Upcoming Xiaomi phablet to be called Max, said to sport 6.4-inch display

Last week, Xiaomi ran a poll to determine the name of its next phone. Of the four options available - Xiaomi Pro, Xiaomi Plus, Xiaomi Big, and Xiaomi Max - the last one received the most number of votes, while the one prior to that came in second.

Going by the name options that were available, it'd be reasonable to assume that the device in question is a large phone (phablet), possibly the largest Xiaomi. Sadly, nothing else has been officially revealed.

As for the rumors, they say that the phablet will be larger than the 5.7-inch Xiaomi Mi Note, with some even suggesting a display size of 6.4-inch. Other rumored specs include QHD display and SD820 SoC. Needless to say, rumors are rumors until confirmed, so take all this with a pinch of salt.

Samsung C-series phone (SM-C5000) now spotted on Geekbench

Remember the Samsung SM-C5000 whose existence was confirmed last month by the Indian import-export website Zauba? Well, the device has now been spotted on Geekbench, revealing some more of its specifications.

The listing shows that the handset is powered by a Snapdragon 617 chipset with an octa-core CPU and Adreno 405 GPU. In addition, it was also revealed that the phone has 4GB RAM, and runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

For those who missed, the SM-C5000's Zauba listing had revealed a 5.2-inch display, and an INR 13,625 ($205) price tag. Aside from this device, a C7000 model is also said to be in the works.

Alleged Motorola Moto G4 Plus leaks online

A new Motorola phone has been leaked online, courtesy of the usually reliable leakster @evleaks. The leaked image of the device - allegedly dubbed Moto G4 Plus - shows only the bottom portion of the front-panel, revealing a physical home button.

Sadly, nothing else - including specs, pricing, and availability - was revealed. However, it'd be safe to assume that the device will feature a fingerprint sensor given that an executive from Lenovo (which owns Motorola Mobility) had earlier this year revealed that the 2016 Moto line-up will come with an embedded fingerprint sensor.

The leak comes less than a couple of weeks after a device dubbed Moto X3 featuring a 5-inch display was spotted on India's import-export website Zauba.

New SmartBand 2 update makes sure you don't sit still for too long

Sony has rolled out an update to the SmartBand 2 SWR12 companion app that brings along several new features. Prime among them is a feature dubbed Get moving which reminds you to do some activity whenever it detects you've been sitting still for too long.

As you might already know, the SmartBand 2 comes with an advanced heart rate sensor. With the update, you'll now be able to use the device as a heart rate monitor with third-party fitness applications as well. Other features that the update brings along include the ability to automatically enter the Stamina mode when battery is low.

And finally, Sony claims that the quality of logged data has also been improved. The updated app is now available for download from Google Play.

Nexus 5X and 6P receive $50 price cut

If you're in the United States, and are planning to purchase the LG-made Google Nexus 5X orthe Huawei-made Google Nexus 6P, here is some good news: both devices have received official price cuts in the country.

Prices for both handsets have been slashed on Google Store by $50, meaning the Nexus 5X is now available starting at $299, while the Nexus 6P now starts at $449. The discount will be applied at the checkout phase of your purchase.

For those planning to take advantage of the deal, you'll be glad to know that the deal runs through May 6, meaning you have some time at hand.

Deal: Pebble Time for $90 at Meh.com, Only April 15!

The current-generation Pebble wearable, also known as the Pebble Time, is now available for only $90 through discount online retailer Meh.com. The Pebble Time took the original design language from the original Pebble Watch that came out with a successful Kickstarter campaign with new features like a color screen, microphone input, and new and quirky animations which add to its character.

The Pebble Time retailed for $250 this past summer and has since dropped every once in a while. The Pebble Time is currently available from Amazon for $122 with Prime shipping. If you’d like to take advantage of this opportunity, now is the time to do so as this deal will only last today. Note that the watch is only available in the regular black/greyish color.

EXCLUSIVE: Huawei P9 Lite Eurozone pricing revealed

The Huawei P9 Lite is probably going to become official soon, and it might even go on sale shortly after that. Earlier today we showed you how one Romanian online retailer has already listed the handset, and thus gave us an idea about its pricing. While over there the P9 Lite will be yours for around €270, it turns out the phone will be slightly more expensive in Eurozone countries.

The image you can see below has been sent in by an anonymous tipster. It represents an inventory listing for the three color versions of the P9 Lite coming soon to French retailer Fnac's branches in Belgium.

Regardless of which hue you pick (black, white, or gold), you'll need to shell out €298.95 for the device. This amount will obviously net you a SIM-free and unlocked unit.

We assume that prices in the other Eurozone countries will be very similar, if not identical. The Huawei P9 Lite should have a 5.2-inch 1080p IPS touchscreen, the HiSilicon Kirin 650 chipset at the helm, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, a 13 MP rear camera, a 5 MP unit for selfies, and a 3,000 mAh battery. It will run Android 6.0 Marshmallow underneath the latest version of Huawei's EMUI.

Apple orders 100 million Samsung OLED panels for the 2017 iPhone

According to the latest rumors, Apple has made an order to Samsung for 100 million 5.5" OLED panels in 2017. The displays are supposedly going to make their way to the 2017 iPhone Plus. The timing for the order indicates that the OLED screens will skip the iPhone 7 and only make it to the iPhone 7S.

The information comes from a source cited by the Chinese edition of the WSJ and it also points out that Samsung has set aside a production line at its Asan plant for the order. While the information about future iPhone models using a Samsung-made OLED panel is not new, it was previously anticipated to happen in 2018, not a year earlier.

KGI's analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a mixed track record regarding Apple rumors, also shares similar information. However, he is quite certain that the 2017 iPhone Plus will have a 5.8" display.

The reason for Apple's decision to go OLED could be because currently, its production cost is lower than LCD's. It'll be also interesting to see if rumors surface regarding Apple issuing a request to LG to manufacture OLED panels as a fallback. Up until now, the Korean company has been a key Apple partner in making panels for the iPhone.

Gionee debuts budget-minded Pioneer P5 Mini

Gionee has launched Pioneer P5 Mini in India.

The P5 Mini is a budget smartphone and comes with basic specifications. It has a 4.5-inch 854x480 resolution IPS LCD, quad-core Mediatek MT6580M, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage with microSD, 5 megapixel rear camera, 2 megapixel front camera, dual SIM, 1850mAh battery, and Android 5.1 Lollipop with Amigo 3.1 UI on top.

The P5 Mini is available in five different colors, and is priced at INR 5349 ($80).

Huawei announces its own VR headset, complete with 360-degree sound

The latest company to jump into the VR field is Huawei. The Chinese smartphone maker has unveiled the aptly named Huawei VR today in its home country, which is a headset that requires a phone to be used, much like Samsung's Gear VR.

The Huawei VR is compatible with the P9 and P9 Plus, but also the Mate 8. Since Huawei has only gone with 1080p screens for all of these devices, image quality is bound to be less crisp than what can be achieved with a Gear VR and Galaxy S7 or S6. Then again, the Huawei VR does have a neat trick up its sleeve: a 360-degree sound field to go with the 360-degree videos.

For this to work you need to have content that supports it of course, and a pair of your own headphones to plug in. The Huawei VR has a touch panel, a back button, and volume keys on the right. You can't wear glasses while using it, but its adjustable lenses will apparently work well for users with myopia of down to -7.00.

The headset has 20ms latency and a 95-degree field of view, as well as a blue light filter that's said to protect your eyes. Huawei will offer over 4,000 free movies for the device, though it's unclear exactly how many of those are VR videos.

You'll also get 40 free games and 350 panoramic images and 150 panoramic tours. The catch? All of this content is going to be available in China only. And for now it appears that the Huawei VR's launch will be limited to that market too. Pricing and exact availability details haven't been outed yet, though.

YU Yureka Note (YU6000) launched with 6-inch display, 4,000mAh battery

Remember the YU6000, which was spotted on GFXBench last November? The device has reportedly been launched by the company in India - and it's called the Yureka Note. While it isn't officially listed online, a couple of leaked pictures suggest it's available for purchase through offline channels.

Specs-wise, the device is powered by a 64-bit octa-core 1.5GHz processor, and sports a 6 inch Full HD IPS Display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It has 3GB RAM and 16GB expandable internal memory, and packs in a large 4,000mAh battery with Quick Charging support.

In terms of camera, the handset features a 13MP rear unit and an 8MP front shooter. It runs Android 5.1 Lollipop out-of-the-box, features a fingerprint sensor, and offers 4G connectivity as well as dual SIM functionality. As for the price, it is said to carry a tag of INR 14,999, which translates into around $225 at current exchange rates.

Huawei P9 Lite spotted listed on European retailer's website

The Huawei P9 Lite, which was last spotted in a hands-on preview recently, is yet to be announced by the company. However, the device has now been spotted listed on a retailer's website in Europe.

Romanian retailer Cel.ro seemingly has the device in stock, offering black, gold and white color variants for around $300. Specs-wise, the handset is powered by a HiSilicon Kirin 650 chipset, and sports a 5.2-inch full HD IPS display.

The model on offer has 2GB and 16GB expandable internal memory, and packs in a 3,000mAh battery. In terms of camera, the Huawei P9 Lite features a 13MP rear unit and a 5MP front shooter. The listing also reveals Android 6.0 Marshmallow, dual-SIM functionality, 4G LTE connectivity, and a fingerprint sensor.