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jeudi 30 juin 2022

OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 1 brings Android 12 to OnePlus 7 and 7T series

We’re quickly approaching Android 13‘s official launch, but some phones are still in line for last year’s software. OnePlus, for example, has focused on updating its more recent devices to Android 12, but it’s finally turned its attention to its 2019 flagships. After a brief closed beta testing period, the company has finally announced the release of the first Open Beta build of OxygenOS 12 for the OnePlus 7 and 7T lineup.

As you might expect, this is a beefy update for OnePlus 7/7 Pro and 7T/7T Pro owners. Not only does OxygenOS 12 sport an all-new look, but the first public beta brings along an enhanced Canvas AOD feature, three adjustable levels in the dark mode, an inbox frame rate stabilizer, and much more. Along with those OnePlus-specific tweaks, this software includes all of Android 12’s various enhancements under the hood.

You can check out the complete list of changes below:

  • System
    • Newly added Smart Battery Engine, a feature that prolongs your battery life based on smart algorithms and biomimetic self-restoration technology
    • Redesigns app icons using new materials to give more depth and a greater sense of space and texture to the icons
    • Revamps the page layout based on the principle of reducing visual noise and optimizes the presentation of text and color to make key information stand out
    • Optimized desktop icons with improved textures, by using a design inspired by brand-new materials and uniting lights and layers
    • Optimized spam block rules: Adds a rule for blocking MMS messages
  • Games
    • Newly added the HyperBoost end-to-end frame rate stabilizer
    • Newly added Voice effect preview to allow you to record your voice effect or check your voice effect in real time
  • Dark mode
    • Dark mode now supports three adjustable levels, bringing a more personalized and comfortable user experience
  • Shelf
    • New additional style options for Cards, making data contents more visual and easier to read
    • Newly added access to OnePlus Scout in Shelf, allowing you to search multiple contents on your phone, including Apps, Settings, Media Data, etc
  • Work Life Balance
    • Work Life Balance feature is now available to all users, allowing you to effortlessly switch between Work and Life mode via quick settings
    • WLB 2.0 now supports automatic Work/Life mode switching, based on specific locations, Wi-Fi network, and time, also bringing customized App notification profiles according to the personalization
  • Gallery
    • Gallery now allows you to switch between different layouts with a two-finger pinch gesture, intelligently recognizing the best-quality pictures, and cropping the thumbnail based on the content, making the gallery layout more pleasing
  • Canvas AOD
    • Canvas AOD brings you new diverse styles of lines and colors, for a more personalized lock screen experience with inspiring visuals
    • Newly added multiple brushes and strokes and support for color adjustment
    • Optimized software algorithm and improved face recognition to better identify the features and skin color of different figures
  • Accessibility
    • Optimized categorization of functions by grouping them into vision, hearing, interactive actions, and general
    • TalkBack supports more system apps including Photos, Phone, Mail, and Calendar

Additionally, the release ships with the June 2022 Android security patches. The underlying build number is H.20 for the OnePlus 7 series, while the OnePlus 7T family gets F.12 as their initial Open Beta. The OxygenOS base is 12.1 for both.

According to OnePlus, this is an early build, released in order to gather feedback before rolling out to the stable channel. As such, expect the beta software to be less stable than normal builds, and so you probably shouldn’t install it on your daily driver. Nonetheless, make sure you backup your stuff before you proceed.

XDA Forums: OnePlus 7 || OnePlus 7 Pro || OnePlus 7T || OnePlus 7T Pro


Download: OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 1 based on Android 12 for the OnePlus 7 and 7T series

For the OnePlus 7 and 7T family of devices, the first OxygenOS 12 Open Beta release is available only for the Indian variants. The installation package for each phone is nearly 4GB in size, so keep that in mind if you’re on a limited data plan. OnePlus also recommends you have at least 30% battery available on your device before attempting the flash.

Although your personal data shouldn’t be affected on upgrading to the Open Beta build, reverting to the stable channel will lead to a wipe, so always take a complete backup beforehand.

OnePlus 7

OnePlus 7 Pro

OnePlus 7T

OnePlus 7T Pro


Source: OnePlus Community Forums (12)

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Samsung Gaming Hub is now live

During CES 2022, Samsung announced its Gaming Hub platform, introducing the world to its new gaming strategy going forward for its Smart TVs and monitors. Today, Samsung’s platform goes live, debuting on its Smart TVs for 2022 and its Smart Monitor Series.

No downloads required

Samsung Gaming Hub will bring game streaming content without the need for extra hardware add-ons. The firm has partnered with some of the biggest in the gaming industry like Xbox, Nvidia, Google, and more. That means users will have access to hundreds of games at the touch of a button.

As mentioned previously, in order to take advantage of Gaming Hub, you’ll need to have one of Samsung’s latest TVs or its Smart Monitor Series. The company states:

Players will be able to easily browse and discover games from the widest selection available, regardless of platform.

Despite not being powered by any additional hardware, Samsung Gaming Hub is fully fleshed out thanks to Tizen OS and its optimizations. The combination of software and hardware offers “advanced motion enhancements and latency reducing technology”.

Furthermore, the new TV models also “introduce faster decoding and optimized buffer control technology”, reducing the input lag of the previous model by an average of 30 percent. Samsung also utilizes AI upscaling technology in order to bring the best possible experience when it comes to 4K and 8K content.

In addition to being able to access a wide range of gaming services, the service will also offer support for accessories like Bluetooth controllers and wireless headsets. These devices will seamlessly connect to each supported service within Gaming Hub, without the need to be individually paired to service.

Samsung Gaming Hub is now available with instant access to Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now, Google Stadia, Utomik, Twitch, YouTube, and Spotify. Support for Amazon Luna will arrive at a later date.

Source: Samsung

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These are the Best Kindle E-readers to buy in 2022

If you identify yourself as a book worm or voracious reader, an ebook reader such as the Kindle can really take your reading experience to the next level. Why lug those heavy hardback books around when you can have your entire library at your fingertips? And since the Kindle e-reader uses a glare-free e-ink display, it reads just like real paper. And unlike your smartphone, you won’t need to charge this thing for weeks. While you can do light reading on your smartphone with ebooks, an e-reader works out really well if you want to do some longer reading frequently, thanks to its screen and battery benefits.

There are e-readers that exist beyond the Amazon Kindle. But the Kindle remains one of the most popular and well-recognized products, to the point that the word Kindle gets instantly recognized as an e-ink e-reader. But for those who may be looking at one for the first time, the Kindle lineup could appear confusing as it comprises several models, each catering to a different audience and offering different features. But which one should you buy? Let’s find out.

Amazon Kindle (10th Gen): Affordable and gets the job done

Kindle 10th Gen front and back

The base Kindle model is the most basic and inexpensive ebook reader in the lineup. If you just want to experience the goodness of an ebook reader without any extras, this one will do. Amazon hasn’t updated the base model since 2019, and its design is starting to feel a bit long in the tooth. But it’s still the best option in the entry-level segment.

The Kindle 10th Gen offers a 6-inch e-ink glare-free display with chunky bezels and an all-plastic design. Unlike the prior models, the 10th Gen model comes with a front light so you can continue to read at night and in low-light environments without needing an external light. The base model packs 8GB of storage which is enough to hold thousands of books. The storage isn’t upgradable via a microSD card, and there is no higher storage variant available. This can be a problem if you’re also planning to stream Audible audiobooks, as they can take up a significant amount of storage. But otherwise, 8GB should be fine for most users and is a big step up from the previous models, which only offered 4GB storage. And since it’s a Kindle, you have nothing to worry about battery life. Just a single charge will keep your Kindle running for up to four weeks.

    Amazon Kindle 10th Gen
    The Kindle 10th Gen features a 6-inch E-ink display with front light and up to four weeks of battery in a sleek package.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (11th Gen): Feature-packed, reasonably priced

The base Kindle nails the fundamentals and has all the essentials. But if you can spend more, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is the best option. Sitting in the middle between the entry-level Kindle and the luxurious Kindle Oasis, the Paperwhite strikes the perfect balance between price and performance.

Amazon refreshed the Paperwhite lineup in September last year, introducing the Kindle Paperwhite 11th Gen and Paperwhite Signature Edition. With the Paperwhite, you get a larger 6.8-inch E-ink display and thinner borders. It also has a sharper display, offering 300 pixels per inch compared to 167 pixels per inch on the entry-level Kindle. The Paperwhite also features adjustable Warm Light for a comfortable reading experience at night and packs 17 LEDs vs just 4 LEDs on the base Kindle. The Paperwhite 11th Gen offers faster page turns thanks to the new chipset and comes with a USB-C charging port. In terms of battery life, Amazon promises up to 10 weeks of endurance on a single charge. You can pick up the Paperwhite with 8GB or 32GB of storage, and it comes in both Wi-Fi and cellular variants.

    Kindle Paperwhite 11th Gen
    The Kindle Paperwhite 11th Gen packs a 6.8-inch E-ink display with adjustable Warm Light and USB-C port.

The Signature Edition has extra perks such as ambient light sensors for auto-brightness adjustments and Qi wireless charging. But otherwise, it’s identical to the standard Paperwhite.

If you want to save some money, you can also pick up the older Paperwhite 10th Gen at a discounted price. It has a 6-inch display with 300PPI and IPX8 water resistance, but you’ll miss out on refinements such as a USB-C port, adjustable Warm Light, and longer battery life.

    Kindle Paperwhite 10th Gen
    The Kindle Paperwhite 10th Gen features a 6-inch glrare-free E-ink dislay and IPX8 water protection.

Amazon Kindle Oasis (10th Gen): A luxurious reading experience

Spending $270 on an ebook reader may not sound like a great idea, especially when the newer Paperwhite offers many of the same features. But for those who want the absolute best reading experience, the Kindle Oasis is the way to go.

The Kindle Oasis features a sleek aluminum body that looks and feels premium. At just 3.2mm, it’s super slim compared to the 8.1mm thick Paperwhite 11th Gen. And it has an ergonomic design with physical turn buttons, allowing you to comfortably read by holding the device in one hand without touching the display. The Oasis also has a large 7-inch display, so you get more real screen estate. However, with the new Paperwhite 11th Gen now packing a 6.8-inch display, this gap isn’t that significant anymore. In addition, the Warm Light and adaptive brightness are also no longer exclusive to the Kindle Oasis.

    Kindle Oasis
    The Kindle Oasis is the best in the business, featuring a gorgeous 7-inch display, up to six weeks of battery life, and an elegant metal body.

Kindle for Kids

Kindle Kids with a printed cover

For little ones, Amazon offers Kindle Kids and Paperwhite Kids. Both models come with a two-year worry-free guarantee and one year of Amazon Kids Plus, a subscription service that offers unlimited access to kid-friendly books. Amazon also bundles a colorful cover. Parents can use Parent Dashboard to adjust the age filter, add books to their child’s library, view reading progress, and set bedtime. There is no fundamental difference in hardware between the Kids models and the regular Kindle models.

    Kindle Kids
    The Kindle Kids comes with 2-year guarantee, a kid-friendly cover and a 1 year of Kindle Kids Plus

Conclusion

Amazon offers multiple Kindle e-readers to choose from. It all starts with the base Kindle, a basic e-reader with an E-ink display, and a few LEDs that help you keep your reading sessions going even when there’s no external light source. You can store thousands of books, and it easily lasts for weeks on a single charge. It doesn’t have the sharpest display, and it’s not the best-looking Kindle that Amazon has to offer, but it gets the job done.

Then comes the Kindle Paperwhite, and it’s the Kindle we recommend for most people. The latest Paperwhite 11th Gen is reasonably priced and offers a larger 6.8-inch display with Warm Light, slimmer bezels, faster page turns, USB-C, and longer battery life. If you want to save money and don’t mind the micro USB port, the Paperwhite 10th Gen is still a great option, and it will give you a water-resistant design and a sharper display than the base Kindle.

For those who don’t mind the price, the Kindle Oasis still remains the best and most premium ebook reader. However, with the newer Paperwhite now offering key features of the Oasis for nearly half the price, the Kindle Oasis finds itself in a very tough position.

What Kindle do you prefer? Let us know in the comments below!

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A retail store may have leaked the launch date of the MacBook Air M2

Apple introduced the all-new MacBook Air (2022) during WWDC22. The reveal was made along with that of iOS 16, macOS Ventura, and watchOS 9. This year’s Dub Dub conference brought plenty of exciting and fresh changes to the table. This applies in both the software and hardware departments. For example, the iPhone Lock Screen has introduced widget and advanced customization support. Meanwhile, M1 iPads can now handle resizable app windows. Perhaps one of the more thrilling announcements, though, is that of the M2-powered MacBook Air. We got a redesigned chassis with MagSafe 3 charging support and more finish options. That’s not to mention the upgraded display, including a notch to house the 1080p webcam. Apple didn’t share much regarding this anticipated notebook’s release date. It only shared that it would happen at some point in July. A new report now reveals the potential launch date of the MacBook Air M2.

According to MacRumors, a retail store has leaked the launch date of the redesigned MacBook Air (2022). If the report is, in fact, accurate, customers will be able to get their hands on it starting Friday, July 15. Pre-order are expected to go live a week earlier, on July 8. Of course, these dates will vary depending on your region. That’s because Apple usually makes new products available in the United States, Canada, some European countries, and a few other regions before the rest of the world.

The new MacBook Air (2022) has a 13.6-inch screen, packs the M2 chip, features a fanless design, and comes in four finishes to pick from. For $1,199, you get to choose between a Midnight, Starlight, Space Gray, or Silver unit. The M1 model from 2020 remains on sale for those who’d rather spend less on an Apple notebook.

    Apple MacBook Air (2022)
    This 2022 Apple notebook offers the M2 chip and a redesigned chassis with MagSafe support. Best Buy can notify you when it's available.

Do you plan on buying the Apple MacBook Air M2 (2022)? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments section below.


Source: MacRumors

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Pixel’s Car Crash Detection feature might soon make its way to other Android devices

Google recently rolled out an update for the Personal Safety app on Pixel devices. A teardown of the latest release has revealed new strings suggesting that the Pixel-exclusive Car Crash Detection feature might soon make its way to other Android phones.

The following strings in Personal Safety v2022.05.25 (via Mishaal Rahman) clearly mention “nonpixel” in the string names, suggesting that the Car Crash Detection feature might not be a Pixel-exclusive offering for long.

crash_settings_check_user_status_body_text_nonpixel

crash_settings_emergency_alert_body_text_nonpixel

crash_settings_footnote_nonpixel

For the unaware, the Car Crash Detection feature is currently only available on Google’s Pixel devices, and it uses the location, motion sensors, and ambient audio to detect a car crash. Once it detects a crash, it plays a loud sound and asks users if they need any help. In case of no response, it automatically dials 911 and shares your phone’s location. Interestingly, the feature works even when the Personal Safety app is not in use.

Although Google hasn’t shared any details about the rollout so far, Mishaal Rahman speculates that it might not roll out to all non-Pixel devices at once. That’s because the feature relies on a Context Hub Runtime Environment (CHRE) nanoapp, which OEMs have to compile, sign, and integrate into their software releases. Since Google currently doesn’t mandate OEMs to implement CHRE on their builds, the Car Crash Detection feature might see a limited release on some non-Pixel devices. But that could change if Google mandates CHRE implementation.

At the moment, it isn’t clear how Google plans to bring Car Crash Detection to non-Pixel devices. The company could either provide OEMs with the source code for the nanoapp or offer a precompiled version to help OEMs easily integrate it into their software releases. We’ll make sure to let you know as soon as we have more details.

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Samsung Galaxy S22 vs OnePlus 9RT: Samsung’s flagship takes on OnePlus’s affordable flagship

Buying a flagship smartphone in 2022 shouldn’t cost you a fortune. There are plenty of options to explore that offer a top-notch flagship smartphone experience while being reasonably priced. Take, for example, the OnePlus 9RT, which can be had for ~$699 and has all the bells and whistles you expect from a modern-day flagship, including a gorgeous display, capable main cameras, and flagship processor. But how does it compare to a seasoned flagship phone like the Galaxy S22? There’s only one way to find out.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Vs OnePlus 9RT: Specifications

Specification Google Pixel 6 Pro OnePlus 9RT
Build
  • Aluminum mid-frame
  • Gorilla Glass Victus back
  • Gorilla Glass Victus front
  • Glass back
  • Metallic frame
Dimensions & Weight
  • 146 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm
  • 168 gram
  • 163.2 x 73.2 x 8.7mm
  • 197g
Display
  • 6.1-inch AMOLED 2X Display
  • 2340 x 1080, 425 ppi
  • HDR10+ certified
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • Always On Display
  • 6.62-inch FHD+ Samsung E4 AMOLED
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • 600Hz touch sampling rate
  • 1300nits peak brightness
  • 1000000:1 contrast ratio
  • 100% DCI-P3 coverage
  • HDR10+
SoC
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (the US, China, India, and other regions)
  • Exynos 2200 (Europe, South America, and other regions)
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
    • 1x Kryo 680 (ARM Cortex X1-based) Prime core @ 2.84GHz
    • 3x Kryo 680 (ARM Cortex A78-based) Performance cores @ 2.4GHz
    • 4x Kryo 680 (ARM Cortex A55-based) Efficiency cores @ 1.8GHz
  • Adreno 660 GPU
RAM & Storage
  • 8GB RAM
  • 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 storage
  • 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 storage
Battery & Charging
  • 3,700mAh
  • 25W Wired fast charging (charger not included in box)
  • 15W wireless charging
  • 4,500mAh
  • 65W fast charging support
Security Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner In-display fingerprint scanner
Rear Camera(s)
  • Primary: 50MP wide, f/1.8
  • Secondary: 12MP ultra-wide, f.2.2
  • Tertiary: 10MP telephoto, 3x optical
  • Primary: 50MP Sony IMX 766, f/1.8, OIS
  • Ultra-wide: 16MP, f/2.2
  • Macro: 2MP, f/2.4
Front Camera(s) 10MP 16MP, f/2.4
Port(s)
  • USB Type-C
  • No headphone jack
  • No microSD card slot
  • USB Type-C port
  • No headphone jack
  • No microSD card slot
Audio
  • Stereo speakers
  • Stereo speakers
Connectivity
  • 5G: Non-Standalone (NSA), Standalone (SA), Sub6 / mmWave
  • LTE: Enhanced 4×4 MIMO, Up to 7CA, LTE Cat.20
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4/5/6GHz)
  • Bluetooth v5.2
  • 5G
  • LTE
  • Wi-Fi 6
  • Bluetooth 5.1
Software
  • Android 12 with One UI 4.1
  • Four major Android OS updates promised
  • Five years of security patches
Other Features
  • IP68 water and dust protection
  • Dual SIM
  • Vapor cooling chamber
  • Alert slider

Design & Display

Both the Galaxy S22 and the OnePlus 9RT are great-looking phones. The Galaxy S22 is on the smaller side, measuring 146 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm and weighing just 168g. It features a minimalistic design with rounded corners and a flat aluminum middle frame, which looks a lot like the current iPhone. The camera island on the back is the most striking element of the Galaxy S22. Both front and back are protected by Gorilla Glass Victus.

Photo of the Galaxy S22's cameras

The OnePlus 9RT looks less exciting than the Galaxy S22, but it’s also made with premium materials, featuring aluminum side rails and a glass back. The back has a silky texture which feels nice to touch. OnePlus has also done a great job with the weight distribution, so the phone is comfortable to hold. OnePlus’ signature alert slider is placed on the right side, while the rectangular camera island on the back houses three cameras.

OnePlus 9RT back

The Galaxy S22 has a 6.1-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The OnePlus 9RT, on the other hand, has a bigger 6.62-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Both phones can reach up to 1300 nits in auto-brightness mode, offer 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and support HDR10+ content.

While both displays are neck to neck in terms of raw numbers, the Galaxy S22 has a superior panel compared to the older Samsung E4 panel used by the OnePlus 9RT. The difference is certainly not huge, and unless you have trained eyes and have used a lot of flagships, you’re unlikely to notice

Camera

On paper, both phones boast capable camera hardware. The Galaxy S22 features a triple camera system, comprising a 50MP f/1.8 main shooter, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, and a 10MP f/2.4 telephoto zoom lens with 3x optical zoom. For the OnePlus 9RT, we’re looking at a 50MP Sony IMX766 main sensor, a 16MP ultra-wide shooter, and a 2MP macro lens.

As you can see, the Galaxy S22 has superior hardware as it offers a 10MP zoom lens. You won’t get crazy good zooming like the Galaxy S22 Ultra, but it gets the job done. The OnePlus 9RT doesn’t have a dedicated zoom camera, so any zooming you do will be digital, and the final image may not look as sharp.

The Galaxy S22 and OnePlus 9RT both have a 50MP main shooter. In good lighting conditions, both phones produce sharp images with high dynamic range and accurate color reproduction. But in low-light and dark conditions, the Galaxy S22 is much better and more reliable than the OnePlus 9RT.

The OnePlus 9RT’s 16MP ultra-wide camera is nothing to write home about. It produces serviceable photos in broad daylight, but its low light performance leaves a lot to be desired.

Galaxy S22 camera samples

Photo of a bush with leaves Wide-angle photo of the inside of a mall Photo of the outside of a mall Photo of the inside of a mall Photo of US and North Carolina flags Photo of a gas station

OnePlus 9RT camera samples

OnePlus 9RT Camera Samples

Overall, the Galaxy S22 has a more versatile and reliable camera system. It offers significantly better low-light performance, a better ultra-wide camera, and a dedicated zoom lens. But for a device that costs nearly half the price of the Galaxy S22, the OnePlus 9RT still delivers an impressive camera performance.

Performance

The Galaxy S22 is powered by the top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, although it is also sold with the Exynos 2200 SoC in regions where the OnePlus 9RT is not sold in. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 9RT opts for the last year’s Snapdragon 888 SoC. The Galaxy S22 has the OnePlus 9RT beat here as it’s using the newer and more powerful chipset. In particular, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 offers 10% faster CPU and GPU performance while reducing the peak power consumption by up to 20%. But make no mistake: the Snapdragon 888 chipset inside the OnePlus 9RT is no slouch and can easily hold its own against other Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-powered phones. OnePlus also puts a lot of effort into optimizing OxygenOS, so the OnePlus 9RT should feel as fast and smooth as any high-end flagship in real-world usage.

The OnePlus 9RT also has a large vapor cooling champer to keep thermals in check during intensive workloads such as gaming.

Battery and Charging

The OnePlus 9RT picks up an easy win here, featuring a larger 4,500mAh battery to the Galaxy S22’s measly 3,7000mAh cell. If you’re a heavy user, the Galaxy S22 will struggle to last you through the day. The OnePlus 9RT doesn’t have an extraordinary battery life by any means, but it will at least get you through the day.

The OnePlus 9RT also blows the Galaxy S22 out of the water when it comes to the charging speed, offering super 67W wired fast charging. The Galaxy S22 tops out at 25W but does support wireless charging, which is missing on the OnePlus 9RT.

Software

The Galaxy S22 runs Android out of the box with One UI 4 on top. Samsung promises up to four years of OS updates and five years of security updates, putting even Google Pixel to shame. The OnePlus 9RT ships with OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11 but is upgradable to Android 12, although many users dislike the Android 12 upgrade on OnePlus devices. OnePlus promises three years of OS updates and four years of security updates, which, while not as impressive as Samsung’s, is still better than what some other affordable flagships on the market offer.

Conclusion

Choosing between the OnePlus 9RT and Galaxy S22 is one of the easiest decisions you’ll make. There’s a significant price gap between the two, and both phones cater to different audiences. The Galaxy S22 starts at ₹72,999, while the OnePlus 9RT is priced at ₹42,999. It’s not a fair comparison at all, and your answer is more than likely dictated by your budget.

    Samsung Galaxy S22
    The vanilla Galaxy S22 offers a beautiful AMOLED display and capable flagship-grade cameras.

The Galaxy S22 has a better display, a faster chipset, and more versatile and capable cameras. It handily beats the OnePlus 9RT in all areas except the battery life and charging speed. It also gives you the best software support on the market, and Samsung generally offers good exchange rates should you decide to jump to a newer Galaxy flagship later down the road. You can also check out the best deals on the Galaxy S22 to save money.

    OnePlus 9RT
    The OnePlus 9RT offers flagship hardware at an affordable price.

If the budget is the constraint, the OnePlus 9RT is a no-brainer. It’s one of the best value-for-money flagships in the Indian market, and when you factor in deals and cashback, it looks even more enticing. You get a beautiful AMOLED display, flagship Snapdragon 888 chipset, capable main shooter, and blazing fast charging speed.

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Xiaomi will launch the Mi Band 7 Pro early next month, here’s what it looks like

After launching the Mi Band 7 this May, Xiaomi is now gearing up to launch a Pro variant of the popular fitness tracker. The company has shared a short teaser of the Mi Band 7 Pro ahead of its official launch and confirmed that it would land with the Xiaomi 12S series early next month.

In a recent post on Weibo, Xiaomi shared a short teaser video of the upcoming Mi Band 7 Pro. The video gives us our first look at the premium fitness tracker, which features a much larger display and better build quality than the non-Pro variant. At first glance, the premium fitness tracker looks a lot like the Redmi Smart Band Pro. However, unlike the Redmi Smart Band Pro, the Mi Band 7 Pro appears to have a more premium metal chassis.

While Xiaomi’s teaser video doesn’t reveal much else about the Mi Band 7 Pro, renowned leaker Digital Chat Station has shared a couple of renders that shed some more light on the fitness tracker. The leaked renders reveal that Xiaomi will launch the Mi Band 7 Pro in two color variants — one featuring a gold bezel around the display and a white band, while the other featuring a gunmetal bezel around the display and a black strap. Both models will come with traditional watch-style bands, unlike the Redmi Smart Band Pro.

Leaked render of the white Mi Band 7 Pro on white background. Leaked render of the black Mi Band 7 Pro on white background.

As mentioned earlier, Xiaomi will unveil the Mi Band 7 Pro alongside the Xiaomi 12S series on July 4. The premium fitness tracker will likely offer all the features found on its more affordable non-Pro counterpart, along with a couple of extras. However, we currently don’t have any info on the additional features it may offer. We’ll make sure to let you know as soon as we learn more.

What do you think of the Mi Band 7 Pro’s design? Are you a fan of the new form factor, or do you think it looks a bit odd? Let us know in the comments section below.


Source: Weibo (1,2)

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Pixel Buds A-Series update fixes buggy Bass slider

In December last year, Google rolled out a firmware update for its affordable TWS earbuds — the Pixel Buds A-Series. The update introduced a couple of new features, including a new slider to adjust the bass, a Loudness compensation toggle, improved device switching capabilities, and more. However, since the rollout, we’ve seen several reports about users facing issues with the new Bass slider. Google is now finally addressing the issue with a new Pixel Buds A-Series update.

In a recent post on the Google Pixel Buds Help community forums, Google announced the latest firmware update for the Pixel Buds A-Series. As mentioned earlier, the update (firmware version 3.415) addresses the “toggle button issues with the EQ/bass slider feature where the bass effect continued to revert to original.” It has already started rolling out to Pixel Buds A-Series users worldwide, and Google says that it should reach all users over the course of the next two weeks.

Once the update reaches your device, it should automatically make its way to your Pixel Buds A-Series the next time you use them with a device running Android 6.0 or later. Google says that this process takes about ten minutes and it shouldn’t affect usability. The update will be installed the next time you place the Pixel Buds A-Series in the charging case. Google further notes that the update will only be installed if the earbuds and charging case have sufficient battery life and it may take multiple attempts for the update to complete.

In case the update is still not installed for some reason, you can trigger the process manually by navigating to the Firmware Update section in the Pixel Buds app and selecting the “Update available” option while the earbuds are in the charging case with the lid open.

Have you received the latest Pixel Buds A-series update? Does it successfully address the Bass slider bug? Let us know in the comments section below.


Source: Google Pixel Buds Help
Via: 9to5Google

The post Pixel Buds A-Series update fixes buggy Bass slider appeared first on XDA.



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mercredi 29 juin 2022

Google Pixel 6 Pro vs Sony Xperia Pro 1 IV: Which camera smartphone should you buy?

The Google Pixel 6 Pro and the Sony Xperia 1 IV are two unique flagships, standing in stark contrast in pretty much every area, from design and display to their approach to photography. They’re great options for anyone who doesn’t want to go with the mainstream options such as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra or the OnePlus 10 Pro. The Pixel 6 Pro was unveiled last year, while the Sony Xperia 1 IV arrived in May this year. If you’re having a hard time deciding which one is the best for you, read on as it’s time to pit the computational photography king against the phone with one of the best camera hardware.

Google Pixel 6 Pro smartphone held out in the hand, with a foliage of shrubs and flowers in the background Xperia 1 IV's back

Google Pixel 6 Pro Vs Sony Xperia 1 IV: Specifications

Specification Google Pixel 6 Pro Sony Xperia 1 IV
Build
  • Aluminum mid-frame
  • Gorilla Glass Victus front and back
  • IP68 rating
  • Metal and glass sandwich
  • Gorilla Glass Victus front and back
  • IP68 rating
Dimensions & Weight
  • 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm
  • 210g
  • 166 x 72 x 8.9mm
  • 211g
Display
  • 6.7-inch OLED
  • 1,440 x 3,120 pixels
  • HDR10+ certified
  • Variable refresh rate between 60Hz to 120Hz
  • 6.5-inch 4K OLED HDR (3840 x 1644)
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • 240Hz touch sampling rate
  • 100% DCI-P3
  • HDR BT.2020 (Rec.2020)
  • D65 White point
  • 21:9 aspect ratio
  • Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
SoC
  • Google Tensor chipset
  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
    • 1x ARM Cortex-X2 @ 3.0GHz
    • 3x ARM Cortex-A710 @ 2.50GHz
    • 4x ARM Cortex-A510 @ 1.80GHz
  • Adreno 730 GPU
  • 4nm process
RAM & Storage
  • 8GB/12GB RAM
  • 128GB/256GB/512GB UFS 3.1 storage
  • 12GB RAM
  • 256GB/512GB storage
Battery & Charging
  • 5,004 mAh battery
  • 30W fast wired charging
  • Wireless charging
  • Charger not included
  • 5,000 mAh battery
  • 30W fast charger (inside the box)
  • Wireless charging
  • Reverse wireless charging
Security Optical in-display fingerprint sensor Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Rear Camera(s)
  • Primary: 50MP main, f/1.9, 1/1.31″, OIS, binned
  • Secondary: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.2
  • Tertiary: 48MP periscope, 4x optical zoom
  • Camera setup:
    • Primary: 12MP, f/1.7, 24mm, 1/1.7″, 1.8µm, OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF
    • Secondary: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.2, 16mm, 1/2.6″, Dual Pixel PDAF
    • Tertiary: 12MP periscope, f/2.3-2.8, 85mm-125mm, OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF
    • Quaternary: 3D iToF sensor
  • Features:
    • ZEISS optics
    • 120fps read out speed (all lenses)
    • 20fps AF/AE tracking burst with noise reduction (all lenses)
    • 60fps continuous AF/AE calculations
    • Real-time Eye AF (all lenses)
Front Camera(s) 11MP, f/2.2/1.22μm 12MP
Port(s)
  • USB Type-C
  • No headphone jack
  • No microSD card slot
  • USB Type-C port
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Dedicated microSD card slot
Audio
  • Stereo speakers
  • Full range front-firing stereo speakers
  • Dolby Atmos
  • Hi-Res Audio
  • 360 Reality Audio (through speakers)
  • 360 Spatial Sound (over headphones)
Connectivity
  • 5G: Non-Standalone (NSA), Standalone (SA), Sub6 / mmWave
  • LTE: Enhanced 4×4 MIMO, Up to 7CA, LTE Cat.20
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4/5/6GHz)
  • Bluetooth v5.2
  • NFC
  • GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou
  • 5G (Sub-6Hz)
  • Bluetooth 5.x
  • 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band WiFi
  • NFC
  • GPS, GLONASS, Galileo
Software
  • Android 12 with Pixel Launcher
  • Android 12 out of the box
Other Features
  • Single physical SIM
  • Four major Android OS updates promised
  • Five years of security patches
  • MicroSD card support
  • Dedicated camera shutter button

Design & Display

The design is the biggest and most notable difference between the Pixel 6 Pro and Sony Xperia 1 IV. The Pixel 6 Pro comes across as a bold, eye-catching device with all its curves and vibrant colors. The Sony Xperia 1 IV, in contrast, looks as boring as an unbuttered toast.

Sony’s design has evolved little since the introduction of the first Xperia 1 II. If you were to put the Xperia 1 II, Xperia, Xperia 1 III, and Xperia 1 IV side by side, you’d be hard-pressed to find any noticeable difference. The Xperia 1 IV is a rectangular glass-and-metal slab featuring a narrow aspect ratio and a no-notch display. The back houses a rectangular camera strip, while the right frame is home to the power button, volume keys, and the dedicated shutter button.

Xperia 1 IV's tall screen

The Pixel phones have always been unique and interesting in the design department, and the Pixel 6 Pro is certainly the best-looking device that Google has ever produced. The dual-tone play and the large rectangular strip resembling a visor are stand-out elements of the Pixel 6 Pro, making the phone stand out from the crowd and giving it a bit of character.

Google Pixel 6 Pro back Google Pixel 6 Pro back with G logo

Both the Sony Xperia 1 IV and Pixel 6 Pro sport high refresh rate OLED displays. The Pixel 6 Pro has a 6.71-inch LTPO AMOLED display with QHD+ resolution, HDR10+ support, and a centered hole punch.

The Xperia 1 IV features a 6.5-inch 4K OLED display with 3840 x 1644 resolution and a 21:9 tall aspect ratio. The panel has no cutout or notch, so you get the full unobtrusive view. As impressive as it may sound, 4K resolution on a tiny smartphone screen is overkill. Even in a side-by-side comparison, you’re unlike to spot a difference between a QHD panel and a 4K panel. But yeah, if you want to consume 4K HDR content on a smartphone, the Xperia 1 IV is the only device on the market that can do it.

Also, the Xperia 1 IV panel is brighter than the Pixel 6 Pro, so it will be easier to use outside on sunny days. Overall, we think the Xperia 1 IV has a better panel than the Pixel 6 Pro. It’s brighter, has no notch, and offers more resolution.


Cameras

Both the Pixel 6 Pro and Sony Xperia 1 IV are camera-focused devices. The Pixel 6 Pro offers a triple camera setup, featuring a 50MP f/1.9 Samsung GN1 main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide camera with 114-degree field-of-view, and a 48MP periscope lens with 4x optical zoom. The Pixel 6 Pro also offers several neat camera tricks such as Magic Eraser, Action Pan, Real Tone, and astrophotography mode.

Pixel 6 Pro camera samples

Pixel 6 Pro, main camera pixel 6 pro Pixel 6 Pro Pixel 6 Pro Pixel 6 Pro Pixel 6 Pro, main camera Pixel 6 Pro, ultra-wide Pixel 6 Pro, 3x Pixel 6 Pro, 10x zoom Pixel 6 Pro, ultra-wide camera

The Sony Xperia 1 IV has three 12MP shooters. There’s a 12MP main shooter with a 24mm equivalent focal length, a 12MP ultra-wide shooter, and a 12MP periscope zoom lens that can smoothly switch between different focal lengths between 85mm (3.5x) and 125mm (5.2x). Finally, there’s also a ToF sensor for collecting depth data. All three lenses offer 120fps read-out speeds, Real-time Eye AF, 20fps burst shooting with HDR, and 60fps continuous autofocus and auto-exposure calculations.

Sony Xperia 1 IV

sony camera sample Xperia 1 IV, ultra-wide Xperia 1 IV, main camera sony xperia 1 iv camera samples sony xperia 1 iv camera samples sony xperia 1 iv camera samples sony camera sample sony camera sample Xperia 1 IV, main camera, manual mode Xperia 1 IV, main camera, auto mode

There’s no doubt both devices pack some impressive camera hardware. However, there’s a stark difference when it comes to their approach to photography. While the Pixel 6 Pro leans heavily on computational photography and post-processing, the Xperia 1 IV puts you in the driver’s seat and gives you greater control over the final output of your shot.

For most average users, the Pixel 6 Pro is the best choice. The Pixel 6 Pro consistently produces stellar photos across all lighting conditions, thanks to its amazing computational photography prowess. It’s one of the best point-and-shoot cameras smartphones, and the effort needed for an amazing click is very low.

However, if you’re a photographer or content creator who knows what they are doing, you might get more mileage out of the Xperia 1 IV, as it gives you sophisticated manual camera controls and more control over the image output. You no longer have an AI choosing the right settings for you — instead, you do that yourself, and there’s a certain freedom to such manual control.


Performance

Both phones also differ when it comes to the processing package. The Pixel 6 Pro uses Googe’s in-house Tensor SoC, which was uniquely developed and optimized for the phone. It features two Arm Cortex-X1 cores, two Cortex-A76 cores, and four Cortex-A55 power-saving cores. In addition, the chipset also features several other components that are used for on-device machine learning, AI-powered features, and camera processing. These include the Tensor Processing Unit, Low-power Context Hub, Titan M2 security chip, and IMage Signalling Processor (ISP).

The Sony Xperia 1 IV is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, featuring a 1x Arm Cortex-X1 core clocked at 3.0GHz, 3x Cortex-A710 cores running at 2.50GHz and 4x Cortex-A510 cores at 1.8GHz. The chipset is paired with 12GB RAM and 256GB/512GB UFS 3.1 storage.

Both phones pack 12GB of RAM. The Pixel 6 gives you three storage options: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, while you can pick the Xperia 1 IV with 256GB or 512GB of storage.

Whether you pick the Pixel or the Xperia, you have nothing to worry about the general performance. Both perform at a flagship level in day-to-day tasks. But note that both phones are susceptible to overheating on hot days and during heavy gaming since they don’t have a sophisticated cooling system.


Battery & Charging

Both the Pixel 6 Pro and Xperia 1 IV pack large 5,000mAh batteries. The charging speed is also the same, with both devices supporting 30W fast wired charging, which is on the conservative side when we have phones like the OnePlus 10 Pro topping out at 80W. Wireless charging support is also available on both devices. As you can see, both phones are neck to neck in the department. However, the Pixel 6 Pro enjoys an upper hand when it comes to real-world performance. That’s mainly because the QHD panel of the Pixel 6 Pro is less taxing on the battery than the Xperia’s 4K panel. In addition, the Pixel’s panel supports LTPO technology, which allows it to lower the display refresh rate to 10Hz to save power.


Google Pixel 6 Pro vs Sony Xperia 1 IV: Which one should you buy?

As you can see, the Pixel 6 Pro and Sony Xperia 1 IV are two capable flagships with powerful cameras. But if we had to choose one, it would be the Pixel 6 Pro. The Google Pixel 6 Pro is the perfect flagship for most mainstream buyers. It looks great, has a beautiful display, and its camera performance is among the very best. Add in Google’s amazing software support with four guaranteed OS updates, and you’ve got yourself a pretty great deal.

    Sony Xperia 1 IV
    The Sony Xperia 1 IV is a powerful camera-focused flagship with a breathtaking 4K display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.
    Google Pixel 6 Pro
    The Google Pixel 6 Pro runs on Google's in-house Tensor SoC and packs powerful cameras.

However, if you don’t mind the hefty $1,600 price tag and value features like a 3.5 audio jack, notch-less display, micro SD card slot, and manual camera controls, the Xperia 1 IV is a fantastic option.

The post Google Pixel 6 Pro vs Sony Xperia Pro 1 IV: Which camera smartphone should you buy? appeared first on XDA.



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