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Samsung launched the Galaxy Note8 in New York last month and looks all set to debut its new flagship in India on September 12. Samsung has reportedly sent out press invites for a September 12 event in New Delhi to showcase its next big innovation. The invite doesn’t specify the name of the device but it is almost certain that the Galaxy Note8 will be introduced for the Indian market at a price of Rs 74,999. The pre-registrations of the device have already started in India and the successor to the Galaxy Note7 seems like the best bet right now. The phone will be available in Midnight Black and Maple Gold colours in India.
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 has a 6.3 inch 2960 x 1440 px Super AMOLED display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio, similar to the Galaxy S8 and S8+. The phone runs Android 7.1.1 with Samsung’s custom UI on top and is powered by 3,300 mAh battery with QuckCharge 3.0 capabilities. Under the hood, the Galaxy Note8, for the Indian market has the Exynos 8895 chipset, 2.3GHz Quad-Core (Custom CPU)+1.7GHz Quad-Core (Cortex-A53) processor, Mali-G71 MP20 GPU, 6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB/256GB storage options. The onboard storage can be expanded up to 256GB via microSD card. In a disappointing move, Samsung retained the awkward placement of the fingerprint sensor right next to the dual cameras at the back.
Talking about cameras, the Galaxy Note 8 is the first phone from Samsung to feature dual-cameras with a 12MP dual-camera setup, the primary camera has a wide-angle 12MP lens with an f/1.7 aperture and the secondary camera has a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture. The telephoto lens enables a 2X lossless optical zoom and has features such as the Bokeh effect, much like the iPhone 7 Plus. The dual-cameras are capable of capturing 4K videos at 30 FPS On the front is an 8MP camera with an f/1.7 aperture and captures 4K videos at 30 FPS.
The S Pen is more than just a marketing gimmick and has become the standout feature of the Galaxy Note series over the past few years. The S Pen and the Galaxy Note8 are both also IP68 certified water and dust resistant. The S-Pen comes with a host of new features such as Smart Select, which allows you to easily select, clip and copy the content that you like. You can also send .gif messages via the S Pen. The S Pen will be available in Midnight Black and Maple Gold colours.
Xiaomi launched the new Mi A1 in India on September 5 at a price of Rs 14,999 with dual cameras and stock Android OS. For the longest time, the Mi 5X was touted to be the first dual-camera phone by Xiaomi to launch in India but, instead, we got an Android One device.
The Mi A1, at Rs 14,999 will compete with the likes of the Moto G5S Plus which also offers stock Android OS and dual-cameras. The Mi 5X and Mi A1 share the same design language, much like any 0ther Xioami Mi phone, and a dual-camera setup. The Mi A1 is the first phone from Xiaomi to feature stock Android OS and it is in association with Google’s Android One program. This means faster OS updates to Android 8.0 Oreo and Android P next year. The Mi5X, on the other hand, runs the MIUI 8 on top of Android 7.1 Nougat and going by Xiaomi’s track record, may not receive an update to Android 8.0 Oreo, atlas not for a few months. The Moto G5S Plus runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat and the company has confirmed update to Android 8.0 Oreo by the end of the year.
Hardware wise these phones sit on a pretty similar platform, same chipset, RAM, storage, and similar display and battery size.
Xiaomi Mi A1
Xiaomi Mi A1
The Xiaomi Mi A1 is priced at Rs 14,999 for the Indian market and will be available from September 12 on Flipkart, mi.com, Mi Home stores and partner retail outlets. It will be available in Black, Gold, and Rose Gold colour variants. The smartphone has a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 px display with Corning Gorilla Glass on top for protection and metal unibody build. Powering the device is a 3,080 mAh battery and fast charging through the Type C port. The Mi A1 runs pure Android 7.1.2 Nougat OS. The phone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, 2.0GHz octa-core processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card. Handling the graphics under the hood is the Adreno 505 GPU. The pyrolytic graphite sheet will help in heat management as well, Xiaomi claims. The Xiaomi Mi A1 has an IR blaster to control appliances in your home or office. The fingerprint sensor sits at the back of the device below the camera. Xiaomi has also included a dedicated headphone amplifier for better music listening experience.
It’s worth noting that despite the stock Android OS, Xiaomi has still introduced a few apps of its own like the Mi Camera app, since Google’s app doesn’t support dual-camera right now. Other apps like the Mi Remote and the Mi Store are also present in the Xiaomi Mi A1.
In terms of optics, the smartphone features a 12MP dual-camera setup with 1.25-micron pixel size. Out of the two cameras at the back, the primary one is equipped with a telephoto lens and the secondary camera has a wide-angle lens. The telephoto lens allows the user to take bokeh effect shots with blurred background and a 2X optical lossless zoom. For landscape shots, Xiaomi has introduced a wide angle lens while on the front is a 5MP camera.
The Xiaomi Mi 5X was launched in China in July as a mid-ranger with dual-cameras, much like the Mi A1 for the Indian market. The smartphone from Xiaomi has a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 px IPS LCD display. Unlike a lot of smartphones from 2017, the Mi 5X has a considerable amount of bezels around the display. The smartphone is powered by a 3,080 mAh battery with fast charging capabilities through the USB Type C port, although, the included charger does not provide a fast charge. The Mi 5X has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, 2.0 GHz octa-core processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card up to 128GB. The Mi 5X runs Android 7.1.1 based on MiUi 8.5.
The phone has 12MP dual-cameras with the secondary camera equipped with a telephoto lens for 2X lossless optical zoom. The camera app has a portrait mode very similar to the one on iPhone 7 Plus with features that include a portrait mode, blurring out the background. The dual-cameras are also capable of recording 4K videos at 30 FPS and 720P videos 120 FPS. On the front is a 5MP camera that records 1080P videos at 30 FPS.
The Moto G5S Plus has a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 px display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection. The device is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery with included turbo charge capabilities. The Moto G5S Plus runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat with little customisation done by the manufacturer resulting in stock Android OS experience. The smartphone has the Qualcomm 625 chipset, an octa-core processor clocked at 2.0 GHz with 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage which can be expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is housed inside the home button which sits below the display.
The Moto G5S Plus features rear-mounted 13MP dual-cameras with an f/2.0 aperture. The dual camera captures Bokeh, and selective focus shots, along with other capabilities of background replacement and exposure management. On the front is a wide angle 8MP camera with a single LED flash and a panoramic mode. The rear cameras capture videos in 4K at 30 FPS and the front camera records videos in 1080P at 30 FPS. According to Motorola, additional features such as Night Display and Quick Reply enhance the software experience. The implementation of the dual-camera setup on the Moto G5S Plus is different than that on the Mi A1 and the Mi 5X.
Specifications
Mi A1
Mi 5X
Moto G5S Plus
Price
Rs 14,999
Rs 18,000 Approx
Rs 15,999
Display
5.5 inch
5.5 inch
5.5 inch
Display Resolution
1920 x 1080 px
1920 x 1080 px
1920 x 1080 px
Protection
Corning Gorilla Glass
–
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Dimensions
155.40 x 75.80 x 7.30 mm
155.40 x 75.80 x 7.30 mm
153 x 76.2 x 7.8 mm
Weight
165 grams
165 grams
168 grams
Chipset
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
Processor
2.0GHz octa-core
2.0GHz octa-core
2.0GHz octa-core
RAM
4GB
4GB
4GB
Storage
64GB, expandable via microSD card up to 128GB
64GB, expandable via microSD card up to 128GB
64GB, expandable via microSD card up to 128GB
Rear Camera
2 x 12 MP
26mm, f/2.2
50mm, f/2.6
2 x 12 MP
26mm, f/2.2
50mm, f/2.6
13MP dual-camera with an f/2.0 aperture
Features
Bokeh effect
Depth of field shots
Wide angle landscape shots
2X lossless optical zoom
The Xiaomi Mi A1 is the Mi 5X with stock Android OS and stacks up well against the Moto G5S Plus, at least on spec sheet. The Mi A1 will be a little cheaper than the Moto G5S Plus but, how the two phones compete in the real life is yet to be seen. Stay tuned on iGyaan for more coverage of the Xiaomi Mi A1 and a possible comparison!
LG announced its new flagship, the LG V30 at IFA 2017 in Berlin a few days ago and early impressions of the phone have been positive. The smartphone does away with a secondary display which became a signature of the V series for the past couple of years.
The LG V series phones have always been designed for enthusiasts of media consumption. In the past, LG has teamed up with B&O in a bid to deliver to premium sound quality through their V series and this year as well, LG and B&O came together to work on the sound of the LG V30 by including an inbuilt QUAD -DAC. The LG G6 launched with different features in different markets and it seems that the V30 will follow the same system. According to a tip received by iGyaan, in order to keep the pricing competitive in India, the LG V30 will launch without the B&O Quad DAC. While aesthetically the phone will only lose the B&O logo at the back, it will affect the sound output from the device hindering the experience when compared o that of the LG V30 with a DAC. If LG does go through with the removal of one of the important USPs of the LG V30, LG’s decision will definitely raise a few eyebrows in India.
While this may be a move to bring down the pricing of the LG V30, it may not be appreciated by many of the prospective buyers of the LG V30. LG has had a poor trend with their recent flagships, with the modular LG G5 not doing well at all, and the LG G6 remaining the underdog, The LG V30 may be the comeback phone LG is looking for, however pricing will be crucial in a market like India.
The LG V30 has a 6 inch 2880 x 1440 px OLED FullVision display, LG’s first, with an 18:9 aspect ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for protection. LG’s nearly edge-to-edge OLED display has HDR 10 format for a high level of colour contrast. While being powered by a 3300mAh battery with wireless fast charging the phone also supports quick charge 3.0. The smartphone runs Android 7.1.2 with LG’s UX 6.0+ on top which offers a few customisation options. Like other flagships of 2017 the V30 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, a 2.4GHz octa-core processor, 4 GB RAM and 64GB/128GB onboard storage with up to 2TB of expandable storage via a microSD card. The phone also has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance and MIL-STD 810G rating for durability.
A big omission from the V30 is the secondary display, which was a signature in the previous V series devices. Instead, LG has introduced a Floating Barwhich displays shortcuts and can be disabled when not required. Apart from the rear mounted fingerprint scanner which also doubles as a home button, LG has introduced few new security features in the LG V30 such as facial and voice recognition. The voice recognition will even work along with music playback. On the camera front, the LG V30 features a dual-camera setup at the back. As LG had announced, this smartphone has the first ever inbuilt camera unit to feature a 16MP crystal clear lens made of glass with an f/1.6 aperture and another 13MP wide angle lens with an f/1.9 aperture. Compared to the f/1.8 aperture cameras on the iPhone 7Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S8+, the camera on the LG V30 will let 25% more light to pass through. The glass lens also delivers greater light-collecting ability than a plastic lens as well as better colour reproduction. The camera will feature laser detection AF, optical image stabilisation and electronic image stabilisation. On the front side, the LG V30 sports a 5MP wide-angle camera with an aperture f/2.2.
There is no word on the pricing of the LG V30 yet but, if the reports of the omission of B&O Quad DAC are true, the smartphone will launch at a very competitive price and beat the likes of Samsung Galaxy Note8 and the upcoming iPhone 8 in terms of price, at least.
Xiaomi has announced the new Mi A1 at an event in New Delhi at a price of Rs 14,999. The phone will be available in Black, Gold and Rose Gold colour variants. The Mi A1 will be the first Xiaomi smartphone to feature stock Android OS in association with Google’s Android One program. The company has also confirmed that the device will receive Android 8.0 Oreo update before the end of 2017 and will be in line to receive to Android P update next year.
The smartphone has a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 px LTPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass on top for protection and aluminum unibody build. Powering the device is a 3080 mAh battery and 2A charging through the Type C port. The Mi A1 runs pure Android 7.1.2 Nougat OS. Even though the phone has stock Android OS, Xiaomi has retained a few apps, such as the Mi camera app since the Google app doesn’t support dual-camera functions right now. The phone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, 8x ARM Cortex A53 2.0GHz 64-bit processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card. Handling the graphics under the hood is the Adreno 505 GPU. The pyrolytic graphite sheet will help in heat management as well, Xiaomi claims. The Xiaomi Mi A1 has an IR blaster to control appliances in your home or office. The fingerprint sensor sits at the back of the device below the camera. Xiaomi has also included a dedicated headphone amplifier for better music listening experience.
In terms of optics, the smartphone features dual sensors – 12MP with an f/2.2 aperture (26mm) and 12MP with an f/2.6 aperture (50mm) setup with 1.25-micron pixel size. Out of the two cameras at the back, the primary one is equipped with a telephoto lens and the secondary camera has a wide-angle lens. The telephoto lens allows the user to take bokeh effect shots with blurred background and a 2X optical lossless zoom. For landscape shots, Xiaomi has introduced a wide angle lens while on the front is a 5MP camera.
The Xiaomi Mi A1 is priced at Rs 14,999 for the 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage variant and will be available on Flipkart, mi.com, Mi Home stores and offline partner stores. The smartphone will go on sale from September 12 at Noon online and offline. Xiaomi has teamed up with Airtel to give up to 300GB of 4G data to new and existing Airtel customers on the purchase of the Xiaomi Mi A1.
Samsung J7+ became the smartphone maker’s second Android device to feature a dual-camera setup when it was launched on September 3. The smartphone is available in Thailand right now and will go on sale on September 18 for a price of TBH 12,000 (Rs 24,900 approx.)
The Galaxy J7+ features a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 px AMOLED display with an ‘Always On Display’ feature. As compared to the 3,600 mAh battery of the Galaxy J7 (2017), the new Galaxy J7+ is powered by a smaller 3,000 mAh battery. The smaller battery is a major downgrade and with the dimensions of the two virtually identical, it looks like the decision was taken to accommodate the dual cameras. Under the hood, the device has the MediaTek Helio P20 chipset, 4GB RAM with 32GB onboard storage which is expandable up to 256GB via a microSD card. The smartphone runs Android 7.1.1 with Samsung’s custom UI on top.
In terms of optics, the smartphone features a dual-camera setup at the back. The 13MP primary camera with an f/1.7 aperture and a secondary 5MP camera with an f/1.9 aperture work together to create bokeh effect shots with blurred out backgrounds. The second camera captures depth information to provide post-shot focusing capabilities. On the front of the device is a 16MP camera with an f/1.9 aperture and a single LED flash.
The Galaxy J7+ also features Samsung’s AI assistant, Bixby albeit, no dedicated Bixby button. Thanks to the large bezels, the physical home button sits below the display and houses a convenient fingerprint sensor.
There is no official word from Samsung about the Galaxy J7+’s availability in India, yet. The Samsung Galaxy J7+ is an upgrade to the previous gen Galaxy J7 and Galaxy J7 Pro in terms of camera performance, at least on paper, but, the smaller battery and no real slimming down of the phone maybe backward move by Samsung. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments!
While the internet is flooded with social networks like Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Polygram, a new photo-sharing social network comes packed with some unique and innovative features. The photo sharing social network tracks your facial expression to choose an emoji which corresponds to your reaction. So instead of looking at user picked reaction to a particular post, Polygram lets you view the actual emotional reactions people have to the photos you post.
But that is not all, along with face-controlled emojis, the app offers geographical and demographic analytics which let you determine the location and the gender of your viewers. Few other features include filters designed by plastic surgeons to make you look more attractive, for private images, the app provides a “wipe-to-reveal” function which covers the image with fog-like covering. In order to see the image, the viewers will have to wipe away the blur, but that blurriness rapidly reappears so the viewer is unable to see the whole picture. In case a viewer tries to screenshot or take a photo with a second camera, only the currently visible section will be recorded. You will also receive a notification along with a copy of the image they captured or took a screenshot of.
Even with all these new features, Polygram might have a hard time breaking into the scene. Company’s co-founder Faryar Ghazanfari believes that the app can will gain popularity amongst the millennials as no other social media platform offers facial detection and analytics.
Ghazanfari says that “Influencers and content creators are the oxygen in this ecosystem,” and “We have white glove service for influencers, with full-time employees that just create custom features for them.” So if the app can deliver enough usage and views, Ghazanfari thinks people might start purposefully sharing on Polygram too.
Though the company managed to raise $2.1 million in seed funding, Polygram will still have to sign up substantial number of users and ensure that they invest time in this platform to compete with the likes of Instagram and Snapchat. The app is currently available on iOS only.
Apple made the launch of the new iPhone official with a press invite saying, “Let’s meet at our place.” The much awaited September 12 event will be held at the Steve Jobs Theatre in Cupertino. Apple is expected to launch the three new iPhones.
Until now, rumours hinted that Apple will go with the traditional naming strategy and name its new iPhones the iPhone 8, iPhone 7S and the iPhone 7S Plus. But as the launch approaches, a new report surfaced stating the latest iPhone line up might be called the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone Edition.
The iPhone maker typically upgrades its iPhones with an “s” model, but Apple seems to be making a lot of big moves and changes this year, with a redesigned iPhone and a new name for its smartphone lineup.
The ‘10th Anniversary Edition’ iPhone will reportedly have Qi wireless charging at a reduced rate which will be compatible with current Qi chargers and will be available in limited numbers. While the earlier reports had suggested that it might not be compatible with existing Qi charging mats despite being based on Qi tech.
It is also speculated that the flagship iPhone Edition willfeature a stainless steel chassiswith rear glass casing and a near bezel-free display with a top notch housing the front facing camera and facial recognition sensors. The smartphone is also reported to replace the Touch ID with facial recognition and feature AR capabilities.
Apple is also expected to launch a new Apple TV, an LTE enabled Apple Watch and new features of the iOS 11.
What seemed like a hack affecting only the verified accounts on Instagram, has turned out to be equally dangerous to millions of other users, as well. A bug in the social media company’s API reportedly allowed hackers to gain access to account holders’ phone numbers and email addresses. Following this report, Instagram assured everyone on August 30 that it was only the celebrities who were targeted during the attack. But, new reports suggest that as many as 6 million accounts were affected, including the non-celebrity users.
It’s worth noting that Instagram has about 700 million active monthly users and any percentage of users affected by a hack is still a lot of people. Later, Instagram issued a statement to address the fact that the hack was more serious than what was assessed in the beginning
We recently discovered that one or more individuals obtained unlawful access to a number of high-profile Instagram users’ contact information—specifically email address and phone number—by exploiting a bug in an Instagram API. No account passwords were exposed. We fixed the bug swiftly and are running a thorough investigation. Our main concern is for the safety and security of our community. At this point we believe this effort was targeted at high-profile users so, out of an abundance of caution, we are notifying our verified account holders of this issue. As always, we encourage people to be vigilant about the security of their account and exercise caution if they encounter any suspicious activity such as unrecognized incoming calls, texts and emails.
According to a report, the people responsible for the hack have created a searchable database, namely, Doxagram, allowing people to find contact details of any of the affected users for USD 10 (paid in BitCoins).
Instagram has cautioned everyone to be “vigilant” and “cautious” regarding the security of your account as the hack has turned out to be way worse than it was initially assumed.
One of the biggest tech event of the year, the IFA 2017 tech show in Berlin has been a platform for various tech firms to debut everything ranging from Wi-Fi fridges to smartphones. Aside from the newly launched flagships like the LG V30 and the Xperia XZ1, smart assistants, luxury headphones, Bluetooth speakers and smart audio gear were some of the devices showcased at the IFA 2017.
Sinc the demand for smart speakers has surged in the recent past with the entry of Amazon Echo and Google Home, Harman is hedging its bets on smart speakers with the launch of two Google assistant and Alexa powered smart speakers.
Harman Kardon Allure
The Alexa powered, Harman Kardon Allure can be controlled via voice commands. The smart speaker lets you order pizza, play music, read the news, control your smart home appliances, make purchases from Amazon, and much more. Harman Kardon Allure features far-field voice technology which allows the speaker to hear commands even from a far distance. The speaker’s 360-degreeambient lighting that glows in time with the music. The Harman Kardon Allure is priced at $249.95 (approximately Rs 16000) and is available at Amazon.
KEY FEATURES
Amazon Alexa Voice Control
Dual-band Wi-Fi
Far-field Voice Recognition
Built-in four-microphone array with advanced noise cancellation
360-degree sound
Ambient lighting
Wireless Bluetooth streaming
JBL Link Series
The company’s other smart speaker offering includes Google Assistant powered JBL Link series, the LINK 10, LINK 20, and LINK 300. The Google Assistant built-in smart speakers let you stream music, ask questions, manage everyday tasks, etc, by waking the device by saying “Ok, Google”. The LINK 10 and LINK 20 speakers have the IPX7 waterproof design. Both the smart speakers have 5 and 10 hours of battery life, respectively. The smart speakers can be easily linked together using any home Wi-Fi network. The LINK 10, LINK 20 and LINK 300 are priced at $149, $199 and $249, respectively.
KEY FEATURES
LINK 10 | LINK 20 | LINK 300
Built-In Google Assistant
Yes
Chromecast built-in with multi-room music playback
Yes
Speaker output power
2x8W | 2x10W | 50W
Bluetooth
Yes
Battery Life
5 Hours | 10 Hours | NA
Dimensions (mm x mm x mm)
86 x 169 | 93 x 210 | 236 x 134 x 154
Waterproof
IPX7 Rating
Voice controlled smart speakers are one of the most upcoming trends of 2017. And with Amazon’s Echo, Google Home and Apple’s upcoming HomePod, it will be interesting to see how Harman’s smart speakers will stack against its rivals.
Samsung announced the Gear Sport smartwatch, the Gear Fit 2 Pro fitness band and the Icon X 2018 wireless earbuds at the IFA 2017 in Berlin. All three wearables emphasize upon fitness features like the ability to swim in salt water with the Gear Sport and Fit 2 Pro. Though the Icon X 2018 earbuds launched with the ability to interact with Bixby, Samsung skipped the voice assistant’s support in the smartwatch and the fitness band .
Samsung Gear Sport
The new Samsung Gear Sport pushes further into fitness by adding few new features like 5 ATM water resistance for swimming, capacity to store 500 Spotify songs along with the already present heart rate tracker, GPS, and a rotating control bezel. Though the pricing details are still unavailable, the Samsung Gear Sport is expected to cost between $200 and $300.
Following are the specifications of the smartwatch –
1.2-inch circular AMOLED
Tizen OS
20mm watch straps
4GB storage
Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi, NFC
GPS/GLONASS/Beidou
300 mAh battery
5 ATM water resistance, MIL-STD-810G dust, and shock resistance
Works with Android 4.4, iOS 9.0 or later
Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro
The Gear Fit 2 pro, unlike its earlier variant, comes with a 5 ATM swim-ready water resistance. The fitness band appears to be competing with Garmin and Fitbit with features like onboard GPS, offline music storage for Spotify and improved heart rate and fitness tracking.
The tracker is priced at $200 in the US. As far as features are concerned, here’s a list of few of them –
1.5-inch curved Super AMOLED touch display with Gorilla Glass 3
Tizen OS
4GB of onboard storage
Support for Spotify music downloads
50 meter (5 ATM) water resistance, MIL STD 810G dust resistance
Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi
GPS/GLONASS/Beidou
Heart rate tracking
Barometer
200mAh battery
Works with Android 4.4 or iOS 9.0 and later
Samsung Icon X 2018
Samsung unveiled an updated version of the Icon X headphones at the IFA 2017. The Icon X 2018, much like the original wireless headphones include heart rate monitoring along with the increased battery life. Instead of a 90 min battery life( in the Icon X), The new Icon X 2018 now has 5 hours of battery life when streaming audio from a phone. In addition, Samsung has made a chargeable battery case with the included USB-C cable. Other features include tapping the headphone which activates the Running Coach feature – provides aural feedback on your progress.
The new Icon X headphones also support Samsung’s voice assistant which can be accessed by tapping and holding the earbud to access voice control on your paired Galaxy phone. The Icon X 2018 headphones are designed to work only with Samsung phones running Android 4.4 and above. The headphones have internal storage of 4GB per bud. As for specifications,
Colours available – Black, Gray, Pink
4GB of Onboard Storage (per earbud)
Bluetooth v 4.2 connectivity
Accelerometer, IR, Capacitive Touch
OS compatibility Android 4.4 or later
Battery – Earbud: 82mAh / Charging Case: 340mAh
Samsung usually hosts two separate events at IFA every year, one for its electronics and one for mobile. This year, the company decided to host one event combining the announcement for both smartphones and electronics. Samsung also hosted another major event in New York, where it revealed the Galaxy Note 8.
The launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note8 in India isn’t too far as pre-registrations begin for the device on Samsung’s official website. The Samsung Galaxy Note8 will be priced at Rs 74,999 in India.
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 was globally unveiled in New York on August 23 and it seems like the phone will be in India in the coming day, less than a month after its global announcement. The Samsung Galaxy Note8 succeeds last year’s Galaxy Note7 which was globally recalled due to a battery fault. The Galaxy Note8 hence packs a smaller battery as Samsung chose a safer route this time around. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will be available in only two colours in India – Midnight Black and Maple Gold.
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 has a 6.3 inch 2960 x 1440 px Super AMOLED display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio, similar to the Galaxy S8 and S8+. The phone runs Android 7.1.1 with Samsung’s custom UI on top and is powered by 3,300 mAh with QuckCharge 3.0 capabilities. Under the hood, the Galaxy Note8 has the Exynos 8895, 2.3GHz Quad-Core (Custom CPU)+1.7GHz Quad-Core (Cortex-A53) processor, Mali-G71 MP20, 6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB/256GB storage options for the Indian market. The onboard storage can be expanded up to 256GB via microSD card. In a disappointing move, Samsung retained the awkward placement of the fingerprint sensor right next to the dual cameras at the back.
Talking about cameras, the Galaxy Note 8 is the first phone from Samsung to feature dual-cameras with a 12MP dual-camera setup, the primary camera has a wide-angle 12MP lens with an f/1.7 aperture and the secondary camera has a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture. The telephoto lens enables a 2X lossless optical zoom and has features such as the Bokeh effect, much like the iPhone 7 Plus. The dual-cameras are capable of capturing 4K videos at 30 FPS On the front is an 8MP camera with an f/1.7 aperture and captures 4K videos at 30 FPS.
What makes the Note series stand out from the flagship crowd is the S-Pen. The new Galaxy Note 8 comes with a new S Pen with improved functionalities. The Galaxy Note8 and the S Pen are both also IP68 certified water and dust resistant. The S-Pen comes with a host of new features such as Smart Select, which allows you to easily select, clip and copy the content that you like. You can also send .gif messages via the S Pen. The S Pen will be available in Midnight Black and Maple Gold colours.
The JioPhone with 4G-enabled features was introduced on 21 July 2017 at Reliance Industries 40th AGM. The JioPhone was launched at an “effective price” of Rs 0 and was made available for pre-booking from August 24, but due to huge demand, pre-booking process for JioPhone has been halted for few days.
Meanwhile, Jio has confirmed that millions have booked the JioPhone. Even though, no specific number has been stated yet, few reports claim that Reliance Jio received about six million pre-bookings for its 4G feature phone in a short window of just over a day.
The pre-order window which opened on August 24 evening had to be closed early on August 26 due to increasing customer demand and traffic on Jio’s official website. Apart from the one’s who were able to book their JioPhones online, reports confirm that about 10 million users have registered with retail outlets for offline bookings.
Reliance Industries Chairman, Mukesh Ambani, had announced during the annual general meeting that the company plans on selling five million JioPhones every week. And in another report, a source mentioned that the company has the capacity to deliver about 150 million phones in the next six months at five million devices a week.
As the demand for the Jio feature phone exceeded the initial target of five million phones per week, the telecom company decided to suspend the booking window from Saturday till further notice.
“Earlier JioPhone was supposed to reach our store around the first week of September. But now there will be some delay and JioPhone will arrive a little late,” says a Reliance Digital store retailer.
The JioPhone, as Mukesh Ambani announced, will be effectively for free with one time refundable deposit of Rs 1500 on return of the handset. To rival with the “India ka smart phone”, other telecom companies like, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone are also reported to be in talks with phone makers to introduce their own 4G smartphones in the Indian market.
Xiaomi has already announced that the Mi Mix 2 will be officially launched on September 11. However, two new images have leaked, and they reveal a few key specifications of the upcoming smartphone.
The images are of the ‘About Phone’ section of the settings menu of the supposed Mi Mix 2. The images reveal that the Mi Mix 2 will have the yet-to-be announced Qualcomm Snapdragon 836 chipset under the hood. The chipset has featured in quite a few rumours lately. The images also show that the Mi Mix 2 will run Android 8.0 Oreo with Xiaomi’s custom skin MIUI 9 on top of it. The smartphone will have 256GB onboard storage and a 6.2 inch 2960 x 1440 px display.
If the Mi Mix 2 does launch with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 836 chipset, it will beat the Google Pixel 2 lineup to be the first smartphone to be powered by this chip. In terms of the optics, the screenshot lists a 20MP rear-facing camera which can be assumed as the primary camera as the Mi Mix 2 is dubbed to feature a dual-camera setup at the back. Other rumours about the phone suggest a 3,400 mAh battery and 6GB of RAM.
As always, these leaks are to be taken with a pinch of scepticism as the MIUI 9 based on Android 8.0 Oreo is not out yet. Also, Qualcomm has not announced the Snapdragon 836 chipset and with the launch less than 10 days away, it seems highly unlikely that Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 will have the chipset.
It’s worth noting that Xiaomi will launch the Mi Mix 2 a day prior to the launch of Apple iPhone 8 and feels confident that it won’t be overshadowed by the mighty iPhone.
Samsung is the latest company to join the self-driving car race. The firm received an approval from the US government to test autonomous vehicles on state roads in California, according to the listings on the Department of Motor Vehicle’s (DMV) website. Companies like Apple, Bosch, Delphi, NVIDIA, Waymo, as well as automakers like BMW, General Motors, and Volkswagen were also amongst the ones who were granted testing permits for Autonomous Vehicle from the California DMV.
Samsung has already been granted approval to test self-driving technology vehicles in its home country of South Korea. Surprisingly, the South Korean firm used Hyundai vehicles for its testing, even though Samsung owns about 20 percent of Renault Samsung Motors.
Regardless, the company has already revealed modified Hyundai cars, equipped with test hardware built by Samsung which includes sensors and AI-powered computer modules.
Back in 2015, Samsung announced that the company’s new division would focus on self-driving software technology, rather than manufacturing the entire vehicle. Similar reports have emerged about Apple shifting its focus from autonomous cars to autonomous systems.
Samsung’s latest move of testing autonomous systems seem like an effort to keep up with its tech rivals in the automotive space. For now, the firm maintains a San Jose office, from where it could carry out California-based tests.
From headphones to memo writers, our top tech under Rs 2000 list has everything! Here are the top 10 tech and accessories under Rs 2000 for your next shopping spree.
This gamepad is ideal if you’re an ardent smartphone gamer, or just like a controller over touch controls on your smartphone. The rubberised grip makes it comfortable to handle for long gaming sessions and the Bluetooth connectivity gives you an option to place your phone a little further is you like.
Portronics Ruffpad
This nifty little gadget is ideal for you if you are someone who forgets what they need to buy for the house. It has a magnetic back so you can stick this memo taker on your fridge and keep an updated shopping list right in front of you. The Ruffpad has an easy delete button and a battery that’ll last you up to one year.
Reos Lite Smart Bulb
Smart bulbs are fast becoming an essential tech to have at your home or office. This Reos Lite smart bulb costs Rs 1499 and connects via Bluetooth to your smartphone or tablet. One of the features of the Reos Lite bulb is that it can be synced with your music player and the colour of the bulb changes colour according to the current song.
AmazonBasics Waterproof Speaker
The AmazonBasics waterproof speaker produces great sound for its price and if you are into outdoor music sessions, this speaker is waterproof as well. The speaker also has rubberised exterior for impact resistance and has a battery life of up to 12 hours of music playback.
Fitmate Z1 Fitness Tracker
This fitness tracker has a touchscreen and even monitors your sleep. Its fitness feature includes steps, a pedometer, distance, calories record, sleep monitor and move alert. You can even set an alarm on Fitmate Z1 fitness tracker and it has a battery life of up to 7 days.
Xiaomi Smart Power Strip
This is a power strip you would need at your home. It’s the new-age power strip that does more than just charging your appliances. It connects to an app which enables you to timely switch it off to avoid over-charging and electricity consumption. It also lets you measure the electricity it has consumed.
The Audio Technica over ear headphones cost about Rs 1700 and offer a great price-to-performance ratio. It is available in 5 different colours on Amazon India. The headphones have a 36mm driver to produce the sound and the cushioned ear pads are comfortable for long hours of music listening sessions.
Mi In Ear Pro Headphones
If you are on the look out for a pair of in-ear type earphones, then the Mi Pro earphones fit the bill for you. The earphones are made out of a high-quality metal alloy and come with a 1.25-meter cable. The earphones have a total sensitivity of 98 decibels and a speaker impedance of 32 ohms.
The Zakk iDisk is a great little memory device for your iPhone which also doubles up as charging cable. It has a 32GB memory and you can store all kinds of media in it if your iPhone doesn’t have enough onboard storage left. The companion app allows you to directly take pictures from the app and store in the memory cable.
Xiaomi Wireless Mouse
This little mouse is your perfect travel companion. If you hate using your laptop’s trackpad and carrying a chunky wired mouse is even more annoying, then Xiaomi Portable Mouse is tailor-made for you. It requires 2 AAA batteries to run and compatibility won’t be an issue.
