LightBlog

samedi 19 février 2022

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon review: An OLED screen in a laptop that weighs under 2.5 pounds

XDA Recommended Award Badge
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon is a mouthful to say, but it’s also a killer laptop. It starts with a chassis that weighs in at under two and a half pounds, but then you add on top of that the beautiful 90Hz OLED display. With AMD Ryzen 5000 performance and a price tag that’s $1,239.99, it starts to feel like a bargain.

As you’d expect, there are some shortcomings. It’s still got a 720p webcam, rather than the 1080p sensors that are going to become more common this year. Also, with the 3K resolution of the OLED display and the 90Hz refresh rate, battery life isn’t great.

Still, the IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon is just delightful. This is an ultrabook that most users would absolutely enjoy.

    Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon
    Lenovo's IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon is an absolute pleasure. It's got a 90Hz OLED display, AMD Ryzen processors, and weighs in at under 2.5 pounds.

      Features:

      Pros:

      Cons:

Navigate this review:

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon pricing and availability

  • The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon is available now, and this unit costs $1,239.99
  • There’s another unit on Lenovo.com that adds MX450 graphics and more storage.

Announced as one of the first PCs to ship with Windows 11 last year, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon is available now. The model that Lenovo sent me for review includes an AMD Ryzen 7 5800U, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It’s available on Amazon from the link above.

Angled view of Lenovo IdeaPad

There’s only one other configuration that I can find, and that’s from Lenovo.com. That comes with the same processor and RAM, but there’s a 1TB SSD and an NVIDIA GeForce MX450 dedicated GPU.

All models come with the 14-inch 2,880×1,800 90Hz OLED display, which is really the reason why you should be buying this laptop.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon specs

Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5800U 1.9GHz, 4.4GHz (Max)
Graphics AMD Radeon Graphics (integrated)
Body 14.9x313x214.5mm (.59” x 12.32” x 8.44”), 1.1kg (2.43lbs)
Display 14” (16:10) OLED 2.8K (2880×1800), 100% DCI-P3, 400 nits, Dolby Vision, Multi-touch
Memory 16GB Dual Channel LPDDR4x-4266
Storage 512GB M.2 2280 SSD
Connectivity Realtek Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax (2 x 2) + Bluetooth 5.1
Ports 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (support data transfer only)
2x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (support data transfer, Power Delivery 3.0 and DisplayPort 1.4)
1x Headphone / microphone combo jack (3.5mm)
Audio 2x 3W (woofers on the side), 2x 2W (front-facing tweeters), Dolby-branded, optimized with Dolby Atmos
Keyboard 6-row, multimedia Fn keys, LED backlight
Touchpad Buttonless glass surface multi-touch touchpad, Precision Touchpad
Battery 61Wh, supports Rapid Charge Express (3 hrs runtime with 15-min charge)
Camera IR & 720p with TOF sensor, fixed focus, E-Camera shutter
Material Top: Carbon fiber
Bottom: Magnesium-aluminum
Color Cloud Grey
OS Windows 11 Home
Price $1,239.99

Design: The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon weighs under 2.5 pounds

  • It’s so light that you’ll forget it’s in your bag.
  • The Cloud Gray color is a light silver.
  • The USB Type-C ports are limiting.

Made out of magnesium-aluminum and carbon fiber, the IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon weighs in at 2.43 pounds, which is incredibly light for a consumer laptop. Being that the lid is made out of carbon fiber, it doesn’t feel cheap and plasticky like many ultra-light magnesium-based laptops do.

And the weight makes a big difference in how it feels to carry, even if it’s just the difference of a half-pound between this and a three-pound laptop. When it’s in your bag, it feels like there’s nothing there. It’s fantastic.

Closed laptop in outdoor area

When the IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon is in your bag, it feels like there's nothing there.

It comes in a color that Lenovo calls Cloud Grey, as opposed to the Storm Grey that’s more of a gunmetal shade. Cloud Grey is more of a light silver, and I’m pretty sure it’s just called that because Lenovo likes calling things grey and naming the color after weather. It’s sort of like how HP used to use ‘Dark Ash Silver’ as a fancy way of saying black. Personally, I think the Cloud Grey is very stylish, as I often find the darker tone of Storm Grey to be a bit dull. If you’re ever choosing between the two, go for Cloud Grey.

As for branding, Lenovo still keeps its logo in the corner, and it’s the only major OEM that doesn’t put a big, sexy logo in the middle. It gives the firm’s consumer laptops a basic look.

As for ports, it’s all USB Type-C, which I’m not complaining about. I will, however, complain about the selection of ports. Obviously, there’s no Thunderbolt, which is to be expected on an AMD-based laptop. If it was Ryzen 6000, which Lenovo would have just had to wait a few months for, it could have been USB4.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon view of ports

That’s not what I’m actually complaining about. The issue is that the two USB Type-C ports on the left are very different from the one on the right. The two on the left are USB 3.2 Gen 2, supporting 10Gbps data transfer speeds, DisplayPort, and Power Delivery. The one on the right is just 5Gbps data transfer.

It’s a pain point for sure, because you’re asking the user to know the difference between three ports that look identical, and only the one on the right is labeled as SuperSpeed; the other two have no real label at all. Personally, I discovered the limitation of the port on the right when I left it on the charger, and it wasn’t charged.

Icon showing camera disconnected

Also on the right is a switch for camera privacy. This uses a method I’ve previously seen on some HP laptops, where it actually disconnects the camera internally. I do like this method for a privacy guard, as it’s pretty simple, but it does present a couple of issues.

For one thing, there’s nothing physical covering the camera. Even when HP used this feature a couple of generations ago on its Spectre lineup, it added the physical guard in the next generation. For a feature that’s designed around distrust, I don’t think users want to trust that the camera is disconnected internally. The other issue besides trust is that there’s no way to tell that the camera is disconnected. I went through a call at one point, where it said it couldn’t find my camera, and I had no idea why. I realized later that I had this switch flipped.

Overall, this is a well-designed laptop, and I really want to hammer home how light it is to carry. At 2.43 pounds, it’s delightful, but the thing that really puts it over the top is the OLED display.

Display: That sweet, sweet OLED

  • The 14-inch 2.8K 90Hz OLED display is absolutely gorgeous.
  • The webcam is still 720p.

This is one of the best displays that you’ll find on a laptop, and yes, that’s because it’s OLED. It’s 14 inches with a 2,880×1,800 resolution, giving it a 16:10 aspect ratio. It’s got a 90Hz refresh rate too, so animations are buttery-smooth. That’s not on by default though, so you’ll have to make sure it’s on in Settings.

Close up of laptop display

The OLED display is absolutely gorgeous.

Being that it uses OLED technology in the screen, that means that blacks are blacker and colors are more vibrant. It’s a stunning display, and it’s really cool that it comes standard. For most OLED laptops, you have to opt for some ultra-premium model that’s super expensive. Being that this one comes in at just over $1,200, it’s one of the lowest-priced OLED laptops out there.

Display test results

As you can see, the color gamut tests come back as good as they get, supporting 100% sRGB, 96% NTSC, 98% Adobe RGB, and 100% P3.

Display test results

Brightness maxes out at 401.2 nits, which is just above the 400 nits that’s promised. Contrast maxes out at 27,300:1, which is way beyond the 1,000:1 or so that you’d find on a non-OLED laptop. In fact, it’s probably much higher than 27,300:1, since the blacks get as close to true black as possible.

Close up of laptop webcam

Here’s the bad news. While the bezels are delightfully narrow, the webcam is still small and 720p. Obviously, you’ll be looking for an FHD webcam if you’re considering working from home. Also in that reverse notch is an IR camera and a TOF sensor for Windows Hello and what Lenovo calls Zero Touch login. The idea is that it senses when you’re in front of the laptop, wakes up, uses Windows Hello to know that it’s you sitting there, and logs you in, all without you ever having to touch anything.

Keyboard: Pretty standard for a Lenovo consumer device

  • The keyboard is backlit and the touchpad is big.
  • The audio quality is fantastic, making this an excellent streaming box.

As far as input goes, there’s really nothing to see here. It’s a pretty standard keyboard, which is fine.

Top down view of laptop keyboard

Lenovo’s keyboards are really good, something it has a reputation for with ThinkPads, but it also applies to consumer PCs like this one. It’s backlit, as you’d expect, and frankly, that line about the keyboard on the spec sheet is all Lenovo’s reviewer’s guide says about it, so we’ll leave it at that.

Angled view of touchpad

One thing I really like is that the Precision touchpad is nice and big, taking advantage of most of the available real estate. It gives you a little more space to move around.

Close up of speakers on sides of keyboard

The excellent speakers combined with the OLED display make this a great streaming box.

The keyboard is flanked by stereo speakers, which sound phenomenal. There are two 3W woofers and two 2W tweeters, so they’re pretty powerful if you’re interested in audio quality. That also means that this is a really great streaming box. With the beautiful display and excellent audio, watching movies on here is delightful.

Performance: The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon comes with AMD Ryzen 5000 processors

  • AMD Ryzen 5000 processors are great, but there’s a big performance hit when they’re running on battery.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 5800U, and the unit that Lenovo sent me has integrated graphics. It’s available in another configuration with an NVIDIA GeForce MX450, if you want the boost, but you probably don’t need it for what a laptop like this is going to be used for. It’s a productivity machine.

Front view of Lenovo IdeaPad

There’s good and bad when it comes to AMD Ryzen processors. The good is that you get a ton of performance for the price. To see a package like this come in at $1,239.99, it’s really impressive. These days, any time I feel like we’re seeing a premium laptop that still has a lot of value for the price, it has an AMD chip inside of it.

AMD Ryzen 5000 processors lose over 20% of performance when the power cable is disconnected.

The bad news is that AMD Ryzen laptops lose a good chunk of performance when they’re not plugged into power. Even if you set the power slider to best performance, there will be a difference. And if you’re doing something like photo editing, you’ll actually feel the difference, so it’s notable. Plugged in, this laptop scored 5,621 on PCMark 10, beating out any U-series laptop that Intel offers, in my testing, by over 400 points. On battery life, however, it scored 4,295, which is closer to an Intel 8th-gen (Whiskey Lake) Core i7. This is still fine for a productivity machine, meaning if you work in the browser or Microsoft Office.

For benchmarks, I used PCMark 10, 3DMark, Geekbench, and Cinebench. Note that all of these tests were performed while the laptop was connected to power.

IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon
Ryzen 7 5800U
Surface Laptop Studio
Core i7-11370H, RTX A2000
ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9
Core i7-1185G7
PCMark 10 5,621 5,573 5,168
3DMark: Time Spy 1,323 5,075
Geekbench 1,412 / 6,347 1,546 / 5,826 1,489 / 5,280
Cinebench 1,377 / 8,222 1,504 / 6,283 1,303 / 4,224

You can see that out of the three laptops, the IdeaPad gets the highest overall PCMark 10 score. However, both Intel processors do better when it comes to single-core performance, while the extra cores on the AMD processor gives it a leg up on multi-core performance. Also, the Surface Laptop Studio does much better on the 3DMark test thanks to the dedicated graphics.

For battery life, the most consistent results I could get were around four hours and 40 minutes. And to be completely clear, I did have the screen set to 90Hz and the power slider set to best performance. Like I said, Ryzen processors do lose a fair bit of performance just from running off of battery life, so I didn’t want to lower the power slider. And as for the refresh rate, if you’re given a higher refresh rate, you’re going to want to use it. Obviously, you can get better batter life if you adjust these things.

Who should buy the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon?

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon is a laptop that’s incredibly easy to recommend. But as always, it’s not for everyone.

Who should but it:

  • Customers who want a great productivity laptop and are frequently on-the-go
  • People who want a great streaming experience

Who shouldn’t buy it:

  • People who need high-quality video for calls
  • Creative professionals or gamers that require dedicated graphics

Front view of Lenovo IdeaPad

This laptop is just all-around amazing. It’s got a beautiful 90Hz OLED display, AMD Ryzen 5000 power, and it all comes in a package that weighs in at under two and a half pounds.

The biggest downside is the HD webcam. If you’re on a lot of video calls, you’re going to feel that. Also, that beautiful display sure uses a good amount of battery.

Still, the IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon is so easy to fall in love with.

The post Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon review: An OLED screen in a laptop that weighs under 2.5 pounds appeared first on xda-developers.



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

These are the Best USB Cables for the Galaxy S22 series in 2022

Samsung has finally revealed its latest lineup of flagship phones — the Galaxy S22, the Galaxy S22 Plus, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra. They come in different sizes and suit different audiences. No matter what your budget or expectations are, there’s likely a Galaxy S22 phone that matches these needs. If you plan to buy one of these phones, it’s a wise idea to check out some recommended chargers for the Galaxy S22 series since none of the phones come with a charging brick in the box. They do come with a USB cable, but that is a USB-C to USB-C cable. However, there’s a good chance you either need a different cable, or you need multiple cables. If you need to pick a new cable up for your device, we have compiled a list of the best USB cables for the Galaxy S22 series.

Best Galaxy S22 series USB cables

There are two mainstream options to choose from when it comes to buying a USB cable: USB-A to USB-C and USB-C to USB-C.

USB-A to USB-C cables

When it comes to the speeds of charging and data transfer, USB-A is slower and more limited than USB-C. However, some people still use old PCs with USB-A ports, older chargers, or newer multi-port chargers — so a USB-A to USB-C cable comes. For the most part, though, new gadgets tend to utilize USB-C instead of USB-A, so we’d recommend first figuring out your use-cases.

    Anker Powerline II

    Lifetime Warranty

    This cable from supports data transfer at up to 10Gbps and is USB-IF certified. Anker is so confident about its quality, offering a hassle-free lifetime warranty for the product.
    Belkin USB-A to USB-C Cable

    High-Speed Data Transfer

    This 3ft USB cable from Belkin offers high data transfer speeds at up to 10Gbps. However, its charging capabilities are limited to around 15W only.
    Samsung USB-A to USB-C Cable

    Official

    This 1-meter cable is the official one from the company. If you'd rather not resort to third-party cables, then this Samsung product is what you should go for.
    Hibiker Premium Nylon USB-C to USB-A Cable

    3-Pack

    This package from Hibiker includes three USB-A to USB-C cables. They're 1ft long each and support data transfer at up to 480Mb/s. And thanks to their braided design, they will likely last you for a long time.
    etguuds USB-A to USB-C Braided Cable

    Long

    This pack comes with two 15ft long USB-A to USB-C braided cables. It's perfect for those who move around their rooms a lot while holding their connected devices. They're available in four colors to choose from.
    CableCreation Short USB-A to USB-C Braided Cable

    Short

    This cable is only 6 inches long. It's ideal for minimalists who don't need the extra length. Just like similar products, it supports data transfer at up to 480Mb/s. You can buy it in three different colors.

USB-C to USB-C cables

USB-C to USB-C cables can support higher charging and data transfer speeds. If you don’t need to plug your Galaxy S22 into a USB-A port, you should most definitely buy one of these USB-C to USB-C cables instead. USB-A isn’t as widely prevalent as it once was, at this point.

    Cable Matters USB-C to USB-C Cable

    Master Of All Trades

    This USB cable offers ultra-fast speeds for both charging and data transfer, at up to 100W and 10Gbps respectively.
    Baseus USB-C to USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 Cable

    Affordable

    This braided cable is ideal for fast charging, with 100W support. Its data transfer speed is limited to 480Mbps.
    Nekteck USB-C to USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 Cable

    Bang For The Buck

    This quality cable is affordable and supports 100W fast charging and 10Gbps data transfer speeds.
    Samsung Galaxy USB-C to USB-C Cable

    Official

    This the official USB-C to USB-C cable from Samsung. It is 1 meter long, isn't braided, and comes with a one-year warranty in the US.
    Anker Nylon USB-C to USB-C Braided Cable

    Braided

    This pack from Anker includes two 6ft braided cables. They support up to 60W fast charging and are available in three colors.
    AINOPE USB-C to USB-C Right Angle Cable

    Right Angle

    This braided cable has a right angle on one of its ends. This makes holding your phone in landscape orientation while it's connected more comfortable.

Some of the brands we recommend include Anker and Baseus. And of course, you can’t really go wrong with picking the official cable from Samsung itself. However, there’s no real tangible benefit to picking a Samsung-branded cable other than perhaps reliability, so do explore the options.

    Samsung Galaxy S22

    The Samsung Galaxy S22 is the entry flagship for 2022, bringing over top of the line performance and camera capabilities in a form that fits many pockets and budgets.
    Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

    The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is the mid flagship for 2022, bringing over top of the line performance, display and camera capabilities in a larger housing for those that need to do more.
    Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

    The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the top flagship for 2022, bringing over top of the line performance, display and camera capabilities alongside S Pen capabilities to deliver an ultra experience for power users.

Which of these USB cables will you be buying for your Galaxy S22 phone, and why? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post These are the Best USB Cables for the Galaxy S22 series in 2022 appeared first on xda-developers.



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

vendredi 18 février 2022

MediaTek confirms the Dimensity 9000 will debut in the OPPO Find X5 series

MediaTek’s first foray into a proper flagship chipset in years comes in the form of the MediaTek Dimensity 9000. It’s a 4nm chipset manufactured by TSMC and packs a serious punch, featuring’s Arm’s most powerful Cortex-X2 core, an 18-bit image signal processor, Bluetooth 5.3 support, and much more. While we hadn’t heard what devices would run it yet, it’s now been confirmed that the Dimensity 9000 will debut in the OPPO Find X5 series.

MediaTek Weibo account confirms OPPO Find X5 series will have a Dimensity 9000 chipset

Source: GizmoChina

As posted on the official MediaTek Weibo account, the Taiwanese chipset company will debut the Dimensity 9000 in an OPPO Find X5 series device. While it may be a mistranslation (as the above image is machine translated by GizmoChina), it appears that there may be a specific Pro variant that packs this particular chip. That would make sense, as the Dimensity 9000 is actually supposed to be a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 competitor.

Previous leaks are at odds with this confirmation from MediaTek, which would lead me to suspect that the Dimensity 9000 edition of the device may be a limited or later launch. From those leaks, we’ve heard that the phone will have a large QHD+ AMOLED LTPO display with an in-screen fingerprint sensor and a refresh rate of 120Hz, a 5,000mAh battery, and 80W wired fast charging support. There’s 12GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage — the only model expected to be available in Europe.

OPPO also announced that it has partnered with Hasselblad, just like OnePlus. The cameras are expected to consist of two 50MP Sony IMX766 sensors (primary and ultra-wide) and a 13MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. The device will also feature OPPO’s new MariSilicon X chip, which features a combination of an advanced NPU, ISP, and multi-tier memory architecture on one chip.

The company has announced that it will be showcasing new products at the upcoming Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona. We expect to see the new Find X5 series devices at the event, and potentially with a Dimensity 9000-powered device in tow, too.


Source: MediaTek Weibo

Via: GizmoChina

The post MediaTek confirms the Dimensity 9000 will debut in the OPPO Find X5 series appeared first on xda-developers.



from xda-developers https://ift.tt/45YG9yi
via IFTTT

Latest WhatsApp update brings rich document previews

WhatsApp is one of the best instant messaging apps out there, and while it’s not as feature-packed and powerful as Telegram, it’s always getting better with new improvements and features. Case in point: WhatsApp is rolling out a new update that brings improved document previews.

As spotted by WABetainfo, WhatsApp is rolling out a new and improved preview for documents. Up until now, when you shared documents, be it a PDF, JPEG, or DOC, WhatsApp only showed a generic preview displaying the file type and the file name. That means you had to open the document to really know what was inside. With the latest WhatsApp beta update, however, the app now displays a rich preview, giving you a glimpse of the content inside.

Generic preview of documents in WhatsApp WhatsApp document preview

Right now, previews are of really low quality, as you can see in the left image above. This can be indicative of the beta nature of the feature, and we hope WhatsApp will be able to optimize it to display higher-res previews.

The new document preview UI is rolling out with the latest WhatsApp beta update. It’s not widely available on the stable channel yet. If you want to give it a try, you can sign up for the beta program here or grab the latest APK from APKMirror.

WhatsApp has been testing a lot of new features as of late. The app will soon add iMessage-style message reactions, let you finally transfer chats from Android to iOS, and let you preview voice notes before sending them. In addition, WhatsApp is also working on a new feature that will automatically transcribe voice messages. Meanwhile, new drawing tools will allow you to draw thicker and thinner lines on images/videos.

The post Latest WhatsApp update brings rich document previews appeared first on xda-developers.



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

jeudi 17 février 2022

Android 12’s dynamic theming could come to more platforms as Google releases the Material Color Utilities library

Google is serious about Material You’s dynamic theming system. The company evidently wants more Android OEMs to offer a theming engine (Monet, or something similar) on Android 12 devices, but that doesn’t seem to be the extent of Google’s plans for its wallpaper-based theming system. The company has now open-sourced the Material Color Utilities code library in an effort to bring the new theming system to more platforms.

In a recent blog post (via 9to5Google), Google’s James O’Leary reveals that Material Color Utilities is a cross-platform code library for color, which includes everything developers would need to implement Material You’s dynamic theming system on various platforms. Currently, the library is available in Dart, Java, and Typescript, but Google plans to bring it to iOS, CSS via SASS, and GLSL shaders. Given that it’s open-source, anyone can contribute to the library.

In addition, the blog post sheds light on exactly how the dynamic theming system works on Android 12. As the post explains, each time you change wallpapers on an Android 12 device:

“First, the wallpaper is quantized, reducing the thousands of colors in it to a smaller number by merging them in color space. The reduced color set is small enough to run statistical algorithms against with efficiency. These algorithms are used to score and filter colors; Android 12 gives color options for colorfulness and how much the image they represent, and it filters out colors close to monochrome.

One color, defaulting to the top-ranked color by the algorithm, or chosen by the user in the wallpaper picker, becomes the source color. Its hue and chroma influence the overall color scheme, enabling a vibrant blue scheme, or a muted green one, based on the user’s choice of color.

Using the source color, we create the core palette, which is a set of 5 tonal palettes. A tonal palette is defined by a hue and chroma; the colors in the palette come from varying tones. These tonal palettes reduce cognitive load for designers when creating a design system: instead of specifying hue and chroma for each role, a tonal palette can be substituted.

Finally, we fill out the table that defines the hue chroma and tone of each color role, then use those values and HCT to create the colors used in the theme.”

Furthermore, the blog post highlights how Google came up with a new HCT (hue, chroma, tone) color system to replace the existing HSL (hue, saturation, lightness) system to make designing with colors easier. You can learn more about this new color system by checking out the original blog post.

The post Android 12’s dynamic theming could come to more platforms as Google releases the Material Color Utilities library appeared first on xda-developers.



from xda-developers https://ift.tt/ksAt8Lv
via IFTTT

Leaked render gives us our first look at Motorola Frontier and its massive camera sensor

Last month we learned that Motorola was working on a “next-generation” flagship phone codenamed “Frontier.” The leak revealed the phone would offer top-of-the-line hardware, including a flagship Qualcomm SoC, insanely fast charging speed, and powerful cameras. Now a fresh leak has given us our very first look at the phone’s design.

Evan Blass, AKA @evleaks has released a high-quality render of the Motorola Frontier, showcasing the phone’s design from multiple angles. As you can see in the images below, the Frontier sports a striking design that’s a departure from previous Motorola phones. The phone has a curved back with the Moto batwing logo imprinted in the middle. However, the most interesting element here is that massive circular camera sensor in the top left corner. The text written along the camera area reveals that it’s a 194MP 1/1.5-inch sensor with OIS support.

A image showing the back panel, front and the bottom of the Motorola Frontier

Two additional camera sensors accompany the main camera, and a dual-tone LED flash. While today’s leak doesn’t reveal the specs of the other two cameras, a previous report from TechnikNews claims a 50MP ultra-wide sensor and a 12MP IMX664 telephoto camera would join the primary shooter.

Moving to the front, we see a curved display that stretches edge to edge and has a centered hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera. Meanwhile, a SIM slot, the USB Type C port, and the speaker are located at the bottom.

The Motorola Frontier will reportedly feature a 6.67-inch FHD+ OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, according to previous rumors. It will be powered by a Qualcomm chipset codenamed “SM8475,” which could be a Plus variant of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. We’re also told the phone will offer insanely fast charging speeds: up to 120W wired and 50W wireless.

Motorola hasn’t officially confirmed anything about the Frontier at this point. In any case, we’re not holding our breath for the phone to launch anytime soon, especially considering the Moto Edge 30 series launch is just around the corner.

The post Leaked render gives us our first look at Motorola Frontier and its massive camera sensor appeared first on xda-developers.



from xda-developers https://ift.tt/ir9wxME
via IFTTT

Realme kickstarts Realme UI 3.0 Open Beta program for the Realme GT Neo 2, Realme GT Master Edition, and Realme X7 Max

After rolling out early access builds of Realme UI 3.0 based on Android 12 to some Realme GT Neo 2 and Realme X7 Max users late last year, Realme is now finally ready to give more users a chance to experience the software release. Today, the company has kickstarted the Realme UI 3.0 Open Beta program for both devices, allowing more users to experience the update ahead of the stable rollout.

According to recent posts on Realme’s forums, the Realme UI 3.0 Open Beta program is now live for Realme GT Neo 2, Realme X7 Max, and Realme GT Master Edition users. If you own any of these devices and would like to try out the Android 12-based software release ahead of the stable rollout, you can enroll in the beta program by following these steps:

  • Make sure you update your device to the software version specified in the Open Beta announcement post for your device.
  • After installing the update, navigate to the Software Update section in the device settings and tap on the settings cog in the top right corner
  • Tap on Trial version on the following page and then select the Open Beta option
  • Tap on the Apply now button on the next page and then provide all the required details to complete your application
  • If your application passes Realme’s review process, you should receive the Realme UI 3.0 Open Beta release via an OTA update

Before installing the update, make sure your device is not rooted, has at least 60 percent battery left, and has around 5GB of free storage space. Also, take a backup of all your data before proceeding. Note that since this isn’t the final stable release, you may encounter some bugs. We don’t recommend installing the open beta update if you’re using your device as your daily driver. If you still wish to go ahead, make sure you report all bugs that you encounter by following the instructions in the announcement post.

XDA Forums: Realme GT Neo 2 || Realme GT Master Edition || Realme X7 Max

Along with Relame UI 3.0 open beta releases for the three devices mentioned above, Realme has also started rolling out early access builds for the budget-friendly Realme C25. If you wish to try it out, you can head over to Realme’s announcement post and follow the instructions to get the update on your device. For more info on what’s new in Realme UI 3.0, check out our hands-on preview.

The post Realme kickstarts Realme UI 3.0 Open Beta program for the Realme GT Neo 2, Realme GT Master Edition, and Realme X7 Max appeared first on xda-developers.



from xda-developers https://ift.tt/6Mu3hYz
via IFTTT

Several Google Home users are facing issues with light controls

If you’ve been facing issues with light control commands on your Assistant-powered smart home setup, you’re not alone. As per recent reports, several Google Home users are not able to control their smart lights using Assistant voice commands for the last few days. Google is reportedly investigating the issue, but the company is yet to release an official statement on the matter.

Reddit user u/usernamechecquesout recently highlighted the issue in a post on the Google Home subreddit, and several others have since come forward claiming that they’re facing the same problem with their smart home setups. According to the comments on the post, rebooting affected devices doesn’t seem to fix the issue, and reverting to factory settings isn’t of any help either.

Google Assistant light control commands issue

Screenshot: u/usernamechecquesout

Users who reached out to Google’s customer support say that the company is aware and is currently investigating the issue. The issue seems to be device agnostic, with some users claiming that it affects all their connected Google Home devices. However, we were not able to reproduce the issues on our end, which leads us to believe that it may not be as widespread as it seems. Both Aamir and I tested it on our Google Home setups, and all light control commands worked as intended.

As mentioned earlier, Google is yet to release an official statement on the matter. We’ve reached out to the company for more details, and we’ll make sure you let you know as soon as we get a response.

Are you facing issues with light control commands on your Google Home setup? Drop a comment below with details about your Google Home setup and your location if you’re facing this issue.

The post Several Google Home users are facing issues with light controls appeared first on xda-developers.



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

Pixel 6’s fingerprint scanner calibration tool is failing for some users

The in-display fingerprint scanner of the Pixel 6 series has been subject to a lot of controversies. Many users have complained about the slow speed and inconsistent performance of the scanner and while Google has tried to address this with software updates, it’s still not on par with other flagship smartphones. Now we’re hearing yet another controversy surrounding the Pixel 6’s fingerprint scanner.

Google Pixel 6 Pro Review: Fantastic everyday phone with an undeniable Exynos inspiration

According to multiple reports (via 9to5Google), the fingerprint scanner calibration tool isn’t working as intended for some users. The calibration tool is part of the Google Pixel Update and Repair Tool suite. When you replace the display of your Pixel 6 by yourself, the fingerprint scanner stops working. To make it work again, you have to run the fingerprint sensor calibration tool after replacing the display — you’ll also need to factory reset your phone after. But as pointed out by YouTuber Louis Rossmann, this calibration tool is failing for many users, leaving Pixel 6 owners who replace the display unofficially with a dead fingerprint scanner.

The issue seems to affect both DIY and in-store repairs. When the calibration tool fails, it throws up a message saying “Couldn’t find the unique calibration software for this device.” And unfortunately, there’s no way to get past this error.

“I replaced my pixel 6 pro display, and as suggested by many people, the fingerprint sensor stopped working. When I try to install the fingerprint sensor calibration software, it says “Couldn’t find the unique calibration software for this device” right after it starts downloading,” wrote a Pixel 6 user in a thread on Google’s IssueTracker.

It’s unclear how widespread this issue is. But in any case, until Google fixes the calibration tool, it’s a good idea to have your display replaced by the official Google service center.

The post Pixel 6’s fingerprint scanner calibration tool is failing for some users appeared first on xda-developers.



from xda-developers https://ift.tt/Of9Txcb
via IFTTT

Samsung reveals Galaxy S22 series pricing and pre-order info for India

Samsung India has finally shared the pricing details for the company’s latest flagship smartphone lineup, the Galaxy S22 series. If you’re thinking of getting your hands on one of the new Galaxy devices, you’ll have to wait some more, as pre-orders begin from February 23, 2022. Samsung India has not revealed anything apart from the pricing and pre-orders. Details on the Galaxy Tab S8 series are also missing.

Samsung Galaxy S22 series: Pricing & Availability in India

Although Samsung opened pre-orders for the Galaxy S22 series in several markets right after unveiling the devices, Indian buyers could only register their interest on Samsung’s website. The wait continues, as you still cannot pre-order the new Galaxy S22 series devices in the region. Samsung has only revealed pricing and color availability so far. All three devices in the lineup will be available in India in a couple of RAM and storage configurations, but Samsung isn’t offering all the cool colorways that are available in the US and a few other regions. But as a silver lining, you do get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor in India this time.

The regular Galaxy S22 and the Galaxy S22 Plus are available in two RAM/storage options — 8GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB — just like in international markets. However, Samsung will offer these devices in three colorways only — Phantom Black, Phantom White, and Green. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, on the other hand, will be available in 12GB+256GB and 12GB+512GB configurations in Phantom Black and Burgundy. If you want the Phantom White color, you can get it only on the 256GB storage variant.

Pricing in India:

  • Galaxy S22:
    • 128GB: ₹72,999
    • 256GB: ₹76,999
  • Galaxy S22 Plus:
    • 128GB: ₹84,999
    • 256GB: ₹88,999
  • Galaxy S22 Ultra:
    • 256GB: ₹1,09,999
    • 512GB: ₹1,18,999

When can I pre-order/buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 series in India?

Pre-orders for the Galaxy S22 series in India begin from February 23, 2022.

Samsung India has not revealed any further information on sales and offers for the flagship smartphone lineup. So for now, there’s nothing to say when you can actually purchase the device. Samsung India has also not shared any information on the Galaxy Tab S8 series either, not even its pricing and lineup info.

The post Samsung reveals Galaxy S22 series pricing and pre-order info for India appeared first on xda-developers.



from xda-developers https://ift.tt/fs7Jxjk
via IFTTT

mercredi 16 février 2022

LineageOS 17.1 is being dropped as work on LineageOS 19.0 continues

LineageOS is the most popular custom ROM by far, providing hundreds of Android devices a light, near-stock version of Android. LineageOS 18.1, which is based on Android 11, is the latest version of the ROM. But with Android 12 out for a while now, many fans are looking forward to the next iteration: LineageOS 19.0. While we still don’t know when the new builds based on Android 12 will arrive, the LineageOS team has now announced that they’re ending support for LineageOS 17.1.

In a Reddit post, the LineageOS team revealed that LineageOS 17.1, based on Android 10, has now reached retirement. That means new builds of LineageOS 17.1  won’t be developed moving forward. The team says they had to take this step because of the storage restrictions of their build servers.

Android 12 Custom ROM List: Unofficially update your Android smartphone!

As per the announcement, the following devices are being dropped from the LineageOS 17.1 build roaster:

Device Codename Maintainers
Google Pixel sailfish intervigil, razorloves
Google Pixel XL marlin intervigil, razorloves
HTC One (M8) m8 bgcngm
HTC One (M8) Dual SIM m8d bgcngm
Huawei Honor 5X kiwi BadDaemon
LeEco Le 2 s2 codeworkx, tImIbreakdown
Motorola Edge racer erfanoabdi, Jleeblanch, SyberHexen
Motorola Moto E 2015 LTE surnia althafvly, theimpulson
Motorola Moto G 2015 osprey althafvly, chil360
Motorola Moto G3 Turbo merlin althafvly
Motorola Moto G4 Play harpia jro1979
Motorola Moto X Play lux jro1979, thopiekar
Motorola Moto Z griffin DD3Boh, erfanoabdi, shr3ps, stargo, vache
Nubia Z17 nx563j BeYkeRYkt
Nvidia Jetson (Nano / Nano 2GB) [Android TV] porg webgeek1234
Nvidia Jetson (Nano / Nano 2GB) [Tablet] porg_tab webgeek1234
Nvidia Jetson (TX2 / TX2 NX) [Android TV] quill webgeek1234
Nvidia Jetson (TX2 / TX2 NX) [Tablet] quill_tab webgeek1234
Nvidia Shield TV (2015 / 2015 Pro / 2017) / Jetson TX1 [Android TV] foster webgeek1234, npjohnson
Nvidia Shield TV (2015 / 2015 Pro / 2017) / Jetson TX1 [Tablet] foster_tab webgeek1234, npjohnson
Nvidia Shield TV 2019 Pro [Android TV] mdarcy webgeek1234, npjohnson
Nvidia Shield TV 2019 Pro [Tablet] mdarcy_tab webgeek1234, npjohnson
OnePlus Nord avicii KakatkarAkshay
Realme 2 Pro RMX1801 sb6596
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) a3xelte danwood76, Stricted
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) a5xelte danwood76, Stricted
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016) a7xelte sourajitk, danwood76, Stricted
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2015) j7elte dariotrombello, danwood76, Stricted
Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo s5neolte danwood76, Stricted
Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 LTE castor snc
Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 Wi-Fi castor_windy snc
Wileyfox Swift crackling 115ek
Wingtech Redmi 2 wt88047 nicknitewolf
Xiaomi Redmi K20 / Mi 9T davinci Pig
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 / 8T ginkgo DarkJoker360, danascape
Yandex Phone Amber HighwayStar, vm03

If you’re running LineageOS 17.1 on any of the above-mentioned devices, you can continue to use the ROM as it is but note that there won’t be any new updates. That means you will miss out on important security patches and other improvements. Your best bet is to upgrade to LineageOS 18.1, assuming it’s available for your device, or switch to another custom ROM which is in active development.

At the time being, LineageOS 17.1 builds are still listed on the LineageOS download page. The team notes that builds and recoveries will eventually be removed from the website.

As for the Android 12 release, the team says they have started testing build systems to support LineageOS 19.0. However, no exact timeline has been provided for when the new version is officially coming out.

The post LineageOS 17.1 is being dropped as work on LineageOS 19.0 continues appeared first on xda-developers.



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

OPPO is Looking for Product Ambassadors to Receive an OPPO Find X5 / X5 Pro

OPPO is looking for some enthusiastic and spirited users to participate in an exciting opportunity with their first-ever ambassador program. More specifically, OPPO is looking for trailblazers who are tech-savvy and can share their ideas and life experiences. The program is fairly expansive, with twenty seats available in total for users that are interested. When you get accepted into the program, you can become an ambassador for OPPO Find X5 or Find X5 Pro products, with ten spots in each category. Becoming a part of the program will allow you to have access to a number of different benefits.

How to Become an OPPO Ambassador

The recruitment period is open during the time of February 17th – February 28th. If you’re interested in the program, you can sign up on the official page. Ambassadors will have a list of responsibilities that they must fulfill. Once you’ve taken on these responsibilities, you can begin enjoying your benefits. For users that reach “Excellent status” in the program, they’ll unlock even greater perks.

 

Sign up for OPPO Product Ambassador Program

To increase your chances of becoming a part of the program, you can participate in the Save the Night trend on Twitter. This bonus campaign begins on the 18th of February. Share an example of a terrible night photo that you’ve taken on a smartphone. Then take that photo and post it to Twitter using the hashtags #OPPOAmbassadors / #SaveTheNight. The goal of this trend is to share your experiences of bad night shots, and how night photography has improved with more recent devices.

OPPO Product Ambassador Perks

As an active member of the ambassador program, you’ll be eligible for a number of different perks and rewards. When you’ve completed the required responsibilities for the OPPO Find X5 Series program, you will have access to the following benefits:

  • Early Trial
    Experience OPPO Find X5 or Find X5 Pro pre-sale – it’s an Ambassador exclusive.
  • Keep the phone and inspire others
    After all, Ambassadors are the trailblazers here!
  • Ambassador Card
    Wear your Ambassador status with pride.
  • Reach OPPO insiders and experts
    Connect with the OPPO team to keep updated and find out stories behind products.
  • Grow your profile
    Get your creative work featured on official OPPO platforms.
  • Join the Tech Focus Group to network
    Exchange insights and co-create with fellow Ambassadors and tech lovers.

For Ambassadors achieving ‘Excellent’ status:

  • Earphone Ambassador opportunity
    Opportunities to pioneer the new earphone device.
  • Unlock more Ambassador roles
    Get wider access to try hauls of our innovative products.
  • Access to popular OPPO events
    Receive exclusive invitations to key events, on and offline.
  • Secure resources to realize your ideas
    opportunities to grab our resources and make a difference.

Being a part of the OPPO Ambassador program is reserved for the most passionate users. Turn your passion into something with fantastic perks, and become a part of a community that shares your drive. To get started, follow the link below and fill out the application.

Sign up for OPPO Product Ambassador Program

Also, check out our OPPO Find X5 Pro forums!

We thank OPPO for sponsoring this post. Our sponsors help us pay for the many costs associated with running XDA, including server costs, full time developers, news writers, and much more. While you might see sponsored content (which will always be labeled as such) alongside Portal content, the Portal team is in no way responsible for these posts. Sponsored content, advertising and XDA Depot are managed by a separate team entirely. XDA will never compromise its journalistic integrity by accepting money to write favorably about a company, or alter our opinions or views in any way. Our opinion cannot be bought.

The post OPPO is Looking for Product Ambassadors to Receive an OPPO Find X5 / X5 Pro appeared first on xda-developers.



from xda-developers https://ift.tt/rB4M3FH
via IFTTT