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TCL debuted the TCL 20 series yesterday, its follow up to the TCL 10 series, and adding on to the previously launched TCL 20 and 20 SE.
The new devices donāt tell you a whole lot in the names: the TCL 20 Pro, 20L Plus, and 20L, but in that order, they run from mid-range to budget devices.
The highlight of the TCL 20 series is the TCL 20 Pro:
- This is a 6.67-inch flat AMOLED display, with quad-lens mainly featuring a 48MP main shooter, and 16MP wide-angle, 5MP macro and depth sensor.
- Itās powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G chipset with 5G support, 6GB RAM/256GB storage, and a 4,500mAh battery, with extras like microSD slot and 3.5mm headphone jack.
- TCL is rolling this out widely, but it is starting sales in some parts of Europe first at ā¬549 (~$657). US pricing will be interesting.
- The 20L Plus drops the display to LCD, drops the quad-cam setup, and goes budget-oriented Snapdragon 662, without 5G.Ā
- Accordingly, it is priced at ā¬269 (~$322), while the weaker again TCL 20L, which cuts back on camera and RAM, goes for ā¬229 (~$274).
Those phones will be interesting to review. The TCL 20 Pro looks the hardest sell depending on the pricing, competing with a ton of good options in that price range.Ā
- Last yearās 10 Pro was good without being great, but a welcome entrant.
- If the 20 Pro can go a step up, and justify the price tag, thatāll be a big achievement.
TCL concept:
Possibly getting more attention is TCLās latest concept device: a phone, phablet, and tablet all at the same time. The 3-in-1 prototype adds a rollable element to a foldable. Think unfolding a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, and then for an even bigger screen, it rolls out to expand further.
- At this stage, though, TCL may have shown one too many concepts and one too few actual innovations.
- Iāve gone hands-on with a bunch of interesting TCL hinge designs and foldables, which is great and all, but the teases havenāt come to market.
- This is a nice idea, but until we see any sort of indication folks can buy it, or even just produced as a real-life device (and not a render), this is an idea only.
- Release it. I dare you.
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Tomorrow marks 44 years since the Apple II and the Commodore PET 2001 were launched with the same chipset. But thatās not the interesting thing today ā have a read of this tidbit from thisdayintechhistory.com:
- āApril 16, 1977: On the same day at the first annual West Coast Computer Faire, both the Apple II and Commodore PET 2001 personal computers are introduced.
- Both computers used the same processor, the MOS 6502, but the companies had two different design strategies and it showed on this day.Ā
- Apple wanted to build computers with more features at a higher price point. Commodore wanted to sell less feature-filled computers at a lower price point.Ā
- The Apple II had color, graphics, and sound selling for $1298. The Commodore PET only had a monochrome display and was priced at $795.ā
Isnāt it something that this has remained Appleās approach?
Cheers,
Tristan Rayner, Senior Editor.