Jabra Elite 7 Pro and Elite 7 Active to soon receive multipoint support via a firmware update

When Jabra announced the Elite 7 Pro and Elite 7 Active last year, many were surprised to learn that new earbuds didn’t support multi-point functionality out of the box. It was a surprising omission, especially considering the feature was available on most of the company’s previous earbuds including the Elite 65t, ELite 75t, and Elite 85t. At the launch time, Jabra promised that it would rollout multipoint support via a firmware update sometime in January. And it looks like that update is just around the corner.

At CES 2022, Jabra announced (via Android Police) that it will soon be adding multipoint support to the Jabra Elite 7 Pro and Elite 7 Active. The company says it will issue an update “in early 2022,” but won’t provide a specific timeline. But as they say better late than never.

Multipoint is an immensely useful feature for those who have to juggle between multiple devices. As the name suggests the feature allows your Bluetooth device to maintain an active connection to up to two devices simultaneously. In theory, this enables you to stream music from your laptop while also being able to receive notifications and calls from your smartphone.

As a refresher, the Jabra Elite 7 Pro and Elite 7 Active were launched last year in August alongside the Elite 3.

The news came alongside the announcement of the Jabra Elite 4 Active, a watered-down version of the Elite 7 Active. The new TWS feature a slightly updated design and swap out touch controls for physical buttons. The Elite 4 Active retains active noise cancellation (ANC) and also boasts IP57 dust and water protection. Battery life is rated for 7 hours on a single charge and up to 28 hours with the charging case. Other notable features of the buds include Google Fast Pair support, Qualcomm aptX codec, Bluetooth 5.2, Alexa support, and more.

Are you looking forward to receiving multipoint support on your Jabra Elite 7 Pro or Elite 7 Active? Let us know in the comments below. 

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Phoenix rises from the ashes: The Samsung Galaxy S II gets a taste of Android 12

Just a day ago, we spoke about devices outliving their generation by leaps and bounds, and highlighted the Samsung Galaxy S III’s prowess in doing so. Despite a number of devices following similar paths thanks to the dedication of developers on our forums, the undoubted champion that simply refuses to give up, is the second-gen Galaxy S. The venerable Samsung Galaxy S II has not only received Android builds light years ahead of it’s time, but it has also managed to run non-Android operating systems, such as Ubuntu Touch. Now, XDA Senior Member rINanDO has taken another important step in continuing the device’s legacy, by successfully booting an Android 12 ROM on it.

Samsung Galaxy S II XDA Forums

The developer has compiled an unofficial build of LineageOS 19.0 on top of Android 12 for the GT-I9100 variant of the Galaxy S II. And despite being a very alpha work in progress, it shows a lot of promise. Most of the core hardware components, such as the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and the audio output are functional. The cellular radio is working too, which means you could flash the ROM on the device and technically use it as a backup phone, provided your carrier has yet to phase out 3G completely. Last but not least, SELinux is set as enforced in the release.

Looking at the list of what doesn’t work initially sets off quite a few alarm bells. Things like the broken video recording feature and the camera crashing after one use are usually enough to keep people from downloading. However, rINanDO is committed to continue work on the Android 12 port, aided by an amazing team of fellow developers. Bugs or not, the release is still another jewel in the crown of what is, in our opinion, one of the greatest smartphones of all time.

Head over to the thread linked below to join the discussion, flash the ROM, or just witness another milestone in the Galaxy S II’s illustrious life.

Download unofficial LineageOS 19.0 based on Android 12 for the Samsung Galaxy S II

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In-app graphics reveals possible ZenFone 9 and ROG Phone 6 designs

After months of beta testing, ASUS finally released the stable Android 12 update for the ZenFone 8 and ZenFone 8 Flip yesterday. Interestingly enough, the latest update also seems to contain references for the upcoming ZenFone 9 and ROG Phone 6.

As spotted by ASUS ZenTalk forum member The Raimstor, the latest Android 12 update for the ZenFone 8 adds a new hidden setting for the double-tap back gesture — similar to the Pixel phones. The feature doesn’t work at the moment but its setting page reveals what appears to be a sketch of a ZenFone 9. Note that this is an early “render” (if it can even be called that) and not a finalized design. It could very easily be a placeholder graphic too. In any case, the render shows the ZenFone 9 sporting a dual-camera setup on the back. A closer look reveals that the setup consists of a 50MP primary and a 12MP ultra-wide camera. Moreover, we can also see that the phone features an iPhone 13-style boxy design with flat edges.

The same Android 12 firmware also contains a sketch of the ROG Phone 6 (H/T Mishaal Rahman), giving us a glimpse of ASUS’ upcoming gaming flagship. As you can see below, the phone retains the unapologetic gamer aesthetic that we have come to expect from the ROG lineup. The middle of the back seems to house a ROG Vision PMOLED display, with a stylized “ROG 06” logo just above it. As per the sketch, the phone has a larger camera module compared to the ROG Phone 5. We highly regarded the last year’s ROG Phone 5 for its amazing performance and thoughtful gaming features, and we expect nothing less from the ROG Phone 6.

Not much is known about the ZenFone 9 and ROG Phone 6 at this point. We expect to learn more about both phones in the coming months leading up to their official launch.

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Thanks to Wichaya Poka for the tip!

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Honor’s first foldable smartphone is launching next week

2022 is going to be a pivotal year for the growth of foldable phones as many new players are set to join the party. Last month we saw OPPO dabble into the foldable sphere with the launch of the Find N. Now one more player will soon be bringing its own take on the foldable form factor. The Chinese smartphone maker Honor has been teasing its upcoming Magic V smartphone for the past few weeks. Today the company officially revealed the launch date for its first foldable phone.

In a press release today, Honor confirmed it will unveil the Magic V on January 10. The launch event will take place in China at 11:30 AM UTC. While Honor didn’t detail anything about the hardware, the accompanying teaser shared by the company gives us a glimpse of the phone’s design. As you can see in the image below, the Honor Magic V will sport a triple camera setup on the back nestled inside a rectangular module. We can also see the outer display with a centered hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera.

As seen in last month’s teaser, the Honor Magic V will sport an inward folding design similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and feature flat edges. The phone will most likely be powered by Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. Similar to previous Honor smartphones, the Honor Magic V will be limited to the Chinese market, at least initially. The company hasn’t confirmed whether the phone will make its way to international markets. The Honor Magic V will go head to head against the likes of the OPPO Find N, Galaxy Z Fold 3, and Huawei Mate X2.

Not much is known about the Honor Magic V’s internal hardware at this point. But with the official launch just a week away, we won’t have to wait long to learn more about Honor’s first foldable smartphone.

Are you excited about Honor’s first foldable smartphone? Let us know in the comments below. 

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OnePlus 9RT and Buds Z2 are coming to India on January 14

The OnePlus 9RT and OnePlus Buds Z2 were first revealed all the way back in October, but the products still aren’t available everywhere. OnePlus is only selling the 9RT in China, while the Buds Z2 have arrived in a handful of countries (including the United States and much of Europe). Now it seems both products will be arriving in India soon, according to a new teaser from OnePlus.

OnePlus has revealed on its official forums that the OnePlus 9RT 5G and OnePlus Buds Z2 will launch in India on January 14, accompanied by a livestream at 5PM IST on the company’s Indian YouTube channel. Yes, this is an announcement of an announcement — OnePlus didn’t specify if the devices will actually go on sale on January 14. Earlier rumors indicated OnePlus was aiming for a December release for the 9RT and Buds Z2 in India.

OnePlus talked a bit about the phone, saying “the OnePlus 9RT 5G, is an extension of OnePlus 9R, and carries on the legacy of powerful flagships geared to propel you ahead of the game. On top of the impeccably robust performance, OnePlus 9RT 5G also offers uncompromising features in design, imaging performance, and display quality. Redefining the conventional performance offered by entry-level flagships, this power-packed offering delivers an enhanced experience for avid gamers and power-users alike.”

The forum post didn’t specify the differences between the India and China versions of the OnePlus 9RT, so we’ll likely have to wait until January 14 for that information. Even if the hardware is the same, OnePlus will presumably use OxygenOS 12 instead of the ColorOS software on the Chinese version (even if there’s not much of a difference between them now).

OnePlus has not yet released the kernel source code for any variation of the OnePlus 9RT. However, you can download the included wallpapers.

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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE hands on: keeping the Galaxy S21 alive

The Galaxy S20 series was one of Samsung’s largest selling phone ranges, and part of that success was down to the Galaxy S20 FE. Dubbed the Fan Edition (or FE for short) – a throwback to the rebuilt Galaxy Note 7 Fan Edition – Samsung sold over 10 million Galaxy S20 FE units in the past year since its launch in Q4 2020. At CES 2022, Samsung launched the next generation of the Fan Edition – the Galaxy S21 FE.

The Galaxy S21 FE brings the best of the Galaxy S21 range at a lower starting price than the Galaxy S21 range, and crucially, unlike its namesake series, this will be a phone that is sold for the next year at least. Available in four colorways with a premium matte textured feel, the Galaxy S21 FE will likely offer everything you could want in a Galaxy smartphone, and especially if the upcoming Galaxy S22 series doesn’t cut it for you.

At an exclusive event earlier at CES 2022 in Las Vegas, we went hands-on with the Galaxy S21 FE.

If you know anything about the Galaxy S21 series, chances are you’ll know most of the specs and features found in the Galaxy S21 FE. That said, one thing that’s immediately clear is how nice this phone feels in the hand. The matte textured rear offers grip, is ergonomically friendly, and looks fantastic, especially in the lavender color which is slightly more saturated than the namesake color found on the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

The design language of the Galaxy S21 FE is almost identical to the Galaxy S21 series, with the same contour-cut design resulting in a slightly raised camera hump – albeit, less so than the main phones in the series. The frame of the phone is an aluminum build but it still retains the premium feel that the Galaxy S21 series offered.

There are four color options for the Galaxy S21 series, and by far my favorite is the lavender. It is virtually the perfect shade of purple and it’s a better colorway than the Galaxy Z Flip 3. The other color options include an Olive green, which is very similar to the same in the Galaxy Buds 2, Black and White. If you’ve seen the Galaxy Buds 2 colors, you’ll know the Galaxy S21 FE colors.

Beyond the design similarities, the Galaxy S21 FE features many of the same specs found on the Galaxy S21 series. On paper, it’s best described as a combination of the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus, and given it’ll replace these two devices in Samsung’s ongoing lineup, it makes sense that Samsung would build a hybrid device featuring the best of these two phones.

It features a 6.4-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display which is bigger than the Galaxy S21 (6.2-inches) and smaller than the Galaxy S21 Plus (6.7-inches), albeit with the same resolution and display technology. Like the rest of the Galaxy S21 series, the Galaxy S21 FE display supports a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling, HDR10+, and an Always On Display. It also features the latest protection from Corning – Gorilla Glass Victus.

In the US, the Galaxy S21 FE is powered by a Snapdrag0n 888 processor whilst in some countries, it’s likely to use an Exynos processor. There are two storage and memory options; the base model comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, whilst the premium variant features 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

The triple camera setup features the same wide and ultra-wide cameras from the Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus, although the telephoto camera takes a fairly substantial hit. The main camera is a 12MP wide sensor with dual pixel autofocus, Optical Image Stabilization, whilst the ultra-wide is a 12MP sensor with 120° field of view, f/2.2 aperture, and 1.4µm pixel size. The telephoto camera is cut from the 64MP sensor found previously to an 8MP sensor, albeit it still supports 30x digital zoom.

The rest of the specs are fairly standard with a 4,500 mAh battery powering the entire package, which can be topped up using either 25W wired charging or 15W wireless charging. There’s also reverse wireless charging to recharge your accessories, a range of 5G bands and sensors, and IP68 water and dust resistance. The Galaxy S21 FE also launches running One UI 4 on top of Android 12.

The Galaxy S21 FE launches next week for $699.99 for the base variant, whilst the premium variant with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage will cost you $769.99. It’ll be available from a range of carriers and from Samsung directly, and presumably, there’ll be plenty of trade-in deals to further reduce the cost of the phone.

Overall, the Galaxy S21 FE is designed to replace the existing Galaxy S21 range in Samsung’s lineup, especially as the latter is mostly out of stock already. With Samsung planning to launch its next range of phones in the coming months at a higher price, the Galaxy S21 FE is designed to be the phone that keeps the legacy of the Galaxy S21 series alive, and in this, it seems to deliver. Stay tuned as we’ll have a full review of the Galaxy S21 FE going live in the coming weeks.

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LG reveals its 2022 smart TV lineup and webOS 22 update

LG is one of the most popular manufacturers of TVs, and the company’s lineup of WebOS-powered smart TVs is usually on par (or slightly ahead of) competing options from TCL, Samsung, and other big names. It wouldn’t be a CES week without some new smart TVs, and sure enough, LG has announced its 2022 smart TV lineup and some updates for its webOS software.

First up is the LG 2022 G2 series (not to be confused with the LG G2 smartphone), which is the company’s top-tier option with OLED panels. Just like last year, there are 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch models sizes available, but LG is now throwing a 97-inch model into the mix. All of them have LG’s OLED Evo technology, which aims to deliver more realistic image quality.

2022 C2 77-inch TV

There’s also the slightly-cheaper C2 series, which will be available in 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch, and 83-inch sizes. Some of these will have OLED Evo screens too, and all of them have thinner bezels. Most C2 and G2 models are equipped with the company’s latest “Alpha 9 Gen 5” processor, but LG didn’t specify any improvements beyond the ability to create virtual 7.1.2 surround sound. Finally, LG also has a few new QNED TVs for 2022.

This year’s TVs will ship with a new version of webOS, which LG is calling ‘webOS 22’ — the current version is 6.0, but it seems LG wants to synchronize the version numbers with the current year. The new update introduces personal profiles, so each person using the TV can set up their own favorites and content recommendations. You’ll be able to switch profiles through the TV interface, or through something LG calls ‘NFC Magic Tap.’ The new update also allows the TV to function as a controller for devices using the Matter standard, starting sometime in the second half of 2022.

LG did not share pricing or availability details on any of its new TV models.

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