Author: Sanket Vijay

Xiaomi Mi 5 Gets Benchmarked, to Feature Snapdragon 820 Processor

Xiaomi has been teasing the launch of the Mi 5 for a while now. Reports suggested that the upcoming flagship device will see a December 3 launch along with the Mi Pad 2. Yesterday, the Mi Pad 2 was listed on Geekbench benchmark, and now the Mi 5 has been spotted as well.

The Mi 5 is going by the codename ‘Gemini’ and the benchmark listing reveal some juicy details about what’s under the rumoured smartphone’s hood. One noticeable feature spotted was Qualcomm’s recently unveiled Snapdragon 820 processor. This puts the rumoured December launch of the Mi 5 on hold since Qualcomm confirmed that devices featuring the new Snapdragon 820 processor will launch only in 2016.

Other details tipped by the listing include Android 6.0 Marshmallow, 3GB of RAM, and a clock speed of up to 1.59GHz. The Mi 5 also scored a 2,140 on the single-core test and 4,762 on multi-core.

Since the launch of the Snapdragon 820 processor and Mi 5 are widely separated, it looks like the launch date for the flagship will now be pushed to 2016. We’ll keep you posted as we know more on Xiaomi Mi 5’s availability.

November 14, 2015
‘Quit Facebook, Stay Happy,’ Says Happiness Research Institute

Facebook, like smoking or drinking, can be regarded as an addiction for the digital age. Well, maybe not as harmful to the body as the latter, but according to a study conducted by the Happiness Research Institute (yes, it’s a real place), Facebook can be quite harmful, mentally.

A study was conducted by the Happiness Research Institute on 1,095 Facebook users in Denmark to see how the social media might be affecting their mood. The researchers first discovered that over 94% of the participants visited Facebook on a daily basis.

The subjects were them split into two groups – one group continued their daily use of Facebook while the other were made to stay off the site completely. One week later, the Happiness Research Institute found that 88% of the quitters said that they felt “happy,” while 81% of Facebook users felt the same. According to the results, Facebook users reported greater rates of anger, worry, sadness, depression and loneliness; while the quitters reported higher rates of happiness and enthusiasm, better social lives, fewer problems with unproved concentration.

Let it be known that this study is far from being scientifically accurate as the subjects basically wrote down what they felt, which cannot be all taken at face value. But the study itself revels a growing concern over our dependance on scrolling through timelines and news feed every chance we get, worrying about our status updates and the number of likes, among other things.

Let’s be honest, we’ve all felt like giving up Facebook at some point in our lives. We’ve also deactivated our accounts only to return to it the next day. The potential effects of Facebook and other social media addiction cannot be properly quantifiable, which is what makes this form of addiction silently scarier than others. Let us know what you think about the effects of social media on you in the comments below.

November 14, 2015
Xiaomi Mi Pad 2 Gets Benchmarked, Will Have Intel Inside

It looks like the wait for Xiaomi’s Mi Pad 2 will soon be over. Rumours about the tablet began as far back as December last year. In September, the Mi Pad 2 was certified in China and today the tablet has passed the Geekbench benchmark test. According to the test, it looks like the Mi Pad 2 will have Intel inside. The test revealed that the tablet will sport an Intel X5-Z8500 SoC under the hood, with a quad-core 2.24GHz CPU, 2GB RAM and will have Android 5.1 pre-installed.

That’s not all the test revealed. The Mi Pad 2 with Intel chipset scored a 985 on the single-core test and a 3268 on multi-core. The original Xiaomi Mi Pad scored a 1113 (single-core) and 3481 (multi-core) back in 2014.

Not much is know about the upcoming tablet. Rumours suggest that the Mi Pad 2 will sport the same 7.9-inch glass found in the original Mi Pad. It is likely that Xiaomi will unveil the Mi Pad 2 along with the Mi 5 on the 3rd of December.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://browser.primatelabs.com/geekbench3/4084530″]Geekbench[/tw-button]

November 13, 2015
YouTube Launches its Own Music Streaming App, Challenges Apple Music and Spotify

Watch out Apple Music and Spotify, YouTube Music is here. The world’s largest and most popular free music service has started rolling out a dedicated music app, which includes a paid subscription option.

YouTube has been dominating online video streaming for years and has become a household name today. Now the video giant wants to do what it does best – bring music to the masses. YouTube has stuck to free music videos for years to the dismay of some in the music business. The contention was that YouTube doesn’t generate nearly enough revenue when compared to the number of hits it gets on a daily basis.

The YouTube Phenomenon

Videos are becoming the next big thing for social networking sites. Facebook’s big video push is now providing a real competition to YouTube, and Facebook has also shown interest in music, too with the newly launched Music Stories. But the impact on YouTube has been massive and the video giant knows just how big it is. in their official blog, YouTube said that, “today, any artist can upload a video to YouTube and get discovered by over 1 billion people around the globe. That global exposure has allowed YouTube and Google to pay out over $3 billion to the record industry to date. But it’s also provided an incredible source of promotion for artists, helping fuel ticket sales, move merchandise, and boost album and song downloads. Just this month, Adele’s “Hello” became the fastest rising video of the year on YouTube, while also breaking the record for first week download sales.”

The fact that YouTube is coming out with a standalone app when Google Play Music already exists is a bit confusing. However, those who are subscribers to YouTube Red can avail benefits on both the apps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwj1qFPnhow

How Does YouTube Music Work?

The app works like a standard music service. You search for artists or songs and then YouTube suggests more songs based on your search. It’s unlike Apple Music and Spotify in that while the latter services offer curated songs and playlists, YouTube Music doesn’t. The app lets computers rather than humans pick out songs for you, and will do so once you already have a song in mind.

No matter where you start in the app, the music will never stop. Every song you play or artist you choose will take you on an endless journey through YouTube’s music catalog. A simple tap and you’re on your way, enjoying your favorite music and discovering new artists effortlessly. The home tab will recommend tracks just for you and create personalized stations based on your tastes.

You cannot create playlists, however. Instead YouTube Music creates a daily playlist for you in ‘My mix’, which combines tracks you’ve listened to, tracks you’ve liked and some new suggestions based on both. The app is also unlike Apple Music and Spotify in that it is the first music streaming app that includes videos. You can share and listen to music for free, with ads, or go for an ad free version by subscribing to YouTube Red for a monthly fee of $10.

The YouTube Music app is available only in the U.S as of now and YouTube plans to roll out the service in other countries soon. Let us know what you think of YouTube’s newest app in the comments below.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://youtube-global.blogspot.in/2015/11/a-youtube-built-just-for-music.html”]YouTube[/tw-button]

November 13, 2015
Scientists Achieve Breakthrough by Making Porous Liquid

liquids now have holes thanks to an amazing breakthrough by a team scientists at Queen’s University Belfast. Researchers in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Queen’s, along with colleagues at the University of Liverpool, have invented a porous liquid with a potential for a massive range of new technologies including ‘carbon capture’. The liquid has the ability to dissolve massive amounts of gas, which are absorbed into the ‘holes’ in the liquid.

This discovery will effectively lead to what scientists call ‘carbon capture’ – trapping carbon dioxide from major sources, a fossil-fuel power plant for example, and storing it to prevent its entry into the atmosphere.

Prosessor Stuart James of Queen’s School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering said: “Materials which contain permanent holes, or pores, are technologically important. They are used for manufacturing a range of products from plastic bottles to petrol. However, until recently, these porous materials have been solids. What we have done is to design a special liquid from the ‘bottom-up’ – we designed the shapes of the molecules which make up the liquid so that the liquid could not fill up all the space. Because of the empty holes we then had in the liquid, we found that it was able to dissolve unusually large amounts of gas.”

James went on to say that the discovery is still in its early stages and a few more years will be needed to fully understand the ways in which the porous liquid can work.

“While these are early findings, this research could pave the way for greener energy production in the future.”

November 12, 2015
Apple Pay Likely to Incorporate Peer-to-Peer Payments in 2016

Apple is in talks with a number of top U.S banks to create its own person-to-person mobile payment service, which could see an early 2016 launch. Banks like Chase, Capital One, Wells Fargo, and U.S. Bancorp have discussed the prospects with Apple.

Apple Pay currently deals with sending money to businesses, but that could change by next. Currently, apps like PayPal’s Venmo and Google Wallet allow for person-to-person transactions, while some banks have their own apps that allow you to make payments directly. To get this plan off the ground, Apple will have to navigate its way through individual bank platforms and find a way to incorporate the banks within the Apple Pay world.

Apple may look to simply tap into an existing payment service from top banks called clearXchange, and loop that into Apple Pay. That would allow users to send money from a checking account to anyone with an email address or mobile number. Apple may not be looking to make money off this latest idea, and likely wants to broaden the scope of Apple Pay and the overall benefit of the iPhone.

This is all part of Apple CEO Tim Cook’s vision that paper money will no longer exist in the future. “Your kids will not know what money is,” he said during his address at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. In today’s technological world most transactions are taking place online. The biggest challenge here is to avoid cyber attacks.

During his speech, Cook said that Apple will dedicated itself to preventing hackers from stealing customers’ information. “We plan to continue to encrypt end to end with no back door,” Cook said. “We will productively work with the governments to try to convince them that’s also in their best interests in the national security sense.”

November 12, 2015
Android Wear Now Supports Cellular Connectivity

In today’s wearable news it seems Android has taken a leap forward and has finally made LTE support for its smartwatches a reality. Google has updated its Android Wear OS for smartwatches with cellular service, which means you can now leave your phones at home when you’re on the go. Android wearables will be able to stay connected with a SIM card even when your phone isn’t nearby.

LG’s Watch Urbane 2nd Edition will be the first smartwatch to ship with the SIM feature along with support for cellular connectivity. The watch will be available in the US and South Korea this week. This features puts Android Wear ahead of the Apple’s WatchOS 2 and other platforms out there that don’t support cellular connectivity.

What this feature does is that it allows you to use all the apps on your smartwatch including receiving and sending messages, calls, among other, without having your phone nearby. It will come in handy when you want to go out for a run and leave your phone at home.

While this does put Android Wear ahead of Apple’s WatchOS in terms of functionality, it may not attract too many buyers as cellular connectivity means more strain on your smartwatch’s tiny battery. You may find yourself having to charge your watch frequently. Currently, AT&T and Verizon are selling the watch with cellular connectivity from today.

November 12, 2015
Apple Music has Come to Android But With Glitches

Apple Music has finally arrived on Android. The newest music streaming app is the third Apple app to make its way to Android – the first to being Move to iOS and BeatPill+. Apple Music is something many Android users have been waiting for. It is one of Apple’s better launches this year and one that has pleased music lovers all over.

The Android app looks similar to Apple Music on iOS with only some differences that are particular to Android. The design is pretty much the same and all the Apple Music options are there including Beats Radio. True to Android the app has a left slide-out menu that features the For You, New, Radio, Connect, Playlists and My Music tabs. The For You section is packed with albums and curated playlists based on your taste. The suggestions look just like the iOS.

But those are just the pros to the story. The Android beta version of the Apple Music comes with a host of bugs and glitches that are quite putting off.

The app is far from working smoothly at the moment. Saved playlists and album artworks take a long time to load properly even with fast network connectivity, and you’re left with black spaces and a white background that makes the overall app a dull affair.

Downloading multiple songs or a playlist seem to fail occasionally while single downloads work fine. Since it’s still in beta stage one expects the app to come with some issues. The updated version will look to smooth things out.

Furthermore, the app does not sync with your music folder, which one would have preferred since Android users tend to use their phones like an MP3 player, storing music files for years. Thus, the My Music page will only show songs purchased from iTunes and songs saved from Apple Music. Google Play Music allows streaming as well as downloaded music files so Android users may just stick with that.

Apple Music has a massive library of music and one can pretty much find anything in there. For users in India, this means that there is now a great alternative for popular music streaming apps like Saavn, Wynk and Gaana. To download the Apple Music for Android, head on over to the Google Play Store and try it out. As mentioned above, the app has a 3-month free trial after which you’ll have to pay to stay on.

November 12, 2015
Android Safer Than iOS According to Reports

The mythbusters are back, and this time one of the all time popular myths regarding iOS has been busted. According to a new study, it turns out that iOS isn’t as malware-proof as people have come to believe. In fact, reports suggest that Android is safer and more secure than iOS.

The study carried out by Checkmarx and AppSec Labs claim that Apple’s ‘wall garden’, that is the App Store, is filled with apps that have greater percentage of critical or high severity security vulnerabilities when compared to Android apps.

According to the report, a critical vulnerability is defined as one “that exposes a major security risk with a direct exploit (not needing user involvement). If exploited, the security threat might cause major damage to the application and/or have major impact on the company.”

Here’s what the claim means for everyone. Firtsly, it breaks the image of iOS being regarded as the most fool-proof operating system. Secondly, it also means that there is now no safe operating system out there as all the major players are now on the same boat. Of course, it was only a matter of time for a report such as this to come out. Hackers do tend to target big names, especially ones that claim to be unbreakable.

“With more than 1.5 million apps available in the two main app stores, Apple and Android, and hundreds of billions of downloads to date, the mobile landscape has quickly become the main playground for hackers and attackers.”

As the reports suggest, 36 percent of Android apps were found to be potentially critical or highly severe while a surprising 40 percent of iOS apps were deemed critical, crushing the common misconception that iOS is a safer platform.

There seems to be some credibility to this report, especially after the recent news that a popular app on the App Store, called InstaAgent, has been leaking Instagram username and passwords and sending them off to a remote server as well as publishing unauthorized images to users account without their consent.

Checkmarx’s Amit Ashbel explained to GeekTime that most of the security flaws are the result of vulnerabilities in developers’ code. “The mobile application industry as a whole is lagging behind on secure coding best practices,” he added.

Well, that’s one less thing for iPhone users to brag about now.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”https://www.checkmarx.com/2015/11/05/the-state-of-mobile-app-security/”]Checkmarx[/tw-button]

November 12, 2015
Gamergate Cannot be Sorted From the Outside, Says Australian Senator

Some of you may be aware of Gamergate. For those who don’t know, Gamergate was a controversy that began in August 2014. It concerned issues of sexism and progressivism in video game culture. Gamergate began when a former boyfriend of Quinn wrote a lengthy disparaging blog post about her, leading others to falsely accuse her of entering a relationship with a journalist in exchange for positive coverage. Quinn denied the charges, but in the internet world, things escalated quickly.

The movement resulted in women being harassed online, being driven from their homes in fear of threat and violence. Most of the harassment were coordinated through online discussion forums in websites like Reddit, 4chan and 8chan.

Things have changed since then. In the course of two years, the audience for gaming has become more diverse. “The fight has how become about how broad and welcoming the gaming industry can be. Australian Greens senator for Western Australia, Scott Ludlam told Mashable Australia the government has no direct role to play in Gamergate, but doesn’t rule it out entirely. “I don’t think the government has a role in culture wars,” he said. “Anytime a government is engaging in a culture war it always tends to end badly.”

There is a palpable tension in the going community over whether women and minorities will be included as the industry grows, and Ludlam understands this. But resolution won’t come via legislation. In the end the issue has to be dealt with internally.

“Ultimately, something like GamerGate can’t be sorted from the outside,” he concluded. “It’s a cultural hand grenade for this community that only it can sort out. It’s not going to get resolved by someone passing a law.”

November 10, 2015
HTC Launches the Desire 728G in India, Priced at Rs. 17,990

Last month we had mentioned HTC is planning to launch the Desire 728G in India. Today, HTC has indeed launched the phone at a price of Rs. 17,990. The smartphone is offered in Purple Myst and White Luxury colour variants and is available at major offline retailers.

“The new HTC Desire 728G Dual SIM brings distinctive design into a feature-rich smartphone, providing you with a great value smartphone which you can truly make your own. We want to provide a powerful, fully customisable experience to our customers, and the HTC Desire 728G Dual SIM brings this in abundance,” said Faisal Siddiqui, President, HTC South Asia during the launch.

The HTC Desire 728G Dual SIM is housed in a stylish, elegant body and boasts a clean yet striking finish. The device features a 5.5-inch HD (729×1280 pixels) display. It is powered by a 1.3GHz MediaTek octa-core processor paired with 1.5 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage expandable up to 2 TB via MicroSD card slot.

The handset also features a 13 MP primary camera with BSI sensor, f/2.2 aperture and LED flash, and a 5 MP front camera with 1080p video recording capabilities, a 2,080 mAh battery, and will run on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. Other connectivity features include dual-SIM card slots, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 and GPS. The dual SIM, however, does not support 4G.

Online sales of the HTC Desire 728G have yet to begin. We’ll bring word as and when the device becomes available with online retailers in India.

November 9, 2015
Virtual Reality Takes Art to the Next Level With This Digital Art Museum

There is a way for art to reach the masses if one knows how to promote it. Digital art has been trying to gain a following in both the digital, and the non-digital, ‘real’ world. The problem, though, is that real-life digital art in a physical form tends to fade away after a few weeks, while soft copies risk losing their aesthetic value.

To fight both these plagues, a team of artists have come up with a museum that provides both a real-life virtual reality exhibit, while at the same time does not lose out on the aesthetics. The dates for the exhibition are November 14th through to December 19th and the location is Brooklyn, New York. However, it can be accessed through Mac and Windows apps that can be run from home.

The museum is called the Digital Museum of Digital Art or DiMoDA, and it gives artists the ability to reach a wider audience without diminishing the impact of their work. The artists promise a trippy experience with 3D psychedelia artwork that is possible because of virtual reality. Things here aren’t fixed in place and you’ll be able to experience a 360-degree view of the art.

A generic digital art specimen.

The atrium of the museum is designed and modeled in 3D by Alfredo Salazar-Caro. Viewers wear the Occulus Rift VR headset to enter DiMoDa. Viewers will then immediately approach a number of ‘portals’ which can be used to access the ‘wings’ of the museum. Exhibiting artists have complete control to shape the virtual environment in which their works are installed inside the museum.

DiMoDA will present works by Claudia Hart, Tim Berresheim, Jacolby Satterwhite and a project by Aquanet 2001. The idea was conceived in 2013 by Alfredo Salazar-Caro and William James Richard Robertson, DiMoDA launches in November of 2015 with its first exhibition as a pavilion in The Wrong Biennale and a physical exhibition at TRANSFER in New York from November 14 through December 19th, 2015.

November 9, 2015
The New York Times Shows the Future of Journalism With its Virtual Reality App

Something happened today. There was a sudden burst of virtual reality news all at once that has people everywhere believing that technology has indeed taken the next step. Today, The New York Times has taken a step towards VR by introducing Google Cardboard with their magazine, YouTube updated their Android app to support virtual reality videos, and finally Samsung plans on launching its Gear VR this month. Take a moment to soak all that in.

So, talking about The New York Times, the American daily newspaper that started in 1851 has now taken a step into the future. It launched the NYT VR app that gives a virtual reality experience of news along with headphones and (optionally) a cardboard viewing device. According to a blog on the NYT website, the goal is “to simulate richly immersive scenes from across the globe.”

The app started with three portraits of children “driven from their homes from war and persecution.” The first is of an 11-year old boy named Oleg from eastern Ukraine, an 12-year old Syrian girl named Hana and a 9-year old South Sudanese boy named Chuol. To watch the 10-minute short film, you’ll have to download the app and thereafter the film can be downloaded. Though the films are promoted for VR headcount, they can still be viewed normally.

Some 30 million children are displaced. Chuol, 9, escaped into a vast swamp in South Sudan when fighters swept into his village.

“This new filmmaking technology enables an uncanny feeling of connection with people whose lives are far from our own,” writes Jake Silverstein, editor of the magazine.

The New York Times has been at the forefront of journalism for 119 years. The NYT VR app is the future of journalism. The stories will provide you an immersive 360-degree video experience. NYT promises to post new stories told in virtual reality every month. The app is available for download on iOS and Android.

November 7, 2015
Here’s a Look at Some Great Deals on Laptops Ahead of Diwali
Has the festive Diwali air gotten to you yet? It is, afterall, the season to be a shopoholic. There are plenty of great offers and discounts available these days, if you know where to look. Today, if you happen to pass by online retailers, you can avail some great discounts on laptops.

The offers have a time period so if you’ve been thinking about getting a new laptop, you may want to head over to one of these websites and add a laptop to your cart soon. However, before you do so, you might need a better idea of what’s on sale. We’ve broken it down in terms of price range. Have a look and decide the right one for you.

Laptops Under Rs. 20,000

Dell Inspiron 3551

Dell’s new Inspiron 15 3551 does make an impression thanks to its thinner profile and its surprisingly long warranty. Running times are also better than most of the competition. The graphics aren’t the best here and only some 3D games with very low demands are playable with these cards.
- 2.66GHz Intel Pentium N3540 N3540 processor
- 4GB DDRL3 RAM
- 500GB 5400rpm Serial ATA hard drive
- 15.6 inch screen, Intel HD Graphics
- Ubuntu Linux 14.04 SP1 operating system
The laptop is currently available at Rs. 17,999, down from Rs. 20,990, which is a 14% discount.

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Lenovo G50-30 80G001VNIN

The Lenovo G50 is also being offered at a 20% discount and is currently priced at Rs. 18,499. The laptop offers great performance for a low price. The G50-30 is apt for basic tasks like browsing, Skype or watching videos. The laptop only needs little power and operates quietly.
- 15.6-inch LED HD display
- Intel Pentium Quad Core N3540 Processor
- 2.16 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.66 GHz.
- 4GB DDR3L RAM
- 500GB storage and a 720p HD webcam.
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Laptops Under Rs. 30,000

Lenovo G40-45 (Notebook)

Looking for a budget-friendly laptop is not an easy task. Especially one that packs enough punch to get you through the day. Interestingly, the Lenovo G40 series, which is famous for its affordable prices, is powered by AMD A8 processors; a mobile quad-core system-on-chip (SoC) that integrates a Radeon R5 GPU. This laptop comes with an optical drive and gives a decent batter life with its four-cell battery. Overall, the laptop gives you the most bang for your buck.
- APU Quad Core A8
- 8 GB DDR3 RAM
- 1 TB HDD
- Free DOS
Dell Vostro 15 3558

The Dell Vostro is designed primarily as working device. It is powerful enough for daily tasks. This display isn’t anything to brag about, but it is decent for this price range. There’s a great discount going on for the Dell Vostro right now. The laptop is priced at Rs. 24,999 down from Rs. 28,799 and is being claimed fast.
- 15.6-inch LED backlit display
- 1.7GHz Intel Core-i3 4005U 4th generation processor
- 3.5 kg
- 4GB RAM and 1TB hard drive
- Intel HD Graphics 4400
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Laptops Under Rs. 40,000

Lenovo G50 80L0006HIN

Priced at Rs. 30,499, the laptop is being offered at a 22% discount. This laptop provides great graphics with a 2GB AMD Radeon graphic card. That is one of the key selling points of the G50 80. The laptop won’t heat much when playing graphically intense games and also comes with 1TB of internal storage.
- Intel Core i3 1.9GHz processor.
- 15.6-inch display with AMD Radeon R5 M230 2GB 3D graphics.
- 4GB RAM
- 1TB of internal storage.
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HP 15-ac101TU

For a laptop at this price level, the HP 15 looks really good. Instead of a simple texture, HP has gone with a diamond pattern for the lid which enhances the aesthetic appeal. The laptop is a decent entry point for those looking at a basic Windows 10 OS. The HP 15-ac101TU wins has a slim and sleek design. There’s a 10% discount on this HP laptop. Offered at Rs. 30,990, the deal is 60% claimed as of now.
- 5.6-inch screen with Intel HD Graphic 5500
- 2GHz Intel Core i3 5005u processor
- 4GB RAM and 1TB hard drive.
- Windows 10 pre-loaded. The deal is 60% claimed as of now.
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Other great deals worth mentioning:

Apple Macbook Pro

The Macbook is currently the best in 50K or above range and is currently available at a sweet price of Rs. 50, 999 down from Rs. 78, 990 which gives you an amazing 35% discount. So if you’re looking for a high-end laptop right now, this is the one to go for. The deal is 76% claimed already, so you may want to decide fast for this one.

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We’ll update the list as new deals come in. The prices mentioned above are subject to change as all mentioned deals are for limited periods of time only.
November 7, 2015
Huawei’s G7 Plus is Now Official With 5.5-inch Display, 13MP Camera

Major mobile brands are paying a lot of attention to the mid-range market. Samsung already has a bunch of devices in the mid-range bracket, and so does Motorola and many others others. It is also rumoured that Apple may come out with a cheaper 4-inch iPhone 7. Now Huawei has joined the party as well with its G7 Plus mid-range device.

Huawei has expanded its mid-range G series with the Huawei G7 Plus. The G7 Plus is similar to the G8 which was announced at IFA 2015 and stands as a successor to the G7 that came out last year.

The G7 Plus comes with an upgraded display and processor. It sports a 5.5-inch 1080p touchscreen display with a 2.5D Gorilla Glass on top, a 13 MP rear camera with dual-tone LED flash, a 5 MP selfie snapper. Under the hood you’ll find Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 615 chipset with 1.5 GHz octa-core CPU, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of expandable storage, dual-SIM functionality, 4G LTE, and a 3,000 mAh battery.

Other features include a square fingerprint sensor beneath the rear camera. There’s dual SIM capability and comes with LTE, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. The device will run on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.

The Huawei G7 Plus has launched in China and Thailand at a price of 2097 Yuan (approx. $330), but there’s no word yet on when the device will launch in other markets.

November 7, 2015