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Let’s face it, locked second-hand phones are cheaper, and unlocking is so easy

I don’t like spending money. Some might call me “tight”, but I’d rather call it “sensible”.

My wife, for example, somehow ended up with a £59 per-month package for her Samsung phone. She had far too much data included and she somehow got Spotify plus mobile phone insurance added into the mix too. After a “robust conversation”, I’ve now switched her across to a Virgin Mobile deal for £12 per month, and she strangely gets more data too.

Switching networks is now super easy. Just send a text message to your current network and give the provided code to the new network. Bosh. Done.

Lets face it, locked second hand phones are cheaper, and unlocking is so easy

Less than £300 for this locked iPhone X on eBay

Also, if you’ve come to the end of your contract and you’ve paid everything you owe, you can usually unlock your phone easily by merely asking your current network to do it. They usually won’t charge you for this either. However, if you got your phone from somewhere else – eBay, Gumtree, Shpock etc – you could find yourself buying a phone which is locked to a specific network. Plus, because you’re not the person named on the original contract, you can’t get it unlocked for free.

Cheap reconditioned phones on MusicMagpie

If you’re looking around for a used smartphone, you’ll find that locked phones are generally cheaper to buy. This is because you’ll need to do a bit of extra work to get it unlocked so that you can use it on the network of your choice.

So, when I was buying an a reconditioned iPhone 7 for my son, I spotted quite a few really cheap ones that were locked. Fast forward to today and I’m at it again, this time looking for an iPhone X. If you have a good look around, you can get one for less than £380, however, that’s for a locked one. The next step is to simply hunt out a decent company who will Unlock iPhone X handsets.

Usually you’ll just need a few things…

1 – Details of the network that the phone is locked to.
2 – The IMEI number (which you can get by simply dialling *#06# on your dial-pad)
3 – Payment.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll receive an unlock code which just needs putting into the phone. Don’t forget, if you’re getting an Apple phone, this is just the network unlock code. If your iPhone is locked to a previous owners iCloud account, you will require an iCloud Unlock prior to unlocking your device.

The post Let’s face it, locked second-hand phones are cheaper, and unlocking is so easy is original content from Coolsmartphone. If you see it on another news website, please let us know.

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Fancy a contract-free £15 plan with 100GB of monthly data?

That’ll do. More than enough data, eh?

Yes, amongst the SIM-only deals on iD Mobile I tripped over a sizeable 100GB 30-day plan which costs a mere £15 monthly. There’s data rollover for unused data, data boost, inclusive roaming, fast 4G and bill capping.

The network uses the Three masts and I reckon this is a deal and a half, however they’ve also got other offers – including 12GB for £10 per month or completely unlimited data for £18 per month. The usual unlimited texts and calls comes with all the plans.

The post Fancy a contract-free £15 plan with 100GB of monthly data? is original content from Coolsmartphone. If you see it on another news website, please let us know.

Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC launched

Here it is the newest Poco Phone from Xioami, but unlike its slightly older predecessor, this one is not all about pushing to get the bets processor into the cheapest phone possible. This time around we have got a phone that has been built to a price but with very few compromises being met on the way. This phone feels like it has been made with the Pixel 4A and the OnePlus Nord firmly in its sights.

The phone I am talking about is the Poco X3 NFC!

Like the Poco Phones from the past this phone has got a subtle gaming slant in that the phone supports a 6.67” FHD+ LCD DotDisplay with 240Hz touch sampling rate and 120Hz refresh rate. This makes it one of the very few LCD panels that have such a high refresh rate. It beats the Nord and 4a on the touch sampling and refresh rate but does fall in the screen type being that the others are AMOLED and OLED respectively. It is also using a faster chip than the Pixel 4a in the form of the Snapdragon 732 which is Qualcomm’s fastest 4G Chipset and more like the 735 that is being used in the Nord. Alongside this is an Adreno 618 Elite Gaming series GPU which is the same as in the Pixel 4a whereas the Nord has the 620 GPU.

Battery capacity is another big battle area for these devices and here we have The Poco X3 again coming out on top with a massive 5,160mAh high-capacity battery with 33W fast charging. You also get a 33W in-box charger. The Nord provides the next biggest with 4115 mAh battery and Warp Charge 30T fast charging with the compatible charger in the box also. Bringing up the rear in the battery department is the Pixel 4a with 3160mah battery and only an 18W charger in the box.

So we can see from the above info that these phones are all going to be pitched at the same sort of market segment, or at least that is what you think from looking at the screen, processor and battery specs alone. That is not, however, the full picture as there is another area that plays a big part in the Poco X3 and that is the price. This is an area where Poco and Xiaomi have always been groundbreaking and this time around things are no different. The phone is going to be available in two variants – 6GB+64GB and 6GB+128GB, and come in two colours, Shadow Gray and Cobalt Blue. Priced at £199 and £249 respectively, both variants will be available for purchase from September 17th on mi.com/uk and Amazon.

That is not all though as Xiaomi like to treat their early adopters so they will be doing an early bird price will also be offered on the 6GB+128GB variant. From 1:00 PM (BST) on September 17th, until 11:59 PM (BST) on October 8th, customers can purchase this variant at £229, enjoying a price drop of £20. This deal will be available on both mi.com/uk and Amazon.

So what else do these phones have to offer aside from the highlighted features above? Well to be honest a very good looking spec sheet and one that i am quite excited about. Let us have a looksie

Performance
• Qualcomm® Snapdragon 732G
– Kyro 470 octa-core CPU,
– Adreno 618 GPU with Elite Gaming
• LPDDR4X RAM, UFS 2.1 storage
– 6GB+64GB, 6GB+128GB
• Hybrid SIM slot, up to 256GB expandable storage
• LiquidCool Technology 1.0 Plus
– Copper heat pipe + graphite
• MIUI 12 for POCO, based on Android 10

Display & Design
• 6.67” FHD+ LCD DotDisplay
– 20:9, 2400×1080, 395ppi
– 240Hz touch sampling rate
– 120Hz refresh rate
– Color gamut: NTSC 84% (typ), DCI-P3 87.4%
– Contrast ratio: 1,500:1(typ)
– Brightness: 450 nits (typ) / 380 nits (min)
– TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification
– HDR10
– Wildvine L1 certified
• Dimensions:165.3mm x 76.8mm x 9.4mm
• Weight: 215g
• Available colours: Shadow Gray, Cobalt Blue
• 2.5D glass front, 3D curved back
• Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5 front
• Polycarbonate back
• Super aluminium alloy frame
• Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
• Splash-proof protection, IP53 TÜV SÜD tested

Battery / charging
• 5,160mAh (typ) high-capacity battery
• 33W fast charging
• 33W in-box charger
• USB Type-C

Audio
• Dual Stereo Speakers
– 4cc-equivalent 1012 upper speaker, open cavity
– 1cc-equivalent 1216 lower speaker
– Maximum speaker vibration amplitude: 0.5mm

Camera
64MP+13MP+2MP+2MP quad rear camera
• 64MP main wide sensor
– Sony IMX682
– 1/1.73“ sensor, ƒ/1.89, 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel, 6P lens
• 13MP ultra wide-angle sensor
– 119° FoV, ƒ/2.2, 1.0μm
• 2MP macro sensor
– ƒ/2.4, 1.75μm, 4cm
• 2MP depth sensor
– ƒ/2.4, 1.75μm, FF
• Up to 4K 30fps, video recording
• AI Skyscaping 3.0, Night Mode, ShootSteady video, Vlog
Mode
20MP in-display front camera
• ƒ/2.2, 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel

Connectivity
• Dual SIM, dual standby
• Bands:
– 2G: GSM: B2/3/5/8
– 3G: WCDMA: B1/2/4/5/8
– TDD-LTE B38/40/41（120MHz）
– FDD-LTE B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28
• Wi-Fi 5
• Bluetooth 5.1
• 3.5mm headphone jack

A lot of good stuff in there and the camera setup doesn’t look too shabby with that 64 MP Sony sensor with ƒ/1.89 aperture and 1.6μm. This unit should produce some good results and it is backed up by a good wide-angle unit in the form of 13MP ultra wide-angle sensor with 119° FoV, ƒ/2.2, 1.0μm. Nice to see the inclusion of the 2MP macro sensor at ƒ/2.4, 1.75μm, 4cm. To round things off we also have a 2MP depth sensor ƒ/2.4, 1.75μm, FF to get those all-important portrait style shots. Do i think going quad camera is a better approach than using the Pixel 4a’s approach of one lense put AI-assisted computational photography, unfortunately, we will not know until we have had the chance to test it out. I think the Poco X3 camera lines up nicely against the Nord and it will be interesting to see how it compares with the Pixel 4a.

Show Press Release (1,233 More Words)

Xiaomi unveils POCO X3 (NFC) – a mid-range champion
Top-of-the-line screen, battery and performance

UK, September 7, 2020 — POCO, the industry-redefining smartphone brand, launched its latest device today: POCO X3 (NFC). Tailored for young tech and gaming enthusiasts, it adopts a unique finish-line design that screams power. The device puts performance above all else, offering only the most useful high-end specs with no frills at a fraction of the usual price.

Debuting Qualcomm’s newest and most powerful 700-series 4G processor – Snapdragon^TM 732G – POCO X3 (NFC) boasts incredible performance that lasts up to two days on one charge, thanks to the handset’s large 5,160mAh battery. Meanwhile, the phone’s 120Hz+240Hz display creates an incredibly smooth and responsive experience superior to most flagships on the market.

Exactly the performance you need with the brand-new Qualcomm^®Snapdragon^TM 732G platform

As a perfect daily driver, POCO X3 NFC is all about incredible everyday use and an optimized gaming experience. Running on Qualcomm’s most powerful 4G processor to date, the Snapdragon 732G, POCO X3 NFC offers sustained peak performance and AI capabilities that will impress even the most demanding gamers thanks to its architecture based on the Kryo^TM 470 octa-core CPU and Adreno 618 Elite Gaming series GPU.

To ensure steady operation and frictionless user experience, the device embeds LiquidCool Technology 1.0 Plus, combining an enlarged copper heat pipe with multiple layers of graphite that work together to reduce the heat of the phone’s processor by up to 6 degrees¹.

The phone’s incredible performance can be further optimized for gaming thanks to the latest iteration of Game Turbo 3.0, the utility that tunes the phone in accordance with game requirements, that ensures users get the most out of the handset’s powerful hardware. Additionally, the phone’s Z-axis linear motor ensures superb haptic feedback with over 150 vibration modes for different scenarios.

Exactly the immersion you need with 120Hz + 240Hz display and stereo speakers

In line with POCO’s original goal of making innovation available to everyone, POCO X3 NFC sports a stunning edge-to-edge 6.67” FHD+ DotDisplay with a staggering combination of a 120Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate.

POCO X3 NFC boasts one of the smoothest screens in its price category. The DynamicSwitch function allows the phone to save power by automatically switching between 50, 60, 90 and 120Hz depending on the use case and the format of content displayed on the screen. This allows the phone’s refresh rate to go up for use cases like gaming and down for lighter operations like reading – thereby optimizing power usage

The 240hz touch sampling rate further reinforces the phone’s extraordinary display capabilities, allowing it to beat most competition hollow. POCO X3 NFC boasts 33% faster response than most flagships currently on the market², providing for an exceptionally satisfying user experience as well as giving users a noticeable competitive advantage even in the most sophisticated games.

To ensure utmost immersion, the device also packs a pair of flagship-grade stereo speakers. The 4cc-equivalent upper speaker, 1cc-equivalent lower speaker, and up to 0.5mm vibration amplitude provide for crystal clear stereo sound and an absorbing gaming experience. Meanwhile, the speakers’ ability to self-clean ensures unmuffled audio in the long run.

Exactly the photos you need with 64MP AI quad-camera system

POCO X3 NFC sports a top-notch rear quad-camera system consisting of a 64MP main camera, 13MP ultra-wide angle camera, 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor.

The phone’s main camera is a flagship Sony IMX 682 sensor featuring an ƒ/1.89 aperture and 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel that produces detailed and ultra-clear pictures. The 13MP ultra-wide angle camera boasts a 119° field of view propped up by ƒ/2.2 aperture and a 1.0μm pixel size, while the 2MP macro camera and depth sensor complete the setup offering extra functionality and reinforcing the main lens’ capabilities.

On the front, the device sports a tiny dot 20MP camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture and 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel, ideal for taking unblemished selfies.

For those trying to stand out from the crowd, POCO X3 NFC packs a slew of creative features including six kaleidoscope options, Gold vibes mode, Cyberpunk mode, numerous new photo filters,as well as AI Skyscaping 3.0, presenting new creative ways to brighten up users’ social media feed.

Video enthusiasts can make use of the device’s 4K video recording as well as features including smooth video zoom, focus peaking and AE/AF lock. The included LOG/RAW format support and Vlog mode not only ensure that users can capture their most important moments in utmost quality, but also turn the phone into a semi-professional workstation for video content production.

Exactly the battery life you need with 5,160mAh and 33W fast charging

Top level specs are no use without a battery that lasts. To guarantee that users can enjoy all of its amazing features, POCO X3 NFC is equipped with a large 5,160mAh(typ) battery that lasts over two days under moderate usage. The handset supports 33W fast charging which not only means that the device can be charged to 100% in only 65 minutes, but also that a mere 30 minutes will fill it up to 62%¹.

The increased charging speed is achieved through Middle Middle Tab (MMT) technology. In conventional batteries, the electric current is coming from the bottom of the module, filling it upwards, thus resulting in considerably slower charging speed. Middle Middle Tab (MMT) technology is based on an innovative method in which the battery receives the electric current from the middle and spreads it simultaneously to the top and bottom of the module. This allows for faster and more consistent charging speed, while also ensuring battery longevity, compared to traditional layouts.

POCO X3 NFC will be available with two variants, 6GB+64GB and 6GB+128GB, in Shadow Grey and Cobalt Blue. Priced at £199 and £249 respectively, it will be available for online purchase from September 17th on mi.com/uk and Amazon.

Meanwhile, an early bird price will also be offered from 13:00 BST on September 17th to 23:59 BST on October 8th, on mi.com/uk and Amazon, when consumers can purchase the 6GB+128GB variant at £229, enjoying a price drop of £20.

	POCO X3 NFC
Display	6.67” FHD+ LCD DotDisplay 20:9, 2400×1080, 395ppi 240Hz touch sampling rate 120Hz refresh rate Color gamut: NTSC 84% (typ) Contrast ratio: 1,500:1(typ) Brightness: 450 nits (typ) / 380 nits (min) TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification HDR10 Wildwine L1 certified
Color	Shadow Gray, Cobalt Blue
Dimensions	165.3mm x 76.8mm x 9.4mm, 215g
Network Support	Dual SIM standby³ Wi-Fi 5
Processor	Qualcomm^® Snapdragon 732G – Kyro^TM 470 octa-core CPU, – Adreno^TM 618 GPU with select Elite Gaming features
Storage	LPDDR4X RAM, UFS 2.1 storage
Cooling System	LiquidCool Technology 1.0 Plus – Enlarged copper heat pipe + multiple layers of graphite, up to 6°C CPU temperature reduction
Rear Camera	64MP+13MP+2MP+2MP quad camera 64MP main wide sensor Sony IMX682, 1/1.73“ sensor, ƒ/1.89, 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel, 6P lens, PDAF 13MP ultra-wide angle sensor, 119° FoV, ƒ/2.2, 1.0μm 2MP macro sensor, ƒ/2.4, 1.75μm, 4cm 2MP depth sensor, ƒ/2.4, 1.75μm Up to 4K 30fps, video recording, AI Skyscaping 3.0, Night Mode, ShootSteady video, Vlog mode
Front Camera	20MP in-display front camera ƒ/2.2, 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel
Connection	Multifunctional NFC, IR blaster
Security	Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
Battery & Charging	5,160mAh (typ) high-capacity battery 33W fast charging 33W in-box charger USB Type-C
Audio	Dual Stereo Speakers 4cc-equivalent 1012 upper speaker, open cavity 1cc-equivalent 1216 lower speaker Maximum speaker vibration amplitude: 0.5mm Hi-Res audio certification 3.5mm headphone jack
Motor	Z-axis linear vibration motor
System	MIUI 12 based on Android 10
Storage Variants	6GB+64GB 6GB+128GB

Product images available here.

¹ Lab results. Results may vary based on individual conditions.

² The number refers to displays with 180Hz touch sampling rate.

³ Pricing and availability may vary between markets.

The post Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC launched is original content from Coolsmartphone. If you see it on another news website, please let us know.

EE delivers The Full Works for iPhones

EE have launched, or perhaps had to launch, a new plan for iPhone customers today. There’s rumours on the street that Apple weren’t too happy about customers having Britbox and Amazon so a new plan has now been created.

Either way “The Full Works Plan” for iPhone gets you all the best that EE and Apple can throw at you. Fast, unlimited, uncapped 5G Ready data plus up to £480-worth of Apple content – Apple Music, Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade. In addition, there’s a Lifetime Guarantee on your iPhone.

BT (EE) Consumer CEO told us..

We’re always looking for ways to offer customers the best mobile experiences through partnerships with the world’s most innovative brands. And now, for the first time, they can get the best of EE and the best of Apple in one mobile plan. Allowing them to benefit from Apple Music, Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade, unlimited mobile data, and the option to upgrade whenever they want – all on the UK’s no.1 network for 4G and 5G.

The Smart iPhone plan is also available, which lets you choose an Apple smart benefit from Apple Music, Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade or data allowances.

Don’t forget that EE lets customers use the same number across various Apple devices including Apple Watch and iPad via their “Smart Numbers” system.

For all the details on “The Full Works Plan” for iPhone and the “Smart iPhone Plan”, head to ee.co.uk/full-works-plan.

The post EE delivers The Full Works for iPhones is original content from Coolsmartphone. If you see it on another news website, please let us know.

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Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 5G. Pre-order with EE

So you may be aware that the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 5G has now been made official and it looks amazing. I remember my thoughts when the first Fold was announced.I have to say I was a bit, “meh”.

The reason being that the exterior display was too small. It just looked a bit silly in my opinion.

However, having seen the new version on the Fold 2 5G, I am excited by it and kinda want to own one. Realistically this is not going to happen for me as last time I checked I wasn’t Mr Monopoly, however, if you are lusting after this phone and want to be able to call it your own well I have good news. .

All you need to do is to pop on over to the EE website and you can place a pre-order for the Fold 2 5G now. It will be available on the Essential plan with 40GB of data, unlimited minutes and texts for £101 month and £100 upfront in both Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black for the 256GB version.

Yes, that is a high tariff. It is, though, a hugely expensive phone. You do also get access to the network that has been voted the fastest network for 5G by RootMetrics. It also has one of the larger 5G networks in the UK at the time of writing.

So what are the specs of this phone-tablet hybrid? Well here they are for you to absorb..

Galaxy Z Fold2 5G Product Specifications
Display		Main Screen* – 7.6” QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display (22.5:18) Infinity Flex Display (2208 x 1768), 373ppi Cover Screen** – 6.2” HD+ Super AMOLED Display (25:9), 2260 x 816, 386ppi Main Screen: Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners. Actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners. *Cover Screen: Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners. Actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners.
Dimension & Weight		Folded: 68.0 x 159.2 x 16.8mm (Hinge) ~ 13.8mm(Sagging), 282g Unfolded: 128.2 x 159.2 x 6.9mm(Frame) ~ 6.0mm(Screen) , 282g
Camera	Cover Camera	10MP Selfie Camera : F2.2, Pixel size: 1.22μm, FOV: 80˚
	Front Camera	10MP Selfie Camera: F2.2, Pixel size: 1.22μm, FOV: 80˚
	Rear Triple Camera	12MP Ultra Wide Camera: F2.2, Pixel size: 1.12μm, FOV: 123˚ 12MP Wide-angle Camera : Super Speed Dual Pixel AF, OIS, F1.8, Pixel size: 1.8μm, FOV: 83˚ 12MP Telephoto Camera : PDAF, F2.4, OIS, Pixel size: 1.0μm, FOV: 45˚ Dual OIS, 0.5x out and 2x in optical zoom, Up to 10x digital zoom, HDR10+ recording, Tracking AF
AP		7㎚ 64-bit Octa-Core Processor (3.09㎓ + 2.40㎓ + 1.80㎓)
Memory		12GB RAM with 256GB internal storage (UFS3.1) Actual storage availability may depend on pre-installed software
Battery		4500mAh (typical) dual battery* *Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated (minimum) capacity is 4365mAh. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.
Charging		Super Fast Wired Charging and Fast Wireless Charging* Wireless PowerShare*Wired charging compatible with QC2.0 and AFC, Wireless charging compatible with WPC and PMA Wireless PowerShare is limited to Samsung or other brand smartphones with WPC Qi wireless charging, such as Galaxy Z Fold2 5G, Galaxy Note20, Galaxy Note20 Ultra Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip, Galaxy Note10, Note10+, Galaxy S10e, S10, S10+ S9, S9+, S8, S8+, S8 Active, S7, S7 edge, S7 Active, S6, S6 edge, S6 Active, S6 edge+, Note9, Note8, Note FE, Note5, and wearables such as Galaxy Watch Active, Gear Sport, Gear S3, Galaxy Watch, and Galaxy Buds. May not work with certain accessories, covers, or other brand devices. May affect call reception or data services, depending on your network environment.
OS		Android 10
Network		[LTE]: Enhanced 4X4 MIMO, 7CA, LAA, LTE Cat.20 – Up to 2Gbps Download / Up to 200Mbps Upload[5G]: Non-Standalone (NSA), Standalone (SA), Sub6 / mmWave Actual speed may vary depending on country, carrier, and user environment.**Requires optimal 5G connection. Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment.
Connectivity		[Wi-Fi] 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax HE80 MIMO, 1024QAM [Bluetooth]* Bluetooth® v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), USB type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou) [Ultra Wide Band] *Galileo and BeiDou coverage may be limited. BeiDou may not be available for certain countries.
SIM Card		One eSIM and one Nano SIM SIM card sold separately. Availability may vary depending on country and carrier. eSIM requires a wireless service plan and allows you activate a mobile network plan without the use of a nano SIM. eSIM availability may vary depending on software version, country and carrier. Check with your carrier if your mobile network plan supports eSIM.
Payment(Samsung Pay)		Credit & debit cards: supports MST and/or NFC Membership cards, Gift cards, Transit cards, Reward point service *Available in select countries. Payment solutions and available features may vary depending on country, carrier, and service providers.
Sensors		Capacitive Fingerprint sensor (side), Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, Proximity sensor, Light sensor
Authentication		Lock type: pattern, PIN, password Biometric lock type: Fingerprint sensor, Face recognition Galaxy Z Fold2 5G has a Capacitive Fingerprint sensor on the side.
Audio		Stereo speakers Surround sound with Dolby Atmos technology (Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus included.) UHQ 32-bit &DSD64/128 support, PCM: Up to 32 bits, DSD: DSD64/128 Audio playback format : MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF DSD64 and DSD128 playback can be limited depending on the file format.
Video		Video playback format: MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM TV connection: Wireless: Smart View (screen mirroring 1080p at 30fps) / Wired: supports DisplayPort over USB type-C. Supports video out when connecting via HDMI Adapter. (DisplayPort 4K UHD at 60 fps)
Security		Knox protection: real-time monitoring and protection. Virus, malware prevention. (Powered by McAfee) Secure Folder: a secure space on the device to keep content such as apps, photos and videos, secured by fingerprint scanning. *Virus and malware prevention solution providers may vary depending on country. Availability may vary by market and carrier.
Colours		[Essential Colour] Mystic Black, Mystic Bronze [Customisation Hinge Colour]Metallic Silver, Metallic Gold, Metallic Red, Metallic Blue Hideaway Hinge colour customisation will be available in 22 markets, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, UAE, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam.
In the Box		Galaxy Z Fold2 5G, Data Cable, Travel Adapter, Ejection Pin, Quick Start Guide, Earphones (USB Type-C) with sound by AKG, Galaxy Z Premier Service Leaflet, Brand Story Leaflet *Actual components, including earphones, may not be available depending on the model you purchase or the country or region you live in. Package and cover colour may vary depending on device colour.

Something I am really glad to see that they have done is to incorporate the same technology in the hinge as they did in the Galaxy Z Flip which allows you to use the Fold 2 5G at any angle. This could, in theory, allow for the phone to be used as a sort of mini Laptop, assuming the software will allow you to have the keyboard on the lower screen and content on the upper one. Only testing would show this for certain.

If you do take advantage of the preorder then the phone will in your and for all the folding craziness by 18th of September which is before the phone will go on general sale so if you are keen to get one of these beauties then get your self over to the EE Website or pop into your local EE store soon.

In the meantime, you can relive the announcement right here.

https://youtu.be/BptkBvjY748

The post Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 5G. Pre-order with EE is original content from Coolsmartphone. If you see it on another news website, please let us know.

Xiaomi Mi10 5G and Redmi Note 9 now available at 3 stores

The Mi 10 5G and Redmi Note 9 have been available now for a little while from Xiaomi’s Mi Store, however, if you are not one to buy them from an online store and prefer to get them on your local high street you can do that very thing. Xiaomi has chosen 3 to launch the phones with in the UK and they have just announced the tariffs that the phones will be available on. They are available as you are reading this and from what i have been reading about them on the interwebs these are pretty good phones.

Mi 10 5G

The Mi 10 5G comes with a very impressive 108MP camera that uses Pixel binning technology to get you some very high detailed shots. It also beat Samsung to the punch with the ability to shoot 8K video from its rear sensors. Add that to a 90Mhz curved AMOLED panel at 6.67″ and you have a pretty nice package. The Specs can be found here

Xiaomi Mi 10 5G

With unlimited data and minutes

Upfront cost: £49
First six months half price, each month £27
Monthly charge after the first six months: £53

With 30GB data and unlimited minutes

Upfront cost: £49
Monthly charge: £53

With 12GB data and unlimited minutes

Upfront cost: £49
Monthly charge: £49

With 4GB data and unlimited minutes

Upfront cost: £49
First six months half price, each month £21
Monthly charge after the first six months: £42

One-off cost: £799

Redmi Note 9

As for the Redmi Note 9 true to the Redmi brand, this phone is aiming a little bit lower in terms of the target market but dont let that fool you as it still packs a hell of a punch for the money.

We still have a good size screen although it is not an AMOLED this time around instead we have got 6.53 “FHD+ DotDisplay, equipped with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5 and it doesn’t have a notch but instead uses a “hole punch” camera. On the back, we find a Quad camera which consists of a more standard 48MP camera alongside a 2MP depth sensor and 8MP Ultrawide, rounded off with a 2 MP macro number. This will give lots of flexibility in terms of camera functions for the casual photographer.

The phone also features the “legacy port” in the form of a 3.5mm headphone jack which is nice to see particularly when the target market is taken into account. I feel that the emphasis placed on this phone is it is being aimed at those who need a good phone with a long-lasting battery that doesn’t cost the earth. it is a phone I think my wife would have been happy with had i not already replaced hers with a Moto One Macro. You can find all the specs here

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9

With unlimited data and unlimited minutes

Upfront cost: £19
First six months half price, each month £16
Monthly charge after the first six months: £28

With 30GB data and unlimited minutes

Upfront cost: £19
Monthly charge: £27

With 12GB data and unlimited minutes

Upfront cost: £19
Monthly charge: £23

With 4GB data and unlimited minutes

Upfront cost: £19
First six months half price, each month £11
Monthly charge after the first six months: £20

One-off cost: £169

Both devices are also available on mi.com/uk. Or you can pop into your local 3 store and get them today.

Here are a few more images to tickle your interest…..

The post Xiaomi Mi10 5G and Redmi Note 9 now available at 3 stores is original content from Coolsmartphone. If you see it on another news website, please let us know.

When your allowance doesn’t quite keep up

My Vodafone SIM-only plan has been absolutely perfect for my needs over the last few years. I don’t make many calls or send SMS texts, so when I originally took the deal, 500 minutes of calls was fine. I was never going to make 8 hours of calls per month.

This sort of deal isn’t exactly the “norm” any more. You’ll get so used to unlimited texts and calls in your package, however it’s worth reviewing your plan to see if you’ve got a limited amount of texts or calls because this is what tripped me up recently.

Due to my sudden and quite scary onset of cancer, I found myself in a hospital making a lot more phone calls than normal. If I’d been “on the money” then I would’ve perhaps used WhatsApp to keep in touch, but I wasn’t exactly “with it” and it cost me a lot extra.

The result then, and this isn’t something Vodafone can do anything about (as it’s classed as “valid use”) is that my usual £7-ish monthly bill now has £90+ of additional charges..

It’s a bit of a tricky one because I can’t really moan at Vodafone about it. I busted the 500 minutes in my plan and I’m paying the extra usage. At the same time, cancer and a load of extra phone calls wasn’t something I could’ve foreseen.

So, what I’d definitely recommend doing if you’re looking at a new mobile phone deal, is to ensure that you always plumb for Unlimited Texts and Calls in your plan. Just in case. You really never know when you might need it.

Sure, there’s the other option (which is to ensure that your plan doesn’t allow you to go over your allowances), but in this case I really did need those allowances to be exceeded.

The post When your allowance doesn’t quite keep up is original content from Coolsmartphone. If you see it on another news website, please let us know.

Groov-e Launch Wireless SoundBuds With Assistant.

Here at Coolsmartphone Towers, we have reviewed Groov-e headphones on a few occasions, and have always been impressed with the sound quality at their competitive price point.

Today Groov-e has announced their latest product; the SoundBuds. The SoundBuds feature a ” push to talk feature” which give users access to their AI assistant without needing to open the phone. Simply press a button on the side of the headphones and speak directly with Siri, Google Assistant or Alexa. Using voice commands users can cue music, ask for directions, set calendar events and make phone calls quickly and easily when on-the-go.

Features include:

Bluetooth 5.0 technology, users are able to connect the SoundBuds seamlessly with any smart-device that’s up to 10 metres away
Four-hours of battery life from a single charge, and up to 14 hours in total
Charging case; the SoundBuds automatically turn on and connect to each other once taken out of their charging case, or just use one SoundBud at a time for a mono version on calls

Kunal Patel, Director, Groov-e said:

With our latest launch we are proving that you don’t need to spend a fortune to have a quality pair of true wireless headphones. With the SoundBuds coming in at £60, this offers a step up to our PlayBuds, packed with technology such as our voice assistant guide and Bluetooth 5.0.

Hopefully we will get a set of SoundBuds for a full review, but if you cant wait till then the SoundBuds true wireless earphones are available now from www.groov-e.co.uk for £59.99.

The post Groov-e Launch Wireless SoundBuds With Assistant. is original content from Coolsmartphone. If you see it on another news website, please let us know.

SMS integration to be removed from Google Hangouts.

According to an email being sent out by Google, Hangouts SMS integration will stop working after May 22, 2017. The company will presumably roll out an update on the day that will disable the SMS integration functionality on the app.

Google will start showing an in-app notification to users starting from March 27, 2017, prompting users to select a new default messaging client of the ones installed on their device. If no other SMS app is found installed, users will be redirected to the Google Play Store to download the Android Messages app. Users who do not use the Hangouts app as their default messaging client will not receive any notification.

Last year, we announced several improvements to the most popular features of Google Hangouts, such as the new video meetings experience and better group chat messaging. As a part of that ongoing effort, we will be removing carrier SMS text messaging from Hangouts on Android after May 22, 2017.

So in a weird way Google is trying to say removing features from an application is an improvement? I wonder how long after that May deadline will we see SMS integrated into Allo. Think about it – wouldn’t it be nice to have a fully unified messaging app that loads of people use, and that doesn’t rely on Facebook or WhatsApp for example.

source: an email from Google posted on Reddit.

The post SMS integration to be removed from Google Hangouts. is original content from Coolsmartphone. If you see it on another news website, please let us know.

Adding a Joystick to your Tablet – a look at the Satzuma Joystick

A lot of mobile games have a problem to resolve, most of us are used to playing games with a physical control pad, and most Tables and Smartphones can’t provide that option.
Games designers obviously provide different control mechanics to get around the lack of buttons on mobile devices, from specific touch centric controls to virtual on-screen joypads, but for some of us nothing replaces a physical controller. Some games offer a Bluetooth controller option but there are other options, for example the Satzuma Joystick.

A low tech option for gamers?

The Satzuma Joystick offers a low tech solution to a modern day problem through a small stick-on joystick which attaches to your devices through a small suction cup.
The information supplied with the joystick claims that it will work with any game that uses an on screen D-Pad that doesn’t uses a sliding motion, I was naturally sceptical especially given the price of £6, however the Satzuma Joystick provided a pleasant surprise.

When I removed the Joystick from it’s packaging I was impressed with it’s build quality and how solid it felt, but couldn’t see how it was going to work well in practice. Quickly firing up FIFA on my iPad soon put my concerns to rest, as after I got used to feel of the joystick, controlling the players was very responsive indeed.

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLjDkaBVL5o’]

The joystick works in a similar way to the old fashioned digital joypads rather then the analog controls were are now used to in that you need to press firmly, but after you get used to this it works surprisingly well.

Will the Satzuma Joystick replace a physical joypad? No of course not…but in testing it was definitely significantly better then just using the on-screen virtual pad and made the games more enjoyable, which for £6 (from Boots) seems a bit of a bargain.

If you are a mobile gamer or looking for a gift for one then the Satzuma Joystick is an option.

The post Adding a Joystick to your Tablet – a look at the Satzuma Joystick is original content from Coolsmartphone. If you see it on another news website, please let us know.