TCL's latest phones provide 5G connectivity without breaking the bank

Enjoy 5G connectivity on the cheap thanks to TCL.

What you need to know

TCL has announced two new budget-minded smartphones.
The TCL 30 XE 5G is coming soon exclusively to T-Mobile.
Verizon will be the sole carrier for the TCL 30 V 5G.

We've already seen some pretty awesome announcements come out of CES 2022, and TCL is next up on the list. The company is debuting a set of budget-friendly smartphones that are definitely poised as contenders for best cheap Android phone.

Kicking things off, the TCL 30 XE 5G sports a 6.52-inch display complete with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 180Hz touch sampling rate. Helping to hide the 8MP selfie camera is TCL's V-notch display, which ditches the hole-punch in favor of adding a bit of uniformity to the design.

Powering the device is MediaTek's Dimensity 700, which was found in a few of the best Android phones of last year, including the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10. Not only does this bring 5G connectivity to another budget phone, but the Dimensity 700 is no slouch in the performance department. Paired with MediaTek's budget chipset is 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage (up to 512GB).

On the back of the phone, TCL has included a triple camera array, headlined by a 13MP wide-angle sensor. This is accompanied by a 2MP depth sensor and 2MP macro lens, all of which will be able to provide 1080p video recording at 30fps.

Other features of the 30 XE 5G include a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, which seems to be another feature going to the wayside with new phone releases. We also have the beloved 3.5mm headphone jack at the top of the phone, so you'll still be able to use your favorite wired headphones in the event that you don't want to switch over to Bluetooth earbuds instead.

In terms of availability, pricing has not yet been revealed. However, TCL did confirm that the 30 XE 5G will be the company's first phone launched on T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile. The phone will be officially released in the coming weeks.

Next up, TCL is also announcing the TCL 30 V 5G, complete with a larger 6.67-inch display and an FHD+ (2400 x 1080) resolution. Unfortunately, you won't find faster refresh rates here, as TCL opted to stick with the old 60Hz refresh rate. TCL also opted to ditch the V-notch display in favor of a hole-punch cutout for the 16MP selfie camera.

Under the hood, the 30 V 5G is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 480 5G chipset, paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage. Unlike the 30 XE 5G, you'll be able to use up to a 1TB microSD card, instead of being limited to just 512GB.

Another triple camera setup graces the back of the phone, with a main 50MP wide-angle shooter. This is flanked by a 5MP "super wide" camera, and a 2MP macro lens, complete with LED flash at the bottom of the module.

Both of these phones offer a 4,500mAh battery, however, the 30 V 5G gains a leg up thanks to the 18W fast charging capabilties. TCL claims this will get your phone juiced back up to 100% in under 2 hours, while the phone should be able to last up to 24 hours on a single charge.

While the TCL 30 XE 5G is geared towards T-Mobile subscribers, the TCL 30 V 5G will handle Verizon subscribers. Again, pricing information has not yet been revealed, but both of these phones will launch in the coming weeks.

Source: androidcentral

Apple and Meta Reportedly Discussed AI Partnership for iOS 18

Apple has held discussions with Meta about integrating the Facebook owner's AI model into iOS 18 as part of its Apple Intelligence feature set, according to a report over the weekend. Meta launched Llama 2, its large language model, in July 2023, and in April, the company released the latest versions of its AI models, called Llama 3 . The Wall Street Journal reports that the two longtime rivals have held talks about offering Meta's model as an additional option to OpenAI's ChatGPT. The paywalled report notes that the discussions haven't been finalized and could fall through. As part of Apple Intelligence, Apple has announced a partnership with OpenAI that will allow Siri to access ChatGPT directly in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia to provide better responses in relevant situations. Using ChatGPT will be optional, so users with concerns about the technology can abstain and still make use of Apple's own new AI features. Speaking at WWDC 2024, Apple's

Here Are the macOS Sequoia Features Intel Macs Won't Support

When Apple released macOS Monterey in 2021, some key features required a Mac with Apple silicon. The same scenario played out with macOS Ventura in 2022, and then again the following year with the release of macOS Sonoma. With macOS Sequoia set to arrive in the fall, which new features can Intel Mac owners expect to be unavailable to them this time around? Apple says that macOS Sequoia is compatible with the same Macs as macOS Sonoma, but Apple's fine print reveals that certain new features won't work on Intel machines. If you're still on an Intel Mac, here's what you won't have access to. Apple Intelligence Apple Intelligence , a deeply integrated, personalized AI feature set for Apple devices that uses cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence to enhance the user experience, won't be available on Intel Macs. Apple says the advanced features require its M1 chip or later, so if your Mac was released before November 2020, you're out of luck. T

iPhone 16 Pro Models to Adopt 'M14' Advanced Samsung OLED Panels for Improved Brightness and Lifespan

The upcoming iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be the first Apple smartphones to adopt Samsung's high performance "M14" OLED display panel, claims a new report coming out of South Korea. According to ETNews , Samsung's "M" series of OLED panels are made for flagship smartphones, while "14" refers to the number of high-performance materials used to produce them. "M14" is the first series of its kind, and the panel is said to have been developed to deliver superior brightness and longevity. Samsung has reportedly placed orders for the M14 materials and is preparing to mass produce the displays in the second half of the year for Apple's iPhone 16 Pro models. Google's Pixel 9 smartphone is the only other device that is expected to adopt the high-performance displays in 2024. A previous report out of China claimed that this year's ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models will feature up to 1,200 nits of typical SDR brightness – a 20%

Apple Boosts A18 Chip Orders in Anticipation of High iPhone 16 Demand

Apple is said to have upped its order of next-generation chips from TSMC to between 90 million and 100 million units, following heightened demand expectations for its iPhone 16 series. Last year's initial chip order volume for the iPhone 15 series launch is believed to have been in the region of 80-90 million units, suggesting Apple is anticipating higher demand for its 2024 devices, according to Taiwanese outlet CTEE . The arrival of Apple Intelligence in iOS 18 is expected to boost initial sales of the devices. One of the reasons is that Apple Intelligence requires at least an iPhone 15 Pro to run, which means owners of last year's iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will miss out on Apple's new AI features unless they upgrade to an iPhone 15 Pro or plump for one of the iPhone 16 models. Last year, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus were equipped with the A16 Bionic chip – the same chip that was in the iPhone 14 Pro models – whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max f

Tech Talk

Search This Blog