November 2019 – Page 2 – Batterie Store Blog

Intel Partners With MediaTek to Bring 5G Support to Laptops

In a bid to bring its new 5G modem to PCs, MediaTek is partnering with Intel, the Taiwanese chipmaker said on Monday. Dell and HP are expected to be among the first original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to deliver laptops powered by Intel and MediaTek’s 5G solution. The first rollout of devices is expected for early 2021, MediaTek said.

Through this partnership, Intel has been working with MediaTek on the 5G solution for deployment in key consumer and commercial laptop segments.

MediaTek is developing the 5G modem and working with partners to manufacture the solution.

“Our 5G modem for PCs, developed in partnership with Intel, is integral to making 5G accessible and available across home and mobile platforms,” said MediaTek President Joe Chen.

“With this partnership, consumers will be able to browse, stream and game faster on their PCs, but we also expect them to innovate with 5G in ways we have not yet imagined,” Chen said.

MediaTek’s new 5G modem for PCs is based in part on its Helio M70 5G modem it introduced earlier this year as part of its integrated 5G system-on-chip for the first wave of 5G flagship smartphones.

“5G is poised to unleash a new level of computing and connectivity that will transform the way we interact with the world,” said Gregory Bryant, Intel Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Client Computing Group.

“Intel’s partnership with MediaTek brings together industry leaders with deep engineering, system integration and connectivity expertise to deliver 5G experiences on the next generation of the world’s best PCs,” Bryant said.

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Realme X50 With Dual-Mode 5G Support Confirmed to Launch Soon, Sports Hole-Punch Design With Two Selfie Cameras

Realme announced its plans to launch 5G phones earlier this year, and also indicated that it will be among the first brands to bring 5G-ready phones to the market. Realme has now revealed the name of its first 5G phone – the Realme X50 – that will be launched soon. The Realme X50 will offer support for dual-mode NSA and SA 5G network, just like the upcoming Redmi K30 5G. Moreover, it will sport a pill-shaped hole-punch on the front that will house dual selfie cameras.

Realme’s Chief Marketing Officer, Xu Qi Chase, revealed in a Weibo post that Realme X50 will be the company’s first 5G phone. The upcoming Realme phone will offer support for both 5G Standalone (SA) and Non-Standalone (NSA) networks, or to put it simply, dual-mode 5G connectivity support. But neither the Realme executive nor the company itself, have revealed whether the Realme X50 will rely on a MediaTek SoC or a Qualcomm SoC to offer 5G support.

Back in September, Realme announced plans to launch 5G phones powered by Qualcomm’s 5G-ready Snapdragon 700-series processors. While the aforementioned chipset is yet to go official, rumours swirling around the leak arena suggest that the Snapdragon 735 SoC might be among the first non-flagship Qualcomm processors to offer 5G support. While Xiaomi’s Redmi K30 5G has been confirmed to launch in December, there is no word when the Realme X50 will debut and arrive in India. However, Realme CEO Madhav Sheth promised earlier this year that 5G phones from the company will be launched in India later in 2019, so we expect an announcement later this month or in December.

The poster shared by Chase on Weibo also shows the silhouette of Realme X50. It is worth noting that the phone is depicted sporting a pill-shaped hole-punch on the display that houses dual selfies cameras. The hole-punch on the Realme X50 is in the top-left corner of the display. In comparison, Xiaomi’s upcoming Redmi K30 5G will also pack a dual hole-punch design, but the selfie sensors are located on the top-right corner of the display.

Realme Details ColorOS 7 Release Roadmap for Its Smartphones, Realme X2 Pro to Get ColorOS 7 Beta From December 18

Oppo is all set to launch ColorOS 7, its new custom skin based on Android 10, in India on November 26. Meanwhile, Realme smartphones will also be getting a more customised version of ColorOS 7, which is due to roll out in first quarter of 2020. Now, Realme has officially unveiled its roadmap for ColorOS 7 for its entire smartphone lineup, which begins in January 2020. Whats more, Realme X2 Pro users will be able to get a sneak-peek with the beta version of ColorOS 7 from December 18. The stable rollout of ColorOS 7 will begin from January and extend all the way till Q3 2020.

The official press release from Realme states that this customised version of ColorOS 7 should bring smoother gaming graphics, better RAM management more customisation options for video and vlogging. Some of these customisations include the ability to change app icons, shape and size and the font. There’ll also be a system-wide dark mode. Realme has also teased that user can expect some “special features” which will be closer to the stock Android experience but hasn’t specified what these actually are.

The beta programme for ColorOS 7 will begin from November 27, specifically for the Realme X2 Pro. You’ll have to fill in an application form on the Realme community page, for a chance to be recruited for the beta testing programme. Also, beta testers from Realme X2 Pro, Project X, and Realme XT ColorOS 6.7 beta will also be given a chance to try ColorOS 7, provided you’ve “proven” yourself worthy. Realme will announce the final list of beta testers on December 9, followed by the actual testing program which commences from December 18 to February 2020.

As for the roadmap for the stable release, the Realme 3 Pro and Realme XT will be among the first phones to receive ColorOS 7 starting in January 2020. In February, the Realme X (Review) and Realme 5 Pro (Review) will receive it, followed by the Realme X2 Pro in March. The Realme 3 (Review) and Realme 3i (Review) will get it in April, followed by the Realme 5 (Review) and Realme 5s in May, the Realme 2 Pro (Review) in June and finally, the Realme C2 (Review) sometime in Q3 2020.

Realme India CEO, Madhav Sheth, has repeatedly mentioned that ColorOS 7 for Realme phones will be closer to stock Android, which means some of these features won’t be found on ColourOS for Oppo phones. But what about the mythical RealmeOS that we’ve been hearing rumours about? Well, this next version will essentially be RealmeOS, even though it won’t be actually called that. In a recent #AskMadhav episode on YouTube, Sheth answers popular queries from the community and one of the burning questions was, when will RealmeOS launch? Sheth categorically states that Realme phones will continue to be based on ColorOS but the next version (ColourOS 7), will be contain exclusive features only for Realme phones which have been incorporated based on user feedback. He further reaffirms that it will be much closer to a stock Android experience too.

In China, Realme will be launching an “early adopter” version of the Realme X2 Pro on December 18, which coincides with the start of the beta program in India.

Is Realme X2 Pro the OnePlus 7T killer you’ve been waiting for? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.

Half-Life: Alyx Arrives in March Next Year, Pre-Orders Now Live on Steam

Valve has finally dropped the first trailer of Half-Life: Alyx, a new VR-exclusive game that carries forward the Half-Life franchise. But not chronologically though, as Half-Life: Alyx is set between the first Half-Life game and Half-Life 2. Valve has also revealed that Half-Life: Alyx will be out on Steam in March next year. Additionally, the developer has revealed minimum PC system requirements for enjoying its next game, and just to be clear, we are talking about hardware requirements for the PC that will be connected to the VR headset.

Half-Life: Alyx will hit Steam in March 2020 and can be played on the Valve Index VR headset. However, it is also playable using third-party VR headsets such as HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, and even those that run on the Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) platform. Half-Life: Alyx is now up for pre-order on Steam at Rs. 1,169 in India, but the game’s regular price is apparently Rs. 1,299. However, people who already own the Valve Index VR headset will get it for free.

Coming to the Half-Life launch trailer, it is simply gorgeous. The attention to detail is excellent, the setting is as scary as you would expect from the series, and there appears to be a lot of space for interaction with items in the surroundings. And to top it all off, the mysterious G-man makes a sinister cameo at the end of the game. Valve has made it clear that Half-Life: Alyx is set between Half-Life and Half-Life 2, so if you are hoping for a closure to the cliffhanger at the end of Half-Life 2’s second chapter, you’re in for a disappointment.

Valve has also revealed the PC requirements for Half-Life: Alyx. Just to be clear, you’ll first have to buy a VR headset to play the game, if you already don’t have one. And then, you might have to upgrade your PC if it doesn’t match the minimum hardware requirements specified by Valve. Here are the minimum system requirements for Half-Life: Alyx-

Operating System: Windows 10
Processor: Core i5-7500 / Ryzen 5 1600
Memory: 12 GB RAM
Graphics: GTX 1060 / RX 580 – 6GB VRAM
You can check more details about Half-Life: Alyx on the game’s Steam listing page here. But there is some good news for Half-Life fans who would want Valve to continue the series after the debut of Half-Life: Alyx. “Of course, we’ll have to wait and see how people react to Half-Life: Alyx once it’s out, but we’d love to continue pushing forward”, Valve’s David Speyrer tells was quoted as saying by The Verge. So yes, there are chances that we might see the Half-Life series expand further.

Xiaomi’s 100W Super Charge Turbo Fast Charging Tech Coming to Devices Next Year: Reports

Xiaomi first showcased its 100W Super Charge Turbo wired fast charging technology earlier this year and now the company has reportedly revealed that we can expect to see it in commercial devices next year. According to reports on Chinese social media, the smartphone maker announced the timing as a part of its developer conference in its home market earlier this week. There is still no word on which will be the first smartphone to use the 100W fast charging technology.

As per multiple user reports on Weibo, apparently from people that were present at Xiaomi’s developer conference, Xiaomi offered another look at its 100W Super Charge Turbo wired fast charging technology and noted that it will be arriving in devices next year. Given Xiaomi has been working on 100W fast charging for some time now, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched to expect to see it in a phone next year, in fact any later than next year may be too late.

According to Xiaomi, the 100W fast charging technology will allow a 4,000mAh battery to fully charge in just a matter of 17 minutes. Xiaomi isn’t the only company to claim 100W or more fast charging speed, Vivo had also earlier showcased its 120W fast charging technology that it claims can charge a 4,000mAh battery in just 13 minutes. Neither Xiaomi nor Vivo have thus launched their fast charging technologies in commercial devices. Like Xiaomi, Vivo could also release a phone with 120W fast charging support next year.

There is some speculation on Weibo that Mi Mix 4 could be the first smartphone with 100W fast charging support, however there is no credible evidence to support the rumour.

Meanwhile, Xiaomi is currently preparing to launch Redmi K30 5G next month in China. The phone is rumoured to come with a dual hole-punch display.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14, ThinkBook 15 With Up to 10th Gen Intel Core i7 Processors, Dual Drive Support Launched in India

Lenovo on Tuesday launched the ThinkBook 14 and ThinkBook 15 in India, two new notebooks designed for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Unveiled at IFA 2019 in Berlin back in September, the ThinkBook 14 and ThinkBook 15 come with up to 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processors and feature zinc-alloy hinges. The new Lenovo laptops also have USB Type-C ports to enable faster data transfer. Lenovo has also offered dedicated graphics up to AMD Radeon 620 to deliver an enhanced graphics experience out-of-the-box. The Lenovo ThinkBook 14 and ThinkBook 15 will go on sale in India from December 1 with a starting price of Rs. 30,990.

As showcased at IFA 2019, the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 and ThinkBook 15 come with an optional Smart Power On feature that uses the fingerprint reader-integrated Power On button to turn on the device only after recognising the fingerprint patterns of authorised users. The notebooks also use built-in Wi-Fi security feature Lenovo Vantage that is touted to detect and notify users about malicious networks in a real time.

The ThinkBook 14 and ThinkBook 15 are equipped with a physical shutter that is designed to keep the built-in webcam covered when not in use. Lenovo calls its new feature ThinkShutter. The notebooks also have dual drive support. Furthermore, there are Skype Hot Keys to let users answer or hang up Skype for Business calls with a single press of a button.

To enhance your Web communication, the Lenovo ThinkBook models have dual-array, Skype for Business-certified microphones and stereo speakers with Dolby Audio. The laptops also have the RapidCharge technology that is rated to charge up to 80 percent of the battery in one hour.

The Lenovo ThinkBook 14 features a 14-inch full-HD IPS display and is powered by up to 10th Gen Intel Core i7 SoC, along with AMD Radeon 625 graphics. It comes with dual drive support with up to 2TB HDD and up to 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD.

In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkBook 15 has a 15.6-inch full-HD IPS display and is powered by up to 10th Gen Intel Core i7 SoC, coupled with AMD Radeon 620 graphics. The notebook has dual drive support with up to 2TB HDD and 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD.

Both Lenovo ThinkBook models have up to 24GB DDR4 RAM and a battery life of up to 12 hours. The laptops have USB Type-C (Gen 2), hidden USB port, and Wi-Fi 6 support as well as up to Windows 10 Pro. Furthermore, there is a full-sized keyboard with optional backlight and one-piece touchpad.

Lenovo claims that it is offering business-grade services along with the new ThinkBook models to offer international warranty and support for up to five years. Offerings such as next-business-day repair service and prioritised parts access also come bundled with the new models.

Microsoft Updates Cloud Contracts Following EU Privacy Probe

Microsoft has announced an update to the privacy provisions in the Microsoft Online Services Terms (OST) for its commercial cloud contracts, providing more transparency over data processing to its customers in the Microsoft Cloud.

The company said in a statement late Monday that the new contractual terms will apply to all commercial customers — public sector and private sector, large enterprises and small and medium businesses — globally at the beginning of 2020.

“At Microsoft we consider privacy a fundamental right, and we believe stronger privacy protections through greater transparency and accountability should benefit our customers everywhere,” said Julie Brill, Corporate Vice President for Global Privacy and Regulatory Affairs and Chief Privacy Officer.

Following EU privacy probe Microsoft said it will increase data protection responsibilities for a subset of processing that Microsoft engages in when it provides enterprise services.

“In the update, we will clarify that Microsoft assumes the role of data controller when we process data for specified administrative and operational purposes incident to providing the cloud services covered by this contractual framework, such as Azure, Office 365, Dynamics and Intune,” said the company.

The company said it remains committed to listening closely to customers’ needs and concerns regarding privacy.

Apple May Be Building Next-Gen Media Apps for Windows, Job Listing Suggests

Apple is looking to build media apps for Windows, and is actively hiring software engineers with UWP app-building experience for the same. Apple has iTunes and iCloud as Windows apps currently, but these apps are quite dated and haven’t received the attention they deserve. For instance, Apple revealed earlier this year that it looks to break iTunes into three apps for macOS – Podcasts, TV, and Music. On Windows, the dated iTunes app remains, so Apple TV+ users will have to make do with the Web version on Windows PCs, as there is no dedicated app right now.

However, Apple looks to change that if a new job listing is to be believed. Apple has published a job listing earlier this month, and the position is titled ‘Senior Software Engineer- Windows Media Apps’. Key qualifications include at least four plus years of experience, deep understanding of the API design principles, and ‘UWP experience is a big plus’. The listing also notes that, ‘cross platform experience with Mac and Windows is highly desired’. These hints at better continuity and syncing that will be paramount especially for Apple TV+ subscribers. Neowin was first to spot this job listing.

Furthermore, Apple’s job description clearly says that the employee will be involved in building Windows apps. “The Media Apps team is looking for a creative Senior Software Engineer to work on the next generation of media apps for Windows. You will help build innovative features that will delight millions of customers around the world.”

Apple investing in building Windows apps would also enable the tech giant to expand its service and product portfolio to both Windows 10 and Xbox One as well. Currently, there is no way Apple TV+ service can be accessed on the Xbox One.

Of course, Apple is still hiring employees, which means it could be a while before any Windows app announcement will be made. However, the beginning of this process will give Surface and Windows device owners hope that they will be able to use all Apple service apps in the future.

Realme X2 Pro to Launch in India Tomorrow: Expected Price, Specifications, Everything You Should Know

Realme X2 Pro is all set to launch in India tomorrow. The new Realme phone was launched in China last month, and its key highlights include the Snapdragon 855+ SoC, 90Hz Fluid Display, its quad camera setup at the back with a 64-megapixel main sensor, and 50W Super VOOC fast charging technology. The company claims that the 4,000mAh battery on the Realme X2 Pro can fully charge in about 33 minutes. The phone was launched with up to 12GB RAM and up to 256GB storage option.

Realme X2 Pro event time, live stream, pre-bookings
The Realme X2 Pro launch event in India will begin at 12.30pm IST on Wednesday i.e., tomorrow. The launch event will be held in New Delhi, and should be live streamed on their YouTube channel or via social channels. Realme should post live streaming details on the company website, and announce it via its Realme Twitter handle soon. All those attending the event and have bought tickets are assured goodies worth Rs. 2,100 that include a Realme Power Bank and an R-Pass with Rs. 855 discount on Realme X2 Pro. Currently, the company is taking registrations of interest on the company website. The Blind Order sale is also live, and today is the last day to reserve the phone by paying a Rs. 1,000 deposit.

Realme X2 Pro price in India (expected)
Realme X2 Pro has been teased on Flipkart and it should go on sale on the Realme online store as well. The pricing is still a mystery at this point, but all details will be unveiled in a day’s time. The phone was launched in China, with a price starting at CNY 2,699 (roughly Rs. 27,200) for the 6GB RAM + 64GB storage configuration, while the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage option is priced at CNY 2,899 (roughly Rs.29,200) and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant carries a price tag of CNY 3,299 (roughly Rs. 33,200). All three variants come in White and Blue colour options with a gradient finish on top.

There was also a Realme X2 Pro Master Edition launched in Brick and Cement finish, and it is offered in a single 12GB RAM + 256GB storage configuration. This variant is priced at CNY 3,299 (roughly Rs. 33,200) in China. The Realme X2 Pro pricing in India should be close to the China pricing range, and it remains to be seen whether all the variants come to India or not. Realme has also confirmed that it will launch the Realme 5s smartphone at the event as well.

Realme X2 Pro specifications, features
Because the Realme X2 Pro has already been launched in China, the phone’s specifications are already known. The dual-SIM (Nano) Realme X2 Pro runs Android 9 Pie with ColorOS 6.1 on top and features a 6.5-inch full-HD+ (1080×2400 pixels) Super AMOLED Fluid display with 20:9 aspect ratio, 90Hz refresh rate, 135Hz touch sampling rate, DC dimming 2.0 technology support, and a 91.7 percent screen-to-body ratio as well as Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection.

Furthermore, the phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ octa-core SoC, paired with 6GB, 8GB, and 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM. The Realme X2 Pro has 64GB (dual-channel UFS 2.1), 128GB (UFS 3.0), and 256GB (UFS 3.0) storage.

Coming to the cameras, the Realme X2 Pro has a quad rear camera setup that includes a 64-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL Bright GW1 primary sensor with a six-piece, f/1.8 lens. The camera setup also comprises a 13-megapixel secondary sensor with an f/2.5 telephoto lens, 8-megapixel tertiary sensor with a 115-degree ultra-wide-angle lens that has an f/2.2 aperture, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. For selfies, the phone has a 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 camera sensor at the front with an f/2.0 lens. The front camera supports portrait shots.

Realme has provided a 4,000mAh battery on the Realme X2 Pro with 50W SuperVOOC Flash Charge support. The proprietary technology is touted to charge the phone fully in just 33 minutes. Further, there is 18W USB PD and Quick Charge support. Connectivity options on the phone include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, NFC, USB Type-C, and 3.5mm headphone jack. There are dual speakers with Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio technology support on the phone. There is additionally an in-display fingerprint sensor.

Huawei Nova 6 5G to Launch on December 5, Teasers Suggests Dual Hole-Punch Display, Night Scene 2.0, More Features

Huawei Nova 6 5G is now confirmed to launch on December 5. Chinese media has now received invites for a launch event, and this phone is tipped to be powered by the Kirin 990 SoC and pack a 4,000mAh battery. New teasers were also revealed on Weibo, and they confirm that the phone will sport a dual hole-punch display with cut-outs for two selfie cameras. The Huawei Nova 6 5G phone is also teased to sport Night Mode 2.0, and be able to capture 105-degree wide-angle selfies as well.

A Chinese blogger has posted an invite of the Huawei Nova 6 5G confirming that the phone will launch in China on December 5. Huawei has posted several video teasers of the Huawei Nova 6 5G on Weibo as well. One of the video teasers shows the Nova 6 5G sporting a dual hole-punch display, and it will be able to capture 105-degree wide-angle selfies. In a separate video teaser, the main camera is also said to have super night scene 2.0 mode as well. However, the feature hasn’t been detailed as yet, and only its arrival has been teased.

A recent leak suggests that the Huawei Nova 6 5G will feature a 6.44-inch full-HD+ (1080×2340 pixels) IPS LCD 60Hz display, and may be powered by the Kirin 990 SoC paired 8GB and 12GB RAM options, and 128GB and 256GB storage options. Camera details include a 60-megapixel Sony IMX686 main sensor, 16-megapixel sensor, and two 2-megapixel sensors at the back. The dual selfie set in the front to include a 32-megapixel camera and a secondary 12-megapixel camera. Also, the phone is tipped to pack 4,000mAh battery with 40W Magic Charge fast charging technology.

The same leak also mentions the probable price of the Huawei Nova 6 5G. The price of the phone should start at CNY 3,499 (roughly Rs. 35,500) for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage options, CNY 3,799 (roughly Rs. 38,500) for the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage option, and go up to CNY 4,099 (roughly Rs. 41,500) for the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage option.