Smartphone breathalyzers helped DUI offenders avoid driving drunk, CDOT report says

More than 400 Coloradans with a DUI conviction used smartphone breathalyzers to avoid getting a second conviction.(Photo: Coloradoan library)Buy Photo

Drivers who received a smartphone breathalyzer from the Colorado Department of Transportation said it helped them avoid impaired driving, according to a CDOT news release. 

In 2017, the department distributed smartphone breathalyzers to 475 people in Colorado who had previous DUI convictions. CDOT surveyed these people before and after they got their breathalyzers to measure how it affected their driving behavior. Ten participants live in Larimer County, with 36 in Weld County.

More than 90 percent of participants said the breathalyzer helped them avoid impaired driving, and 94 percent said everyone who regularly drinks should own one. 

Before they started the program, 42 percent of participants said they felt confident that they could drive after a few drinks. After using the breathalyzers, just 30 percent still felt that way, according to the news release. 

More: Larimer County gun sales, training classes see uptick over holiday weekend

Of the 475 participants, 75 percent said they used their breathalyzers to determine if they were safe to drive after consuming alcohol. 

"The breathalyzer is a great resource," program participant Mike Hoffman said in the news release. "I knew the general rule for drinking and impairment, but there is a big difference between how you feel and how impaired you actually are."

The surveys also revealed some potentially troubling trends. Before the program, 15 percent of participants did not know that .08 is the blood alcohol content level for a DUI conviction, and 41 percent did not know that .05 is the level for driving while ability impaired, according to the news release.

One of the participants was convicted of a DUI during the study period.

CDOT spokesman Sam Cole said those answers showed the department still has work to do to reduce impaired driving in Colorado. 

Law enforcement officers across the state are increasing DUI enforcement starting Friday as part of a holiday effort to decrease impaired driving. Last year, officers arrested 568 people during the enforcement period. 

Alicia Stice covers transportation and breaking news for The Coloradoan. Follow her on Twitter @AliciaStice.

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Source: Smartphone breathalyzers helped DUI offenders avoid driving drunk, CDOT report says

Xiaomi R1 Images Possibly Leaked; Is This The Desh Ka Smartphone?

Xiaomi is getting ready for a new smartphone series. Dubbed as 'Desh ka Smartphone', it is scheduled to launch on 30th November. They are reportedly working on a new 'R Series', which will probably compete against the Oppo R series and Vivo Y series of phones.

Images of a mysterious Xiaomi smartphone with an edge to edge bezel less display of 18:9 screen aspect ratio have surfaced on the internet. Initially assumed to be the upcoming Redmi Note 5, it is now being speculated to be Xiaomi's first R series device, allegedly called the Xiaomi R1.

Xiaomi launched the selfie-centric Xiaomi Y-series smartphones in India, and the company is already gearing up for their next launch.

Xiaomi R1 Design

As per the latest leak, an upcoming Xiaomi device has been spotted placed inside a case.

Image Courtesy: Gizmochina.com

Purported to be the R1, it will come with an edge-to-edge, bezel-less display with an 18:9 screen aspect ratio. As per the leaked images, it will have a 3.5mm headphone jack on top and a micro-USB port at the bottom.

Like any other bezel less phone, the Xiaomi R1 is expected to come with a fingerprint scanner placed at the rear.

The alleged Xiaomi R1 could be the first budget smartphone from Xiaomi to come with an 18:9 bezel-less display, after their flagship Mi Mix 2. But the design will be different than that of the Mix 2. Both these smartphones are targeted at different users in different price segments.There are no other details or specifications of the upcoming smartphone at the moment. As far as the price is concerned, the Xiaomi R1 is expected to be available at a price tag of 1499 Yuan, which is around Rs. 14,750/-.

Xiaomi's Upcoming Smartphones

Xiaomi has already claimed that the company presently is working on three 18:9 bezel less display smartphones, which are Xiaomi Redmi Note 5, Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus.

So, the alleged Xiaomi R1 might go official anytime soon, and is being hinted at an early December release. The mid-range Xiaomi R1 could launch before the much-hyped Redmi Note 5, which is slated for an early 2018 release around January.

Xiaomi is all set to launch a new device on 30th November, dubbed as 'Desh ka Smartphone''. It is speculated that it will probably be aimed at rural audience.The upcoming smartphone, which many are speculating to be a killer entry-level 4G handset, may go on sale in the first week of December. The company also recently unveiled their third manufacturing unit in India, which will exclusively manufacture Made-in-India power banks.

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Source: Xiaomi R1 Images Possibly Leaked; Is This The Desh Ka Smartphone?

Motorola’s smartphone release plans for 2018 look to be as busy as ever

No one would blame you if you were thrown off by Motorola's confusing and busy 2017 smartphone lineup. Unfortunately, if Evan Blass' intel is correct, that feeling will likely get exacerbated in 2018.

According to the famed leaker, Motorola will return to making Play versions of its E and G smartphone lines. That is a strategy the company adopted in 2016, but abandoned for its 2017 smartphones. In other words, you can expect the Moto E5 Play, E5, and E5 Plus, as well as the Moto G6 Play, G6, and G6 Plus in 2018.

Same goes for the next Moto E (E5/E5 Play/E5 Plus). https://t.co/kp1XZziUEJ

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) November 27, 2017

In addition to the Play variants, Blass also shared a logo for the Moto X5, which is likely the sequel to this year's Moto X4. If its predecessor is anything to go by, the Moto X5 could be destined for Android One and positioned as a mid-range smartphone with flagship-level features.

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Blass is normally on the money when it comes to leaks, which is why I'm so frustrated by this. Ever since the company was purchased by Lenovo, its smartphone offerings have significantly increased in volume. Even though this means that Motorola has an offering at various price points, it also means that the company has complicated its lineups more than it needs to.

I also don't know what the purpose of these Play variants is. I understand that they are meant to be more affordable versions of smartphones that are already affordable, but isn't that a bit redundant? From where I sit, they only further complicate Motorola's lineups, but that's just my opinion.

What are your thoughts on Motorola's possible lineup for 2018? Do you think the Lenovo subsidiary should simplify its future offerings? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Motorola's smartphone release plans for 2018 look to be as busy as ever

Google to fix buzzing sound in Pixel 2 smartphones

Google has said that it will soon release a fix for the faint buzzing sound that appears during calls on some Pixel 2 devices.

According to The Verge on Tuesday, a community manager posted a message on the Pixel User Community forum confirming the fix in an upcoming update.

"We're rolling out a software update in the coming weeks which eliminates a faint buzzing sound on some Pixel 2 devices when the phone is placed to your ear during a phone call," he posted.

The news came after some users reported the strange sound even after receiving replacement handsets.

Google's flagship Pixel 2 smartphone went on sale in India this month at a starting price of Rs 61,000 for the 64GB variant. The device comes with 4GB RAM coupled with 64GB and 128GB internal memory. The 128GB version is available at Rs 70,000.

Pixel 2 sports an aluminium unibody design with a hybrid coating and comes with IP67 water and dust resistance. Pixel 2 runs the latest Android 8 Oreo operating system (OS) and sports 5-inch full HD (1920x1080) AMOLED display.

The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core processor and 2,700mAh battery. In terms of camera specs, there is 12MP primary camera with optical and electronic stabilisation and an 8MP selfie camera.

Pixel 2 comes pre-loaded with Google Assistant and a new feature called "Active Edge" that works when the phone is squeezed.

Source: Google to fix buzzing sound in Pixel 2 smartphones

EE UK to release own-branded smartphone for under £100

EE is a company that we never really talk about here on Gizchina since they're rarely relevant. This isn't because of any sort of bias, but rather it's that EE are a UK telecom company. They don't deal much with the manufacturing of Chinese phones, at least until recently.

EE UK is reportedly working on a new own-brand phone that will start selling just in time to capitalise on the Christmas rush. Apparently the phone is going to be one of those things you can get free with an affordable contract, or pay just over £100 to get it pay as you go.

As for the device's specs, it's an admittedly mid-range affair, though that's what we expect for under £100. There will be a 5-inch 720p display, an octa-core MediaTek 6755 processor, a 13MP rear camera, an 8MP front camera and a fingerprint sensor on the glass rear.

To help sales, features like a 4G radio capable of getting some of the best speeds on EE's LTE-Advanced network, and the inclusion of a fingerprint sensor and NFC chip for mobile payments will probably form the basis for EE' pitch. This is EE's first own-brand phone for in quite a while, so it'll be interesting to see where this goes.

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Source: EE UK to release own-branded smartphone for under £100

The Best Samsung Galaxy S8, Note 8 & Pixel 2 Black Friday Deals: Topic Reviews Publish Top Android Smartphone Deals for 2017

November 24, 2017 16:38 ET | Source: Topic Reviews

NEW YORK, Nov. 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Topic Reviews have revealed the best deals available for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2017 on the latest Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel smartphones. The best discounts this year are:

The S8 is a premium Android smartphone released in 2017 that features a border-less display and new iris scanning security features. The S8 has a 12MP sensor rear camera which shoots vivid 4K quality video and an 8MP selfie camera which shoots impressive low-light photos thanks to its f/1.7 lens. The Note 8 is a high-end Android smartphone manufactured by Samsung and noted for its impressive camera and virtually borderless 6.3 inch Quad HD+ infinity display. Similar to previous Note smartphones, the Note 8 comes with an S Pen that enables hand written notes and a variety of stroke-based gestures. Check out the best Galaxy S8, S7 and Note 8 smartphone deals on Amazon here.

The Google Pixel range of smartphones come with the latest Snapdragon processing power, industry-leading cameras and continuous Android updates. Google has four different smartphone offerings with the Pixel and Pixel 2 backed up by the larger Pixel XL and Pixel 2 XL versions. As expected there's a range of Black Friday deals available on Pixel smartphones this year. Here's the best Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL and Pixel deals on Amazon.

In order to identify the best Black Friday deals the Topic Reviews team uses a unique algorithm that ranks discounts from retailers across a large number of products. By driving more shoppers online through extended sales periods, total spending during Black Friday 2017 is on track to reach new heights. Deloitte is forecasting Black Friday 2017 sales week figures to be up 3.6% on last year whilst total sales season figures between November and January are forecasted to reach the $1 trillion mark for the first time. 

Black Friday has evolved into an online sales phenomenon in recent years, meaning shoppers no longer have to panic about chaotic scenes in stores. Last year the number of online Black Friday shoppers eclipsed the number who queued up in store for deals. Approximately 110 million shoppers went online for deals in 2016 and 99 million went in store, according to research from the NRF Survey.

Black Friday 2017 is a day earlier this year and most sales started online on 20 November. Online deals reach their peak on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the latter of which lands on 27 November.

The team at Topic Reviews will be updating their site with the best Samsung Galaxy & Google Pixel Black Friday deals on a daily basis.

About Topic Reviews: Topic Reviews are a team of tech journalists that compare discounts available on gadgets and homeware throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Topic Reviews participate in affiliate programs including the Amazon Associates program and earn income by providing links to Amazon.com and other websites.

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Source: The Best Samsung Galaxy S8, Note 8 & Pixel 2 Black Friday Deals: Topic Reviews Publish Top Android Smartphone Deals for 2017

OUKITEL C8 4G Full Specs release, full display with 3000mAh battery

(Auszug aus der Pressemitteilung)

As the Black Friday is coming, OUKITEL is releasing the 4G entry level full smartphone OUKITEL C8 4G. OUKITEL is devoted to make it the next sales killer as a star product. With finely design and cost-effective price, OUKITEL C8 4G is definitely worthwhile to be hot in Black Friday. Here we have collected 8 main features for the wonderful C8 4G.

First, 3000mAh big battery. OUKITEL has been professional in doing large battery smartphones. Though C8 4G is only 3000mAh battery, it is optimized quite well to support a whole day use.

Second, Slim and thin 18:9 aspect ratio design. To hold and handle it in one hand, this is what most mobile phone users prefer recently. With 18:9 design, OUKITEL C8 4G just fit in your hand.

Third, Press fingerprint unlock. Safety of smartphone is quite important as new year is coming and we may loss our device when we go out for shopping. With fingerprint sensor, no one can open it to without your password and fingerprint.

Fourth, 13MP+5MP dual cameras. Christmas and new year is coming, if you plan to travel or having dates with a lot of friends, take out C8 4G and take wonderful pictures for souvenir.

Fifth, 2GB RAM+16GB ROM with 64GB expandable memory. Run multi-tasks, store movies, reserve storage for pictures, C8 4G satisfies basic needs.

Sixth, 5.5 inch HD display with LTPS tech. C8 4G adopts dragontrail glass handled by LTPS tech to make it strong and transparent. View good photo and video effect on the HD display.

Seventh, 5 colors for free choice. Rose pink, midnight black, sunny gold,sky blue and orchid purple. They are more beautiful than it is in photos, feel free to chose from these fashionable colors.

Eighth, Surprising cost-effective price. OUKITEL C8 4G retail price is only $89.99, beating other smartphones with 2GB RAM and 16GB ROM not only by its price but also in design and performance.

Detailed specs for C8 4G:Colors:  black, blue, pink, purple, goldDisplay: 5.5"1280*640 pixels, 18:9 displayCameras: 13.0MP &flash light support + 5.0MPBattery: 3,000mAh removable batteryDimensions & Weight: 147*70.5*10.2mm,156gOS: Android 7.0 NougatChipset: MT6737 quad-core 1.3GHz Mali400 MP2Memory: 2GB RAM+16GB ROM, 64GB expandable

Connectivity:Network: GSM: 850/900/1800/1900MHz;WCDMA: 900/2100MHz; 4G: B1/3/7/20SIM Card: 1 micro+1 nano+1 TF cardWLAN: 2.4GBluetooth: support, V4.0GPS: GPRS/EGSM/WAPUSB: Micro 5PINEarphone jack: 3.5mmOTA: supportFM Radio: supportSensors: Fingerprint sensor/Gravity sensor/procimity sensor/Light sensor/Notification LED

OUKITEL C8 4G is accepting pre-orders on OUKITEL Offiical store. Click here to check details about OUKITEL C8.

Source: OUKITEL C8 4G Full Specs release, full display with 3000mAh battery