realme today has announced it will launch realme GT NEO 3 in India on April 28th. The GT NEO 3 presents a premium mobile experience with the fastest smartphone charging technology in any retail smartphone globally: 150W UltraDart Charge. This enables the user to charge […]
Vodafone has enhanced its ‘VOXI For Now’ plan, helping those experiencing financial hardship to stay connected. The plan will give unlimited 5G mobile data, minutes and texts for just £10 a month, for up to six months, to anyone claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, Disability Allowance, Personal […]
Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 11 and Redmi Note 11 Pro become available to customers across the UK on the O2 network, enabling more people to benefit from Xiaomi’s devices which promise consumers top-end specs at fair prices. Xiaomi’s partnership with O2 will also see users welcomed […]
Today Honor has celebrated a major milestone for the brand – the successful completion of its first year as a global premium technology brand. Together with over 180 million friends and industry partners, HONOR looked back at its journey and achievements in 2021. “Thanks to […]
Today Honor has celebrated a major milestone for the brand – the successful completion of its first year as a global premium technology brand. Together with over 180 million friends and industry partners, HONOR looked back at its journey and achievements in 2021.
“Thanks to the support of our friends and partners over the past year, HONOR has been able to deliver on our promise to help consumers go beyond as well as expand our brand to provide both premium and accessible technology to a wider range of users,” said George Zhao, CEO of HONOR Device Co. Ltd. “I am so proud of the industry breakthroughs we have introduced as a result of the dedication and passion of my colleagues and collaborations with our leading global chain partners. It has really been great to see how we are shaping a shared future together.”
Evolving into an Iconic Global Technology Brand
One of the HONOR’s top priorities, as it transforms into a global technology brand, is to create a new intelligent world for all, by continuously introducing new innovations and ways for people to connect.
The introduction of 5G and 6G communication network technology has greatly improved the amount of information that can be transmitted. AI processing power has provided unlimited possibilities for imagination, opening up a new era of interconnectivity and making the integration of the physical world and the virtual world possible for everyone. To support the creation of an intelligent world for all, HONOR introduced its “HONOR Multi-screen Collaboration” in 2021, featuring technology for a variety of usage scenarios, and integrating HONOR’s 1+8+N strategy. Powerful interconnectivity capabilities allow HONOR’s smartphones, laptops, tablets, watches, earphones, smart screens and other smart devices to seamlessly connect together to support the continuous flow of more services down the line.
In addition, HONOR spent the past year developing strategic collaborations with its global supply chain partners and established over 30 partnerships with leading suppliers including AMD, Intel, MediaTek, Microsoft and Qualcomm. HONOR launched the MagicBook 16 at the end of September and will be upgraded to the new Microsoft Windows 11 starting from December, it allows users to efficiently manage their workflows and enhance their productivity thanks to a multi-screen collaboration feature that projects the smartphone screen and files onto the laptop. Looking ahead to 2022, HONOR will continue its journey creating a new intelligent world for all through the launch of innovative new products packed with groundbreaking features.
Launching Innovative Products for a Wider Range of Consumers
HONOR introduced its first global product in 2021 with the launch of the HONOR 50 at the end of October. The HONOR 50 is equipped with GMS and is the first smartphone to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G Mobile Platform. In addition, the HONOR 50’s stunning design and innovative vlogging capabilities have raised the benchmark for smartphones in this category. The launch of the HONOR 50 brought HONOR’s presence to more than 40 countries around the world along with the support of a powerful global distribution network including high-profile retailers and operators such as Amazon, Esprinet, Fnac, Orange, Telcel, Telefonica and Vodafone as well as HONOR-owned stores in Russia, Malaysia and Peru.
“Through both online and offline channels, we have been able to expand our offerings to even more consumers,” said Zhao. “We are grateful for the trust of our retail and carrier partners around the world and look forward to introducing more products together in 2022. And, before we bid farewell to 2021, I am thrilled to share a final product launch announcement today. We will be launching a new addition to our popular X series, the HONOR X30, this month in China.”
Boasting an immersive 120Hz display, the HONOR X30 features a 6.81-inch screen with super narrow 1.05mm side bezels. Inside, it comes packed with a 4800mAh battery for all-day productivity, and is lighter and thinner than the last generation, weighing just 189g and measuring in at just 8.05mm. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G Mobile Platform, the HONOR X30 has a 15 per cent CPU and 30 per cent GPU boost compared to the previous version.
For many years, HONOR has supported and inspired global design talent to explore the intersection of art and technology. The brand recently hosted its 2021 HONOR Talents Global Design Contest, a global competition that recognizes the outstanding creativity and artistic contributions of designers from around the world. The competition received 5,000 submissions featuring captivating artworks from designers in Asia, Europe, Africa, and America, and showcased how art and technology can fuse together to create real masterpieces.
In addition, the brand continued its successful HONOR Magic Moments Awards, a competition that encourages people to explore the beauty of the world around them through smartphone photography and videography as well as providing a global exchange platform for enthusiastic photographers to share their skills. In just 70 days, over 200 thousand images were submitted under the competition’s eight themes.
Virgin Media has partnered with Usain Bolt to surprise his megafan with a one-to-one gaming experience with the world’s fastest man appearing as a super realistic 4k hologram, giving the illusion of being in the very same room. In a ‘living room of the future’, […]
Virgin Media has partnered with Usain Bolt to surprise his megafan with a one-to-one gaming experience with the world’s fastest man appearing as a super realistic 4k hologram, giving the illusion of being in the very same room.
In a ‘living room of the future’, kitted out with the latest smart tech from a laser TV to remote-controlled pop-out drawers, Bolt surprised a young up-and-coming British sprinter in what can only be described as a scene from a sci-fi movie.
As part of the big reveal, Bolt, stationed in a top-secret location, was beamed into a 4K hologram device to the surprise of his superfan, Alex Jianroran.
Not only did 16-year-old Alex, from London, get to meet and chat with the world’s fastest man as if he was in the same room, he also got to play some video games with Bolt. After a few heated gaming battles, Alex was invited by Bolt to join him in performing his iconic celebration: the Bolt.
Gaming through the hologram brings to life how the future of online gaming with friends could be different and even more connected and meaningful. Currently, gamers rely on headsets as their only means of communication but this hologram technology – powered by hyperfast broadband – could allow for improved teamwork and help gamers take their gameplay to the next level.
It comes as new research shows that more than half (60%) of Brits cite gaming as their new favourite way of communicating with 40% preferring to game against friends via hologram than in person.
The Jamaican sprinter, who knows a thing about the importance of speed having won eight Olympic Gold medals and holds the world record for the fastest 100m and 200m, teamed up with Virgin Media O2 to celebrate the company rolling out gigabit speeds to its entire network of 15.5 million homes across the UK.
Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man and eight-times Olympic Gold Medallist, said:
“When it comes to speed, I know how important it is to be on top form and Virgin Media’s hyperfast gigabit broadband is almost – almost – as fast as me. I had a great time virtually meeting and gaming with my megafan, Alex, and It’s exciting to see how gigabit broadband makes futuristic tech like holograms possible.”
Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “This incredible hologram technology, brought to life by the world’s fastest man Usain Bolt, shows just how far we have come in how we can engage, communicate and socialise in a virtual world. Our gigabit broadband speeds can power the British homes of today and the future which will continue to consume more cutting-edge technology over the coming years as we find new and innovative ways to stay connected to the people that mean the most.”
Southampton FC players James Ward-Prowse and Jack Stephens also took to hologram form as part of this milestone to meet a life-long Saints fan and joined them in an online football gaming contest.
Xiaomi today announced the arrival of three new wearable products in the UK – Mi Band 6 NFC, Redmi Watch Lite 2 and Redmi Smart Band Pro – bringing advanced health monitoring and contactless convenience to its line-up. Mi Smart Band 6 NFC: Contactless Payment […]
Xiaomi today announced the arrival of three new wearable products in the UK – Mi Band 6 NFC, Redmi Watch Lite 2 and Redmi Smart Band Pro – bringing advanced health monitoring and contactless convenience to its line-up.
Mi Smart Band 6 NFC: Contactless Payment for the Post-Pandemic Era
Living in the shadow of the pandemic got us thinking about how to reconstruct a smart, healthy and stress-free life under the new norms of social distancing. To help users adopt that changing lifestyle, Xiaomi is re-shaping its technological innovations, starting from the day-to-day wearables.
Back in March 2021, Xiaomi introduced the Mi Smart Band 6 which includes the SpO2 function to provide health indications on users’ respiratory system and other all-encompassing health tracking features such as sleeping and stress-level detection, breathing guidance to help users to take control of their overall physical and mental health.
Xiaomi UK has partnered with the all-in-one money app Curve, to bring contactless payments. By adding the full-fledged NFC feature, the new version now offers a fast, secure and convenient way to pay. Payments are made more efficiently than ever, no matter if it’s for picking up daily groceries, paying for public transport or even simply grabbing a coffee during users’ daily running routine. Besides that, the all-new Mi Smart Band 6 NFC version now also offers built-in Amazon Alexa, expanding hands-free experience for smart homeowners.
Redmi Watch 2 Lite
The Redmi Watch 2 Lite not only comes in a stylish look but also features all-around health and fitness features, making it the perfect option for users to purchase as their first smartwatch.
With a large 1.55’’ touch display, the watch ensures a stunning viewing experience when checking health metrics and notifications and has more than 100 colourful watch faces to choose from. It also enables users to select from 100+ exercise modes, including 17 professional modes and 90+ extended modes for all indoor and outdoor activities. Users can choose to activate the auto-detection function to accurately detect their running or walking status. The watch also provides comprehensive health-tracking features, spanning from SpO2 detection, heart rate tracking, sleep and stress level monitoring, breathing training and menstruation recording.
Redmi Watch 2 Lite provides up to 10 days of battery life for use around the clock and is certified to 50 metres water resistance, so users can wear it during rain, showering or even swimming. The product comes in three vibrant frame colours as well as six strap colours to match users’ everyday styles.
Redmi Smart Band Pro
Redmi Smart Band Pro houses amazing fitness and tracking features in a lightweight design with a large 1.47” AMOLED display. The impressive screen-to-body ratio means that the watch sits comfortably on your wrist whilst the vivid 450 nit maximum brightness makes it clear and easy to read even in direct sunlight.
It can track more than 110 fitness activities and accurately monitor key metrics such as heart rate, calories burned and exercise duration. Redmi Smart Band Pro is also waterproof up to 50 metres, meaning you can you use it whilst you swim, surf or for any other water sport.
Redmi Smart Band Pro also has advanced health monitoring features such as real-time heart rate tracking, blood oxygen measurement and sleep monitoring. All this with huge 14-day battery life to keep you going for longer.
Pricing and Availability:
All three wearable devices will go on sale in the UK from today ( 16th December) and are available to purchase on mi.com/UK. The Mi Band 6 NFC and Redmi Watch 2 Lite will also be available through Xiaomi’s official Amazon.co.uk store.
Oppo has today launched its first foldable flagship smartphone, the OPPO Find N, on the second day of its annual OPPO INNO DAY showcase. A result of four years of research and development and six generations of prototypes, it brings a new approach to the […]
Oppo has today launched its first foldable flagship smartphone, the OPPO Find N, on the second day of its annual OPPO INNO DAY showcase. A result of four years of research and development and six generations of prototypes, it brings a new approach to the foldable form factor and offers a refreshed user experience.
Pete Lau, Chief Product Officer of OPPO, said, “New form factors are ushering in an exciting new time in smartphone technology. OPPO has invested a significant amount of time and effort into coming up with a better approach to a foldable smartphone, experimenting with a range of form factors, hinge designs, display materials and aspect ratios, to create a new device that meets the needs of more users. With the OPPO Find N, we aim to change people’s perceptions about what a smartphone can offer and begin making foldable devices more accessible to an even larger audience.”
From Novelty to Necessity
The OPPO Find N fuses cutting-edge technology and unprecedented quality to create an improved foldable experience. For the first time in a foldable smartphone, the OPPO Find N uses a landscape ratio for the inner display, offering a full smartphone experience with no compromise on size or usability. Users can switch between a 7.1-inch inner display and a 5.49-inch outer display. With an 8.4:9 aspect ratio, the inner display unfolds directly into landscape mode so users can watch videos, play games or read books without having to rotate the device. When folded, the 18:9 aspect ratio gives users a full, familiar smartphone experience with a display that is easy to use with one hand.
Incredible design and technology for greater flexibility
The Flexion Hinge’s unique water-drop design solves some of the biggest pain points in foldable devices by widening the angle of the fold in the display and offering a buffer when the display folds. It results in a minimal crease that is up to 80% less noticeable compared with other devices, according to TUV. This design also practically eliminates the gap between displays when folded.
The cam and spring structure inside the advanced Flexion Hinge allows the device to freely stand when unfolded at any angle between 50-120 degrees. Together with a range of software features that take advantage of the folding display, FlexForm Mode on the OPPO Find N lets users operate more efficiently. In the Notes app, the OPPO Find N can convert into a mini laptop allowing users to take notes without needing to hold the device, and video calls are easy and hands-free.
Innovations in dual displays
OPPO’s custom 12-layer Serene Display offers excellent protection and durability, working with the Flexion Hinge for a smooth foldable experience. The display includes a 0.03 mm layer of Flexion UTG (ultra-thin glass), compared to 0.6 mm for regular smartphone glass, allowing it to easily bend while providing strong durability. It’s also very reliable, with the ability to be folded over 200,000 times while still maintaining an overall smooth folding experience with next to no crease, as verified by TUV.
The inner screen uses an LTPO display with smart dynamic refresh rate technology that adapts the refresh rate anywhere between 1-120 Hz based on the content you are watching, while the inner display features support a touch sampling rate of up to 1,000 Hz. OPPO has fine-tuned both the brightness and colour calibration between both displays to ensure a consistent experience for users.
Delivering an incredible user experience
The 7.1-inch inner display of the Find N offers a 60% larger visual area than a standard 6.5-inch display, creating a more immersive experience, alongside innovations in multitasking and productivity.
To make full use of the unfolded tablet-like experience, the OPPO Find N includes new intuitive multitasking side-by-side features. When using a compatible app, swipe down with two fingers in the middle of the device to split the screen in half, or turn a full-screen window into a floating window by pinching it with four fingers. It also uses traditional split-screen gestures, such as long-pressing and dragging compatible icons.
The software of the OPPO Find N is optimised to allow users to smoothly switch between both screens. When unfolding the phone, the content is seamlessly relayed from the outer screen to the main inner display and when folding the device, the user can swipe up on the cover screen to continue using the same function on the outer screen.
Flagship-level camera set-up
The OPPO Find N is equipped with a flagship-level triple-camera setup, including a 50 MP Sony IMX 766 main sensor, a 16 MP ultra-wide lens and a 13 MP telephoto lens, as well as selfie cameras on both displays. Combined with the new form factor and adaptability of FlexForm Mode, it gives users a standout camera experience with customised software to fully leverage the foldable form factor.
The Flexion Hinge allows the device to serve as its own tripod. FlexForm Mode makes 4K HD time-lapse imaging easy and hands-free at any angle between 50-120 degrees, while three time-lapse mode templates – light trails, night sky, sun & clouds – optimise photo and video settings in one click for more exciting and creative astrophotography.
A new split-camera user interface on the OPPO Find N gives you the ability to use the large, immersive inner display to take photos on one side and view, share or delete your most recent photo on the other side. When taking photos from the main camera on the unfolded display, use both the inner and outer displays for you and your subject to preview the shot simultaneously. Take higher-quality selfies with the rear camera, using the cover screen to preview the image, or snap a selfie with a hand gesture and easily stay in the frame without having to press the shutter button.
Ergonomic Design
For the first time on a foldable phone, the OPPO Find N uses a 3D-curved design on both outer edges of the device to improve the feel in the hand and deliver a sleek look, featuring a Gorilla Glass Victus back panel and ceramic camera plate. The back cover and rear camera module continue the fluid curve design language of the Find X3. The OPPO Find N comes in three distinctive colours, including black, white and purple.
Performance
The OPPO Find N comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Mobile Platform, together with up to 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. A large 4,500 mAh battery offers all-day battery life, while 33W SUPERVOOC Flash Charge is optimised to charge to 55% in 30 minutes and 100% in 70 minutes. It comes with 15W AIRVOOC wireless charging (compatible with standard Qi) and 10W reverse wireless charging. The OPPO Find N includes a side-mounted fingerprint scanner housed in the power button, and a dual speaker system and Dolby Atmos support.
Availability
The OPPO Find N is available from 23 December in China, but can be pre-ordered now:
8GB+256GB ¥7699 (€1073 – price in Euros for reference only)
12GB+512GB ¥8999 – (€1255 – price in Euros for reference only)
OPPO today held its annual technology event, OPPO INNO DAY 2021, in Shenzhen, China, and online in its virtual OPPO INNO WORLD. Themed ‘Reimaging the Future’, OPPO Founder and CEO Tony Chen announced OPPO’s new brand proposition ‘ Inspiration Ahead’ and OPPO introduced its first […]
OPPO today held its annual technology event, OPPO INNO DAY 2021, in Shenzhen, China, and online in its virtual OPPO INNO WORLD. Themed ‘Reimaging the Future’, OPPO Founder and CEO Tony Chen announced OPPO’s new brand proposition ‘ Inspiration Ahead’ and OPPO introduced its first cutting-edge Imaging NPU, MariSilicon X, and the revolutionary OPPO Air Glass. Tomorrow OPPO will introduce its first foldable smartphone, OPPO Find N, on the second day of INNO DAY.
Reimaging the Future with OPPO at INNO DAY 2021
OPPO Sets Eyes on the Future with New “Inspiration Ahead” Brand Proposition
During the opening keynote speech, Tony Chen reaffirmed OPPO’s commitment to developing innovations that revolve around user experience while announcing the company’s new brand proposition, “Inspiration Ahead,” which takes optimism and Inspiration against the challenges and uncertainties everyone is facing.
“We are living in an unprecedented age, and as a global technology company, we at OPPO feel it is both our duty and our privilege to try and make the world a better place through our technologies, products, and action,” said Tony Chen. “Although the journey towards each technological breakthrough is full of challenges, we aim to continue as we have started, step by step, to reach ‘Inspiration Ahead’ as we have set out in our new brand proposition.”
Introducing OPPO’s First 6nm Cutting-edge Imaging NPU and the Revolutionary OPPO Air Glass
During the event, OPPO unveiled its first Cutting-edge Imaging NPU — MariSilicon X. Built on 6nm process technology, MariSilicon X features an advanced NPU, ISP and Multi-tier Memory Architecture that delivers incredible image processing power with ultra-high power efficiency. MariSilicon X enables 4K AI Night Video to be captured in the RAW domain using complete image data for the first time on Android smartphones. The cutting-edge Imaging NPU will make its debut on the Find X Series in Q1 2022, making it one of the most advanced commercialised imaging NPU on a smartphone yet.
OPPO unveiled its first Cutting-edge Imaging NPU — MariSilicon X
OPPO INNO DAY 2021 also saw the official announcement of OPPO Air Glass. The ground-breaking aR (assisted Reality) device features a revolutionary monocle waveguide design inspired by the wings of the cicada, giving it a lightweight and minimalist appearance. It provides practical functions such as navigation, health data monitoring, teleprompter and live speech-to-text translation without the burden of a large and heavy device.
OPPO Air Glass is equipped with a self-developed compact projection system — the Spark Micro Projector — and a bespoke optical diffraction waveguide, delivering a vivid and sharp aR display in all types of environments. The device can be operated using OPPO smartphones and smartwatches. It also supports different intuitive interactions such as touch, voice, and motion controls, enabling users to obtain the information quickly and conveniently.
OPPO’s groundbreaking aR (assisted Reality) device OPPO Air Glass
Discover OPPO’s Latest Technological Breakthroughs and Artwork from Emerging Artists in the Virtual INNO WORLD
This year, OPPO has created an all-new virtual playground, OPPO INNO WORLD, to celebrate INNO DAY 2021 together with OPPO fans worldwide. Within INNO WORLD, visitors can watch the keynote speeches and experience OPPO’s other new cutting-edge technologies, including its Digital Human, Retractable Camera, and many more.
Visitors can watch the keynote and experience OPPO’s cutting-edge technologies virtually at OPPO INNO WORLD,
The OPPO Renovators Emerging Artists Project has also made its way into INNO WORLD, showcasing innovative artwork from young artists around the globe. Now in its third year, OPPO Renovators seeks to support young artists in bringing together the latest ideas and concepts from the world of art and technology as they imagine the possibilities for the future. In the Renovators Showroom in INNO WORLD, eight works from young artists are being exhibited, including AutoGene, Autonomy of Plant, Light High, Revival, and others, creating a platform for these artists to reach a global audience.
See innovative artwork from young artists around the globe at the virtual Renovators Showroom
OPPO INNO DAY runs from 14th-15th December 2021. During the second day of the event on 15th December, OPPO will unveil its highly anticipated foldable smartphone, OPPO Find N.
realme, has announced its GT 2 Series Special Event will take place on 20th December, premiering three world-first innovative technologies. In line with the brand’s premium flagship strategy, realme is introducing breakthrough technologies in eco-friendly materials, photograph advancement and communication technology. Cutting-edge technologies, trendsetting designs […]
realme, has announced its GT 2 Series Special Event will take place on 20th December, premiering three world-first innovative technologies. In line with the brand’s premium flagship strategy, realme is introducing breakthrough technologies in eco-friendly materials, photograph advancement and communication technology.
Cutting-edge technologies, trendsetting designs and accessibility for young customers are the signatures of realme, helping to crown realme as the youngest smartphone brand in the industry’s top 6 worldwide rankings and still maintaining strong momentum in global expansion. In the brand’s first premium series, realme will once again collaborate with world-renowned industrial designer, Naoto Fukasawa, in pursuit of the perfect combination of technology and aesthetics, modernness and tradition, functionality and sustainability.
Furthermore, realme and Naoto Fukasawa also explore values beyond design by applying innovative bio-based materials for the first-ever time in smartphones. This eco-friendly material is able to reduce carbon emission by 63% per kilogram while remaining as strong and durable as traditional methods.
Huawei has today announced the HUAWEI MatePad T Kids Edition, designed with children’s education in mind. Available in 8-inch and 9.7-inch variants, this latest addition to the HUAWEI MatePad T Series comprises beautiful tablets that are specifically designed for children aged 3-8 years old. They […]
Huawei has today announced the HUAWEI MatePad T Kids Edition, designed with children’s education in mind. Available in 8-inch and 9.7-inch variants, this latest addition to the HUAWEI MatePad T Series comprises beautiful tablets that are specifically designed for children aged 3-8 years old. They feature a bright and colourful kids case, easy to use stylus pen and the Kids Corner default app that is pre-loaded with a wide range of child-friendly content.
Kids Corner packed with Rich Educational Content
The HUAWEI MatePad T Kids Edition comes pre-installed with a wealth of rich educational content, making it the perfect tablet companion for children as they grow. Kids Corner was specifically created to reassure parents that their kids will be safe while using the tablet. Kids Corner is like a treasure chest that allows children to record funny and interesting moments, draw their imagination on a canvas and record the stories and jokes they tell. Kids Corner supports Kids Painting, Recorder, Camera, and other features, offering a reliable and secure platform for kids to learn and play.
Huawei also has partnered with Azoomee, an award-winning app for kids featuring hundreds of action-packed games, inspiring TV shows and fun DIY crafts. Every MatePad T kids edition will come with a one-year free subscription to Azoomee’s huge collection of exciting and educational content. Kids and parents will have access to Azoomee’s range of award-winning videos, including Alvin and the Chipmunks, Operation Ouch and the Hippos Family, as well as its signature games such as the Oomee Teeth and Oomee Lake, in addition to a fun personalized avatar creator – the Oomee Maker, a leading educational developer creating content for children. The HUAWEI MatePad T Kids Edition, therefore, comes with a free one-year membership to Azoomee.
Child-friendly design
The HUAWEI MatePad T Kids Edition comes with a beautiful kids case made from environmentally safe silicone, offering all-around protection for both the device and the child. Specially designed for kids, the tablet consists of a bright blue shell and green grips, and is comfortable and easy to hold for small hands. The tablet also features a curved back, giving kids a rounded grip.
Ultra-slim bezels result in an immersive visual experience, with a bright blue stylus pen to match your child’s inquisitive mind. The stylus pen offers a more interactive experience for kids by enabling them to draw finer pictures on the tablet, as well as to enjoy themselves to the fullest when playing touchscreen games. Both the Kids case and the stylus pen meet the European Standards on the Safety of Toys and pass the Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS) requirements, giving parents confidence in the safety of the products.
Parental Assistant and Safety Features
The HUAWEI MatePad T Kids Edition boasts numerous safety features, giving parents the ultimate peace of mind. Parents can manage time spent, apps used, and other viewable content on the Kids Corner, allowing them to set multiple designated time limit intervals throughout the day. For example, parents can set it so that their child can use the tablet for a maximum of 20 minutes after school between 5 pm to 6 pm, or after dinner between 7 pm and 9 pm. They can also apply different settings for the weekday versus the weekend so that the tablet brings the perfect balance between study and play. In the Kid’s Profile, parents can also gain access to their children’s usage records, allowing them to log their children’s usage time and see the apps used over any given period.
Multi-layered eye protection
The HUAWEI MatePad T Kids Edition leverages the power of technology to protect children’s eyesight. A built-in colour adjustment module intelligently adjusts the content on the display, offering a discrete eye protection mode that has passed the TÜV Rheinland low blue light certification. With help from an ambient light sensor, the tablet also enables multi-layered eye protection for your child’s eyes.
Huawei tablets are equipped with a built-in gravity sensor that can determine whether the user is lying flat, with prompts to encourage them to adjust their posture accordingly. There is even an algorithm that detects when the tablet is shaking (such as when the user is using the tablet while walking or in a car), which can remind your child to use it in a stable state, therefore developing better eye habits. Furthermore, when eBook mode is enabled, the tablet automatically adjusts the contrast, brightness, sharpness, saturation, colour temperature, grayscale and other parameters on the display to offer a quality reading experience that closely resembles that of reading a physical book. The Bumpy Road Alerts, Posture Alerts, eBook mode and more can all be toggled on and off in Kids Corner.
Estelle Lloyd, co-founder and COO of Azoomee, commented: “Over the last year, parents have become increasingly aware of the vital role technology plays in their children’s education. We are delighted to partner with Huawei to make their tablets even more attractive to parents by offering free access to premium kids’ content in the Azoomee app. Through this partnership, millions more families will have access to engaging educational games, TV shows and activities which inspire kids to think outside the box, explore and discover new things.”
The HUAWEI MatePad T Kids Edition (RRP £179) will be available for pre-order on 8th December in the UK via the Huawei Store and will officially go on sale 15th December. Customers who pre-order can also bundle one of the following products at no extra cost: HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 46mm (Black or orange), HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro, or a HUAWEI AX3 Wi-Fi Mesh Kit.
The Oppo Find X3 Pro is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of (not expandable) storage memory. The 6.7-inch AMOLED display has a high resolution of 3,216 by 1,440 pixels with a 120Hz refresh rate. This is a […]
The Oppo Find X3 Pro is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of (not expandable) storage memory. The 6.7-inch AMOLED display has a high resolution of 3,216 by 1,440 pixels with a 120Hz refresh rate. This is a 1 billion colour screen. According to Oppo, the device can display 1 billion colours on the screen, but also capture with the cameras. Furthermore, the device has Dual Stereo Speakers with Dolby Atmos and a battery of 4,500 mAh with 65W fast charging.
The quad-camera module has a main camera of 50 megapixels (Sony IMX 766, f/1.8) and an ultra-wide-angle lens of also 50 megapixels (Sony IMX766, f/2.2). We also find a zoom lens of thirteen megapixels (f/2.4, 5x hybrid zoom, 20x digital zoom) and a microlens of three megapixels (f/3.0). The latter is a microscope camera and lets you bring subjects up to 60x closer.
Design
No matter how good the hardware of this device is, the design of the Oppo Find X3 Pro is something you have to love. The Gradient Arc Camera module is fully integrated into the glass back, where it does protrude slightly. The glass back feels really smooth. It looks sleek and futuristic, but the disadvantage is that the device without a case will slide off everything.
It is a sleek and futuristic design, but as far as we are concerned not a real outlier. The placement of the cameras seems to have looked oppo away from Apple with the ‘hob’ in a triangle with a smaller zoom lens in the corner.
The device has a curved display with minimal screen edges. The front camera can be found in a hole at the top left of the display. At the bottom, we find the USB-C connection and the possibility to insert a SIM card. On the right, we find the power button and on the left the volume buttons.
The device is available in the colours Gloss Black and Blue, which are fairly standard colours, but other coloured versions of the Oppo Find X3 Pro, in different regions and carriers.
The showpiece of the device, in addition to the cameras, is the curved AMOLED screen of 6.7-inch. The screen has a resolution of 3,216 by 1,440 pixels and a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz. This refreshes the display 120 times per second, where you can scroll much smoother and animations seem to go smoother. A standard smartphone has a refresh rate of 60 Hz. In automatic mode, the screen itself changes between 5 Hz all the way to 120 Hz, without you immediately realizing this. Thanks to this technology, the battery lasts considerably longer.
This concerns the 1 billion colour screen. Thanks to 10-bit Full-Path Colour Management, you can capture, store and display photos and videos up to 1 billion colours on display. According to Oppo, you have 1.07 billion colours in the palm of your hand. The big question, of course, is whether you can actually see this with the naked eye, but we have to admit that we are dealing with a very good display here. Thanks to the high resolution, it is a very sharp display with beautiful full colours. Movies and series are a pleasure to watch and your homemade photos and videos really splash off the screen. The screen also supports hdr10+, in terms of range and the full spectrum of the colour gamut, it’s a really great display, sometimes even managing to exaggerate a bit in terms of colour. Everything is made more beautiful than it really is.
From the settings you can, fortunately, change various things yourself to adjust the display completely to your liking. For example, the P3 mode ensures better colour reproduction, you can use O1 Ultra Vision Engine to improve video resolutions and there is an option to convert SDR content to HDR. This does not always work well, especially with videos in a low resolution, but can certainly be an added value. In addition to automatic brightness, you can also have automatic colour temperature applied based on the ambient light. You can also easily adjust the standard values at your own discretion. The display is already very good in itself, but due to the many setting options, you can adjust everything completely to your liking.
All modern connectivity options are present on the Oppo Find X3 Pro. You’re ready for 5g with the support provided. Wifi, GPS, NFC, Bluetooth and various sensors are all present. Charging can be done via the USB-C connection on the bottom of the device. A 3.5mm headphone jack is missing and that will be a loss for some people. The fingerprint sensor in the screen works quickly and accurately but is placed slightly lower in the display than you might be used to.
Speakers
The Oppo Find X3 Pro features Dual Stereo Speakers with Dolby Atmos. Dolby Atmos is always a bit exaggerated on a smartphone if you ask us, but both speakers (at the top and bottom) are excellent. As usual, the bass is a neglected child on the small smartphone speakers, but you can clearly hear the difference between the highs, mids and lows. This remains clear even at higher volumes. And this smartphone can turn up the volume very loudly. We see more and more often that high-end smartphones are equipped with good quality Dual Stereo Speakers and that is no different here. If you play a lot of games, this is an added value, because you are more sucked into the action. Not entirely unimportant is the sound when calling. Both you and your conversation partner are easy to understand, so the quality when calling is very good.
Speed Test on 5G
Cameras
The Oppo Find X3 Pro comes with two primary cameras with 50 megapixels. Both the main camera and the ultra-wide-angle use the Sony IMX 766. The main camera at an aperture of f/1.8 and the ultra-wide-angle at f/2.2. The main camera is therefore slightly brighter, but in practice, there is hardly any difference in quality between the two cameras. By default, photos are shot by pixel binning (4 pixels combined to 1) at 12.5 megapixels, but you can also opt for the full 50 megapixels. It’s nice to have an ultra-wide-angle lens on a smartphone that performs as well as the main camera.
The camera app automatically switches between the right cameras and does that very well. If you have selected the main camera and you hold the smartphone close to an object, then the ultra-wide-angle lens is used without any delay, which also serves as a macro camera. The camera app changes effortlessly and the artificial intelligence is top-notch. Photos from both main cameras are sharp, brimming with colours and detail, and are among the top of the current camera smartphone market. The AI optimization works fine, although the HDR function sometimes fails. This sometimes causes halos in the photos and does not work very well to bring out light and dark details. Oppo has already released a camera update while testing this smartphone, so let’s hope this gets some more attention in the next update.
Despite the two great primary cameras, there is also a minus. Although minus, it just depends on where your preference lies. The periscope camera of the Find X2 Pro has been thrown overboard. So you can no longer zoom in as far as you are used to, but have now received a much more limited zoom lens and the microscope camera in return. The photos below show the capabilities of both primary lenses and the zoom lens. We had to reduce the resolution slightly to make the photos presentable on this page. Normally the photos are around 8 MB per photo. We have tried to preserve the quality of these smaller photos as much as possible to get a good impression of the camera capabilities of this smartphone. The last photo shows the zoom lens at 20x digital zoom, where it becomes clear that this will no longer yield usable photos.
Sample photos
By holding a finger on the lens, we know that the zoom capability uses up to 10x of the primary camera. It has 2x optical zoom, 5x hybrid zoom and 10x digital zoom. From 10x, the zoom lens is only used up to a maximum of 20x. And even at the 10x zoom, the main camera is still better than the special zoom lens at 10.1x zoom. The difference between the two cameras is big, with the zoom lens really being the neglected child of the whole. Up to 10x, you shoot quite nice pictures in environments with a lot of light, but above that, the quality quickly decreases.
Then the microscope camera. I actually had zero expectations of this, but how wrong I was. The microscope camera (three megapixels, f/3.0) is the leftmost camera of the camera module and comes with its own illumination around the lens. Here’s how it works. You place the camera on an object and can switch between 1x or 2x, which stands for 30x or 60x. So you can bring subjects up to 60 times closer and that is a lot of fun.
30x microscope zoom on my jeans60x microscope zoom on my jeans
If you put the smartphone on your jeans, you will see the individual fibres from the clothes.
Put the smartphone on your television and you can count the pixels. The three megapixels do not provide sharp photos on a large monitor and there is still plenty to criticize about the quality, but it is very nice to bring subjects closer in this way. On a smartphone screen, however, it looks fine.
The uncluttered camera app lets you easily switch between Night, Photo, Video, Portrait and More. Under ‘More’ you will find options such as panorama, slow motion, Time Lapse, Pro and the microscope mode mentioned above. For photos, you can indeed use the 10-bit colour (only in HEIF format). You can record videos in 4k, 1080p and 720p at 30fps and 60fps. The image stabilization has been significantly improved. Even at 4k at 60fps, you have stable and high-quality videos with great sound. Even in windy conditions.
Battery life
A minus of the Oppo Find X2 Pro was the battery life, the lightning-fast charging with 65W was also present on that device, but you sometimes had to take it easy to get through the day without charging. This time, Oppo has done that a lot better. The 4,500 mAh battery is not only a bit larger but also the battery optimization seems to have been greatly improved. We got through the day with ease and do you still have to recharge?
The 65W charger is so fast that you have a fully charged phone in half an hour. In 10 minutes, the empty battery is already 40 per cent fully charged. Note that you can only achieve this speed with the included charger with SuperVOOC 2.0 technology. Wireless charging is possible with up to 30W.
Software
ColorOS 11.2 (based on Android 11) has become a very mature software shell. It is clear with a clear setting menu, contains a lot of setting options to adjust all kinds of things to your liking, lets you easily switch between normal and dark mode and works very quickly and smoothly. Some additional apps such as Netflix are pre-installed, but you can remove them immediately if desired. From the animations to your home screen and from an app drawer to the many display options, everything can be adjusted to your liking without becoming cluttered.
The Oppo Find X3 Pro is a large smartphone with a 6.7-inch screen but still sits comfortably in the hand. You have to use a case because otherwise, your smartphone will fall off everywhere every day due to the smooth glass back. Fortunately, Oppo provides a complete package with the purchase of this device. There is a case in the colour of the smartphone included and a screen protector is already stuck on the screen, earbuds are also included, as is the 65W fast charger.
Conclusion
I can recommend the Oppo Find X3 Pro to everyone, the screen is top-notch, both primary cameras are fantastic, the microscope camera is more than a gimmick, and the fast hardware ensures powerful performance, this is the best phone I have reviewed this year. Priced at £1099 available from Oppo, Virgin Mobile, O2, Amazon and more for £1099.
Hive has announced its upcoming ‘Hive Thermostat Mini’, launching in early 2022. A next-generation smart heating device, the ‘Mini’ is designed to make customers’ lives simpler and more affordable with features that effortlessly work away in the background to reduce energy use, save money and […]
Hive has announced its upcoming ‘Hive Thermostat Mini’, launching in early 2022. A next-generation smart heating device, the ‘Mini’ is designed to make customers’ lives simpler and more affordable with features that effortlessly work away in the background to reduce energy use, save money and positively impact their carbon footprint.
The ‘Mini’ is the newest member of the Hive Active Heating family and offers top of the range heating control at an affordable price. As people spend more time at home and are more conscious of their carbon emissions and bills, the Mini works in the background to help them live more sustainably and avoid heating an empty home. For example, Mini’s intuitive Geolocation technology knows if customers have left the house with the heating on. If they have, it will send a reminder to turn it off. Making lives even easier, households can also link the Hive App with a Hive Contact Sensor, so the heating turns off when the front door closes.
The Hive App allows customers to set schedules, boost their heating or use the Hive Thermostat Mini to change main features like setting the target temperature and switching between heating or hot water modes, which include manual, schedule and off. For when it gets chilly and the temperature drops below 7°C in the home, the Mini also has Frost Protection which once set, turns on the heating to help stop any pipes from freezing.
Ideal for those who want to make their home more energy efficient but either don’t know where to start or don’t want to break the bank, the Mini is available for just £119. Its beautifully clear, simple design with a mirrored finish is smaller than the Hive Smart Thermostat and will complement any décor.
Customers can easily connect all of their Hive smart products in the app to manage heating and electricity usage through their phone. For ultimate ease, the Mini can also be voice-controlled through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Taking it one step further, consumers could boost their savings even more by pairing the Mini with Hive’s subscription service Hive Heating Plus to unlock benefits such as an integrated budget tracker and heating efficiency monitor, that provides customers with personalised money-saving recommendations based on their usage, as well as alerting them when their home is not heating up as efficiently as it should.
Americo Lenza, Portfolio Director for Service & Solutions at British Gas comments: “This winter, with energy prices making the headlines customers are looking for simple and practical ways they can reduce their energy outputs, whilst also saving them money on their bills. This is why we are so excited about the launch of Hive Mini; our smaller, sleeker, more affordable thermostat. With Geolocation and Hive Actions, Mini helps to reduce your heating bills and carbon footprint by ensuring you don’t heat an empty home. It also works diligently in the background to pre-empt problems with a frost protection mode to avoid your pipes freezing in the colder weather.”
OPPO today announced at the Snapdragon Tech Summit 2021 that it will release a new flagship smartphone powered by the new premium Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile Platform in the first quarter of 2022. This will make OPPO one of the first companies to adopt […]
OPPO today announced at the Snapdragon Tech Summit 2021 that it will release a new flagship smartphone powered by the new premium Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile Platform in the first quarter of 2022. This will make OPPO one of the first companies to adopt the newest Snapdragon platform. OPPO also revealed that it will continue to collaborate with Qualcomm Technologies to accelerate 5G development and explore the future of smartphone innovation.
Scott Zhang, OPPO Vice President of Overseas Sales, said, “We are committed to bringing top-of-the-range 5G smartphones to consumers, such as the Find X3 series, so we are delighted about the launch of the Snapdragon 8 Mobile Platform. OPPO maintains a close relationship with Qualcomm Technologies, and we believe the new mobile platform will bring immense improvements and powerful performance to the next generation of flagship smartphones”.
As 5G networks rapidly gain popularity around the world, OPPO is excited to continue collaborating with Qualcomm Technologies to advance the construction and commercialisation of 5G standalone networks. As of today, OPPO has partnered with more than 80 major mobile network operators worldwide, over half of which join OPPO to deliver 5G services to consumers. These joint initiatives have supported the development of regional 5G networks in markets such as Europe, Latin America, and South Africa, made possible through collaboration with leading tech partners such as Qualcomm Technologies.
