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Xiaomi's under-display camera tech is coming to phones next year
Under-display cameras do a neat trick, allowing manufacturers to build all-screen phones without the need for complex pop-up selfie cameras. Now, Xiaomi has unveiled its third-generation of under-display cameras and promised that the technology will be coming to the mass market “next year.”
Engadget Podcast: All about the Surface Duo and Galaxy Watch 3
Cherlynn and Devindra dig into the Surface Duo's specs and discuss some of their concerns about Microsoft's dual-screen debut. They also go over what it's been like to review the Galaxy Watch 3.
Android-plus-Windows could be just what dual-screen devices need
But Android offers a compelling advantage to Microsoft.
Google turns Android phones into an earthquake detection network
“Your Android phone can turn into a mini seismometer, joining millions of other Android phones out there to form the world’s largest earthquake detection network,” Stogaitis said. Google will use your phone’s accelerometer to detect the movement. Google had more to share today.
Samsung's UWB tech will let you use a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra as a digital key
As rumored, the flagship Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is Samsung’s first phone with newfangled ultra wideband (UWB) technology first seen on Apple’s iPhone 11. Samsung calls it Nearby Share, and it lets you point your Galaxy Note 20 Ultra at another Note 20 Ultra or future Samsung UWB device. It’ll then list all of those other devices or people at the top of a sharing panel.
Pixel 4a review: The best $350 phone
Now that Google has launched the Pixel 4a (at last) for just $350, I might actually be convinced: the time for midrange phones to reign is nigh. When I picked up the Pixel 4a, my first thought was “Wait, does this thing have a case on?” The soft-touch coating on the back felt foreign, since I’m used to phones with glossier finishes. In fact, the Pixel 4a is as sturdy and well-made as the Pixel 4.
Huawei tops the worldwide smartphone market for the first time
Despite bans in the US and its own dire predictions, Hauwei shipped more smartphones last quarter than any other company, according to research firm Canalys.
What to expect from Samsung's Unpacked event next week
Galaxy Buds Live Let's start with the most straightforward of the bunch: Samsung's Galaxy Buds Live.
Qualcomm's Quick Charge 5 promises more power and super fast speeds
It’s been three years since Qualcomm last announced a new generation of its Quick Charge technology, and the company has updates today that might make juicing up your phones even breezier than before. Quick Charge 5 promises to charge devices to 50 percent in just 5 minutes, and supports more than 100W of charging power in a smartphone, which the company says is the first time for a “commercially viable fast charging platform.” While Qualcomm didn’t specify a battery size in its claim, footnotes in the company’s press release state that it ran tests on a 4,500mAh cell.
ARM wants to transfer its IoT divisions to Softbank so it can focus on chips
ARM announced a plan to spin off its two IoT divisions and transfer them to Softbank, which bought the chip designer back in 2016.
Samsung begins offering support requests via WhatsApp in India
With the COVID-19 crisis continuing unabated in India, more folks than ever are relying on their smartphone. At the same time, the pandemic means it’s not easy to get help if you have a technical problem. With all that in mind, Samsung has introduced Customer Care for WhatsApp, an ultra-popular service in India.
Arizona sues Google claiming it illegally tracked Android users
Arizona has sued Google over claims that it illegally collected location data from users without their permission, according to the Washington Post. The state’s attorney general Mark Brnovich argued that Google kept location tracking running in the background for mapping, weather and other apps, along with searches, even if users turned the feature off.
Pablo Escobar’s brother is trying to sell refurbished iPhone 11 Pros for $499
Pablo Escobar's brother is trying to peddle refurbished "gold-plated" iPhone 11 Pros for $499. It is most likely a scam.
ARM's latest phone chip designs will be better-equipped for 5G and foldables
ARM's newest designs will help companies like Qualcomm create the hardware that will power next year's smartphones.
Samsung's Exynos 880 delivers 5G speeds to mid-range phones
Samsung has unveiled the Exynos 880 processor aimed at mid-range phones that has much of the power of the Exynos 980 announced last year.
District judge rules FBI needs a warrant to access your lock screen
A Washington state judge ruled that the FBI needs a search warrant to look at a suspect's lock screen.
Verizon finally allows uploads on its 5G network
Verizon customers with 5G-capable smartphones should notice increased upload speeds starting today.
Samsung's latest smartphone sensor promises DSLR-like focus speeds
Samsung has unveiled a new smartphone sensor showing that more megapixels may not always be better. The ISOCELL GN1 is “only” a 50-megapixel sensor, but at a 1/1.3-inch size, it has relatively large 1.2-micron pixels to help cameras perform better in low light.
MediaTek's latest processor will help take dual-SIM 5G phones mainstream
MediaTek is trying to make 5G more accessible on less-than-flagship phones with the launch of the Dimensity 820 processor. It has the latest carrier aggregation tech that offers improved coverage and seamless handovers between 5G coverage areas, faster download speeds, dual-SIM tech and voice over new radio (VoNR), the 5G equivalent to VoLTE tech.
Samsung Galaxy A51 review: Wait for a price drop
Samsung got me. That’s not to say the Galaxy A51 is a bad phone. The rest of the phone's design is fairly standard. That’s despite Samsung’s typical -- and almost stylized -- image processing, too. It's a $400 arrow aimed at Samsung's heart and runs just as well as Apple’s most expensive smartphones.