The past week has been a bit troublesome for Google & CEO Sundar Pichai. Recently, more than 20,000 Google employee’s participated in a mass protest. The protest was against the unequal treatment of sex offenders based on their post within the company. The issue has its origins leading to Andy Rubin, the founder of Android. He left Google in the year 2014 after sexual assault charges from a female colleague; which was proven true later. But, he was given a severance of $ 90 Million before his exit. The amount which he would receive in the form of $ 2 million monthly instalments for the upcoming four years.
Cause Of Protest
The New York Times recently published an article about sexual harassment, misconduct, and abuse of power in big companies including Google. This article spread like wildfire and a number of victims started coming ahead who reportedly have faced some sort of misconduct in the past.
One such example is an ex-youtube employee who unfolded her personal story. She recounted a team outing where a male colleague asked her to switch drinks. She recalls that as her last memory of that night. Her team leader later told that he saw her being led away from the festivities when she was unconscious, and he had intervened to take her to a safe place. She escalated the agonizing experience to her HR, who instructed her to stay silent on the issue.
The protesters want Google to review a plan that would address their five key demands. The demands include:
An end to Forced Arbitration in cases of harassment and discrimination.
A commitment to end pay and opportunity inequity.
A publicly disclosed sexual harassment transparency report.
A clear, uniform, globally inclusive process for reporting sexual misconduct safely and anonymously.
A commitment to elevate the Chief Diversity Officer to answer directly to the CEO and make recommendations directly to the Board of Directors. And, to appoint an Employee Representative to the Board.
The protesters were later notified that the CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai will soon meet them and review a plan to address their demands.
Apple launched the iPhone 8and iPhone 8 Plus last year, along with the iPhone X. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus were launched at a price of $ 699 and $ 799, respectively for the base 64 GB variant. Now, Apple is offering refurbished models of both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus at a much lower price.
Design & Features
Both, the iPhone 8 & iPhone 8 Plus have similar specifications except for the larger screen, larger battery, dual rear cameras and higher RAM on the 8 Plus. The smartphones have an aluminum frame with front and rear glass build. They have a front mounted home button which also doubles as the fingerprint sensor for unlocking the device.
The iPhone 8 & iPhone 8 Plus have 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch LED displays respectively, and they run on the Apple A11 Bionic chipset. The iPhone 8 has 2 GB of RAM while the 8 Plus has 3 GB of RAM. Both the devices have a 7 MP front camera which can capture 1080p videos @ 30fps. Talking about rear cameras, the iPhone 8 has a 12 MP sensor while the Plus has dual 12 MP sensors. The smartphones are available in 3 colours which are, Silver, Space Grey & Gold.
Since their launch, Apple has dropped the price of both devices to 599 USD and 699 USD. But, the refurbished units are priced even lower. The iPhone 8 is available at a price of $ 499 and the iPhone 8 Plus at $ 599. However, it must be noted these devices are available in limited quantities and run out of stock very quickly.
Samsung launched the five camera Galaxy A9 smartphone in Europe and Indonesia last month. Now the smartphone is listed on Samsung India’s official website which shows us that the launch is close. However, the website does not reveal any price information. But, upon closely inspecting the website we found the device will have a price of Rs 39,000 in India.
Samsung Galaxy A9 Design
The Samsung Galaxy A9 has a front and rear glass build. The device has a thin top and bottom bezels while the left and right bezels are almost non-existent. The speakerphone and the front-facing camera is built into the top bezel of the device. The SIM/microSD slot and volume rockers are on the right side whereas the power button is on the left of the handset.
The key highlight of the smartphone, the quad camera setup with LED flash is placed on the rear of the device. Additionally, the Galaxy A9 has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor for securely unlocking the device. The device has 162.5 x 77 x 7.8 mm dimensions and weighs in at 183 grams. The smartphone is available in 3 gradient backs which are Lemonade Blue, Bubblegum Pink, and Glossy Black
Camera Beast
The biggest selling factor of the Samsung Galaxy A9 is its camera capabilities. The rear camera setup includes 4 vertically aligned sensors each with their own unique abilities. The first camera in this vertical alignment is an 8 MP sensor with an f/2.4 aperture, ultra wide lens with a 120 degree viewing angle. The second camera is a 10 MP sensor with an f/2.4 aperture, telephoto lens with 2X optical zoom. The third is the 24 MP sensor with an f/1.7 aperture lens. The last camera is a 5 MP depth sensor with an f/2.2 aperture lens for live focus. A single LED flash is placed below this setup.
The Samsung Galaxy A9 has been listed on the company’s official India website which states the launch of the device is imminent and will launch before the month ends. The smartphone has an Indian price of Rs 39,000 which is much less than its Europe price £ 549 (around Rs 53,500).
When you think about software, Microsoft is probably one of the first companies that come to your mind. Bill Gates founded the company in 1975 and it has a major contribution to the evolution of personal computing. The company is the developer of the world’s most popular desktop and laptop Windows operating system. Microsoft recently performed a survey in nine Asian countries, including India. The survey was conducted to check the penetration of pirated software in personal computers.
Test Results
Between May & July, Microsoft purchased and tested personal computers from multiple local sources in nine nations. The tests reveal about 83% of all the computers had pirated software on them. 91% of India bought computers had pirated software which was followed by Indonesia at 90 %, Taiwan at 73%, Singapore at 55 %, and the Philippines at 43%. While 100% of the computers bought in Malaysia, Vietnam and South Korea have pirated software.
Additionally, a key Microsoft Singapore representative, Mary Jo Schrade reports 85 % of Indian computers with pirated software also had some type of malware. These shocking results raise major security concerns which one can associate with software piracy. Some of the common issues include bugs, crashes, and no updates & support. While other potentially harmful risks could be as follows:
Identity theft- Cyber fraudsters plant malware into pirated software that is capable of sneaking into the personal files of the users. The files may contain sensitive data like banking information and healthcare documents which the hacker can use for ill intentions.
Criminal Liability- Software piracy is not only a civil issue but, it is a serious crime and it is the duty of an organisation to ensure they comply with the legalities of using a software. Otherwise the people in charge can land up for some jail time.
To conclude, consumers should keep the use pirated software at bay. Instead, they can opt for free and open-source software. Some examples of which are VLC media player, Chromium browser and GIMP photo editor.
The Amazon Great India Festival is back for Diwali. It is the perfect opportunity for those who missed out last month’s sale. Smartphones from top brands are avaialable at great discounts and here is a list of top smartphone deals:
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus recently launched the latest OnePlus 6T smartphone in India. It has a 6.4 inch AMOLED display with 492 ppi pixel density. It runs on the Octa-Core Snapdragon 845 chipset and is powered by a 3,700 mAh battery with dash charge support. The phone has 20 MP + 16 MP dual rear cameras and a 16 MP selfie camera. The device has two variants 6 GB/8 GB of RAM paired with 128 GB/256 GB of ROM.
MRP: Rs. 37,999/-
Amazon Great India Sale deal price: Rs 1,000 Additional cashback and NO Cost EMI
iPhone X
Apple’s last year flagship, the iPhone X has a 5.8 inch Super AMOLED display with 458 ppi pixel density . It runs on the Hexa-Core 2.39 GHz Apple A11 Bionic chipset and is powered by a 2,716 mAh battery. The phone has 12 MP + 12 MP dual rear cameras and a 7 MP front camera.
Regular Price: Rs. 91,900/-
Amazon Great India Sale deal price: Rs 74,999/-
Galaxy A8+
The Samsung Galaxy A8+ has a 6 inch Super AMOLED display with 411 ppi pixel density. It runs on the Octa-Core Exynos 7885 chipset and is powered by a 3,500 mAh battery. The phone has 16 MP rear camera and dual 16 MP + 8 MP front cameras.
Regular Price: Rs. 41,900/-
Amazon Great India Sale deal price: Rs. 23,990/-
Huawei Nova 3i
The Huawei Nova 3i has a 6.3 inch FHD+ IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 px. It has a 3,340 mAh lithium battery and runs on the Octa-Core HiSilicon Kirin 71o SoC. The Huawei Nova 3i has 16 MP + 2 MP dual rear cameras and 24 MP + 2 MP front-facing AI camera. The Huawei Nova 3i has 4 GB of RAM and 148 GB of inbuilt storage.
Regular price: Rs. 20,990/-
Amazon Great India Sale deal price: Rs. 17,990/-
Honor 8X
Honor recently launched the mid-range Honor 8X smartphone in India. It has a 6.5 inch IPS LCD display with 396 ppi pixel density. It runs on the Octa-Core Hisilicon Kirin chipset and is powered by a 3,750 mAh battery. The phone has 20 MP + 2 MP dual rear cameras and a 16 MP selfie camera. The device has 4 GB of RAM paired with 64 GB of ROM which is expandable up to 256 GB via a microSD card.
MRP: Rs. 17,999/-
Amazon Great India Sale deal price: Rs. 14,999/-
Honor 7C
The Honor 7C has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with 269 ppi pixel density. It has a non-removable 3,000 mAh lithium battery and runs on the Octa-Core Snapdragon 450. The device has 13 MP + 2 MP dual rear cameras and an 8 MP front-facing camera. The Honor 7c is available in two storage variants: 3/4 GB of RAM paired with 32/64 GB of inbuilt storage which is expandable up to 256 GB via a microSD card.
Regular Price: Rs. 9,999/-
Amazon Great India Sale deal price: Rs. 8,499/–
Honor Play
The Honor 7 Play has a 6.3 inch IPS LCD display with 409 ppi pixel density. It has a non removable 3,750 mAh lithium battery and runs on the Octa-Core HiSilicon Kirin 970. The Honor Play has 16 MP + 2 MP dual rear cameras and a 16 MP front facing camera. The Honor Play has 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of inbuilt storage which is expandable up to 256 GB via a microSD card.
Regular price: Rs. 19,999/-
Amazon Great India Sale deal price: Rs. 17,999/–
Redmi 6 Pro
The eldest sibling of Redmi 6 Series, the Redmi 6 has pro has a 5.84 inch notch LCD display with 432 ppi pixel density. It has a huge 4,000 mAh battery and runs on the Octa-Core Snapdragon 625. The device has 12 MP + 5 MP dual rear cameras and a 5 MP front-facing camera. The Redmi Note 6 is available in two storage variants: 3/4 GB of RAM paired with 32/64 GB of inbuilt storage which is expandable up to 256 GB via a microSD card.
Regular Price: Rs. 11,499/-
Amazon Great India Sale deal price: Rs. 10,999/-
Redmi 6A
Xiaomi’s cheapest offering, the Redmi 6A has a 5.45 inch LCD display with a 295 ppi pixel density . It runs on the Quad-Core Mediatek Helio A22 chipset and is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery. The phone has a 13 MP, f/2.2 aperture equipped rear camera and a 5 MP front camera. The device is available two varints: 2/3 GB of RAM paired with 16/32 GB ROM which is expandable upto 256 GB via a microSD card.
Flash Sale today at 12 PM
MRP: Rs. 6,999/-
Amazon Great India Sale deal price: Rs. 5,999/-
Redmi Y2
The Redmi Y2 has 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The handset has a 5.99-inch HD display with a resolution and 1440 x 720 pixels. The device’s display has an 18:9 aspect ratio and a rear fingerprint scanner for securely unlocking the phone. The phone has 12MP+5MP dual-rear cameras and a 16MP selfie camera with AI capability. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor. It has a 3080 mAh Li-Ion battery.
MRP: Rs. 13,499/-
Amazon Great India Sale deal price: Rs. 10,999/-
Mi A2
The Redmi A2 has 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The handset has a 5.99-inch HD display with a resolution and 2160 x 1080 pixels. The device has a rear fingerprint scanner for securely unlocking the phone. The phone has 20 MP+ 12 MP dual-rear cameras and a 20 MP selfie camera with AI capability. It is powered by Octa-Core Snapdragon 660 processor and has a 3,010 mAh Li-Ion battery.
MRP: Rs. 17,499/-
Amazon Great India Sale deal price: Rs. 14,999/-
Realme 1
Realme 1 is the first smartphone that is able to compete with Xiaomi’s budget-oriented devices. The Realme 1 has a 6 inch IPS LCD display with 402 ppi pixel density. It has the Octa-Core P60 processor and a 3,410 mAh battery. The phone has a 13 MP rear camera and an 8 MP front selfie camera. The device has 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of inbuilt storage which is expandable up to 256 GB via microSD card.
With ever-evolving technology, the need for higher storage mediums has become crucial. Mankind has started recording and gathering as much data as possible. Data could be in any form such as documents, images, videos, software applications and many more. Data storage devices are available in multiple shapes and sizes like hard disks, SSDs, CDs, and microSD cards. Hard disk and SSD offer greater storage capacity and are not as footprint bound as microSD cards. While packing in more storage capacity into tiny microSD cards is hard but it is also essential to push the boundaries of data storage on modern-day mobile devices. MicroSD cards go hand in hand with the latest smartphones that are capable of serving digital media on the go. Recently Lexar has launched the Lexar 512 GB microSD card for mobile devices.
512 GB In A Tiny Chip!
Lexar 633x is the world’s largest storage capacity microSD card that is commercially available. It has an astounding storage capacity of 512 GB with 100 MB/s and 70 MB/s read-write speeds. To support such high capacity cards,one must also need a compatible device. Samsung flagship smartphones launched after Galaxy S8 are capable of supporting a 512 GB microSD card. But, no company till now has offered microSD cards with such a large capacity. The Lexar 512 GB microSD is a notable technological feat which allows storing an enormous amount of data.
For reference the amount of different data types that can be stored on the Lexar 512 GB microSD card are as follows:
Movies- 512 (avg size 1 GB)
Songs- 64,000 (avg size 8 MB)
Pictures- 32,000 (16 MP Photos)
Video- 7 Hours 28 Minutes (4K Ultra HD)
Document Files- 5,12,000 (avg size 1MB)
Applications-10,240 (avg size 50MB)
Most notably the Lexar 512 GB 633x microSD card is of A2 type. The Type A2 has much higher read and write IOPS compared to an A1 type card.
IOPS stands for input/output operations per second that plays a vital role in the number of files can be accessed at a given time. The A1 storage cards have 1500 and 500 minimum read and write IOPS speed while the A2 has a minimum 4,000 and 2,000 IOPS read/write speed. In simpler words, the Type A2 contribute to a faster performing mobile device.
The Lexar 512 GB 633X has price tag of $ 299 (around Rs. 21,900) and is available from Lexar’s official website and later will also be available offline.
Qualcomm was founded in 1985 and since then it has become one of the largest microchip manufacturer and supplier. The company has seen astounding growth in the past decade due to the smartphone revolution. Like every other computing device, smartphones need a processor to function. This is where Qualcomm has taken the lead by being a company that can innovate and develop class leading computing products. Qualcomm’s range of smartphone microchips is titled Snapdragon and the company’s latest Snapdragon 8150 (or the Snapdragon 855) processor’s benchmarks have surfaced onGeekbench.
First Snapdragon 8150 Device
Royole, a Chinese company has recently launched the world’s first foldable commercial phone called the FlexPai. Moreover, it is the first device to be powered by the latest Snapdragon 8150 processor. As the phone deliveries have not yet started, the performance of the new SoC has not been tested.
Snapdragon 8150 is Qualcomm’s first 7 nm processor. But, competitors Apple and Huawei have already launched their devices running on 7 nm processors. Apple’s 7 nm A12 Bionic SoC is present on the latest iPhone XS, XS Max and XR series of smartphones. While Huawei’s Kirin 980 which is the world’s first 7nm Android processor is present on the Huawei Mate 20 series and the recently launched Honor Magic 2.
The Geekbench result of the Snapdragon 8150 reveals its single and multi-core results. The processor gets a reputable 10,084 multi-core score and which helps it secure the number 2 ranking. The processor is only second to Apple’s XS Max which has a mighty score of 11,432. However, it is ahead of all other Android devices including the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and the camera beast Google Pixel 3 XL.
Talking about the single-core result, it gets a score of 3,181 and is placed at number 4 in this category. The iPhone XS Max again maintains the lead with a score of 4,777. While the Note 9 and Mate 20 Pro take the second and third position.
Although it should be kept in mind, Geekbench results also vary on a lot of other factors including RAM, Storage type and ROM optimisation. Hence, it is possible the Snapdragon 8150 can get a higher score considering all the things are set right. For now, we will have to wait for a real-life device to examine what the new processor brings to the table.
The highly teased and awaited Lenovo Z5 Pro has been launched. The Lenovo Z5 Pro has a sliding screen with an insane 95% screen-to-body ratio. Lenovo has managed to pack in astounding specifications in a device with such a minimal footprint at an unbelievable price. Though the smartphone has a slightly less powerful processor, it is a direct competitor to the recently launched Mi Mix 3 & Honor Magic 2.
Design
The Lenovo Z5 Pro has an all-glass front and rear with a sliding screen which hides the speakerphone and dual front cams with flash. To drive the sliding mechanism, the handset uses 6 double helix springs which the company claims have a life cycle of up to 3,00,000 slides. The smartphone measures 155.12 x 73.04 x 9.3 mm and weighs in at 210 grams. The handset has an astonishing screen-to-body ratio of 95.06%. The volume rockers are placed on the left while the power button is on the right.
The dual rear cameras along with a single LED flash are placed vertically on the back of the phone while the Lenovo branding is placed horizontally on the lower back of the device. The Lenovo Z5 Pro has facial recognition capabilities and an in-display fingerprint scanner to securely unlock it.
Specifications
The Lenovo Z5 Pro has a 6.39-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 px. It runs on the Octa-Core Qualcomm 710 CPU along with the Adreno 616 GPU. The smartphone has 6 GB of RAM with either 64 GB or 128 GB of ROM. For photography, the device has dual 16 MP + 24 MP rear cameras which can capture 2160p videos @ 30fps. The front of the device also has dual 16 MP + 8 MP camera which can record 1080p videos.
The smartphone runs on the ZUI 10.0 based on Android 8.0 Oreo. For connectivity, the device has dual 4G VoLTE support, 802.11 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer. The smartphone also has a gravity sensor, a proximity sensor, and an ambient light sensor. The Lenovo z2 Pro has a 3,350 mAh non-removable lithium-ion battery. It also has Dolby Atmos support which provides a better and immersive sound experience. One key feature of the Lenovo Z5 Pro is its hardware-level security chip. The hardware chip stores sensitive user data like fingerprint information and banking details of the user.
Except for the regular manuals, Lenovo ships the smartphone with a data cable, power adapter, USB Type-C to 3.5 mm jack adaptor and a screen protector.
The smartphone will be available via flash sale on 11th November for which the registrations are now open on the company’s Chinese website. The smartphone is available in Ceramic Black color and price for the different variants is as follows:
Shenzhen based Honor recently held a launch event in China where the company announced the Waterplay 8 tablet, FlyPods wireless headphones, and the Honor Magic 2 smartphone. As the name suggests, Waterplay 8 is an eight-inch, water-resistant tablet and the Flypods are eerily similar to Apple’s AirPods.
Waterplay 8
The Waterplay 8 has an eight-inch IPS LCD display with a 283 ppi pixel density and a resolution of 1920 x 1200 px. The tablet has a screen-t0-body ratio of 74.13 %. The microSD tray, power button, and the volume rockers are placed on the left of the device. Additionally, it has a home button which doubles as the fingerprint sensor for securely unlocking it.
The Waterplay 8 runs on the Octa-Core Kirin 659 processor along with the Mali T830 GPU. The device has a 5,100 mAh battery which supports fast charging up to 18 W. In terms of storage and memory, the Waterplay 8 has 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of ROM which is expandable up to 256 GB via a microSD card. The tablet also has IPX7 rating which makes it dust and water resistant up to 1 meter for 30 mins.
For photography, the tablet has 13 MP f/2.2 + 2 MP f/2.4 dual rear cameras and an 8 MP f/2.0 front selfie camera. Both, the rear & front cameras can shoot videos up to 1080p. It runs on EMUI 8.0 which is based on Android 8.0. The tablet also has a bunch of sensors which include a gyroscope, proximity sensor, gravity sensor, and an ambient light sensor. For connectivity, it has 2.4 GHz 802.11 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 and a Type-C USB port for charging and data transfer.
FlyPods Wireless
FlyPods are wireless earbuds from Honor which draw a lot of inspiration from Apple’s AirPods. Apart form the fact that they are available in a bunch of funky colours. They can be used to listen to music or even answer calls that you receive on your phone. The FlyPods hardware package consists of three different pieces which are the left & right earbud and a charging/resting case. They use Bluetooth 5.0 technology to connect with any Bluetooth compatible device. For prolonged life, the earbuds are dust proof and water resistant.
The FlyPods case has a 410 mAh battery which can charge the earbuds up to 3 times. Once the earbuds are charged, they provide a talk time of up to 2.5 hours. The earbuds have a triple color RGB led light to display charging and connectivity status. They can be either charged wirelessly via a Qi charger or the USB Type-C port which is placed on the bottom of the case. The FlyPods weigh in at 45 grams and measures 50.5 x 45 x 24.5 mm.
The Waterplay 8 tablet is available in Silver Moon colour at a price of 1,499 ¥ (around Rs 15,900). The FlyPods are available in three different colors Robin Blue, Charm Red and White. The Blue and White options are available at a price of 799 ¥ (around Rs 8,500) whereas the price for Charm Red variant is 999¥ (around Rs 10,600). Both the Waterplay 8 tablet and FlyPods are currently available on the Chinese Vmallwebsite. It is possible that Honor might launch the devices in India and other regions in the future.
The Google Pixel 3 & Google Pixel 3 XL which are the latest flagship smartphones from Google, were launched last month in the US. And now, the devices are making their way to India via online and offline channels. The Pixel smartphones represent what an Android device should feel and perform like. They are the successor to the Pixels 2 devices which are known for their robust build quality and fantastic camera performance. Both the devices have similar specifications except for the bigger screen size and a notch on the Pixel XL.
The Pixel 3 XL has a 6-inch display with a notch and an 82.8% screen-to-body ratio, while the Pixel 3 has a 5.5-inch display without a notch and 77.2% screen-to-body ratio. Both the Pixel 3 & Pixel 3 XL have a glass and aluminium hybrid rear back. For protection, the displays have Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The power button and the volume buttons are placed on the left while the SIM tray is on the bottom on both devices. The rear of the devices houses the 12.2 MP camera with the dual-LED flash and the fingerprint sensor. The rear camera can shoot 2160p videos @ 30fps and 720p videos at super slow 240fps. Talking about the front camera, the phones have dual 8 MP cameras, one being a PDAF sensor and a second, ultra-wide sensor. The front cameras can also record 1080p videos @ 30fps.
The Pixel 3 & Pixel 3 XL are IP 68 rated which makes them dust and water resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30 mins. They have an always-on screen which displays date/time and unread notifications. The smartphones have a Type-C USB port for charging and data transfer. Sadly, the 3.5 mm audio jack is absent from both phones but Google offers a 3.5mm to Type-C adapter within the box.
The Pixel 3 & Pixel 3 XL have a distinct active edge feature which allows the user to squeeze the bezels to activate Google assistant or trigger other user set options.
Google Pixel 3 / Pixel 3 XL Tech Specs
Display: 5.5 inch, 2160 x 1080 pixels, 18:9 aspect ratio / 6 inch, 2960 x 1440 pixels, 18.5:9 aspect ratio
Operating System: Android 9 Pie
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
RAM: 4 GB LPDDR4x
Storage: 64 GB/128 GB
Rear Camera: 12.2 MP (f/1.8), Dual-LED Flash
Selfie Cameras: 8 MP (f/1.8) + 8 MP (f/2.2)
Security: Rear Mounted Fingerprint Scanner
Connectivity: 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac 2.4G + 5G, Bluetooth 5 .0, NFC, GPS, USB Type-C
Battery: 2,915 mAh / 3,430 mAh
Dimensions: 145.6 x 68.2 x 7.9 mm / 158 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm
The Google Pixel 3 & Google Pixel 3 XL will be available from 1st November, which is today and starts at a price of Rs 71,000. The smartphones are available in two colors (Just Black, Clearly White) and two storage capacities (64 GB, 128 GB). Additionally, the smartphones will be soon available in a third “Not Pink” color. Prices for the various models are as follows:
Google Pixel 3 (Clearly White, Just Black, Not Pink)
64 GB – Rs. 71,000
128 GB – Rs 80,000
Google Pixel 3 XL (Clearly White, Just Black, Not Pink)
Honor recently held a launch event in China. The company launched a variety of products which include the Honor Magic 2smartphone, Watch Magic, Honor Play 8 Tablet, and FlyPods wireless earphones. The Watch Magic is a digital smartwatch which also has health and fitness tracking capabilities.
Honor Watch Magic
The Honor Watch Magic has a metal & plastic build with a wrist strap that fits wrist sizes between 14-21 cm. It also has the option to easily swap straps due to its quick fit mechanism. The watch measures 42.8 × 42.8 × 9.8mm and weighs 32.5 grams. The Honor Watch Magic has a 1.2-inch circular color AMOLED screen with a resolution of 390 x 390 px and a pixel density of 326 ppi. The smartwatch has a 178 mAh battery which can be charged via the magnetic ejector charging port. Honor claims the watch has a battery backup of up to 7 days which varies as per usage by the user. The Watch supports NFC for wireless payments and GPS for navigation. It runs on an ARM M4 CPU and has 16 MB of RAM. It also has 128 MB of ROM for storing the calculated data.
The Honor Magic watch has an Optical heart rate sensor to accurately measure the user’s heartbeats. It also has a whole host of sensors which include an Accelerometer, Gyroscope, and an Ambient light sensor. The smartwatch can also record fitness statistics like the number of steps taken and the number of calories burnt.
The Honor watch magic runs on Light OS like theHuawei Watch GT. The smartwatch is waterproof up to 50 meters. It uses Bluetooth 4.2 Low Energy technology to connect with compatible devices. The smartwatch is compatible with devices running iOS 9.0 and above or Android 4.4 and above.
The Honor Watch Magic is available in two different variants which are Sports and Fashion. The Fashion version is available in the Moonlight Silver colour and has a price tag of 999¥ (around Rs. 10,600) whereas the Sports version is available in the Lava Black colour with a price tag of 899¥ (around Rs. 9,500).
The smartwatch is currently available in China but we expect Honor to soon release it in other markets as well.
Honor, a sub-brand of the Chinese tech giant Huawei has launched their highly awaited Honor Magic 2 smartphone in China. The Honor Magic 2 has a sliding camera mechanism that hides the triple front cameras and the sensors, making the display almost bezel-less. The sliding mechanism is similar to the recently launched 5G Mi Mix 3. The phone is feature packed with a triple rear camera setup, in-display fingerprint sensor, 3D Face Unlock and more,
Design
The Honor Magic 2 measures 157.32 x 75.13 x 8.3 mm and weighs in at 206 grams. The device has a 91.5% screen-to-body ratio and the notch-less front with negligible bezels make the smartphone look remarkable. The speakerphone is integrated into the top bezel of the display. The SIM card slot is on the right while the volume rockers and power button are on the left.
The triple cameras along with a single LED flash are placed on the top left of the back. The Honor Magic 2’s rear camera setup is divided into two different modules, one being a tall capsule-shaped section which houses two cameras and an LED flash while another circular module for the third camera. The Company branding is placed vertically on the bottom left side of the rear. The smartphone has 3D facial recognition and an in-display fingerprint sensor for securely unlocking it.
Specifications
The Honor Magic 2 has a 6.39 inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 2340 x 1080 px resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The rear camera setup has triple 16 MP f/1.8 + 24 MP f/1.8 + 16 MP f/2.2 sensors with LED flash. The Honor Magic 2 also has triple front cameras which use one 16 MP sensor and dual 2 MP sensors. The rear cameras can capture 2160p video @ 30fps while the front cameras shoot 1080p videos @ 30fps along with super slow mo video @ 480fps.
Perfromance
The Honor Magic 2 runs on the 2.6 GHz Octa-Core Kirin 980 CPU along with the Mali-G76 GPU. The Kirin 980 is the first 7 nm Android processor which is also present on the latest Huawei Mate 20 Series. The smartphone also has a dual NPU (Neural Processing Unit) which helps in taking better pictures with the help of AI(Artificial Intelligence). The NPU also helps in AI intensive tasks by computing solutions to complicated algorithms faster. In terms of storage, the smartphone is available in three different variants which are as follows:
6 GB RAM, 128 GB ROM
6 GB RAM, 256 GB ROM
8 GB RAM, 256 GB ROM
The smartphone runs on the Magic UI 2.0 based on the latest Android 9.0 Pie. For connectivity, the device has dual 4G VoLTE support, 802.11 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 and the USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer. The smartphone also has a gravity sensor, a distance sensor, and an ambient light sensor. It also has a Virtual Assistant named Yo-Yo like Apple’s Siri and Google assistant.
The Honor Magic 2 has a 3,500 mAh non-removable lithium-ion battery which supports fast charging. Honor also introduced their latest fast charging technology, Magic charge. It charges the handset at 40 watts, which is twice as fast as OnePlus’s Dash Charge.
The Honor Magic 2 also has an IPX2 rating for water and dust resistance.
Price
The Honor Magic 2 is available in three color options which are Gradient Black, Gradient Red, and Gradient Blue. Prices of the various models are as listed:
Instant messaging is a type of technology that offers real-time message and media transmission over the internet. It dates back to the early 90’s and some of the first platforms were AOL instant messenger and Yahoo’s Ytalk. But the launch of modern smartphones has completely revolutionised instant messaging and taken it to another level. WhatsApp and Facebook messenger are the prime examples of new era of Instant messaging. However, there are multiple other IM applications and software that have their own distinctive attributes and USP’s. Here is a list of 5 such applications that are available on both Android and iOS platforms.
1.) Hike
Hike messenger is a free instant messaging app developed in 2012. It offers support for 10 languages and allows support for both text messaging and audio calls. One key highlight of Hike messenger is its offline chat ability that allows sending messages to users even if they don’t have an active internet connection. Some other distinctive features of Hike are a Hidden mode, 20,000 free stickers, better security and many more.
The Hidden mode allows users to hide their chat with specific contacts that stay invisible from the main chat screen. Hike has an option to enable 128-bit encryption so hackers cannot tap into messages even if they are connected to the same Wi-Fi access point.
Highlight- Extensive Features
2.)Skype
Skype was initially released in 2003 and was later taken over by Microsoft in 2011 for $ 2.9 Billion. It was one of the first pieces of software to offer video chat functionality. The mobile version of Skype offers free voice, video, and text messaging support. Talking about video calls, Skype mobile supports simultaneous calls with up to 24 contacts. Like other IM’s, it also allows sharing photos and videos with saved contacts.
Highlight- Best Video Call Support
3.)Discord
Discord is a cross-platform text and voice chat app that is specifically designed for gamers. It allows creating separate channels for different topics and subjects. The user can easily see which of the team members are currently online and what game they are playing. In Discord, a user can easily send invite links to new members to join a particular group.
Discord is a web-based instant messaging application hence, the users can log in from any device and view conversations. Unlike WhatsApp that can only function on one device at a given point of time. Additionally, users can also share their screencast with friends and participants.
Highlight- Made For Gamers
4.)Signal
Signal is an instant messaging application built with security in mind. It was developed in 2013 and supports 31 international languages. It is an open source messaging app hence, it allows anyone to verify its security by auditing the code. Signal is the only private messenger to offer this level of security. It supports Group chat, text messaging, audio/video calling and private media sharing.
Highlight- Security
5.)Slack
Slack is a cloud-based team collaboration instant messaging service which was founded in 2013. It allows groups, communities or teams to join via a specific invitation link or manually by the team admin. It integrates a large number of third-party services like GitHub, Google Drive, Dropbox, IBM Bluemix and many more which come handy in development environments in companies.
Slack is freemium software which means its basic functions are free to use but also offers paid features like unlimited app integration and ability to search more than 10,000 archived messages.
Shenzhen based Nubia Technology is about to launch their latest Nubia X smartphone. An earlier listing on TENAA revealed its specifications which are now confirmed by a Chinese benchmark app, Master Lu. According to the leak, the Nubia X will be the latest flagship phone from the company. The key highlight feature of the smartphone will be its dual display.
Dual Display Smartphone
https://youtu.be/p3mzYRRoV2M
An alleged video of the upcoming Nubia X with front and back dual displays was earlier posted on Youtube. The TENAA listing also states that the device has dual displays hence, there is a possibility that this might be the real device. However, Nubia is yet to confirm the claim. The company is also yet to explain the need of two screens on a smartphone.
Nubia X Specifications
The Nubia X has a front 6.26 inch TFT display with 2280 x 1080 px resolution and an additional rear 5.1 inch, 1520 x 720 px resolution OLED display. The device weighs 178 grams and has 154.1×73.30×8.65 mm dimensions. The device runs on the Octa-Core Snapdragon 845 SoC and is powered by a 3,800 mAh battery which supports fast charging. In terms of storage, the Nubia X has 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM with 64 GB or 128 GB of internal storage. The TENAA listing also reveals the smartphone has a Gravity sensor, distance sensor, and an ambient sensor. Both the video, and the TENAA listing assert that the smartphone has a side mounted fingerprint sensor.
Master Lu Scores
The latest Master Lu benchmark reaffirms the previously leaked specifications of the Nubia X including the Display, RAM & Processor. It has a CPU score of a 130,313 and a GPU score of 108,705. The internal storage has a read speed of 690 Mbps and a write speed of 180 Mbps.
Samsung is a leading electronic component supplier and the largest smartphone manufacturer globally. The South-Korean giant’s success dates back to the inception of the first Android smartphones. The company has been struggling to keep up its number one global position due to fierce competition from their Chinese counterparts. Ever since the launch of Galaxy S1 and Galaxy Note 1, Samsung has produced top of the line Android smartphones. And now the company is about to launch its latest Galaxy S10 smartphone.
Samsung’s Android Dominance
Galaxy S9+
In the past, Samsung smartphones have been the standalone Android competitor to Apple iPhone’s prowess. But in recent times, new companies like OnePlus, Huawei and Xiaomi have grown rapidly hampering Samsung’s sales. However, Samsung being a leading component supplier can develop new innovations to regain lost market share.
Recently Samsung has filed a trademark with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) for the Infinity-V display technology. The trademark is filed under category 9 which includes ‘smartphones and displays for smartphones’. This might be a new edge to edge display for the upcoming Galaxy S10.
Galaxy S10: Infinity-V display?
Galaxy S8 in Burgundy Red
The Galaxy S10 will be the successor to the Galaxy S9 which was launched earlier this year. The last Samsung flagships S9 & S8 have not performed very well in terms of sales. So, it is expected with the Galaxy S10, Samsung will pull out the big guns and fully load the upcoming smartphone with the latest technology. The trend for smartphones with slim bezels is flourishing rapidly, Samsung’s competitors have launched devices that follow the same philosophy. The recently launchedOnePlus 6T and Xioami Mi Mix 3 have marginally thinner bezels compared to what Samsung’s current flagship S9 has.
So, it is apparent to fight back and maintain traction in the industry, Samsung has to launch devices with thin or no bezels. This is where the latest trademark of the Infinity-V display is put to use.
Finally, the Samsung Galaxy S10 is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2019. Not many specifications for the device are currently available but it will surely have better features than the Samsung Galaxy S9. For reference:-
Galaxy S9 Tech Specs
Display: 5.8-inch Super AMOLED Full HD+ 2960 × 1440 pixels, 18.5:9 aspect ratio
Operating System: Android 8.0
Processor: Exynos 9810 Octa Core
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB
Rear Cameras: 12 MP, LED Flash
Selfie Camera: 8 MP
Security: Rear fingerprint scanner
Connectivity: 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac 2.4G + 5G, Bluetooth 5 .0, GPS, USB Type-C
