News

Vivo Nex 3 5G: A phone from the future?

Vivo’s latest tech in a single package

Published

September 16, 2019

Rodneil Quiteles

Photos by David Cogen | The Unlockr

Vivo has been showcasing bits and pieces of its latest in mobile technology over the past few months. All of these come together in its latest flagship — the Vivo NEX 3 5G.

Truly by innovation only

Vivo should have straight up stepped on Apple’s toes. The latter had the gall to put “By Innovation Only” on the invite of their iPhone event but had nothing mind-blowingly new to offer when the iPhone 11 family was revealed. This is not the case for the Vivo NEX 3.

Headlining the new flagship is its 5G capability. This is made possible by Vivo’s new 5G-6 antenna design as well as Qualcomm’s 5G-enabled chip — the Snapdragon 855 Plus. That combo ensures you get top computing performance and download speeds of up to one gigabyte per second. Let that sink in for a while.

The high level of energy consumption by 5G requires immense support. As an answer, Vivo put a 4500mAh battery on the Vivo NEX 3 but it doesn’t end there. The phone is also equipped with Vivo’s Super FlashCharge 44W. It’s not quite the Super FlashCharge 120W that juiced up a 4,000mAh battery phone in just 13 minutes, but it should still be pretty darn fast.

The phone is also equipped with the Vapor Chamber Cooling System to ensure the phone doesn’t get too hot while you’re using 5G.

The WaterFall FullView Display is a sight to behold

We’ve seen it on leaks and the promotional video that surfaced on the internet a few weeks ago. But even when it’s finally confirmed, it’s still almost hard to believe.

The WaterFall FullView Display flows seamlessly from edge-to-edge of the smartphone. Dropping down over to the side, indeed, like a waterfall. With no notch in sight, you get a phone that has an insane 99.6 percent screen-to-body ratio.

What’s even more insane is how the phone doesn’t have any physical buttons. So there are no bulging power or volume keys to ruin the phone’s aesthetic. This was made truly with the best design in mind. What it instead has is the X-axis Haptic Vibration motor. It’s Touch Sense that responds with haptic feedback the same way that physical buttons would.

There’s also an In-Display fingerprint scanner to complete the unibody look. The Vivo NEX 3 is too sexy that we fail to describe just how good it looks with the words in our arsenal.

Adding a little bit of flair to the already gorgeous display is the Side Ambient Light. Which sounds a lot like the feature that was introduced but ultimately axed on the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge called Edge Lighting.

Triple cameras headlined by a 64MP shooter

It was Realme and Xiaomi that were racing to release a phone with a 64MP lens. Quietly working through all this was Vivo. The company even partnered the 64MP camera with 13MP wide angle lens, and another 13MP telephoto lens for a camera setup that will serve you in nearly any scenario.

The three cameras are enclosed in a circle that recreates what Vivo calls the Lunar Ring System. It’s a design inspired by a traditional wristwatch as seen in a sketch Li Xiang shared on Weibo.

We were impressed with the HDR and capabilities of Vivo smartphones from the past and the Vivo NEX 3 should be no different. It has a feature called Portrait Master’s Hyper HDR of up to 7.65eV which is designed for portraits, it increases dynamic range accuracy between a user’s face and the background’s lightest spot.

Completing the cameras equipped on the phone is the 16MP pop-camera — a signature feature of the NEX line.

Vivo staples still present

Vivo’s AI Jovi is very much baked into the entire system. This means artificial intelligence is all over the Vivo NEX 3 which should help boost the phone’s performance the more you use it.

You still get Android 9 Pie with Funtouch OS 9.1 on top. In terms of RAM, there’s one with 8GB and another with 12GB. As far as onboard storage goes, the Vivo NEX 3 will have a whopping 256GB.

In the initial information, there’s no mention if the Vivo NEX 3 kept the 3.5mm headphone jack, but it’s worth noting that the phone is equipped with an independent audio chip which promises a better overall audio experience.

Alongside the phone, Vivo also launched the True Wireless Stereo (TWS) Earphone — the company’s first Bluetooth earphones which might suggest that jack didn’t make it to this phone.

Pricing and availability

There’s no word on pricing yet but the Vivo NEX 3 series will be available in the coming months in Asia Pacific, Southeast Asia and other markets.

India

Mi Watch Revolve launches with ultra long battery life, premium design

Huawei should be worried

Published

September 29, 2020

Shivam Vahia

Today, Xiaomi unveiled a host of new products via its Smarter Living 2020 event in India. Last year, the brand announced a new air purifier, water purifier, smart lights, and more. Following the same trend, Xiaomi has expanded its Mi product lineup with a new wearable — the Mi Watch Revolve.

The Mi Watch Revolve is an affordable fitness tracker that looks extremely premium and measures 46mm. Available in two color options, the Mi Watch Revolve will go up against Huawei’s Watch GT 2e. Both the watches are quite similar on paper, and we’ll try our best to do a comparison article soon.

On the front, the watch has a 1.4-inch always-on AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. In terms of technology, the watch connects via Bluetooth 5.0 and can be used on Android as well as iOS. Onboard sensors include a heart rate sensor, a three-axis acceleration sensor, a gyroscope, a geomagnetic sensor, a baroreceptor, and an ambient light sensor.

To withstand regular usage, the watch gets 5ATM water resistance and a battery life of 1-2 weeks. The battery consumption vastly depends on your usage and Xiaomi is sure the watch will get you through a week with heavy usage.

Making the deal even sweeter, the watch can also measure your psychological data based on physical activity and heart rate monitoring. Thanks to Firstbeat Motion Algorithm, it can measure stress, heart rate variability monitoring, and VO2 Max (blood oxygen level).

It also gets the standard workout modes like running, cycling, trekking, treadmill, and more. Lastly, the user has an option to choose from 100+ watch faces and can receive notifications from a plethora of apps.

The Mi Watch Revolve is available in one size and costs INR 10,999 (US$ 150). It’ll be available in Chrome Silver and Midnight Black color options. It’s up for purchase via Mi.com, Amazon, Mi Home, and retail stores.

Computers

Lenovo expands ThinkBook, ThinkVision lineup

Published

September 29, 2020

Rodneil Quiteles

Lenovo has been rather busy recently updating their entire product portfolio. So this ThinkBook and ThinkVision refresh was absolutely inevitable and most definitely welcome.

We’re going to go through all the ThinkBooks and ThinkVisions real quick. Ready? Take a breath. Let’s go!

ThinkBook 13s Gen 2 i

This was co-engineered with Intel and meets the requirements of the Intel Evo platform. That’s true across hardware specifications and key experience targets for device responsiveness, instant wake, battery life and fast charge.

It has a high resolution 13.3-inch display with a new 16:10 aspect ratio that offers 90% screen-to-body ratio with ultra-narrow bezels and is available with optional touch.

You’re also getting Thunderbolt 4 port and optional PCIe Gen 4 storage.

We’ll be going on virtual meetings for the foreseeable future. Taking that into account, the ThinkBook 13s Gen 2 i features microphones that has three audio modes: private, shared, and environmental.

ThinkBook 13s Gen 2 i is expected to be available from October 2020, starting at $829
ThinkBook 13s Gen 2 AMD is expected to be available from October 2020, starting at $729.

ThinkBook 14s Yoga i

Need something flexible? Well, here you go. The popular Yoga form factor means this thing can bend and a different number of ways.

For performance, it’s powered by 11th Gen Intel Core processors. It also comes with the Lenovo Smart Pen to really help you let your creativity run wild.

It’s available in Mineral Grey with an Abyss Blue version added to the mix.

ThinkBook 14s Yoga is expected to be available from November 2020, starting at $879.

ThinkBook 14/15 Gen 2 i

If working smart is your think then it doesn’t get any smarter than this. It’s powered by 11th Gen Intel Core Processors (will also come in AMD variants) with flexible storage options: HDD + SSD or dual SSD.

Working remotely and need support? The service hot key helps users reach Lenovo support at the press of a button, automatically including device details such as serial number for a fast track support experience.

But here’s the kicker. It comes with ThinkBook wireless earbuds that can be stored within the laptop. The earbuds charge automatically when stored and connect to the laptop audio instantly when taken out. Double tapping toggles the mute function, and it has dual mics and environmental noise cancellation.

ThinkBook 15 Gen 2 i is expected to be available from October 2020, starting at $569.
ThinkBook 15p i is expected to be available from October 2020, starting at $939.
ThinkBook 14 Gen 2 i is expected to be available from October 2020, starting at $569.
ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 is expected to be available from November 2020, starting at $699.
ThinkPad E15 Gen 2 is expected to be available from November 2020, starting at $699.
ThinkBook 15 Gen 2 AMD is expected to be available from October 2020, starting at $549.
ThinkBook 14 Gen 2 AMD is expected to be available from October 2020, starting at $549.

ThinkVision T27hv-20

This single cable USB-C Hub monitor is designed to to meet the collaboration requirements of a hybrid working model. The 27-inch display features a 1080p IR/RGB webcam, noise cancelling microphones and integrated speakers that help users conference with confidence

It has Smart Guard that blurs the screen the moment you look or move away or detects someone peeking over your shoulder. Meanwhile, Smart Energy will turn off the screen when it senses that you have moved away from your desk, saving power and protecting data.

ThinkVision T27hv-20 is expected to be available from December 2020, starting at $549.

Laptops

Lenovo launches ThinkPad X1 Nano, pre-order for ThinkPad X1 Fold

Two ThinkPads that deserve your attention

Published

September 29, 2020

Rodneil Quiteles

If the Yoga lineup is any indication, it’s that Lenovo has never been shy about experimenting with form factors. They doubled up on that when they unveiled the ThinkPad X1 Fold at CES 2020. Now, they’re following it up with the ThinkPad X1 Nano.

Here’s a refresher on the ThinkPad X1 Fold in case you forgot what it was.

So yeah, it’s a PC but not exactly. Lenovo is calling it a new device category. It starts at US$ 2,499 and is now available for pre-order.

ThinkPad X1 Nano

The ThinkPad X1 Nano is being billed as the lightest ThinkPad ever. At less than 1kg, it’s hard to argue against that claim. It promises a complete laptop package all while being ultra freaking light.

It comes with up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processors and Intel Iris X graphics. That combo promises 20% faster office productivity and over 2x faster gaming plus streaming.

It has Thunderbolt 4 for fast, single cable connection to power, monitors, storage, as well as other external devices.

It’s the first ThinkPad to feature an updated suite of AI and biometric ThinkShield security features. These include new voice recognition and human presence detection.

It has a 13-inch Dolby Vision 2K display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It has 100% sRGB for clarity and color accuracy. It also comes in touch display options.

This notebook also has four speakers with Dolby Atmos support for immersive sound. It also has four 360-degree microphones to ensure you are loud and clear during virtual meetings.

The ThinkPad X1 Nano starts at US$ 1,399. It is expected to be available Q4 of 2020.