Category: Tech

Latest Technology News, Alternative, Bio-Tech, Medical, R&D and Innovations

Huawei Mate 20 Pro To Launch In India On November 27

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro was launched in an event held by the company last month. The event also saw the launch of the Mate 20 and the Mate 20 X. Along with this, the company launched the Huawei Watch GT. Now, after what seems to be a long wait, the devices are finally heading to India. Invites reading “A Higher Intelligence Is Coming” have been sent out. The text is accompanied by an image of the unique triple camera setup on the Mate 20 Pro. The invite details the launch of the device on 27th November.

While it is not clear as to what all products will see their launch at the event, we can be sure that the Mate 20 Pro will be one of them. Being the flagship phone of the company, whose sub-brand Honor is already raking up a lot of sales in India, the Mate 20 Pro will probably see an aggressive campaign in India. Judging by the pricing at the launch, the Indian price will start somewhere around the Rs 85,000 mark.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro Specs

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro has a 6.39 inch curved OLED display. It has a 3120 x 1440 px resolution and a 538 ppi pixel density. The display sports a notch and has Corning Gorilla Glass for protection against falls and scratches. The phone is also available along with an underwater case, which can be fitted to use the phone for underwater photography.

The highlight of the phone is the newly introduced Hisilicon Kirin 980 chipset. This is the first Android chipset to be built using the 7 nm process. The only other mobile chipset made from this process is Apple’s A12 Bionic, which powers its latest phones. Qualcomm is also set to launch a 7nm chipset soon. The 7nm process of manufacturing ensures that more transistors can be fitted into a smaller area, ensuring better performance and lower battery consumption. The phone also has Dual NPUs for AI integration in the camera and other apps.

Camera Performance

The camera is another interesting part of the phone. Huawei has made the camera setup in collaboration with Leica and the results show. The Mate 20 Pro has one of the best camera performance of all the smartphones out there. It has a 40 MP f/1.8 wide lens along with a 20 MP ultra-wide and an 8 MP telephoto lens. These give it a wide range, even in terms of ISO, with values ranging up to 102,400. It also has macro capability, and can shoot objects as close as 2.5cm.

Under the hood, it packs a 4,200 mAh battery with fast charging and wireless charging capabilities. Another great feature on the phone is the ‘Reverse Wireless’ charging. With this, you can use the Mate 20 Pro to charge another wireless charging enables smartphone. The Mate 20 Pro also has an in-display fingerprint sensor and 3D Face Unlock along with an IR flood illuminator.

Also Read: Google Pixel 3 Lite Camera Samples Posted Before Official Launch

Price And Availability

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro was launched in London at EUR 1049 for its 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant. This roughly translates to Rs 85,000. The Indian pricing of the device is still now known and will be unveiled at its launch in India which will be held on 27th November.

You can read all about the Mate 20 Pro here.

November 21, 2018
Google Starts Rolling Out Its Neighbourly App Across India

The Neighbourly App by Google is meant to make your life easier, by just answering your questions. The app lets you post any question you would have, which would then be answered by people living in your locality. These could include questions regarding a good eating joint, a super market or guitar classes. Earlier, the app was only available in select cities, but now Google has started rolling out the app across India.

The Rollout

The neighbourly app was first introduced in Mumbai in May this year. Google then expanded it to cities such as Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore and Mysore. By the start of this month, the app had more than 1.5 million downloads on the Play Store and had almost half a million people on the waitlist. Now, the app is being rolled out to all cities across India, starting with Delhi and Bengaluru, since these two cities topped the number of users on the waiting list.

The Neighbourly app is Google’s way of bridging the ‘hyper-local’ information gap. Even with most of the services and providers listing themselves on Google or being listed, it is still difficult to find things specific to a certain need. This might include things like where one could find good books for a certain subject and the quality of food at a restaurant and its service.

The app does so by creating a very simple interface. You ask a question on the app, and based on their location, Google presents this location to people around you. Knowing the locality well, they would ideally provide the answers to your questions. Conversely, you can also view and answer other people’s queries. The app has a simple interface and you can also add multiple neighbourhoods, depending on where you use the app. You can also join other neighbourhoods. The app also has certain guidelines to ensure that a certain decorum is maintained within the app.

Also Read: Samsung Is Developing A Fourth, 6.7 Inch Galaxy S10 Variant

While the app is a welcome change, we are yet to see how useful it actually will be. It most probably will be a pretty useful app and is a step towards integrating technology with our daily lives.

November 21, 2018
Samsung Galaxy M2 Spotted On Geekbench

Samsung is about to introduce a new range of smartphones under the M-series. Recently, a Samsung smartphone with the model number ‘SM-M205F’ had been spotted on Geekbench. This device will probably be named the Galaxy M2, going by the first two characters of its model number. In terms of price and features, the M series smartphones will be placed higher than the Galaxy On series of smartphones which were later renamed as Galaxy J series.

Geekbench Revelations

The Geekbench scores were first uploaded on November 20th. The listing reveals basic specifications like the processor and memory of the smartphone. The device runs on Android 8.1.0 and has 3 GB of LPDDR4x RAM. The Galaxy M2 fetches a single-core score of 1319 points and a multi-core score of 4074 points. Therefore, the score puts it in the league of smartphone which features chipsets like the Helio P60 and the Snapdragon 660.

Under the hood, the Galaxy M2 gets the Octa-Core Samsung Exynos 7885 SoC with a base frequency of 1.59 GHz. The chipset accommodates the Mali G71 GPU with two Cortex A73 cores and six Cortex A53 cores. While other specifications of the smartphone are currently unavailable, Samsung’s website does provide some insight about the chipset.

Samsung Exynos 7885

The Samsung Exynos 7885 is manufactured using 14nm FinFET Process and supports eMMC 5.1 and SD(Secure Digital) 3.0. The eMMC 5.1 is the latest standard in storage chips and has a maximum sequential read speed of up to 250 MB/s and a sequential write speed of up to 125 MB/s. Whereas SD 3.0 is the newest external SD card standard with maximum read and write speeds of up to 104 MB/s and 50 MB/s respectively. The chipset is capable of supporting 21.7 MP Front or Rear cameras. It also provides an option for dual 16 MP + 16 MP cameras which can be featured on either the front or back as the company wishes. In terms of connectivity, it offers support for LTE, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0.

Also Read: Snapdragon 8150 Registers Highest AI Benchmark Score

In conclusion, the Exynos 7885 is a capable chipset. It is dependent upon Samsung as to how well they utilise its potential on the upcoming M2 smartphone.

November 21, 2018
Samsung Is Developing A Fourth, 6.7 Inch Galaxy S10 Variant

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is the upcoming flagship from Samsung and is expected to be the star of the Galaxy lineup. The Galaxy S10 also marks the ten-year anniversary of the Galaxy S series, making it all the more special. Samsung is also hoping that the Galaxy S10 will be Samsung’s big ticket to get back to the top of the smartphone market once again. With so much riding on the next phone, it seems like Samsung is not holding back in terms of innovations. While we thought that we almost knew what all to expect from the phone, a report surfaced, claiming the existence of a fourth variant of the Galaxy S10.

That’s A Lot Of Galaxies

Earlier, a flagship phone defined the standard set by a smartphone company. Obviously, your best would just be one. Now, that has evolved to at least two models, which vary in size, specifications and price. However, four variants to the same phone is a bit too much. Considering the alleged specifications of this device, Samsung might have been better off making it an entirely new phone.

The report details that a fourth Galaxy S10 variant will be available, featuring a massive, 6.7 inch display. This is other than the two 5.8 inch variants (one with a flat display) and one 6.4 inch variant (which was supposed to be the S10+). What’s even more amusing, is the addition of of four rear cameras and dual front-facing cameras. That makes for a total of six cameras on a smartphone. Whether the number of cameras will do the phone any good in terms of performance is still a major question. A prime example of this is the Google Pixel 3. The Pixel 3, despite having just a single lens, beats most of the smartphone cameras out there.

Also Read : Realme U1 With Helio P70 To Launch On 28th November

Apart from this, the report also suggests that Samsung is thinking about bringing the reverse wireless charging technology, which was recently seen on the Huawei Mate 20 pro, to the galaxy S10. Sources also say that the phone is known by the name “Beyond X” in the company circles. The 6.7 inch Beyond X will also have 5G support.

Additionally, you can read all there is to know about the Samsung Galaxy S10 by clicking here.

November 21, 2018
Google Pixel 3 Lite Camera Samples Posted Before Official Launch

The specification and pictures of the alleged Google Pixel 3 Lite were previously leaked on Twitter. The leaker goes by the name of Rozetked on Twitter. Now he has shared camera samples that are supposedly shot on the Pixel 3 Lite. The user has shared several samples that include both indoor and outdoor shots. The user reveals that the Pixel 3 Lite, like the elder Pixel 3 & Pixel 3 XL, also has a 12 MP rear camera with dual LED Flash.

Camera Samples

The first sample demonstrates the amount of background blur the device is able to capture in portrait mode. Though the chosen subject could have been better, the shot gives a pretty good idea as to what we can expect from the portrait mode on the device.

The second shot is taken on a public street. Like the other shots, it is crisp and well lit and the objects look defined and well saturated. Again, nothing much can be said about the quality of the images, as the surroundings do not look very bright or have colours that really pop out.

Another shot that was taken on the alleged Pixel 3 Lite produces similar results where the objects can be easily differentiated and the colours look natural. Although Rozetked has not revealed anything about Google’s night camera mode. It is very likely to be featured on the upcoming device as this phone will help attract a lot of potential buyers for the company.

Pixel 3 Lite Specifications

The Pixel 3 Lite has a 5.56-inch display with a resolution of 2220 x 1080 px and a pixel density of 444 ppi. Under the hood, the smartphone has the Octa-Core Snapdragon 670 CPU along with the Adreno 615 GPU. The smartphone has 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of inbuilt storage. It is powered by a 2,915 mAh Li-Ion battery and runs on the latest Android 9.0 Pie operating system.

Also Read: LG Launches XBOOM AI ThinQ Speaker

According to rumors, the Pixel 3 Lite will be a mid-range smartphone and will be priced between 400-500 USD. However, Google is yet to comment on the existence or launch date of the smartphone. The smartphone was recently spotted in Android Pie’s source code. Hence, the chances of this being a reality are quite high.

November 20, 2018
Chromecast Now Syncs With Google Home Speakers For Multi-Room Playback

With the latest update, which is already rolling out, Google has added multi-room playback support for the Chromecast, when it is paired with Google Home speakers. This will add the Chromecast to the Home ecosystem and allow you to play a song, a playlist, a podcast or even an audiobook. The Chromecast will then let you play it across all speakers and other Chromecast-connected devices in your house.

Earlier, the Home ecosystem only allowed for speaker groups to be made with audio devices. Obviously, this did not include the Chromecast. The speaker support for Chromecast had been announced by Google way back in October. The feature is already available for users who are a part of google’s preview program. Working on all the generations of Chromecast, the update is expected to reach almost every device soon. Some users reported that there were not able to see the option even after the update. It was later found out that this issue will be resolved after rebooting the device.

The speaker group can be setup through the Google Home app. The speaker group also includes televisions, which can now be aded to the groups. For example, when a TV, which is connected to a Chromecast is synced to a speaker group, you can view the song information on the screen. This is displayed against a background of rotating images.

Also Read : Motorola’s Next Flagship Will Have Snapdragon 8150 And 5G Moto Mod Support

The new grouping also includes smart displays including the Google Home Hub and the recently launched LG Xboom WK9. Along with this, Google had also added support to pair bluetooth speakers with the Home App. This was done earlier this year and enables users to add voice control to the sound system.

November 20, 2018
LG Launches XBOOM AI ThinQ Speaker

The demand for smart home devices and AI-powered speakers is on the rise. In order to capitalise the upcoming sector, South-Korean electronics giant LG has launched a new Smart Display. The new device is the XBOOM AI ThinQ WK9 and is a hybrid between a smart display and speaker.

Design & FeaturesThe XBOOM AI ThinQ has a pretty ‘unique’ design. It looks like a titled cuboid. The smart device measures 370 x 244 x 145 mm and weighs in at 1.51 kg. LG states that the smart speaker was made in partnership with Meridian Technology. Meridian Technology is an English manufacturer that is known for making high-performance audio and video components. LG also collaborated with Google to bring Google Assistant to the smart speaker.

The XBOOM AI ThinQ has an 8-inch touchscreen display which is flanked by 2 channel 20 w audio drivers on either side. It also has a 5 MP camera which is built into the top bezel that can be used for video conferencing. The Smart Display runs on Android Things operating system which is developed by Google. It also supports applications from Google’s ecosystem like YouTube, Google photos, Google maps and many more.

The XBOOM AI ThinQ can also remotely control other appliances the company manufactures. Other smart devices from the company include smart TVs and connected air conditioners. Additionally, the smart speaker can be used to control more than 10,000 smart devices from over 1,000 brands that work with the Google Assistant. The Smart Display only consumes 5.6 watts of power and for connectivity, it has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology.

Price and Availablity

Also Read: The Galaxy S10 Will Bring Back Flat Displays To Samsung Flagships

The XBOOM AI ThinQ WK9 is currently available at 199 USD which includes a 100 USD introductory discount. The Smart Display can be directly ordered from LG’s North America website and is available in the black colour.

November 20, 2018
The Galaxy S10 Will Bring Back Flat Displays To Samsung Flagships

There is no doubt about the fact that Samsung phones feature some of the best displays, whether they are flagship devices or even mid-range and budget phones. The bit about the mid-range and budget phones might change soon. But the flagships will continue to receive the best-in-class displays. Samsung had introduced the curved, Infinity display with its edge series way back with the Galaxy S6. Soon, the S8 and S9 were only available with curved displays and the flat display option was removed. According to the latest report, this option might be making a comeback with the latest Samsung Galaxy S10.

It is well known by now that the Samsung Galaxy S10 will launch in three different variants. While the only difference between these variants up till now was the size difference and some other unconfirmed specifications, the new report also details the type of displays that they may use. The cheapest variant of the Galaxy S10, which will also be the smallest, is said to have a 5.8 inch flat display. The second model will have a 5.8 inch screen as well, but this one will be curved. The third, tipped to be the Galaxy S10+ will have a 6.2 inch curved display.

The details surface from, a report about the changes in chemical suppliers for the displays. The new suppliers now use organic chemicals for the Red, Green and Blue sub pixels. These will replace the M8 chemicals used in the S9 and Note 9 with M9 chemicals. The report also details that the phones will ‘appear’ in the first half of 2019 and the production for the panels is already underway.

Galaxy S10

While most of us are familiar with the numerous leaks surrounding the Galaxy S10, here is a quick recap for those who aren’t. The Galaxy S10 is Samsung’s next flagship smartphone. The launch of the S10 will also mark the 10th anniversary of the Galaxy S devices, making the smartphone all the more special. Some reports also suggest that it is for this very reason that the company had held back on some of the innovations during the production of the galaxy S9, saving it for the S10.

The Galaxy S10 is as mentioned before, expected to launch in three variants. This includes a cheaper version, dubbed as the Galaxy S10 Lite, the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10+. Other interesting details about the phone include an in-display fingerprint sensor, a notch-less display (with a camera cut-out or an in-display front camera) and 5G connectivity on the Galaxy S10+. Additionally, this will also be the first phone from Samsung to run on the brand new One UI, out of the box. This will allow for a lot more customisations and a better user experience.

Also Read : Samsung Galaxy A9 With 5 Cameras Launched In India

For those with an extra bit of inquisitiveness, and a fair idea of Korean (or just access to Google Translate), you can read the full report here.

November 20, 2018
Samsung Galaxy A9 With 5 Cameras Launched In India
Samsung’s midrange smartphones have not been a hit in recent times. But, things might soon change due to the newly launched Samsung Galaxy A9 that has quad rear cameras and 128 GB of internal storage. The Samsung Galaxy A9 was launched last month in Malaysia and some European countries. Now the company has launched the smartphone in India as well.

Design & Specifications

The new Samsung Galaxy A9 has an all-glass front and rear build with an aluminum unibody frame. The front of the smartphone has a 6.3 inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2220 x 1080 px and a pixel density of 392 ppi. The phone has thin bezels on the left and right side while the top and bottom bezels are quite prominent. It has a f/2.0 aperture equipped 24 MP front camera which along with the speakerphone and ambient light sensor is housed in the top front bezel. The front camera can also capture 1080p videos at 30 fps.

The rear of the Galaxy A9 houses the key highlighting feature, the quad camera setup along with a LED flash. The company branding and the fingerprint sensor are also placed on the rear of the device. The left side of the smartphone is occupied by the dedicated bixby button while the volume controls and the power button are on the right. The dedicated microSD + dual sim slot is present on the top of the phone.

Under the hood, the smartphone has the Octa-core Snapdragon 660 CPU along with the Adreno 512 GPU. In terms of memory and storage the Galaxy A9 in available in 6 GB + 128 GB and 8 GB + 128 GB variants, which is expandable upto 512 GB via a microSD card. The smartphone runs on Smasung’s TouchWiz UI which is built on top of Android 8.0 Oreo. The device is powered by a 3,800 mAh Li-Ion battery that also supports fast charging.

In terms of connectivity, the Samsung Galaxy A9 supports dual 4G VoLTE, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, NFC and a USB Type-C reversible port for charging and data transfer.

Optics and Sensors

The quad rear cameras on the Samsung Galaxy A9 are arranged in a vertical manner and the LED Flash is placed below this arrangement. Each of the four camera sensors on the smartphone has a dedicated function. It has an f/2.4 aperture 8 MP sensor which is an ultra-wide lens with a 120-degree viewing angle. Next, is the f/2.4 aperture 10 MP sensor that has a telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom capabilities. These are accompanied by an f/1.7 aperture 24 MP sensor and an f/2.2 aperture 5 MP depth sensor.

Colors, Price & Availability

Also Read : Realme U1 With Helio P70 To Launch On 28th November

The newly launched Samsung Galaxy A9 is available in three different gradient colors which are as follows:
- Bubble Gum Pink
- Lemonade Blue
- Caviar Black
The smartphone has a price tag of Rs 36,990 for its 6 GB + 128 GB variant and Rs 39,990 for its 8 GB + 128 GB variant. It will be available via both online and offline channels. Pre-bookings for the phone start today and it will be available from 28th November 2018.
November 20, 2018
Motorola’s Next Flagship Will Have Snapdragon 8150 And 5G Moto Mod Support

Motorola hasn’t really had an ideal year in 2018. Lower sales and a diminishing fan base have put the Lenovo owned company in a tight spot and they are trying hard to get out of it. The company is looking to ‘mod-ify’ this with its next phone, quiet literally. According to a website, the company is working on a new flagship smartphone and has codenamed it the Moto Odin.

The Mighty Odin And Snapdragon 8150

The Odin smartphone is set to be the next flagship from Motorola, and it is shaping up to be a very exciting one, to say the least. It runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8150 SoC, which is the latest processor from Qualcomm. Even though the chipset has not officially been unveiled by Qualcomm, a foldable phone running on the chipset has already been made public. Additionally, AnTuTu scores of an unknown device running the chipset have placed it above every other Android device till date. The report also tells us that the Odin has a 4 GB RAM and 32 GB storage configuration. But this might get a bump considering that these are just the initial stages of manufacturing.

The Rouyu FlexPai Running On The Snapdragon 8150

The Snapdragon 8150 is based on the 7 nm manufacturing process which is used by Apple’s A12 Bionic and Huawei’s Kirin 980. This manufacturing process allows for more transmitters to be fitted in a lesser space, making the chipset more powerful and battery efficient at the same time. Additionally, it is also said to feature a dedicated NPU which will make AI based problem solving faster.

5G Moto Mod

The next big thing is the continued Moto Mod support, especially that of a 5G Mod. We still do not know if Motorola will offer support for the previously released Moto Mods. Or whether this will feature an entirely new lineup of Mods. However, it is said to have support for a 5G Mod. The 5G Mod was seen earlier this year when Verizon used the same for its first 5G data transmission. This was done with the Moto Z3, which was a Verizon exclusive. As of now, the Moto Odin is said to be a North-American exclusive. But we might see that change with the introduction of the phone in other markets.

Another interesting aspect is talks of an in-display fingerprint sensor. While it is too early to say whether Odin would have this, reports confirm that Motorola is working on this technology for sure. The company won’t use the technology on their mid-range phones. So, it is safe to assume that Odin, being the flagship will carry this feature. Most importantly because it is now a staple feature in most Android flagship these days.

Also Read: Nokia 9 PureView And Nokia 8.1 Cases Get Listed, Might Launch In December

One thing is for sure, we will get to see the phone only sometime towards the middle of 2019. With the pace at which technology is growing, we’re wondering if these few features will be enough to make the Odin a great flagship by the time it is out. Also considering the fact that Motorola has named the device after the mighty Odin, expectations are quite high.

November 20, 2018
Realme U1 With Helio P70 To Launch On 28th November

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme launched their first smartphone, the Realme 1 earlier this year. The company since then has launched several other devices in the country that have received a positive response from consumers. Now, the company is about to launch their first U-series smartphone; the Realme U1 in India which will be exclusively available on Amazon. The upcoming smartphone might have a focus on photography due to its tagline “India’s Selfie Pro”. As promised, it will be the first smartphone to run on the MediaTek Helio P70 chipset. The smartphone will launch on 28th November at 12:30 AM. The company will live stream the launch event of the upcoming smartphone on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.

Improved Camera Perfomace

It's time to up your selfie game! Get ready to capture those flawless selfies with a smartphone experience like never before. Welcome #IndiasSelfiePro #RealmeU1, the perfect combination of power and an astounding selfie experience! We are #ReadyForU, are U?https://t.co/reg8WhCGEN pic.twitter.com/EZaDiIlmad

— realme (@realmeIndia) November 19, 2018

The company is touting the Realme U1 as a smartphone that shines in the area of photography. Any technicalities regarding the resolution or type of sensor on the device are currently unavailable. But, it is expected to have a high-resolution sensor and optimised software to match it. Additionally, the camera will have AI capabilities that can result in better-looking pictures.

MediaTek Helio P70

The Realme U1 will not only be limited to photography but will also be a solid performer due to the Helio P70 chipset. The Helio P70 was launched last month and is the successor to the Helio P60 which is present on the Realme 1. MediaTek claims that the new processor is a big leap forward from its predecessor. It now has a multi-core APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) which delivers 10-30 % better AI processing than the last generation. According to MediaTek, the processor is up to 35% less power hungry than its predecessor which will lead to better battery backup.

Notch Display

The pre-release webpage of the Realme U1 is already live on Amazon and it reveals that the new smartphone will have a dewdrop notch at the front. This notch will also help to bump up the screen-to-body-ratio of the smartphone.

Also Read: Top Tech Gadgets And Accessories Under Rs 500: November Edition

To summarise, with the right pricing, Realme might have yet another successful smartphone in their portfolio.

November 19, 2018

Redmi Note 6 Pro Vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: What’s Changed?

The Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched earlier this year. It was a big hit among Indian consumers due to its value for money pricing. Xiaomi is now all set to launch the Redmi Note 6 Pro in the country on 22nd November. The specifications of the Redmi Note 6 Pro are quite similar to its predecessor. But, even with similar specifications, Xiaomi claims that it is a major step forward from the previous smartphone.

What’s The Same

Before we start talking about what is different, here are the similarities. The Redmi Note 6 Pro has the same 4,000 mAh battery as its predecessor. Even though the company has tweaked the performance of the new device with MIUI 10, it still runs on the same Snapdragon 636 chipset from the previous generation. Having the same chipset means that both devices have the Adreno 509 GPU.

The company might have bumped up the display size from 5.99-inch to 6.26-inch but the screen resolution and type still remains the same. The new phone still ships with a hybrid SIM tray while the competition like Realme 2 Pro has a dedicated slot for the second SIM. Even memory and storage options stay the same while other contenders in this price range offer up to 8 GB of RAM + 128 GB of ROM.

Specifications
Rear Camera	12 MP PDAF 5 MP Depth Sensor Dual LED Flash
Battery Capacity	4,000 mAh
Chipset	Snapdragon 636 Octa-Core
GPU	Adreno 509
Display Resolution	2160 x 1080 px
Finger Print Sensor	Rear-Mounted
Display Type	LCD
SIM Slot Type	Hybrid Dual SIM
RAM & ROM	4 GB + 64 GB 6 GB + 64 GB

What’s Changed

Improved Camera Optics

As one cannot judge a book by its cover, the same is the case with camera performance on this smartphone. The Note 6 Pro has a similar camera setup with one 12 MP sensor and one 5 MP sensor. But, the company claims better real-world output from them. The sensor on the new phone features a larger f/1.9 aperture instead of the f/2.2 which was present on the previous model. The larger aperture we hope, allows it to absorb more light, therefore resulting in better lit pictures.

Additionally, the camera of the new smartphone has a 1.4 micron size pixel that will help in capturing better detail. The device also has AI scene detection capabilities that enable it to automatically choose the best scene from 32 different available options.

The Redmi Note 6 Pro has dual front-facing cameras with AI portrait mode and 12 scene detection modes. The front camera setup has a 20 MP primary sensor and a 2 MP secondary sensor for the depth effect. Xiaomi states that the 20 MP sensor is integrated with Super Pixel Technology which when combined with the 2 MP depth sensor produces results equivalent to a 1.8 micron size pixel sensor.

New Design & Corrosion Resistant Ports

The new Note 6 Pro now has a wide notch on the front. With an arc design on the back and a brushed metallic finish. The design not only looks good but, it also improves the grip of the device in the user’s hand.

With the Note 5 Pro, some consumers in coastal regions were left disgruntled. The 3.5 mm jack and charging port on their phone would corrode easily. The company noticed that it was an issue that was mostly faced by people living in coastal regions. Upon investigation, the company found humidity along with salt to be the reason behind the issue. To overcome the problem, Xiaomi now uses a corrosion resistant metal alloy to manufacture the ports for their devices.

P2i Coating

Xiaomi coats the innards of its Note 6 Pro with a P2i hydrophobic nano coating which makes it resistant to light splashes of liquid. However, It does not make the smartphone waterproof. But, the coating will allow the handset to easily survive those accidental liquid spills.

Bigger, Brighter Screen

The Note 6 Pro packs in a larger 6.26-inch display compared to a 5.99-inch on its predecessor. Xiaomi has managed to pack a larger display into the phone while retaining the footprint of its predecessor. Furthermore, the display panel on the new phone can reach up to 500 nits of peak brightness. These high brightness levels allow for easy screen viewability even in harsh sunlight.

MIUI 10

The Note 6 Pro runs MIUI 10 out of the box which Xiaomi claims is highly optimised. According to the company, MIUI 10 significantly bumps up performance on the new device while still featuring the same Snapdragon 636 processor. The new MIUI 10 also has inbuilt support for gestures which makes navigation across the device’s menus a total breeze.

November 19, 2018

Top Tech Gadgets And Accessories Under Rs 500: November Edition

Every month we scour the internet to find uber cool gadgets and accessories for you. This month we have found a bunch of such gadgets that are gonna make your life easier without burning a hole in your pocket. All the items in the list have a price tag of under 500 Rs.

Travel Clock

This funky looking gadget has more than basic clock capabilities. This portable clock has multiple other features that can definitely come in handy. The clock also has a built-in lanyard and an LED torch for an emergency situation. Other standard clock features include backlit display and alarm with a snooze option. However, the biggest highlight of this clock is its ability to quickly switch between different time zones. With a simple turn to the right or left, it will display time of that location which you choose on the knob.

Multi Pen

Number two on this list is a heavy duty metal pen with several useful features. It has a built-in spirit level for finding the perfect level for objects like tables and wall paintings. You can also use it as a ruler and measurement device due to its flat surface and markings. The back tip of the pen can also be used as a stylus for touchscreen devices that might come handy in situations when you have wet or dirty hands. The rear cap of the pen reveals a reversible screwdriver bit with a flat and Philips’ head when you unscrew it.

USB Hub

This USB Hub is a very good utility accessory for any laptop user. Gone are the good old days when laptop used to have a couple of USB ports. However, to decrease the footprint, laptop companies now manufacture devices with only one or two USB ports which might not be sufficient for most. This small pocketable accessory is a great tool to combat this issue. This tiny adapter can convert a single USB outlet into three different outlets which will suffice the needs of users.

Wrist Pads For Keyboard & Mouse

For people who work long hours on their computers, these supporting pads are the perfect companions for their setup. These lightweight pads can be used to rest your wrists on when using the mouse or typing on keyboards for long periods of time.

Rubber Laces

These Rubber laces are the perfect accessories to make your life a tad bit easier and convenient. They are made out of rubber compound material that allows you to stretch them when the wearer pulls the tongue of his shoe. Not only do they solve a small but annoying modern-day problem, they look good as well and definitely add a lot of style to your shoes. They come in a pretty cool shoe shaped cardboard packaging. In one pack the user gets a total of sixteen variable sized laces. Which can probably be used in two pairs of shoes including one adult and a kid.

Finger Band For Mobile Phone

This unique looking smartphone accessory offers great functionality. It has a back strap which can be folded into the shape of a ring which perfectly fits in the fingers of the user allowing him to easily use this large-screen smartphone single-handedly. Additionally, it can also be used as a stand for your smartphone so that the user can conveniently place it on a flat surface and enjoy his favourite digital content.

Cleaning Kit

As it said cleanliness is next to godliness. And the saying can definitely help users prolong the life of their beloved gadgets. We often get in touch with microscopic one-celled organisms like bacteria which we pass onto our gadgets. However, these single-celled creatures are quite capable of spreading communicable diseases. Hence, in an effort to keep such diseases at bay, this cleaning kit is the product for all gadget lovers. It comes with a gel-based biocide and a cleaning brush to manually clean out ports and openings on our smart devices.

Pocket Lamp

This pocket lamp is a must have small and lightweight accessory for every backpacker. However, it is not only limited to them it can also be used in homes while reading books at night or in the situation of a power outage. It is made out of thin translucent elastic material which allows it to slide onto on the flashlight of a smartphone. The lamp diffuses the light from the flash of the user’s smartphone.

Vlogging Smartphone Mic

As camera technology on smartphones improves a lot, more amateur filmmakers and vloggers are turning up. To record equally good audio with HD video, everyone needs an external microphone. This small microphone with an easy clip allows such users to record high quality audio to match up the HD or even 4K video quality from their smartphones and cameras.

Rechargeable AAA Batteries

Any electronic device requires a source of power. Like with every shrinking piece of technology, remotes and other electronics have also grown thinner and smaller. The remote controller of most appliance be it a TV or Sound system, requires AAA batteries. And if you are a restless viewer who relentlessly goes through menus on your TV or setup box, batteries on your remotes generally do not last very long. So, in order to overcome this yet, another man-made problem these AAA rechargeable cell are the perfect solution. Not only are they rechargeable which saves frequent trips to the market, they are good for the environment as well. Typically speaking, one battery generally lasts multiple recharge cycles. This reduces the number of batteries a user disposes in the environment.

You can also check out our video below:

November 19, 2018
Nubia Red Magic 2 Spotted On Geekbench
Nubia is a Chinese smartphone manufacturer based in Shenzhen. Earlier this year, the company launched a gaming-centric smartphone called the Nubia Red Magic in Europe & China. Due to a positive response from consumers, the company is expected to soon launch its successor. And recently, a Nubia smartphone has been spotted on Geekbench which most probably is the Nubia Red Magic 2. The alleged Nubia Red Magic 2 has the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Chipset.

Geekbench Results

The model number of the Nubia Red Magic 1 was NX609J, whereas the new device has the NX619J model number. The similar model numbers of both the phones state that this, in fact, is the successor to the Red Magic 1. The device in the listing gets a respectable single-core score of 2375 points and a multi-core score of 9066 points. The Geekbench listing also reveals that the upcoming smartphone runs on the latest Android 9.0 Pie operating system.

Under the hood, the Nubia Red Magic 1 runs the Octa-Core Snapdragon 845 with a base clock frequency of 1.77 GHz. Additionally, the smartphone gets 6 GB of RAM which is the same as the base variant of the previous device. However, the listing does not provide any other specifications that the new handset will feature. But, the company is expected to ship the new device with better features and specifications than its predecessor.

Nubia Red Magic

The Nubia Red Magic has a futuristic looking design with an aluminum back and 6-inch LCD display. The back of the device has a hexagonally shaped camera module, LED flash, and the fingerprint sensor. To accentuate its gaming orientation, the smartphone also has a customisable RGB LED strip at the back. The phone also has dual rear firing speakers and multilayer cooling technology to keep the phone temperatures in check even while playing heavy games. The device has a right side mounted sliding switch that toggles the gaming mode. When toggled, the device limits the number of background tasks to maximise gaming performance.

Nubia Red Magic Full Specifications
- Display: 5.99-inch Full HD+ 2160 × 1080 pixels, 18:9 aspect ratio
- Operating System: Android 8.1 Oreo
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
- RAM: 6 GB / 8 GB LPDDR4x
- Storage: 64 GB / 128 GB
- Rear Cameras: 24 MP, LED Flash
- Selfie Camera: 8 MP
- Security: Rear fingerprint scanner
- Connectivity: Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac 2.4G + 5G, Bluetooth 5 .0 + LE, GPS, USB Type-C , 3.5 mm audio jack
- Battery: 3800 mAh
- Dimensions: 158.1 × 74.9 × 6.8 mm
- Weight: 185 grams
All in all, the successor to the Nubia Red Magic 1 with the latest Snapdragon 845 chipset will be a capable gaming smartphone. It is also expected to carry forward a lot of design elements from its predecessor which looks really good. Unfortunately, the launch date of the smartphone is currently unknown and we will have to wait for the company to officially announce it.
November 19, 2018
Nokia 9 PureView And Nokia 8.1 Cases Get Listed, Might Launch In December

HMD Global has teased the launch of three of its smartphones at its ‘Expect More’ event scheduled for December 5th. The event will most probably see the launch of the Nokia 2.1 Plus, the Nokia 8.1 and the Nokia 9 PureView. A recent leak has shown the covers for the Nokia 9 and the Nokia 8.1 listed online. This mostly confirms that we will see these two devices launching at the event.

#ExpectMore pic.twitter.com/Z4F9F0xcZK

— Juho Sarvikas (@sarvikas) November 15, 2018

Nokia 9 PureView

The Nokia 9 PureView is one of the most anticipated phones this year. This is so because of its unique penta camera setup and a host of flagship features. These features include an in-display fingerprint sensor, a large display and a huge battery. The icing on the cake is obviously the penta camera setup, which is a patented technology by Zeiss.

The leaked case of the Nokia 9 shows slots for the penta camera setup on the back. The lack of a cutout for the fingerprint sensor on the back of the case makes it clear that the phone will indeed have an in-display fingerprint sensor. At the bottom of the case, we can see slots for what appear to be a USB Type-C port, speakers and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The headphone jack is a pretty sensitive topic these days. The inclusion of one will surely win over some more fans fro HMD.

Some more of the rumoured specs of the Nokia 9.1 include a 5.9 inch OLED display with a QHD resolution and 3D glass. The device is expected to run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC. You can read everything we know about the Nokia 9 here.

Nokia 8.1 Specs & Price

The Nokia 8.1 is said to be the global version of the Nokia X7 which was launched in China last month. The device is a mid-range phone and packs great features along with a solid design. Based on the specs of the Nokia X7, we can predict what the Nokia 8.1 will have. The Nokia 8.1 has a 6.18 inch FHD+ LCD display. It runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC with the Adreno 616 GPU with 4 GB and 6 GB RAM variants. Along with this, it has 64 GB and 128 GB storage options, which can be expanded up tp 400 GB using a microSD card.

Also Read : Google Pixel 3 Lite Pictures And Specifications Leaked

The phone has a 12 MP + 12 MP dual rear camera and a 20 MP front camera. Under the hood, it packs a 3,500 mAh battery. According to earlier reports, the phone will be launched in India at a price of Rs 23,999.

November 19, 2018