OPPO Zero-Power Tag prototype won't need AirTag-style batteries

Photo: OPPO

OPPO's AirTag-like device won't need batteries like Apple's tracker. The OPPO Zero-Power Tag is the first gadget from OPPO's Zero-power Communication Technology, which it detailed in a white paper earlier this year. The tech uses RF signal harvesting and backscattering to power itself with a computer that needs minimal energy. And so, it won't need a battery to function. It can get that RF energy from things like TV and radio towers.

Click to read more ...

Tecno Phantom V Fold debuts at MWC 2023

Image: Tecno

Tecno may not be a familiar brand on this side of the world, but it is the latest Chinese mobile device maker to release a competitively-priced foldable. The Tecno Phantom V Fold is coming to India first at INR 89,999 (around CAD 1,485) for the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage model and INR 99,999 (~CAD 1,650) for the 51GB storage variant. It's the first book-style foldable to run on the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ processor, which powers devices like the OPPO Find N2 Flip. 

It has a wider body than Samsung's foldable, with a "virtually crease-free" 7.85-inch screen with a 2,296 x 2,000 resolution inside the fold and a 6.42-inch 2,550 x 1,080 outer display. Both screens are AMOLED panels with refresh rates of up to 120Hz. Tecno claims the Phantom V Fold can handle "200,000 folds," which is the same for the Galaxy Z Fold4.

Click to read more ...

OnePlus 11 Concept demos new cooling tech for smartphones

Image: OnePlus

OnePlus doesn't have a new phone to show off at Mobile World Congress 2023 in Barcelona, but it did have a new concept. The OnePlus 11 Concept phone shows off what active cooling technology looks like on a smartphone. It sports an Active CryoFlux design that you can see off the back of the phone, reminiscent of cooling pipes you'll see on PC rigs. 

What this does for the phone is it reduces the temperature up to 2.1℃, improving the frame rate by three or four frames per second during gameplay. When charging, it also brings down the temp by 1.6℃, which shaves off 30 to 45 seconds from the charging time.

Click to read more ...

Xiaomi 13 & 13 Pro bring Leica-equipped cameras to the international market

Photo: Xiaomi

After launching the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro in China last year, the Leica-equipped smartphone cameras make their way to the international market. The company debuted the phones at the ongoing Mobile World Congress in Barcelona alongside a new Xiaomi 13 Lite model. Of course, the most talked-about features revolve around these phones' cameras. Xiaomi worked with Leica on both the hardware and software of these devices. 

The Xiaomi 13 Pro gets the 50-megapixel Sony IMX989 1-inch sensor with optical image stabilization, a 50-megapixel telephoto camera with a 3x zoom, and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide with macro support and AF. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 13 has a 50-megapixel sensor with OIS, 3x telephoto with a 10-megapixel sensor and OIS, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide. 

Click to read more ...