Gboard gets Bitmoji and sticker support

Google has released an updated version of the Gboard that now adds support for stickers and Bitmoji. Users will now be able to download and install sticker packs, which now show up in a separate tab when you tap the G button. You can also type in the search box and the keyboard will show stickers matching your text. Similarly, the keyboard now integrates with Bitmoji so you can send Bitmoji within apps that support pasting images through Gboard. For those unaware, Bitmoji is a set of stickers that can be customized to match your appearance and are particularly popular among...

Sharp is launching phones in Europe as early as Q2 2018

The Japanese company Sharp that launched the Aquos S2 with tri-bezel-less screen might arrive in Europe next summer. President and CEO of Sharp Jeng-Wu Tai confirmed this at an event in Berlin at IFA 2017. The first Sharp smartphones for the European market would appear at the Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona. Sharp Aquos R Sharp introduced its Aquos R flagship which was simply to show the strength of the brand, Tai later told journalists. The phone has a Snapdragon 835 chipset and 4 GB RAM with one 22.6 MP camera on the back with f/1.7 aperture and OIS. This device is a...

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 front panel leaks

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is arriving in 10 days but not much is left to the imagination. The phone is expected to have even thinner bezels than the original Mi Mix and the latest leak from Weibo, if real, confirms this assumption. Some sources suggest the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 might come with 6" screen which is smaller than the 6.4" display the first iteration had. The user interface will be MIUI 9, based on Android Nougat 7.1.1 and will support 3D facial recognition. GearBest already leaked some specs of the Mi Mix 2. It could arrive with Snapdragon 835 chipset, three memory combos,...

Alcatel Idol 5s, Idol 5, A7 XL, A7 and Movetime hands-on review

Alcatel announced four smartphones and a smartwatch for kids at the IFA 2017 congress. Phone-wise we got the Idol 5S, followed by the slightly dialed down Idol 5, the battery-conscious A7 and dual camera-equipped A7 XL...

Upcoming Xiaomi smartphone will be from an entirely new series

While we were looking forward to the global launch of the Xiaomi Mi 5X, the Chinese company has now confirmed that its upcoming smartphone will mark the launch of an entirely new series instead. The confirmation came in the form of a video teaser. The possibilities are endless and it begins with #FlagshipDualCamera! What could it potentially be? http://pic.twitter.com/KJklWHzut2— Mi (@xiaomi) August 31, 2017 With this, the company has put the spotlight on the Android One phone that it's working on in collaboration with Google. Rumors so far say the device will be called the Mi A1, and will...

Sony Xperia XZ1 and XZ1 Compact now available to pre-order in Europe

Announced yesterday, the Sony Xperia XZ1 and XZ1 Compact are now available for pre-order in Europe. UK-based retailer Carphone Warehouse has the devices listed on its website for £599 (around $775) and £499 (around $645), respectively. The listings reveal the XZ1 will start shipping from September 22 onwards while shipments for the compact variant will start on September 29. Available color options include Blue and Black for both, Silver for the XZ1, and Pink for the XZ1 Compact. Source 1 2 | Via

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) now available in US

The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) - which was launched back in January this year, and is already available in Europe and parts of Asia - has now arrived in the US. Retailer B&H is selling the phone in the country for $330. The model listed on the retailer's website is a gold-colored, dual-SIM one. Other colors like black and blue are currently listed as 'coming soon.' While the phone launched with Marshmallow on board, a recent update bumped the OS to Nougat. Source | Via