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Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 732G promises graphics bump for midrange Android

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Qualcomm has a new gaming chipset for smartphones, with the Snapdragon 732G aiming to deliver an uptick in graphics performance in more affordable handsets. Compared to the Snapdragon 730G, Qualcomm says that the Adreno 618 GPU in the new Snapdragon 732G should deliver a 15-percent improvement in graphics rendering.

It’s obviously not going to hold up to the Adreno GPU in the latest Snapdragon 865+ series, but then again it won’t be as expensive as that chipset either. Instead Qualcomm is targeting higher-tier midrange phones, with POCO already saying that it has earmarked the Snapdragon 732G for a new handset in the pipeline.

The other big change versus the Snapdragon 730G is the processor. Qualcomm is still using the Kryo 470 CPU, but it has nudged up the prime core clock speed a little: 2.3 GHz, rather than 2.2 GHz. Not a huge improvement, true, but potentially a welcome one along with the GPU change.

It’ll support some of the Snapdragon Elite Gaming systems, along with HDR10, 4K HDR10 PQ and HLG Video Playback, and up to a QHD+ phone display. Connectivity will be courtesy of the Snapdragon X15 LTE Modem as standard, with up to Cat 15 800 Mbps downloads supported, and up to Cat 13 150 Mbps uploads. There’ll also be WiFi 6 802.11ax and Bluetooth 5.1. Oddly, given Qualcomm’s current obsession with 5G, there’s no mention of it around the Snapdragon 732G.

Still, for most people, it’ll arguably be convenience features like fast charging that are more useful. The chipset supports Quick Charge 4+ along with DisplayPort over USB Type-C, and will be able to drive up to an Ultra HD external display that way. There’s aptX Adaptive audio support too, and the company’s Voice Assistant Accelerator on a low-power audio subsystem, that allow for always-listening wake word support with echo cancelation and noise suppression. Qualcomm’s system can support two wake words simultaneously, too.

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Jeep’s Wild Wrangler Magneto 3.0 Concept EV Is Going Out With A Bang

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To go with that, Jeep has added Dynatrac 60 front axles (5.38:1 ratio) and Dynatrac 80 rear axles (5.38:1 ratio), along with 20-inch off-road beadlock wheels and 40-inch mud terrain tires. The whole thing is lifted by three inches compared to a standard Wrangler. The result, the automaker says, is an EV that excels in off-road situations, not least because of how controllable the power delivery is.

“When you’re rock crawling, you need to be very neat and clean with your driving,” Mike Allen, Jeep Design Chief, says, “especially if there’s a cliff next to you, you need to be very controlled with that.”

To help, Jeep has added a power selection switch. On the one hand, you can have the maximum 650 horsepower and 900 lb-ft of torque; alternatively, the standard setting tamps it down to a more conservative 285 horsepower and 273 lb-ft. Allen says the range is around 150 miles, though that — nor charging times —was never meant to be the Magneto concept’s focus.

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The Best Mods & Upgrades That Can Give New Life To A C4 Corvette

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Replacing your restrictive and likely corroded factory exhaust with a new cat-back exhaust is one of the best power adders that you can do to your C4 Corvette. The term “cat-back” refers to the section of the system that is downstream of the catalytic converter, a device that removes harmful emissions from exhaust gases.

An aftermarket exhaust with modern muffler technology will reduce backpressure, allowing more air to flow into the engine, which increases horsepower. According to the popular aftermarket exhaust manufacturer Corsa, a cat-back system for the L98 engine (the most common C4 engine) adds 14 horsepower and 16 foot-pounds of torque to an otherwise stock powerplant — all while adding a deep, muscular exhaust note that’ll make your C4 sound like a Corvette should.

Returning to catalytic converters for a moment, they’re typically long-lasting but may eventually fail by becoming contaminated, clogged, or overheated, leading to decreased horsepower. In the process of installing a cat-back exhaust, it’s worth inspecting or proactively replacing the catalytic converter itself. High-flow performance converters are available which will boost horsepower beyond the cat-back exhaust alone, yet still keep your vehicle compliant with the emissions guidelines of the EPA and local authorities.

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6 Easy Ways To Unlock Your Android Phone Without A Password

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For years, fingerprints have been the de-facto phone unlock method because of the method’s incredible convenience and relative security. While a bad actor can, in theory, replicate your fingerprint, and while some Android phones have had fingerprint reader bugs, the majority of the time it’s secure enough to trust while allowing you to access your device in less than a second.

Many modern Android phones utilize an under-display fingerprint sensor that uses either an optical light sensor or ultrasonics to analyze registered fingerprints, while others place a trusty capacitive sensor on the back of the phone or the power button.

Importantly, optical sensors are the easiest of the three to fool in the event someone gets access to your fingerprint. Law enforcement can be especially aggressive should they invent a reason to search your device, having once tried to use a dead man’s finger to do so. However, Android stores fingerprint data in a Trusted Execution Environment, an encrypted section of the phone’s memory that cannot be accessed by the main CPU or by apps.

Setting your fingerprints up can be a bit of a hassle, as some Android phones can be finicky. It may be a good idea to register the same fingerprint twice if you find that your phone’s fingerprint sensor has a hard time recognizing your preferred digit.

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