way to install a custom ROM on this phone right now, but one can expect this to be remedied in the near future.

Download AOSP Android 10.0 software binaries for the Sony Xperia 10 II

Apart from adding platform support for the Xperia 10 II (code-name “Seine”), Sony has also refreshed the software binaries for the Xperia 1/5 (“Kumano”), Xperia 10/10 Plus (“Ganges”), Xperia XZ2/XZ2 Compact/XZ3 (“Tama”), Xperia XA2/XA2 Ultra (“Nile”), and the Xperia XZ Premium/XZ1/XZ1 Compact (“Yoshino”) with various improvements. Enthusiast users can also take a look at kernel compilation guides and guides to access the UART port, although the latter is largely impossible on modern Sony Xperia phones.

The Xperia 10 II succeeds both the Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus from last year. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 SoC, while there is only a single memory configuration consisting of 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It packs in a triple (12MP + 8MP + 8MP) rear camera setup, and a 6-inch FHD+ OLED display with a 21:9 aspect ratio.

---

Source: Sony Developer World

The post Sony Xperia 10 II added to Sony’s Open Devices Program appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2YHJs43
via IFTTT

LG Velvet goes on sale in Italy for €649 with pre-order benefits of up to €400

The LG Velvet was announced last month with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC and stylus support. This phone is significant because it marks a shift for LG, turning around the focus from the spec sheet to the design and greater general availability of the phone. The idea with the LG Velvet is to bring a good experience to a greater number of people, a strategy that makes sense seeing how 5G has made flagships very expensive this year. LG recently announced wider availability for the device, indicating that the phone is coming to more international markets. Today, the LG Velvet has launched in Italy, coming in at a price of €649, giving us the first pricing information for the product.

LG Velvet XDA Forums

Specification	LG Velvet
Dimensions and Weight	167.2 x 74.1 x 7.9 mm 180g
Display	6.8” POLED display 20.5:9 2460×1080 FHD+
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
RAM and Storage	6GB LPDDR4X + 128GB UFS 2.1 8GB + 128GB Expandable using microSD card slot
Battery & Charging	4,300mAh Fast wired charging up to 25W Fast wireless charging support up to 9W
Rear Camera	Primary: 48MP Secondary: 8MP Ultra Wide-Angle Camera Tertiary: 5MP Depth Sensor
Front Camera	16MP
Other Features	3.5mm headphone jack Wacom stylus support with 4096 pressure levels Support LG Dual Display USB Type-C In-display fingerprint scanner IP68 water resistance
Android Version	Android 10 with LG’s custom UI on top

As mentioned, the LG Velvet is available for pre-order in Italy for a price of €649. If you are pre-ordering between June 15 to June 30, LG Italy will offer you the LG Dual Screen accessory, the LG Tone Free earbuds, and a silicon clear case (claimed combined value over €400) for free.

Download the LG Velvet wallpapers in Full HD (2460×1080)

In addition to South Korea and Italy, the LG Velvet will also be coming to Germany, Spain, Hungary, and Poland in June. North America, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America will get it “in the weeks ahead”. You can expect pricing to be in line with the pricing in Italy.

The post LG Velvet goes on sale in Italy for €649 with pre-order benefits of up to €400 appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3fuOlUW
via IFTTT

OPPO launches the A52 and A72 mid-range smartphones in Germany for under €250

OPPO launched the Find X2 series in Germany late last month, a couple of months after the devices were first unveiled globally. As part of the series, OPPO launched the flagship Find X2 Pro in the country, along with the new Find X2 Neo and Find X2 Lite. Now, the company has added two more devices to its portfolio in the country — the OPPO A52 and OPPO A72.

The new mid-range devices from OPPO were first spotted online earlier this year in April when German tech blog Winfuture shared leaked renders of the devices along with a few key specifications. OPPO has now listed the A52 and A72 on its website in Germany and the devices are available for purchase on German eCommerce platform OTTO for €199 (~$225) and €249 (~$282), respectively.

OPPO A52 and OPPO A72: Specifications

Specifications	OPPO A52	OPPO A72
Dimensions & Weight	162 x 75.5 x 8.9 mm 182g	162 x 75.5 x 8.9 mm 192g
Display	6.5″ TFT LCD FHD+, 2400 x 1080 pixels	6.5″ TFT LCD FHD+, 2400 x 1080 pixels
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 Adreno 610	Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 Adreno 610
RAM	4GB	4GB
Storage	64GB	128GB
Battery & Charging	5,000 mAh 18W wired fast charging	5,000 mAh 18W wired fast charging
Rear Camera	Primary: 12MP, f/1.7 Secondary: 8MP, wide-angle, f/2.2 Tertiary: 2MP depth sensor, f/2.4 Quarternary: 2MP depth sensor, f/2.4	Primary: 48MP, f/1.7 Secondary: 8MP, wide-angle, f/2.2 Tertiary: 2MP depth sensor, f/2.4 Quarternary: 2MP depth sensor, f/2.4
Front Camera	16MP, f/2.0	16MP, f/2.0
Other Features	Side-mounted fingerprint sensor Bluetooth 5.0 USB Type-C	Side-mounted fingerprint sensor Bluetooth 5.0 USB Type-C
Android Version	ColorOS 7.1 based on Android 10	ColorOS 7.1 based on Android 10
Colors	Twilight Black Stream White	Twilight Black Aurora Purple

---

The devices look identical, with an L-shaped quad-camera module on the back and a 6.5-inch LCD display over on the front with a single hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera. In terms of hardware as well, the devices are nearly identical and are powered by Qualcomm’s mid-range Snapdragon 665 SoC, coupled with 4GB of RAM.

The only hardware differences can be found in the camera department and storage capacity. The cheaper OPPO A52 offers 64GB of storage and packs in a 12MP primary camera, an 8MP wide-angle camera, and two 2MP sensors for portrait photography. On the other hand, the OPPO A72 offers 128GB of storage and packs in a 48MP primary camera, an 8MP wide-angle camera, and two 2MP sensors for portrait photography.

Both the devices feature a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a USB Type-C port for charging, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and support for Bluetooth 5.0. The devices are powered by 5,000mAh batteries which include support for 18W fast charging. In terms of software, the devices run OPPO’s ColorOS 7.1 skin based on Android 10.

Pricing and Availability

As mentioned earlier, the OPPO A52 and A72 are already available for purchase on German eCommerce platform OTTO. The OPPO A52 is priced at €199 (~$225) and it’s available in two color variants — Twilight Black and Stream White. The OPPO A72 is also available in two color variants — Twilight Black and Aurora Purple — and it’s priced at €249 (~$282).

The post OPPO launches the A52 and A72 mid-range smartphones in Germany for under €250 appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3hx3CGL
via IFTTT

The Google Maps Platform is now open for game developers to make Pokémon GO-like experiences

In order to help more game developers create Pokémon Go-like experiences, Google opened up its real-time Google Maps data and released a Unity Software Development Kit (SDK) for a limited group of game studies back in 2018. The studios have since released ten games built on the Google Maps Platform, which are played by more than 11 million players each month. The number of immersive real-world games on the Google Play Store is likely to shoot up soon, as Google has now opened the Google Maps Platform to all mobile game developers.

According to a recent blog post from the company, any independent mobile game developer can now get access to the Semantic Tile API and Playable Locations API to build their location-based games. To do so, developers can follow this link to create a billing account, set up a Google Cloud Project, and then download the Maps SDK for Unity. Once the Maps SDK is downloaded, the two APIs will be automatically enabled, and developers can start building games by following the instruction in this quickstart documentation.

Since the initial launch, the company has added new features like Mixed Zoom and Pathfinding to the Google Maps Platform, which will allow developers to create better experiences for their players. The Mixed Zoom feature renders a high level of detail for areas close to a player, while areas further away display progressively lower levels of detail. In effect, this will help developers generate expansive maps that span thousands of meters while using less processing power. The Pathfinding feature, on the other hand, will enable developers to create more complex in-game characters.

Access to the Google Maps Platform will also allow developers to add a real-world mode to existing titles with new location-based in-game features. You can follow this link to learn more about the Google Maps Platform and how you can use it to create a unique immersive game or AR experience.

---

Source: Google Cloud blog

The post The Google Maps Platform is now open for game developers to make Pokémon GO-like experiences appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/30MfXkz
via IFTTT

[Update: It’s Back] HMD Global’s bootloader unlock server for the Nokia 8 has been down for days

Update 1 (06/16/2020 @ 04:52 AM ET): HMD Global has brought back the bootloader unlocking support for the Nokia 8. Scroll to the bottom for more information. The article as published on March 23, 2020, is preserved below.

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 its 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.

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)!

---

HMD Global brings back bootloader unlocking for the Nokia 8

In a surprising move, HMD Global has brought back bootloader unlocking for the Nokia 8. And even better, the method has also been simplified. Users no longer need the unlocker app. Instead, they need to just input relevant details on the website and receive the unlock token on their email.

Nice work, that’s how you supposed to provide official unlock service. Why should we install that weird app? pic.twitter.com/SjKJ11yZS6

— Hikari Calyx (@Hikari_Calyx) June 14, 2020

Keep in mind that this remains restricted to the Nokia 8, for now. Nonetheless, it is good news for the owners who are looking to unlock the bootloader on their phones.

The post [Update: It’s Back] HMD Global’s bootloader unlock server for the Nokia 8 has been down for days appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2Jm9UcB
via IFTTT