News

Redmi teases the Note 8 and Note 8 Pro, confirms 64MP camera

Better cameras, batteries, and performance

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Image credit: Redmi

The race to 64-megapixel has begun. Earlier this month, Redmi and Realme both announced that they’ll sport Samsung’s 64MP sensor on their next smartphones. In trying to beat Realme to the punch, Redmi tries to get ahead of the game by announcing a launch date sooner than expected.

Redmi General Manager Lu Weibing revealed the Note 8 and Note 8 Pro’s existence on Weibo. The Redmi Note 8 features the most-awaited 64-megapixel sensor from Samsung. To further prove its capability, Weibing showed off its sample.

Image credit: Redmi General Manager Lu Weibing

It’s not just the cameras that people should be excited about. It seems the new smartphones will have better batteries and performance. The Redmi Note 8 and Note 8 Pro might house a 4,000mAh and 5,000mAh battery, respectively, with the Note 8 Pro capable of supporting 18W fast charging.

Gearing towards gaming and performance, both devices will be powered by a MediaTek Helio G90T processor. Additionally, the Note 8 Pro will feature a liquid cooling technology for heat dissipation.

Design-wise, Redmi doesn’t seem like veering away from its usual aesthetic. In a hands-on photo from GizmoChina, the Note 8 and Note 8 Pro looks like a K20 Pro, only in a dark green variant packed with triple cameras and a fingerprint sensor. It has an all-metal body weighing below 200 grams, with a pop-up camera dedicated for selfies. Both phones are also expected to equip a 6.3-inch IPS LCD display with a notch.

More details are underway and all we can do is take everything with a grain of salt until further announcements have been made. The Redmi Note 8 and Note 8 Pro’s launch will coincide with Redmi’s smart TV launch on August 29.

Via: GizmoChina

SEE ALSO: Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 leaks | Realme XT teased

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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