Author: Vipul Vij

Amazon Prime Music Review

On the 28th of February, Amazon launched its Prime Music service in India. The new music streaming service joins the ever-growing list of music streaming services in India. While the likes of Saavn, Gaana, Wynk are free to use, Prime Music comes at a cost. It is exclusively available for Amazon Prime users only. Unlike something like Apple Music where you pay just for the music streaming, you get services like Prime Video and free one-day delivery with Amazon Prime subscription. So, how does the Amazon Prime Music stack up in the real world? Let’s find out!

Subscription

Amazon Prime service was launched in late-2016 at Rs 499 per year. That, however, has now increased to Rs 999 per year. At first, the subscription meant free one-day delivery but, it soon launched Amazon Prime Video in India. Ever since then, the video streaming service has consistently added international and local Indian content which has been appreciated across the table. With Amazon Prime Music, existing users don’t have to pay anything extra and simply need to sign in using their Amazon account.

Essentially, when you renew your Prime subscription, you pay for three services which, in a grand scheme of things, is a pretty decent amount. While we would always love things to be free, the Prime subscription for these services is pretty good. However, the conundrum is for people who don’t have a subscription. In that case, if you just want a new music streaming service, then Amazon Prime Music does not make sense. For Android users, Apple Music has made some great changes recently and costs only Rs 120 per month. So, just the Prime Music on its own is not a great value proposition.

App And UI

The Prime Music app for iOS weighs in at about 65MB, which means people still using a 16GB iPhone should not have trouble installing this app. The Android version of the app comes with a similar weight. The app UI is pretty neat and simple. The dark theme is refreshing but, there isn’t an option to enable or disable it. The four toggles at the bottom help you navigate between offline music library, Alexa and recently search/played songs.

The app also has a few gestures involved. The now playing screen gets minimised into a circle between the four bottom toggles. Once minimised, you can drag the circle to the right to move to the next song or drag it to the left to move backwards. This is a nifty feature especially when you’re browsing songs within the app while listening to something else. Instead of pulling up the Now Playing screen or the control centre, you can shift between songs.

In Apple Music, the bottom bar has the option to skip a song or pause it but, no option to go back to a song. Also, gestures are the future, and the Prime Music app uses them pretty well.

One inexcusable feature missing from this paid streaming service is lyrics. While it is not a commonly used feature, it should be available for users who pay for a music streaming service. Apple Music, for example, has this feature and so does Gaana, which is, in fact, a free streaming service. Maybe, the feature will be added in a future update.

Music Library

Amazon has not been open about the total number of songs in its library. Hence, it is not possible to compare it with other services like Apple Music or Google Play Music. But, what we can say is that we found almost all the songs we searched for. Right from Where’s My Man by Velvet Underground to Attention by Charlie Puth. That, usually, is the litmus test for music streaming services if it can find a very old song and a very new song.

The interesting feature of Amazon Prime Music is its local language music. We were able to find the Telugu song Blockbuster and the Kannada song Gamanava. What we were not able to find was indie content by Indian musicians. This is where Saavn is excelling thanks to its Saavn’s Artists Original division. So, if you are into indie music and mainly independent Indian artists, then the Prime Music library won’t suffice.

Like a lot of other music streaming services, it also has curated playlists that get more accurate with more usage. We listen to a lot of classic rock and a few curated playlists had some great songs that we hadn’t heard of. And honestly, there is nothing better than to discover new songs that become an instant favourite. For example, we discovered Today by The Smashing Pumpkins and it is now a part of every playlist we listen to here.

Alexa within the app is a hit or a miss. Unless you have an Echo device or can’t type, Alexa remains unused. A lot of the times, Alexa fails to recognise a song we ask for and then just delays the time for us to start playing that song. Even famous songs like Thats The Way by Led Zeppelin was not recognised by Alexa in our daily usage.

At the end of the day, a music streaming service without a lot of music titles is a failure. Amazon Prime has most of the songs people would commonly listen to. But, the lack of independent music artists means that many young listeners would choose a different service.

Verdict

It is pretty simple, if you have an Amazon Prime subscription, then the Prime Music is great. You essentially have a music and video streaming service for a price of Rs 999 per year. Compared with Apple Music’s Rs 120 per month and Google Play Music’s Rs 99 per month, and Prime Music is a steal! But, is it worth spending a thousand rupees just for the music streaming service? No. There is Saavn that has good independent music titles and is a free service albeit, annoying ads.

At the end of the day, the Amazon Prime Music as a package with other Amazon services is a great deal. On its own, it will be hard to convince customers to pay for it.

March 19, 2018
Possible OnePlus 6 Launched As The OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition

OnePlus is expected to launch its new flagship, the OnePlus 6 in June. Going by the company’s recent track record, the OnePlus 6T will be launched by the end of the year. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and for now, concentrate on the OnePlus 6. The smartphone is expected to be one of the best affordable flagship devices of 2018.

The last two OnePlus devices have looked awfully similar to some OPPO smartphones. That is mainly because OnePlus’s parent company is OPPO Electronics. Since OnePlus is a very young company, it is possible that the R&D department is shared between the sister companies. Hence, the OnePlus had the exact design as the OPPO R11 and the OnePlus 5T looked like the OPPO R11S. With this in mind, it is possible that the new OPPO R15 could be the OnePlus 6.

OnePlus 6 Leaked Images

It is worth noting that OnePlus only has the design similar to its OPPO counterparts. All OnePlus devices are launched with flagship specifications and it won’t be any different for the OnePlus 6 either. Also, a recently leaked image of the OnePlus 6 resembles the OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition. The device has a glass back with a very reflective finish albeit, a horizontally placed dual-camera setup. The leaked image of the OnePlus 6 revealed a vertically placed dual-camera setup, which looks similar to the Galaxy S9+.

OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition

Another big change expected in the OnePlus 6 is wireless charging. The OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition doesn’t support wireless charging despite having a glass build.

OnePlus 6 Specs

The device will have a 6.2 inch 2160 x 1080 px Optic AMOLED display with a higher screen to body ratio. The device will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset with up to 8GB RAM and 256GB, similar to the OnePlus 5 and 5T.

OnePlus 5T

There will be a tiny notch up front, which will house the front-facing camera and the earpiece with an LED flash unit. In fact, the smartphone is expected to have a Face ID like feature, which uses the front-facing camera. Hence, we could see some extra sensors in that notch to enable a much more secure facial recognition system. That will also sort of justify the notch, just like on the iPhone X.

The device will have a dual primary camera setup, similar to the OnePlus 5T, were, the secondary sensor will be used for low light photography.

March 19, 2018
Android P Might Have iPhone X Like Gesture-Based Navigation

Google recently released the first developer preview of Android P. Since this is the first preview, the official version will be very different and new features will be added and discarded.

Reported by 9to5Google, it is possible that Android P will have native gesture-based navigation, similar to the iPhone X. While it might seem a bit far-fetched, it is possible. Google has already conceded that the “notch” is here to stay. The developer preview has support for a notch. Sources have said that an internal build of Android P running the April or May security patch has an iPhone X-like user interface.

OnePlus 5T Gestures

If this turns out to be true, there will be a lot of debate around the “inspiration” for this decision. However, Xiaomi and OnePlus have already started moving on to gestures. However, OnePlus is still testing the feature in a Beta build. Xiaomi, on the other hand, introduced the feature with Android 8 Oreo for the Mi MIX 2. This means that the Mi MIX 2S will also have this feature out of the box.

Over the years, stock Android OS, for all its stability and beauty, has lacked features that were readily available in custom skins. With a few smartphone makers adopting gestures, this could be a sign for Google. It is high time Google goes a step ahead and introduces a popular feature natively.

With smartphones moving closer to a bezel-less design, it doesn’t make sense to lose out on a little screen real estate because of the navigation buttons. Also, Android’s navigation system needs a little refresh after being so stagnant since its inception.

March 19, 2018
This Device Can Break Into Any iPhone

Smartphones have become our primary devices very quickly. Our documents, pictures, music, everything resides in our palm thanks to smartphones. Also, over the years, smartphones have come under scrutiny for their lacklustre security. A few months ago, OnePlus 5 was found to be vulnerable to hacking. While that was software based, a new device claims to be able to break into any iPhone.

GrayKey

A new device called GrayKey looks, ironically, like an Apple TV and can bypass any iPhone’s security code. The device is made by Grayshift, an Atlanta, US-based company and comes to light after the recent debate around company ethics and smartphone security. A couple of years ago, FBI asked Apple to give it access to the iPhones of San Bernardino shooters. Apple declined and FBI discovered that there are third-party services that can break into iPhones. While FBI was able to bypass those iPhones, it is surprising that Apple has not yet closed that backdoor access.

GrayKey has two lightning cables attached to it. The process of hacking into an iPhone starts with the iPhone being connected to the device for two minutes. After two minutes, the iPhone is disconnected and it shows a black screen. The black screen then displays the passcode and other information. However, it is worth noting that this process depends on how complex the passcode. It can even take up to two days to crack the code.

Grayshift claims that even disabled phones can be cracked. Once the iPhone is unencrypted, all the data is downloaded to the GrayKey device. What is even more mindboggling is the price of this device. The GrayKey is available in two variants, the US$ 15000 (Rs 975,675 approx.) model needs an internet connection, and is geofenced to work on a single network. The other variant costs a whopping US$ 30,000 (Rs 1,951,350 approx.) which doesn’t need an internet connection and can bypass devices as the owner wants.

It is worth noting that these devices will be nullified if and when Apple comes up with a fix for this vulnerability.

March 19, 2018
Spotify To Soon Launch In India

Up until a few years ago, music streaming services in India were almost non-existent. However, with the internet becoming cheaper and more accessible thanks to Jio, music streaming has come to the fore. While Apple Music, Gaana, Saavn and now Amazon Prime Music have a great deal of customer base, Spotify has been missing from the Indian market. That is about to change soon, as the CEO of Spotify has conceded that the company will soon launch its music streaming services in India.

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, during the Investor’s Day in New York, said:

We are working on launching in some of the biggest markets in the world, including India, Russia, and Africa which has a very rich musical culture.

Signs were already there, that Spotify was planning something for India. It hired a former Google Business Manager to head its Marketing in India and even leased an office space in Mumbai. The company already has 308 employees in Australia, Brazil, Singapore, and others markets, including India.

AmazonPrime Music

Spotify, despite its huge success internationally, will have a hard time in India. It will be a late-entrant and have a hard time trying to make people shift from a service like Saavn that offers a great experience for its free customers. Although the free service has ads, the local music library it possesses is a great advantage.

Spotify And Its Competition

Internationally, Spotify’s only real competition is Apple Music. In India as well, Apple Music has a great customer base. Apart from Apple Music, Saavn, Gaana, Wynk and others have a great foothold in the music streaming service as well. For Spotify to compete, it will have to get its pricing spot on. Apple Music is priced at Rs 120 per month but, it also has a student subscription plan that is priced at Rs 60 per month.

Apple Music

While people have been exposed to Spotify due to the internet, it will have to bring in something extra to sway customers. Thanks to India’s diverse culture, local music is an important feature. If Spotify provides local language music, then the company will have an advantage. Another interesting feature that Spotify possesses its desktop mode. Only Apple Music and Amazon Prime Music have a desktop version right now.

March 19, 2018
Unboxing The Xiaomi Redmi 5
Xiaomi started 2018 with two great budget smartphones, the Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro. While the Redmi Note 5 is essentially the Redmi 5 Plus that was launched in China, many expected the Redmi 5 to never hit the Indian shores. That, however, changed on the 14th of March when Xiaomi held a live stream event and launched the Redmi 5 in India.

At a starting price of Rs 7999, the Redmi 5 is a peculiar device for the India market. That doesn’t mean that it won’t sell because Xiaomi appears to have cracked the code for India. With three variants launched, there are a few options to consider. But, the base variant is expected to be the popular choice because the Redmi Note 5’s base variant essentially cancels out the other two models of the Redmi 5. Pricing:
- 2GB RAM/16GB storage: Rs 7999
- 3GB RAM/32GB storage: Rs 8999
- 4GB RAM/64GB storage: Rs 10999
So, does the Redmi 5 have enough firepower to have an impact on the increasingly congested budget smartphone segment of India? Let’s unbox the device and find out:
- Xiaomi Redmi 5
- Documentation
- Wall Charger
- Micro USB Cable
- Clear Case
First Impressions

Usually, the difference between a regular and a plus variant of a device is usually substantial, size wise. However, that is not the case with the Redmi 5 and Redmi Note 5 (Redmi 5 Plus). At a glance, the difference between the two is barely noticeable. The design and build quality of the Redmi 5 resembles the Redmi Note 5 with the same 18:9 aspect ratio. That being said, it still possesses considerable bezels which are even more prominent if you buy the Gold colour variant.

One of the two main differences between the Redmi 5 and Note 5 is the display. It has a 720P display which measures 5.7 inches.

Specifications

Under the hood, it has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset, a 1.8GHz octa-core processor, Adreno 506 GPU, 2GB, 3GB or 4GB of RAM, 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage which will be expandable via microSD card. In fact, the Snapdragon 450 is an underclocked Snapdragon 625 chipset, which is used in the Note 5.

There is a fingerprint sensor placed at the back of the phone just below the camera. However, that is mainly a signature Xiaomi decision and not due to the lack of bezels on the front. Powering the device is a 3300 mAh battery which, Xioami claims has a standby time of up to 12 days. The battery is charged via a micro USB slot which means no fast charging.

Xiaomi recently launched the Redmi Note 5 AI in China that, surprisingly, runs Android 8 Oreo. However, that is not the case in India as the Redmi 5 still runs Android 7 Nougat with MIUI 9 on top.

The device has a 12MP camera at the back with 1.25-micron pixel size. The camera surprisingly only records 1080P videos at 30fps. To the front of the device is a 5MP camera with Beautify 3.0, which is Xiaomi’s software for enhanced selfies. However, unlike the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, the device misses out on Face Unlock feature.

Buy The Redmi 5 Here
March 17, 2018
Google Wear OS Is Now Official

Wear OS is now officially the moniker that Google will use for its smartwatch OS. The new branding will be available on a select number of smartwatches, which were running Android Wear.

Google and its smartwatch OS has been fighting a losing battle with Apple’s watchOS. Apple Watch and its three iterations have helped Apple become the biggest watchmaker in the world. In the fourth quarter of 2017, Apple shipped more Apple Watches than the entire Swiss watch industry. With such enormous popularity, it feels like it will take more than just rebranding for Google to revive Android smartwatches.

While the rebranding kind of resembles the moniker Apple uses, the features are not similar in any way. Google, so far, has not announced any new features that will hit the market. Prominent non-Apple smartwatch makers like Samsung now use their own OS instead of Wear OS. However, unlike an Apple Watch, a Samsung S Gear watch is compatible with other Android devices.

Apple Watch

The exclusivity of the Apple Watch almost plays into its favour. Apple has built a massively impenetrable ecosystem around its devices. Every iPhone owner who wants a smartwatch is automatically no longer a potential Android smartwatch customer. That is solely because an Apple Watch works more cohesively with an iPhone.

Just like the Android OS market, Android Wear OS market is extremely fragmented. From Samsung, Huawei to Fossil, Android Wear smartwatches are made by a lot of manufacturers. This means that the level of customisation and cohesion that an Apple Watch provides, an Android Wear smartwatch simply cannot.

Google, however, is definitely trying to make it work. The smartwatch industry is well on its path to become similar to the tablet industry. Where its either an iPad or nothing. But, for Google to prevent that, it will take more than just rebranding.

March 16, 2018
Apple iPhone SE 2 With An iPhone X Style Display Leaks In Video

After the launch of the iPhone X, there have been plenty of rumours about an iPhone X like iPhone SE 2. The original iPhone SE was launched back in 2016 and the company skipped an incremental update in 2017. However, many reports have claimed that Apple could launch the iPhone SE 2 at WWDC 2018. The reports have been conflicting, though, some claiming that the iPhone SE 2 will have hardware update and retain the design of the original iPhone SE. While some have claimed that it will have a design similar to the iPhone X.

You may also like: Apple iPhone SE 2: What To Expect?

A new video of a possibly fake iPhone SE 2 has surfaced online. The video showcases an iPhone X with a metal frame similar to the iPhone SE. While it might sound very interesting, it is highly unlikely that Apple would take this route. Especially considering that the iPhone SE 2 could be a much more affordable device than the iPhone X.

The size of the device in the video is also suspect. The iPhone SE was intended for people who wanted an iPhone with new hardware and the old small screen design. The leaked device has the same display as the iPhone X which potentially contradicts the reason behind the iPhone SE’s introduction.

Although it’s not the SE 2, the leaked video has given us a glimpse of what the iPhone X could look like with a metal frame instead of a steel one. It is possible that Apple will announce the iPhone SE 2 at WWDC 2018. Or, Apple could host a separate event for the iPhone SE 2. Apple is expected to launch a few upgrades for its MacBook lineup as well. Since WWDC usually focuses on software, its hardware products could be unveiled at an event after WWDC, or before it. However, there has been no confirmation from Apple so far.

March 16, 2018
Xiaomi Launches Mi Body Composition Scale In India At Rs. 1999

Since the turn of the year, Xiaomi has launched quite a few products in India. Up until February, the most famous Xiaomi products were its smartphones and power banks to an extent. In 2017, we met with Manu Kumar Jain, MD of Xiaomi India who conceded that Xiaomi had plans to bring non-smartphone products to the Indian shore. It looks like that has already started.

After launching three smart televisions in a space of one month, the company has now launched the Mi Body Composition Scale in India at a price of Rs. 1999. The device is available to buy exclusively via Mi.com. Fortunately, there are no flash sales for this product. However, its smart TV products will continue to be sold via flash sales which is understandable since their demand is much higher.

Mi Body Composition Scale Features

The smart weighing scale from Xiaomi is obviously more than just a weighing machine. It has a slip-resistant build which makes it safe to use with wet feet. It has a white LED which lights up three seconds after someone stands on the scale. Xiaomi claims that the scale provides accurate body composition statistics with 10 precise data points. It shows muscle mass, BMI, visceral fat, bone mass, body score, body fat, weight, basal metabolism, water content, and more.

For such detailed information, Xiaomi claims to use complex algorithms and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). The Mi Body Composition Scale connects to the Mi-Fit app, which would make a lot of sense for people who also own a Mi-Fit band. Another interesting feature is that the Mi Body Composition Scale can store up to 16 user profiles.

The scale is powered by four AAA batteries that come out of the box. It has a weighing range between 5kg and 150kg with a reading precision of 50 grams.

March 15, 2018
Nokia 9 Renders With In-Display Fingerprint Sensor Reveals An iPhone X-Like Notch

At the recently concluded Mobile World Congress (MWC 2018), HMD Global unveiled as many as five devices. While the Nokia 7 Plus and 8 Sirocco look like great devices and the Banana Phone is a nice throwback, the event lacked a true flagship unveiling. That is because the Nokia 8 Sirocco still runs on the Snapdragon 835. However, MWC 2018 saw the launch of a few Snapdragon 845 powered devices.

Nokia Banana Phone

The Nokia 9 will be that flagship device could be announced by mid-2018. There were a lot of leaks and renders prior to MWC 2018 pertaining to the smartphone. However, none of that came to fruition. But, new concept renders of the Nokia 9 reveal a few exciting features. But, it also showcases something that seems to have a become a staple for Android smartphone makers.

Nokia 9 Design

The smartphone is expected to have an all-glass design. The renders reveal a nearly bezel-less design with extremely thin bezels on either side. However, like a lot of MWC 2018 unveilings, the Nokia 9 also has a notch on the display. If this turns out to be accurate, the Nokia 9 will hardly be the first or the last one to copy the iPhone X.

Apart from that, the Nokia 9 is also expected to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor. While this sounds like an exciting proposition, we might be a few months away from seeing this technology being implemented regularly. Even though Vivo managed to embed a fingerprint sensor in a consumer-ready device, it retails for a much higher price than it is supposed to. Embedding a fingerprint sensor in a display is a costly technology, something that HMD Global could avoid in order to keep the Nokia 9’s price down.

The smartphone is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset and could have up to 8GB of RAM. While many expected HMD Global to announce a Penta-lens concept phone, the Nokia 9 could just have a dual-camera setup.

March 15, 2018
Stephen Hawking: A Brief History Of One Of The Greatest Minds

Stephen Hawking (January 8th, 1942 – March 14th, 2018) was arguably one of the greatest minds to grace this planet. A theoretical physicist by profession, Stephen Hawking was best known for his work in the famous book, A Brief History Of Time. The British scientist was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a form of motor neurone disease. Following a tracheotomy, Hawking was able to speak using a synthesiser, a sound that has become iconic.

In the beginning, he received a computer program called the “Equalizer” from Walter Woltosz, CEO of Words Plus. However, with time, he lost the functioning of his hands and used his cheek muscles with a rate of about one word per minute. He, later on, collaborated with Intel researchers on systems that could translate his brain patterns or facial expressions into switch activations. However, even after several prototypes, it did not perform as intended. Hence, Swiftkey developed an adaptive word predictor based on his original technology.

Contrary to popular belief, Stephen Hawking never won a Nobel Prize for his contribution to cosmology or science as a whole. However, that barely diminishes the impact he had on the next crop of scientists, many of whom deem him as their inspiration.

Hawking studied at Cambridge University and that is where he started his research on cosmology. For people unfamiliar with cosmology, it is the study of the origin, evolution, and eventual fate of the universe. It is at Cambridge, aged 21 when he was diagnosed a motor neurone disease. At the time, doctors predicted that Hawking will survive for two more years. However, the disease spread at a much slower speed and he went on to live and thrive for over half a decade.

The singularities of gravitational collapse and cosmology

In 1970, Stephen Hawking had his first major breakthrough. Along with Roger Penrose, a mathematician, they applied the mathematics of black holes to the universe and showed that a singularity, a region of infinite curvature in spacetime, lay in our distant past. This is the point from which came the big bang.

In 1974, Hawking claimed that black holes should emit heat and eventually burst out of existence. His proposal that black holes radiate heat stirred up a lot of other debates in the sphere of cosmology. He argued that if a black hole could evaporate, all the information inside over its lifetime would be lost. This claim contradicted the basic law of quantum mechanics, which lead many physicists to disagree with Hawking.

A Brief History Of Time

Published for the first time in 1988, the book soon became a pop culture phenomenon. While his work had garnered him a lot of respect and popularity among the intellects of the world, this book was the catalyst of what Stephen Hawking went on to become. The book sold more than 10 million copies and was translated into over 40 languages. It holds the Guinness World Record for staying on the Sunday Times bestsellers list for an unprecedented 237 weeks. However, many believe it is the greatest book nobody read.

For anyone remotely interested in pop science, A Brief History Of Time is a great dive into the realm of our existence and what Hawking thought of all the great theories by scientists. Through the book, Hawking took the opportunity to explore and publicise some of the most speculative contemporary ideas about space and time. In the book, he talked about concepts like “wormholes” and“spiral galaxies”. But, perhaps, the most controversial of them all was the “superstring theory”. He wrote:

The discussion of the question of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason. For then we would know the mind of God.

The Pop Culture Phenomenon

It began with The Simpsons, which was quick to acknowledge the growing popularity of the theoretical physicist. He was depicted drinking at a bar with Homer, suggesting he might steal Homer’s idea that the universe is shaped like a doughnut. And appeared in the BBC comedy series Red Dwarf playing himself. He then appeared as a hologram of his image in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

As we said, his voice became so iconic over time that it became a culture reference soon. Pink Floyd used his synthesised voice for the introduction to Keep Talking, on their 1994 album The Division Bell. He, later on, appeared on the hit NBC comedy, The Big Bang Theory.

In 2014, Eddie Redmayne starred in The Theory of Everything, a film based on the memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, written by Jane Hawking, his ex-wife. He even met Eddie to prepare him for the role.

March 14, 2018
LG G7, G7 Plus Could Be Launched In May 2018

The LG G7 was expected to be unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC 2018), similar to its predecessor. However, LG announced its plan to rework on its flagship smartphone strategy. The CEO of LG Mobile conceded that the company would now launch smartphones as and when it deems fit. While reports claimed that the LG G7 was completely rehashed a few days before Mobile World Congress 2018, it was showcased behind closed doors.

Leaked images of the LG G7 revealed a vertically placed dual-camera setup and an iPhone X like notch. While it is possible that this was just a prototype, more reports have solidified the counter-argument. A new report from in ETNews claims that the LG G7 and G7 Plus will be launched in May 2018. Also, the devices will be very similar to the images leaked at MWC 2018.

Asus Zenfone 5Z

This means that the LG G7 and its Plus sibling will join an increasingly long list of iPhone copycats on the market. MWC 2018 saw a lot of smartphone makers take the Apple iPhone X route. But, without really justifying the need for a notch. However, LG is still one of the most renowned mobile manufacturers in the world and wouldn’t just put a notch on their device because it’s a “trend”.

The LG G7 and 7 Plus will also have the AI camera found on the LG V30S ThinQ. The devices will be powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset and feature a dual-camera setup on the back. If LG does go with a notch, the company could also introduce a proprietary Face Unlock feature as well.

iPhone X Notch

Conclusion

When the LG G7 and G7 Plus are launched, the devices will usher in a new strategy for LG. The company is also expected to push the launch of the LG G40 to later in the year instead of its traditional September launch. Whether the new strategy along with a drastic design shift will work in favour of LG or not is to be seen.

OnePlus 6 Leaked Image

It is also worth noting that the OnePlus 6 expected to be launched in June 2018. It will also have a notch and a new glass design at a price similar to the OnePlus 5T.

March 14, 2018
Apple To Host WWDC 2018 From June 4th

Apple has announced that its annual developer’s conference, World Wide Developer’s Conference (WWDC 2018) will commence on the 4th of June till June 8th. For the second year in a row, the conference will take place at McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California. The developer’s conference is for app and software developers where Apple unveils the latest version of all its operating systems.

This time around, the company is expected to announce iOS 12, macOS 10.14 10.14, watchOS 5 and tvOS 12. Apple also uses the conference to unveil new innovations and give a sneak peek into what the future holds for Apple. At the WWDC 2017, Apple unveiled the HomePod, its first-ever smart speaker which recently went on sale.

To participate in the conference, you will need tickets. And for that, Apple has announced that it will rely on a lottery system since the demand has been extremely high over the years. Apple is also offering up to 350 WWDC Student Scholarships, wherein students and members of all STEM organisations can earn a free ticket to WWDC 2018.

What To Expect From WWDC 2018

At WWDC 2018, Apple is expected to showcase its advancements in AR technology since it unveiled ARKit at WWDC 2017. Since launching ARKit, iOS has become the largest platform for augmented reality. New versions of iOS as well as macOS are also expected to be announced. Reports claim that the new version of iOS will not have a lot of design changes. In fact, since iOS 11 has been a shaky update so far, iOS 12 will concentrate on stability more than anything else.

iPhone X Plus Concept

While WWDC has historically been about software, Apple has been unveiling a few products lately. WWDC 2018 could see the announcements of an entry-level MacBook and the most affordable MacBook Air. While chances are slim, a HomePod Mini could be unveiled as well. Although, there has been no rumour about it all.

This conference will also serve as a sneak peek into what will be in store for the upcoming iPhones. Apple iPhones of 2018 is expected to look similar to the iPhone X. This means that Face ID will now be a primary feature and not a one-off attempt which a lot of people assumed. Apple might showcase new technologies that will better Face ID on the upcoming iPhones and the current iPhone X.

While a lot of people expected the iPhone SE 2 to be unveiled at WWDC 2018, it doesn’t seem likely. However, one can always hope.

March 14, 2018
Samsung Galaxy S9 Is Tougher To Repair Than Apple iPhone X
Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ were launched in Barcelona on the 25th of February. While it is tough to figure out key differences between the S8 and S9 from the outside, the story doesn’t change much once you tear it down.

The folks at iFixit have posted a detailed teardown of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ and the results are not too different from what we expected. The 2018 flagship smartphones get a score 4/10, just like the S8, while the Apple iPhone X got a score of 6/10. The higher the number, the easier it is to repair the device.

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According to the teardown, the iris scanner found on the Galaxy S9 isn’t all too different from the one found on the S8. In fact, the front camera is comparable with its predecessor as well. This is an interesting revelation considering the company has hyped up its new “Intelligent Scan” feature. If almost the same hardware is used, then a future software update could introduce this feature on the likes of Galaxy S8 and Note8.

Apart from that revelation, this is quite standard for an all glass and metal smartphone. While the industry is fast moving towards an all-glass build for a lot of devices, this does mean that more smartphones will be fragile. Subsequently, iFixit notes that:

Display and rear glass increase the chance of breakage, and make repairs difficult to start. Replacing the screen requires removing the glass rear panel and disassembling the entire phone while battling tough adhesive.

While the iPhone X does score a higher repairability score, the results are nothing to ride home about. In fact, in its teardown of the iPhone X, iFixit said:

Glass on front and back doubles the likelihood of drop damage. If the back glass breaks, you’ll be removing every component and replacing the entire chassis.

This just reiterates that with a premium smartphone, comes great responsibility. While the Galaxy S9 and S9+ cost lesser than the iPhone X, repair costs will differ.
- 5.8 inch/6.2 inch Super AMOLED display
- 2960 x 1440 px resolution, 18.5:9 aspect ratio
- Exynos 9810 chipset
- 4GB/6GB RAM, 64GB/256GB storage
- Android 8 Oreo
March 13, 2018
Amazon Alexa Moves One Step Closer To Human-Like Interaction With New Feature

Artificial Intelligence is great. The way it has grown over the years and especially the implementation of it with our smartphones and smart home devices is really impressive. While people joke about how AI is still very robotic and not close to being human-like, Amazon has taken the first step in fixing that. It has announced the launch of a follow-up mode for its voice assistant, Alexa.

Alexa, now present in everything from smartphones to smart speakers, is a great tool for people with smart home devices. However, asking questions to Alexa, or pretty much any AI assistant can be very monotonous and robotic. For every time, you need to say the keyword like “Hey Alexa” or “OK Google” to make them listen to you.

With the new mode, users can ask follow-up questions to Alexa without saying the keyword every time. Alexa will now listen for five seconds after the first response. If the Alexa-powered device is ready for a follow-up question, the blue indicator light will flash. This will be an indication for the user to ask their question. For people paranoid about their devices listening to them all the time can switch off this feature. Also, if no follow-up question is asked within the time frame, the device will restore to the sleep mode.

Amazon has also clarified that it won’t listen to you all the time. It claims that Alexa will not respond if it isn’t “confident you’re speaking to her”.

For example, if she detects that speech was background noise or that the intent of the speech was not clear.

This new feature is in the right direction for AI enthusiasts. However, people like Elon Musk have been vocal about their apprehensions related to Artificial Intelligence. The new feature won’t go down well with people who don’t like AI as of now.

March 13, 2018