You can’t be sewerious: Vodafone will use manhole covers to boost 4G, 5G

4G manhole covers by Vodafone. Vodafone

  • Vodafone is placing mobile equipment in manhole covers, enabling 4G coverage in the process.
  • The manhole covers can be upgraded to 5G in the future as well.
  • This could be a boon for the transition to 5G, which is expected to be a complex challenge.

Developing cellular networks is no easy task. Great distances, varying terrain, and numerous obstacles make it a challenging process. The transition to 5G is expected to be even tougher than LTE was, but U.K. carrier Vodafone thinks it has a way to help it go more smoothly (h/t: Ubergizmo).

The cellular network is placing mobile antennae and equipment in manhole covers, enabling expanded coverage in the process. According to a Vodafone press release, the equipment can be integrated into the manhole cover without street works or construction. This results in a smaller footprint than a traditional cellular tower, along with a 200m radius for call and data coverage.

“By connecting the manhole covers to this network, we can provide great 4G coverage now, and easily upgrade them to 5G in the future,” the carrier explained.

Vodafone has only installed these covers at its Newbury office and technology center thus far, but said it was looking to roll out 4G-enabled manhole covers across the U.K. These would be available both via its own covers and those of utility providers. A company representative told Android Authority that it’s already identified several possible test sites in central London, but it had no launch window to share for them.

Editor’s Pick

Vodafone’s solution could also prove to be a big boost for its 5G ambitions, as it’s tipped to be a more complex endeavor than previous upgrades. More specifically, mmWave 5G is more prone to disruptions than LTE, necessitating the use of more antennae in future smartphones, as well as beam-forming technology. Meanwhile, sub-6Ghz 5G will offer slower speeds but should be more resilient than its mmWave counterpart.

Either way, new solutions like these manhole covers could help make the transition to 5G easier for networks. Manhole covers aren’t the only hosts for cellular equipment either, as Vodafone revealed that it was placing 4G antennae on telephone boxes as well. A company representative confirmed to Android Authority that these pay phone boxes could also be upgraded to 5G “in theory,” potentially giving subscribers more coverage.

NEXT: 2019 will be a great year for smartwatches and fitness trackers

Source: Android Zone

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Google Pixel 2 XL and Pixel Buds international giveaway!

Welcome to the Sunday Giveaway, the place where we giveaway a new Android phone each and every Sunday.

A big congratulations to last week’s winner of the Huawei P20 Pro international giveaway: Suman S. (Nepal)

This week we are giving away a brand new Google Pixel 2 XL and Pixel Buds, courtesy of the new SoundGuys Podcast!

If you want to learn about audio, you need the SoundGuys Podcast in your life. Join the SoundGuys team each month to discuss every facet of audio and related technology. 

They’ve already published three episodes — each one about a different topic. My favorite has to be the one about smart speakers and the legality of recording everything that goes on in your home. It’s… creepy, and something everyone needs to learn more about.

You can listen to the SoundGuys Podcast on iTunes, Pocket Casts, Google Play Music, and anywhere else podcasts are supported. There are also transcripts of every episode at soundguys.com/podcast for the hearing impaired. 

Google’s latest flagships are finally here, and they’re great. Both the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL feature top-of-the-line specs, IP67 ratings for dust and water resistance (finally), as well as the best smartphone cameras on the market. They also include Google Lens, feature those fun AR Stickers, and will also come with three full years of OS updates. More specifically, the Pixel 2 XL sports a 6.0-inch pOLED 18:9 display and a bigger 3,520mAh battery, but other than that, these two phones are pretty much identical.

To learn more about the Google Pixel 2 XL and Pixel Buds, check out our related coverage below:

Enter the giveaway here

Google Pixel 2 XL and Pixel Buds international giveaway!

Don’t miss: Best Android phone (June 2018) giveaway | Jaybird Run international giveaway

Winners gallery

Terms & Conditions

  • This is an international giveaway (except when we can not ship to your country.)
  • If we can not ship to your country, you will be compensated with an online gift card of equal MSRP value to the prize.
  • We are not responsible for lost shipments.
  • We are not responsible if your giveaway prize malfunctions.
  • You must be age of majority in your country of residence.
  • We are not responsible for any duties or import fees that you may incur.
  • Only one entry per person; please do not enter multiple email addresses. We will verify all winners and if we detect multiple email addresses by the same person you will not be eligible to win.
  • We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
  • This giveaway is operated by Android Authority.
  • The prize will ship when it is available to purchase.

More: Android Authority international giveaway FAQs

Source: Android Zone

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OnePlus 6 international giveaway!

Welcome to the Sunday Giveaway, the place where we giveaway a new Android phone each and every Sunday.

A big congratulations to last week’s winner of the Samsung Galaxy S9 international giveaway: Shaun A. (Jamaica)

This week we are giving away a brand new OnePlus 6 courtesy of the AA Deals Store!

If you’re always on the go and constantly find yourself charging up your smartphone, laptop, or tablet, we have just the thing for you. This week’s featured deal is the River Bank Smart Power System — a stackable power bank for serious techies. Not only is the River Bank Power System Qi-enabled, it also has a built-in solar charger and a massive 51,200mAh battery to keep all your devices charged up when you’re out and about. It’s even powerful enough to jumpstart a car. No, we’re not kidding.

The best part? It’s available on Indiegogo right now for under $200. That’s a stellar deal for what this power bank offers.

The OnePlus 5T is still a solid smartphone by today’s standards, but that’s not stopping OnePlus from pushing the smartphone boundaries even further. The OnePlus 6 is all about refinement.

OnePlus introduced an all-new, all-glass design with the OnePlus 6. The back is sleek — almost resembling the Galaxy S9 — and the front houses the 6.28-inch AMOLED display. Yes, there’s a notch, but you can basically turn it off in the settings menu.

This phone also has the latest and greatest specs available: a Snapdragon 845 SoC, 6 or 8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage. The cameras have been improved this time around too. It comes with dual 16 and 20MP sensors around back with f/1.7 apertures, along with a 19-percent larger pixel size than the 5T. There are also slow-motion video modes that allow for 720p footage at 480fps and 1080p at 240fps. You can also shoot 4K video at 60fps.

Also, this is probably one of the first devices that will receive Android P when it launches. For all you folks who aren’t a fan of the Pixel but still want quick updates, the OnePlus 6 may be just for you.

To learn more about the OnePlus 6, head to our related coverage below:

Enter the giveaway here

OnePlus 6 international giveaway!

Don’t miss: Best Android phone (May 2018) giveaway

Winners gallery

Terms & Conditions

  • This is an international giveaway (except when we can not ship to your country.)
  • If we can not ship to your country, you will be compensated with an online gift card of equal MSRP value to the prize.
  • We are not responsible for lost shipments.
  • We are not responsible if your giveaway prize malfunctions.
  • You must be age of majority in your country of residence.
  • We are not responsible for any duties or import fees that you may incur.
  • Only one entry per person; please do not enter multiple email addresses. We will verify all winners and if we detect multiple email addresses by the same person you will not be eligible to win.
  • We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
  • This giveaway is operated by Android Authority.
  • The prize will ship when it is available to purchase.

More: Android Authority international giveaway FAQs

Source: Android Zone

The post OnePlus 6 international giveaway! appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

Honor 9 Lite gets Face Unlock in India with latest OTA

The Honor 9 Lite is getting Face Unlock with its latest update in India. The news arrives from Beebom, which said the update would arrive in stages, with the full deployment to be completed by March 5.

The Honor 9 Lite is the latest of several Honor devices, including the Honor 7X and View 10, to receive the upgrade recently, though the feature has been available on Chinese devices for some time.

Editor’s Pick

At Rs. 10,999 (~$170), the Honor 9 Lite is one of the least expensive smartphones on the market to support the feature, which allows users to unlock devices using facial recognition. It’s a fast and somewhat secure method for unlocking devices, but it’s not foolproof.

We gave the Honor 9 Lite a score of 8.3 out of 10 in our full review, praising its design and display, and ultimately labeling it a “stunning all-rounder.” Flipkart’s next sale on the handset begins February 27—for more details on that, hit the link.

Source: Android Zone

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