This may be our first look at the Motorola Razr 3
Motorola resurrected the Razr in 2019 but we’re yet to see the clamshell deliver a true flagship experience. All this could change with the Motorola Razr 3 on the horizon. A few specs of the phone leaked a while back, suggesting that we’ll see the device adopt Qualcomm’s top-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC this time around. Now, alleged live images of the upcoming Razr have been outed by leaker Evan Blass in association with 91Mobiles.
Blass reports that the third-generation modern Razr has been redesigned from top to bottom. It now looks more like the Galaxy Z Flip 3 than the previous Razr models. Blass says we’ll see a boxier design with more squared-off edges. One of the most significant design changes could be the removal of the thick chin — a defining feature of the Razr line.
The fingerprint sensor is also apparently moving to the power button. If true, this would be the third time Mototorla has adjusted the position of the sensor. It moved the fingerprint reader from the chin to the rear of the phone last year. Combining it with the power button could make it even easier to interact with than before.
From Android Authority
Leak says we must get ready for a Moto’rolla’ble phone
Motorola’s next foldable phone may be a new one in its Razr lineup, but that’s not its most exciting upcoming device. According to a new leak, that title could go to a unique rollable phone currently codenamed Felix.
Reporting for 91Mobiles, tipster Evan Blass says that Motorola is a rollable phone that’s nothing like the concept from Oppo or even the unreleased LG Rollable.
Motorola’s rollable phone is different in that it doesn’t roll out horizontally to become a tablet-sized device. Instead, it rolls out vertically to become a regular-sized phone. The design choice is very much in line with how Motorola has approached foldable phones till now. The resurrected Razr series is also pocket-friendly and does not aim to provide extra screen real estate.
Keeping with the spirit of pocket-sized phones, Blass reports that a third of the motorized display of the rollable Motorola will curl up around a spindle at the bottom.
The device is still under development, as per the leak. The software is still under testing, and Motorola has not yet made a working prototype. So it’s safe to assume that Felix will not launch anytime soon. It may be a year or so before we see this device on the market. That is, if all goes well with its development and Motorola doesn’t hit any hurdles along the way.
From Android Authority
Sharp Aquos R7 launches w/ huge 1-inch 47.2MP sensor, 240Hz AMOLED display
While not often available outside of a few selected markets, Sharp has officially unveiled the Aquos R7, which touts a massive 1-inch rear 47.2-megapixel camera sensor and an upgraded 240Hz AMOLED display.
A sequel to the limited Aquos R6 from last year, the Sharp Aquos R7 has a few notable changes and upgrades over its predecessor. The star attraction is undoubtedly the 1-inch rear camera sensor. It takes a notable step up in overall fidelity with the CMOS sensor touting a maximum resolution of 47.2-megapixels with the Leica brand partnership also providing some tuning.
Much like last year, the actual camera lens has been manufactured by Leica, which has a fast f/1.9 aperture and an equivalent focal length of 19mm. Sadly, there is no room for OIS here, which could be owed to the larger sensor size. The Sharp Aquos R7 does come with real-time face, body, and eye detection and 4x “lossless” zoom when using the digital crop feature. 4-to-1 pixel binning is used to produce 12-megapixel images, and 8K video recording is also possible here too.
The rest of the specifications are no less impressive, as the Sharp Aquos R7 comes with a flat 6.6-inch IGZO OLED display at 1,260 x 2,730 pixels and a supersmooth 240Hz refresh rate. The refresh rate is variable and can drop as low as 1Hz depending upon the screen context. There’s also room for a centrally placed punch-hole notch up, which hosts a 12.6-megapixel selfie camera and biometric security is provided via an in-display fingerprint scanner.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor is also utilized alongside 12GB RAM and 256GB of storage with the battery capped at 5,000mAh. However, Sharp has not shared any details on the charging speeds offered with the Aquos R7 this time around. It’ll ship with Android 12 pre-installed with Sharp’s UI tuning also provided.
As you would expect, the Sharp Aquos R7 is only slated for release in the company’s home market of Japan later this July with no word on global availability. Pricing has yet to be released, but it is open for pre-order at Softbank and Docomo in Japan. It will be available in simple black and silver color variants.
From 9to5Google
Google’s Pixel lineup could return to the Indian market with the upcoming Pixel 6a
The Google Pixel 6a has leaked extensively over the past months, with leaked renders and specs painting a pretty good picture of what to expect from Google’s upcoming mid-ranger. While last year’s Pixel 5a was only launched in two markets, the Pixel 6a will likely see a much wider release. According to a new leak, India could be on the list of potential markets for the Pixel 6a launch.
Tipster Mukul Sharma reports that a Google Pixel smartphone is undergoing private testing in India. Sharma couldn’t confirm whether the device in question is indeed the Pixel 6a. However, the timing and rumored May launch timeframe give weight to the possibility of this device being the upcoming Pixel A series model. It’s worth noting that previous leaks and reports haven’t made any mention of Google planning to launch the device in India. As such, we advise readers to take this leak with a pinch of salt.
From XDA
Forget consoles, Microsoft could soon launch an Xbox game streaming stick
Game consoles like the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 remain pricey devices, while the games themselves aren’t cheap either. But Microsoft could soon introduce a more affordable way to access the Xbox gaming ecosystem on your big screen.
Per VentureBeat, the company is developing a game streaming device similar to a Roku-like puck, Amazon Fire Stick, or Google Chromecast. Instead of just streaming your favorite series from the best streaming platforms, Xbox’s solution will enable access to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service and its titles. Effectively, this would negate the need for a dedicated console to enjoy Xbox games on your (or another’s) television.
Console purists might be thumbing their noses at the idea of a streaming stick, but such a device would be an excellent addition to their gaming hardware. A more portable Xbox device would allow travelers to access Xbox games on the road. Think hotel rooms. Introducing a cheaper way to access its titles could also entice additional Xbox subscribers to bolster Microsoft’s quarterly reports.
From Android Authority
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra with UD selfie and triple 64MP cameras unveiled, Axon 40 Pro joins it
The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra arrived on schedule and it is everything we thought it would be. ZTE is on its third generation under display selfie camera and this time it is confident enough in the tech to put it on the Ultra model. Previously, it was the Axon 20 5G and Axon 30 5G that had the UD cameras. Joining it today is a Pro model that misses out on the UD camera, but ups the display refresh rate.
From Gsmarena
Long-awaited AirPods Max refresh tipped to land with new AirPods Pro 2 this year
Apple is set to unveil not only its AirPods Pro 2 but a new AirPods Max update later this year, according to the latest reports.
The news comes via the most recent Power On newsletter from respected analyst Mark Gurman, who suggests that an Apple Fall event (coming at the tail end of this year) will show off these two new wireless headphone designs.
While not quite as much of an overhaul as the AirPods Pro 2, fans of over-ear headphones may be excited to hear that the AirPods Max is reportedly getting a design refresh, meaning the headphones will be available in a suite of new colors.
Apple has been painting its devices in a broad range of vibrant colors recently, invoking some of its brand’s classic colorful charm. The most recent iMac (24-inch, 2021) is available in seven (green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue and silver), and we expect to see a few of these colors adopted by the AirPods Max so that you can color-coordinate your Apple tech.
These new colors should be announced alongside the AirPods Pro 2 reveal. Mark Gurman predicts that we could also see a price drop – $549 / £549 / AU$899 has always felt a little steep – however his wording feels more like this is what he hopes will happen rather than a full-on prediction.
Apple does reduce the price of its aging gadgets, but typically only when a replacement is on its way or has arrived. While the AirPods Pro 2 will offer improved audio, their in-ear design may mean they’re not considered enough of a follow-up to warrant a price drop for other AirPods lines, but we’ll have to wait and see.
From Techradar
OnePlus Ace Racing Edition appears in new live image
OnePlus is rumored to bring a Racing Edition of its recently announced OnePlus Ace and Evan Blass is here with an exclusive look at the unannounced device. The same device that previously appeared in a TENAA listing bearing the PGZ110 model number is now revealed.
The back of the Racing Edition has a different camera setup compared to the regular Ace model with four equally larger cutouts housing a total of three camera sensors. These should be a 64MP main shooter, an 8MP ultrawide snapper and an unspecified 2MP auxiliary sensor. The phone also looks to have a textured back.
From Gsmarena
Your new BMW might not come with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
Volkswagen isn’t the only automotive manufacturer feeling the component shortage strain in 2022.
According to a report from Automotive News Europe (via 9to5 Google), BMW is temporarily shipping a selection of new vehicles without support for Android Auto or Apple CarPlay after changing its chip supplier.
The German brand says its new components are not currently compatible with either infotainment system, though it has clarified that affected models will receive an over-the-air software update correcting the issue by “the end of June at the latest.”
While BMW hasn’t specified which of its vehicle ranges have been affected by the supplier switch, 9to5Google notes that any model with “6P1” in its production code won’t come equipped with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
Automotive News Europe also claims that all affected vehicles were manufactured in the first four months of 2022, with destinations including the US, UK, Italy, Spain and France. By the sounds of things, then, the issue applies to various different models across the globe.
From Techradar
Nvidia’s anti-cryptomining GPUs have finally been 100% unlocked
It took almost an entire year from their initial release, but the LHR (low hashrate) versions of Nvidia’s RTX 30 series graphics cards have finally been completely unlocked by a mining software called Nicehash, restoring each card’s respective mining capabilities.
Many of the best graphics cards were nearly impossible to find available to buy over the last two years because of the global chip shortage, a broader supply chain crisis at ports around the world and demand for consumer tech putting even more pressure on the availability of semiconductors needed by AMD and Nvidia for their products.
Part of this demand also included cryptominers who were buying up the available stock in bulk of popular GPUs during the height of the recent crypto currency boom. And while there are mixed opinions about how this affected overall availability for gamers and building hobbyists, there was certainly no love lost between the two groups which resulted in Team Green putting measures in place to make its consumer graphics cards less desirable to those hoping to use them to mine currencies such as Ethereum.
Almost the entire RTX 3000-series of cards was re-released with hash rate limiters (not including the GeForce RTX 3090 as it was deemed too expensive to attract the mining market) which limited their ability to mine currencies like ETH, but several of these were quickly defeated, with some software able to unlock cards to 70-80% efficiency in a matter of weeks.
As reported by WCCFTech, NiceHash has now announced that it can utilize 100% of available mining speeds using these previously restricted Ampere-series cards, stating on its website that:
“We are very excited to tell you that NiceHash QuickMiner (Excavator) is the first mining software to FULLY (100%) UNLOCK LHR cards! Now you can earn more profits than any other mining software on the market if you are using LHR graphics cards with NiceHash QuickMiner”.
We don’t have an LHR model GPU to verify this claim ourselves, so take the statement with a pinch of salt, but its also worth noting that GPU stock levels and pricing is currently sitting at the best numbers we’ve seen for many months, so it’s unlikely you’ll be fighting off swarms of competition if cards are viable for mining again.
From Techradar
