Huawei is yet again caught in the act for claiming that DSLR images were taken by their smartphones.
In an article by South China Morning Post, there was a photography contest hosted by Huawei on Chinese forum Weibo, trying to showcase the capabilities of their cameras.
Huawei featured a video on the forum showcasing the best images “taken with Huawei smartphones”, which caught the eye of Weibo user Jamie-Hua as some of those photos looked familiar to him.
Turns out, those images were taken with a Nikon D850, US$3,000 professional-grade camera. In addition, the photos were actually available on 500px, a photography community taken by Su Tie.
Huawei has apologised for the error, stating oversight by its editors. The video no longer says that it was taken by Huawei smartphones, rather it was drawn from Huawei’s Next-Image community instead.
EverythingApplePro has revealed how the upcoming iPhone 12 Pro Max will look like.
Apple is now ditching its previously rounded edge designs since the iPhone X to a more, iPad Pro/iPhone 5 like design with its flat edges.
The new smaller notch is roughly the same size as the OnePlus 6, with no compromises on the number of sensors placed at the front. This is likely to allow users to maximize the full potential of the gigantic 6.7-inch display on the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The rear camera housing has also changed to be fit a LiDAR sensor, as was seen in the iPad Pro earlier this year.
The smaller iPhone 12 Pro will feature a similar design, though it is not clear whether the regular iPhone 12 will sport the new redesign.
Apple plans to release 6 iPhones this year (with 5 remaining since the SE has been released recently), but we can expect delays as COVID-19 has caused global supply chains to shut down.
Axios has reported that Google has made significant steps by working with Samsung in an effort to design their own custom chipsets for future Pixel smartphones and eventually, Chromebooks.
Codenamed ‘Whitechapel’, Google has just received its first iterations of the chip. It is rumoured that we could see custom-built processors in Google’s Pixel phones as early as 2021.
‘Whitechapel’ will feature machine learning capabilities built into the chipset, dedicated to improving the performance of Google Assistant.
Google is no stranger to designing custom chipsets. In 2016, they’ve designed and built their own custom chipsets for back-end servers dedicated to machine learning.
This marks a blow to Qualcomm, as they have been the sole chipset supplier for Android smartphones, such as the Pixel 4 and 3a.
This move by Google would push other manufacturers to manufacture their own chipsets for better cost savings and stronger control.
Just two days ago, Apple has formally announced a long-awaited update on their SE series. And oh my, with the specifications and price point, it puts most Android flagships to shame.
Let’s start with the design. The new iPhone SE’s looks extremely similar to the iPhone 8, which itself has had a very familiar design since the iPhone 6 with a 4.7″ display.
Underneath, the SE comes with the A13 Bionic processor, the same ones used in the iPhone 12 series. The camera also features significant updates such as Smart HDR and Portrait modes powered by machine learning. Apple claims that it is their best single-camera system so far.
The iPhone SE also features 3GB of RAM, IP67 water resistance, Qi wireless charging (up to 50% in 30 minutes), Touch ID, 4k 60fps video recording and extended dynamic range recording at 30fps.
No real specification is provided on the iPhone SE’s battery capacity, but Apple says that it is about the same as the iPhone 8.
And all of this starts at a price of $399 for the 64GB model. There’s also the 128GB model for $449 and 256GB for $549.
For the performance, the support, the regular updates and strong value retention you get from an Apple product at those price points, the iPhone SE easily wipes out most mid-range options on Android smartphones such as Google’s Pixel 3a.
In addition, iPhones hold their value better than Android smartphones, giving you better value when trading in for a new one.
It’s expected to be officially released next week on April 24. Stay tuned!
The regular OnePlus 8 will also be launched alongside the OnePlus 8 Pro. Pricing starts from $699 for the OnePlus 8 and $899 for the OnePlus 8 Pro.
From its humble beginnings in 2014, OnePlus differentiated themselves by branding themselves as a flagship killer by offering fast performance at a lower cost.
This year’s OnePlus 8 Pro series definitely emphasizes on the killer specs, but not so much on providing flagship killer pricings.
Both OnePlus 8’s are powered by the latest Snapdragon 865 processor, so you’ll definitely have 5G.
The 90Hz display from the OnePlus 7 Pro has been passed down to the OnePlus 8. The OnePlus 8 Pro will receive an upgrade with what is now an HDR10+ certified 120 Hz display. This gives it even smoother animations and gorgeous colour accuracies, making it on par with Samsung’s Galaxy S20 series.
OnePlus 8 Pro camera system. Source: The Verge
The OnePlus 8 Pro also comes with significant camera improvements. It now features a quadruple-camera system, with a 48-megapixel main camera, 48-megapixel ultra-wide with a 120-degree angle, a telephoto lens with 3x hybrid and 30x digital zoom, and a colour filter camera.
Here’s a shot in the night with the iPhone 11 Pro Max against the OnePlus 8 Pro
Source: The Verge
The OnePlus 8 Pro now has official IP ratings at IP68, which means it can handle up to 1.5 metres of water for 30 minutes. Still, we don’t recommend you to dunk your phone in water at any time whatsoever unless it’s an accident.
Sadly, it doesn’t seem the regular OnePlus will have IP68 water resistance.
There’s also up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM (which is, super fast) and a maximum of 256 GB of UFS 3.0 storage (also, super fast).
The wireless charging has also become super fast. Never settle right? OnePlus’s “Warp Charging” technology is now officially supported on wireless charging at 30W, capable of charging 50% in just 30 minutes. Regular charging will allow you to reach 60% during that same timeframe.
Lastly, OnePlus claims to have made significant improvements to OxygenOS, which is the skin they run on top of Android. The optimizations are made to make the overall experience smoother on the 90Hz and 120Hz displays.
OnePlus’s “Never Settle” motto definitely resonates with the OnePlus 8 and the 8 Pro. Everything about this flagship appears to give you the very fastest Android phone on the market.
However, all this comes at the expense of higher-priced phones, with the OnePlus 8 Pro priced at $899 with a memory of 8GB RAM/128GB storage and $999 for 12GB RAM/256GB storage.
With this new pricing model, it is clear that OnePlus has now decided to become the flagships.
Yesterday, Bloomberg has made a report that there will be four new iPhone models for the upcoming iPhone 12 lineup. Two of these will have a redesigned chassis with more flat edges and sides, akin to the new iPad Pro models and the old iPhone 4.
The notch for Face ID is also expected to become smaller this year.
With four models, the iPhone 12 is expected to be at its largest with a massive 6.7-inch screen. The two most expensive models will also feature the LiDAR scanner, which we first saw in the latest iPad Pro.
It’s not clear whether the two lower-tier models will have a redesign, as Bloomberg only reports that the two high-end models will have it.
It is also unlikely that Apple will be able to release all four models at once, due to COVID-19 disrupting global supply chains, particularly in China, where Apple produces most of its iPhones.
Furthermore, the announcement is expected to be delayed by several weeks than the usual September target.
We’ve seen 5G towers and infrastructure been destroyed over fears that it can spread COVID-19. Let’s lay down some facts on how 5G is not capable of doing so.
How Does 5G Work?
First, let’s understand how 5G works on a fundamental level with a video Linus from Techquickie below.
In summary, the telco standards for most developed countries around the world is currently 4G, with more and more 5G infrastructure being built as days go by.
At 1:15 of the video, 4G networks operate on a 2.5 GHz band, your home WiFi routers operate on either 2.4 GHz or 5GHz. 5G networks can operate up to 300 GHz.
Granted, this is not some small leap in the gigahertz band. But this is not a cause for alarm.
3:33 of the video
For radiowaves to physically cause damage to the human body such as cancer, the threshold for this is around a MILLION gigahertz. At this stage, we are already looking at ultra-violet radiation, which occurs naturally from the Sun itself, hence why sunscreens exist.
Furthermore, any current scientific evidence on the effects of 5G on human health is at best, circumstantial and suggestive.
Can 5G Cause COVID-19 to Spread?
Based on how 5G works, NO, it does not.
Furthermore, the spread of COVID-19 is not limited to just countries with 5G. Developing countries such as Malaysia, which has no current 5G infrastructure in place, except in extremely limited areas has 4,683 cases as of writing.
Based on my observations, the main cause of sudden outbreaks in countries is due to 2 main factors:
Firstly, the sudden outbreak in countries such as the USA, Italy and the UK is a result of government inaction, continuous downplaying of the virus and lack of preparedness to deal with sudden pandemics such as stocking up on masks, ventilators and hospital beds.
This is especially when COVID-19 was already discovered in December 2019 and caused Wuhan to be on lockdown for close to 3 months to contain the outbreak.
Secondly, COVID-19 is a highly infectious form of coronavirus, much more than SARS. Those infected can still be carriers yet be asymptomatic for up to 2 weeks. And it doesn’t take a cough to spread the virus, there is limited evidence to suggest that even breathing or speaking can cause the virus to spread.
Those infected by SARS will show symptoms within 2 to 7 days, much faster and more easily detectable compared to COVID-19.
While current standards say that there is no need to wear a mask unless you’re sick, scientists are now relooking into that statement. As a best practice, wear a mask whenever you go out.
The conspiracy theorists who say that 5G can spread the coronavirus are moronic at best and should be held liable for the infrastructure damages caused by gullible folks taken by fear.
The 5G towers are essential for communications, and we need this more than ever in a pandemic.
As an advice, do not give in to fear and always look at the science. Regularly wash your hands, don’t touch your face, and wear a mask whenever you go out.
Leaked renders reported by Android Headlines have shown that the next generation of Samsung Galaxy Buds will take a departure from its previous designs, offering a much smaller form factor.
Early last month, Samsung had applied for a trademark for their “Bean” wireless earbuds. The name “Bean” derives from the shape of the earbuds, which look similar to kidney beans.
Source: Android Headlines
Reports that the beans will measure approximately 2.8cm in length. There are two small speakers, one with an outside channel, presumably for better lows.
A couple of microphones can be seen on the outside as well, probably to allow environmental noise to pass through.
There are no silicone tips to be seen, so it’s unclear how effective sound isolation will be. Previously generations of Samsung’s Galaxy Buds did not have active noise cancellation, so it’s unclear whether the beans will have it.
Source: Android Headlines
Unlike the previous generation, the bean design allows for a more compact fit. It doesn’t protrude out of the ear, unlike other earbuds.
The product is still undergoing testing, so it’s not entirely clear whether this prototype will be launched to the mass market. We shall know later in August during the Galaxy Note 20 launch event.
The New York Times has reported that Taiwan’s government agencies are advised by the cabinet not to use Zoom over privacy and security concerns.
Zoom Video Communications Inc has been under a lot of fire recently over its lack of end-to-end encryption, highlighting privacy and security concerns.
The amount of daily users for Zoom has increased to over 200 million in March. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced governments to lock down cities and employees to work from home.
The reason behind Zoom’s sudden boom is because it’s free to use with business-grade capabilities such as video conferencing and webinars, compared to Microsoft’s Skype for Business, Cisco’s Webex or Google Meets which requires a subscription.
Zoom users have reported “zoombombing” as well, where uninvited guests were able to crash into other people’s meetings, further highlighting privacy and security concerns on Zoom’s platforms.
In a memo by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security distributed to government officials, Zoom has been responsive to concerns over its software.
Zoom’s CEO, Eric Yuan, has apologized in a blog post for falling short of users expectations and are actively taking steps to resolve the issues.
Engadget has reported that The Mayo Clinic, alongside with Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Navya and Beep are experimenting with completely self-driving shuttles to transport COVID-19 test kits to the Mayo Clinic campus.
This move is an effort to reduce the risk of exposure to the deadly coronavirus, whilst also freeing up the medical worker’s time by allowing them to focus more on patients rather than worrying about logistics.
While it is completely autonomous, there is an SUV driven by a human behind the shuttle to make sure. They are there to supervise and ensure that there is nothing that will impact the delivery path of the shuttles.
Furthermore, there is still the need for staff to pack and unpack the test kits from the shuttle. But overall, this reduces the number of people interacting with the test kits.
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