OPPO Reveals 5x Dual Camera Zoom For Smartphones at MWC 2017

As we reported earlier, OPPO announced the world's first 5x lossless zoom technology for the smartphones. Much like last year, there are no smartphones launched by the company at the ongoing Mobile World Congress 2017. Last year's SmartSensor, the sensor based OIS technology is yet to be added to be seen on their smartphones. Now, with the latest announcement in 2017, we at least hope to see this technology soon on their smartphones. Talking about the new 5x zoom technology which the company calls the world's first periscope style dual-camera technology for smartphones.

While Apple is currently offering 2X lossless zoom through their dual camera setup on iPhone 7 Plus, OPPO will give much better output even at 5X zoom compared to other smartphones available in the market. The company also mentioned having filed for more than 50 patents on this new periscope style dual-camera technology. Commenting on the announcement, Sky Li, VP of OPPO & President of OPPO India, said, "The '5x Dual Camera Zoom' has opened up yet another realm of possibility in terms of smartphone photography, and is a reflection of our dedication to delivering on what our customers want and need – to take beautiful and clear pictures".

Unlike the other dual cameras available in the market, OPPO uses wide-angle and telephoto lenses, where the telephoto lens is placed at 90-degrees to the wide-angle lens. The telephoto lens uses the innovative periscope-style prism as seen submarines, thus having the large space for the deep 5X zoom. Here the Prism shifts the path of the light by 90-degree to reach the telephoto lens. With the 5X lossless zoom technology, the user can capture better landscapes, portraits and close-ups photos better than any other smartphone available in the market.The smartphones using the new 5X imaging technology will be slimmer than the current smartphones using 2X zoom technology. According to the company the module measures just 5.7mm thickness and helps in keeping the device slimmer. At 5X zoom, the vibrations will make the photos look blurry. To solve this, the company is applying OIS directly to the telephoto lens, where both the prism and telephoto lens intelligently sense vibrat ions and adjust in real time. This new OIS solution can give 40% better performance than the previous generations and makes the images clear and stable even at full 5x zoom.

Apart from the new 5X lossless zoom technology, the company hasn't announced anything about the camera sensors. Even no timeframe is mentioned for this new technology to come into the market. We hope the long rumored OPPO Find 9 flagship to use this new technology.

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Source: OPPO Reveals 5x Dual Camera Zoom For Smartphones at MWC 2017

This is why Sony phones in the U.S. don't have fingerprint sensors

This has crossed into 'ridiculous' territory — but we now have a better idea of why.

Another year, another Sony phone launching in the U.S. without a fingerprint sensor — despite the exact same model packing the biometric authentication process everywhere else in the world. With the announcement of the Xperia XZ Premium and XZs, Sony once again has a couple of enticing phones. And even though it seems to have made good strides in terms of cameras and a few other pain points, this one issue still plagues it. For whatever reason, Sony cannot bring a phone to the U.S. with a functioning fingerprint sensor.

The question of why this is the case has been a constant bugbear for us as we speak with Sony representatives time after time, and at MWC 2017 we got perhaps the most candid explanation of what's going on.

Speaking with Don Mesa, who is Head of Marketing, North America for Sony Mobile U.S., we started to get a more concrete picture of what's going on here. When asked about the exclusion of fingerprint authentication on the Xperia XZ Premium specifically, Mesa explained, "There are a lot of external and internal factors that contribute to us making a conscious decision not to include [fingerprint]."

For now, in order for Sony to sell phones in the U.S. it cannot include fingerprint sensors.

The "external" portion of that statement is the interesting part, and something that wasn't previously disclosed. For the past couple of years, Sony's stance on not including fingerprint sensors in the U.S. was that it didn't see demand for them and there was a business decision made to not include the feature. This external factor, it seems, is something to do with deals it has made (or terminated) in the U.S. specifically. When asked further about those factors Mesa continued, "[...] that was very much about us consciously deciding that we want to continue our business here [in the U.S.], and [that's] one of the conditions for us to be able to do business."

So here's the meat of the issue: based on some deal previously made relating specifically to the U.S., in order for Sony to sell phones in the country it cannot ship them with functioning fingerprint sensors. Taking the lesser of two evils, Sony chose to continue to sell phones with the fingerprint sensor disabled instead of give up on the U.S. entirely — and this seems to be the case still, as Sony has continued to sell a wide range of unlocked phones here. So despite this bizarre limitation against using fingerprint sensors, Sony still sees the U.S. as an important market and wants to keep selling its top-end devices here.

When pressed for specifics, Mesa acknowledged the rub with U.S. carriers in Sony's transition from selling carrier-backed phones to going entirely unlocked, eventually leading to this fingerprint situation in some way. Events like the launched-then-canceled Xperia Z4V and various one-off carrier devices that never sold well seem to point to Sony having troubles dealing with the U.S. operators. It wouldn't be surprising if a deal (or deals) gone bad led to some fingerprint exclusivity problems as a penalty of such a fallout. Of course the real rub here is the specifics of such deals are not — and may never be — disclosed.

So what can we take away from this? Well, the first part is that Sony confirms it is indeed consciously shipping its phones to the U.S. with fingerprint sensors ... and that at the same time it is explicitly disabling them in software. Sony Mobile U.S. is, for the first time, also confirming that without these outside factors influencing these decisions, it would prefer to be shipping phones in the U.S. with fingerprint sensors enabled. That in no way completely lets Sony off the hook here, though — it takes two to tango, and Sony itself was obviously involved in whatever mechanism led to this odd limitation surrounding fingerprint sensors. Someone signed off on this, and it's been a constant thorn in the side of the company since.

And no matter the mechanism of how this all came to be, it isn't much solace for those of us in the U.S. who are big fans of Sony design and hardware but will continue to refuse to buy its phones until they have such a basic feature. U.S. customers deserve a fingerprint sensor just as much as anyone else in the world buying a Sony phone. And Sony itself seems to think this is a short-term limitation that, when lifted, will comfortably be put in the rear-view mirror as it continues to sell unlocked phones in the country.

Source: This is why Sony phones in the U.S. don't have fingerprint sensors

Huawei P10 & P10 Plus Launched with Leica Dual Cameras – Specs, Pricing & Availability

Huawei has already revealed the first look of its new Huawei P10 through several images. Much like the popular Huawei P9 and P9 Plus smartphones, the new Huawei P10 and P10 Plus also comes with large camera strip on the rear. Both the devices features an all-metal built body with the hyper diamond cut finish which doesn't catch any fingerprint. The device comes in a total of eight colors – Rose Gold, Dazzling Gold, Graphite Black, Mystic Silver, Ceramic White, Prestige Gold, Dazzling Blue colors, and the all new Greenery. The Smart Touch home button on the front come with Gesture support and features under the glass fingerprint sensor. Last year's Huawei P9 and P9 Plus came with a rear-facing fingerprint sensor.

While the P10 Plus sports a 5.5-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1440 pixels) display, the P10 features a slightly smaller 5.1-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution. Both the devices come with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the top. Under the hood, the devices come powered by the newly announced Kirin 960 octa-core processor featuring four Cortex-A73 and four Cortex-A53 cores and coupled with the powerful Mali G71 MP8 GPU. Though the P10 and P10 Plus comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, there is also a premium variant of P10 Plus that packs 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. The devices run on Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box with the customized EMUI 5.1 lain on top.

The cameras on the Huawei P9 and P9 Plus are well acclaimed; now the company is said to offer even better camera experience with the newly launched Huawei P10 and P10 Plus smartphones. Huawei is offering the 20MP monochrome and 12MP RGB sensors on both the devices featuring Leica premium lens. These devices also offer PDAF, laser autofocus, and dual tone LED flash. The company is also offering Leica style portraiture mode for capturing professional looking photos. Unlike LG G6's dual camera setup, both the rear sensors on P10 and P10 Plus comes with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). For selfies, there is an 8MP selfie camera that comes with a f/1.8 aperture on P10 Plus and f/2.2 aperture on P10.

There is also a nano coating on top of the devices to make them water resistant. The Huawei P10 and P10 Plus supports dual SIM dual standby using the hybrid SIM slot, where the user can include a MicroSD card instead of the secondary SIM. With the smaller form factor, the Huawei P10 comes with a 3,200mAh battery, and on the other end, the P10 Plus packs a bigger 3,750mAh battery. Both these devices support the new SuperCharge technology that can give 50% of battery in just 30 minutes. It was first introduced with the Mate 9 phablet. The company also stated the Huawei P10 Plus to be world's first smartphone to feature 4.5 LTE connectivity.

The Huawei P10 is priced at EUR 699 (approx $735 / Rs. 49,200), whereas the Huawei P10 Plus with 6GB of RAM costs EUR 799 (approx $845 / Rs. 56,200). There is no information about the pricing of the device in other markets. Even the availability date of the devices is also yet to be announced. Stay tuned on Phone Radar for more updates!

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Source: Huawei P10 & P10 Plus Launched with Leica Dual Cameras – Specs, Pricing & Availability

OPPO’s “5x Camera Technology” to Offer 5X Lossless Zoom with Dual-lens Camera Setup

OPPO will be unveiling its new 5X camera technology on February 27th in Barcelona. Though there is not much official information about this new technology, now we came to know few key features. As the name 5X suggests, it will offer 5X lossless zoom which might capture better photos than Apple's offering of 2X lossless zoom on their latest iPhone 7 Plus. However, this can be achieved only with dual camera setup, and it also hints at the upcoming dual-lens smartphone from OPPO. Since the company's Smart Sensor technology that was announced at last year's MWC is yet to be implemented on their smartphones, we don't know when OPPO will be launching their first dual-lens camera smartphone with this new 5X camera technology.

Earlier: Feb 20 – Huawei and ZTE confirmed to launch their latest smartphones at the MWC 2017 event. While Huawei will be launching Huawei P10 and P10 Plus smartphones, ZTE will showcase the Gigabit smartphone and its first Android Wear 2.0 smartwatch. A couple of days back, Nubia also sent out the press invites for launching a new smartphone. And now, the world's fourth largest smartphone maker, OPPO teasing a new smartphone camera technology called "Project 5X." As far as the teaser image is considered, it mentions "Go 5X Further" which the company mentioned capturing highly detailed images along with high-resolution image processing.

Commenting on the announcement, Sky Li, President of OPPO India, said,

"OPPO's relentless pursuit of perfection without compromise has given birth to a remarkable technological breakthrough that will change how the world perceives smartphone photography. This remarkable achievement is the result of an extensive, year-long R&D process, combined with OPPO's unparalleled expertise in smartphone imaging technology. We chose MWC to unveil the '5x' technology with the belief that we can inspire the industry to aim higher, and continue to create pioneering products that give amazing experiences to consumers."

The company is earlier rumored to introduce the OPPO Find 9 smartphone at MWC event. Though this is unexpected, even last year, the company limited to introducing technologies instead of product launches. At the MWC 2016, the company came up with VOOC Super Flash Charge technology and the Smart Sensors Image Stabilization. Even a year after their announcements, the company is yet to include these new features in their smartphones. According to the company, the 2,500mAh battery can be fully charged in just 15 minutes using the new VOOC Super Flash Charge technology.

On the other hand, the Smart Sensor is said to be the world's smallest OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) technology and is also the worlds' first sensor-based stabilization technology. OPPO is the fastest growing smartphone brand in the world and recently crossed Huawei to become the No.1 brand in China. With the increasing market share of Chinese brands in India, we can expect OPPO and Vivo to capture even bigger market share with their aggressive offline marketing. Even the online exclusive brands like Xiaomi and Honor also started exploring the offline market to enlarge their market presence. As we will be knowing more information about the Project 5X from OPPO on February 27th, stay tuned on PhoneRadar for more updates!

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Source: OPPO's "5x Camera Technology" to Offer 5X Lossless Zoom with Dual-lens Camera Setup

Caught on camera: Tucson woman's phone catches fire

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) -

Video of a Tucson woman's new cell phone smoking and melting has caught figurative fire on social media. Footage posted to the Twitter account "@briannaolivas_" shows Brianna Olivas' new iPhone 7 Plus fuming as it sits on her boyfriend's bathroom counter.

Olivas said there were no problems moments before when her phone was charging, connected to the power cable, on the bed near her pillow. She was just waking up as her boyfriend, Jesse Vazquez, unplugged it from the cord and placed it on the bedside table. Vazquez said he went to the bathroom, heard it sizzling, and saw it erupt in flames and smoke.

They were quickly able to get the phone to the sink, away from danger and flammable objects. Olivas believes it was an issue with the battery and is considering herself lucky.

"I always sleep with my phone right next to me. If he wouldn't have moved that this could've been a whole lot worse," she said.

The couple only took footage of the sizzling phone after it was out of harm's way.

"Instantly I had to record it, as well, because I've never seen an iPhone blow up and act in that manner," Vazquez explained.

Olivas said she took the iPhone to a Sprint store nearby the day before, where she said they ran diagnostics and determined there were no issues with the phone or battery. She said there were no cracks or dents on the body of the phone, and that the phone did not come into contact with water.

She took her mangled iPhone 7 Plus to the Sprint corporate store near the Tucson Mall after the fire happened Wednesday. She said the store employees were stunned by what had transpired and gave her a new phone.

A call to Apple's corporate media line went unanswered, but customer service representatives told Olivas they are investigating the cause.

Copyright 2017 Tucson News Now. All rights reserved.

MOBILE USERS: Download our app, the most-used news app in southern Arizona, to get breaking news alerts, weather forecasts and exclusive content on your Apple and Android devices.

Source: Caught on camera: Tucson woman's phone catches fire

LG unveils X Power2 phone with a massive 4,500mAh battery

LG won't just be concentrating on the high end market at Mobile World Congress, instead they're also refreshing one of their X-series products, launching the X Power2.

The X series are LG's attempt to make a phone for people concentrating on one aspect of the phone, the camera, the display and in the case of the X Power, the battery. The X Power2 is focused on heavy users of battery such as gamers, people who watch movies or TV shows on the go, or indeed anyone who finds themselves not able to make it through the day on a single charge. With a massive 4,500mAh battery on board, the X Power2 is definitely going to be hard to beat when it comes to all day phone usage.

While not earth shattering, the rest of the specs on the phone are decent enough with what LG calls a 'zero shutter lag' camera sensor on the rear and a 5MP selfie cam on the front with a wide angle lens to allow you to take selfies 'of up to eight people without a selfie stick'. As you'd expect, the phone includes LTE radios on-board and of course it's running Android 7.0 (Nougat):

5.5″ HD (720×1280) In-cell Touch Display

1.5 GHz Octa-Core processor

13MP Rear / 5MP Front camera (Wide Angle / LED Flash)

2GB/1.5GB RAM

16GB onboard storage with Micro SD up to 2TB

Wi-Fi (802.11 b, g, n) / Bluetooth 4.2 / USB 2.0

2G/3G/LTE

Rear mounted speakers

USB OTG / Gyro Sensor

Android 7.0 Nougat

4,500mAh (embedded)

Juno Cho, president of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company said of the X Power2:

The LG X power2 has the most powerful battery capacity in LG's entire smartphone line-up so users can enjoy many hours of multimedia entertainment on its roomy display without worrying about recharging. The entire X series is all about great technology and great value, both important features for today's discerning smartphone customer.

The phone will be available in 4 colour options: Black Titan, Shiny Titan, Shiny Gold and Shiny Blue, though will probably be limited availability in each market. LG hasn't announced Australian availability here as yet, but given the X Power made its way down under, we could be seeing this soon.

 
Source: LG unveils X Power2 phone with a massive 4,500mAh battery

LG G6 Leaks in Press images, Shows Full design of the phone

We just have 3 days for the LG G6 official announcement and the phone has been leaked again. This time, we found the press images of the phone showing the full design.

This new photo shows the 5.7-inch display with narrow bezels. It also shows the LG branding below the display. The phone has the metal frame, but it is rumored to come in a glossy and brushed metal variants. I see no power button. So, the fingerprint sensor on the back will act as the power button.

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This phone has dual camera setup on the back with 13 MP camera sensors. This camera will also be capable of recording 4K videos. The secondary camera at back will also offer 125-degree lens.

The volume rockers are located on the left edge of the phone while the right edge contains the SIM card try.

The phone will come with the waterproof and dustproof body. It was already confirmed by the invite of LG G6 launch event.

We already have a confirmed news about the processor and RAM specifications. This phone will come with Quad-core Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB RAM, and Adreno 530 GPU. It will be available in 32 GB and 64 GB storage models.

The phone will come with 4G LTE, WiFi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.2 LE, GPS, NFC and USB Type-C connectivity options.

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Source: LG G6 Leaks in Press images, Shows Full design of the phone

LG G6 smartphone will sport wide-angle cameras on both front & back

The South Korean smartphone manufacturer, LG is all set to launch the G6 smartphone in a couple of days, and we know a lot about the device already. The company has been teasing the smartphone slowly by giving away one detail at a time. Previously we got a glimpse of what to expect on the software side of things for the smartphone. The company is bringing the new LG UX 6.0 for this smartphone which is expected to take full advantage of the display which has an unusual aspect ratio of 18:9. Now according to the new teaser, we have now learned that the smartphone will have wide-angle cameras on both front and back.

The LG G6, just like some of the previously launched smartphones will have wide-angled cameras on both front and back. As mentioned earlier, the same has been confirmed by the company. It looks like the front-facing selfie camera will have a 100-degree Field of View (FOV). However, the megapixel count for the same and other details are still unknown at this point in time. At the back, for the main camera, we will be getting a dual camera setup. Both the cameras at the back will have a 13MP resolution which is different from what we saw with the previously launched LG V20.

Out of the two, one of the rear facing camera will have a 125-degree Filed of View (FOV). Both the cameras will work together to give you the best shot possible. This is something which is LG is quite known for, as they already launched LG V20 will similar setup and was widely accepted by everyone in the market. It looks like we will have a ton of shooting modes as well including the new 18:9 which will use the full width of the screen. There will be a 1:1 mode as well which will produce square images that should be good for Instagram, etc. And other basic modes will also be present like the Panorama, Food mode, etc.

The LG G6 should allow for a great shooting experience with that 18:9 aspect ratio. Also, if you are not shooting at 18:9, then the software will display a couple of previous images at the sides in order to take advantage of the entire width of the display. There will also be a GIF mode which will allow you to combine anywhere from 2 to 100 images from the gallery app. Having said that, we hope the camera on the LG G6 is as good as it looks on the paper. We don't have for a long time as the launch is closer than you think. Stay tuned to PhoneRadar to be the first one to know everything about the LG G6 when it goes official.

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Source: LG G6 smartphone will sport wide-angle cameras on both front & back

OPPO to Unveil New 5x Smartphone Camera Technology at MWC 2017

Huawei and ZTE confirmed to launch their latest smartphones at the MWC 2017 event. While Huawei will be launching Huawei P10 and P10 Plus smartphones, ZTE will showcase the Gigabit smartphone and its first Android Wear 2.0 smartwatch. A couple of days back, Nubia also sent out the press invites for launching a new smartphone. And now, the world's fourth largest smartphone maker, OPPO teasing a new smartphone camera technology called "Project 5X." As far as the teaser image is considered, it mentions "Go 5X Further" which the company mentioned capturing highly detailed images along with high-resolution image processing.

Commenting on the announcement, Sky Li, President of OPPO India, said,

"OPPO's relentless pursuit of perfection without compromise has given birth to a remarkable technological breakthrough that will change how the world perceives smartphone photography. This remarkable achievement is the result of an extensive, year-long R&D process, combined with OPPO's unparalleled expertise in smartphone imaging technology. We chose MWC to unveil the '5x' technology with the belief that we can inspire the industry to aim higher, and continue to create pioneering products that give amazing experiences to consumers."

The company is earlier rumored to introduce the OPPO Find 9 smartphone at MWC event. Though this is unexpected, even last year, the company limited to introducing technologies instead of product launches. At the MWC 2016, the company came up with VOOC Super Flash Charge technology and the Smart Sensors Image Stabilization. Even a year after their announcements, the company is yet to include these new features in their smartphones. According to the company, the 2,500mAh battery can be fully charged in just 15 minutes using the new VOOC Super Flash Charge technology.

On the other hand, the Smart Sensor is said to be the world's smallest OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) technology and is also the worlds' first sensor-based stabilization technology. OPPO is the fastest growing smartphone brand in the world and recently crossed Huawei to become the No.1 brand in China. With the increasing market share of Chinese brands in India, we can expect OPPO and Vivo to capture even bigger market share with their aggressive offline marketing. Even the online exclusive brands like Xiaomi and Honor also started exploring the offline market to enlarge their market presence. As we will be knowing more information about the Project 5X from OPPO on February 27th, stay tuned on PhoneRadar for more updates!

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Source: OPPO to Unveil New 5x Smartphone Camera Technology at MWC 2017

Xiaomi Mi 6 configurations leak: 2K display, Mi Note camera expected

Xiaomi is expected to announce the most-awaited Xiaomi Mi 6 at the Mobile World Congress this year. However, the company hasn't confirmed any of such rumors yet.

Ahead of the launch, there have been several speculations making rounds the internet about the processor and more features that the Xiaomi phone is going to come packed with. Well, adding on to the rumor mill, there are fresh rumors flying on the web, and this time it's about the display, storage, and camera.

As per a post on Weibo, a user with the name @Reviewer_Well claims that Xiaomi Mi 6 is expected to be available in two storage variants - 4GB RAM coupled with 32GB ROM, while the second version will come packed with a 4GB RAM with 64GB ROM.

The post further reveals that the device might come equipped with Full HD display, as well as WQHD display. While on the camera front, the device may sport the same camera set up as the Mi Note 2.

Hence, the device is expected to use a Sony IMX386 sensor for its rear camera, while including the Sony IMX268 8MP selfie setup from Mi Note 2.

SEE ALSO: A 5.5-inch Xiaomi phone gets certified by TENNA

To recall the specifications, Xiaomi Mi 6 was supposed to use the upcoming Snapdragon 835 chipset, however as Samsung Galaxy S8 will wipe off the initial stock, Mi 6 will include a clocked down version of the latest processor.

Further talking about the specifications, may come with an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and a 4,000 mAh. Moving ahead, rumors also suggests that Xiaomi Mi 6 could be 1,999 yuan (approx Rs. 19.721) while the Mi 6 Pro could be priced at 2,499 yuan (approx Rs. 24,654).

For more updates, stay tuned to GizBot.

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Source: Xiaomi Mi 6 configurations leak: 2K display, Mi Note camera expected

Asus Zenfone 3 Go with 5″ HD Display & 13MP Camera Announced in Taiwan

Just yesterday, Asus launched the 2nd gen Zenfone Go 5.0 LTE smartphone in India. Till now, the company launched the Zenfone Go series parallelly to the flagship Zenfone series. However, with the upcoming the Zenfone 3 Go, the company might end its confusing naming saga. At the company's press meet in Taiwan, the company mentioned to launch the Zenfone 3 Go along with the premium Zenfone AR and Zenfone 3 Zoom smartphones in this quarter (1Q16). Talking about the Zenfone 3 Go, it comes with a metal built body featuring a 2.5D glass on the front. Asus is marketing the device which can make the live streams look beautiful.

The device will be offering beautification mode for the Facebook and YouTube live videos. To make the audio clearer during the video calls and video chats, the company is offering dual MEMS mics and five-magnet speaker with the built-in smart amp. While the recently launched Zenfone G0 5.0 LTE came with a rear facing volume rocker button; the Zenfone 3 Go sticks to the standard placement. Both the volume rocker and power button are placed on the right edge of the device. It sports a 5-inch display with HD (1280 x 720 pixels) resolution. Just below the display, we can find the three capacitive buttons. There is no fingerprint sensor on this device.

It comes powered by the Snapdragon 410 quad-core processor. It packs 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The device might also offer expandable storage option with the hybrid SIM slot. Coming to the cameras, there is a 13MP rear camera with LED flash and 1.4 μm pixel size. On the front is a 5MP sensor which also comes accompanied with soft LED flash for capturing better selfies in the low light conditions. Connectivity options on the Zenfone 3 Go include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 3.5mm Audio port, and a MicroUSB 2.0 port. The device will be soon made available in Taiwan for a price of NT$5,000 (approx $160 / Rs. 11,000).

Talking about the Zenfone AR and Zenfone 3 Zoom, both these devices are announced at the recently concluded CES 2017 event in Las Vegas. The Zenfone AR is the world's first smartphone to feature 8GB of RAM. It is the only smartphone to come with both Tango and Daydream support. FYI, Asus is also the first manufacturer to launch a 4GB RAM smartphone. On the other hand, the Zenfone 3 Zoom is the company's first ever smartphone to come equipped with dual lens camera. Asus also announced that the Zenfone 4 series launch will happen only in June or July. Though the company first decided to launch the next-gen flagship devices in April or May, the shortage of LCD displays and DRAM made the company to delay the launch.

Stay tuned on PhoneRadar for more details!

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Source: Asus Zenfone 3 Go with 5″ HD Display & 13MP Camera Announced in Taiwan

LG G6 live images highlight always on display, dual camera setup and more

LG is all set to unveil its upcoming LG G6 smartphone at the end of this month. We already know about some specs of the phone and now a set of live images from 9to5Google shows front and back of the phone.

One of live image shows the 'always on display' that will highlight the time, date, and battery percentage at all times. We have already seen this feature on Motorola and Samsung phones. Moreover, the image also offers a good look at the curved edges on the phone that sports narrow side bezels. The front camera, earpiece and sensors are also seen on top while the LG branding is present below the display. Meanwhile, the second live image shows back of the phone that features the dual rear camera setup. A fingerprint sensor is situated just below the fingerprint sensor.

The G6 will come with LG UX 6.0 specifically customized to maximize the advantages of the device's expansive FullVision display. LG already confirmed that the LG G6 will use LG Display's 5.7-inch (1440 × 2880 pixels) QHD+ LCD panel with a 18:9 aspect ratio with 564 PPI and narrow bezels.

Finally, the report also stated the G6 will come with a Snapdragon 821 SoC, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of expandable storage, and a 3,200 mAh battery. It will also feature a 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC (digital to analog converter). The LG G6 with UX 6.0 will be introduced at MWC 2017 in Barcelona in Spain on February 26.

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Source: LG G6 live images highlight always on display, dual camera setup and more

Cell Phone Video, Radio Transmissions Released In Officer-Involved Shooting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A new cell phone video has given a brief but new look at the scene of the fatal officer-involved shooting of Jocques Clemmons.

The woman who shot the cell phone video did not want to reveal her identity. She was at the scene minutes after the shots were fired.

She told NewsChannel 5 that she heard the gunshots and left her home at James Cayce Homes to investigate.

WARNING: The video could be disturbing to some.

The video clip shows three Metro officers standing over Jocques Clemmons and looking down at him after he was shot three times.

He then begins to move and one of the officers says "Stay still man. Stay still." Clemmons later died from the gunshot wounds -- one to his hip and two to his back.

The neighbor who shot the video said, "I think it's important for the public to see it."

She went on to say, "I saw the male laying on the ground and I saw officers just standing there looking trying to figure out what to do."

The woman was upset the officers were not administering first aid or applying any pressure to stop the bleeding from Clemmons' wounds.

She said the video is only ten seconds long because officers told her to move. The Metro Police Department does have a copy of her video, but has not commented on it.

The department, however, did release yet another piece of security camera video. It shows officer Joshua Lippert,  who fired the deadly rounds, kneeling next to Clemmons.

It's not clear if he's rendering first aid or trying to secure Clemmons at the scene, but he does appear to be touching him.

Some have raised questions about how long it took for an ambulance to arrive at the scene. A review of the security video shows paramedics arrived in under eight minutes.  

The department also released the radio transmissions between officers at the scene.

The first call came from a frantic officer saying a suspect was running on South 6th Street. It was then followed by several calls including a couple of "...shots fired."
Source: Cell Phone Video, Radio Transmissions Released In Officer-Involved Shooting

Leaks Reveal Upcoming Micromax Smartphone with Dual-Lens Camera

With the intense competition from Chinese brands, the largest Indian mobile phone brand, Micromax lost its grip over the Indian market. In April last year, the company unveiled its new logo along with a total of 15 new smartphones. The company tried all the strategies of the Chinese brands but hasn't seen their success. It even came with its own e-store to sell their smartphones and also introduced services like Around YU and mobile payments with various collaborations. In between all these changes, the company's co-founder also introduced a new online exclusive brand called YU Televentures to compete with the brands like Xiaomi and OnePlus. After few attempts, the YU went out of focus, and now the company is selling them in the offline market as well.

Recently, the company launched the entry-level Vdeo series which comes pre-installed with Google Duo app. Lack of the bottom level R&D clearly hits the Indian companies, as most of the smartphones are imported from China or just assembled in India under 'Make in India' campaign to cut the high import costs. Apart from grabbing the first-time smartphone users, the Indian companies miserably failed to sell to the consumers who already own a smartphone. The last few Canvas smartphones like Canvas 6 and Canvas 6 Pro came with good specs to price ratio. However, we got some exclusive news about an upcoming smartphone from Micromax.

Just like many other Micromax smartphones, this new device is also manufactured by a China company. It sports a metal body with plastic caps on top and bottom of the device. It will be the company's first ever dual-lens camera smartphone. The device features a 13MP + 5MP sensors on the rear with dual tone LED flash. For selfies, there is a 5MP sensor on the front which also comes assisted with a LED flash. It is expected to sport a 5.5-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) display with a 2.5D glass laid on top. Under the hood is the 64-bit MediaTek MT6750T octa-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz and comes coupled with Mali T860 GPU. This is the same processor that also powers the recently launched ZTE Blade A2 Plus smartphone.

It includes 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage that can be further expanded using the hybrid slot. The oval shaped physical home button on the front also comes integrated with a fingerprint sensor. From the wallpaper on the device, we expect it to run on the latest Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. The power button and volume rocker can be seen on the right edge of the device. Connectivity options on this dual SIM device include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. It is expected to be priced less than Rs. 15,000 and directly competes with other dual-lens camera smartphones like Honor 6X and Coolpad Cool1 which are currently retailing at Rs. 12,999 and Rs. 13,999 respectively. Stay tuned on PhoneRadar for more details!

Thanks for the tip, Ravi!

Source: Leaks Reveal Upcoming Micromax Smartphone with Dual-Lens Camera

Samsung Galaxy S8 LEAKED: 20 MP Camera, 6GB RAM, 128GB ROM, Snapdragon 835, Design by Dat Nobita

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 : Expected Features The rumored Samsung Galaxy S8 will launch with 4K display. (Photo : YouTube/PHConcepts) Despite of not being rumored with a particular release date, Samsung Galaxy S8 is speculated to arrive early next year in February. This was based on Samsung's timeline on releasing their Galaxy flagship phone. It has also been speculated the upcoming phone will sport a 4K AMOLED display on its 5.5-inch screen

The first Galaxy phone, dubbed as Galaxy S, became available in the market by March 2010. Its succeeding versions S2 and S3 were launched by February 2011 and May 2012, respectively. After this trend, a more consistent schedule was observed by the Korean tech-giant.

When S4 was released in March 2013, it was followed by the Galaxy S5's launching in February 2014. The trend became consistent with the succeeding Galaxy flagships when S6 came in March 2015 and was followed by the Galaxy S7 February this year, PC Advisor reported.

The report added that this trend will probably still be followed by Samsung, thus giving consumers idea when to expect the S8 launching. It has become the company's tradition to launch their devices during the Mobile World Congress which will have its next run from Feb. 27 to March 2 next year. Unless Samsung changes its tradition, a different release date for the upcoming Galaxy flagship will be revealed by the tech-giant in the coming months.

In terms of variant, very little details have been hinted as of the moment. The same report speculated the S8 may come with three variants, with Samsung possibly reviving the mini version.

Reports on the upcoming phone's specifications are also circulating. Lately, it has been rumored that the Galaxy S8 will still retain the 5.5-inch screen size of the S7 but will be sporting a 4K AMOLED display with 806 ppi. A rear dual camera was also reported to come with the device.

This new feature is no news as Apple's upcoming iPhone 7 was also reported to sport this feature. Aside from the rear dual camera, the S8 is also said to feature an IP68 water and dust resistance rating, Pocket Lint reported.

To get more details for the Galaxy S8, watch the video clip below.

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Source: Samsung Galaxy S8 LEAKED: 20 MP Camera, 6GB RAM, 128GB ROM, Snapdragon 835, Design by Dat Nobita

Original HTC One E8 Moble Phone Single sim Quad-core RAM 2GB ROM 16GB 5.0″ Screen WIFI GPS 13MP Camera cell phone

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GENERAL 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2 (optional) 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 – for India HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 – SEA 4G Network LTE 700 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 – SEA LTE 1800 / 2100 / 2500 – for India SIM Optional Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) Announced 2014, June Status Available. Released 2014, June BODY Dimensions 146.4 x 70.7 x 9.9 mm (5.76 x 2.78 x 0.39 in) Weight 145 g (5.11 oz) DISPLAY Type capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors Size 1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.0 inches (~441 ppi pixel density) Multitouch Yes Protection Corning Gorilla Glass 3 – HTC Sense 6 UI SOUND Alert types Vibration, MP3, WAV ringtones Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakers, built-in amplifiers 3.5mm jack Yes MEMORY Card slot microSD, up to 128 GB Internal 16 GB, 2 GB RAM DATA GPRS Yes EDGE Yes Speed HSDPA, 42.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; LTE, Cat4, 50 Mbps UL, 150 Mbps DL WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot Bluetooth v4.0, A2DP NFC Yes USB microUSB v2.0 CAMERA Primary 13 MP, 4128 x 3096 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, check quality Features Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, panorama, HDR Video 1080p30fps, check quality Secondary 5 MP, 1080p FEATURES OS Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat) Chipset Qualcomm MSM8975AC Snapdragon 801 CPU Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 GPU Adreno 330 Sensors Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer Messaging SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email Browser HTML5 Radio TBC GPS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS Java Yes, via Java MIDP emulator Colors White, red, black Google Drive (50 GB cloud storage) Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic MP3/eAAC+/WAV/WMA player Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk Document viewer Photo viewer/editor Voice memo/dial/commands Predictive text input BATTERY Non-removable Li-Po 2600 mAh battery Stand-by (2G) / Up to 504 h (3G) Talk time (2G) / Up to 26 h 40 min (3G) MISC Price group Abou t 550 EUR TESTS Performance Basemark OS II: 1146 / Basemark X: 3063 Display Contrast ratio: 1208:1 (nominal), 2.185 (sunlight) Camera Photo / Video Loudspeaker Voice 65dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 75dB Audio quality Noise -94.9dB / Crosstalk -90.6dB Battery life Endurance rating 77h

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1X phone 1×charger(We can offer all kinds of styles chargers for different countries)

1×manual

1×usb cable

1x earphne

1×box

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Source: Original HTC One E8 Moble Phone Single sim Quad-core RAM 2GB ROM 16GB 5.0″ Screen WIFI GPS 13MP Camera cell phone

HIGOLE GOLE360 is a 360 Degree Filming Camera, That Connects to the Smartphone; Priced at $99

There are many attachments you can add to a smartphone, some available as modules, others are gadgets that plug into its ports. In the latter category we found the HIGOLE GOLE360, a video camera able to film at 360 degrees. It's a gadget that connects to a smartphone and is priced at just $99.99.

Compatible with Android devices, this gadget can be chosen in a version with a microUSB 2.0 port or USB Type C port, so it'll be compatible with your phone. It's a compact piece of machine, that gets connected easily and also provides an extra port for juicing up its 800 mAh battery, plus a microSD card slot, so you save the videos and photos you capture.

There are 4 capture modes available: flat, sphere, VR and planet, which are all shown below. This gizmo integrates a 4 megapixel sensor with F/2.4 aperture and it shoots videos in 960p at 30 FPS, in the .mov format. There's also a microphone in the mix, a speaker and support for photo capture, aside from video. Sharing via social networks is also an option or watching the content in VR once you're done.

The HIGOLE GOLE360 is priced at $99.99, if you use the promo code "GOLE360".

via Mobilissimo.ro

Source: HIGOLE GOLE360 is a 360 Degree Filming Camera, That Connects to the Smartphone; Priced at $99

Pixlplay turns a smartphone into a big, durable 'camera' for kids

A new Kickstarter project aims to make digital photography easily accessible to children, with a product that is relatively inexpensive and durable. Called Pixlplay, the device is essentially a smartphone case shaped like a classic 35mm film camera, and it includes moveable dials and knobs, as well as a functional shutter button.

The Pixlplay case features a pair of rubber handgrips, adjustable clamps for accommodating phones of various sizes, and a 3.5mm cable that plugs into the phone's audio jack to power the case's shutter button. Photos can be snapped through the phone's built-in camera app using the shutter button, or by touching the phone's screen (a touch-sensitive screen protector is built into the case). Camera settings can also be adjusted by touching the screen.

Pixlplay features child-resistant dual latches to help prevent children from removing the smartphone, which is offered some protection from drops and dirt while inside the case. Included activity sheets, meanwhile, teach kids the basics about photography, while a dedicated iOS photo editing app allows kids to add frames and silly stickers to their photos. There doesn't seem to be an Android app, however the case itself can be used with Android and Windows phones.

The case's maximum phone dimensions are 5.59 x 2.95 x 0.374 in / 142 x 75 x 9.5mm, making it suitable for the iPhone 7 and older models, as well as most Android smartphones. The product's maker, Pixl Toys, is currently seeking funding for Pixlplay on Kickstarter, where it has raised about $13,000 of its $25,000 goal. A single Pixlplay camera is being offered to backers who pledge at least $25, with shipping estimated to start in June.

Via: VentureBeat

Source: Pixlplay turns a smartphone into a big, durable 'camera' for kids

Top 20MP camera phones with 2K display

Camera plays an important role when buying a phone. So if you're planning to purchase a new device right now, take a look at the top 20MP camera phones with 2K display!

1. Asus Zenfone AR

Announced in January 2017 and expected to be released this February, Asus Zenfone AR cameras are pretty impressive. The device is mounted with a 23MP f/2.0 back camera and an 8MP f/2.0 selfie camera. Other Asus Zenfone AR specs feature a 5.7″ 2K display, along with a Snapdragon 821 quad-core (2 x 2.35GHz + 2 x 1.6GHz) under the hood.

The phone offers 6/8GB RAM and 32/64/128/256GB ROM, expandable up to 256GB via SIM 2 slot. Asus Zenfone AR is powered by a 3300mAh battery. Asus Zenfone AR price is expected to come at $900 ~Rs. 59999, available in Black color.

2. Huawei Mate 9 Pro

Released in January 2017, Huawei Mate 9 Pro is one of the top 20MP camera phones with 2K display. Huawei Mate 9 Pro specs boast a 5.5″ 2K display, with a Kirin 960 octa-core (4 x 2.4GHz + 4 x 1.8GHz), 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM or 6G RAM + 128GB ROM (non-expandable). Huawei Mate 9 Pro cameras sport dual 20MP + 12MP f/2.2 cameras on the back and an 8MP f/1.9 camera on the front. The phone is powered by a non-removable 4000mAh battery. Huawei Mate 9 Pro price is around $695 ~ Rs. 46390.

3. ZTE Axon 7

The third phone on the list, ZTE Axon 7, also comes from a Chinese brand like the first two devices. In terms of ZTE Axon 7 specs, it features a 5.5″ 2K display, with a Snapdragon 820 quad-core (2 x 2.15GHz + 2 x 1.6GHz) under the hood. The phone offers 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM, expandable up to 256GB via SIM 2 slot. As for ZTE Axon 7 cameras, the phone is mounted with a 20MP f/1.8 back camera with dual LED flash, while the front camera is 8MP with f/2.2. ZTE Axon 7 is powered by a non-removable 3250mAh battery and available at $450 ~ Rs. 29990.

4. Blackberry DTEK60

BlackBerry is back on the market with a new Android phone: Blackberry DTEK60. In terms of Blackberry DTEK60 cameras, the device sports a 21MP f/2.0 camera on the back, while the front has an 8MP camera. Other Blackberry DTEK60 specs include a 5.5″ 2K display, a Snapdragon 820 quad-core (2 x 2.15GHz + 2 x 1.6Ghz), 4GB RAM and 32GB ROM (expandable up to 256GB via a dedicated slot). Blackberry DTEK60 is powered by a non-removable 3000mAh battery. Blackberry DTEK60 price tag is around $700 ~ Rs. 46624.

5. Motorola Moto Z Force

The Moto Z Force is the last (but not least) device on our Top 20MP camera phones with 2K display list. In terms of Moto Z Force specs, the phone comes with a 5.5″ 2K display, a Snapdragon 820 quad-core, 4GB RAM and 32/64GB ROM (expandable up to 256GB using a dedicated slot). Moto Z Force cameras boast a 21MP f/1.8 snapper on the back while the front has a 5MP camera. The phone derives its power from a non-removable 3500mAh battery. Moto Z Force price tag is around $600 ~ Rs. 39990 for the 32GB ROM model.

Top 20MP camera phones with 2K display

Those are the top 20MP camera phones with 2K display for this month. Love them or hate them, let us know in the comment!

Source: Top 20MP camera phones with 2K display

Cubot’s Rainbow 2 May Be The Cheapest Dual-camera Phone Ever

2017 is shaping up to become the year of the dual-camera. Aside from high-end devices like the Mate 9 and the Zenfone Zoom, the dual-camera craze has now spread to the mid-range market via the GR5 2017. But aside from Starmobile's aging Spectra, there hasn't really been an affordable dual-camera phone to hit the market – not one that actually had dual cameras anyway.

That may be changing thanks to relatively minor Chinese player Cubot. Information about the company's new Rainbow 2 smartphone has managed to reach us, and the phone looks promising. Front what we gather the device has a 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel rear cameras, set side-by-side much like the iPhone 7 Plus.

And just like most dual-camera smartphones, the secondary rear camera allows the Cubot 2 to apply software depth-of-field onto subjects it takes photos of. Other specs include a 5-inch HD display, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal, expandable storage, 5-megapixel front camera with selfie flash and Android Nougat. No chipset has been specified as of yet.

Best part is that the phone is expected to retail at around $60, or around 3K. Obviously the phone will never reach the PH, but Cubot has been known to provide smartphones to other brands to use before. There's a high chance that other local brands may pick it up to be sold locally.

Source: Cubot's Rainbow 2 May Be The Cheapest Dual-camera Phone Ever

ET review: Honor 6x will appeal to users looking for a feature-rich phone with a good camera

Huawei's sub-brand Honor is one of the few betting big on dual camera smartphones. They already have the Honor 8 with dual cameras in the premium segment and it's now time for the inexpensive Honor 6x. It is a mid-range phone but it's the cheapest smartphone today with a dual camera setup, dethroning the recently launched Coolpad Cool 1 (launched in December 2016). The Honor 6x dual camera system includes a 12MP primary sensor and 2MP secondary sensor.The 2MP sensor is for depth sensing and only activates when you enable the wide aperture mode.Once activated, you can tap on the area you want to focus on and adjust the simulated aperture between f0.95 to f16. You can even adjust the aperture and focus area after the image is captured. In daylight, the Honor 6x will impress you with you with its quality in the standard mode as well as wide aperture mode. Indoors, the images appeared great on the phone, but on a larger screen we could see noise and lack of details. Also, the Honor 6x lacks image stabilization of any kind which would have been a welcome addition.Compared to the Coolpad Cool 1, the autofocus speed is the same but the Honor 6x is faster when it comes to speed in the wide aperture mode.However, while the Cool 1 is capable of recording 4k videos, the Honor 6x is limited to full HD videos only . Overall, if you are looking for a smartphone that can give you a shallow depth of field at a mid-range price, the Honor 6x should be amongst your top choices.

The design of the Honor 6x is like other phones in this price range -a full glass front with a unibody metal back. The Honor 6x feels good to hold thanks to the curved design. The 5.5-inch full HD d isplay offers rich colours, wide viewing angles and slim bezels. The dual camera setup is placed vertically on the rear while the fingerprint scanner is under the camera mod ule. A big benefit of the Honor 6x is that it feels much lighter compared to other phones in this price range.

Hardware specifications include an octa core Kirin 655 processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage and a 3,340mAh battery. Performance for normal usage like multimedia, social network and calling is butter smooth. The phone had no issues running games such as Asphalt 8 as long as you don't have anything running in the background. As for the software benchmarks, the Kirin 655 is about par with the Snapdragon 625. What impressed us more was the excellent battery life of the Honor 6x -a full charge easily lasted a day and a half. However, there is no proper fast charging support, so it takes a good 2 hours plus to charge the battery from 10 to 100% using the provided charger.

Honor 6x comes with EMUI 4.1 based on Android 6.0 -the interface is loaded with features and works great. All your apps and widgets are placed on multiple home panels (there is no app drawer) and you can swipe down to bring up the search box. You also get a split screen fea ture, display customization, one hand mode, power saving mode and an easy mode. A handy feature that deserves special mention is called WiFi bridge -you can use the phone as a WiFi extender to boost your WiFi's range when required. Even the camera mode is loaded with multiple shoot modes including a Pro mode for manual settings. The EMUI 5.0 update for an upgrade to Android 7.0 is expected in Q2 2017.

Overall, the Honor 6x will appeal to users who are looking for a feature-rich phone with a good camera. A direct competitor to the Honor 6x is the Coolpad Cool 1 (Rs 13,999). The CoolPad (by LeEco) has 4GB RAM, 4k video recording and fast charging support via USB Type-C.

Source: ET review: Honor 6x will appeal to users looking for a feature-rich phone with a good camera

The Importance of a Better Front Camera which is the Latest Trend in Smartphones

Smartphones are evolving every single day as the manufacturers are trying to make their devices better to keep up with the growing technological needs of the consumers. Back in the days when smartphones were initially making their way into the lives of people, they were not nearly as close to what we have right now in our hands. They have evolved in every possible way you can think of like display technology, battery, the processor inside them, etc. One of the most relevant feature to consider here is the camera. Cameras on smartphones have gotten so much better now as compared to what we had about 4-5 years ago. We have seen smartphones with 2MP rear facing cameras and 0.2MP(VGA) front-facing cameras as well in the past but now the story to be told is something very different.

Today if you are in the market for a smartphone with best cameras, then you have so many offerings which will give you near DSLR quality images which are more than enough for an ordinary person who is willing to simply pointing the camera at the subject and shoot. Even the front facing cameras have gotten so much better. There are smartphones out there in the market with better cameras on the front rather than the rear camera as well. In a way, it can be said that the focus has now completely shifted to the front facing cameras from the rear facing camera which is also dubbed as "Primary camera." The smartphone manufacturers are not to be blamed here, and as a matter of fact, no one needs to be blamed since it is just a trend that people are falling for. We are living in an era where instead of taking photos of people, food, and places around you to create beautiful memories, taking self-portrait a.k.a selfies is given much more importance as it holds more value in social medi a.

While this is not a bad phenomenon by any means but it is worth acknowledging. And hence the smartphone manufacturers getting onboard to provide a valuable piece of technology to go with this trend. Focusing more on the cameras rather than the smartphone also makes senses in certain scenarios. The various smartphones that are available right now in the market in comparison to what we had earlier are also very different. Nowadays, the focus has completely shifted to front facing cameras to cater the needs of consumers. For instance, a lot of Chinese smartphone manufacturers have are now coming up with smartphones having a better front facing cameras, which was not the case earlier. This clearly shows how manufacturers are ready to offer exactly what people wants. This also shows how the focus has shifted from internal hardware to camera, to shoot pictures of the person in the outside world and that too upto a point where the front-facing camera is called "Selfie camera" instea d of a secondary camera and has become a USP of a smartphone.

Talking about people's growing selfie obsession let's take a moment and talk about the smartphone which we are testing right now, which is the Vivo V5 Plus. Before we talk anything about this smartphone and it's camera capabilities, it is definitely worth noting that it has one of the best smartphone cameras out there if not the best, for taking selfies with. The Vivo V5 Plus is the latest smartphone from Vivo which they have just launched here in India a couple of weeks back. The highlights of this smartphone are the cameras, in fact, the front facing cameras. Yes, you read it right, it is mentioned cameras with a 's' since the smartphone has a dual camera setup on the front. The Vivo V5 Plus sports a 20MP + 8MP setup on the front which should allow you to take some stunning selfies. The 20MP sensor is the Sony IMX376 sensor that is responsible for the stunning quality whereas the other 8MP sensor adjusts the depth-of-field information.

Both the cameras work together to fetch you some awesome selfies with a bokeh effect as well, where the background will be completely blurred out keeping your face on focus. This effect makes the images resemble from that of a DSLR camera. The camera interface is also pleasingly simple with no complicated options to fiddle with. Once you open the camera app and get into the selfie mode by tapping the camera switch icon, you will be greeted with a couple of simple options to choose from. The very first option which you will see on the top is called Bokeh mode, which as mentioned earlier will blur your background to give a nice feel to the image. Other than that you have a "Face Beauty" mode as well which needs no introduction by any means. Tap on the options and make add buffing effect, make your skin tone fairer or brightness to your image as a whole to make you look flawless for those Instagram selfies.

There is also a front-facing flash which is not something you get on every smartphone out there. The front facing flash should allow you to take selfies even when it is pitch black in your surroundings. The flash manages to stay true to your skin tone and nicely balances the color. You can check out the images below to give you a better idea of what exactly this smartphone camera is capable of capturing. Even the rear-facing camera or the primary camera as you would refer is also quite good on this smartphone. The Vivo V5 Plus has a 16MP rear-facing the camera with a f/2.0 aperture, PDAF, and a LED Flash. As mentioned earlier, you can check out the camera samples to find out the camera capabilities of this camera. But long story short, this is one those smartphones which promise to get you the best selfies than in any given condition so that you always stay on top of your selfie game on social media.

Few Camera Samples

Talking about the hardware that is powering the Vivo V5 Plus internally, it comes with a 5.5″ display with an FHD resolution on the front. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 2.0GHz octa-core processor which is coupled with 4GB of RAM. It also has a couple of other features which are worth noting like Hi-Fi music which is basically a custom made AK4376 chip to deliver great music. On the software of side things, it is running FunTouch 3.0 OS which is based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Overall, if you are in the market for a selfie-centric smartphone with good all round performance, then the Vivo V5 Plus is a steal.

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Source: The Importance of a Better Front Camera which is the Latest Trend in Smartphones

Top trending phones of week 5 at CES: 4GB RAM, 4100mAh

It's been 5 weeks since the first time we saw the first new phone at CES. Let's have a look at the article below to find out what is the top trending phones of week 5 at CES!

1. Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (MediaTek)

The winner of top trending phones of week 5 is a Chinese name that is very familiar to us, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 with MediaTek chipset. In terms of Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 specs, there is a 5.5-inch Full HD display and a powerful Deca-core 2.1GHz Mediatek MT6797 Helio X20 processor.

Besides, it is available in two version: standard edition with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of ROM and high edition with 3GB of RAM, 64GB of ROM. Both are able to expand by microSD. For photography, it sports a 13MP main camera paired with a 5MP front shooter. It also has a big 4,100mAh battery inside. Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 price is at least $150.

2. Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime

The next in our list of top trending phones of week 5 is Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime. As for Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime specs, it mounts a 5.5-inch Full HD display, a 13MP rear camera along with an 8MP selfie snapper. It is powered by an Octa-core 1.6GHz Exynos 7870 Octa processor and a 3,300mAh battery. Moreover, it offers 3GB of RAM and 16/32GB of internal storage which is expandable. Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime price comes at around $245.

3. Nokia 6

Nokia 6 is the name that can not be listed in our list of top trending phones of week 5. Nokia 6 specs include a 5.5-inch Full HD display, an Octa-core 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor and a 3,000mAh battery. It is packed with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of ROM which can be expanded up to 256GB via microSD. As for the cameras, it comes with a 16MP shooter on the back and an 8MP front-facing camera. Nokia 6 price is about $252.

4. Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016)

Next, let's meet another Samsung device named Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016). In terms of Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) specs, it features a 5.5-inch HD display, a 13MP rear camera along with a 5MP front camera for photography. Galaxy J7 (2016) derives its power from an Exynos 7870 Octa chipset or a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 chipset, both are clocked at the speed of an octa-core CPU. It offer 2GB of RAM and 16GB of ROM. J7 (2016) is fueled by a 3,300mAh battery inside. Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) price is around $210.

5. Oppo F1s

Position number 5 in our is of top trending phones of week 5 is Oppo F1s. As for Oppo F1s specs, it comes with a 5.5-inch HD display, a MediaTek MT6755 or MTK7650 chipset clocked at the speed of an Octa-core 1.5GHz CPU. It has two variants: 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM and 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM. Both are expandable. For photography, it supports a 13MP primary camera and an amazing 16MP selfie snapper. It also has a 3,075mAh battery. Oppo F1s price comes at about $252.

Top trending phones of week 5 at CES: 4GB RAM, 4100mAh

Those are top trending phones of week 5 at CES. Keep following us to know the latest information in the smartphone world!

Source: Top trending phones of week 5 at CES: 4GB RAM, 4100mAh

Do you think that Philippe Starck’s Alo Smartphone is the Phone of the Future?

Well, do you think that Philippe Starck's Alo Smartphone is the phone of the future? This smartphone could change the game completely!

It was imagined by French designers Philippe Starck and Jerome Olivet, who have proposed a radical concept for the future of phones based on holograms and voice control.

Designed for the future when voice-activated technology dominates, this smartphone has a "gelatinous", translucent and elongated case designed to fit naturally in the hand.

Instead of having a touchscreen like you see on the other smartphones, this one, projects any movies or messages you want to see as a 3D holographic image.

"Alo provides a fully vocalised interface in all phone functions, reads SMS and emails, and even allows them to dictate their messages rather than typing them," said Olivet, who specialises in product design for new technologies.

"The phone's camera acts as an 'eye'. Among other things, it allows the reader to read the texts he detects or to identify the faces. It also allows you to project a 3D hologram to view a movie or message."

Do you think that Philippe Starck's Alo Smartphone is the Phone of the Future?

It is entirely operated by voice commands and its center is moulded aluminium alloy core.

The pliable casing is designed to function as a haptic interface, giving feedback through heat as well as vibration.

Do you think that Philippe Starck's Alo Smartphone is the Phone of the Future?

"Its translucent skin emits vibrations or communicates by producing heat depending on its activity," Olivet told Dezeen. "Its skin repairs automatically as soon as it is damaged."

The recent launch of smart assistants Amazon Echo and Google Home has brought voice-controlled smart assistants into many homes. Alo is designed for a time when speech recognition is so high-performing that other controls are not necessary.

Do you think that Philippe Starck's Alo Smartphone is the Phone of the Future? |pics via: dezeen.com|

While it is currently only a concept, Olivet plans to develop Alo, or a version of it, into a prototype. It is attached to French electronics brand Thomson.

"It is a true artificial intelligence," said Olivet, who led the project, facilitated by Starck. "We can no longer separate from this device."

Olivet and Starck plan to develop Alo into a prototype for Thomson later this year. So, stay tuned for more information.

Starck, although he has expressed some criticism of contemporary screen culture in the past, his first creation, the Mi Mix for Chinese electronics company Xiaomi, was praised for its near-edgeless display that covers 91 per cent of the phone's front surface area.

Do you believe that this might me the phone of the future?

Source: Do you think that Philippe Starck's Alo Smartphone is the Phone of the Future?

How to fix Samsung Galaxy Note 5 errors “Unfortunately, Camera has stopped” & “Warning: Camera failed” [Troubleshooting Guide]

The Camera in your #Samsung Galaxy Note 5 (#Note5) is one of the features that's more complicated than others. It is almost inevitable that it will act up from time to time because imagine that the app, the services, the firmware and the hardware itself must run in perfect harmony the moment the owner uses the camera app to snap pictures.

In this post, I will tackle two of the most common camera related issues that many Note 5 owners complained about. The first one is the error message "Unfortunately, Camera has stopped," which is talking about the app while the second one is the "Warning: Camera failed" error that may be a sign of a hardware problem.

Continue reading the post to understand more why these error messages show up and learn how to troubleshoot your phone if one of them happens to you. Click on the link below to jump to a specific issue or section.

But before we jump right into our troubleshooting, if you have other issues with your phone, make sure you drop by our troubleshooting page for we have already addressed a lot of issues with this device. Try to find problems that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don't work for you and if you need further assistance, contact us by filling up our Android issues questionnaire.

How to troubleshoot your Note 5 that shows "Unfortunately, Camera has stopped" error

This error message hints us about an app problem and while the camera cannot function without its sensor, it's operation can be disrupted when one of the components failed to load. For instance, in this error message, it might be just the app that crashed or, at least, our troubleshoot will start there. To try to fix this problem or get rid of this error, here's what you're going to do…

Step 1: Reboot your phone a few times

Had the problem started without apparent reason and if it's the first time you're seeing this, then it's possible it's caused by a firmware, hardware or an app glitch. To begin your troubleshooting, you just have to try to reboot your phone a few times to see if the error still shows up after that. If it still does, then we might be facing a more serious problem.

Step 2: Clear the cache and data of the camera app

Let's try to rule out the possibility that it's just an app problem by resetting the camera app. By doing so, we will bring the app back to its default settings or a configuration that once worked. It's a pre-installed app and you cannot uninstall it, so try to follow these steps and see if the issue gets fixed…

From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.

Find and tap Settings.

Under the 'APPLICATIONS' section, find and touch Application manager.

Swipe to the left or to the right to display the appropriate screen but to display all apps, choose the 'ALL' screen.

Find and tap Camera.

Touch Clear cache to delete its cached files.

Touch Clear data and then OK to delete downloaded data, login information, settings, etc.

After clearing the cache and data of the app, reboot your phone and then try to take pictures again to see if the error still shows up. If it does, then move on to the next step.

Step 3: Try to boot your phone in safe mode and open the app again

We've already tried resetting the app but to no avail, so in this step, we will try to see if one or some of your third-party apps have something to do with it. Boot your phone in safe mode and try to use the same app to see if the error still shows up…

Turn off the phone completely.

Press and hold the Power key.

Once 'Samsung Galaxy Note5' shows, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.

The phone will restart but keep the Vol Down button pressed.

Once the phone has finished restarting, 'Safe mode' will be display in the lower-left corner of the screen.

You may now release the Volume Down button.

Opening the app while in this mode means, all services by other third-party apps won't be loaded together with the core services so if the problem disappeared, then one of those apps is causing the problem. You need to find it and try to clear it's cache and data and if that won't work, uninstall it.

Follow the steps above to clear the cache and data of the suspected app but to uninstall it, here's how you do it…

From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.

Find and tap Settings.

Under the 'APPLICATIONS' section, find and touch Application manager.

Swipe to the left or to the right to display the appropriate screen but to display all apps, choose the 'ALL' screen.

Find and tap the app that has issues.

Touch Uninstall, then OK.

Step 4: Perform the Factory Reset on your phone

After doing the first three steps and the error message didn't go away, it's time to do something that will bring the phone back to its former glory–reset. The error message alone tells us that it might be just an app problem so a reset can fix it. But before doing so, try to backup your files and data first as they will all be deleted. Once you've done that, follow these steps…

From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.

Find and tap the Settings icon.

Under the 'Personal' section, find and tap Backup and reset.

Tap Factory data reset.

Touch Reset device to proceed with the reset.

Depending on the security lock you used, enter the PIN or password.

Tap Continue.

Touch Delete all to confirm your action.

You will have to set up your phone again after this but for a problem or error that occurred without apparent reason, this is all you have to do to fix it.

How to troubleshoot Galaxy Note 5 that's giving your "Warning: Camera failed" error

Unlike the first error, this one may be referring to the hardware itself and not just the app. The thing is that the app, services and the hardware run in-sync with each other and if one failed to initialize after you open the app, errors like the first one and this may occur depending on which component has a problem. So, in this case, it seems like it's the hardware and you can only do two things about it…

Step 1: Try to delete the system cache

The system relies on the caches to smoothly call upon the hardware to be used by the app that the user has opened. So, when the camera app is launched, the sensor will automatically initialize and that's because the system called for it and caches are used to make everything smoother. So, if the cache used got corrupted, then things like this might happen and this is how you try to fix it…

Turn off your Samsung Galaxy Note 5 completely.

Press and hold the Volume Up and the Home buttons first, and then press and hold the Power key.

Keep the three buttons pressed and when 'Samsung Galaxy Note5' shows, release the Power key but continue holding the other two.

Once the Android logo shows, release both the Volume Up and Home buttons.

The notice 'Installing system update' will show on the screen for 30 to 60 seconds before the Android system recovery screen is shown with its options.

Use the Volume Down key to highlight the option 'wipe cache partition' and press the Power key to select it.

When the process is complete, use the Volume Down key to highlight the option 'Reboot system now' and hit the Power key to restart the phone.

The reboot may take a little longer to complete but don't worry and wait for the device to become active.

While this procedure is effective, there's no guarantee. So if the problem continues after doing this, then the next step might take care of it.

Step 2: Perform the Master Reset on your phone

We're dealing with a hardware problem and so after wiping the cache partition and the issue remained, then it's time to reset your phone. However, you have to make sure you've backed up your files and data you don't want to lose as they will all be deleted once you perform the reset.

Turn off your Samsung Galaxy Note 5 completely.

Press and hold the Volume Up and the Home buttons first, and then press and hold the Power key.

Keep the three buttons pressed and when 'Samsung Galaxy Note5' shows, release the Power key but continue holding the other two.

Once the Android logo shows, release both the Volume Up and Home buttons.

The notice 'Installing system update' will show on the screen for 30 to 60 seconds before the Android system recovery screen is shown with its options.

Use the Volume Down key to highlight the option 'Yes — delete all user data' and press the Power key to select it.

When the process is complete, use the Volume Down key to highlight the option 'Reboot system now' and hit the Power key to restart the phone.

The reboot may take a little longer to complete but don't worry and wait for the device to become active.

I hope that this troubleshooting guide can help you.

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Source: How to fix Samsung Galaxy Note 5 errors "Unfortunately, Camera has stopped" & "Warning: Camera failed" [Troubleshooting Guide]