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mardi 22 septembre 2020

Imint’s suite of video enhancement tech is coming to smartphones with new MediaTek chips

Imint, a Swedish-based company that provides video enhancement software to companies like Xiaomi, Huawei, and OnePlus, announced a partnership with MediaTek on Tuesday. The collaboration will see the two companies team up to enable the use of Imint’s Vidhance software suite on new MediaTek chipsets.

The collaboration doesn’t mean all devices equipped with upcoming MediaTek chips will feature Imint’s Vidhance software. Rather, it grants Imint access to MediaTek software packages and expert support, enabling faster integration if OEMs choose to license the technology.

Should an OEM choose to license the technology from Imint, they’ll get access to enhancements like Dynamic Motion Blur Reduction (DMBR), Super Stabilization, Field of View Correction (FOVC), Horizon Correction (HC), and more. While the features are pretty self-explanatory, I’ll let Imint give a brief explanation of what each of them do:

Imint solutions immediately available on MediaTek’s chipsets include Vidhance Dynamic Motion Blur Reduction (DMBR), which minimizes the effect of motion-blur in stabilized video; Vidhance Super Stabilization, which removes unwanted camera movement to produce video stabilization on par with or exceeding dedicated action cams; Vidhance Field of View Correction (FOVC), which eliminates zoom artifacts that are present in videos with frequent lens shifting; Vidhance Horizon Correction (HC), which auto-levels crooked horizons in videos; amongst others.

These features promise to allow users to capture “professional-quality content from mobile devices.” To see if Imint’s claims were the real deal, we went hands-on with the company’s Vidhance software over the summer, testing Stabilization, Live Composer, and Auto Zoning on a Pixel 2. Overall, we came away impressed by what Imint’s Vidhance software has to offer.

Imint announced a similar partnership with Qualcomm earlier this year, allowing OEMs to license its technology in devices equipped with the Snapdragon 865 chip. In that case, Imint and Qualcomm worked together to optimize Vidhance’s Selfie Mode technology for the Snapdragon 865, using Qualcomm’s Spectra 480 ISP’s AI-based facial recognition for the face tracking and repositioning.

A spokesperson for Imint confirmed that the first device to use a MediaTek chipset with Imint Vidhance technology will be announced in October, so we’ll keep an eye out for that. If you’re curious to test out Imint’s Vidhance suite before then, Motorola announced that its Edge+ comes equipped with Imint’s Vidhance stabilization tech. According to Imint, its video enhancement technology is already leveraged by over 250+ million smartphones around the globe.

If you want to see Imint’s Vidhance technology in action, check out our hands-on video, which demonstrates features like Stabilization, Live Composer, and Auto Zoning.

The post Imint’s suite of video enhancement tech is coming to smartphones with new MediaTek chips appeared first on xda-developers.



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OnePlus 8T, OPPO Reno4, Moto G9 Plus, and Moto E7 Plus forums are now open

Earlier this month, we opened forums for three new devices, including the Realme 7, Realme 7 Pro, and the ZTE Axon 20 5G. Since then, OEMs have launched quite a few interesting devices, like the OPPO Reno4, Moto G9 Plus, and Moto E7 Plus. On top of that, OnePlus has also announced that it will be unveiling its next flagship — the OnePlus 8T — next month. To promote third-party development and discussions for these devices, we’re now opening forums for the OnePlus 8T, OPPO Reno4 4G, Moto G9 Plus, and Moto E7 Plus.

OnePlus 8T

While OnePlus is yet to announce the OnePlus 8T, we’ve already learned a few key details about the upcoming device. Leaked specifications of the device suggest that it will pack in Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 865 Plus SoC, coupled with a 6.55-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The device is expected to feature a quad camera setup on the back, with a 48Mp primary camera, a 16MP wide-angle camera, a 5MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. We’ve also seen renders of the device, which reveal a new rectangular camera module on the back, a flat display with a hole-punch cutout in the top left corner, and a USB Type-C port at the bottom. OnePlus is expected to announce the device on October 14th and you can catch the launch event live on OnePlus’ YouTube channel by following this link.

OnePlus 8T XDA Forums

OPPO Reno 4 4G

The OPPO Reno4 4G, which packs in a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chip, was launched internationally towards the end of July this year. The smartphone features a 6.4-inch AMOLED display with a dual hole-punch cutout for the selfie cameras, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. The device features a quad camera setup on the back, with a 48MP Sony IMX 586 primary camera, an 8MP wide-angle camera, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. Over on the front, the device has a 32MP main selfie camera, along with a 2MP depth sensor for portrait selfies.

OPPO Reno 4 4G XDA Forums

Moto G9 Plus

The Moto G9 Plus was launched earlier this month, following the launch of the regular Moto G9 and Moto G9 Play. The budget-friendly device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 730G chip, coupled with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The smartphone features a 6.-8inch FHD+ display, a massive 5,000mAh battery with support for 30W fast charging, and a quad camera setup with a 64MP primary camera.

Motorola Moto G9 Plus XDA Forums

Moto E7 Plus

The Moto E7 Plus is one of the first devices to feature Qualcomm’s new entry-level Snapdragon 460 SoC. The device was also launched earlier this month and it features a 6.5-inch HD+ display, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a large 5,000mAh battery. The smartphone packs in a dual camera setup on the back, with a 48MP primary camera and a 2MP depth sensor. Over on the front, it has a single 8MP selfie shooter.

Motorola Moto E7 Plus XDA Forums

The post OnePlus 8T, OPPO Reno4, Moto G9 Plus, and Moto E7 Plus forums are now open appeared first on xda-developers.



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Download OPPO’s ColorOS live wallpapers on any Android device

Earlier this month, OnePlus rolled out the first OxygenOS 11 Open Beta for the OnePlus 8 Series. Soon after the release, XDA Recognized Contributor linuxct managed to extract the new live wallpaper in the build and ported it for all Android devices. Now, just a week since the OxygenOS 11 Live Wallpaper was released, linuxct is back again with another set of live wallpapers; this time from OPPO’s ColorOS.

These new live wallpapers have been extracted from ColorOS 7, and they can be installed on any Android device running Android 8.0 Oreo and later. The wallpapers have been divided into six separate packages, including Day & Night, Light Flow, Fluid Smoke, Organic, Moon, and Smoke. Each package contains a couple of live wallpapers that offer different color variations and animations.

The Day & Night package contains three live wallpapers with different representations of day and night. These wallpapers change color based on the current time of day and feature some animated elements. The Light Flow package consists of one live wallpaper that slowly changes colors with time. The Fluid Smoke package includes a wallpaper that brings up a colorful ball of fluid smoke when you touch the display. The fluid smoke moves around as you swipe your finger across the display and its colors also change based on the movement.

The Organic package consists of four live wallpapers with different color and shape variations that move around when you interact with your phone. The Moon package includes one wallpaper that reacts to your device’s orientation. When tilted sideways to the right, Earth’s shadow obscures the Moon’s surface, and when tilted left, all of the Moon’s surface is exposed. And finally, the Smoke package includes four live wallpapers with different color variants. Three of the four wallpapers also feature animations that are triggered when you swipe on your homescreen. Check out the thread linked above to see all the wallpapers included in this release.

You can download these new live wallpaper packages from the XDA Forums thread linked below. Once you have the respective APKs installed on your device, you’ll be able to apply the live wallpapers from your device’s stock wallpaper picker. In case you’re not able to do so, you will have to download the Google Wallpapers app from the Play Store to use these wallpapers.

Download ColorOS Live Wallpapers

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lundi 21 septembre 2020

Files by Google 1.0.33 adds playback speed controls for videos and a PDF handler

Android users had to wait a long time for an official file manager app from Google, and they finally got one in 2017 when the company released the Files by Google app. The application, which was previously named Files Go, was originally only available for Android Go Edition devices. A lot has changed since its first release, and Files by Google is now available on any Android device. Over the years, it has gotten a bunch of new features, too. Google added a Safe Folder just last month, letting you securely store your private information and files. Now, Files by Google 1.0.33 introduces a couple of more useful features.

The first of these new features is the ability to control a video’s playback speed in the app’s video player. The option lives under the 3-dot menu at the top right corner, and it offers a playback speed options from 0.5 to 2x. You can also choose a playback speed in increments of 0.1 by scrolling the horizontal wheel. I have personally never felt the need to change the default speed of the video I’m watching, but I can understand how some people may find that useful when watching lectures. Interestingly, even the video player found in the Google Photos apps doesn’t offer such a feature.

Another welcome new feature is a dedicated PDF handler. Previously, if you wanted to open a PDF file inside Files by Google, you had to either use a PDF viewer from Drive or whatever third-party option you had installed. Looks like none of those options will be necessary for Files by Google users anymore.

The 1.0.33 update has been available in the Google Play Store for a couple of days now, so there’s a chance that you’re already running the latest version. If not, you can always open the store and check for updates manually. If you aren’t already using Files by Google, you can download it from the Play Store listing below.

Files by Google: Clean up space on your phone (Free, Google Play) →

The post Files by Google 1.0.33 adds playback speed controls for videos and a PDF handler appeared first on xda-developers.



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This 12-in-1 Charging and Connectivity Hub Is $49 off Today

When you’re on the move, keeping your devices charged and connected can be tricky. Even at your desk, you can end up with a tangle of cables. The MoovyGo 12-in-1 USB-C Hub Station provides a neat solution, with ports for all your devices plus Qi wireless charging and backup power. You can get the hub today for just $99.99 at the XDA Developers Depot — that is 32% off MSRP.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/MfrMGTYZTQA

Despite measuring under five inches in diameter, the MoovyGo is packed with technology. The circular design makes it easy to access the ports that are located around the edge of the hub, while the top surface acts as a wireless charging pad. 

Among the ports, you will find three USB 3.0 ports offering 5Gbps transfer speed and one USB2.0 port for older devices. For laptops, the MoovyGo has a USB-C port. This carries both data and power, so your computer stays fully charged.

An Ethernet port helps you get online in your hotel room, while the HDMI and audio ports are great for entertainment. You can also grab photos from your camera via the SD/MicroSD card reader.

The whole thing runs from a single USB-C power supply, or you can use the internal 4,500mAh rechargeable battery.

It’s usually priced at $149, but you can get the MoovyGo now for just $99.99.

 
MoovyGo 12-in-1 USB-C Hub Station with Wireless Charging + Power Bank – $99.99

See Deal

Prices subject to change 

The post This 12-in-1 Charging and Connectivity Hub Is $49 off Today appeared first on xda-developers.



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Best Samsung Galaxy Phones For Any Budget Or Need (September 2020)

Samsung is the world’s largest smartphone maker by market share, with a loyal fanbase, for good reason. The South Korean tech giant produces some of the most cutting-edge technology in the world, but they also have a diverse range of products that fill every need. So whether your budget differs from the average consumer, or you have specific usage habits that require a niche feature, there’s likely a Samsung phone that fits the bill for you. Here’s our guide on the best Samsung Galaxy Phones to buy depending on your budget or need.

These are the best Samsung Galaxy Phones:

Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy S20

Samsung Galaxy S20+ Review

We understand that today’s top tier flagships are priced at a level higher than what most average consumers are willing, or able, to pay. For most people, they are better off buying something slightly older and perhaps a notch below the highest-end variant (the Ultras, Pros, Maxes). You’re still getting plenty of power but at a much better value.

Right now, the Galaxy S20 fits the description. At the time of this writing, the device is six months old and overshadowed by the Z Fold 2, Z Flip, and Note 20 series in Samsung’s pecking order, so there should be some great discounts if you look around. Despite that, the S20 is still every bit a flagship, with among the best screen (Samsung’s Super AMOLED with Quad HD resolution and 120Hz refresh rate) and processor (Snapdragon 865) on the market. Best of all, this standard S20, because it uses a 12MP sensor instead of the troubled 108MP, doesn’t suffer the focus issues of the S20 Ultra.

    Galaxy S20
    By far one of the best smartphones that Samsung has ever made, the Galaxy S20 is every bit a flagship as its siblings, and packs plenty of power. Thanks to newer devices on the market and socially distant sales, you should be able to get the Galaxy S20 at a discounted price!

Best that money can buy: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the most cutting edge smartphone in the world but to experience it comes with a cost: it retails for $2,000 and, despite its excellent built quality, is still going to be more fragile than everything else on this list by virtue of being a folding device.  However, if you are okay with those two compromises, you are in for a treat.

Everything from playing games to watching movies, typing long emails to multi-tasking, is better on the Fold 2 because of its large 7.6-inch screen. That Snapdragon 865+ and 120Hz refresh rate of the inside screen sure help matters. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 offers an experience unlike any other smartphone and is the phone and tablet combination in one device that you’ve been searching for.

    Galaxy Z Fold 2
    The most cutting edge phone of the year -- but it will cost you a pretty penny. However, if money is no object and you need to have the very best that Samsung offers, look no further than the Galaxy Z Fold 2. We love it, and so will you!

Best for those who want a stylus: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

samsung galaxy note 20 ultra review exynos 990

While the Z Fold 2 is Samsung’s absolute top phone in terms of ambition and design, going by actually hardware component prowess, the Note 20 Ultra is even better. It’s got a better main camera system headlined by a 108-megapixel camera, a “Space Zoom” periscope camera that can pull off crisp 5X shots, respectable 10X and all the way up to 50X. And its screen is the absolute best non-folding screen on the market, with a variable refresh rate that can go up to 120Hz for ultra fluidity, or lower for more static apps to save battery.

What makes the Note 20 Ultra worth considering for many is the S-Pen, which in addition to being a pretty great stylus can now double as a remote control for hands-free photo taking or cycling through the phone’s UI. If you’re someone who needs to annotate documents, sign digital documents, or do the occasional sketches, the S-Pen is indispensable. Performance is zippy all around thanks to that Snapdragon 865+ processor and 12GB of RAM. This is the second most expensive phone on this list, however, at $1,300, and the boxy corners and huge 6.9-inch screen makes it tough to use for those with smaller hands.

    Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
    The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the phone that has everything, including an S-Pen! It has every spec you can imagine – aside from a folding screen – and the S-Pen is a game-changer for those who need to be productive on the go.

Best for those who want a stylus… at a discount: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite

galaxy note 10 lite

If you read the Note 20 Ultra paragraph and found yourself interested in the S-Pen but turned off by the $1,300 price, last year’s Galaxy Note 10 Lite is perhaps worth a look. You’re still getting the S-Pen for all your scribbling needs;  still getting a vibrant Super AMOLED display, it’s just smaller with rounded corners so it’s easier for smaller hands, and best of all, it’s 1/3 the price of the Note 20 Ultra.

In terms of the cameras, you get a trio of 12MP sensors of the wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto varieties. The cameras here won’t come close to what the Note 20 Ultra offers but is more than good enough, especially at its mid-tier price point. The 4,500 mAh battery ensures all-day endurance too, however, the processor here is the Exynos 9810 instead of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon, so don’t expect to play games at the highest graphic setting or the blazing-fast speeds you’ll get from the Snapdragon 865+ in the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.

    Galaxy Note 10 Lite
    If you've decided you really want in on that S-Pen action but don't want to pay $1,000 or more, this is a worthy alternative from Samsung. Despite its shortcomings, the Galaxy Note 10 Lite still represents one of the most affordable ways to get the S-Pen experience.

Best for those annoyed by notches and cut-outs: Samsung Galaxy A80

If you find notches and “Infinity-O” hole-punch cutouts unsightly, then the Galaxy A80, with its completely uninterrupted display, is for you. This phone ditches the selfie camera entirely, instead of using an elevating, spinning camera module that flips the main camera system around during selfie use. The rising and flipping camera module is fast and reliable, and while the 48MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide camera, and TOF sensor are solid but unspectacular as a main camera system, for selfies it’s among one of the most feature-packed systems.

There’s a Snapdragon 730 processor and a good 1080 x 2400 AMOLED panel too. But the optical in-display fingerprint scanner is a bit slow, however. But we’re nitpicking now — this is an excellent mid-range device.

    Galaxy A80
    If you're tired of notches and hole-punches and prefer your screen uninterrupted and symmetrical, this is one of the few options available. The clever elevating and spinning camera mechanism will attract plenty of attention in the public and means your selfies should be better than on most phones as it uses the main camera!

Best for those with with small pockets: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

Galaxy Z Flip

By “small pocket”, we don’t mean a lack of funds; but rather we mean literally pockets without a lot of space, like women’s jeans, for example. The Z Flip is perfect for those because its clamshell design allows it to fold up and become a petite device with rough dimensions of a coaster. Then unfolded, it’s a thin, sleek smartphone with thin bezels and a capable dual-camera system consisting of a 12MP main and 12MP ultra-wide-camera, as well as a 10MP selfie camera.

Just like the Galaxy Z Fold 2, the hinge locks in place at various angles which offers unique use cases, such as putting it on a table for hands-free video calls. Depending on your needs, this phone either comes in an older, but cheaper, Snapdragon 855+ or the newer but pricier Snapdragon 865+ version. The latter will bring speedier performance and support for 5G, but the non-5G version is still plenty powerful if you want to save $200.

    Galaxy Z Flip
    The Galaxy Z Flip is ideal for those who don't like how big phones have become, and the bulk it leaves in your pocket. This, along with the Fold 2, represents Samsung's two most ambitious products currently. Unlike the Z Fold 2, the Z Flip offers the smartphone experience everyone loves in a considerably more manageable form factor.

Best for battery life: Samsung Galaxy M51

Galaxy M51

If you find yourself constantly having low battery anxiety with your smartphone, the Galaxy M51 should leave you at ease. It has a gigantic 7,000 mAh battery that is guaranteed to go at least two full days on a single charge, likely three, as our own review found. This large battery, as expected, makes the phone quite a bulky device, weighing 213g and measuring 9.5mm in thickness. But in our testing, we still found it ergonomically friendly thanks to the evenly distributed weight and the subtle curvature of the backside.

You also have a large 6.7-inch 1,080 x 2,340 screen, and a quad-camera system headlined by a 64MP shooter and a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera, as well as a pair of 5MP macro and depth sensors. With the Snapdragon 730G on board, you have enough processing power for all your smartphone tasks.

    Galaxy M51
    Never suffer from battery anxiety again with this beastly device with a 7000 mAh battery. Despite the size, Samsung's done a great job making this comfortable to hold and use.

Best Samsung for those who want 5G on a budget: Galaxy A71 5G

Samsung Galaxy A71 5G launches in the US this week for $599

Who said only pricey flagships can support 5G? Powered by a Snapdragon 765G, the A71 has the modem ready to support 5G connectivity while keeping prices reasonably in the mid-range. A 6.7-inch, 2,400 x 1,080 Super AMOLED panel, a quad-camera system, and a 4,500 mAh battery keeps the device up to 2020 standards, although the plastic back feels a notch below premium. Still, you’re getting next-gen connection speeds and a very capable 64MP camera that excels during the day and holds its own at night.

    Galaxy A71 5G
    The Galaxy A71 may be priced in the mid-tier level, but you're still getting a large Super AMOLED screen, four cameras, and 5G connectivity.

What’s your favorite Samsung Galaxy phone from this list, and are there any others you think we should add? Let us knows in the comments below!

The post Best Samsung Galaxy Phones For Any Budget Or Need (September 2020) appeared first on xda-developers.



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Firefox for Android’s Enhanced Tracking Protection will soon block redirect tracking

Mozilla rolled out Firefox 79 for Android earlier this year, introducing nearly a year’s worth of changes to the browser. However, the update was met with criticism from users as it was missing several crucial features that were previously available in the browser. Since then, Mozilla has rolled out two updates for the browser, bringing back some of the features that were removed in version 79 and adding a few new ones. But Mozilla isn’t done adding new features to the browser yet. According to a recent report from Techdows, the company is now working on bringing Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP) v2.0 to Firefox for Android.

For the unaware, Enhanced Tracking Protection v2.0 is a new feature that was introduced in Firefox for Desktop earlier this year. The feature is already available on Firefox for Android on the Nightly channel as part of a “Strict Tracking Protection.” The feature includes a new option to block redirect tracking, which will prevent websites from building a long-term profile of your online activity by completely clearing any cookies and site data stored by known trackers.

As Mozilla explains, “When you first visit a redirect tracker it can store a unique identifier in its cookies. Any redirects to that tracker during the 24 hour window will be able to associate tracking data with that same identifying cookie. However, once ETP 2.0’s cookie clearing runs, the identifying cookies will be deleted from Firefox and you’ll look like a fresh user the next time you visit the tracker.”

In case you wish to try out ETP v2.0 on your device, you can download the latest Firefox Nightly for Android from the link below. To enable the feature, you’ll need to tap on the 3-dot icon in the browser to open settings and select Enhanced Tracking Protection in the following menu. Finally, choose the ‘Strict’ option in ETP to block redirect trackers on the browser.

Firefox Nightly (Free, Google Play) →


Via: Techdows

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