News

Xiaomi’s 108-megapixel Mi CC9 Pro is official!

Five cameras!

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The future is here! After much speculation, Xiaomi has finally launched their first 108-megapixel smartphone. Weeks ago, the company teased the brilliant phone as part of its new Mi CC9 series. Finally, the Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro is official!

As expected, the Mi CC9 Pro carries a penta-lens rear camera setup. Highlighting the pack is the main 108-megapixel main sensor. The sensor accompanies a 5-megapixel telephoto sensor (with 5x optical, 10x hybrid zoom, and 50x digital zoom), a 12-megapixel telephoto sensor for portrait shots, a 20-megapixel ultra-wide, 117-degree FOV sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro snapper.

On the front, the phone sports a sizable 32-megapixel selfie shooter nestled in its teardrop notch.

Not surprisingly, the Mi CC9 Pro follows Samsung’s 108-megapixel sensor launch months ago. As such, the phone will use the same sensor. However, the penta-lens camera setup will shoot 27-megapixel photos by default. (You can still shoot 108-megapixel photos, though. It’s embedded into the camera’s options.) The camera can shoot 2160p videos at 30fps.

Under the hood, the Mi CC9 Pro boasts a 6.47-inch Super AMOLED screen. The handy package packs in a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G octa-core chipset, an Adreno 618 GPU chip, 6GB/8GB of RAM, and 128GB/256GB for internal storage.

For connectivity, the phone can connect to 4G LTE connections. (No 5G here yet, though.) Of note, the phone has the rare 3.5mm headphone jack. For security, the phone comes with an in-screen fingerprint reader and face unlock.

Finally, the phone packs in a whopping 5260mAh battery, compatible with 30W fast charging.

Price and availability

Currently, the Mi CC9 Pro is due for an initial release in China. No word on the international version, the Mi Note 10, yet, though.

The base model (with 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage) costs CNY 2,799 (around US$ 399).

The upgraded model (with 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage) retails for CNY 3,099 (around US$ 442).

The Mi Note 10 Premium Edition (with 8GB RAM, 256GB of internal storage, and an upgraded “8P lens”) costs CNY 3,499 (around US$ 499).

SEE ALSO: Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro Review: Twice the power, still affordable

Apps

EU wages war against doomscrolling

Brussels is asking TikTok to change its addictive design.

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TikTok K-Pop TWICE Chaeyoung

Doomscrolling is the greatest enemy to everyone’s productivity today. The temptation to keep on scrolling for hours is an ever-present temptation. Taking a very strong stance against the phenomenon, the European Commission is now investigating TikTok for having an addictive interface.

Via Politico, Brussels is now prodding TikTok to change its interface. Very technically, the European Commission is not out to get doomscrolling, specifically. However, the major changes that they want to introduce “disabling infinite scrolling, setting strict screen time breaks, and changing its recommender systems.”

App addiction is a persistent problem today. Besides concerned parents, governments around the world have been trying to regulate addiction, especially when it comes to children. The European Commission, as is apparent from this new initiative, is at the forefront of preventing addiction.

Though the target is explicitly TikTok right now, changing addictive interfaces will also affect other social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and X. Most platforms nowadays thrive on encouraging users to keep scrolling through more content.

Right now, TikTok isn’t set to change just yet. However, the report states that the European Commission is willing to work with platforms for a better, non-addictive interface. It’s less abrasive than the region’s recent privacy initiatives, which requires users to verify their age before accessing mature content.

SEE ALSO: TikTok finally gets a buyer in the United States

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Laptops

Are you ready for a more colorful MacBook?

Apple is experimenting with quirkier colorway options for the MacBook.

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In recent years, Apple has relented on limiting the colors of its devices to only the more premium-looking options. Users can now pick quirkier colors for their iPhones, highlighted currently by the Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro Max. Soon, the same splashes of color might make its way to the MacBook lineup.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has been testing different colorway options for its upcoming entry-level MacBook. The unannounced lineup might come in pink, light yellow, light green, and blue.

It’s a big change for MacBooks. Currently, the only “quirky” option that users can get is the MacBook Air’s Sky Blue, which honestly looks more silvery than blue. Other than that, the MacBook simply seesaws from different shades of gold, silver, and black.

To be fair, the upcoming MacBook will still have the traditional colorways of the current lineup. Additionally, it’s unclear whether Apple will ultimately include all its experimental colors into the final lineup.

Reportedly, the new lineup will cost somewhere between US$ 699 to US$ 799. Of course, the lower price tag will come at the expense of some specs. Although, it should still be good if we’re talking about an entry-level laptop.

It’s even more interesting if it’s hinting at the return of truly colorful options but for the notebook. The iMac already got a similar renaissance back in 2024, which mimics the classic computer’s colorful history.

SEE ALSO: M5 MacBook Pro review

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Laptops

ASUS, Acer PCs are banned in Germany

And it’s all because of Nokia.

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Zenbook S 14

Brands getting banned are commonplace in today’s tech landscape. These usually happen because of geopolitical reasons, especially if it’s in the United States. In Europe, brands sometimes get banned for anticompetition reasons. Today, however, a commonly used codec, HEVC, is at the center of a controversy that has led to the banning of ASUS and Acer in Germany. Even crazier, Nokia is involved.

For context, Nokia owns several patents for video codecs. One of those codecs, HEVC (or High-Efficiency Video Coding) is ubiquitous in every PC, which means that every PC maker must purchase a license to include the codec in their machines. It’s an essential these days, so it’s unusual for ASUS and Acer to miss it.

In Germany, where licensing is stricter, both companies were found guilty of infringing the patent, as reported by German outlet Hardwareluxx. As a result, ASUS and Acer must stop selling PC and laptop sales until they obtain a license from Nokia.

To be clear, this doesn’t mean that the two brands have disappeared from the country. Third-party retailers can still sell their remaining stock. However, the companies cannot import or sell any new stock, pending a conclusion to the issue.

Naturally, the easiest fix is to just buy the license. Hisense, another company that found itself in the same mire, bought a license last month. Either ASUS and Acer are running into more technical issues, or they just didn’t feel the license was worth it for a single market.

SEE ALSO: ASUS is leaving the smartphone industry

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